Instead of my usual big game prattle, I will do an impromptu quickie Top 5'er as my preview
presentation.--Top 5 MLS Cup KeysThese five are ranked based on a combined factor of importance and
"spectacularity".#5 - Watch your mouth, watch your challenges... just watch everything!With the way
that MLS refs have thrown about the red card in 2009, nobody wants to be the guy who puts him team
down a
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Oh man, I twisted the holy hell out of my ankle last night. Came down from a jump halfway on
someone else's foot in the last minute of the game. Suddenly, my four flights of stairs up aren't
so charming...#1 - Landon Donovan is your MLS MVP. He also won Goal of the Year. Somehow, he was
beaten out for Save of the Year by Pat Onstad.
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With Uruguay seeing off Costa Rica, the field for World Cup 2010 has been completed.Africa -
Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, South AfricaAsia - Australia, Japan, North Korea,
South KoreaEurope - Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal,
Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, SwitzerlandNorth America - Honduras, Mexico, United
StatesOceania - New
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As you might expect, we have plenty of things going on today. Two or three plenties worth,
actually...#1 - Let's begin with my double interview with Real Salt Lake strikers Robbie Findley
and Yura Movsisyan.Other RSL tidbits:- Rogue Cavaliers Brigade blog Denz's Sopabox has interview
videos- Have a ticket but no flight yet?
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A few NSC programming notes: there will be no Who likes goals? today, there will be a U.S. v
Denmark LIVE post on Wednesday and I will name my own MLS Best XI at S365 later in the week. And
now, your Monday morning croissants, juice and papers...#1 - The World Cup finals field for South
Africa is now at 26, with Cameroon capping their glorious table comeback with a 2-0 closing day win
(as
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I know we had one yesterday, but so much has been going on that we have another. And I meant to
have it up sooner, so a few of these may be old news to some...#1 - The National Soccer Hall of
Fame has unveiled this year's list of nominees, which includes the two gentleman pictured at
left.#2 - Yesterday, MLS tabbed Seattle forward Fredy Montero as Newcomer of the Year and Chivas
USA keeper Zach
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When it comes to the Premier League, the arguments could go on all night. The debate could turn
ugly. The question even secretly burns in the mind of true believers.Which English top flight club
has the most cumulative cool in the way of celebrity supporters?The four of us went off to research
five clubs each, then came back with the data, made our individual tables and then averaged them
out.
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Later today, I will have that 'fun Premier League post' that I promised was coming a few weeks
back. Sean and I put it together with a couple of NSC pals. Took a little longer than expected, but
it's ready now...#1 - I've posted my Q&A with USMNT/IK Start defender Clarence Goodson, who I had
somehow had never interviewed before last week.
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Most of the sweet weekend games haven't started yet, so why not kill time with some tube?We begin
with another promo clip from Wayne Rooney's Street Striker challenge show. In this clip, you get to
see a bit of how the show works and meet a few of the kids. I despise and avoid most "reality
challenge" programs, but I love this show!
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I've lifted the F-bomb ban on Cut of the Day because it's Friday and I wanna...#1 - In the
aftermath of last night's Real Salt Lake upset of the champs, James Edward pops the surprise cork
and Shawn Mitchell does the Crew autopsy.#2 - After another loss to Benfica at home last night,
Everton keeper Tim Howard knows his side is in a real scrap for the Europa League knockouts.
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I think headaches should be outlawed on Wednesdays. I mean, you are as far removed from the most
recent weekend as you are from getting to the next one. That's enough misery. A headache on
Wednesday is overkill. I vote "no" on Wednesday headaches. What say you?#1 - Chivas USA netminding
monster Zach Thornton was tabbed as the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year for a second time today.
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U.S. Soccer is inviting nominations for four "Best of 2009" categories, including (ahem) Best
Soccer Blog, until November 20th.As they say, a nod's as good as a wink to a blind bat. Eh, eh?-
Greg Seltzer
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NSC reader Jeremy was putting the fright into trick-or-treating Goats fans last night, and sent us
the pic to prove it.- Greg Seltzer
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If you go tricking and/or treating, and end up at house of my good ol' Ajax-USA buddy Jim, this is
the lit pumpkin you will encounter. It is truly... klassiek.If anyone else out there has cut a
soccer Jack O'Lantern (wasn't he a dashing striker for Arsenal in the '30's?), take a pic send it
over and I'll add you to the post.
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Former USWNT superstar Mia Hamm has pulled a Chili Palmer, becoming a movie producer to adapt
Harvey Araton's Alive and Kicking: When Soccer Moms Take the Field for the big screen.That's all
fine and good... but I still wanna see her throw a stuntman down restaurant stairs.What can I say?
I'm just like that.
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The season is over and, after a wild weekend, we have our playoff teams. The first round of
playoffs looks like this:
West
LA Galaxy vs Chivas USA
Houston Dynamo vs Seattle Sounders
East
Columbus Crew vs Real Salt Lake
New England Revolution vs Chicago Fire
Before we start previewing this first round of the playoffs, let's spend a moment looking back
at how we got here:
For the last month, the MLS essentially had a single table, and it was
great!
