He skipped out on MLS to head to Europe, is not even USMNT-eligible yet, and plays in a league with none of the cache of the Prem or Bundesliga; but Yura Movisisyan is a player US fans should keep a vigilant eye on as the next cycle of international soccer begins.


Yura scores goals, and is doing so with regularity at Randers in Denmark. A brace in Europa League play last week is the latest feather in his cap; at 23, Movisisyan appears to be hitting his prime. Better yet, he's in the process of obtaining his US citizenship and hopes to play for the US National Team in the near future.


I was sad to see Movsisyan leave MLS for a lower-tier European league at the end of 2009. The league suffers when young players of his caliber leave for nothing; that being said, Denmark is clearly suiting him. Movisisyan has twelve goals in twenty appearances for Randers, and helped the club avoid relegation last year. In four MLS seasons, he scored a total of just twenty league goals. Whether that improvement is growing confidence or a playing style better fitting of his abilities, it represents a step forward for a player who cut his teeth in America. If he can continue to score, perhaps a move to a better league is on the not-too-distant horizon.


Movsisyan is a dangerous forward with a high level of skill and the ability to create chances for himself; after a World Cup in which the US relied on midfielders to drive the offense and started forwards dependent on others to get them the ball in dangerous positions, a player like Movsisyan could help immensely. If nothing else, a developing Movsisyan gives the US another option of a player that knows how to score. Bob Bradley or successor are not in a position to discount anyone with the scoring record Movsisyan has put together.


I talked up Sacha Kljestan's move to Belgium because the midfielder has creative abilities lacking in the US talent pool; meanwhile, Movsisyan is younger, plays a position where the US is weaker, and has none of the recent stop-start history of Kljestan's career. If Movsisyan was already eligible, he'd likely have a number of caps at this point. With the length of the citizenship process unclear (it will certainly take longer now that he's living out of the country), we can only hope that Yura doesn't get the itch to start his international career and accepts a call up for Armenia (or less likely, Azerbaijan), or that he is somehow lost in the shuffle and forgotten about when he finally becomes eligible.


But if he keeps scoring, it's hard to imagine he won't get his shot in a USA shirt.

MLS teams head back into CONCACF Champions League play tonight and tomorrow with three return leg matches. Both Seattle and Toronto take one goal leads into their away games and have reasonable shots at advancement. Meanwhile, LA is in Puerto Rico looking to salvage a bit of pride after their thumping at the hands of the Islanders last week. Dan Barkley is here to give us his thoughts on the three games.

by Dan Barkley

Motagua v. Toronto FC

Time: Tuesday, August 3, 8pm EST.

Location: Estadio Nacional, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Media: FSC/GolTV

First round: Toronto 1-0


Toronto holds a tenuous advantage heading into the second leg. They looked the better team, but they certainly did not dominate the first game, as Motagua generated some good scoring chances near the end. Motagua drew very big crowds in their last CCL appearance, with 35,000 sellouts in both their qualifying championship game with Saprissa and their first round game against Pachuca. It is hard to say if Toronto will draw that big of a crowd, but the atmosphere should be impressive either way. This will likely spell more trouble for Toronto, a team that is in a bad stretch and does not play well on the road, picking up only one win and four points from eight away matches this season in MLS. Also, with their grip on a playoff spot looking weaker than last week, what squad will Preki play? The good news is with their first leg victory, one goal should get them advanced, as good as their defense has been after the disastrous start to the season.



Metapan v. Sounders

Time: Tuesday, August 3, 10pm EST.

Location: Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador

Media: FSC

First Round: Seattle 1-0


I was impressed with the Sounders first round performance, they outclassed Metapan and should have come out with a big victory, but only came away with Montero's Jabulani goal. They did out shoot Metapan 15-2 and dominate possession, with Metapan playing a very, very physical game. Everything in this match seems to play in Seattle's favor, they have been in great form recently as well as playing well in cup competitions recently, the home field advantage will not be a prevalent as it may seem. Metapan's home stadium was deemed too small, so they are playing a couple hours away in the capital, where they do not seem to have a large fan base. No game in Central America should be taken lightly, but Seattle looks to be a great position to advance.



