More US Development Academy Winter Showcase Pics

And some more pics from the USSDA Winter Showcase

Rapids v South Central Premier

RBNY v Indiana United

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MLS Tactics, La Liga TV Money, Player Stories, MLS Draft Info

MLS

• San Jose: How the Quakes Beat RBNY
• Rapids: How the Rapids Exploit Weakness
• Dallas: FCD Uses Harris to Befuddle Galaxy 
• Locker room leadership; how it counts in MLS playoffs  
• MLS Drafts Explained for a British Audience
• Timeline for Drafts(excluding SuperDraft)
• Jason Davis: On Ending Restrictions on Academy Signings   
• Steve Davis: Cup Final Preview
• Jeff Carlisle: Cup Final Preview

Interesting Reads

• Kyle Martino: "Can you Play", Don't Ask the Athlete
• Gale Agbossoumonde: Regrets signing with Traffic
• The Run of Play: On talent and using it 
• Jacob Steinberg: A terrific read about Jose Antonio Reyes 
  

Around the World

• Brasileirao: 3 way race for Campeonato with 3 left to play

The Business of Soccer

• La Liga: TV Rights Deal Threatens Split

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Playoff Brouhaha

Oh the whines and cries of so many folks as the West dominates the MLS standings heading into the playoffs.
It's not a bad argument to want the playoffs to be seeded as in a single table format. We in the US are accustomed to that and it makes logical sense as the best chance to end up with the two best teams, at least based on seeding, in the final.
Now here is the reality of the potential matchups.

First, with the current standings, the matchups would be ...

LA v Seattle - LA won both league matches
RSL v Dallas - The teams split their two matches

RBNY v San Jose - The teams split their two matches
Columbus v Colorado -  The teams split their two matches

If higher seeds win ...

LA v RSL - The teams split their two matches

RBNY v Columbus - Columbus won both matches

LA v RBNY - The teams split their two matches

NOTE -
#2 RSL won and drew v #5 RBNY, RSL and #6 Columbus split their matches
#3 Dallas lost and drews v #5 RBNY, Dallas #6 Columbus drew their matches
#4 Seattle and #5 RBNY split their two matches, Seattle won and drew v #6 Columbus

Where is the dominance of the higher seeds? They won 4, lost 3 and drew 5 vs lower seeds from the east.
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Now if the playoffs were based on seeding 1-8 ...

LA v San Jose - San Jose won 1 and 1 draw
Seattle v RBNY - The teams split their two matches

RSL v Colorado - They drew once and play this weekend
Dallas v Columbus - Two draws

If higher seeds win ...

LA v Seattle - LA won both league matches
RSL v Dallas -  The teams split their two matches

LA v RSL -  The teams split their two matches

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Thursday Post

MLS

• TFC:  Uproar in Toronto
• Lots of tweets on Juan Pablo Angel's statement that he doesn't expect to be back with RBNY next year. Not one mention that the team will have the full $335,000 salary hit on both Henry and Marquez next year. Due to their late signing this season, the cap was hit for $335,000 total for both in 2010.
• Steve Goff:  Expansion Draft Rules

Soccer in the US

• Steve Davis Before and After:  USA v Colombia Preview - USA v Colombia Review
• USMNT: Two views on the midfield -  Kyle McCarthy - Brent Latham
• USSF D2:  D2 Playoffs 

Interesting

• CONCACAF:  On CONCACAF's Request for Permanent Entry Into The Copa America 
• A Blogger's Tale - I've been sitting on this link for a while.
• The Guardian:  On the Sale of Liverpool
• More on the Sale of Liverpool - It's a fluid story, so I'll stop now

 Competitions

• Copa Sudamerica:  Final 16 update 

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A Friday Post

MLS

• The 'big' game is just an hour away. Of course, it's not really a big game. LA has clinched a playoff spot and the Red Bulls would have to collapse not to finish 2nd in the East. Of course, LA does want to stay ahead of RSL and win the Supporters' Shield, but otherwise, I'd say the KC/Dallas game is the 'big' game, featuring the two hottest teams in the league and KC making a late run to overcome Seattle for the 8th playoff position.
  

