Some News for Tue Aug 24, 2010

BOB BRADLEY WATCH

Bob enjoyed a fine lunch with agent today at Tequila Jack's in Long Beach.

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

The Group Stage is underway. The set up has 4 groups of 4 with everyone playing the others in their group home and away for a total of 6 games. At the end, the top 2 from each group will advance to the quarterfinals etc, which will also be home and away. [UPDATED]

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Great week for MLS v FMF showdowns!

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Shawn Mitchell of the reports that Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Chad Marshall and Danny O'Rourke did not travel to Mexico with the Crew.

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Mitchell previews the Crew game.

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I have always wondered if when you get off an airplane in Panama if Van Halen is playing on the terminal PA system.

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Daniel Girard of the Toronto Star previews TFC's first trip to Panama.

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John Molinaro of the CBC previews TFC's Panamanian journey.

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Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun also previews Toronto at Arabe Unido.

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Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated sees MLS & USA teams as 0 for their last 41 games in Mexico!

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Brian Strauss of Fanhouse looks at the MLS team's matches in the tourney this week. Some significant ones for sure.

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Matches & Scores
Round Two
-Tue Aug 24
Arabe Unido v Toronto FC - 7pm Central on FSC
Santos Laguna v Columbus Crew - 9pm Central on FSC
-Wed Aug 25
Cruz Azul v Real Salt Lake - 7pm Central on FSC
Seattle Sounders v Monterrey - 9pm Central on FSC
Puerto Rico Islanders v CD FAS
-Thu Aug 26
Toluca v Olimpia
Saprissa v Marathon
Municipal v Joe Public

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GROUP STANDINGS:
Group A
3 Toronto (Canada) (+1)
3 Real Salt Lake (USA) (+1)
0 Arabe Unido (Panama) (-1)
0 Cruz Azul (Mexico) (-1)
Group B
3 Santos Laguna (Mexico) (+3)
3 Columbus Crew (USA) (+1)
0 Municipal (Guatemala) (-1)
0 Joe Public (Trinidad & Tobago) (-3)
Group C
3 Monterrey (Mexico) (+1)
3 Marathon (Honduras) (+1)
0 Seattle Sounders (USA) (-1)
0 Saprissa (Costa Rica) (-1)
Group D
1 Olimpia (Honduras)
1 Puerto Rico Islanders (Puerto Rico)
1 Toluca (Mexico)
1 FAS (El Salvador)

PODCAST OF THE DAY

Great Jaime Moreno (DC United legend) interview on 106.7 The Fan radio with really special guests! MP3's: Part 1 and Part 2

STORY OF THE DAY

Paul James of the Toronto Globe & Mail on the failings of TFC Designated Player Julian de Guzman.
-Is it safe to say that de Guzman has been a bust? Many say yes, but others argue a strong NO.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Jose Mourinho: “One thing is certain, [Rafa] Benitez won’t do better than me at Inter."

TWITTERVERSE/FACEBOOKING

Sports Illustrated soccer guru Grant Wahl-
@GrantWahl: "US coach update: Bob Bradley will meet with US Soccer president Sunil Gulati on Thursday to talk about future."

MLS TEAM & PLAYER NEWS

Nick Green of the Daily Breeze looks at the LA Galaxy's recent onfield face plant (relatively speaking.)
-They are 3W-3L-1D since July 1. Many teams in the league would love to have that record.

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Steve Davis of Daily Soccer Fix on the endurance machine known as Landon Donovan.

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Don Ruiz of the Olympian checks out Seattle's run of 3 games in the next 7 days - one in CCL one in MLS and one in the Open Cup.

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Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America does a Q & A with San Jose left winger Bobby Convey.

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Frank Dell'Apa of the Boston Globe on the rise of the Red Bulls, and other league notes.

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Jack Bell of the NY Times with more on Red Bulls rookie defender Tim Ream.

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Glenn Davis of Soccer Matters with great in-depth post game analysis from the weekend of the Houston Dynamo.

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Charles Gooch of the Kansas City Star examines the Wizards odds of making the playoffs.

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The Washington Post with lots of little detailed DC United notes.

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When Saturday Comes on former TFC player and prolific Tweeter Rohan Ricketts - Where is he now?

