While I try to edit down and pair together a year's worth of notes into some sort of digestible column on the year that was 2008, check out 2007's offering (has anything changed?) and take a moment to vote for your favorite online soccer offerings over at USSF and Soccerlens. - banner photo of famed sneaker designer [. Click to continue reading...

Soccer Dad recently took the USSF D License soccer coaching class and shares his thoughts and experiences. Click to continue reading...

Soccer Dad recently took the USSF D License soccer coaching class and shares his thoughts and experiences. Click to continue reading...

Courtesy of U.S. Soccer Communications:

BRADLEY NAMES 20-MAN ROSTER TO PREPARE FOR FIFA WORLD CUP
QUALIFIER AGAINST GUATEMALA ON NOV. 19 IN COLORADO


Guatemala Faces Must-Win Situation in Order to Have a Chance to Advance to Final Round
Match To Be Broadcast Live on ESPN Classic and Galavision at 6 p. Click to continue reading...

This past weekend's game could be a turning point for the US MNT. Could be. It was just another another game against a lesser concacaf opponent. But it did set the stage for a new generation of American soccer players to lay their claim to the national team. Now will they? They could. Two games to close [. Click to continue reading...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

As you may have read elsewhere on Tuesday, there is a Belgian soccer team claiming to have signed New York Red Bulls youth prospect Johnny Exantus (left in photo).

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You know it works, I may add as the day goes... #1 - English outlets are now talking up young Charles Renken-to-Arsenal academy. It should be quite fun to watch this young man's career unfold. Infamous (trust me... he'll like that modifier) BigSoccer blogger Bill Archer talks about the fuss and argues that he should forgo Euro-training to remain in the USSF Bradenton Residency program. Click to continue reading...

... but first, congratulations to Usain Bolt on his phenomenal victory in the 200! He is just amazing to watch ... how beautifully effortless and strong. Can't wait to see it tonight! On the USWNT front, we've got Lindsey Dolich with her pre-game report and Jeff Carlisle on the USWNT mindset heading into the [. Click to continue reading...

First, congratulations to gymnasts Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson on their gold and silver in the all around, and to Michael Phelps on his 6th gold and 6th world record. On the Browne front, I love it that Jackson Browne is suing the McCain campaign for stealing his music. How dumb are they? Another [. Click to continue reading...

After Carli Lloyd's goal in the first half, the score held and the USWNT defeated a good Japan squad 1-0 to gain three points and move into second place in their group. Next up, New Zealand on Tuesday at 7:45 AM ET. Here are some comments from Pia et al (from the USSF [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "USWNT Notches a Win", url: "http://www. Click to continue reading...

You probably have seen the reports Thursday about Blanco being fined. Indeed the other boot has fallen on the Blanco saga.

Way back on July 14, when someone from Chi-town tipped us off that the suspension and fine for Blanco was going to be large, many poo-pooed us, saying that someone was likely playing a joke on us. Click to continue reading...

As we all know, yesterday the USSF suspended Chicago Fire midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco for his behavior during a U.S. Open Cup match against D.C. United on July 8. Today the league took it's turn, as they fined the DP midfielder. The cost to Blanco's fat wallet, a mere $7,500. Yeah. A freakin' joke if you ask me. Click to continue reading...

I don't mean weak in the aspect of the discipline handed down. Two years is a pretty solid sentence. But U.S. Soccer wimped out.
I'll highlight the part that is especially crucial: "The suspension is due to his actions during the U.S. Open Cup match between the Chicago Fire and D.C. United on July 8, 2008. Click to continue reading...

The USWNT and Coach Pia Sundhage are settled in China (Qinhuangdao to be exact) training and doing a little touring, as you can see. The WNT Blog is proving to be a very entertaining source of information for USWNT aficionados. Check it out. It's often updated these days, as the team settles in and [. Click to continue reading...

Read all about it here after the jump.


Here is an excerpt:

Chicago Fire star Cuauhtemoc Blanco has been suspended from U.S. Open Cup play for at least two years for his conduct during a quarterfinal game against D.C. United on July 8, a U.S. Soccer Federation panel ruled.

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After waiting quite a while to find out Blanco's punishment for getting red carded and then head-butting a DC United employee after he left the field, we now know is punishment.  The USSF brought down their ruling today, and it's no small suspension or fine.  Blanco has been banned for two years and a minimum of six [. Click to continue reading...

This isn't encouraging. John Maessner, the former D.C. United player who is now the club's director of youth development, is "taking some time off," according to team officials, after incidents with some of the program's under-16 and under-18 players at the USSF Development Academy Summer Showcase in Greensboro, N. Click to continue reading...

Just to keep you up to date ... the Red Sox lost and the Phillies won ... and there's nothing from Beulah yet. Rest assured that I'll post as soon as I see anything! Last night I dreamed that I had a quick breakfast with Pia Sundhage and April Heinrichs. (April joined us midway [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Pia Dreams, USWNT News, and a HollyCornblog Update, Too! Click to continue reading...

A United States Soccer Federation (USSF) Entry Level Referee Training and Certification Course is being offered by the Missouri Referee Development Program (www.mrdp.org) at Lake Country Soccer.

