Monday

MLS

• MLS playoffs
• MLS playoff attendance report
• Steve Davis: MLS playoffs and injuries

More MLS

• Brian Straus: MLS playoff fix - very interesting
• Winning percentage: 3 teams won 15 or more games in 2010, the first time since '07. Think that's a low percentage of teams winning 50% of its games? Think again. In '09-10, only 4 of 20 teams won half their games in the EPL, Serie A and La Liga. The Bundesliga produced only 3 teams(of 18) that did the deed. Ligue 1(20 teams) is the exception with 6 teams winning at least half it's games.

Interesting Reads

• Adam Spangler: the Cosmos Interviews - Part 1 - the Cosmos Interviews - Part 2
• Richard Whittall: Football, Blogs, and Newspapers Unite? Part One  - Part Two - Part Three - Part Four - Part Five - Part Six 
• Women's Pro Soccer: Two more teams fold. Marta is a free agent now. 

Tournaments

• USSF D2: Puerto Rico wins USSF Division 2 Title 
• USWNT: US Women continue World Cup qualifying run
• CAF: Orange CAF Champions League(Africa) - T.P. Mazembe vs E.S.T. in final

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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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Wednesday Night Post

MLS

• Chris Nee:  Rosters, parity and the next step for Major League Soccer

Soccer in the US

• USSF D2:  D2 Playoffs get underway
• Andrea Canales:  US Inferiority Instilled Early 

Interesting Reads

• CONCACAF:  CONCACAF Request Entry Into The Copa America
• La Liga:  Interesting take on TV revenue distribution in La Liga

Club Tournaments

• Copa Sudamerica

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Monday Morning Post

MLS

• MLS Attendance Report - Week 27
• A peek at the revived Reserve League
• Respect for MLS - Needed or Wanted?
• Revamping MLS playoffs  
• Goal.coms weekly DP update 

Soccer in the US

• One man's view of soccer in the US
• USA Lacks Quality Forwards 
• USSF D2 seeding in place for playoffs

Interesting Reads

• Is It Difficult to Identify Elite Soccer Players?
• Why CONCACAF is killing the best rivalry in North America

Tournaments

• Digicel Caribbean Cup - Puerto Rico win
• CAF Champions League semifinal results(Africa)

The Business of Soccer

• Man City lose 121M pounds
• Guardian:  Financial crisis in England
• Tight Purse Strings Don't Hobble Two Clubs

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News and Views from Thur-Fri Sep 2-3

Starters

Just a heads up that I will be on a two week hiatus, starting on Saturday. I may be able to sneak in a post or two, but no guarantees. The sites on my blog list are regular stops for me, and I recommend them to you for your soccer fix. Enjoy your soccer.

MLS

• MLS Weekend Preview — Sept. 4–5
• Another MLS Weekend Preview — Sept. 4–5
• A third MLS Weekend Preview — Sept. 4–5 
• Garber on schedule congestion 
• New Adidas Deal Is Huge For The Future Of MLS 
• A two part interview with Arlo White, Seattle Sounders broadcaster and a damn good one at that - Part 1  -  Part 2
• I had to pick one report, you can find many others - Brian McBride to retire
  

Club Tournaments

• US Open Cup - Just can't get no respect
• A Fake Sigi US Open Cup rant
• WV Hooligan calls for the end of N.A. SuperLiga
• Copa Sudamericana Update 

Around the World

• League tables just a click away
• EPL Rosters - I'll have more on this in a few days
• More comments on the 25 man EPL roster rule
• USSF D2 - D2 Playoff Rules Clarified
• USSF D2 - A Look Ahead at Week 22
• Austin Aztex Not Committing and Rochester Rhinos Sorting Out Their Options; A USSF D2 & D3 Update
• CONCACAF - Greg Seltzer chimes in on the new qualification rules 
• CONCACAF - Dan Feurstein chimes in on the new qualification rules
• CONCACAF - Howard Hamilton chimes in on the new qualification rules 
• In case haven't figured it out yet, the proposed changes in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying represents a sea change, hence the multiple links on the story.
• La Liga - On the lack of competition in La Liga    

Interesting Reads

• By way of Soccer by the Numbers: Reforming Soccer: Proposals From An Economist
• West Ham co-owner Sullivan calls for end to loan 'madness'

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News and Views from Wed Sep 1

MLS

• Rapids Stuck In An Eddy, Part 3
• Kevin McCauley - Whoa, We’re Developing Players 

Club Tournaments

• N.A. SuperLiga - Morelia over New England for title
• US Open Cup semifinals - Crew over DC United in extra time - Seattle to host final with win over Chivas USA - At least one MLS team will make it's 2nd consecutive CONCACAF Champions League appearance in 2011-12 tourney.

