Jurgen Klinsmann has been a polarizing figure since being named head coach of the USMNT, for me the jury is still out. Soon the US U23's will begin the qualifying rounds to earn their ticket London and the 2012 summer games. The problem I have at the moment (and this just might be my brain) is that Klinsmann isn't being too positive about the whole thing.

All the stuff being covered outside the unfriendly confines of the award-winning Dirty Tackle...

DirecTV Colombia inserts Atletico Madrid's Falcao into 300/the way Pepe actually sees football matches. [YouTube]

Speaking of Pepe, here's Crackovia's fake Pepe singing a parody of Michel Telo's "Ai Si Eu Te Pego" about stomping Messi.

As the Brotherly Game reported on Twitter Saturday night, it appears that Philadelphia will be the host of the 2012 MLS All Star Game.

Philadelphia Union executive Rick Jacobs told a crowd of fans at the Sons of Ben Help Kick Hunger event that there would be an announcement at 11 am at City Hall with MLS there as well.

STARTERS
LA Galaxy centerback Omar Gonzalez has passed up a chance to impress USA coach Jurgen Klinsman so he can go on loan for 6 weeks to German club Nurnberg.
-Does this make any sense at all to anyone? Besides that the Bundesliga does not even resume play until Jan 20!

Jürgen Klinsmann trying too hard to Europeanize U.S. team - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Thursday was the five-month anniversary of Jürgen Klinsmann's appointment as head coach of the United States men's national team. In that short time, he has presided over seven games and has a paltry 2-1-4 record.

Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz

Philadelphia Union

Tim Ream's giveaway to Danny Mwanga that resulted in the Roger Torres game winning goal when New York played the Union at PPL in April has been named the Gaffe of the Year by MLSsoccer.com. Yeah, it was pretty gaffable.

An AP report at ESPN begins, "Major League Soccer player Freddy Adu will train with Rayo Vallecano and may join the Spanish club.

All of us at PSP hope you had a Happy Christmas and are recovering well from the excitements of the day. Here's a brief news roundup to look at in between naps and one of the Boxing Day games from England on Fox Soccer Channel.

Philadelphia Union

The Goalkeeper projects various Union starting XI's depending on different scenarios (attacking formation, defensive formation, departures for the Olympics), starting with the basic assumption that most (if not all) of the recent signings will automatically start, and looks at what this could mean to players who were on the 2011 roster.

• Cameron's switch to center back becomes official [MLS Soccer]
• Houston Dynamo shockingly places Bobby Boswell in MLS re-entry draft [Sporting News]
• Dynamo's Boswell, others in re-entry draft [Houston Chronicle]
• Boswell makes buzz in re-entry draft [Houston Chronicle]
• Academy teams to compete in Winter Showcase [Houston Dynamo]
• New Dynamo Stadium to open on May 12, 2012 [Houston Dynamo]
• From Jose Ortiz's Twitter: "@ChrisCanetti told Sports Authority the Dynamo is close to announcing 10-year naming rights deal for new stadium.

I'm opening this with the following statement:

This is an editorial piece containing my opinions about the Brian Ching situation. I do not have factual evidence to support my points, I'm simply making educated assumptions based on the information we've actually seen. That said, I'm sure I'll get some reactions from people who don't make it past the headline before jumping to a conclusion.

MLS CUP PLAYOFFS
Final
Match & Score:
-Sun Nov 20
LA Galaxy v Houston Dynamo - 8:00pm CT on ESPN
Venue: The Home Depot Center - Carson CA
dN
General Playoff News
I know I pick on Chad Barrett of LA a lot. Have done so for years.

TEAM USA - EL EQUIPO DE TODOS
The Senior team is in France, while the Olympic team is in Germany
dN
Brian Straus of Sporting News does a Q & A with head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated examines today's France-USA game.

• Dynamo's Brian Ching says he'll be back [Houston Chronicle]
• Top 50 MLS Cup Moments: #10 Mr. Clutch [MLS Soccer]
• Boswell's 2011 season a story of highs and lows [MLS Soccer]
• Galaxy, Dynamo to play for MLS Cup in sold-out HDC [MLS Soccer]
• Interview with Houston Dynamo president Chris Canetti [YourHoustonNews.

Chuck Blazer could throw a massive monkey wrench into the New York expansion fun. (Getty Images)

The writing was possibly too much on the wall for this not to happen. We heard the whispers for a little while that something could be going wrong in the New York Cosmos to MLS expansion camp. With the news the other day that Cosmos chairman and CEO Paul Kemsley resigned, you just knew something else was going on.