Puerto Rico Islanders v. Galaxy

Time: Wednesday, August 4, 8pm EST.

Location: Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Media: FSC

First Round: Islanders 4-1


Jason already wrote up something on the first round debacle, so I'll leave it at a haiku;

To advance, you need four,
dear Galaxy; but at least
save face with a win

Check the punchable smile.

Rafa Marquez is officially a Red Bull today. Bully for them, I suppose, but trouble for the rest of the league. Major League Soccer's New York team is finally starting to act like a New York team. The collection of slightly-worn talent they have in Jersey is damn impressive all things considered.


If you already hated the Red Bulls (Hi, DC United fans!), nothing changes. The acquisition of Marquez might add a pebble to the mountain, but since you're already calling them "Energy Drink" or "Dead Bulls" or any number of other humorous insults, your life hardly changes. For some though, and particularly MLS fans either unattached to a natural Red Bull rival or simply ardently behind the USMNT, today will likely tip you over the edge. The hated Rafa Marquez, lining up for the New York Red Bulls. That's reason enough to throw out the mini-fridge you bought back in college.


And what if you're a USMNT supporter that also happen to be a Red Bull fan? I'm pretty damn sure you're conflicted, or have at least wrestled with the questions presented by Red Card Rafa lining up for your team. "Club v. Country" takes on a new meaning when your country's A1 villain signs on the dotted line for your club. If you're able to compartmentalize the two, or even get to a place where you put Rafa's misdeeds out of your mind, more power to you. I'm not sure I could do it.


Now that RBNY is throwing cash at big names, playing in a state-of-the-art venue that puts the rest of the league to shame, and has the national media's attention, they're clearly the Evil Empire of Major League Soccer. As close to being the Yankees of soccer as the rules allow, that's the Red Bulls. I might even draw a parallel between "Handball" Henry and Alex "Roids" Rodriquez. Or I could use Marquez in the same comparison, with Henry being a slightly less-despicable Yankee. New York, where teams we hate are made.


I'm laying it on pretty thick, but don't think the switch wasn't just flicked for some previously-ambivalent fans across the country. That's what signing a Mexican legend/villain will do in the nation of El Tri's most hated rivals. Sure, those US fans might be balanced out or overwhelmed by Mexico fans in the States, but the point stands. A lot more people hate the Red Bulls now.


But "Evil Empire" is already taken, and soccer needs to be unique. We can't borrow the name from the Yankees and slap it on the Red Bulls, they've yet to win one title. The Red Bulls need their own insidious moniker, one that sums up all of their recent flashy ways. This is MLS, land of the conservative payroll, and New York is rocking the boat something fierce. We need to label this menace.


Get at it, my brain is failing me at the moment, but I'll hopefully have something in the comments shortly.


Image borrowed from NewYorkRedBulls.com

I'm on Twitter if you somehow didn't know, constantly engaged in a rolling conversation on soccer (and other topics). During games, beyond the simple relating of events as they transpire or obvious opinions ("So-and-so should have done better there"), debates erupt spontaneously. This is the wonder of Twitter.


Landon Donovan's 100th MLS goal is a perfect example of how Twitter can spawn conversation; Donovan scored his century tally on a penalty last night in LA's loss to Chicago, a circumstance that led to some pretty strong pronouncements that doing so was unsporting. Per some Twitter friends, Donovan should have demurred, let a teammate take the kick, and waited to get his 100th on something from the run of play (though I wonder if the same thing would have been said if he scored from a free kick).


Because that's how Taylor Twellman did it, and Donovan sucks for taking the PK.


