Sunday Post

Starter Fun

• Special 1 TV: The Deadline Day Aftermath

MLS

• Adidas Rules: Adidas and MLS Expansion
• RSL-AZ: “The Jewel Of The Youth Development System” 
• Preseason in Arizona -Check the full thread for changing information
• Matthew Doyle: Evolving MF Roles Defy Definition

The Business of Soccer

• EPL: Chelsea Wages Soar
• EPL: Record Premier League Spending

Tournaments

• Copa Libertadores: More Teams Advance to Group Phase

UEFA Top Leagues

	GP	W	D	L	GD	Pts
EPL
Manchester Utd	25	15	9	1	31	54
Arsenal	25	15	5	5	27	50
Manchester City	26	14	7	5	20	49
Chelsea	25	13	5	7	24	44
Tottenham	25	12	8	5	8	44
Liverpool	26	11	5	10	3	38
Bundesliga
Dortmund	21	16	3	2	34	51
Bayer Leverkusen	21	11	6	4	11	39
Mainz	21	12	1	8	10	37
Hannover 96	21	12	1	8	-1	37
Bayern Munich	21	10	6	5	16	36
SC Freiburg	21	10	4	7	1	34
Ligue 1
Lille	22	11	9	2	18	42
PSG	22	10	7	5	10	37
Rennes	22	10	7	5	7	37
Marseille	22	9	9	4	12	36
St Etienne	22	9	8	5	7	35
Lyon	22	9	8	5	7	35
Serie A
AC Milan	24	14	7	3	21	49
Napoli	24	14	4	6	16	46
Inter	24	13	5	5	17	44
Lazio	24	12	6	6	8	42
Palermo	24	12	4	8	11	40
Udinese	24	12	4	8	9	40
La Liga
Barcelona	22	20	1	1	59	61
Real Madrid	22	17	3	2	33	54
Villareal	22	14	3	5	19	45
Valencia	22	13	5	4	12	44
Athletic Bilbao	22	12	2	8	6	38
Espanyol	22	12	1	9	0	37

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US Development Academy Winter Showcase Pics - RSL-AZ Edition

Being from Arizona, I'm going to be a homer and present an RSL-AZ only edition of pics from the recently completed US Development Academy Winter Showcase.

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US Development Academy Winter Showcase Pics

Some random picks from this terrific event in Phoenix.

Club Tourneys etc.

MLS

• Playoff seeding, does it matter
• Steve Davis' 5 Things

Soccer in the US

• USSF-D2:  Carolina v Puerto Rico in D2 final 

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - TFC wins, finish 3rd in GroupA. RSL top Group A with win over Cruz Azul. Columbus thru via Santos win.
• Asian Champions League
• Copa Sudamerica 
• CAF: Orange CAF Champions League(Africa) - T.P. Mazembe vs E.S.T. in final
• UEFA: Champions League 

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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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Midweek MLS, CCL Champs League

MLS

• KC Wizards: Wizards wonder win in 97th minute The Wizards are now 3 points back of Seattle for the last playoff spot with a game in hand. Seattle hold the tiebreaker(head to head) with a 1-0 win at Qwest. The two meet on Oct 9 in KC
• Dallas: FCD's unbeaten string continues with stoppage time goal

Club Tournaments

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

Interesting Reads

• If you read a lot of articles about soccer, and let's face it, you wouldn't be here if you didn't, you've often seen pieces done in the US on why MLS clubs don't take the US Open Cup or CONCACAF Champions League seriously. Fielding weakened teams is often the case as clubs put a priority on league play. Well, it was good to run into this piece on the same issue for English Premier Clubs: It’s Time for Premier League to Take the Carling Cup More Seriously

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News and Views from Fri Aug 27

MLS

• RSL: A chat with Real Salt Lake's academy director Greg Vanney on changes in U.S. soccer development
• Drew Epperly: Residency Academies: The New Wave For MLS
• Steve Davis: MLS reserve league en route for 2011
• Paul Kennedy: The changing face of MLS
• Steve Davis: A welcome development for MLS 
• Jason Davis: MLSSoccer.com and journalistic integrity         

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Saprissa, Toluca win in group phase 2nd round
• UEFA: Champions League Groups
• UEFA: Europa League Results
• Copa Sudamerica

Interesting Reads

• Serie A: Goal.com preview - Preview by Richard Farley
• USSF D2: Weekend preview 
• The Arsenal Fanshare: Supporter Ownership or Pipe Dream?