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Municipal, Olimpia win in group phase 4th round. Columbus and RSL lead their respective groups after 4 rounds.
• Asian Champions League
• Copa Sudamerica  

Interesting Reads

• Bundesliga: What makes it so attractive

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After the Weekend Aug 28-29

MLS

• Week 22 Attendance Report
• Highlights: Henry gets first MLS goal, Dallas set away game record, Gals still faltering, Wizards still trying, Seattle surging
• MLS'ers head for International duty
• Goal.com on a couple of players coming into their own: Dane Richards - Kei Kamara
• Adidas deal extended, enhanced

Club Tournaments

• CAF: Orange CAF Champions League(Africa)

Interesting Reads

• Real Madrid: The Special One and Real Madrid 
• David Hills: Said and Done - A weekly column 
• Two former USL-1 teams compete for USL-2 title. Charleston beats Richmond. 
• The transfer window from a player's point of view
• League tables just a click away
• Central American roundup  

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page

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News and Views Wed Aug 25

MLS

• Chivas USA: Goats add Home Grown player
• RBNY: Rookies making a difference
• Rapids: Kroenke now a majority NFL owner
• Rapids: Rapids stuck in an eddy Part 1  -  Part 2

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - RSL, Seattle lose in group phase 2nd round
• CCL: Don Garber's Silence is Sending the Wrong Message
• UEFA: Champions League Results
  
• UEFA: Europa League Results
• Copa Sudamerica

Interesting Reads

• FIFA: FIFA VP and CONCACAF Prez in another ticket scandal
• Man U: Glazers fail to pay mortgage on four shopping malls
• US Players: The Issues With Scandinavia 
• Man City: Sheikh Mansour's £500m Manchester City cash injection
• Argentina: Argentina's romantic view of the beautiful game may be holding them back  

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page

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News and Views from Wed Aug 11

MLS

• Revs: Revs part ways with midfielder Niouky 
• Business: MLS to Versus is close to a no-brainer  
• Quakes: San Jose signs midfielder Khari Stephenson  
• RBNY wins, RSL and Philly draw  
  

US Pyramid

• Chatting With Some Development Academy Coaches by J.R. Eskilson.
• Brian Quarstad continues his reporting on the 2nd division in the US pyramid.

Well the plot gets thicker. USSF is sticking to the financial guidelines that Brian reported on Monday. They also say that they are adamant about not running D2 next year.
Austin, Carolina, Edmonton, Miami, Montreal, Rochester and Tampa Bay would appear to be OK. Non-profit owned Minnesota and Puerto Rico, owned by the Bureau of Tourism are in a nether world.
FIFA requires leagues to have 8 teams for formal sanctioning, with exceptions. There's so much more, so read Brian's post. It's fair to say that for expansion hopefuls, most have probably resigned themselves to D3, while the D2 picture remains muddy. Stay tuned.

 Around the World

• Copa Libertadores: Internacional takes 1st leg of final over Chivas
• CONMEBOL: Copa Sudamericana update
• Stoke sign Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland 
• West Ham agree loan deal for Miralem Sulejmani of Ajax 
• ESPN Reach Agreement with Fox Over EPL TV Rights in U.S.
• Manchester United sign Portuguese striker Bébé 
• Marlon Harewood one of five Blackpool signings

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After the Weekend Aug 7-8

MLS

• Week 19 Attendance Report
• Steve Davis: A new era begins at FC Dallas

I thoroughly enjoyed the 'DP Showdown' between Chicago and RBNY. How about you? And in case you missed it, RBNY's visit to Houston drew 24,750 and Chicago filled Toyota Park to the rafters. Good stuff.

US Pyramid

• PDL: The Portand Timbers U23's completed a perfect 20-0-0 season by winning the PDL champship with a win over 2008 champion Thunder Bay - USL Championship Weekend

Around the World

If nothing else, Man U's Community Shield win over Chelsea provided a confidence boost going into the season.
It's common in sports to downplay early season losses with the phrase 'it's a long season'. There's another sports saying that's also appropriate, 'every point counts'. The top Ligue 1 teams that lost on opening day will just have to wait to find out about that.

