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.

Could Tottenham win the Premier League?

Today's dramatic come from behind win against Arsenal has sparked talk of the Spurs having a shot at the Premier League title.  Manchester United certainly hasn't looked championship worthy and Rooney doesn't look like he will be back to his old form any time soon.  If he does return to his old form that could be enough to put Man U over the top this year.  Chelsea looked early on to be the clear favorites but in their last four weeks they have faceplanted and lost 3 out of their last 4 games. See more after the jump.

TV Review: Blue Mountain State

Here at Rip City Soccer, we love a good TV series. We’ve been through a lot in the past year and a half. We’ve gone through all of the seasons of Steve Carell’s The Office which, inadvertently, caused an increase in the amount of “that’s what she said” jokes. Also, Thug Winslow has introduced the crew to both It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and How I Met Your Mother (which I’m currently completely enthralled with), two hilarious sit-coms.

Our TV viewing was revolutionized however by the edition of Netflix this year. We’ve torn through all the available seasons of HBO’s popular comedy Weeds, watched Michael Scofield break out of multiple prisons in Prison Break and laughed at the over-the-top story of Archer. However, our favorite TV series out of all of these has to be the ridiculous and hilarious story of the D1 college football team from Blue Mountain State.

Fail Friday: 11/19

Today is the beginning of a new trend here at Rip City Soccer. Every Friday I'll be posting a video of someone failing miserably at something normal. I hope it makes you laugh and helps kick off an awesome Friday night!

RIPCITY 4 LIFE- Today's links

Black and Red United- Expansion draft explanation and Who United should protect
MLS rewarding form over frame
World's greatest soccer dive.
Photo of the Day
NASL future
Canada looking to cut ties with US Soccer?
Who Chicago should protect in the expansion draft.
Rooney may play against Wigan

SCIENCE: New "Yoda" Bat discovered in biodiversity expedition in Papua New Guinea

As a bio major and Star Wars aficionado, the story is a dream come true.  This story came out a little over a month ago but I think it's recent enough to highlight...and gawk at.  For two months in 2009 a group of scientist from Conservation International and A Rocha International went on a biodiversity hunt in order to attain UN World Heritage status for a remote part of Papua New Guinea.  On the expedition, scientists described 3 new species of mammals, 24 frogs, a bunch of spiders, and almost 100 insects. 

Soccer Look-A- Likes (For Macalester)

Rumors of Voldemort Involvement in MIAC Soccer

Known commonly by the Alias of Jeremy Carpe and wearing number 9 this season, Voldemort has been playing soccer in the MIAC for three years now.

Voldemort keeps a very low profile and in general acts like a bitch in order to mislead us into thinking that he is not the most evil man in the entire world. However, occasionally Voldemort slips up and lets some of his pent up anger out (remember Loras). It's important to always keep a couple of spells up your sleeve when you encounter Voldemort in this guise. Studies have found that the best spell to incapacitate the Volde-carpe is to coo the word carrrrrpe in a soft falseto with a long rolling of the r's.

Premier League Prediction Game

Beginning last year, a writer for ESPNsoccernet.com by the name of Eduardo Alvarez began writing a weekly column, The Quiniela, in which he tries to predict the outcome of the 10 La Liga matches each week. This week starts the first version of this fun, yet surprisingly tricky, competition on Rip City Soccer. Have at it!

A Couple Important Rules and Information:

1. Instead of predicting the La Liga scores, were going to try and guess the 10 Barclays Premier League fixtures each week

2. 1 = home win, 2 = away win, X= draw (places guesses in the order of matches listed each week)

3. 10$ prize if you guess all 10/10 fixtures correct (So we can contact you if you win, provide email address with submission please)

4. Must submit your guesses before the start of the first match each game week

5. Home teams listed first, away teams listed second

BPFC

Bumpy Pitch FC is the clothing line that helps to power one of the best online magazines out there. (theoriginalwinger.com)  These t-shirts and hoodies are definitely worth checking out.  Rip City Soccer will definitely be repping BPFC in the near future. (Chicago Spurs NO DOUBT)  I will let them rep their own gear though. Here is their explanation of their line:

          Bumpy Pitch is a cultural movement that encompasses a clothing company and an online magazine (theoriginalwinger.com). Our objective is to showcase and build the culture and lifestyle that soccer inspires.Our current collection is a retrospective look back at the teams that have played a part in shaping the sport of soccer in the United States. The graphics consist of teams that date back to the early 1890's all the way through the 1980's. We feel that it is important to understand where we have come from before we can embrace where we are headed. 

