2010 Season To Be The Last For Alabama A&M Men's Program

Of course, while I'm taking a break from the blog, one of the biggest stories of the year breaks.

Yesterday, the Alabama A&M athletic department announced the elimination of the Men's Soccer program after the 2010 season.  Citing budgetary cuts, Athletic Director Betty Austin decided to end one of the most successful programs in the school's history.   A winner of two national championships under the stewardship of head coach Sallah Yousif, the program compiled over 200 wins in 21 years. 

Phone calls and emails to the A&M Athletic Department have not been returned at the time of this post.


This is a truly sad day in Huntsville soccer and the community as a whole.  The program has not only recruited great soccer players to the area but valuable members of the community, who after their playing days were over continued to contribute to the value of the area. 

HD Soccer on DirecTV!

I'm in the midst of taking a break from the blog for a few weeks, but I had to let you all know that if you have DirecTV, you now have all your HD soccer needs fulfilled.  Fox Soccer Channel will go HD today.  GolTV went HD last Wednesday.   Yippee!  No word yet on if or when the other carriers around the area will pick up the HD channels. 

Also, if you have DirecTV, you'll see every Champions League and Europa League match and exclusive La Liga matches (the ones without Barca and Real). 

It's obvious that if you are a soccer fan, DirecTV is the carrier that you must have.  Now, if only the Fox people would stop with the ridiculous fees for Fox Soccer Plus. 

Anyway, it's time to call DirecTV, and mention that you heard it from me, so I can get the credits!  :)

NPSL Final Interviews

I was having some technical difficulties with my video camera yesterday, but now I've gotten them straightened out.  Here's a few interviews from Saturday night's NPSL Finals.

NPSL Commissioner Dan Trainer present the 2010 NPSL Championship Trophy to the Sacramento Gold.

NPSL Championship Trophy Presentation

Sacramento Gold Coach Rick Caldwell discusses the win.

Sacramento Gold's Rick Caldwell Talks About NPSL Final

Chattanooga FC Coach Brian Crossman discusses his teams efforts in the Final.

Chattanooga FC's Brian Crossman talks about the NPSL Final

Sacramento midfielder and Man of the Match Ernesto Carranza gives us an interview and gets a shaving cream pie for his efforts.

Sacramento Gold's Ernest Carranza

Sacramento Gold FC Claims 2010 NPSL Championship

Behind two goals from Ernesto Carranza, the Sacramento Gold FC defeated Chattanooga FC in the championship match of the 2010 edition of the NPSL Final Four.  Over 1,000 fans saw Chattanooga take an early lead when in the 12th minute Fynn Glover, who is more known for his timely tackling, struck a low drive from 22 yards that beat Conor McNulty in goal for Sacramento.

Just as they did in the semifinal match, Sacramento's attack was spurred to life after conceding the first goal.  This time, it took nearly the entire first half to break down the CFC defense, but when they did, they struck twice in quick succession.  In the 41st minute, a long penetrating pass was knocked down by CFC defender Andrew Stewart, but only as far as Carranza, who smashed a wicked volley from 25 yards that left Richard Masters in the CFC goal no chance.

A minute later, Sacramento followed up the golaso with a well taken corner from Eliot Chambers who found center back Utodi Madu.  Madu made no mistake when his header found the underside of the crossbar and bounded into the net.  The first half action wasn't over, however.  Shortly before the halftime whistle, a foul in front of the CFC bench left CFC midfielder Drew Courtney and Sacramento midfielder Hector Bermudez tangled up in a heap.  As the two player extracted themselves from each other tempers flared and Bermudez struck out with a kick to Courtney, resulting in a caution for Courtney and an ejection for Bermudez.

Down to ten men, Sacramento could have been content to sit back and defend, but instead decided to continue to attack throughout the second half.  The only change during the interval was Sacramento's Max Herera replacing McNulty in goal.  On the other end, Richard Masters was forced to make several interventions on his teams behalf.

Masters heroics seemed to help CFC gain confidence, and it looked as if the tide had turned in CFC's favor when in the 65th minute, good combination work from substitute Moises Drummond led to a strong run from Irvin Espinal.  Espinal played a nice ball to Luis Salazar whose return pass for Espinal was played into the penalty area, but Espinal would not get to the ball as his progress was impeded by a Sacramento defender and the penalty was awarded.