STARTERS
Huge congrats to Helsingborg who won the Swedish Allsvenskan championship on Sunday!
STORY OF THE DAY
Jonathan Wilson of the Guardian today looks at statistical analysis that shows the biggest clubs in English football have clearly pulled away from everyone else.

Have some free time and want to raise a ruckus? DC United's Director of Marketing Communications Kyle Sheldon (@kylesheldon) is being openly anti-Brad Davis for MVP on Twitter. So, do with that information what you will.

• Houston's Brad Davis emerges as MVP front-runner [Sporting News]
• Dynamo in wait-and-see mode on playoff position [Houston Chronicle]
• Top 50 MLS Cup Moments: #33 Saving Grace [MLS Soccer]
• Stadium risers set to be completed Wednesday morning [Houston Dynamo]

In Other News:

• United's Charlie Davies files $20 million lawsuit [Washington Post]
• Talking Tactics: As postseason looms, goals dry up [MLS Soccer]

Their Words It had a lot to do with the history of both cities and both clubs. It's an inherent situation. Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson on his club's rivalry with Liverpool. Other Sources Klinsmann's charge: Change soccer culture in U.S. - from The Sporting News's Brian Straus: But Klinsmann was hired to do more than just win.

STARTERS
Kasey Keller will play his last regular season game in Seattle on Saturday night and they are expecting over 60,000! Wow! He is retiring from playing at the end of the season.
-They probably won't break their own attendance record set this past summer against Manchester United of over 67,000.

Their Words It's a growing process we are going through that will take time. If you look at the overall roster, we have a good team together that is highly competitive going into World Cup qualifiers. US National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Other Sources Klinsmann resolute about U.S. hopes, even in defeat - from The Sporting News's Brian Straus: "These types of partnerships .

• Dynamo forward Cam Weaver undergoes surgery [Houston Dynamo]
• Timbers game will prove daunting for Dynamo [FS Houston]
• Excitement grows as Dynamo stadium begins to take shape [Houston Dynamo]
• Dynamo's Cameron gives time and effort for charity [Houston Chronicle]
• MLS meets UFC [Houston Dynamo]
• Houston Dynamo Makes a Goal Again with the 2nd Annual Dine with the Dynamo Dinner [Style Magazine]

In Other News:

• Houston ranks 24th as sports city by Sporting News [Houston Chronicle]
• MLS East Notes: White a 'pleasant surprise,' Mondragon training and more [Soccer by Ives]
• Omar Gonzalez still open to playing for El Tri [ESPN Insider]
• Klinsmann discusses Gonzalez, John and defends USMNT roster selection process [Soccer by Ives]

Their Words We understand that the international match calendar is a FIFA matter. But UEFA is providing suggestions via a democratic process involving all stakeholders. The main point is to replace friendly matches with double-header fixtures and to harmonise kick-off times as per the UEFA Champions League approach.

Sporting News: U.S. Open Cup Could Be Revamped For '12

Brian Straus reports that US Soccer is considering changes to the US Open Cup process.

It sounds like the USSF is tired of people like me and other bloggers beating the dead horse about the US Open Cup format. The Sporting News' Brian Straus is reporting that the USSF could propose a new format that does away with the current qualifying round for MLS clubs and it could see the end of the bidding process.

Their Words Like we said, every time we enter a competition we want to win it, so we'll enter it next year and we'll want to win it next year as well. Seattle coach Sigi Schmid. Other Sources As Donovan ages, his time as U.S. centerpiece ticks away - from The Sporting News's Brian Straus: It's not that Donovan has performed poorly or that he's no longer an elite player.

• Top 50 MLS Cup Moments: #47 Orange Crush [MLS Soccer]
• Dynamo Stadium grass being grown in Damon, Texas [Houston Dynamo]
• Houston's Cameron named MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Month [MLS Soccer]
• Houston's Bruin continues to push for starting spot [MLS Soccer]
• Hainault giving Dynamo his all [Houston Chronicle]
• Houston's Cam Weaver to have season-ending hip surgery [Sporting News]
• Academy College Report - Oct.

• Canetti's Corner - September 26, 2011 [Houston Dynamo]
• First-place Dynamo aware there are no guarantees [Houston Chronicle]
• Houston's late show "comes down to determination" [MLS Soccer]
• Dynamo's Cameron back in his element [Houston Chronicle]
• Distinctive steel tubing placed at Dynamo Stadium [Houston Dynamo]
• Academy College Report - Sept.