Go check it out.  bumpypitch.com

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?

MUSIC: Girl Talk's New Album "All Day" FREE download online

Like Seamless Mash-Ups? Like Copyright Controversy? Like Free Music??

 

The king of mash-ups is back with "All Day," the follow up to 2008's "Feed The Animals."  Gregg Gills, better know as Girl Talk, released his newest cd and is available on the website for his company Illegal Art.

Top 10 WAGS

We all know soccer players get the hottest girls. Especially really rich soccer players...I have compiled a list (with pictures) of my top ten soccer players' wives and girlfriends.

10. Eva Gonzalez



Former girlfriend of foxy Spain and Real Madrid goalkeeper Matt Weyer shit I mean Iker Casillas, shit I mean Matt Weyer...

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.

MLS release 2010 Best XI

Major League Soccer has released this year's Best XI.  There is a great highlight video for the team on mlssoccer.com.  There are no real surprises, however there are some notable exclusions.  I know it's hard to narrow the field down to 11 players, but no representatives from MLS Cup finalists Colorado?  I probably would've put Omar Cummings on the list.  Also, only one DP in the form of Landon Donovan.   What do you think of the list? Would you like to see your club better represented? Share your thoughts and look at the roster after the jump

UPDATE: Four Loko Banned in United States

The douche that banned Four Loko

Run to your nearby liquor store and stock up on the Lokos while you can because new reports seem to indicate that the FDA will be banning the caffeinated alcoholic beverage due to the dangers of drinking them.  It's sad that just yesterday I wrote a post about how it was only being banned in New York and how Minnesota was being spared...  

The culprit that is taking the Four Lokos out of our hands is US Senator Charles Schumer from New York.  According to his website, "U.S Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will rule that caffeine is an unsafe food additive to alcoholic beverages, effectively making products such as Four Loko, Joose, and others like them, prohibited for sale in the United States. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) plans to notify manufacturers that they are engaged in the potential illegal marketing of unsafe alcoholic drinks."

Vote: San Antonio's new NASL team holding open Name-the-Team contest

I don't know how many of you follow Division 2 soccer in the United States but if you're not from a MLS city, then this is relevant.  Even if  you are, you should still promote Division 2 soccer because a strong soccer pyramid is what makes MLS stronger (i.e., Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Montreal).  Anyways, Division 2 has been a complete shit show the past year with the feud between the re-vamped NASL and USL.  It seems now that USL has refocused their motives for Division 3 soccer in the new USL-PRO league (Go Battery!!!), and NASL is applying to be the viable Div. 2 league.  NASL granted my home city San Antonio a franchise for the 2012 season, owned by local philanthropist Gordon Hartman.  The organization is going in motion by letting the fans name the team and decide the colors. 

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?

Album Review: Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager

So...Kid Cudi's sophomore effort "Mr. Rager" has been released officially for a week now, which has given me time to listen to it a couple times through and form a fair analysis of it. Overall, this album is not the mind-blowing perfection of The End of Day. However, I wouldn't call it a sophomore slump. The album, I think, is appreciated best when it is listened to as a whole - a concept rare in modern hip hop. It is like a hip-hop version of the rockoperas of the late 70s and 80s. This album immediately reminded me of MGMT's "Congratulations," in that is what more about the psychedelic trip of listening to the sounds both for the audience and the artists, rather than being about the singles or the formation of individual "radio-ready" songs. This album is a commentary of Cudi's year goneby with his drug problem, fan altercation, jail time, and the birth of his daughter. Many critics have said that this album is just liquid cocaine to which Cudi replied, "I want my shit to be like you're reading a novel, not a Dr. Seuss book. (Complex)" Cudi did admit however that he needed cocaine in order to get past the emotional barriers that kept him from talking about his past - a major theme of the album. Read more and CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO...

Four Lokos: Down, But Not Out

Recent press has shown that the popular college alcoholic/energy drink Four Loko was banned from the state of New York yesterday. This follows previous Four Loko bans in the states of Washington, Michigan, Utah, and Oklahoma.

Four Loko bans have been seen due to the "dangerous mixture of an energy drink and a malt liquor". Some who are for the ban are even calling the drink "liquid cocaine".

Here at Rip City Soccer, we're outraged with Four Loko bans. For a little over two dollars, one of these tall boys will get you slizzard and feeling wide awake for the rest of the night. The taste is a little questionable, sure, but it's definitely on par, if not better, than the cheap beer and vodka that most of us college kids drink anyways.