- Keith Hickey

When the MLS SuperDraft (formerly the College Draft) rolls around every year, there's a predictable pattern. The players seen as having the highest potential or the ability to contribute immediately are snapped up earliest, leaving those players seen as less likely to have significant pro careers to make up the numbers in later rounds. But those castoffs don't always end up on the reject pile of MLS washouts. Sometimes, they end up being solid contributors to their clubs. And once in a while, you find a true gem in the later rounds. Here's our list of the top "sleeper" picks in MLS Draft history.

- Jason Davis

The combined Great Britain team planned for the London Summer Olympics soccer tournament next year is a matter of some controversy. With traditionally independent soccer nations like Wales, Scotland, and North Ireland concerned that they'll lose their identities in the process, the FAs of those nations have warned any of their players from accepting an invitation by the Great Britain Olympic committee to play for the combined side. There's a bit of question around just how many non-English players would even make the cut, giving the whole thing a much-ado-about-nothing feel, but there is one very special winger almost certain to face a very difficult decision: Gareth Bale.

- Jason Davis

Today's edition, the shortest to date, and alternatively titled "Don't Follow Too Close."

The RSS feed if you need it, and direct download.

- Jason Davis

Javier Hernandez is a joy to watch.


This fact disturbs me. Both because he's Mexican — meaning my dyed-in-the-wool USMNT supporter soul screams in protest each and every time I give myself over to enjoying his play — and because he has become a worldwide sensation with the eminently unlikeable Manchester United. The soccer-aware portion of my brain, my sense of duty as a USMNT fan, my identity as a member of the no-love-for-United crowd (I don't hate United, because that would imply I care enough about what happens in England to work up such strong emotion, when, in fact, I'm mostly an impartial observer who finds United's shenanigans and constant winning to be incredibly annoying but nothing more): they're all telling me to hate Javier Hernandez. And not just a little bit. There is significant emotional weight behind the effort.

- Jason Davis

Today's edition, thoughts on USA-Paraguay.

The RSS feed if you need it, and direct download.

- Keith Hickey

In 2011, American domestic soccer is the most secure it has ever been. The league as a whole, and most of its clubs, are in zero danger of collapse. It's hard for us to imagine a time when the very existence of top flight domestic soccer was under threat. But in 1984, that was the case. The halcyon days of Pele and Beckenbauer over, the North American Soccer League was limping into its sixteenth season. Just nine teams remained, down from a high of 24 just four years previous. But as we read in this article from the Sports Illustrated vault, the NASL introduced a revolutionary concept just before its final season:

- Keith Hickey

Two weeks of MLS play are in the books. 53 points have been earned, and 48 goals have been scored. Six teams remain unbeaten, three have won all of their matches, and only one has failed to concede. It's a lot to take in, so here's our weekly Power Rankings to help you out.

- Jason Davis

While most eyes tonight will be on the senior USMNT team as they face Paraguay in Nashville, the US U-20s will be kicking off their CONCACAF championship campaign against Suriname in Guatemala. On the line for Thomas Rongen's team isn't just regional supremacy, but also a berth in the U-20 World Cup in Colombia in July.

- Jason Davis

This thing again. Mostly USMNT v. Paraguay and Ochocinco's reserve match exploits.

Here's an RSS feed if you need it, and you can download this thing directly here. Ta.

-Matt Acconciamessa | US Soccer Daily

Another week of MLS in the books; here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly:





Everything that RSL did: You know it was a good day at the office when your coach is saying things like “the best soccer I’ve seen in front of this stadium”. RSL, led by another stellar outing by Javier Morales, absolutely handled a Donovan-less Galaxy side. With the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semifinal coming next Tuesday, MLS fans should be happy that the league’s representative is playing some fantastic soccer right now.

Tally Hall: The Sounders peppered Houston’s goal on Friday night, searching for their first goal and win of the new season. The Dynamo managed to walk of Qwest with a point despite being heavily outshot, though, thanks in large part to Tally Hall’s performance between the posts.

Recorded human history spans thousands of years. In that period, entities of all types have gone through name changes. In some cases, those changes were down to a turnover in ownership (Byzantium becomes Constantinople becomes Istanbul) or circumstance (St. Petersburg becomes Leningrad becomes St. Petersburg again). In others, it's a made of prudence. Kentucky Fried Chicken officially calling themselves KFC, for example. That word "fried" is harder to sell in a modern world.

- Keith Hickey

UPS Guy: Could you sign here, Mr. Arena?


Bruce Arena: What's this?


UPS Guy: Overnight delivery from Sandy, Utah. Contents: Your ass. On a plate.