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On a day when the WPS suspends operations for 2012, let's check in with the USWNT following their
CONCACAF Championship cruise past Canada last night. I'm wondering if some of these ladies won't be
headed across the pond soon.- Greg Seltzer
FA Cup: Everton/Fulham- Greg Seltzer
So yes, it's Landon v Clint in about two hours. Press pass sets the scene, but let's not forget Tim
Howard also exists. Deuce has only hit off him once and that was consolation in a losing cause.-
Greg Seltzer
Eddie Pope was kind enough to contribute mightily to the long-promised Top 5 List of transfers that
weren't for Americans, so I'm going to air his full comments on the relevant matter contained
within unedited. If you haven't seen it yet, you may wish to read that before the following
text.--"At a couple points throughout my career, I had a lot of interest from many European teams.
This generous lady poetically proves USWNT supporters can run with some rivalry smack as good as
the fellas - albeit in their own particular grrrl-y way. Her offering actually came before last
night's 4-0 Olympic qualifying win over Mexico (who do we have to bribe up to get highlights?!?), I
think it also stands pretty well the day after.
A friendly alert for all those that will be in Philadelphia range on February 2nd: the documentary
Laduma (formerly known as One Goal) will have a screening/fundraiser at the Ritz East (125 So. 2nd
St.) on that evening.The film rolls at 7:30 pm, and you can attend with a $15 donation to help
cover the independent event, with 20% going to HELP KICK HUNGER, a food drive organized by the Sons
of
As with all things WPS, there is a degree of uncertainty regarding its two biggest stars. Abby
Wambach told the Associated Press that she's still undecided as to whether or not she'll be playing
stateside next season. Marta, the mercurial Brazilian forward, noted her European options as
well.For what it's worth, Wambach stated that American qualification for the 2012 Olympics was her
top priority
Alright... I'm not saying Kyle Martino doesn't deserve a charmed life, but c'mon!Dude played pro
and international soccer, married Eva Amurri and had killed national broadcasts like a pro by the
time he'll turn 31 next month. Fine. Great. I'm happy for the guy.But now, NOW, he's gotten to be a
judge on Cupcake Wars.
The 2012 MLS schedule is up, boys, so get set for the longest season ever. It will also be the
biggest TV season ever, with NBC in for 41 games.- Greg Seltzer
Red Bulls GM Erik Soler says he's about to sign two, if not three "young" Americans with
international experience. Before we even think about possible transfers, do realize that quite the
crew of U.S. youth prospects are free agents.My first thought was erstwhile Sogndal keeper Joe
Bendik - but I can't confirm he's actually spent time with the junior Nats.
... the Prem has become just a vacation home for MLS veterans after another paycheck.Just kidding.
But seriously, my how times have changed for American soccer. If anybody back home still holds any
sort of inferiority complex about our domestic league, just go ahead and leave it out. The kid is
alright if a big English club in and aiming to return to the Champions League can feel like turning
to
I was told this morning that Kevin Garnett would be buying into AS Roma and figured... hey, no
rush, I can go do errands and post it tonight, nobody will know about this today.Oof.- Greg Seltzer
Women's Professional Soccer lives, albeit conditionally and mysteriously.On Monday night, US
Soccer's Board of Directors agreed to sanction "Division I" five-team WPS for 2012 on the basis of
arguments made by league officials citing growing support from the 2011 Women's World Cup,
continued exposure for the sport promised by the 2012 Olympics Games, and potential expansion.
The supposed deadline for WPS to find a sixth owner has come and gone. The 15-day grace period set
by US Soccer passed last Monday with little fanfare or, more notably, outcry. While the silence was
deafening, it appears that no news is good news for women's soccer in this country. At least for
now.
Fourth time's a charm as the North Carolina Tar Heels finally won their second NCAA crown - in my
old stomping ground of suburban Birmingham on a field I've trod many times, no less.- Greg Seltzer
As promised, the annexed quotes from my chat with the Generation adidas squad member...On battling
hard to stand out during talent-filled US Olympic camps: "That's all you can do. Go out there and
just give whatever you've got in any situation they give you. Hopefully, they like you and call you
back.
The best answer for a new USMNT system? More of it, sooner. Now, we are actually fully designed to
make these leaps we like to to talk about. Claudio Reyna is THE MAN.And gosh, I did not even
recognize former Steamers goal monster Don Ebert at first.- Greg Seltzer
US Soccer has given Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) until Monday to find a sixth team. You may
recall that the league's Board of Governors recently voted to expel Dan Borislow's Boca Raton-based
magicJack from the league. The relationship between Borislow and WPS has been fairly
roller-coaster-esque from the start.
The first NBC promo of their MLS package. Betchya hundred bucks Bob Costas turns up on a broadcast
at some point...- Greg Seltzer
You have five hours and change left to bid on autographed game-worn USMNT shirts from their recent
friendly in Paris. Proceeds go to the Disabled Veterans Charity.- Greg Seltzer
It's another week with two judged performances as our girl enters the top five, including one she
and her partner must put together receiving the music only 20 minutes beforehand. Hope claims this
is her sweet spot, with the pressure on like that. We shall see, but first there is the standard
weekly routine featuring a Quickstep.