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page

News and Views from Thur Aug 26

MLS

• RSL: Real Salt Lake’s Mexico City Collapse, and Why It Matters
• TFC: Toronto FC Signs Doneil Henry As First Home Grown Player

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Saprissa, Toluca win in group phase 2nd round
• Jason Davis: On Speaking Out on CONCACAF Shenanigans
• UEFA: Champions League Groups
• UEFA: Michel Platini will expel debt-laden clubs from the Champions League 
• UEFA: Europa League Results
• Copa Sudamerica

Interesting Reads

• USMNT U20: U20 roster set for Peru tourney
• Video: The first date from Nutmeg Radio
• EPL: Premier League may ban player loans to stop clubs stockpiling 
• Time Warner Cable, Disney Talks Focus on ESPN3 Website Fees 
• UEFA: Inter sweep UEFA Club Football Awards 

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page

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News and Views from Wed 8/18

MLS

• Colorado: Rapids Apparently Stuck In An Eddy, Part 1 
• Andrea Canales: Playing time doesn't come to those who are picky
• Drew Epperly: Whitecaps and Timbers Taking Shape  
• Fire douse Revs

Around the World

• USSF D2 Update
• USSF D2 rules and comments from Kenn Tomasch 
• What is a playmaker's role in the modern game? 

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Columbus, RSL, Santos Laguna win in group phase openers
• UEFA: Champions League Results
  
• UEFA: Europa League Results
• Copa Libertadores Final - Internacional of Brasil wins title
• Copa Sudamerica 

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page 

The Business of Soccer

• World Cup stars increase Liverpool’s Fifa payout
• Football League chairman orders clubs to end 45% rise in agents' fees 
• So you want to own a soccer team: Part 1 NPSL Part 2 NSSL

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News and Views from Fri Aug 13

MLS

• WV Hooligan: Weekend preview 
• Wizards: Kansas City Sign Omar Bravo, Then Loan Him Out 
• Dallas: FC Dallas signs Brasilian Jackson on loan
• Why Mexican stars are coming to MLS
• RSL: RSL loans US youth starlet Luis Gil to AC St Louis
• DC United: D.C. United signs local player Conor Shanosky
• Rapids: Colin Clark to miss the rest of season with torn left ACL. This is the 2nd year in a row that Clark's season has ended prematurely

US Pyramid

• USSF D2 Professional League Standards by Brian Quarstad. Probably spells the end for D2 in Phoenix for the foreseeable future.
• USSF D2: D2 preview   

Around the World

• EPL: The Guardian's EPL preview
• Tottenham: Tottenham Sign Honduran Starlet Anthony Lozano
• Beckham: Beckham Finally Finding A Balance
• Spartak Moscow: McGeady joins Spartak Moscow from Celtic 
• Rangers: James Beattie joins Rangers 
• Lyon: Monthly salaries 
• Italy: Crisis, Problems & Solutions – Part I --- Crisis, Problems & Solutions – Part II
• Man City: Balotelli signs for Manchester City
• Blackpool: Blackpool signs midfielder Chris Basham from Bolton 
• Chelsea: Chelsea sign Brasil midfielder Ramires from Benfica 
• EPL: Wenger: 'Ridiculous' squad rules will ruin EPL

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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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News and Views from Jul 26-27

MLS

• Week 17 Attendance Report. 
• N.A. SuperLiga: Semifinals dates set. 
• Chicago trades midfielder Mapp to Union. 
• Omar Salgado chooses MLS and the US. 
• SUM Cup U17: New England over Toronto 5-2.
• SUM Cup U17: D.C. United advances to U-17 final. 
• SUM Cup U17: RSL edges Dynamo on PKs in Sum Cup semi. 
  