• Deco leaves England for Brasil
• Insua leaves Liverpool for Genoa
• Strategy: Defensive tactics on the rise in the EPL?
• EPL: The Guardian previews all 20 EPL teams
• Portugal: Porto over Benfica in the Super Cup
• Germany: Bayern Munich beats Schalke in the Super Cup
• Turkey: Trabzonspor beats Bursapor for TFF Super Cup
  

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News and Views from Fri Aug 6

MLS

• Steve Davis: A new era begins at FC Dallas
• Fire: Segares is Back / Ward Traded 
• Chivas USA, RBNY: Chivas USA Loans Players To Miami FC, RBNY Release Goldthwaite
  

US Pyramid

• USSF D2: Week 18 preview
• USL PDL: Championship Weekend

Club Tournaments

• N.A. SuperLiga: Revs v Morelia in final on Sep 1 - That's the same day as the US Open Cup Semifinals
• UEFA: Champions League Draw
• UEFA: Europa League Draw

Interesting Reads

• Soccer Strategy: Is 4-2-1-3 the future?
• Slightly misnamed, but I get the point: We're living in the age of the football-industrial complex 
• Chinese Football: A big step backwards

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News and Views from Thu Jul 15

MLS

• Midfield error leads to late game winner for Seattle.
• RBNY: Thierry Henry And The Foreign Perception Of MLS.
• Steve Davis: Henry brings cachet to New York.
• Rob Hughes: Bigger Than Beckham? Henry Arrives. 
• Jason Davis: MLS the Retirement League, Henry the Savior. 
• Drew Epperly: Expansion - The Other Markets. 
• Expansion: San Diego and MLS. 
• Expansion: Mets talking with MLS about soccer team. 
• Expansion: English Club Looking at Atlanta for MLS Expansion(unconfirmed). 
• Seattle's new DP Nfuko added to active roster.
• Namoff Suspends Career, Questions on Concussions in MLS.
• Sports Marketing Experts On Why Thierry Henry's MLS Move Is Not In The Same League As David Beckham's.

Club Tourneys

Continental Championships.

• N.A. SuperLiga: Houston 2, Pachuca 1.
• N.A. SuperLiga: Puebla 2, ChivasUSA 1.

N.A. SuperLiga
Group A
	W	D	L	Pts	GD
Monarchas Morelia	1	0	0	3	4
New England	1	0	0	3	1
UNAM Pumas	0	0	1	0	-1
Chicago	0	0	1	0	-4
Group B
	W	D	L	Pts	GD
Houston	1	0	0	3	1
Puebla	1	0	0	3	1
Chivas USA	0	0	1	0	-1
Pachuca	0	0	1	0	-1

Around the World and other Stuff

• Brian Quarstad: Rethinking Division-2 Pro Soccer in North America – Part 3. 
• Brasileirao update.
• Papa Bouba Diop leaves Portsmouth for AEK Athens.
• Uruguay striker Cavani to join Napoli on loan.
• Celtic Sign Mexican Defender Efrain Juarez.
• Man City Uses Riches for Good in New York City.
• Sid Lowe: Del Bosque finally proves he's far more than just a player's coach.
• USMNT: Project 2010: a postmortem.
• Since Man U is touring North America: The Clock is Ticking Man U.

The Business of Soccer

• Greg Clarke gets serious with English League clubs over salary caps.
• False profits. Revealed: how Tottenham cooked the books.

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News and Views from Mon Jul 12

MLS

• Kyle McCarthy: Week 15 review, and MLS in the wake of World Cup 2010.
• Max Zeger: MLS Super Clubs, and Is MLS losing its Parity? I don't agree with Max that the new DP rules are bad for the league.
• The Shin Guardian: Post World Cup MLS Storylines Some good talking points.
• J Hutcherson: RBNY, DP's and expectations .
• MLS youth teams look to claim USSDA titles.