That may be just a bit unfair to my Revs fan friends who spurred the discussion with their "Taylor did it better" Tweets, but their sentiment wasn't too far from it. I have no problem with giving Donovan stick for getting his 100th the easy way, and Twellman is the only player to have scored 100 faster than Donovan; there's an element of homer-ism there, but it doesn't make the question any less interesting to me.


Should Donovan have let someone else take the penalty?


It honestly didn't occur to me until the Twitter proclamation was made; I simply took it for what it was, and Donovan is known for being the Galaxy's penalty-taker, so there was no immediate reaction on my part. After a bit of thought, I'm still not sure I care to color it unsporting. It's hard enough to score 100 goals, and many of Donovan's came through penalties; should those somehow count less because they didn't come from the run of play?


If you're a Revs fan, or don't value penalties, you likely view Donovan's feat less impressive than Twellman's. That's fair I suppose. I don't know how many penalties make up Twellman's 101 (I'm guessing not many), so perhaps that should be considered. Both worked hard, both are great players, so I'm not interested in rating one accomplishment over the other. You don't get to 100 goals by skating.


I'm guessing it never occurred to Donovan not to take the penalty, 100th goal or not. With a bit of spin, it could be that he just wanted to get it out of the way so that it didn't become any type of distraction to him or his team. Most likely he just stepped up because that's what he does; he takes penalties for the Galaxy, he's a confident player who knows he can get the job done, and he's a leader on a team that was reeling at the time. With the way the Galaxy have played, it's hard to blame him for taking control of the situation.


In perfect world, not down three goals at home and with zero pressure, it might be nice for a player to demur. Unfortunately, I don't know the circumstances of Twellman passing on the penalty that could have been his century. I do know that Twellman was hardly the Revs designated spot kick-taker at the time.


We have a tendency to foist our sporting morality on players without considering all of the factors involved, or sweeping the practical concerns aside. Usually, it's just about results and being a stand up guy is secondary or of no concern. Scoring the way he did doesn't make Donovan a bad guy, but it obviously gives a few people reason to criticize.


I'm very curious to see how many of you might agree with the Twellman-backers I interacted with last night.


So I put the question to you: Should Donovan have passed on the penalty? Vote below.

poll by twiigs.com

by Vlad Bouchouev

There’s been a lot of buzz lately about Andy Najar and which national team he will eventually join. Much of this attention can be seen as a result of what I like to call “post-Rossi syndrome”; after the USMNT lost out on Italian-American striker Giuseppi Rossi, the US media and US Soccer are trying to make sure no more young US talent slip through our fingers. Since the Rossi debacle (throw in Neven Subotic if you’d like), the US has most notably “captured” Edgar Castillo and Jose Torres, and now has its eyes set on a few other young talents, including the likes of Najar.


Poaching for talent by national sides is not new. This year’s multi-cultural Germany World Cup team is a prime example: Of the 23 guys on Germany’s roster, eleven could have at one point played for a different national federation. In the end, Germany successfully managed to bring them into die Mannschaft. Of those eleven players, every one but Brazil-native Cacau was either born in Germany or immigrated there at a very young age. All in all Germany maximized the size of their talent pool by holding on to a majority of their already eligible players, but also by adding Cacau, who became naturalized only after playing domestically for several years and building desire to represent Germany for quite some time.


So should the US become a little bit more aggressive and follow the footsteps of countries like Germany? I don’t see why not.


Although we may not yet produce the best talent domestically, players flood to the US from abroad because the country offers so many opportunities. Many that come here to attend college or that are just seeking a better lifestyle happen to also know a thing or two on how to kick a ball.