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Better late then never, right? Enjoy some TV...Let's begin an overstuffed edition with Harkesy and
JPD breaking down the MLS awards races. As usual, I skip all such clips and articles for several
weeks ahead of the voting. Right or wrong, I'm gonna go with my brain's output on that
ballot.Sticking with ESPN, Revs coach and Liverpool man Steve Nicol offers no quarter in laying the
current "crisis"
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I knew Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco was supposed to be a heckuva soccer player, but now
he's claimed on Twitter that he could actually go join pal Ronaldinho at AC Milan if the NFL
experiences a work stoppage.Is this possible? Has anyone seen him play at a charity event or
something?Watch... if he goes, suddenly everyone will be making "if they played soccer" XI's of
guys playing other
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While USS S365 is on the fritz, I'll drop some bits. A few may be a little behind, but I'll include
them just in case somebody missed one...#1 - ESPN ace Steve Davis looks at the state of the USMNT
defense. And if you're unaware, Jay DeMerit needed eye surgery for an infection.Both owww and ewww.
Get well, JayD!
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I think I've found someone who can solve the country's fiscal woes. Just one primary question: are
you at all concerned about an uprising?#1 - Get this. Well, maybe sit down first. You aren't ready
for it, no matter how tough you think you are. Please table any glass ewers you may be holding.
Your knees will wobble.
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On Sunday at 5:00 PM, the Centroamerican TV network will be showing a replay of last weekend's
USMNT v Honduras match.Best get to those phones now! Cancel all plans!!- Greg Seltzer
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I'm in such a random mood. Why not share?#5 - If I was the manager of France, Greece, Portugal or
Russia, which UEFA WCQ playoff Pot B team would I be most hoping to avoid in the draw? Bosnia.
Frankly, the trio of Džeko, Misimović and Pjanić would give me nightmares.#4 - Just heard via
NSC pal Adam Spangler that an Italian report claims the Azzurri FA will petition to have U.
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I know some folks like to find a little distraction when waiting and worrying takes over.
Therefore, I've decided to continue with this bit of regularly scheduled NSC programming.However,
my promised S365 column can wait until tomorrow. I was about to publish it when the Davies news got
around, and obviously put it to the side.
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Who knew Christian Slater was such a caviar hog? And is it just me or does Larry David look exactly
like former Boca Juniors boss Carlos Bianchi? Hmm...#1 - Kicking off some post-clincher coverage:
since I haven't seen the first 75 minutes of the game and am losing hope that I will anytime soon,
let's throw this USMNT player ratings over to Ridge Mahoney.
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Let's begin with ESPN's Derek Rae and Janusz Michalik with their weekly Americans Abroad two
cents.Also from ESPN, Tommy Smyth busts out with his world Top 25. As you might imagine, I have a
laundry list of complaints with his list.The British Special Olympics have taken to an unusual
fundraising drive.
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What a difference a day makes, eh? In fact, that's gonna be tomorrow's Cut of the Day. I only wish
I'd thought of it sooner...#1 - My significantly sunnier U.S. Under-20 Player Ratings for last
night's sound defeat of Cameroon are up.#2 - Also from yesterday is a new edition of my MLS Club
Ladder.#3 - Another Tuesday night bit: the Columbus Crew hosted a 1-1 draw with Costa Rican giants
Saprissa
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I know there was an AFT yesterday. And here's another while I try to think of a good Top 5 List
topic...#1 - ESPN has tabbed 11 guys to watch at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. If you hadn't guessed
by now, the American inclusion is a bit of a surprise: keeper Brian Perk.I was planning a similar
article tomorrow at S365, but have now seen several of these around.
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Labor Day has come and gone, the sun is setting earlier, and, even here in Houston, the air
contains a slight fall crispness. Yes, the Summer of Soccer is over, and what an interesting summer
it has been. Back on Father's Day, like a Phoenix, the US National Team rose from the ashes of its
first two group stage matches in the Confederations Cup to advance to the semifinals where it
shocked the football world by easily beating Spain, which was ranked by FIFA as the top national
team at the time.
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Major League Soccer
A common complaint about Major League Soccer is its failure or unwillingness to observe FIFA
International breaks. As recently as this month we have seen MLS matches played at the same time as
crucial World Cup Qualifiers involving the United States National Team, this despite earlier
indications from MLS that the League was going to pay closer attention to these FIFA breaks during
the 2009 season.
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Just a few, though. I'm toiling away to finish this monstrosity of a Top 5 List, will be ready this
afternoon...#1 - The USMNT Blog (which I removed from the Reading Room on the right, along with the
USWNT variety, because the new set-up's code interferes with the most recent post ranking) reports
that Jay DeMerit is in doubt for tomorrow's contest with El Salvador.
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A mere five months after beginning competition, the Seattle Sounders have bagged their first
silver, besting home side D.C. United 2-1 in Wednesday's U.S. Open Cup final. We have post-game
reactions, and of course, the reel...- Greg Seltzer
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I will start a short string of goodbye-to-summer transfer Top 5's tomorrow with my seasonal Shrewd
list. A few of these items may be slightly stale, but I've been distracted with window stuff and
finally have time, so this is sort of an AFT, combined with a dash of Video Wednesday and a
sprinkle of He Said What?
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I started a new weekly bit over at S365 charting the weekend's tastiest match-ups around the globe,
complete with U.S. TV info and any possible Americans Abroad participation noted - a sort of a
regular, cousin Top 5 List, if you will. Saturday morning isn't just about cartoons anymore. Move
over, Heckle & Jeckle.
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Hampered a bit by the silly limit on Real Madrid player access (vive la mixed zone!), NSC
correspondent Alex Abnos has managed to mold his report from Sunday's friendly with D.C. United
into a swell Top 5 List...#5 - Manuel Pellegrini thinks he has more good defenders than he actually
does.Last year, Los Merengues gave up about 15 more goals Sevilla and Barcelona (a ka the other two
of the top
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