Inevitable post World Cup stories

• Sick Fucks: Somali militants say they carried out deadly Uganda World Cup blasts.
• Howard Webb under fire but Johan Cruyff blames Dutch. I urge you to read the Cruyff article linked in the story.
• Winners and Losers from SoccerLens. One of many articles detailing winners and losers.
• Winners and Losers from The Final Third. Agree or disagree, a decent list.
• In support of Howard Webb. With the usual mix of comments displaying incite and stupidity.
• World Cup Goals by League Nations and Club Teams.
• Video: Guardian's chief football correspondent, Kevin McCarra: World Cup final: 'It may well rank as the ugliest of all time'.
• Jamie Trecker: Final World Cup thoughts. 
• Jason Davis: In the End, It's the End. 
• World Cup marketing winners.
• World Cup Viewership on ABC / ESPN Rises 41 Percent. 
• South Africa’s Soccer Future.

Around the World and other Stuff

• Steve Bruce on English youth and the 'monster' league.
• Ledley signs for Celtic.
• Celtic keeper Boruc joins Fiorentina. 
• K-league returns to action. 
• US Soccer and the need for patience. 
• John O'Brien: The Fan and the Player: Same, and Different, Experiences.

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News and Views from Wed Jul 7

MLS

• BMO Renews Toronto FC Jersey Deal.
• J Hutcherson: Red Bulls Still Building For The Good Of MLS. 
• KC's Espinoza reflects on his World Cup experience.
• Footiebusiness: MLS: The Value of Exposure.

US Open Cup
Columbus, ChivasUSA and Seattle have advanced to the semifinals. DC United plays Harrisburg on July 21 in the last quarterfinal match. In addition to modest cash prizes, $100G to the winner and $50G to the runner-up, the winner earns a berth in the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League.

• Defending champ Seattle downs Galaxy and advance to semifinals.

World Cup On Field News and Updates
And then there were two. Netherlands v Spain on Sunday for the trophy.

• FIFA
• ESPNSoccernet
• Goal.com
• The Guardian
• SI

Non Game Specific Football World Cup Stories

• Ode to the Perfect Pass. 
• World Cup Showdown Between Airline Alliances. 
• World Cup attendance to pass 3 million, third best. 
• Surge in domestic abuse cases coincides with England's World Cup exit. 
• Ghana calls for Fifa rule change after World Cup exit.  
• Integration Fairytale Fails to Spread from Football Field to Society.

US News and Views

• Path to progress for U.S. national team not likely to include Bradley.
• What Jurgen might do. 
• via Must Read Soccer: Why We Rooted for the US.  
• 63 percent of U.S. adults tuning out World Cup. 

Player Moves and other News

• Iran Rejects Women's FIFA - Approved Football Strip.
• Serie A and B officially split.
• Chelsea sign Czech defender. 
• Arsenal sign defender Laurent. 
• Joe Ledley moves to Celtic and deepens Cardiff's financial crisis. 
• Nigeria's strangled football industry. 
• via Nutmeg Radio: One Goal: At Telegraph 21 documentary. 
• Dan Gosling's free agent move leaves Everton seething.
• ESPN Refuses to Rule Out Possibility Of Dedicated Soccer TV Network. 
• Sports Economists: Always Wrong About Everything.

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After the Weekend Jun 18-20

Starters

• My apologies to any regular readers out there for no Friday post. Way too engrossed in the World Cup and playing with my new(and first) smartphone.
• So much has been written about 'the goal that wasn't' in the US/Slovenia game. I'll link you to this one because it has pictures. 
• More episodes of Special One TV.

MLS

• Brasil's Cruzeiro easily beat RBNY.
• Houston downs CD Aguila in 2nd annual Charities Cup. 
• RSL defeat Puntarenas at Rio Tinto.

World Cup On Field News and Updates

• FIFA
• ESPNSoccernet
• Goal.com
• The Guardian
• SI
• Netherlands first to go through, Cameroon first to go out. Brasil are through.
• Monday's preview capsules.

Non Game Specific Football World Cup Stories

• US suffers from law of the wrestling ring.
• Cup spurs record digital highs on social media.
• US/Slovenia draws record ESPN numbers.
• After slow start, Cup gets its mojo working.
• Yellow card rule change to minimize chances of players missing final.
• FIFA on guard against match fixing. 
• England's WC players and their salaries.
• The Cup and politics in Latin America.
• South African soccer and benefits from the Cup.
• During the Cup, FIFA is the law.
• Only time will reveal the Cup's legacy in South Africa.
• Here's one for US fans. Onyewu is the best option, despite shaky form.
• FA(Great Britain): the first World Cup winners.