Espinal's game leveling penalty attempt was denied however by Herera who had confidently lunged to his left to parry the ball away.  CFC continued to apply pressure, but it was be Sacramento who ended the doubt in the 86th minute when Manolo Pina found Caranza in the penalty area.  Caranza cut the ball back to create space for a right footed shot that slid under Master's reach for the 3:1 scoreline and the championship trophy for the Sacramento Gold FC.

The Sacramento Gold FC celebrate the 2010 NPSL Championship

US Soccer Stars Turn Out For The NPSL All-Star Game

Rocket City United's Desmond Armstrong was not the only US soccer celebrity in the Madison City Schools Stadium Friday night.  Several US soccer stars were in attendance for the NPSL All-star game featuring Rocket City United and the NPSL All-Star squad.

Jeff Agoos at the NPSL All-Star Game

In the stands was 1998 and 2002 USA World Cup player Jeff Agoos who was scouting the match for the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer.  Agoos had 134 caps for the USA and won 5 MLS championship, the most of any player.

Fernando Clavijo at the NPSL All-Star Game

Also in attendance was former 1994 USA World Cup player Fernando Clavijo.  Clavijo was representing Traffic USA, a player agency based in Miami, FL.  Clavijo earned 61 caps for the USA and has coached MLS clubs the New England Revolution and the Colorado Rapids and the Haitian National Team.

John and I posing with some of our USA heroes.

Left to right, Ryan, Desmond, Fernando, Jeff, and John

NPSL Finals Tonight in Madison, AL

Chattanooga FC will face the Sacramento Gold at 7:30 PM Central at the Madison City Schools Stadium in Madison, AL.
 

Click Here To Watch Live!!!

RCU Falls To NPSL All-Stars

RCU Shut-out By All-Stars 2:0

Despite dominating possession for the majority of the match Rocket City United gave up two late goals to the NPSL All-Stars in the team's final appearance of the 2010 season.  RCU looked the better team in first half as forward Andrew Nkurunungi menaced the back four of the All-stars with his speed and strength, but his lack of finishing the plays frustrated RCU coach Desmond Armstrong.  "[Nkurunungi] was very exciting in the first half.  He got himself into some great situations, taking on one and two players at one time and getting into the goal area and then, he doesn't pull the trigger."  That lack of killer instinct in the box would cost RCU on the night.

RCU's Armstrong on NPSL All-Star game

As would be expect for a team that had less then twenty-four hours to prepare for the match, the NPSL All-stars struggled to connect well.  The talent was evident, but RCU held the advantage until the 70th minute when Armstrong emptied his bench and the RCU reserves made crucial mistakes.  On a free kick from 45 yards out, Spencer Shastri of the Pocono Snow ran through the heart of the area completely unmarked and powered a header easily into the net for the NPSL All-stars to take the lead.  Shortly thereafter another bad giveaway from the RCU defense, led to FC Tulsa's Abed Elkour converting from 15 yards for the games final goal.

Earlier in the night in the NPSL Third place match, FC Sonic defeated the Madison 56ers 3:1 on the back of 3 goals in the first 25 minutes.  Madison was able to pull a goal back in the final seconds, but the team from Lehigh Valley, PA claimed third place.

A Chat with Chattanooga's Sheldon Grizzle

I was able to speak to Chattanooga FC's Sheldon Grizzle about the organization's highly successful year.  He discusses the team's trip up to DC and announces that DC United will be coming down to Chattanooga next year to return the favor.   

Chattanooga FC's Sheldon Grizzle

After winning the semifinal, the team is expecting several hundred Chattahooligans to make the short drive down US 72 to cheer on the Blues.  It should be a raucous atmosphere at the Madison City Schools Stadium tonight.

2011 NPSL Finals To Be Hosted By Rocket City United

In Thursday's press conference prior to the kick-off the 2010 NPSL Final Four, NPSL Commissioner Dan Trainer announced that Rocket City United had won the bid to host next year's Final Four.

"[Due] to all of the community support [in the Huntsville/Madison area], we are also awarding the 2011 Finals here.  That is the first time that we have done it back to back.  Andy [Zorovich], Rocket City United, and all of the local municipalities have done a great job of welcoming us here and making sure that the facilities are good."

Following the announcement, I was able to ask Dan about the decision to award the 2011 Final Four to Rocket City United and the future of the NPSL in general.

NPSL Commissioner Dan Trainer

UPDATE:  The league is looking to expand into the south-central US states (TX, AK, OK) and re-establish themselves in the southwestern states (southern CA, AZ, NM, NV).  So, to include all of the regional champions, next year's event will no longer be called the NPSL Final Four.  There may be as many as six teams from the various regions taking part in next year's event. 