US Soccer has more talent at its fingerprints than many people realize. Yes, Andy Najar is a great prospect for the USMNT but let’s not forget about guys like Macoumba Kandji, Danny Mwanga, and Steve Zakuani, just to name a few. All were born abroad, went to high school and/or college in the US, and currently play in MLS. At this point both Kandji and Mwanga have expressed aspirations of playing for the USMNT and overall things look pretty positive in terms of getting them onboard – Kandji is in the process of becoming an American citizen and Mwanga may well be on his way. Zakuani’s case is a little bit trickier because of his personal attachments to the Democratic Republic of Congo and England; but that’s where the beauty of naturalization comes into play. Zakuani may never be good enough to play for England, but he may still dream of playing in the World Cup (something that his native country may not be able to offer him). With a little bit of luck and some persuasion, perhaps the tide could be turned on guys like Zakuani.


That being said, the whole process just feels unethical and sneaky. But it’s not cheating, nor are players being forced to pick a side. Federations are simply reaching out to the player and giving him the option; aside from immigrants, there are players in MLS that are from abroad but have played or lived in the US for enough time that they may be inclined to call this country their second home. These are players that US Soccer should focus on; because the USA is a pretty decent country of which to be a citizen, I’m sure some players will not hesitate in switching allegiances. It would be fantastic if we could use MLS not only as a league for developing homegrown talent, but making the absolute most of the foreigners that play here as well.


But would American fans fully accept naturalized players?

During the uncertain days before MLS managements and the Players Union agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement, word leaked that Don Garber had a new contract waiting for him should he steer the league to labor peace. Job done, Garber has been renewed for four more years (subscription needed on the link).


The Commissioner has his detractors. He'll never have a 100% approval rating, and some of the league's more arcane rules and strange decisions are tossed directly into Garber's lap; but for any possible criticisms, Garber's track record speaks for itself. The league is enjoying a period of massive growth, successful expansion franchises are coming on, and marquee players are crossing the Atlantic to play in the league. Perhaps Garber has steered MLS into dangerous waters on spending, but after years of controlled costs and slow growth, only time will tell. From an impartial perspective, the league is clearly in good hands.


The next four years will hardly be easy for Garber. The league is changing, more expansion is expected, and difficult questions are looming in DC and elsewhere. TV contracts are coming up for renewal, and ith the new DP rules, an era of lesser parity may be coming. How Garber handles all of these situations will ultimately decide his legacy as commissioner.


That being said, continuity is crucial at this point. Change only makes sense if an upgrade is certain; if Garber wants to stay in the job (and at a reported $3 million/year, why wouldn't he) and he's performed to the owners' standards, keeping him around is a given. His business-first approach might be distasteful to soccer purists, but he's led MLS into a new age and his financial focus has solidified the league into a stable operation with purpose-built stadiums and the ability to attract players like Henry, Fernandez, Marquez, Castillo, etc.

Steve Davis (no relation) related tentative MLS plans to pump the league schedules up to 34 games last week; with Vancouver and Portland coming in, that number would represent a balanced competition where every team plays home and away with everyone else. As I'm a huge fan of the balanced schedule, the idea sounds good on the surface. It's just the practical issues that get in the way of my being enthralled.


Fixture congestion is even now taking a toll on MLS team; while it wouldn't be right to say that the Galaxy's poor run is coming as a result of too many games, it's clear that packing in the matches is stretching a team that previously dominated the league. The dog days of summer are here in force, slowing down play and creating the sloppy, overly-physical matches that give MLS so much of its negative reputation. Adding games but not extending the window for those matches to happen will only give us more of the same.


And if clubs are going to continue with the summer friendlies to bring in cash, the reality of more midweek games is going to hit hard. As Davis mentions, travel and weather make a the number of games here just a little different than a comparable number in Europe. When it's 100 degrees and injuries have hit as they always do, teams will find it difficult to maintain a reasonable level of consistency. For those teams competing in the CONCACAF Champions League, a competition most of us believe is important, more league games midweek will make it more difficult to perform well. If MLS is serious about winning the CCL, there needs to be some concessions made to the stress more games will put teams already struggling to make waves in it.