Not World Cup News

• CONCACAF foes drive each other to get better.
• And one for footie braniacs: Formations - Cartesian Coordinates or Dasein?
• TV and the growth of US soccer.
  

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News and Views from Wed May 26

At the Top

• US World Cup squad named.

The buzz surrounding the selection ...

• Findley over Ching
• 'Only' 4 MLS players, but a majority have played in MLS
• Onyewu's performance against Czechs
• Defense, particularly left back, no surprise there

MLS

• Wizards sign midfielder Jamar Beasley.
• World Cup Player bonuses(from 2004 CBA).
• Do soccer stadiums equate to better attendance?
• Open Cup 'win and you're in' - RBNY 3 Colorado 0 - DC United host RSL on June 2.
• DC United over AC Milan 3-2.
• Seattle beats Boca Jrs. 3-0.

Interesting Reads

• FIFA will crack down on dangerous tackles.

World Cup

• FIFA puts up 150,000 tickets for sale.
• France keeper Lloris: WC ball is disaster.
• Clubs receive compensation for each player at World Cup. 
• Team profile: Switzerland. 
• Team profile: Ghana.

Around the World

• Real Madrid axe Pellegrini, clear way for Mourinho.
• Friendlies: France 2 Costa Rica 1 - Netherlands 2 Mexico 1 - Turkey 2 N Ireland 0
• Toronto wins Nutralite Canadian Championship, gain berth in CONCACAF Champions League.

The Business of Soccer

• Most EPL teams will have to cut wages to comply with UEFA's 'Financial Fair Play'. 
• The business side of the US/Czech friendly.

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News and Views from Mon May 24

MLS

• Reviewing RBNY's win over Juventus.
• DC United on pace to set dubious club records.
• Revs update.
• Drew Epperly's MLS 'Hot and Not'.

Interesting Reads

• All about Sacha, Kljestan, that is. Part 4 of 5 with links to parts 1 thru 3.
• An interview with Graham Poll. 
• Tapping into the passion.
• For your non-soccer friends, a phrase glossary.
• Esteli sends protest to CONCACAF over CCL exclusion.

World Cup

• Pre Cup friendlies - South Korea defeat Japan. Austrailia beat New Zealand. Argentina over Canada. England 3 Mexico 1. South Africa draw with Bulgaria. Portugal, Cape Verde Islands draw.
• Andrew Guest: South Africa's greatest WC moment.
• The story of the first World Cup.

Around the World

• USSF D2 weekend recap.

The Business of Soccer

• Spain will not make clubs strike joint TV deals.
• MLS watches as Supreme Court rules against NFL.
• UEFA Champions League Final TV ratings.
• MLS opens front office training center.
• Parachute payments in England could distort competition.
• Vietnam League attendances.

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After the Weekend May 22-23

MLS

• Weekly Attendance report.
• Game recaps at MLSSoccer.com.
• RBNY beats Juventus 3-1.
• Chicago fail at Sister Cities International.
• Galaxy down Boca Jrs.

Interesting Reads

• A link to pass along to your 'new to soccer' friends. Rules of the game.
• Lord Triesman, former chairman of the Football Association and entrapment.
• How football can keep the lid on strife.
• UCL on Fox, the emergence of the US football fan.
• US player profile: Sacha Kljestan.
• Soccer's foothold in the US. 
• For England fans: The Guardian's football coverage.

Around the World

• SoccerLens: Swiss Football Rocked By Europe-Wide Match Fixing Scandal.
• Toluca wins Mexican Clausura.
• Campeonato Brasileiro update.

World Cup

• Foreign fans staying home, revised estimates reveal. Huge financial shortfall predicted.
• The real World Cup prize, broadcast rights.

Club Tourneys

• Inter Milan wins UEFA Champions League with 2-0 win over Bayern Munich. Serie A keeps 4th UCL spot.
• Between the two UCL finalists, 21 players are World Cup bound.
• UCL final: Passing statistics.

The Business of Soccer

• Brian Quarstad: AC St. Louis update for 5/22.
• Bill Archer: On St. Louis and the future of soccer.

