January 23, 2008
With nothing new breaking on the Rhinos investor front and my life being really hectic, all I have time for today is a whole lotta links to the latest news in the soccer world:
- eBay now has something that any self respecting Lancer fan can't live without!
- Greg Lalas has his first piece for SI.com from Ghana where he is covering the African Cup of Nations. How come there are never any Michael Essien to MLS rumors? If I'm running an MLS team, I'd rather have Essien than an out of shape Ronaldo.
- Grant Wahl at SI.com talks to the WPS' icon aka Mia Hamm. I wonder if she'll end up working for the LA WPS franchise?
- The Washington Post has an article up on Prince George County in Maryland looking into whether it's worth their while to possibly build a stadium for DC United.
- Steven Goff is reporting that former DC United GK Jay Nolly is headed an as yet unnamed USL team. And I don't know how to feel about Gallardo replacing Christian Gomez in the DC midfield............
- Sunil Gulati recently did a media roundtable and the podcast can be found here.
- MLS has made up with US Soccer Players.com and the website has put Ian Plenderleith back on the MLS beat.
- This is refreshing? How about depressing? I'm not the least bit refreshed by news that a soccer player with potentially MLS quality skills is opting to pass on a pro soccer career because getting a 9 to 5 job is more economically beneficial. But, I would have played pro hockey for free goalie gear coming out of college, so I may be the wrong person to ask.
- I love the politics involved with youth soccer! This time, local clubs telling players to stay away may scuttle the Toronto FC youth academy before it really gets going.
- Real Salt Lake's stadium may cost $110 million and may open this fall. This picture of the progress to date looks kinds cool in a weird, futuristic type of way.......
- In a shocker, MLS is dragging it's feet on naming their 16th franchise's location. And somehow, I don't think they are waiting on the Rhinos investor announcement!
- Not all American owners of EPL clubs are hated. Randy Lerner, the owner of Aston Villa, isn't being hung in effigy as of yet.
- MLS is tweaking their "no charters" rule this year.
- The Montreal Impact may have the longest USL 1st Division preseason roadtrip this year.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the Rochester Rhinos or SoccerSam.com. Feel free to send any comments or complaints to news@soccersam.com. James promises to read (but not to respond) to all of them.