The easy answer is to expand rosters, but that only helps if teams are able to spend more on quality players. More league matches will make the US Open Cup even more of an afterthought than it already is, if that's possible; even fans of the tournament might have trouble justifying a serious effort on the part of their teams.


More soccer is usually a good thing. Balanced schedules are a good thing, especially when paired with a single table (which we're still not getting, apparently), and more teams naturally means more games if everyone is to play everyone twice. But MLS has some practical concerns to weigh, and there are no easy answers; if the window is not extended, than four more MLS teams equals more of what makes the league unpalatable to many soccer fans.


More money is all well and good, and balance is a great thing.  The league just needs to be careful how it handles these changes.  With Montreal coming in and team 20 not that far off, these issues will need to be dealt with in short order.


Although, I wouldn't mind more soccer to watch during the week when next year rolls around.

MLS All-Star Game review, MLS transfer craziness, Henry's league debut, Donovan's chances for a move, Adu, the U-20, emails, and an interview with new Chivas USA winger Sal Zizzo to close out the show (meaning, don't turn it off when we say goodbye).


The American Soccer Show for download.
The American Soccer Show on iTunes.

Landon Donovan audio courtesy of Jordan Wise. Read Jordan's work at SB Nation's Houston page.


There are AmSoc t-shirts available if you didn't already know, the proceeds from which will help the show and site chug along uninterrupted. Thanks in advance if you decide to purchase one. We're working on new design ideas, we promise.

Speculate no more, the new Cosmos are setting a plan in motion. With a little help from the original team's most famous alumnus, Pelé, and a catchy slogan, "Twice in a lifetime", the reborn Cosmos are launching a youth development program and have stated their goal join Major League Soccer at some point in the future. The announcement came at halftime of the Copa NYC tournament final, an event the Cosmos have apparently purchased as part of their initial grassroots soccer efforts in New York.


The Cosmos are tangible then, if only because they've moved from out of the shadows of unclear motives and into the light of public pronouncements. But words are just that, greatest living player attached or not, and the idea that the club will be ready to become New York's second team in a few years time means nothing without the necessary funding to make it happen. Those that remember the Cosmos and waited for their return can only be excited, while the rest of us angle a skeptical eye towards an operation with little or negative soccer capital.


Pelé, as the organization's Honorary President, said the things we would expect.

“As global ambassador for the game, and as Honorary President of The New York Cosmos, it’s a great privilege to be able to give back to the future of the sport that gave so much to me,” says Pelé. “The return of The New York Cosmos will inspire footballers in this country, and embrace people around the world who love this beautiful game as much as I do.”

It's all very nice. The New York Time Goal blog has a few more details, including that the Cosmos will partner with a Queens youth club to form the The Cosmos Academy. Should their dedication to young players be real, there's hardly a negative word to be said about their first few moves.


But the professional front is a much different story. In order for the Cosmos to return, the backers of the new version and the owner of the name (former Tottenham shareholder Paul Kemsley) with need to come up with buckets of cash; never mind the expansion fee, which could be $50 million or more by the time the Cosmos are ready to jump into the league, there's the little matter of a putting a stadium in New York City. Executive director Joe Fraga calls Queens "the sweet spot" for a facility, an idea that will undoubtedly bring major cost. Does this group have deep enough pockets?


For most of us, the Cosmos, just as they were before, will be out of sight and out of mind. The fact that an actual organization exists is mildly intriguing, but until something bigger happens (not to discount the youth efforts), the Cosmos are still just an idea. An idea with some famous names trotted out in a bid to recapture the past.


It doesn't help build confidence that, per Grant Wahl, the new Cosmos "Director of Soccer" is Terry Byrne, close friend of David Beckham and the man who recruited Ruud Gullit to manage the LA Galaxy.


Make of the new Cosmos what you will. They certainly have Don Garber and the league's desire for a second New York team working in their favor, built it will take massive leaps forward in a short amount of time for this group to truly bring back the Cosmos in a way that matters to the world.