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News and Views from Fri May 21

MLS

• Player profile: Rapids' defender Julien Baudet.
• Michael Lewis: On RBNY, Bob Bradley and SuperDraft picks.
• I normally don't link to stories of speculation, but I like Andrew Hush, so here is his take on the prospective arrival of Thierry Henry in MLS.
• Tournaments are key for Seattle.

Interesting Reads

• World Cup players in the UEFA Champions League final.
• CONCACAF's report on Esteli stadium... or why Belize and Nicaragua have been excluded from the Champions League.
• Jason Davis: You'll know soccer is big in American when...
• I would normally be loathe to point you to another Freddy Adu post, but this one's pretty good. 

World Cup

• French keeper on WC balls.
• Andrew Guest on Group C.

Around the World

• USSF D2 week 7 preview.
• Indonesia Premier League playoffs.
• Turkish football report.
• West Ham makes offer to Henry.
• Brasilians win VW Junior Masters tourney.
• Pachuca signs Herculez Gomez.

The Business of Soccer

• News UEFA rules will force changes in transfer and contract policies.
• England's 24 team 2nd division, aka, the Championship, draws 50 year high attendances.
• Jamie Trecker: When is a contract not a contract?
• I linked to Inside Minnesota Soccer's post on this yesterday, here's a little more in depth on the woes in St. Louis.
• USSF helps AC St. Louis make payroll.
• Mallorca enters voluntary administration.
• Money boost from UEFA Champions League final.

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News and Views from Thurs May 20

MLS

• LA and Columbus remain undefeated despite missing top players.
• Ngwenya finally rejoins Houston.
• Rev U16 players honored by US Soccer.
• Union loan Zimmerman to Harrisburg.
• Red Bull Arena, will it matter?

The Business of Soccer

• Seattle Sounders named as 2010 pro sports team of the year.
• Richard Farley is reporting that NASL's AC St. Louis and WPS's St. Louis Athletica are on the brink of going out of business.
• Inside Minnesota Soccer with more on USL and NASL.

Interesting Reads

• Sir Alex Ferguson on American soccer and MLS.
• Steve Davis: Big media should cover soccer correctly or not at all.
• The worst job in soccer.
• Beau Dure: Why college still produces pro talent.

World Cup

• Goal.com debate: Who should start at the back for the US?
• A study in National team training techniques.
• The WC created this soccer fan.

Around the World

• Brasil's Internacional and Universidad de Chile join Sao Paulo and Chivas de Guadalajara in Copa Libertadores semifinals.
• Mexican Liguilla final - Toluca/Santos draw in first leg.
• Nepal league postponed indefinitely.

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News and Views from Tues May 18

MLS

• Complete rosters for the Chicago Sister Cities Cup.
• All-Star Voting.
• Prepping for Vancouver in 2011.
• RBNY will miss two key players for its match with the Crew.
• Revs academy update. 
• Injury report as of 5/18.
• FC Dallas looks to Brasil for young talent.
• Defenders on the attack.
• United Mania: DC United, time to look to the future.
• Player profile: Luis Gil.

Interesting Reads

• Jamie Trecker: On injuries, the World Cup, protecting players and greed.
• Rob Hughes: The brutal side of the beautiful game.
• Why soccer isn't more popular in the USA.
• US youth teams' coaches.
• Jason Davis: Americans supporting others.
• The U20 Toulon tourney is underway.

World Cup

• Andrew Guest: Group B and stats you probably haven't seen.
• The Underrated Files – Gonzalo Higuaín.
• World Cup Buzz: Group A analysis.
• Fans asked to save electricity while at World Cup.
• No feinting on PK's at the Cup.
• Lack of diversity in World Cup winners remains a huge mystery.
• Fallout from attack on Algerian squad in Cairo.

The Business of Soccer

• Abramovich and Chelsea's financial structure.
• Financial health of EPL questioned.

Club Tourneys

• InterLiga will cease to exist. Soccer United Marketing loses one of its cash cows.
• La Liga’s Copa del Rey final set for tomorrow.
• Nicaraguan and Belizean teams excluded from CONCACAF Champions League.
• Chivas de Guadalajara through to the semifinals of this year's Copa Libertadores.

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