Some non mainstream story links

Starter Fun

• The latest episode of Special1 TV: The Santa Show

Not in the Mainstream

• Jonathan Wilson on 2010 Tactics  
• A Clásico in  Egypt
• Robert Jonas: Blatterpocalypse Now 
• Video: 2010 World Cup Skills on Display
• EPL: Money still rules but Premier League in danger of becoming democratic
• Italian Security: An Oxymoron
• Youth Development in England: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3
• Winning vs Soccer Development: Part 1 - Part 2 
• Brian Quarsted presents Lisa Eisenmenger's interview with player agent Mike Wheeler where he explains 3rd party contracts in MLS, NASL and USL: Brian's intro and links to the interviews 
• MLS and Television: Part 1 - The beginning of a four part series on the state of MLS and television. I am looking forward to the rest of this series. It's apparent to me that the further growth of the MLS, in terms of quality on the pitch, depends on the increase in television revenue. Game day receipts can only bring in so much money, and it's more money that will lead to increases in salaries. That will enable the league to both keep more good American players from going overseas and attract good young foreign talent.

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News and Views from Thur Aug 19

MLS

• Ratings: MLS Viewership Down 9.5% On ESPN2 

Around the World

• Bill Archer: Calling D2 like it is
• Whitecaps' loan deal for teen Salgado falls through
• Neymar saga ends, signs with Santos  

Club Tournaments

• CONCACAF: Champions League Results - Seattle lose in group phase opener
• UEFA: Champions League Results
  
• UEFA: Europa League Results
• Copa Libertadores Final - Vickery on Internacional's victory
• Copa Sudamerica 

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page 

The Business of Soccer

• ESPN in the UK
• So you want to own a soccer team: Part 3 PDL

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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 Thur Jul 1

Starters

• Jon Stewart's World Cup Show.

MLS

• TV Ratings.
• What do the Fire, France, and Italy Have in Common?
• DC United sign Argentine striker Pablo Hernandez 

World Cup On Field News and Updates

• FIFA
• ESPNSoccernet
• Goal.com
• The Guardian
• SI
• OPTA's best XI entering the quarterfinals
• Quarterfinal previews.
• World Cup stats(thru rd of 16).

Non Game Specific Football World Cup Stories

• Big, Tall and Strong - Meet Brasil. 
• World Cup Inspires Customized Ads for Fans.
• Crowds set for 16-year high. 
• Tom Dunmore: Paying Peter Hargitay: The Price Of A World Cup Bid. 
• 20 ‘Lesser Lights’ That Have Shone At The 2010 World Cup. 
• FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner Linked to Australia 2022 Bribery Claims. 
• Great Soccer Moments Come Before and After Game. 
• The Return of Uruguay. 
• Football, at Sea (reading the World Cup through Moby Dick).
• Organizers Say 3 Million Fan Mark Can Be Met.
• Macau Casino Revenue in June Declines on World Cup.

US Men's National Team News and Views

• Jamie Trecker: The Next Coach of Team USA. 
• The Yanks are Coming: US Soccer: 4-4-2′s And Heartbreak. 
• U.S. earns respect in South Africa.
• How Good Is Michael Bradley? The Stats Say Very Good.
• Future USA Talent Must Be Found Or Fostered At Every Level.

Not World Cup News

• Bill Simmons: Soccer is ready to capture our attention(USA). 
• Vuvu'ing all the way to the bank. 
• Arsenal Pull Out of FA Reserves League. 
• US Open Cup Official 4th round schedule. Note this is a modification of yesterday's post.

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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 Apr 21

MLS

• Video: Inside the SuperDraft Part 3.
• J Hutcherson: The parity question.
• It's a matter of style.
• Video: Lovel Palmer's Goal of the Week.
• SuperDraft talent getting deeper.

World Cup

• Buddle and Gomez for the US, the discussion continues.
• Ghana's Essien not sure he'll recover in time for Cup.
• A look at Group D with the Australian coach.

Around the World

• Scottish League attendance woes.
• Get your Dutch on.
• Italian FA reopens match fixing investigation.
• Union forms partnership with Widener University.
• Columbus fans: Passing the bye week time.
• A crash course on Russian football - Part 1 - Part 2
• Video: Post match brawl mars CFU Championships.

Summer Friendlies in North America

• Turkey will play Northern Ireland on May 25, US on May 29. 
• The inaugural New York Football Challenge will take place July 22-25. Manchester City, Tottenham and Sporting Lisbon will join RBNY at Red Bull Arena.

Summer Club Friendlies
Opponents	Venue	Date
Tottenham v San Jose	Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara, CA	Sat, July 17
Cruzeiro v NE	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA	Sun, June 13
AC Milan v Montreal Impact	Olympic Stadium, Montreal, CA	Wed, June 02
AC Milan v Chicago Fire	Toyota Park, Bridgeview, IL	Sun, May 30
AC Milan v DCU	RFK Stadium, Washington, DC	Wed, May 26
Juventus v Fiorentina	Rogers Centre, Toronto, CA	Tue, May 25
Juventus v RBNY	Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ	Sun, May 23
Fiorentina v Montreal Impact	Olympic Stadium, Montreal, CA	Sun, May 23

Don't know how well the Cruzeiro/Revs match will do as there is a full slate of World Cup matches on that date, but neither the US nor Brasil play on the 13th. The detractors of these friendlies have already been making their voices heard. As most of these are post season friendlies(for the visiting teams), the best players will be off with their national teams preparing for the World Cup, while the remainder of the best, might be inclined to rest after a busy season. I suspect only contractural agreements would have us see any of the top players not participating in the Cup. The one exception is the Tottenham/SJ match which will be after the WC.

The Business of Soccer

• Portsmouth's books fully exposed.
• ESPN2 EPL ratings.
• Forbes: Most Valuable Teams' values decline.

Club Tournaments

• CAF Champions League(Africa)
• AFC Champions League(Asia)
  
• UEFA Champions League(Europe) - Bayern down Lyon in semifinal first leg.
  
• CONCACAF Champions League(North America) - Cruz Azul over Pachuca 2-1 in 1st leg of final.
  
• Copa Libertadores(South America) - Banfield go through.
  
• Europa League(Europe)

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News and Views from Mon Apr 5

MLS

• MLS Daily: Good news on Houston stadium.
• Andrea Canales: MLS youth movement making progress.
• Jason Davis: Caveat Emptor to Designated Player buyers. 
• MLS DP Wish Lists: WVHooligan - Various pundits.
• Opener TV ratings down from '09.

Player Moves

• Toronto officially terminates Gerba contract. TFC also signs SuperDraft pick Nane to contract.
• Quakes bring back Scott Sealy.

Interesting Reads

• Four slots for CONCACAF in Brasil '14?
• Steve Davis: A word about baseball, soccer and establishment protectionism.
• The Run of Play: Not sure that it's worth the read, but it sure is pretty.(via WVHooligan)

The Business of Soccer

• Tom Dunmore: More on fan ownership of football clubs.
• Richard Whittall: Bundesliga chief executive Christian Seifert on ownership, wages and more.
• MLS not the only league with labor woes. Spanish league players may strike over unpaid wages. 

Around the World

• Dallas Cup Review. Houston's U-16 academy team wins.

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