I Know That You Are Really Special News

CONCACAF Champions Cup Semifinal round first leg matches (return leg matches will be April 3-5):
Wednesday
-Houston v Pachuca - live at 7:30pm central time on Fox Soccer Channel
Thursday
-DC v Guadalajara - live at 7pm central time on Fox Soccer Channel
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Bernardo Fallas at the Houston Chronicle previews tonight's CCC match for the Dynamo.
-Houston defender Eddie Robinson will not start the match. Add that decision to the injuries that are keeping Dwayne DeRosario and Brian Ching out of the first 11, and you have a much less skilled team on the field. Interesting choices by coach Dom Kinnear. All 3 will be on the bench and ready to go if needed.
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Ian Plenderleith of the US Players Assoc previews DC's match tomorrow, and makes a mention of Houston's match.
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Joel Aceves at LA Soccer News checks in with Guadalajara Chivas to see what they know about their next opponent DC United - Aaaaah, that would be nothing! There is some of that great Mexican boasting though about how they have to show MLS that Mexico is better. Where have we heard that a dozen fruitless times before?
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This just in: "The Los Angeles Galaxy and Cobi Jones will hold a press conference to make a major announcement on Monday, March 19 at 10:30 a.m. at The Home Depot Center. Fans are welcome to attend. Parking will be available in Lot 10; please enter through the Southwest Entrance of the stadium." My guess is that Cobi is going to announce that he is retiring at the end of this season, and he will now start his victory lap.
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Episode 57 of the great EPL Talk podcast is now on line for your downloading & listening pleasure. It's a really good episode too. "[H]ear interviews with Setanta Sports, GolTV and Fox Soccer Channel. Find out the latest news about how many 2007/2008 Premiership matches will be shown on Setanta Broadband. Discover what changes are in store for GolTV, and learn more about FoxSoccer.com from the man who's responsible for making it a success."
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MLSnet didn't bother to tell anyone but they posted an exclusive video interview with Jimmy Conrad of Kansas City & Pablo Mastroeni of Colordao. It's not a very exciting interview, but the idea of the interview on the league site is exciting.
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Steven Goff tries to clear up some of the confusion on the contract situation of DCU new signing Fred2. From the Soccer Insider.
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Goff writing for the Washington Post says DCU keeper Troy Perkins hopes to be healthy enough to play v Chivas on Thursday.
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DCU has signed this kid Kiki Willis to a developmental contract. Here is an article from last summer telling us what he was up to at the time. Its not the rosiest of pictures.
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Metrofanatic with another story on the forward dearth at NYRB. The article eventually focuses on our guy Ansu Toure.
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The Toronto Globe & Mail talks to TFC midfielder Carl Robinson about his new team and new life.
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Luis Bueno at LA Soccer News talks to Chivas USA defender Orlando Perez about his goals and dreams for 07.
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New England smoked Mexican 2nd Division team Inter Playa del Carmen 7-0 in the Yucatan yesterday. Taylor Twellman got his legs warmed up for the MLS season by bagging 4! They were even down to 9 men late in the game and still rolled. IPDC finished with 10 men.
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Luis Arroyave continues to keep his finger on the pulse of the Chicago-Blanco negotiations. He says things are still moving forward.
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The Japan Times with an article about the potential of Japanese players making the move to MLS. Thanks to Ben for sending this to us. It's really good. (And see a related story below about a Japanese player signing with a USL First Division side - namely my Minnesota Thunder.)
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Steven Wells (the brilliantly funny fucker known as Swells) at the Guardian tells the story of communists and anarchists riding the soccer wave in America!
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He's back (he's actually been back for 9 days but no one told me, so I had to find it on my own): Dan Loney Says It All
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A very interesting looking film will be shown during the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. The documentary titled, The Power of The Game, looks at soccer around the world and its social implications. A fuller description is available at the Tribeca Film Fest site. The other interesting note about this film is the director - Michael Apted. He has done all kinds of film projects, starting in British TV, and doing the documentary series 7 Up, 14 Up, 21 Up etc. He has also directed feature films like Coal Miner's Daughter, Gorky Park, Gorillas in the Mist, Nell, The World Is Not Enough & a ton more. He also did the official FIFA World Cup 2006 film, and is directing Goal 3 at this moment. Dave Brett Wasser at Historic Soccer Videotapes sent us this gem.
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I missed this one from the Sunday Times of London - feature story on American defender Jay DeMerit at Watford. (the story is a little obsolete now that Watford have beaten Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup, but I still thought it was relevant.)
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USA midfielder DaMarcus Beasley & his team are in Premiership action today. They take on Chelsea at home.
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Don't know if you heard this initial story, but a couple months back former San Jose midfielder Ramiro Corrales was given the heave-ho by the immigration department in Norway where he had been playing the past several seasons. The story goes that his team Ham-Kam never filed his work permit renewal papers, and after he left them for another team, Brann, no one picked up the ball. So his permit expired and the government got serious. Hence he was officially deported. The good news is that the problem was fixed this week and after several months of red tape he can return to his club and play again. Hooray Akevitt. From Yanks Abroad.
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Domo Arigato Mr. Ota. The Minnesota Thunder signed 6'4" Japanese striker Keisuke Ota. He played last season for Thespa Kusatsu of the J-League second division. Thunder GM Djorn Buchholz told Blue Sky Soccer that they team expects Ota to arrive April 4 or 5.
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Copa Libertadores - here are the week's matches:
Mar 13
Alianza Lima 1-3 Audax Italiano
Cucuta Deportivo 1-1 Cerro Porteno
Maracaibo 1-1 Real Potosi
-Match reports via Sports Illustrated.
Mar 14
Parana - Flamengo
Toluca - Boca Juniors
Velez Sarsfield - Internacional
Santos - Gimnasia
Mar 15
Deportivo Pasto - Defensor Sporting
LDU Quito - River Plate
Deportes Tolima - Gremio
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Jack Bell at the New York Times took in the Barca-Real Madrid match last Saturday and gives us some notes from his trip, including quotes from Barca striker Samuel Eto'o.
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Chelsea left back Wayne Bridge could miss most of the rest of the EPL season after having knee surgery for damaged cartilage.
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UEFA has given Valencia's David Navarro a 7 month ban for punching Inter's Nicolas Burdisso after their Champions League match last week. I am not sure how this all works, but I would guess its 7 months no matter which competition Valencia play in. My only question then becomes, do the months of June, July & August count toward the ban seeing as the club is offseason during those months?
-Other players from both teams were also given shorter and more specific suspensions. The following bans are from UEFA club competitions: Burdisso - Inter - 6 games, Maicon - Inter - 6 games, Carlos Marchena - Valencia - 4 games, Ivan Cordoba - Inter - 3 games, and Julio Cruz - Inter 2 games.
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Gregory Sica of Sports Illustrated talks to du Nord fave & Sevilla's awesome Brazilian right back/wingback/central midfielder/striker Daviel Alves!