RCU Faces NPSL All-Stars Tonight and NPSL Video Broadcast Info

Rocket City United has the unenviable task of playing the a team made up of the top players from around the NPSL tonight in the NPSL All-Star match at 8 PM at the Madison City Schools Stadium.  The NPSL All-Stars head coach Matt Driver is very excited about the opportunity for these players to be seen by professional scouts.

NPSL All-star coach Matt Driver

FC Buffalo star Dan Stevens isn't too happy with the humidity in Alabama, but is very excited about playing in the All-Star game.

NPSL All-star Dan Stevens

Chicago Fire NPSL goalkeeper Ryan Schwarz is predicting a win for the All-Stars.

NPSL All-star Keeper Ryan Schwartz

Game time for NPSL All-Stars v RCU is 8PM.  The game will follow the NPSL Third Place match featuring the Madison 56ers v FC Sonic at 5:30 PM.  Tonight is Military Appreciation night and several hundred soldiers from Redstone Arsenal will be honored by RCU during the game.


NPSL FINAL FOUR VIDEO

If you can't make it to the stadium, you can watch the action live streamed on the Web on Ustream. 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH!!!

NPSL Semifinal Recaps

FC Sonic 1:4 Sacramento Gold

After taking a lead in the 72nd minute on a Cody Altinini goal, Northeast Region Champion FC Sonic gave up four goals in the final 18 minutes to fall to the Sacramento Gold FC in the first match of the NPSL semifinals Thursday night. 

The Altinini goal woke up the game that had been a bit listless in the first 70 minutes.  West Region Champion Sacramento pushed into the attack in an effort to equalized and found paydirt when Manolo Pina's cross was mishandled by FC Sonic goalkeeper Sam Bishop.  Bishop's attempt to clear was slapped down off off his own defender AJ Barnhold's leg and into his the net.

Minutes later Sacramento scored two goals that would not be mislabeled as "golasos".  Hector Bermudez created some space at the top of the penalty area and rifled a left-footed curling shot into the far side of the net.   As FC Sonic switched into full attack mode in an attempt to save their season, Sacramento struck again.

This time it was the NPSL's leading goal scorer, Manolo Pina, who made an impressive solo run down the right side of the field.  As he rounded the final defender and charged into the penalty area at a tight angle, Pina showed why he's had such success this season.  Seeing that he had no help, he slapped a low drive with the outside of his right foot that eluded Bishop and nestled into the far post to ice the match.

Sacramento substitute Chris Akwaja added an empty netter deep into injury time for the final scoreline of 4:1.


Chattanooga FC 2:0 Madison 56ers

Southeast Region Champion Chattanooga FC has given up the fewest goals of any team in the NPSL this year and it was their stellar defense that led them to their 2:0 victory over the Midwest Region Champion Madison 56ers in the second NPSL semifinal on Thursday night.

Centerback Thomas Clark provided the difference on both sides of the field as he headed home the game winning goal from a corner kick in the 51st minute.  Clark was making his first start in the place of CFC captain Russell Courtney, who went down to a knee injury in last Saturday's friendly against DC Untied's Super-20 team.

Madison looked dangerous in the midfield, but were only able to break through the CFC defense on a single occasion.  Minutes after CFC's goal, 56er's forward Henry Aiyenero found himself with a free header from 8 yards.  Aiyenero powered his shot toward the corner, only to have it palmed away by Richard Masters in goal for CFC.

CFC's Brian Crossman on NPSL Semifinal Win

Madison continued to pressure the CFC defense but were consistently denied by timely tackles from Clark and fellow center back Andy Stewart.  As Madison threw numbers forward, CFC sealed the match in the 85th minute on a beautifully executed counter attack goal.  Substitute Sasha Viatrov found himself breaking down the left side with fellow substitute Robbie Hill streaking across the field on a 70 yard run from inside his own half.  Viatrov played a brilliant cross that left only Hill with a chance to play the ball, and Hill did not leave any doubt as he redirected the ball back against the grain and into the 56er's net.

NPSL Final Four: FC Sonic Coach, NPSL PR Director, Broadcast Info

Meet FC Sonic's Coach Dave Whitesman

I was able to talk to FC Sonic coach Dave Whitesman at his teams final training session prior to the NPSL Semifinal against Sacramento Gold FC tomorrow night at 5:30 PM at the Madison City Schools Stadium.