MLS OFFENSE STAT LEADERS

Goals:
13 Edson Buddle - Los Angeles Galaxy (16 games)
12 Juan Pablo Angel - New York Red Bulls (21 games)
9 Sebastion Le Toux - Philadelphia Union (18 games)
9 Dwayne De Rosario - Toronto FC (19 games)
8 Chris Wondolowski - San Jose Earthquakes (17 games)
8 Alvaro Saborio - Real Salt Lake (19 games)
8 Kei Kamara - Kansas City Wizards (20 games)
8 Fredy Montero - Seattle Sounders (21 games)

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Assists:
11 Landon Donovan - Los Angeles Galaxy (15 games)
9 Sebastian Le Toux - Philadelphia Union (18 games)
9 Bobby Convey - San Jose Earthquakes (19 games)
9 Fredy Montero - Seattle Sounders (21 games)
8 Guillermo Barros Schelotto - Columbus Crew (20 games)
8 David Ferreira - FC Dallas (20 games)
8 Ryan Smith - Kansas City Wizards (20 games)

MLS/SUM BUSINESS

Brian Quarstad of Inside Minnesota Soccer reports on a new sales training center that MLS has built to improve their cash generating infrastructure. And its right here in my town.

MLS EXPANSION

The Vancouver Province ponders what the Whitecaps will do with the #1 Superdraft pick.

MLS STADIUMS

Jordan Wise of SB Nation Houston with an update on the Dynamo stadium situation.
-If you ask me, this is the same information we have been hearing for 3-4 months now.

SOCCER IN AMERICA

Frank Giase of the Newark Star Ledger feels its very important that top American players need to get into the professional coaching ranks.

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

Sacha Kljestan did not dress for Anderlecht as they were knocked out of the Champions League Playoff Round today.

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Game Action: (only those that played are listed)

ENGLAND - Carling Cup 2nd Round
Mike Grella - Leeds United - L 1-2 v Leicester City
Marcus Hahnemann - Wolverhampton - w 2-1 v Southend United
Stuart Holden - Bolton Wanderers - W 0-1 at Southampton
Jonathan Spector - West Ham United - W 1-0 v Oxford United
Zak Whitbread - Norwich City - L 3-1 at Blackburn Rovers

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Coming Up: (all possible players are listed)

ENGLAND - Carling Cup 2nd Round
Clint Dempsey - Fulham - Wed Aug 25 v Port Vale
Tim Howard - Everton - Wed Aug 25 v Hudderfield Town
Eddie Johnson - Fulham - Wed Aug 25 v Port Vale

ENGLAND

Mark Ogden of The Telegraph talks to Jose Mourinho about the top teams in England, who can or cannot win the league.

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Jonathan Wilson of Sports Illustrated on the difference between the haves and have nots of the Premier League.

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The National of UAE with an article on the Pluzillionaire owner of Manchcester City getting a rousing ovation at the teams home game this week.

SPAIN

The new Primera Liga season starts next weekend!

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Tim Stannard of Four Four Two with a 3 part Primer season preview - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 (coming Wed)

FRANCE

Lyon has bought attacking midfielder Yoann Gourcuff from rivals Bordeaux.

ITALY

The new Serie A season starts next weekend!

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The National previews the new Serie A season.

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Gazzetta on new Inter coach Rafa Benitez, and how he plans to succeed this season.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Basel, Partizan, Braga and Werder Bremen advance to the group stage.

The last 5 teams will earn their spots tomorrow.

Play-off Round
Matches & Scores:
2nd leg
-Tue Aug 24
Hapoel Tel-Aviv 1-1 Salzburg HTA advance 4-3 on aggregate.
Sheriff 0-3 Basel - Bas advance 4-0 on aggregate.
Anderlecht 2-2 Partizan - series ends tied 4-4 on aggregate, and Par with 3-2 in Penalty Kick shoot out.
Sevilla 3-4 Braga - Bra advance 5-3 on aggregate.
Sampdoria 3-2 Werder Bremen -WB advance 5-4 on aggregate.
-Wed Aug 25
Kobenhavn v Rosenborg (1-2)
Zilina v Sparta Praha (2-0)
Tottenham v Young Boys (2-3)
Auxerre v Zenit (0-1)
Ajax v Dynamo Kyiv (1-1)

ALL AROUND THE WORLD

Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star tells us what he likes to hear during a soccer game TV broadcast.

ENDERS