Newest Bag Of Glee News

MLS Team News

COLUMBUS CREW

Michael Arace of the Dispatch tries to figure out how coach Sigi Schmid walked away from the Crew just days after winning MLS Cup, and how the teams ownership could let this happen.
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Shawn Mitchell of the Dispatch looks at where the Crew go now for a head coach.
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Greg Seltzer at Soccer 365 with the latest on Chad Marshall's tour of German job interviews.
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HOUSTON DYNAMO

Bernardo Fallas of the Chronicle tells us about the Dynamo's off season "to do" list.
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RED BULL NEW YORK

Ives Galarcep of Soccer by Ives unveils why midseason stiffs Jorge Rojas and Juan Pietravallo will return to the Bulls next season - they have guaranteed contracts!
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MLS Generation Adidas Team

The league has sent a Select team of their best young talent to England for a week of matches, training, and taking in the big time professional culture of world football.
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Matches & Scores:
-Mon Dec 8
Reading Reserves 1-0 MLS-GA - Read goal by David Mooney.
-Wed Dec 10
Chelsea Reserves 4-0 MLS-GA - Chel goals by Scott Sinclair(3) & Morten Nielsen.
-Thu Dec 11
West Ham Reserves 3-2 MLS-GA - WH goals by Jonathan Spector(!) & Fred Sears (2 - one via PK). MLS goals both by Davide Somma.
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So the MLS-GA team finishes their tour of England 0-3. And a player I have never even heard of scores the only 2 MLS goals. Not great. What is great is to see American Jonathan Spector playing for the Canned Hams after his long injury lay off, not to mention scoring a goal.
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MLS Expansion News

Jack Bell of the New York Times blog Goal looks at any reason why MLS would not grant Barcelona a team in Miami.
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The Oregonian writes about the relationship between Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson and MLS Commissioner Donald U. Garber.
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College News

Men's College Cup - from Pizza Hut Park in Frisco TX.
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Semifinals
-Fri Dec 12
Wake Forest v North Carolina - 4:30pm central on ESPN2
Maryland v St Johns - 7pm central on ESPNU
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Doug McIntyre of ESPN Soccernet previews the Semifinals.
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Final
-Sun Dec 14
Winners - 12 Noon central live on ESPN2
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USL First Division News

The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reports that the Rhinos have lost their stadium name corporate sponsor PAETEC. (thanks to Brian for this one)
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USL General News

It's official - my Rochester Thunder will play in the PDL's Heartland Division of the Central Conference. Here are the teams in their division:
-Des Moines Menace
-Kansas City Brass
-Real Colorado Foxes
-Rochester Thunder
-Springfield Demize
-St Louis Lions
-Thunder Bay Chill (defending league champions)
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There will be 71 total teams in the PDL next season. (68 as of right now, and 3 more to be formally announced asap.) Here is the breakdown of the 4 conferences and 8 divisions.
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Team USA

Ives Galarcep of Soccer by Ives links to a ESPN Deportes report that says USA v Mexico on Feb 11 will be played in Salt Lake or Seattle. I had Salt Lake on my wish list, but if you go by the words of coach Bob Bradley at his press conference immediately after the draw stated that they would not be playing at any stadiums with fake turf or grass laid over fake turf. That rules out Seattle. Bring on Salt Lake! See you there.
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Soccer In America

ESPN reports that LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant's new Nike designed basketball shoe will be low top - inspired by soccer shoes. Steve Nash, another soccer fan, also wears a low cut shoe. Video interview with Bryant included.
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Americans In Europe

Yanks Abroad talks to Sal Zizzo about life at Hannover, and what comes next for him.
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TRANSFER RUMORS

Greg Seltzer at No Short Corners has a crazy rumor that Lee Nguyen might go play in Vietnam - he is there right now on "trial". Insane. (scroll down to the bottom)
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CONCACAF News

Hull City's Jamaican forward Marlon King was arrested for assaulting a woman at a London nightclub. He is out on bail. Nothing else is known at this time.
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Caribbean Championship

The top 2 from each group advance to the semifinals of this tournament, AND to next Summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup.
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Official web site
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Semifinals
-Thu Dec 11
Jamaica v Guadeloupe
Cuba v Grenada
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Mexico & FMF News