Filling some reader requests, once again back is the incredible...#1 - Quite wisely, Klinsi has let
Landon Donovan out of the USMNT travel party.#2 - Let me just get this out of the way, so it
doesn't wait until item five to annoy you with anticipation. I have some deluxe goodies of all
varieties coming soon at MLSS.
Let me show you the real reasons I like Landon Donovan, which have nothing to do with the soccer
skills he will take up against New York in their tie decider on Thursday night: the guy is honest
and he has an underrated propensity for not taking himself so seriously all the time. Considering
his position in the US soccer bubble for the last decade, I'd say those are real feats.
Had the top three angled, actually. Spooky...CLINT DEMPSEY WINS THE 2011 PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
PRESENTED BY FUTBOL DE PRIMERAHe won his first award in 2006. This time almost fifty percent of the
journalists voted for Dempsey in first place SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011) -
U.S. National Team forward Clint Dempsey, was chosen by 202 US journalists as the "2011 Player of
the
FYI: You have two days left to get your MLS W.O.R.K.S. Breast Cancer Awareness Auction bids in,
folks. And to me, several of these items remain in "quite the steal" range for game worns and
autographed jerseys from some fine players.- Greg Seltzer
After last week's excitement, a twist! Not only with the USMNT keeper tackle the samba for points,
there is also a team Pasodoble dance (I totally had to look that one up) with three pairings
together that will be judged and count like a regular partner performance. Yep, a double dip,on the
floor and the scorecard.
Alright, it's getting down to serious time now. Even before the USWNT #1 faced the tricky rumba,
various corners of the interwebs were proclaiming sureness (with varying degrees of argumentative
aptitude) that our girl was being cheated by the judges or the producers. They always show her
fighting with Maks, she gets crap songs for the dance assigned, the judges favor others, whatever.
We're gonna be running some old school NSC game this week. Today, we drop some statistics you will
never have any use for - and never wished to know. Will did grouping one, we split the keepers and
I handled the final tally.That all said, let's digitize...THE BIG DANCEEvery fall, we look at the
UEFA cup fields, picking out the Americans and wondering what barriers they can break next.
This week, the USWNT #1 gets the tango. Unlike most Latin dance styles, this one does not get
re-mastered in breakdancing. In several ways, this dance is akin to the Viennese waltz we saw in
week one - only with a different "persona" to the show of it and different things going on with
upper body positions.
Do you (or someone you know) enjoy autographed soccer memorabilia, the thrill of online auctioning
and the feeling of helping a really great cause?If so, stop what you're doing and check out what
former MLS all-star keeper Mike Ammann has going on just for you.- Greg Seltzer
This week, our #1 shirt was assigned the Cha-Cha. Like most any Latin-style dance form, many of the
moves are re-purposed or re-imagined throughout the various forms of break dancing. Among these
similarities with the female partner are body and arm waves, which we've already seen Hope be a
little stiff with - let's see how she did.
Come talk to me about Oliver Kahn or Gianluigi Buffon when they have their own trivia tribute corn
maze like Kasey Keller does.- Greg Seltzer
This time, co-starring Alex Morgan. And don't forget Miss Solo does the jive tonight on Dancing
With The Stars - which means my performance review in the morning.- Greg Seltzer
No commentary needed, really. MLS goes sky high.- Greg Seltzer
Poor Steve Nash. I sure wouldn't want to play Hope Sole or the Sounders in a one-off for glory,
either.- Greg Seltzer
So it's now time to begin my dance judge career, as promised. Here's how I'm going to do this:In
each round, I will open by showing the video, in case some would rather form their own impression
before reading mine. Then I will use the standard scale from the show, grading out of a possible
10. They don't use half-points, but I will, because I wanna.
Today we're excited to announce a new series on the Free Beer Movement. It's called "Brews and
Views" and we pose a question or topic to various prominent soccer persons and, well, they give us
their view on it.
We've got loads of get people that have already responded to our call for essay submissions and
each week we'll feature a unique perspective on the current topic/question at hand.
You're looking for THIS photo.We're not just connoisseurs of beer and fine American soccer here at
the Free Beer Movement; we're artists too.
Over the years we've brought our camera to all corners of the globe and trained it on the beautiful
game (and plenty of other things). Photography is a fun little hobby and a great window to the
world around us.
With soccer, that is. Ya see, USWNT star netminder Hope Solo has been revealed as a contestant in
the next season of #3 Nielsen Ratings show Dancing With The Stars. The premiere is set for ABC on
September 19th. Finally, something soccer widows can watch with the hubby. It's all part of
soccer's plan to "28 Days Later" the nation.
Alvaro Fernandez says, "Eh Dallas? You want history? I got 'ya history right heee." (I know he's
not an Italian mobster. But it just works better). Just when you think MLS has popped the cork on
some history and plopped back on a recliner to take stock of the full measure of its
accomplishment, Seattle storms Castle Monterrey and, well, did it again a week later.