FC Sonic Coach Dave Whitesman

NPSL PR Director on NPSL Final Four

Ryan Knapp, the NPSL PR Director, has a nice little post on his personal blog about the NPSL Final Four and the important part leagues like the NPSL have in the US soccer community.

"It is still shocking to me the stigma carried by anything less than MLS in the US.  I’ve seen  plenty of amateur games played in the NPSL and PDL and have been mostly impressed by the quality I’ve seen."

Following the Action:  Your Choices

 John calls last years NPSL Final

If you can't make it out to the Madison City Schools Stadium, you can still follow the games by tuning into the audio webcast or via several twitter feeds.   My broadcast partner, John Moran, and I will be calling the play-by-play on the field that will be streamed live by Teamline.  There's also been a rumor of a video webcast, but a few of the details need to be worked out.  I'll let you know if it will comes to be.

Funny Goal Celebration, GolTV in HD, Chattahooligan NPSL F4 Preview

It was THIS BIG!



I've heard of fishing stories, but that was a pretty good catch.


If GolTV falls in the woods... 

It was announced that GolTV will broadcast this Emirates Cup friendlies in high-def, but unfortunately, no one is currently getting the GolTV in HD, yet.  There have been rumors that DirecTV may add the channel as early as next Wednesday, but that does us no good.


NPSL Final Four Preview, Chattahooligan-style

Chattanooga FC's supporters group, the Chattahooligans have written up a pretty nice little preview of the Final Four.  They're hoping to bring down around 250 of their friends to cheer on the Blues when they take on the Madison 56ers in the night cap of Thursday's NPSL Semi-finals.

Rocket City Invitational and More NPSL Final Four

Rocket City Invitational Set To Kick Off on Saturday

This year's Rocket City Invitational will be held on Saturday and Sunday in Madison at Dublin Park.  The small-sided adult tournament is being held in conjunction with the NPSL Final Four and the Soccer Wars Festival.  In addition to the fun format of soccer action on the field, all RCI players are also invited to take in the action of the NPSL Final Four and will be special guests at the Station II at Bridgestreet for a tournament party on Saturday night after the NPSL Championship match. 

The RCI is still looking for female players to fill out one more team in the Women's division.  So, if you know any female players have them register for the fun.


NPSL Final Four Audio Webcast On Teamline

All of the matches during the NPSL Final Four will be broadcast on a live audio webcast.  Click here to listen live to the matches.



CFC Drops NPSL Final Four Warm-up to DC United

NPSL Southeast Region Champions Chattanooga FC traveled up to my home town to face the MLS club DC United's Super 20 team in a friendly this past Saturday.  CFC used this match in RFK Stadium as a warm-up to the NPSL Final Four, but hopes the result are a little better than the 3:0 shut-out loss they received at the hands of the DCU.  CFC's coach and I are from the same area in the DC suburbs and he was featured in the Annapolis paper, The Capital.


RCU President To Appear on Lite 96.9

RCU's President Andy Zorovich is doing a lot of appearances lately to promote the NPSL Final Four and the Soccer Wars Festival.  Listen in on Wednesday when he will appear on Lite96.9.

NPSL Final Four News

RCU President Andy Zorovich To Appear On Madison Weekly Radio Show

Monday's broadcast of the Madison Weekly Radio Show on WTKI 1450 AM and 92.9 FM will feature RCU President Andy Zorovich.  Zorovich will discuss the NPSL Final Four and RCU on Monday morning at 8AM.  Click here to listen live. 


NPSL Final Four News Links

Here are some articles about the teams in the NPSL Final Four.

56ers to face Chattanooga FC
Chattanooga FC to Face Madison 56ers In NPSL Final Four 
Sac Gold win division, head to Final Four
RCU to Host Final Four Tournament 
Soccer Wars to be held July 29-31 in Madison 

High School Elite, More NCAA, College Player Development

Times Releases Elite High School Players List

The Huntsville Times has released its list of Boys and Girls "TimesElite" High School soccer players.  Grissom swept the Player of the Year awards with Jonathan Ray and Courtney Hurt being honored.


NCAA Men's College Cup Coming To Alabama

Yesterday, it was announced that the 2011 NCAA Men's College Cup would be hosted in Hoover.  Here's a video on the announcement.