Around the World

• League tables just a click away
• EPL Rosters - I'll have more on this in a few days
• USSF D2 - Puerto Rico moving from USL to NASL? - More on this also in a few days

Interesting Reads

• Man City: City pay for expensive taste and waste

Player Moves

• Goal.com's Transfer page

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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 Fri Aug 20

MLS

• MLS weekend preview
• Steven Stoehr: New England Revolution Comment: How MLS Crushes Dynasties   I'm not totally on board with this, but it's a good read
• Two views of Columbus stadium options: Jason Davis - Drew Epperly
• A look at MLS clubs in the CONCACAF Champions League
• Another look at MLS clubs in the CONCACAF Champions League 
• Leander Schaerlaeckens: Will MLS rules hinder future growth?  
• A comment on the latest release of MLS salaries
• Grant Wahl crunches MLS salaries 

Around the World

• Octagon Multicultural Division hosts Future of “Futbol” In America
• Travis Clark: D2 weekend preview 
• Noah Davis: USMNT player performance 

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

• Crystal Palace out of administration
• Bundesliga increases international TV revenues thanks to International and European success
• Lower league TV in the UK and the perils therein 

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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 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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After a long Weekend Aug 14-16

MLS

• Week 20 attendance report and more
• Footiebusiness on Gillette Stadium 
• The West holds 6 of the 8 playoff spots after the weekend
• Seattle plays 2 CONCACAF Champions League matches before resuming league play. They're only 3 points into the playoffs with all chasers having games in hand
• The Rapids and DCU sign home grown players. I'm one who thinks that the academy system, begun by dicate for most teams in 2007, is the best thing to happen in MLS for player development.
• Vancouver, already renowned for their development program have hinted at fielding a D2 team in 2011. Great idea and in keeping with their program.
• MLS Remaining Strength of Schedule 
• Thierry Henry on soccer in the US  
• San Jose: San Jose add MF Geovanni as first-ever DP 
• Andrea Canales: Big foreign stars are now coming to MLS, but what about talent that got away? 
• Jason Davis: MLS Academies Now Producing
• Steve Davis: Dear MLS coaches: You’re doing it wrong - A call for shorter preseason, which may have its positives, but selfish me wants to see as much MLS in Arizona as possible next preseason
• Aaron Stollar: How September 2010 could shape the future of professional soccer in DC and Baltimore

Around the World

• USSF D2 week in review
• Ligue 1: Bordeaux and Lyon still winless after 2 weeks
• Portugal: Benfica lose opener
• Everton lose and Liverpool draw on keeper gaffes
• It may not last long, but Blackpool's 4-0 win was fun to read about
• Barcelona loses 1st leg of Spanish Super Cup
• Olympique de Marseille's Mamadou Niang to Fenerbahce
• Matt Derbyshire joins Birmingham on one-year loan  

The Business of Soccer

• The World's biggest soccer sponsors
• UEFA's financial fair play 
• Celtic loses money after missing Champions League

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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 Thu Aug 12

MLS

• Player Development: NCAA rule change opens doors for MLS academy prospects 
• Rapids: Academy player could be turning pro 
• DC United: Moreno to leave MLS at season's end 
• Toronto FC: TFC learning the price of success   

US Pyramid

• USSF D-2 Professional League Standards by Brian Quarstad. Probably spells the end for D2 in Phoenix for the foreseeable future.
• Chatting With Some Development Academy Coaches by J.R. Eskilson.

Around the World

• Liverpool: Christian Poulsen Joins Liverpool From Juventus
• Sunderland: Man U starlet Welbeck on loan to Black Cats
• Portugal: League preview 
  

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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 Tues Aug 10

MLS

Robbie Rogers will have surgery that will sideline him for up to 4 weeks. This comes at a bad time for the Crew as they begin a stretch of 7 matches in 22 days.

• Timbers: John Spencer to coach MLS team in 2011
• Union: Danny Cepero loaned to Philadelphia 
• Chivas USA: Galindo loaned to Tampa for fitness rehab 
• Tactics: Getting the most out of that shiny new DP  

US Pyramid

• The USMNT were outclassed by a young Brasilian team in a friendly in New Jersey.
• Brian Quarstad continues his reporting on the 2nd division in the US pyramid.

The USSF-D2 has 12 teams. Three of them will be in MLS within the next two years. Of the remaining 9, 2 are brand new teams. Of the remaining 7, one was promoted from D3 and 4 of those 7 are suffering lower attendances than last year. Not a pretty picture. As of now the teams that will be in D2 next year are:
Montreal(headed to MLS in 2012) and
Austin, Carolina, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Edmonton, Miami, Minnesota, Puerto Rico, Rochester, St. Louis and Tampa Bay, with reports that Crystal Palace and St. Louis are in financial trouble.