In addition to opening their new purpose-built stadium next year, the Kansas City Wizards are apparently headed for a re-brand. That's per Wizards president Robb Heineman, who appeared on Kansas City radio in the aftermath of the club's "landmark" victory over Manchester United two weeks ago. The club's image will be remade with the stadium opening as a natural pretext. The only promise Heineman made was that the new name would include the words "Kansas City."


Wizards bloggers have already tackled the possibility, and while it's not my place to make any demands of the Wizards organization as they look (or already have in mind) a new name, I'm going to do so anyway.


Please, please, please, no "FC" or "Football Club."


I ask that not because I have any serious objection to the label (though I am, as you all know, a proponent of "soccer" over "football" in an American context), but because we have too many of them as it is. This isn't England, where every club's name comes echoes across time from the 19th Century and represents a link with a glorious past; if Kansas City is going to dump "Wizards" as we expect, they have the freedom to go in almost any direction they choose.


Of course, that freedom gave us a decidedly non-royal "Real Salt Lake", so it is a dangerous thing. The solution, and the easiest way to avoid a ridiculous name that trades on a Euro club for no legitimate reason, is to throw any suggestion in that vein right out the window. No "Sporting", no "Racing", no "AC" (no offense, St. Louis) - none of those are particularly terrible, but neither are they right for an American club. In fact, if the city-mascot combination must be dumped (which is by all rights the most appropriate convention for professional soccer clubs in the US to follow), then the simplest approach is clearly the best approach.


And since "Football Club" and the resulting acronym "FC" have been done to death in a bid for fake legitimacy, there's only one way to go: Kansas City Soccer Club.


KCSC has a certain ring to it, and the name avoids any of the obvious pretentious pitfalls. There's no need to dress it up; the game is called "soccer" here, the club represents Kansas City, and I can't imagine they'll be replacing one silly mascot with another. Euro-inspired nonsense is a terrible idea in Middle America anyway.


Kansas City wouldn't be the first soccer club officially named as such in the league (Chicago's full name is "Chicago Fire Soccer Club"), but they would be unique as the only one without an accompanying mascot.


There's really nothing wrong with the Wizards name, though I can understand the itch felt by OnGoal (Kansas City's owners) to change the club's image as they head into a shiny new home. The stadium represents a fresh slate after years of playing in an over-sized NFL stadium followed by an under-sized minor league baseball stadium, and a new name might reboot the perception of the club in the minds of potential fans. If MLS was fifty years in, this wouldn't even be an option; but at fifteen, owners and the league aren't married to the '96 names (or shortly thereafter in the case of the Wizards) and forge ahead with a proactive corporate mindset. That's not to say it's always necessary or advisable to make a change.


Time shifts our appreciation of sports clubs' names; think for a moment about some of the odder mascots attached to NFL, NBA, and NHL teams, and consider how often fans (not just of the team in question, but fans of other teams around the league) make a stink about the "terrible" name. Even if, when directly posed the question, fans recognize that "Jazz", "Mets", "Nets", "Phillies*", just to name a few, are at the least somewhat ridiculous, enough time has past since their inception to give them an air of respectability. Usually, we just accept that those are their names and never give it a second thought.


That's where I was with "Wizards." Another fifteen years with the name, and the overwhelming majority of us would cease wasting our time worrying about it. I expect most of the Wizards fans themselves have embraced the moniker, either becoming fond of it or simply accepting it for what it is. It's the name of their club. Period.


So if this must happen, as it appears it will, my only request is that Kansas City forgo the poseur-y for a simple and America-appropriate name. Maybe KCSC will start a new trend of "soccer clubs" to balance out the "football clubs" popping up across the country.


Kansas City Soccer Club.  Make it happen.


Just know, that more than likely, I'll still think of them as the Wizards.  At least for a few years.


*Forgot this note. I love the name "Phillies", and I know I'm playing with fire bringing it up because their fans are passionate; but admit it, it's weird.