Is There Room For College Soccer In US Player Development

Speaking of college soccer, there's a debate raging within the US soccer community (and in our comments section) over the role that college soccer has in player development.  Some feel that reliance on the college game to develop truly elite players is hindering the progression of US soccer and that the better options is developing players in a professional environment.  Other feel that college soccer allows a good environment for players who mature later than their counterparts in the professional ranks. The Washington Post has an interesting article with quotes from some big names in the college game.

NCAA Championships in Alabama, More Atlanta Soccer News, NPSL All-stars Announced

Hoover to Host 2011 College Cup

The city of Hoover, AL has been awarded the 2011 Men's NCAA National Championships including the semifinals on Dec. 9th and finals on Dec 11th.  The University of Alabama-Birmingham will serve as the host institution for the first NCAA Men's Soccer Championships to be held in Alabama.  The matches will be held at Regions Park Stadium, home field of the Birmingham Barons baseball team, and will be reconfigured for soccer.

Alabama has become a destination for college soccer as Orange Beach, AL will be hosting the 2010 and 2011 NAIA Men's Soccer Championships.  Decatur's Jack Allen Soccer Stadium was the site for the 2009 NAIA Women's Soccer Championships and will host the Women's Championship again this year from November 29-December 4.


Atlanta Forms "Soccer Cabinet"

A few days ago I wrote about a rumor that an EPL team was interested in starting an MLS club in Atlanta.  I was somewhat dismissive about the veracity of the rumor, because, let's face it, we've heard it all before.  Now, a group of business officials from the Atlanta area have created a "Soccer Cabinet" to explore ways to engage the soccer community in Atlanta and help Atlanta's international reputation by embracing the world's game.  They've even come up with a five point plan to address those goals.  Maybe something good will come of this.


NPSL All-star Roster Announced

The NPSL has released the list of players who will take on Rocket City United in the NPSL All-star Game that will be played next Friday, July 30th at 8PM at the Madison City Schools Stadium as part of the NPSL Final Four festivities.

NPSL Final Four Match-ups Set

The full NPSL Final Four schedule has been released.  Rocket City United is hosting the three day event that will feature five matches including an All-star match featuring the best players from around the NPSL taking on RCU.

The seeds for the Final Four tournament were determined with a points per match formula due to the uneven schedules between the Regions.  Northeast Region Champion FC Sonic-Lehigh Valley earned the first seed, followed by Chattanooga FC , Madison 56ers, and Sacramento Gold FC.   The semi-finals will be a 1v4 and 2v3 matchup with the losers playing in the 3rd Place match on Friday while the winners are given an extra day of rest to prepare for the Finals on Saturday.  Friday night will also feature the NPSL All-stars taking on Rocket City United.

Here's the schedule of the matches.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

5:30pm NPSL Semi-final 1 --FC Sonic (Northeast) v Sacramento Gold (West)

 8:00pm NPSL Semi-final 2 -- Chattanooga FC (Southeast) v Madison 56ers (Midwest)

Friday, July 30, 2010

5:30pm NPSL 3rd Place Game (Semi-final 1 loser v Semi-final 2 loser)

8:00pm NPSL All-Star Game (NPSL All Stars v Rocket City United)

Saturday, July 31, 2010

7:30pm NPSL Final - (Semi-final 1 Winner v Semi-final 2 Winner)

Since the part of the NPSL's charter is to develop aspiring professional players, the NPSL will host several player combines where coaches and scouts from various professional organizations will be able to see promising NPSL stars up close in a training environment.   This is a great opportunity for of the players to be "discovered" during three sessions on Thursday and Friday.

In addition, there are several fun soccer related games and activities for kids and parents alike going on as part of the Soccer Wars Festival adjacent to the field at the Madison City Schools Stadium.  The festival will culminate with a parade a 5PM on Saturday from downtown Madison to the Madison City Schools Stadium.

RCU Crushed By CFC, NPSL Final Four Field Set

RCU Falls Hard 4:0 In Front Of Record Crowd

Rocket City United didn't start well on Saturday night by giving up a goal in the 3rd minute.  It didn't get better from there.  A record crowd of 5, 137 fans saw Chattanooga FC run away with a 4:0 win.  The attendance was the largest ever crowd in NPSL history and gives CFC an average crowd of nearly 4,400 for the 2010 season.