Friday August 15 through Sunday August 17

* No minimum age to attend the course
* Grade 8 certification (USSF Administrative designation)
* Course administration fee paid prior to course + referee registration fee paid if participant passes the written exam
* Successful completion qualifies referee(s) to officiate youth games at Lake Country Soccer
* Course to be held at Lake Country Soccer SoccerDome (or other designated location)
* For more information, contact the Southern District Referee Administrator through the MRDP website; www.

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Just take a look at these images from McCain's week (so far) ... in comparison to the bits and bytes on the airwaves featuring Barack Obama. Almost makes me feel sorry for the Straight Talker. But then I see this video, and that changes! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ieHwOm4ljA Meanwhile, here's an article from Scripps News Service about the newly-configured [. Click to continue reading...

John McCain made another Bush-worthy geography gaffe yesterday - this time on "Good Morning America." Sorry, John, Iraq and Pakistan don't actually share a border. (As an aside, I've always wished that some brave member of the press would ask Bush, during a press conference, to point to Iraq on a map. Click to continue reading...

Parents and coaches often get tunnel vision with youth soccer based on the national association their kids register with. You just don't realize there are other national soccer associations out there. As far as I knew, there were four national youth soccer associations under the USSF/US Soccer umbrella: USYSA, AYSO, SAY, and US Club. Click to continue reading...

Here's Cindy McCain speaking about "the only way to get around in Arizona." (This is way too easy ... I think I'm starting to feel a tad mean-spirited and guilty.) I'll get over it, though. Mark Zeigler writes from San Diego about tonight's USWNT vs. Brazil match-up ... the second this week. On [. Click to continue reading...

Last March, I joined a group of bloggers in posting about the need for US Soccer fans to put some pressure on the US Soccer Federation to put together a travel plan for fans who want to travel to Cuba to watch our Rattlers take on los Cubanos in World Cup qualifying later this year. Well, we finally have our answer from the USSF, and what a (hmmm, what is the proper blogger term here) completely flaccid, wussy, tepid, completely unbecoming of a major competitor nation sort of response it is. Click to continue reading...

Some people are probably wondering what happened to the Galaxy-Iran friendly I reported the team was setting up. The Galaxy had arranged the match with Iran's coach Ali Daei, and the USSF had granted approval and endorsed the whole venture. Everything was set - except for the visas needed by the Iranian players. Click to continue reading...

This comes to us courtesy of a Chicago MLSR reader who claims "inside knowledge" of the Blanco determination at the US Soccer Federation.

"Hi, I wish to be anonymous but I can tell you I have a connection inside the USSF and that is where my info comes from. After reviewing video supplied to them by MLS and D.

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In the run-up to the Oly's it's interestting to read the thoughtful analysis being posted about the whole Solo-Scurry-Ryan episode at the 2007 Women's World Cup. Following on the heels of the SI piece by Grant Wahl, we have commentary from: Sideline Views - in which Andrea Canales cites Anson Dorrance and the way he [. Click to continue reading...

First there was a fight between he and team mate Wilman Conde, now this.

According to multiple reports, Chicago Fire midfielder, Cuauhtemoc Blanco may finally have gone off the deep end in what many describe as an assualt on a stadium employee after being red carded in tonight's US Open Cup Quarterfinal match at DC United. Click to continue reading...

In what could well be their biggest challenge to date, the USWNT face Sweden in Sweden for the first time ever! (Check out the USSF article linked above - there are lots of interesting tidbits to peruse!) They'll play just below the Arctic Circle (!) at Norrvalla Stadium in Skelleftea. The last time [. Click to continue reading...

Concorde Fire's U18 Boy's Academy Team clinched the Southeast Conference of the USSF Development Academy. The lads at Concorde defeated Potomac by a margin of 2-0 to clinch their spot in the 2008 Development Academy Finals Week.

The Academy Finals will be held in Carson, CA at the Home Depot Center from July 12-19 and will be nationally televised on ESPN2 or ESPNU. Click to continue reading...

MLS Magazine has made a bold move and hired Eric Wynalda as a regular columnist and in his latest article he makes a very interesting point about MLS being a league where American coaches are more likely to have success then their foreign counterparts. For the most part I agree with him, I think that there are enough skilled American coaches available and that they do have an advantage in that they have a better ability to relate to the American players. Click to continue reading...

Hot off the presses...or inbox presses in my case. An email from the USSF about the possibly quarterfinal 2008 US Open Cup pairings are in. No need to bore you with any more details other than just giving you all the pairings and let you discuss it. Any match-ups you are excited to see here? I [...] Click to continue reading...

The USWNT defeated Canada 1-0 just a few hours ago, to become Peace Queen Cup champs for the second time on a goal Angela Hucles! Hucles also won the golden ball as the tournament MVP! Here's the write-up from USSoccer. The "Aunt Pia" part comes from a recent entry in the WNT Blog, in which [...]SHARETHIS. Click to continue reading...

Finally! clipped from www.ussoccer.com The U.S. Women's National Team defeated Brazil, 1-0, on a 41st minute goal from forward Amy Rodriguez in a scrappy encounter at the 2008 Peace Queen Cup, giving the USA control of Group B and taking a major step toward a berth in the tournament's championship game. Click to continue reading...

The USSF has set the potential pairings and sites for the round of 16 of the 2008 U.S. Open Cup. As we all know that round is the time MLS clubs join the mix. All games are tentatively set for July 1st, though a game or two could get moved to the 2nd based on current [...] Click to continue reading...