Around the World

• Player Move: Chelsea agree to sell Ricardo Carvalho to Real Madrid

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News and Views from Mon Aug 9

MLS

• Jamie Trecker: Jamie reopens the MLS schedule issue
• Richard Farley: Anchoring The Casual Fan: Major League Soccer’s Parity Paradox
• Seattle is in  the middle of a stretch in which they play 11 matches in 42 days and they're doing just fine, so far.
• Columbus is just entering a period of 7 matches in 22 days, between MLS, US Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League

US Pyramid

I'll be paying close attention to the fallout of the USSF meeting regarding the financial requirements for groups that are applying to play in D2. Specifically that means I'll be following Brian Quarstad of Inside Minnesota Soccer for updates to the situation.
If you didn't read the IMS post, here are the highlights so far ...

• USSF looking for the majority owners of teams to have a net worth of $20M
• a $750K bond to be posted at the beginning of each season
• Teams must be playing in a Soccer Specific Stadium within 5 years

Here in Phoenix, we have two groups looking to bring pro soccer to the area.

Around the World

• World Cup: South Africa hoping for post Cup bounce
• Martin O'Neill's resignation as Aston Villa's manager sure came as a surprise to me.
• Lazio sign Sao Paulo star midfielder 
• Shorey moves from Villa to West Brom
• Andre Ooijer to Ajax  

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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 Wed Jul 14

Starters

The number of morons denigrating MLS' signing of Thierry Henry is astounding. Then again, that's what I get for assigning a higher level of awareness to soccer fans than they deserve.
Hope you all had a good Bastille Day.

MLS

• RBNY: Henry Signing Official.
• Kyle McCarthy: On Henry and MLS. 
• Andrea Canales: Henry Brings In A Different Type Of MLS Fan. 
• Thierry Henry Signing Creates Worldwide Multimedia Tidal Wave.
• Andrea Canales: Beckham Shows Henry The Way.
• Steve Davis: MLS teams ponder new DP signings.  
• Chivas USA signs playmaker Espinoza.
• Jason Davis: Landin Released: Blame Dom or Praise Him?
• N.A. SuperLiga: All Time MLS Statistics. 
• KC surprises Columbus with its first road win of the season. 
• Philadelphia wins its first ever international friendly, defeating Celtic.

The Last World Cup Articles

• Kenn.com: 10 things we learned from World Cup 2010.
• World Cup TV: Many Viewers, No Profits.
• The Social World Cup.
• The World Cup on the Net.
• Sepp Blatter's slick patter sticks in South Africa's craw.

Club Tourneys

• N.A. SuperLiga: Revolution 1, Pumas 0.
• N.A. SuperLiga: Morelia 5, Chicago 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
Chivas USA	0	0	0	0	0
Pachuca	0	0	0	0	0
Puebla	0	0	0	0	0
Houston	0	0	0	0	0

Around the World and other Stuff

• Brian Quarstad: Rethinking Division-2 Pro Soccer in North America – Part 2. 
• What next for 4-4-2?
• Blanco To Join Irapuato.(unconfirmed)
• Rommedahl signs with Olympiakos.
• Juliano Belletti heads for Fluminense.
• Match-fixing scandal: 270 matches under suspicion. 
• The demise of the 4-4-2 and the importance of holding midfielders. 
• Why Henry’s move might not kickstart transfer window. 
• Barcelona secures $197 million bank loan. 
• It is time for English football to face up to its own banking crisis. 
• Premier League or Premier Lame. 
• International Football Tournaments Between Now and World Cup 2014.

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News and Views from Tue Jul 13

MLS

• Andrea Canales: Beckham Shows Henry The Way.
• MLS wants to capitalize on America’s interest in the World Cup. 
• MLS announces All-Star XI.
• J Hutcherson: The MLS Window.
• Houston release Landin, sign midfielder. 

A Few More Post World Cup Stories

• P.J. O'Rourke: A Modest Proposal for Improving a Dull Game. If you've never read O'Rourke, prepare for a treat. 
• Top 100 Photos Of The 2010 World Cup, Part 1.
• The World Cup In World Newspaper Front Pages. 
• 2010 World Cup Shooting Statistics. 
• World Cup Teams Ranked #1 to #32.
• World Cup 2010: business winners and losers.

Around the World and other Stuff

• Brian Quarstad: Rethinking Division-2 Pro Soccer in North America – Part 1. 
• Video: US Soccer Development Academy Finals Week Update.
• Stephen McManus signs for Boro from Celtic.
• P.J. O'Rourke: A Modest Proposal for Improving a Dull Game. If you've never read O'Rourke, prepare for a treat.
• Richard Whittall: Soccer puritanism and the sin of "entertainment".   
• Aris choose Carlos Ruiz over Eddie Johnson.

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