We missed yesterday, sorry about that. This collection of links is from the past two days.

Puget Sound soccer

In pursuit of excellence: OSU Men's Soccer's comeback | The Daily Barometer: Oregon State University Student Newspaper, OSU Breaking News and Beaver Sports | orangemedianetwork.com
In 2017, Oregon State University Men’s Soccer was ranked second-to-last in the PAC-12. Yet, with the ushering in of a new coaching staff and culture, the Beavers have propelled to...

All three Sounders Academy sides in great form at the midway point of the 2018-19 USSDA season | Seattle Sounders FC

Seattle FC’s Analytics Director Believes Analysis Will Soon Be Augmented
Video review, perhaps both for training and in-game decisions, could soon be powered by augmented reality.

Culture & news you should use

Sierra Nevada Brewing calls on brewing industry to support fire relief – Washington Beer Blog
Sierra Nevada Brewing invites all other breweries to join them in brewing a beer for wildfire relief.

Kate Fagan is leaving ESPN - The Washington Post
"Five years ago I thought I could host a show that introduces new female characters to the women’s sports world," the host and writer said in an interview. "This isn’t ESPN’s fault, but I’m not that naive now."

Seattle Mariners’ former trainers recall racial discrimination | The News Tribune

'Winds of Winter' Release Update: GRRM Confirms Sequel Progress, 'A Dream of Spring' a Long Way Off
George R.R. Martin hasn’t decided whether he’ll launch straight into “A Dream of Spring” after completing “The Winds of Winter,” which could hit shelves as soon as April 2019.

Eff Your Dungeon | Dyson's Dodecahedron
Sometimes you just need a dungeon that tells every other dungeon how you feel about them.

Deadpool 2 brings in Fred Savage for remixed Once Upon a Deadpool - The Verge
Deadpool 2 isn’t exactly kid friendly, so Ryan Reynolds is bringing Once Upon a Deadpool to theaters for a PG-13 audience. The first teaser trailer features Fred Savage and Deadpool.

MLS

Playoffs

New York Red Bulls vs Atlanta United: 2018 MLS Eastern Conference Final - Once A Metro
Everything we got on what is really the MLS Cup final in all but name (and the troubling detail that winner won’t actually be handed MLS Cup).

Soccer Made in Portland: Episode 41 - Can we play soccer again soon? - Stumptown Footy
Jamie Goldberg and Richard Farley talk about the Portland Timbers’ upcoming Western Conference Championship series against Sporting Kansas City, discuss Portland’s success in MLS over the last six...

Like it or not, Tata Martino’s Atlanta United legacy will be defined by Red Bulls series - Dirty South Soccer
The manager has yet to get the better of the Red Bulls. He’ll need to right that ship before he departs.

General news

Sure Looks Like the Columbus Crew are All But Official for 2019
H/t to DrDeckle on Reddit. Some people just can't keep secrets. The offseason planning for 2019 is well under way, with MLS releasing their offseason calendar, and teams who have been eliminated from the playoffs planning for next year. Part of the planning for the 2019 season includes preseason camps.

Commissioner Don Garber Believes MLS Could Be Profitable By 2026

FC Dallas and Oscar Pareja mutually agree to part ways - Big D Soccer
Let the coaching search officially begin.

Should LAFC sign a true defensive midfielder? - Angels on Parade
If LAFC want to compete for all the trophies, the answer should probably be yes.

Jay Simpson, Josh Yaro among players gone from Union as offseason overhaul starts
Defenders Fabinho and Josh Yaro, midfielders Marcus Epps and Fabian Herbers and forward Jay Simpson are among eight players whose contract options for 2019 the team officially declined.

LA Galaxy to host Inaugural 2019 eMLS League Series One in January | LA Galaxy

MLS and EA SPORTS Reveal Expanded Competitive FIFA Infrastructure | MLSsoccer.com

Expansion/Relocation

FC Cincinnati to Select 5 in MLS Expansion Draft - Cincinnati Soccer Talk
MLS announced FC Cincinnati's expansion draft will be Dec 11 at MLS headquarters in New York. The club will select five MLS players for its 2019 roster.

FC Cincinnati confirms Corben Bone's 2019 return
Other players have reportedly been signed for the club's jump to MLS, though, including Jimmy McLaughlin, Forrest Lasso, and Emmanuel Ledesma.

NWSL and other women’s pro leagues

Yael Averbuch and the NWSL Players Association aim to help avoid conflict between the league and its players, not instigate it – The Athletic
"We don’t want to be viewed as a typical labor union," says Averbuch

The Power of Singular Focus Yael Averbuch
It’s uncanny how life conspires to send us messages. And no matter how stubborn we are, it’ll keep trying over and over until those messages get through to us – some way, somehow. We’re meant to learn certain lessons at specific times, and seemingly random events will continually shape us until we’ve absorbed those lessons.

USL and other lower leagus throughout USA/Canada

Aodhan Quinn voted Angels on Parade’s 2018 Orange County SC MVP - Angels on Parade
Midfielder beat out competitive group in club’s best-ever season.

United States National Teams

ASN article: U.S. U-20 team advances to the CONCACAF final after downing Honduras

Overseas trip puts USA in right mood for defending World Cup in France | Suzanne Wrack | Football | The Guardian
USA spent much of the year on home soil but recent trip to Europe provided valuable experience on and off the pitch

USMNT to face Costa Rica in February - Stars and Stripes FC

Report: Julen Lopetegui approached U.S. Soccer regarding USMNT, turned down - Stars and Stripes FC

Italy vs USA - USMNT fall 1-0 to Italy in stoppage time despite valiant effort from Ethan Horvath - Stars and Stripes FC
A valiant effort from keeper Ethan Horvath was spoiled by a Politano winner in the 94th minute.

2018 Election Results | U.S. Soccer Athlete Council

World soccer (soccer stuff that doesn’t fit in other categories)

What Club Tijuana Xolos fans can expect from FC Dallas manager Óscar Pareja - FMF State Of Mind
Drew Epperley of SB Nation’s Big D Soccer tells us what we might expect from the man tipped to be Tijuana’s next boss.

INTERVIEW: Samoa’s debutant Mariah Bullock on playing for her mother’s country and returning to the pitch – Football in Oceania
In this exclusive interview with Football in Oceania the former pro says she thinks the country could take strides and become one of the top contenders.

Gianni Infantino’s secret plan to sell out FIFA to investors with ties to Saudi Arabia - Bavarian Football Works
Documents obtained by SZ reveal that FIFA President Gianni Infantino is plotting to sell FIFA’s rights to the World Cup and other competitions to an investor consortium with ties to Saudi Arabia.

Barcelona Football Coach Analytics Summit - Trip Report | StatsBomb

Spain wants 2030 World Cup bid with Morocco and Portugal – ProSoccerTalk
Spain wants Morocco to join a three-country bid with Portugal to host the 2030 World Cup.

How the largest American soccer film archive came to live in a guestroom in Austin, Texas – The Athletic ($)
Dave Brett Wasser has spent decades seeking out and digitizing footage of American soccer