MLS releases opening game schedule

Today at 3:30 ET, MLS released the opening kick-off matches for Week 1 of the 2011 MLS season.  The list features some interesting match-ups with two new teams entering the competition fold.  Here's the list:

Tuesday, March 15
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Los Angeles Galaxy - Qwest Field, Seattle, WA - 9:30 ET on ESPN
This is Seattle's third consecutive home First Kick, but this one might not be so lopsided.  Last year, the Galacticos embarrassed the home crowd with a 4-0 rout in front of the Sounders faithful.  The Galaxy may be without Becks, but they will still look to flex their new muscle in the form of Frankie Hejduk and JP Angel (and maybe Ronaldinho??)

Rip City Crystal Ball: MLS in 2020. Part 2

Promotion/relegation is a topic that many hardcore soccer fans are passionate about.  Many eurosnobs won't even consider MLS a legitimate league until they implement a P/R system.  So, in 2020 will MLS have a promotion relegation system?

Rip City Hump Day Links

FC Dallas win MLS's Fashion Statement of the Year. Click Here to see why.
Juan Agudelo on the move to Spain? Think again says RBNY
St. Paul kid earns D3 All-American honors for Macalester
USL-PRO's LA Blues official introduced
New PDL team in Winnipeg: WSA Winnipeg
Diver breaks depth record
D.C. United sign 4th Homegrown Player
Big moves in the Second Phase of the Re-Entry Draft
Iconic Images of 2010
Blender's Songs of the Week, with videos!
Video of the Week: MPLS Metrodome caves in during historic blizzard

Rip City Crystal Ball: MLS in 2020

This post is the first of the Rip City Crystal Ball series.  Throughout the next few weeks we at Rip City will be doing our best Shawn Spencer (Psychic detective) and divining what MLS will look like in 2020.  With all of the recent success of not only MLS but of soccer in the United States the future looks bright but for many the development of MLS is painstakingly slow. Have no fear though because this series will give you a sneak peak into the glorious future of MLS.  This week we look at the always exciting and hot topic of expansion.  Where will MLS stop?  Which cities will get the final spots?

MLS Jerseys: Thank God for Portland

Portland Timbers unveiled their first ever MLS kits in fashion earlier this afternoon, and......WOW!!!  Finally, we are starting to see some quality MLS kits.  The team walked out of a Boeing airplane in the new garb onto a runway in an empty Portland airplane hangar.  Here's a look and description of the home kit:

The home jersey features the Timber green with a two-tone jersey.  The two shades of green are cross-linked with chevrons.  The back neck ID tag is an ax and there is a "No Pity in the Rose City" JockTag.  The jersey has white sleeves and features Alaska Airlines as the sponsor.  Now for the surprise of the afternoon, the away kit:

Rip City Hump Day Links

National Geographic photogralphy contest releases crazy pictures.

Ohio St. releases alternative jersey for The Game. (that's right I'm a Buckeye fan)

MLS Cup comes at a cost for one Rapids

Bayern Munich future starlet opts for US?

AC St. Louis is in limbo; Is NASL truly right D-2 Candidate? 

This Week In Numbers - FIFA

Video of the Day: World Cup bad boy Suarez bites another player

USSF releases 2010 Award finalists

Happy Thanksgiving from Rip City Soccer

peace

MLS Expansion Draft: The picks are in (Updated)

Expansion teams Portland and Vancouver are finally starting to take shape.  Each team picked ten players in the MLS expansion draft today, significantly altering the rosters in MLS.  Several MLS teams took gambles with some of their more important and more expensive players by leaving them unprotected. Those that did were rewarded as no DPs were selected. However, several rising stars in the league did get snatched up by the Portland and Vancouver. See picks and grades after the jump.