Apertura Final
-Thu Dec 11
Cruz Azul v Toluca - live at 9pm central on Azteca America.
-Sun Dec 14
Toluca v Cruz Azul - live at 12noon central on Telemundo.
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Argentina

The BBC reports that referee's in the Argentine Primera league will use a quick dissolving paint spray to mark off 10 yards for free kicks next season. Why doesn't every one do this?
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England News

The Guardian with an article about how racism is really being dealt with. The indifferent judgment in Newcastle sets a bad precedent.
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European News

GERMANY

This weekend will see the last round of Bundesliga games before their annual winter break.
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ITALY

After a brutal start to both Serie A and the Champions League, Roma are on a serious roll and even claimed the #1 seed in the CL group over Chelsea!
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Catania has given coach Walter Zenga a one year contract extension through the end of the 2--0-10 season.
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SCOTLAND

The BBC with an article on the organization of football in Scotland, which many feels needs a complete overhaul to move forward.
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SPAIN

Reuters reports that a second match in Spain is being investigated for possible fixing.
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Real Madrid's new coach Juande Ramos survived his first game in charge quite nicely. A 3-0 home Champions League win over Zenit of St Petersburg. But it was not enough to lift them into a #1 seed for the knock out rounds. Saturday at Barcelona will be one hell of a test.
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Top Of The European Club Standings & Top Goal Scorers

Spain Primera - 14 of 38 games played
35 Barcelona
29 Villarreal
27 Valencia
27 Sevilla
26 Real Madrid
Goals
14 Samuel Eto'o - Barcelona
12 David Villa - Valencia
10 Diego Forlan - Atletico Madrid
10 Gonzalo Higuain - Real Madrid
9 Lionel Messi - Barcelona
8 Negredo - Almeria
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England Premier League - 16 of 38 games played
37 Liverpool
36 Chelsea
31 Manchester United
29 Arsenal
28 Aston Villa
Goals
13 Nicolas Anelka - Chelsea
8 Cristiano Ronaldo - Manchester United
8 Robinho - Manchester City
8 Amr Zaki - Wigan
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France Ligue 1 - 17 of 38 games played
34 Lyon
31 Marseille
30 Rennes
29 Bordeaux
29 Paris St Germain
29 Nice
Goals
10 Guillaume Hoarau - Paris St Germain
9 Karim Benzema - Lyon
9 Fernando Cavenaghi - Bordeaux
8 Andre Pierre Gignac - Toulouse
7 Michel Fernandes Bastos - Lille
7 Steve Savidan - Caen
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Germany Bundesliga - 16 of 34 games played
34 Hoffenheim
34 Bayern Munich
31 Bayer Leverkusen
30 Hertha Berlin
30 Hamburger
Goals
18 Vedad Ibisevic - Hoffenheim
12 Patrick Helmes - Bayer Leverkusen
11 Grafite - Wolfsburg
10 Claudio Pizarro - Werder Bremen
10 Milivoje Novakovic - Koln
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Italy Serie A - 15 of 38 games played
36 Inter Milan
30 Juventus
30 AC Milan
27 Napoli
26 Fiorentina
Goals
12 Diego Milito - Genoa
11 Alberto Gilardino - Fiorentina
9 Marco Di Vaio - Bologna
8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Inter Milan
8 Amauri - Juventus
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Netherlands Eredivisie - 14 of 34 games played
32 AZ Alkmaar
29 Ajax
27 Twente Enschede
26 NAC Breda
25 PSV
Goals
14 Mounir El Hamdaoui - AZ Alkmaar
12 Frank Demouge - Willem II Tilburg
11 Matthew Amoah - NAC Breda
10 Daniel Pranjic - Heerenveen
9 Marcus Berg - Groningen
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Portugal Liga - 11 of 30 games played
25 Benfica
23 Leixos
22 Sporting
20 Porto
20 Nacional de Madeira
Goals
8 Mobido William - Pacos de Ferreira
7 Nene - Nacional de Madeira
6 Wesley - Leixos
5 Albert Ze Meyong - Braga
5 Oscar Cardozo - Benfica
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UEFA News

The New York Times looks at Poland & Ukraine who are cohosting the 2012 European Championship - Will they be ready?
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UEFA Champions League

