:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23422343/20131013_mje_se2_689.0.jpg)
Sounders
The Sounders' decision to keep Sigi Schmid was the biggest news in MLS over the weekend even as the second round of the playoffs were underway. The reaction seems to be that the Sounders made the right move, though little mention of how hot his seat will remain going into 2014 and beyond. Pro Soccer Talk sees Schmid's retention as a sign of a strong club, one not willing to go crazy over a short set of bad play, or get complacent with the great success the club has seen under his five-year reign. Expecting success is brought up for why DC United has struggled in the recent past. Greg Lalas also likes the move, reminding viewers just how nice his resume is.
One of Schmid's tasks this coming season will be to figure out how much he should trust his keeper. Michael Gspurning, whether it was his fault or his defensive line's, ended the season with a seemingly shattered confidence. A story on the big Austrian portrays him as ready to fix whatever problems he's facing.
In a story about the benefits of team academies, one man wonders if Clint Dempsey could have been even better if he hadn't been discovered as late as 18 years old.
The Seattle Times takes a look at the new leaders in Sounders single season statistics.
MLS
Orlando City has to be the worst-kept secret in the history of expansion bidding. One after another, the not-so-subtle hints have dropped, with an information drip so consistent it can't be called anything other than a marketing ploy. And damn it, that ploy is working. Orlando is becoming big news, perhaps even more so than NY2. The newest gift to the Soccer By Ives office makes things more suspicious, but now we have a year just like the one Orlando has been aiming for all along: 2015. This will be a big year for MLS. They've done it without David Beckham or his new buddy Lebron James owning pieces of the team.
Chivas finished the season with one final insult, going down in a friendly with FC Tuscon.
Dwayne De Rosario had a rough 2013, much like many members of the DC Untied squad. As such, he's examining all his options. Those options may include his name in another league, though the MLS legend is still open to staying in the USA/Canada.
University of Washington
It has been 13 years, but the UW Men's Soccer team is back on top of the Pac10/12. The Dawgs earned a 1-0 victory on Sunday in Corvallis over Oregon State to clinch first place. The single goal came off the foot of Mason Robertson, his third game winner in as many matches. They get an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament and may be a #1 seed when the bracket is finalized in a selection show at 9AM this morning. You can catch it at ncaa.com.
United States
According to Reckless Challenge, it appears the USL will be undergoing some major changes in the near future. Out will be VSI Tampa Bay and Antigua, in will come USL sides for FC Dallas and the LA Galaxy.
Eric Lichaj (phonetic spelling not provided. You'll need to pay for three bucks for it to appear) is back with the Nats after a two year absence, trying to occupy the right back position. Problem is, it appears Brad Evans has a nice lock on the spot. It's easy to get excited about Brad's place with the team reading this MLSsoccer article.
23 teams are officially in the World Cup, with just a few more key spots up for grabs. One of those is Bob Bradley's Egypt, which will need to overcome a five goal deficit in the second leg of their series with Ghana.
More reports of poor employment policies "amounting to abuse" in Qatar , continuing to beg the questions "how did FIFA let this happen?" and "why is FIFA CONTINUING to let this happen?"