How Do You Spell This Dudes Name? Look In The News

-I feel bad for anyone who follows the trials and tribulations of their favorite English team, or players thru the joke they call the press in England. 95% of the stuff they print is just tabloid fodder. They have been running Rio Ferdinand thru the wringer for 2 months now, saying he would not re-sign with Man United. But yesterday he did. Story over. And all that tension was for what??
-Before I do this, I just want to say that I think the "Rookie Of The Year" thing is not really appropriate for MLS anymore. The whole Rookie thing works in US sports that have every player come thru the draft etc. But too many exciting looking new players are coming into the league in other ways. Plus there is a plan underfoot for teams to bring players up through their own "academies" and keep control of their rights (and wouldn't be "drafted"). So I think the way to do this award would be to have an age cutoff (I don't know what age that might be), and call the award the "Young Player Of The Year". Sure someone could win it more than once, but they might deserve it. Who knows. I just like the idea. But seeing as we have a format already in place, I thought I might list the players who I think have been the outstanding rookies in MLS so far this season. Some guys have come and gone, and had ups and downs, but here is how I see it as of today. My top 5 (+ others):
1 Scott Sealy - KC
2 Bobby Boswell - DC
3 Michael Parkhurst - New England
4 Chris Rolfe - Chicago
5 Brad Guzan - Chivas USA
others: Ugo Ihemelu - Los Angeles, Gonzalo Segares - Chicago, Carlos Mendes - Metrostars
-UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round matches today:
Man United v Debrecen
Everton v Villarreal
Wisla v Panathinaikos
Anorthosis v Rangers
Valerenga v Club Brugge
Betis v Monaco
With 10 more games to follow on Wednesday.
-New Q & A's with Bobby Convey, Eddie Lewis & Oguchi Onyewu at the US Socccer site.
-Bruce Arena is expected to announce his squad tomorrow for the USA World Cup Qualifier against Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday August 17 in Hartford.
-For some reason MSNBC has a story on San Antonio and a desire to still consider MLS in the town. Why? Why? Why? I ask you. They never had ANYTHING to start with beyond the dreams of a lameduck mayor. Read it for yourself.
-I saw this note on the Portland Timbers fans message board this morning: Portland Timbers defender Scot Thompson will leave the club for two weeks to become a trialist for Sunderland in England. That's kinda cool.
-Ives Galarcep in the North Jersey Herald rips Eddie Gaven a new one: Metros tired of waiting for Gaven to kick funk
-Rob Hughes from the International Herald Tribune on ZiZou: Zidane heeds his nation's dream
-Are you ready for the first ever FIFPro World XI Player Awards? Me neither. But they are coming. FIFPRO is the organziation that supposedly represents all professional football players around the world, and they have decided that they too need to give out awards. So here it comes, ready or not. The short list of finalists has been released. See the list at the bottom of this page (at least a half dozen names are on this list not because they had a good year, which they clearly didn't, but because they are popular - Sol Campbell? Lucio? Javier Zanetti? David Beckham? Luis Figo? Paul Scholes? Zinedine Zidane? Ronaldo? Ruud van Nistelrooy? Not one of them had a great year, and many had barely a good year. And this doesn't even address the list of great players NOT ON that list, which I am sure is an astounding number.). The XI will be announced on September 19.
-USL week in review