Landon Donovan says he would love to return to Everton. Everton says they would love to have him back. In a perfect world, Donovan's permanent move to the Liverpool club would just be a matter of cutting a check.


But the financial concerns are now a major roadblock. The Galaxy/MLS valuation of Donovan falls somewhere north of £10 million, and rightfully so. With Everton's books running on small margins, David Moyes says the chances of a reunion aren't looking good. Unless Everton decides to sell a player to raise the funds to buy Donovan, a feel good move back to Merseyside looks increasingly unlikely.


Donovan speaks reverently whenever asked about his time at Everton and a possible return; whether it's "Goodison or Bust" isn't clear, with the midfielder talking about "options" plural, but anyone with knowledge of Donovan and his personality think the particular situation matters greatly to his choice. Donovan doesn't want to go back to Europe just go back to Europe; he wants to go to a place where he'll be comfortable, something which will undoubtedly mean a greater chance of success on the field.


If Everton can't afford him, Donovan's 2010 might very well end with him still on the Galaxy payroll.


But don't expect the dance to stop. Until the clock strikes midnight on the day the transfer window closes, reporters here will continue to ask Donovan about his plans while reporters there will continue to ask Moyes about Everton's interest. The end won't come until the rules no longer allow a move to happen.


They're star-crossed lovers, Everton and Donovan, kept apart by the harsh realities of the business of football and destined to dance with each other through words spoken across an ocean. It seems odd that money, and not that ocean is the true barrier to consummation.


It's possible there are other suitors for Donovan's services, and it's possible one or two can swing the required fee with less trouble than Everton. If one of those clubs come calling, perhaps Donovan would push his Everton love aside. The right price and a chance to play at the highest levels are powerful aphrodisiacs; but would Donovan ever seem as perfect a fit somewhere else as he did with the Toffees? Would his abilities and contributions be as appreciated? Would the fans of another club take Donovan in as one of their own so quickly and wholeheartedly?


Nothing in the career of a highly-paid professional footballer in Donovan's position, barring catastrophic injury on the field, could be termed tragic. But if Landon Donovan never returns to the scene of his one and only European success, the warm bosom of Goodison Park, "tragic" is the first word that comes to mind.


In the next two weeks, Donovan and Everton will dance. Then the deadline will hit, and the dance will take on a different tone; a shift will bring talk of a possible future together, of what could be come January when Donovan and Everton will have another chance to bring about a glorious reunion.

And the Gods of soccer said to the supporter, "You are our most loyal servant, and your devotion pleases us. Go down to the terraces, and spread these laws amongst my people:"

1 THOU SHALT STAND for the full ninety minutes. It's okay though, if you sit down to have a beer at halftime.

2 THOU SHALT SING the songs of your club, and the chants of its people.

3 THOU SHALT WEAR YOUR SCARF even when it's 106 and bottles of water are four bucks. You can hold it in your hand if it's too warm, you big baby.

4 THOU SHALT REMEMBER THE MATCH DAY, AND KEEP IT HOLY, and remember not to schedule less important stuff then.

5 THOU SHALT QUESTION THE PARENTAGE AND QUALITY OF THE OFFICIALS every time a call goes against you, no matter whether it was deserved or not.

6 THOU SHALT TARGET THE OPPOSING KEEPER FOR ABUSE. Goalkeepers aren't real people anyway, so have at them.

7 THOU SHALT NOT WEAR ANOTHER TEAM'S JERSEY, especially if they're your opponent. You look like a total assclown, and nobody thinks you're cool.

8 THOU SHALT NOT DO THE F***ING WAVE. Does this look like AA baseball?

9 THOU SHALT NOT BLOW ON A VUVUZELA. Ever. Get a drum if you want to be instrumental.

10 THOU SHALT NOT FIGHT no matter how many times you've seen Green Street Hooligans.