• Expansion Draft or SuperDraft? Coin flip will decide who chooses.
• D.C. United Waives Boyzzz Khumalo.

Around the World and other Stuff

• What Is The American Style Of Play?
• USL-PDL Playoffs Set. 
• Milk Cup: USA 1 - China 0, Salgado scores winner. 
• Russian Premier League: Zenit reach pivotal stage in title march.  
• New Premier League rules give Fergie a 'problem'. 
• Singapore Cup Quarter Final Draw. 
• Perennial mid-table Premiership teams try to avoid stagnation.

Club Tourneys

• CONCACAF Champions League: Can anyone defeat the Mexicans?
• CONCACAF Champions League: Toronto(MLS) over Motagua(HON) 1-0 in 1st leg. 
• CONCACAF Champions League: Puerto Rico(USSF-D2) embarrasses LA(MLS) at home 4-1 in 1st leg. 
• CONCACAF Champions League: Santos(MEX) over San Juan Jabloteh(TRI) 1-0 in Trinidad in 1st leg.
• CONCACAF Champions League: Cruz Azul(MEX) over San Francisco(PAN) 3-2 in 1st leg.
• Copa Libertadores: Semifinal preview.  
• UEFA Champions League: Dynamo Kiev cruise, Unirea hold Zenit, Kljestan scores

Player Moves

• Gary Hooper signs with Celtic. 
• FC Seoul complete double swoop. 
• Ajax signs El Hamdaoui and Mido. 
• Bolton complete deal for defender Marcos Alonso from Real Madrid. 
• Liverpool agree fee of £2.5m for Aston Villa's Luke Young.  
• Bologna secure deal for Krhin. 

The Business of Soccer

• Wizards sell 700 season tickets after beating Man U. 
• Leiweke to leave Vulcan Sports & Entertainment for Tampa Bay NHL team. 
• Selling Manchester City In America.  
• Barcelona loss at £64m for last season.

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News and Views from Tue Jul 20

MLS

• Nick Green thinks: MLS needs to stop being so friendly. I'm not so sure about that. I think the exposure the league gets, particularly to the foreign teams' players, outweighs the negatives that Nick outlines in his piece. Gotta think that players give MLS a second look after coming here to play in these friendlies.
• Tactical adjustment proves genesis for FCD victory over RSL.  
• New formation sparks Colorado's comeback.  
• Real Salt Lake Development Academy Hopes To Sparkle.  
• KC Agrees to Terms with D Nikos Kounenakis.
• Revolution's Steve Ralston Retires.

Club Tourneys

• N.A. SuperLiga: New England 1, Morelia 0.
• N.A. SuperLiga: Chicago 1, Pumas 0.
• New England and Morelia thru to semifinals from Group B. Group A plays Wednesday.

 Around the World and other Stuff

• Does America Need More Indoor Soccer?
• Tim Vickery: Tim's usual excellent work examining South American football.   
• Development Academy Finals Wrap-Up. 
• U.S. soccer could use a new system for college-age players. 
• Andrew Guest: Reflections on South Africa 2010 and the Contradictions of Fandom. 
• CONCACAF: The confusing Liberia Mía saga. 

Player Moves

• Joe Cole to Liverpool. 
• Rangers defender Wilson to Liverpool. 

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News and Views from Thur Jul 8

MLS

• RSL wins ugly in Chicago
• expansion: San Antonio looks to score pro soccer team.
• tactics: Linking up through the midfield.
• signing: Chivas USA Announces Maldonado Signing.

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
• The Netherlands View: How to win a World Cup, pt. 1…. 

Non Game Specific Football World Cup Stories

• FIFA Looks to Compensate Fans Who Missed Semifinal.
• Brazil 2014 World Cup Head Says Plans Now on Track.
• How Important Is Width To Victory in the World Cup? 
• World Cup no panacea for South Africa’s economic woes.
• Referee System to Change For Next Cup, Says FIFA. 
• Dan Loney: Honor Among Thieves. 