MLS Expansion Draft

The release of the lists of protected players came out last night and Portland and Vancouver will be pouring over the list of players who didn't get protected in preparation for the draft tomorrow.  Both teams will be looking to find several starters for their teams and there are plenty of quality players to choose from.  The draft will start 1pm tomorrow.  Portland will pick first and then the teams will alternate for ten rounds. There is quite an extensive list of rules and guidelines that can be found here...Expansion draft rules.  MLS teams often try and work the system in expansion drafts.  They take risks and gamble on what they think the expansion teams will need.  It will be interesting to see if any of the big names that were left unprotected get snatched up because traditionally their high salaries are deterrents for expansion teams. However, Ljunberg, Geovanni, and Blaise Nkufo sure look tantalizing to me on those lists.  Those aren't the only players on the lists of available players worth drafting. The full list can be found here...http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/mls-releases-unprotected-list-expansion-draft

MLS Cup Preview, an in-depth look

The 2010 MLS season wraps up this weekend in Toronto with the 15th MLS Cup Final.  The Championship features the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas, two originial MLS teams with modest histories.  The game kicks off at 8:30 ET (7:30 CT), and can be seen live on ESPN, Galavision, and of course, ESPN 3 on Xbox Live.  If your'e in the Macalester, pull through Wallace 316 for the game.  Also, Rip City Soccer will be covering the game live on the blog.

MLS Cup Final Preview

We’re one day away from the 2010 MLS Final where FC Dallas will face the Colorado Rapids at BMO Field in Toronto.  The game kicks off at 7:30 pm Central Time and you can follow the game online here at Rip City Soccer while you watch.  We’ll be posting comments and answering questions that you guys post.  For now, the authors of Rip City have gotten together and each formulated who they think will win the MLS Cup.

Country

Results: Colorado Rapids 2-1

These two teams have faced off against each other twice this year and both times they ended in draws.  I predict that the dynamic duo of Casey and Cummings will pull through and win this one for the Rapids.  They have the midfield help of guys like Smith and they have the defense led by Kimura to hold back Ferriera and the rest of FC Dallas.

Thug Winslow

Results: FC Dallas 3-1

I predict that Hartman and Dallas’s defense will be able to shut down Casey and Cummings.  Not only that, but Dallas just plays better together as a team.  They will get the ball to Ferriera and he’ll score big for them.  Yet, the game will come down to the guys in the middle like Harris and Chavez for Dallas and Smith and Thompson for the Rapids. 

Doddsy

Results: FC Dallas 3-2

Colorado just won’t be able to handle the flowing attack of Dallas that goes through Ferriera.  But, Colorado will be able to get a few goals through Casey and Cummings.  At the end of the day though, Hartman will be too much of an obstacle for Colorado.

The Wizards re-brand to Sporting Kansas City SC

  The Kansas City Wizards turned over a new leaf yesterday with the announcement of the clubs rebranding.  The new name will be Sporting Kansas City SC and the new look crest is above.  The colors are basically the same, albeit it a little different shade of blue.  the club president Robb Heineman stated, "This is all about a new start. It’s a new name, a new stadium, a new time.”  Sporting KC are set to move to their new very own home next year, tentatively called the Sporting Kansas Stadium at Village West.  In addition to the announcement of rebranding, the club introduced new DP Mexican striker Omar Bravo, as well as the new kits.  The club has said it is near a deal for a jersey front sponsor for next year.  Interestingly, Heineman said the new brand was a move to be different and innovative, however Sporting is certainly not an innovative name in the soccer community.  And what's more unique and different than the Wizards?

Expansion: Where? How big?

In Don Garber's state of the league address yesterday one of the biggest topics were the rumors surrounding what city will be awarded the 20th MLS team.  For some time now it has been clear that the MLS wants that team to be from New York.  With the resurgence of the the New York Cosmos brand it is starting to look like that is where MLS will be headed next.  The Cosmos have come out with new merchandise from Umbro and have announced Pele as their honorary president.  Also, MLS has been in talks with the Wilpon family who own the Mets for some time now.  Garber also mentioned that he envisioned the league would grow beyond 20 teams.  Several cities have been interested in joining such as Orlando, Tampa, Miami, and San Diego, St. Louis, Atlanta, and Ottawa.  Garber mentioned that he couldn't imagine that the league wouldn't expand into the Southeast at some time.  Where do you see the league going?  What cities do you want to get in?  Any love for Des Moines? Just sayin.