The game was end to end from the opening as both teams traded chances, but CFC converted their chances.  In the 3rd minute, CFC forward Irvin Espinal's angled shot deflected off RCU defender Tom Winspear's trailing leg and nestled into the far corner of the net.  RCU tried to battle back and despite some good possession play from RCU, they could not translate that possession into goals.  CFC took advantage of poor giveaways in the midfield to strike quickly catch RCU on the counter attack.  In the 29th minuet, one such giveaway exposed the RCU central defense and CFC forward Luis Salazar calmly beat Michael Gustavson for the 2:0 halftime lead.

Another midfield giveaway led to the third goal in the 53rd minute, when Drew Courtney received a gift-wrapped chance when the ball fell to his feet after Gustavson's punched clearance deflected off an RCU defender back.  Courtney emphatically stroked the ball into the open net from 2 feet.

RCU kept battling, but it wouldn't be their night as in the 70th minute Alexi Munro worked some magic to get the ball to the end line and slotted it back to the onrushing Andrew Nkurunungi who side-footed home, but the near sided (and perhaps nearsighted) AR judged wrongly and raised his flag for offside.

Shortly thereafter, CFC capped their night with a strong solo effort from Thomas Clark who muscled off a defender and the goalkeeper for the final goal of the night.


NPSL Final Four Teams Set

The other regional championships in the NPSL came down to the action during the final weekend.  Here's a brief recap of how the teams joining Chattanooga FC in the Final Four qualified.

Midwest Region: Madison 56ers
From the Madison 56ers website:
The Madison 56ers ended their regular season play with two victories to clinch the NPSL Midwest Championship this weekend finishing with an 8-2 record. After defeating the Minnesota Kings FC on Saturday 4-0, the 56ers finished off the season with a 2-1 victory over the St. Paul Twin Stars Sunday afternoon.

Northeast Region: FC Sonic Lehigh Valley
From the Morning Call:
FC Sonic had talent when it was needed and luck when talent wasn't enough.

The Lehigh Valley chapter of the National Premiere Soccer League defeated its toughest opponent of the season in the New York Red Bulls, a U23 development team affiliated with the MLS club of the same name.

It was Joe Sales' goal — coming with just six minutes left in the game — that gave FC Sonic the 3-2 win...

Northwest Region: Sacramento Gold FC
From Sacramento Gold Facebook page:
It's on to the National Premier Soccer League championship playoffs for the Gold (9-2-1) after defeating San Diego Boca 3-2 Sunday night in a Nortthwest division-elimination final at River City High School. Foward Manolo Pina had both of his Sacramento goals in the first half. He now leads all NPSL scorers with... 15 goals despite missing the final three games of the regular season with a fractured cheek. San Diego (5-3-3) finished the season 0-3 against the Gold. Ernesto Carranza also scored for the Gold. Anthony Chimienti had two assists.

Minor League Soccer, World Cup Onion-style,

Reshaping US Minor League Soccer

Brian Quarstad from Inside Minnesota Soccer has posted a four-part series on the future of minor league soccer in the USA.  The story focuses mostly on second division professional soccer which is currently in turmoil with two ownership groups, USL and NASL, competing for legitimacy off the field while competing on the field in a interim league being run by the US Soccer Federation, but it also questions how the overall structure of the lower divisions of soccer in the US (including the NPSL in which Rocket City United plays).  

If you are a soccer fan in the USA, this series is well worth the read.  The timing is right for a reshaping of the soccer infrastructure in the USA to get control of player development away from the youth club focus and into a professionalized structure, but before that can happen the professional structure itself needs stability.

Part of the solution to provide stability seems to be an effort to keep travel costs down by regionalizing the lower professional leagues.   This would to take a page from the NPSL who currently have 4 regions and intends to expand into more regions in the future.  The regions are comprised of teams who are geographically proximate enough to allow them to travel without a tremendous cost associated.  The author provides a list of cities that may support the hypothetical regions, including Huntsville.


The Onion's Highlights of the World Cup

The humor news organization, the Onion, has released their list of highlights of the World Cup.  My favorite:

"Portugal scores 7 goals against North Korea after the goalkeeper makes a break for it, dashes into the crowd, runs up the stairs, and jumps over the side of the stadium."

Atlanta Still Being Considered For MLS Expansion

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes to say that an unnamed EPL team is currently looking to invest in an expansion MLS team and is considering Atlanta as one of the markets for the team.  Ho-hum... I wouldn't get too excited about this.  This rumor seems to crops up every summer when an EPL club comes to the States to play an exhibition match.  And guess what?  Manchester City will play Club America in Atlanta in a few weeks at the Georgia Dome.