By Tony Edwards - San Jose, CA (Jan 12, 2012) US Soccer Players -- In the Thursday edition, Tony looks at how Major League Soccer values the Super Draft, contraction 10 years along, and the kind of enthusiasm from a Crew signing that bodes well for the league.
Where can I get an autographed jersey from the guy with the most yellow cards in any one season in MLS?
Right here, for the Leonel Alvarez fans in the crowd. From the same page, there are a couple of Tampa Bay Mutiny jerseys available to be bid on, which is a reminder that it was 10 years ago Tampa and Miami were contracted. Far from “saving MLS,” as the hyperbolic contraction article headline asks, the contraction left a hole in the league as wide as the South. And for all of MLS' press about stable, innovative ownerships, MLS Cup this year was the Anschutz Cup in more ways than one, again.
In the just-released FIFA Ballon d'Or voting, who did the American voters honor?
Captain Carlos Bocanegra went for Messi, Xavi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, from first to third. US Coach Jurgen Klinsmann went for Messi, Ronaldo, and Diego Forlan, and media voter Paul Kennedy chose Messi, Ronaldo, and Xavi.
How about a feel-good MLS signing to counteract all the cynicism?
"I've always dreamt of this day. To be a professional, to do it with the Columbus Crew, the team I've been going to watch games since I was eight, it's something I couldn't pass up,” said Ben Speas of the University of North Carolina when he signed with the Crew this week as a homegrown player. Speas, who was Soccer America's 2011 College Player of the Year, left UNC early to sign with Columbus.
Salt Lake has been kind of quiet this offseason, what's going on there?
Even the subheadline acknowledges that re-signing Ned Grabavoy was among the first moves of the off-season. With all the changes and injuries in Seattle, and the Galaxy potentially distracted by the Champions League and loss of Juninho, Salt Lake might be favorites in the West.
According to the latest Castrol rankings, who is the highest ranked American abroad?
Unsurprisingly, Clint Dempsey. Let's not overlook strong play from Brad Friedel, Jermaine Jones, and Steve Cherundolo, who all jumped in the rankings. However, highlighting the difficulties of measuring play, Michael Bradley moved up almost a hundred spots from the last rankings, but according to the Index, there are more than 1100 players who rank higher than he does in Europe. In a huge surprise, Lionel Messi, tops the rankings, followed by Mario Gomez.
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