Don Does it again, the Reserve League is reincarnated, plus MLS expands rosters.

MLS commissioner Don "The Don" Garber revealed today in a teleconference that the MLS reserve league will begin anew in 2011.  Also the limit on the amount of homegrown players has been removed.  This could help to fill in the extra four spots on the rosters for the teams next year.  In 2011 MLS teams' rosters will expand from 26 to 30.  This comes as a breath of fresh air for those teams competing in extra fixtures throughout the year, such as the U.S. Open Cup, Superliga, and the Concacaf Champions League.  The interesting thing about this roster expansion is that roster spots 25-30 are reserved for players 24 and younger.  MLS looks to be combatting its old dp infusion with a youthful player development movement.  Perhaps getting the best of both worlds, allowing those teams that don't have the cash to bring in three designated players to compete by running a more efficient and successful development program. While at the same time bringing in star power to fill the seats.

Other news that was announced was that every MLS soccer team next year will have a jersey front sponsor.  We'll know who the new sponsors are by in the next two months.  Also three new or renovated stadiums will be completed by next year.  The teams that will have these new pitches are Kansas City, Vancouver, and Portland.

More information can be found over at mlssoccer.com. Many think its time for Don Garber to move on and quit restricting the growth of the league but in my opinion the road to glory for MLS follows right behind the Don and his slow growth plan.  Thoughts? Already excited for next year? Ready to see some new homegrown talent?

Recap: MLS Semifinal: Los Angeles Galaxy vs. FC Dallas

It looks like there will be a first time MLS champion this year, as FC Dallas rolled over Los Angeles Galaxy last night 3-0. In the early moments of the game, Galaxy of course enjoyed the majority of possession. However, the was an early half chance by Dallas in which Atiba Harris was sprung on a breakaway the gave Dallas hope. Then, completely unexpectedly, David Ferreira opened the scoring in the 26th minute with a brilliant piece of skill. He received a bouncing ball on the eighteen with his back to goal, took a touch and turned while freezing his defender, and ripped the ball of the halfvolley under Ricketts and in the far lower corner. Soon after, Donovan had a chance that almost found the net with a hard and low shot the went across Hartman but was just wide. Read more....

CHING!! puts a stumbling block in front of the Fire

Last night a spectacular hat trick by Dynamo legend Brian Ching kept the Chicago Fire at bay. The fire, with a short turn around after a midweek game against the revs, looked sloppy. Sean Johnson and the defense certainly had a game to forget as they allowed four goals from a struggling Dynamo team. Ljunberg kept his good form going with two assists to wilman Conde on a corner and Calen Carr in the run of play. That and an own goal from the Dynamo could not earn even a single point for the fire on the road. Points that are dearly needed if the team is going to make the playoffs. Something Fire fans have come to expect. Johnson and the defense looked particularly unorganized as men went unmarked and goals flew into the back of the net all night. Im not the boss but its my guess that Carlos de los Cobos won't be around long in Chicago. His constant lineup changes and attempts to bring in sub par El Salvadorans has not boded well for the fire this year. I hear Bob Bradley might be on the market again. I'm just saying.

MLS teams begins push to the playoffs and concacaf champions league group play

Most MLS teams have made their mid-season moves and have their rosters set to begin the push to the playoffs. Last night the Revs and the Fire played a crucial game in terms of playoff implications. An 85th minute Calen Carr goal snuck past Reis and gave the Fire a 2-1 victory. As the standings sit right now the fire still remain outside the playoff picture as the Western Conference looks to put 6 teams in. Also last night Real Salt Lake and the Columbus Crew improved MLS teams to 3 and 0 in Champions league group play. Perhaps MLS teams are listening to Garber and taking this contest more seriously. Tonight at 9 the Sounders will look to make it 4-0 for MLS as they take on Marathon. Who do you think makes the playoffs this year? Will this finally be the year an MLS team takes Champions league title?