Crew Stadium, full...it can be done folks. (Getty Images)

Boy, folks sure are down on the Columbus Crew these days. Either it is due to their lack of form in the league at the moment, their injury list piling up like a 10-car pileup on the freeway, or it is just due to them being in Columbus.

How does a 20-team MLS sound to you as a stopping point? Enough? Too many?

Either way, you might just need to formulate a personal opinion on this matter, because it looks like official MLS policy is leaning in on the big 2-0.

MLS commissioner Don Garber was in Dallas over the weekend for the Red Bulls-FCD contest.

Their Words When we built this roster one of the first things we kept in mind was depth. DC United assistant coach Chad Ashton. Other Sources FIFA technology testing moving too slow for MLS - from The Sporting News's Brian Straus: The Galaxy's euphoria became frustration in an instant. Five quiet milestones about to be reached - from MLSsoccer.

The most powerful and prestigious soccer leagues in the world have stopped at 20. From a huge country like Brazil to a relatively small one like England, 20 clubs seem to be the limit for even the strongest circuits. Whether it's to keep the number of games manageable, maintain the depth of the talent pool or simply a trend, 20 has become the standard.

All the news that's fit to drink.
And because you'd rather have a beer than be reading all the time... we've taken the day's top news and given it the Reader's Digest-treatment so you can get to that post-work pint quicker.
* Timothy Chandler might not be a Nat after-all.

Great news! In an article printed on Monday by Sporting News, MLS president Mark Abbott stated that there are currently no plans to expand beyond 20 MLS teams. Here's the exact quote:

"Our focus right now is the 20th team in New York and we have not yet set a timeline for expansion beyond that, or even (determined) if we're going to expand beyond that.

The Major League Soccer Players' Union has released the latest batch of player salary numbers. The numbers are offered both by team and player and show the wide range of salaries in the league. This latest release is most interesting because it reveals the wages of some of the league's most recent signings.

I saw this quote in an article on MLS expansion over at the Sporting News. Nothing really ground-breakingly new in the piece on expansion. The same markets are mentioned but the meat is really in this quote. Abbott says the league will likely slow down expansion after number 20, something I've been saying on here for a couple years now.

IN MEMORY OF BOBBY RHINE
Sadly, long time Dallas player and staff member Bobby Rhine died of a heart on Monday while vacationing in Florida with his family. He was just 35 years old, and was married with two children.
Buzz Carrick who has cover Dallas from possibly day 1 directs us to a video of Bobby Rhine speaking that Carrick feels is a great example of who Bobby was.

• Road worriers Houston Dynamo face tough two-game swing [Sporting News]
• First seat risers placed in new stadium [Houston Dynamo]
• Plenty of positives from Monterrey win [MLS Soccer]
• Midfielder Alex Dixon undergoes surgery [Houston Dynamo]
• Dynamo still looking for first road victory this season [Houston Chronicle]

STARTERS
I am curious to see if any of our big name soccer journalists will write the story of US Soccer being fined by FIFA for abusive language from fans during the Gold Cup.
-Word came down from US Soccer to the biggest supporters group American Outlaws that abusive language on a large scale will not be tolerated, and as punishment for what has already gone down the Outlaws will no longer be allowed to hang their banners at USA games.

• Ailing Houston youngsters Bruin, Cruz ready to return [Sporting News]
• Bruin, Cruz could appear in reserve game [MLS Soccer]
• Dynamo not overreacting to Vancouver loss [MLS Soccer]
• Dynamo welcome back Cruz, Bruin for playoff push [Houston Chronicle]

In Other News:

• Myanmar Soccer Fans Given Freedom of Raucous Speech [NY Times]
• Minnesota Vikings owner wants an MLS Franchise [Pioneer Press]

Awesome Sporting News soccer reporter Brian Straus adds some context for everyone on Major League Soccer's surgence (not re-surgence... we had to be good before... which we weren't) in the CONCACAF Champions League.


MLS teams are heading south and kicking a**, heading to Mexico and finally kicking a**, and making their mark in the region.

Don Garber and the MLS front office have a huge task in front of them for 2012. (Getty Images)

One thing is certain, 2012 will be different. How different for Major League Soccer is the question.

MLS will have 19 clubs next season with Montreal entering the mix. This all means the schedule gets a little trickier.

- Jason Davis A little bonus American Soccer Show action for you. After getting together with Jared to chat with Brian Straus of The Sporting News, we decided it was a good idea to put out a bonus episode rather than hold on to it over the weekend. In here is a lot of great stuff from Brian on Klinsmann's debut, the new feeling around the team , Freddy to Philly, and more.