With J Hutcherson -- Good for Toronto if they want to make the bold move and try outbidding Europe for the services of a player who is open about wanting to stay in Europe. That would be Julian De Guzman, who is leaving Deportivo La Coruna for somewhere after finishing the Gold Cup with Canada.
That the player himself has pushed down expectations that he'll take Toronto's money isn't as important as the idea that the money is on the table. Sure, there's no transfer fee involved, but Toronto is actively bidding for a player with options. There's no stake in the running of the team, no long-term plans for propping up Canadian soccer. Just a player they want at a price they're willing to pay.
It's contrary to the clubs holding onto designated player spots or using them to get players in their squad just above the regular MLS salary barrier. That it's coming from a club known for moving players in and out may not be all that surprising, but the amount of money should be.
If rumors prove accurate, Toronto's bid would make De Guzman the second highest paid player in the League. There have also been indications that Toronto would bring him in on a deal that covered just the rest of this season.
Should that last one play out, that's basically putting a price point on what it means to the FC to win now. Toronto doesn't need help propping up their home attendance, and De Guzman isn't going to be a draw on the road. This is a soccer decision, rare for the normal machinations involved in bringing in name players.
If, as De Guzman keeps reminding people, his immediate future remains European, Toronto still makes a strong statement of intent. They have the money and they're willing to spend it to improve their team in the short-run.
That separates them from the Major League Soccer clubs that like to talk in that direction but still have obvious unaddressed issues.
Moving on, it's quarterfinal night in the US Open Cup. Both Major League Soccer and the United Soccer Leagues have at least one spot in the semifinals courtesy of the pairings. Wilmington - Rochester and Kansas City - Seattle. The other two slots are the story.
DC has their secondary home field advantage, playing Harrisburg at the Maryland SoccerPlex. That's MLS vs. USL-2, with Harrisburg getting the upset over New England in similar circumstances last week in Connecticut.
Houston at Charleston would favor Charleston if it was any team but the one with the best record in Major League Soccer. Whether or not that applies to whatever mix of players Houston runs tonight is the question. Full-strength Battery versus enough Dynamo reserves, and the advantage tilts towards the home team. Charleston has their stadium and a track record of doing the job against MLS opposition. That includes dropping Houston in the Third Round in '07 and '08 along with Dallas last time around in the quarterfinals. Houston has a win over a USL-1 expansion team.
Make of this whatever you want, but the lower divisions have every reason to think they'll have at least two of the semifinal places by the end of the evening.
On TV
Gold Cup on TeleFutura: Jamaica - Costa Rica at 7pm. On Galavision: El Salvador - Canada at 9pm. US Open Cup quarterfinals on USLlive.com: Wilmington - Rochester at 7pm and Houston - Charleston at 7:30pm. All Times Eastern
Europe
Pele calls for worldwide salary cap -- from The Guardian.
Ronaldo welcomed by 80,000 fans -- from BBC Sport: "If we win only the Champions League I'm happy."
'Terry At Chelsea For Life' -- from The Daily Express' Matt Law: "There is no price for Terry."
Carlo Ancelotti provides few clues to Chelsea success -- from The Times' Matt Dickinson: Unlike Fabio Capello or Mourinho, Ancelotti does not have a record that guarantees trophies.
Americas
Surrounded by Young US Players, Veteran Hopes to Be Noticed -- from The New York Times' Jack Bell: "He’s looked sharp."
Adu aims for course correction -- from The Washington Examiner's Craig Stouffer: "This could be a chance for me."
Reggae Boyz must win - Jamaica tackle tough Costa Rica this evening in Gold Cup -- from The Jamaica Gleaner's Audley Boyd: "We need to come focused with our 'A' game."
Battery hosts Houston for third straight year -- from The Charleston Post and Courier's Andrew Miller: Charleston ousted Houston each of the last two years in the US Open Cup.
Rochester Rhinos aim to avoid US Open Cup upset -- from The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle's Jeff DiVeronica: "We have to look at them as any other opponent."
Sounders FC hosts Kansas City in Open Cup quarterfinals -- from The Seattle Times' José Miguel Romero: Running the table is easier said than done.
In a league of their own -- from The Sacramento Bee's Debbie Arrington: "It all seemed unbelievable."
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
