Seattle

L&I fines Rainiers for dancing on Cheney Stadium’s roof | The News Tribune
Last summer, when he ventured up to Cheney Stadium’s roof, columnist Matt Driscoll wasn’t thinking about fall protection and workplace safety. It ended up costing the paper $2,100, and could cost the Rainiers nearly $60,000.

MLS

The MLS SuperDraft is Coming: Who Minnesota United should care about - E Pluribus Loonum
Let’s face it: the SuperDraft is losing relevance as a route to get top talent. It doesn’t mean the Loons won’t pick someone in two weeks.

GM Tim Bezbatchenko leaving Toronto FC for Columbus: reports | CBC Sports
General manager Tim Bezbatchenko, who helped build Toronto FC into a championship side, is leaving the MLS club. Bezbatchenko, who is from the Columbus suburb of Westerville in Ohio, is taking an executive position with Columbus Crew SC, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

Stejskal: Tim Bezbatchenko to Crew SC, Toronto talking with Ali Curtis | MLSsoccer.com

Toronto FC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko out: What is his legacy? - Waking The Red
It’s not a high bar, but Bezbatchenko was easily the best GM TFC have ever had.

Toronto FC’s 2019 home shirt may have leaked - Waking The Red
A simple new look for the Reds, perhaps.

Armchair Analyst: It kind of feels like the Galaxy are back with GBS hiring | MLSsoccer.com

LA Galaxy manager Guillermo Barros Schelotto has arrived - LAG Confidential
Bienvenido GBS!

Reports: Tim Bezbatchenko to take over as Columbus Crew SC president - Massive Report
An Ohio native, the general manager of Toronto FC would be the new leadership for the Black & Gold.

Kurt Schmid departs to Inter Miami - LAG Confidential
The Galaxy lose an important cog

College Homegrown prospect rankings: Tabbing up NCAA's top HGP contenders | MLSsoccer.com
Trey Muse comes in at No. 2.

Titles, pressure and MLS ties: 10 Things about Guillermo Barros Schelotto | MLSsoccer.com

Why the new MLS Playoff format doesn't create a more meaningful regular season — American Soccer Analysis
The only spots that obviously benefit from the change are the Nos. 1 and 7 seeds.

Other US Soccer

Christian Pulisic’s transfer highlights how U.S. youth clubs are getting screwed - SBNation.com
A record transfer fee is resulting in nothing for the team that trained Chelsea’s new star.

5 things that will determine Christian Pulisic’s future at Chelsea - SBNation.com
We won’t have any idea if it’s a good move until August. Here’s what’s happening between now and then.

London Calling: Pulisic Seals Record Transfer to Chelsea - U.S. Soccer
Set to join Chelsea in the summer, Christian Pulisic's $73 million transfer to the EPL side sets new record for a U.S. international.

Which youth clubs had the most U.S. Youth WNT call-ups in 2018? — Soccer Wire
The young Reign Academy had a lot of USWNT youth call-ups last year.

World

'This is awful' - Gary Lineker slams top English clubs as price list for being a mascot is revealed - Independent.ie
Swansea City have been criticised for charging fans £478 to be mascots, with Gary Lineker among those suggesting the vast sums top Premier League clubs are charging their junior support

Manchester United's Ole Gunnar Solskjaer doesn't want to leave club in summer
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits he will find it a wrench to leave Manchester United if he is forced to move on at the end of the season.

Tottenham's Son Heung-min 'very sorry' to leave Spurs for Asian Cup
Son Heung-min is "sorry" his participation in the Asian Cup will come at the expense of helping Tottenham maintain their Prem title challenge.

Pep Guardiola not sure if Manchester City can catch Liverpool in Premier League
Pep Guardiola doesn't know if Manchester City can catch Liverpool but says they must start by beating them on Thursday night.

Henry hopeful to land ex-Arsenal teammate Fabregas in January – ProSoccerTalk
Fabregas spent 2003-07 on the same pitch as Henry, who now manages Monaco.

Inter ‘ultras’ leader arrested for death of fan in clashes – ProSoccerTalk
Inter fans were also barred from traveling to a match at Empoli last Saturday.

A list of things The Fiver promises will absolutely happen in 2019 | Football | The Guardian
In today’s Fiver: Prediction time!

Culture

Believe it or not, Bruce Campbell will host a new Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! show
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! probably doesn’t have a lot of cultural cachet these days, possibly because the internet has allowed us all to become so interconnected with lost tribes in the rainforest and people with extremely long fingernails as it is that we don’t need to learn about them from a big coffee table book or a weird tourist attraction, but the Travel Channel is looking to change that. As reported by Deadline, it has ordered a new Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! TV show that will be hosted by Bruce Campbell, with this new show coming 70 years after the premiere of the first Ripley’s show on NBC.