US News and Views

• Salgado opts for USMNT over Chivas de Guadalajara.
• Looking South, The Shifting Focus of the U.S. U-20s.
• The Makeup of an "American" National Team.

 Player Moves and other News

• Gosling free to find new club.
• How can we justify footballers' wages? 
• Barcelona A Good Example Of Suicidal Financial Management.
• Barcelona’s Debt And Salary Caps in Europe.
• Portuguese keeper Eduardo signs with Genoa.
• Is England’s Premier League the Third Best Domestic League in the World?  
• Spurs announce £20m shirt deal.
• Villarreal agree deal for West Brom's Borja.
• Wolfsburg signs Denmark defender Kjaer.
• Sunderland sell Cana to Galatasaray.
• Liverpool sign Serbian striker Milan Jovanovic.
• Belhadj leaves Portsmouth for Al Sadd. 
• Palermo sign Polish defender Glik. 
• Middlesbrough adopt novel new approach to shirt sponsorhip.
• Tottenham try to double their money by splitting shirt sponsor deal.
• On Boringness: Soccer vs. Baseball.
• President Rosella Sensi Signs Over Roma To Unicredit, But Will Stay On Until New Buyers Are Found.
• When It Comes to Stats, Soccer Seldom Counts.

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News and Views from Fri Jul 2

MLS

• Martin Rogers: Henry to MLS would be bad move.
• Vote for the All-Star team.
• WV Hooligan's weekend preview.
• RSL rolls over Revs.

World Cup On Field News and Updates

• FIFA
• ESPNSoccernet
• Goal.com
• The Guardian
• SI
• The best pictures of Ghana v Uruguay.  

Non Game Specific Football World Cup Stories

• Fifa order Nigerian government to back down on national-team ban.  
• Highest World Cup TV Ratings In the USA.
• Is this the World Cup of Mercenaries?
• Ratings continue to make history 
• China and World Cup soccer.
• Official World Cup sponsors earning more recognition. 
• Soccer's Quest Into USA Pop Culture.
• E-mail spammers latch onto football's World Cup.

US Men's National Team News and Views

• Jamie Trecker: The Next Coach of Team USA. 
• Ridge Mahoney: Sunil Gulati, Bob Bradley and Team USA.  
• Pondering the Future of the American Back-Line.
• Steve Davis: Klinsmann's thoughts on U.S. Soccer's present and future.    

Not World Cup News

• Wolfsburg have confirmed the signing of Germany defender Arne Friedrich from Hertha Berlin. 
• Manchester City sign Yaya Touré from Barcelona.  
• Benayoun joins Chelsea from Liverpool.  

Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

6 of the 8 MLS clubs, including defending cup holders Seattle are through to the 4th round. The winner will compete in the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League.

4th round schedule (All Times ET)

• July 6 7:30pm Charleston Battery (USL-2) at Columbus Crew (MLS) Columbus Crew Stadium; Columbus, Ohio
  
• July 6 8:30pm Chivas USA (MLS) at Houston Dynamo (MLS) Robertson Stadium; Houston, Texas
  
• July 7 10:00pm Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) at Seattle Sounders (MLS) Starfire Sports Complex; Tukwila, Wash.
  
• July 21 7:30pm Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) at D.C. United (MLS) Maryland SoccerPlex - Boyds, MD
  

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News and Views from Fri Jun 25

MLS

• WV Hooligan: MLS teams at the break. 93 games played, 147 to go.
• MLS ready to get back to work.
• RSL and San Jose kick off MLS return with scoreless draw.

