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I wanted to do a link-post today that wasn't overwhelmed with New York City FC links, I really did.
But then Major League Soccer and the NYCFC folks topped Tuesday's press release with a full-on press conference Wednesday that included, among other things, Don Garber "congratulating" the city on being chosen for the 20th franchise, the mayor of New York talking about how football - and not the "American kind "- is really the city's sport, and the team announcing Claudio Reyna - "El Capitan America" for all those years we were forced to watch national team games on Spanish-language networks - as director of football for the new squad.
And the media actually went nuts over it. Really. For a day, at least, MLS got the kind of attention in New York (and because of that pretty much nationally) that it has always dreamed of.
Here are links to some of the madness.
- The press conference (video from YES Network).
- An interview with the mayor, with specific emphasis on the desire to get a stadium built in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens (Video from YES Network).
- USA Today story on Reyna's hiring.
- And finally, Steve Davis at Pro Soccer Talk, a guy who has been covering MLS for many, many years, explains why the league was so dead set on team 20 being in New York.
The Disciplinary Committee did their weekly thing by suspending Dynamo defender Bobby Boswell for an extra game on top of the one he got for the red card for head-butting a New England forward. It was a crazy play if you haven't seen it. He just up and took a shot at the guy with his head, nowhere near the ball or the play or whatever (houstondynamo.com).
Meanwhile, FC Dallas' coach weighed in with his objection to the red card Blas Perez received in Seattle last weekend (mlssoccer.com).
The Timbers have added another defender, journeyman Rauwshan McKenzie, previously of Chivas USA(Stumptown Footy).
In Toronto they are hoping for the return of Dutch striker Danny Koevermans, who is apparently eyeing a June 1 debut (Waking the Red).
In Utah, Real is currently on pace for their best away performance ever (RSL Soapbox).
And finally today, a nice look at the left-footed players on l'Impact de Montreal and what they bring to the Eastern Conference's most improved side (Mount Royal Soccer).
- Scott Ayers