Matchday 6 Matches & Scores
-Tue Dec 9
Chelsea 2-1 CFR Cluj - Chel goals by Salomon Kalou & Didier Drogba. Cluj goal by Yssouf Kone.
Roma 2-0 Bordeaux - Roma goals by Matteo Brighi & Francesco Totti.
Panathinaikos 1-0 Anorthosis - Pana goal by Giorgos Karagounis.
Werder Bremen 2-1 Inter Milan - WB goals by Claudio Pizarro & Markus Rosenborg. IM goal by Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Basel 0-1 Sporting - Spor goal by Yannick Djalo.
Barcelona 2-3 Shakhtar Donetsk - Barc goals by Sylvinho & Sergio Busquets. SD goals by Olexander Gladkiy(2) & Fernandinho.
PSV Eindhoven 1-3 Liverpool - PSV goal by Danko Lazovic. Liv goals by Ryan Babel, Albert Riera & David N'gog.
Marseille 0-0 Atletico Madrid
-Wed Dec 10
Manchester United 2-2 Aalborg - MU goals by Carlos Tevez & Wayne Rooney. Alb goals by Mikael Jakobsen & Jeppe Curth.
Celtic 2-0 Villarreal - Celt goals by Shaun Maloney & Aiden McGeady.
Steaua Bucuresti 0-1 Fiorentina - Fior goal by Alberto Gilardino.
Lyon 2-3 Bayern Munich - Lyon goals by Sydney Gouvu & Karim Benzema. BM goals by Miroslav Klose(2) & Franck Ribery.
Porto 2-0 Arsenal - Port goals by Bruno Alves & Lisandro.
Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 Fenerbahce - DK goal by Roman Eremenko.
Juventus 0-0 BATE Borisov
Real Madrid 3-0 Zenit St Petersburg - RM goals by Raul Gonzalez(2) & Arjen Robben.
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The #1 seeds will be paired off against the #2 seeds (except they cannot face teams from their own country or their just finished group stage):
#1 Seeds
Roma - Italy - A
Panathinaikos - Greece - B
Barcelona - Spain - C
Liverpool - England - D
Manchester United - England - E
Bayern Munich - Germany - F
Porto - Portugal - G
Juventus - Italy - H
#2 Seeds
Chelsea - England - A
Inter Milan - Italy - B
Sporting - Portugal - C
Atletico Madrid - Spain - D
Villarreal - Spain - E
Lyon - France - F
Arsenal - England - G
Real Madrid - Spain - H
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The #3 teams from each group will shift over to the UEFA Cup:
UEFA Cup spot A - Bordeaux
UEFA Cup spot B - Werder Bremen
UEFA Cup spot C - Shakhtar Donetsk
UEFA Cup spot D - Olympique Marseille
UEFA Cup spot E - Aalborg
UEFA Cup spot F - Fiorentina
UEFA Cup spot G - Dynamo Kyiv
UEFA Cup spot H - Zenit St Petersburg
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Final Group Standings
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Martin Rogers of Yahoo Sports ranks the 16 teams still in the competition in the order he feels they have the best chance of winning it all.
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The BBC reports that Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney could find himself in trouble if UEFA reviews a nasty tackle the put on a Aalborg player who has cleat marks on his CHEST! Can any of you find some video footage of this play?
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World News

Jonah Freedman of Sports Illustrated rolls out the new World Club Soccer Power Rankings.
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FIFA Club World Cup

Matches & Scores:
-Dec 11
Adelaide United 2-1 Waitakere United - AU goals by Daniel Mullen & Travis Dodd. WU goal by Paul Seaman.
-Dec 12
Al Ahly v Pachuca
-Dec 13
Adelaide v Gamba Osaka
-Dec 17 - Semifinal
Al Ahly/Pachuca winner v Liga de Quito
-Dec 18 - Semifinal
Adelaide/Gamba winner v Manchester United
-Dec 21 - Final
Winner 1 v Winner 2
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Official web site
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The average Liga de Quito player earns in 1 Year what Cristiano Ronaldo earns in 1 Week.
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Jonah Freedman of Sports Illustrated previews the event that still underwhelms most of us. I want to like this tournament. Seriously. But I just don't.