World Cup On Field News and Updates

• FIFA
• ESPNSoccernet
• Goal.com
• The Guardian
• SI
• Saturday game capsules.
• Round of 16 preview 
• Another Round of 16 preview 
• The best and worst of the group phase

Non Game Specific Football World Cup Stories

• Amazing photos from the first half of the World Cup.(Thanks to Bruce of du Nord)
• Andrew Guest: Xenophobia and humanity in South Africa.
• Bolivian President Morales blames Honduran ‘Dictatorship’ in Team’s World Cup Loss.
• On BBC's endless moaning about goals & entertaining football.
• World Cup Memories: Opportunities Lost and Gained.
• FIFA Ranking And The 2010 World Cup.
• South American Success Sparks Reform in Europe.
• Round of 16 Not So Sweet for Some World Cup Teams.
• In Soccer, a New World Order.
• Cheers at Europe's expense.
• Guerilla marketing.
• Malware tricking video viewers.
• Is simulation cheating?
• The PK struggle.
• Jonathan Wilson: Corruption, disorganization blamed for Africa's poor showing at Cup.
• At World Cup, It's All About Desire Now.

US World Cup News and Stories

• What World Cup 2010 Means for Soccer in America
• Tom Dunmore on a Good Read: The Forgotten Hero Of American Soccer
• Edgar Zuniga: The Evolution of US Soccer.
• A Search For The Heart Of America's Game.
• How Good Is Michael Bradley? The Stats Say Very Good.

Not World Cup News

• Ballack return to Bayern Leverkusen.
• On controlling hooligans and civil liberties.
• How the banks are taking over football.
• The Solution to Bad Calls: the Quadrant Approach.

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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 Jun 9

MLS

• RSL downs Galaxy on iffy no call offside goal.
• Rapids steal point on road with Casey extra time header vs Fire.
• Wizards academy update.
• Houston President Oliver Luck leaving to become WVU AD.

Interesting Reads

• Social turmoil surrounds World Cup in Cape Town.
• Soccer that almost was in the USA.
• Goal.com: England's influence on US Soccer.

Player Moves

• Everton signs Portuguese striker.

World Cup

• Journalists robbed, one held at gunpoint.
• Individual achievements.
• Pre cup friendlies: Chile 2 New Zealand 0 -
• Golden Boot winners.
• African players receive WC amnesty.
• Terrific WC pictorial.
• England v USA: The beauty of anticipation.

Around the World

• Triobet Baltic League update.

The Business of Soccer

• Corporate set staying away from South Africa.
• The collapse of football: how the toxic weed of Strategic Default took over our game.
• AT&T will carry ESPN's 3D World Cup broadcasts.
• Timbers gain first founding partner sponsor.
• USA's World Cup bonus pot, largest in history(potentially).
• MLS pre cup business bits from Footiebusiness.

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News and Views from Thurs May 13

Starters

• The big story for me was the cancellation of a friendly in soccer hungry Phoenix. The Club America/Pachuca match scheduled for July 7 will not take place because of what we know here as SB 1070, the new immigration law.

MLS

• RSL maintains home field dominance, defeat Houston.
• Video: 15 minute Q and A with Don Garber.
• Expansion: San Antonio dreaming.
• Findley leaving for Europe?
• FC Dallas signs Colombian striker Milton Rodriguez.
• Red Bull Salzburg win 2nd consecutive Austrian Bundesliga title.
• Crew sign French midfielder Leandre Griffit.
• Michael Lewis on fixture congestion. Certainly the first of the annual posts on the subject. I've written about it myself.
• Jeff Parke signs with Seattle.

Interesting Reads

• Special 1 TV making its return. All episodes in chronological order. Watch these and be ready to smile.
• Tom Meagher follows up his post from yesterday with another on soccer journalism.

The Business of Soccer

• The rotten structure of English football.
• Manchester City to play Timbers. City will also play Club America in Atlanta.
• Mexico draws over 70,000 for friendly in Houston vs Angola.

World Cup

• A good read from Dan Gaspar, US born coach at U of Hartford, and Portuguese assistant coach at the upcoming World Cup.
• Tim Vickery on Brasil and Argentina.
• Former USMNT player John O'Brien on the US squad.
• Alexi Lalas also comments on the USMNT squad.
• South Africa spends 3.5 billion pounds, but for what return?
• Team profile: Ghana.

Club Tournaments

• Korean teams dominate AFC.
• Indonesia Cup Quarterfinals.
• Internacional of Brasil defeated defending champion Estudiantes in the first leg of the last quarterfinal match.

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