Free Kicks

Tampa Bay, Baltimore join new soccer league

Tom Timmermann — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:37:44 +0000

Tampa Bay, which was expected to be a USL expansion team this year, and Crystal Palace Baltimore, which was in the league’s second division, have announced they will be joining the New Unnamed Soccer League, which we like to call…

Last day of World Cup qualifying: Algeria, France, Slovenia, Portugal and Greece are in

Tom Timmermann — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:32:14 +0000

The final six World Cup spots will be settled today. Algeria just beat Egypt 1-0 in a one-game playoff in Sudan to get the final African spot with a very nice volley that went just under the bar.

France tied Ireland 1-1 —…

Interested in World Cup tickets?

Tom Timmermann — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:40:39 +0000

Anyone reading this who’s thinking of going to South Africa has probably already done stuff, but in case you’re uncertain, here’s the latest from U.S. Soccer on tickets:

Priority status for applying for tickets to the U.S. Men’s National Team matches…

Highlights from Don Garber’s MLS State of the League address

Tom Timmermann — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:03:45 +0000

Every year before the MLS Cup, Commissioner Don Garber talks about the state of the league and answers questions from reporters.

On the subject of MLS expansion, he said: ”I know we’ll have 18 teams in 2011. We’re having productive conversastions with Montreal to be No.…

Vote for St. Louis for World Cup site

Tom Timmermann — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:47:28 +0000

Taking a brief break from our spirited debate about minor-league soccer — looks like there could be some more news this week — we briefly divert back to the possibility of a future World Cup in America. In case you haven’t…

New St. Louis soccer team news

Tom Timmermann — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:50:12 +0000

A few other notes/thoughts/observations about the St. Louis entry in the New Unnamed Soccer League (NUSL):

It took about six months for the WPS to get sanctioning from U.S. Soccer. Since some of what the federation looks at is things like…

It’s not MLS, but St. Louis gets an outdoor men’s pro soccer team

Tom Timmermann — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:18:20 +0000

After several unsuccessful bids to get an MLS team for St. Louis, Jeff Cooper has gone to his backup plan and has gotten a second division club that will begin play in April 2010. Cooper, who unsuccessfully tried to buy the…

Mizzou women are left out of NCAA tournament

Tom Timmermann — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:56:19 +0000

Mizzou’s women’s soccer team, which won its first ever Big 12 regular season title but didn’t win the conference tournament, failed to get a berth in the NCAA tournament field that was announced Monday night. The Tigers, who finished 13-6-3,…

Soccer Hall of Fame voting time

Tom Timmermann — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:55:13 +0000

Though the Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y., is having financial problems and is, the last I saw, closed, that doesn’t mean they won’t keep electing members. Today, I received my ballot for the 2010 class. On the ballot…

Ralston wins MLS Fair Play Award

Tom Timmermann — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:38:12 +0000

Our Town’s Steve Ralston won the MLS Fair Play Award for sportsmanship. It’s the third time he’s won the honor, but the first since 2000. (Along the way, Brian McBride won the Fair Play Award in 2003, meaning players with St. Louis…