Wow, I'm just utterly stunned by the lack of respect Ljungberg gets from fans and media alike. He's hands down the hardest working DP in the league. So according to your X11, Ives, we can expect Brad Davis, Stuart Holden, and DeRosario to soon be playing and starting the EPL next season? Because that's what you're saying. You're taking a guy who WILL be starting in the EPL next season and somehow you want me to believe that there's a single midfielder in MLS who measures up? So much for even an ounce of credibility. Now let's talk about Tyrone I've never seen an own goal I didn't like Marshall, who palled in comparison to James Riley the entire season. Here's a challenge: watch any five games that Riley plays and I dare you to point out a more consistent and completely sound defender in the league. The guy was never beaten all season at home. Period. Never. Yes, I know, he didn't come here with that reputation, but that's the reality. Probably the reason he is hands-down the most popular player in Seattle.

Hahnemann has already said to the Seattle papers that he's hoping to come to the Sounders in a year or so. Sorry...... The good news is that Keller should be the keeper coach by then.

It might, but only until the Portland/Vancouver/Seattle triangle is complete. Then MLS will learn what a real rivalry is all about. Unfortunately, it will also probably get ugly at some point.... but that's what happens with intense rivalries.

Well, sheesh, those of us who actually follow MLS soccer know that there's been a plethora of factors involved in Seattle's recent slide. The same folks also know that those issues are largely behind the team now and Seattle will likely go on a nice run to close out the season. Just sayin'.

We live in the age of panic politics. This is beyond absurd, it overlaps into the realm of draconian. Fact: the swine flu has not demonstrated either a higher incidence of infectious rate (in fact, lower than most influenza) nor has it had anything but average fatality rates. Those who you would expect to die from the flu HAVE died. It's as simple as that. Good luck to Alitidore in the UK, the US certainly hasn't done him any favors.

Wow, so parts of Mexico are just as fascist as Italy? Wonderful. Such a classy place......

I've got some "new" technology for you, a pair of glasses. Soccer is so sadly behind the times when it comes to officiating AND technology. The linesmen should be given a great share of the responsibility of calling the game, the goal line sensors should be in place, and, finally, EVERYTHING about the game should be open to review and correction. Cards, goals, tackles, you name it. They make it sound like it's some sort of gigantic logistical hurdle when the NBA and NFL have been doing this for years without a single freaking ripple in time.

I feel sorry for the fans who are going to have to pay an absurd amount to cover that salary structure. Wow, talk about an ownership out of control..........

Yup, sucks big time. There's really only one way to respond to this and that is to ensure that the next US/Mexico game in the US is not only not offered to Mexico (if we have to offer it, offer it for a price that far exceeds their national budget), but not transmitted in Spanish. There's also one other way to protest.... don't watch the game on a network. Go to Jeremytv or some other site and watch it there. Protests, mail-ins, etc., all good, but not always effective. If you want to pressure NBC, write their sponsors, tell them you'll never buy another one of their products if they don't air it on a US network. If they get a few thousand emails, I guarantee this game will be on NBC. Period.

Sorry, but this just plain sucks and is utterly inconsistent with what the league is trying to accomplish. As soon as Portland and Vancouver are on board, Seattle should join them in immediately pushing to open this league. There are at least a half dozen teams that need Danny. Instead, he goes to a team that is stocked with enough young talent to take it into the next decade. Wow, the longer I'm in this league, the more I want to get the hell out.

Naive of me, I realize, but nothing is more important than representing your country at anything. Period. Yes, I hear all of you already, talking about how important club play is, how nothing hones skills like regular competitive play, blah, blah, blah. There is nothing more important than representing your country. Period. That said, this GC has been rendered moot by the lack of participation by EVERY country involved, so sayonara Charlie! It's either time to scrap it (GC) or move it to a time when it doesn't conflict with Copa America, Confed, ad nauseum. Ives, have I been sleeping or is it end of the day already and no MLS power ratings yet?

Ives, step into the 21st century my man. It's a common misconception that weightlifting willl (a) slow you down, (b) take away agility/dexterity. Concerning (a)..... name the last "skinny" sprinter to qualify for the 100m in the Olympics? Concerning (b).... trainers now know that it's important to balance weight/bulk work with agility-drills AND accelerative isolation (isolating a muscle group and exploding) Imo, this is the one edge the US could have over every team in the world, but we simply don't exploit it. If I'm running the men's team, the first thing I do is hire weight coaches and assign expectations to each of the players on a year-by-year basis. These guys aren't going to gain much in the way of skill at this point in their careers, but the CAN get bigger, stronger, and faster than any team in the world. Finally, you're right about one thing--it would change the way Beasley plays: he'd be a load for anyone who tried to defend against him. Take a look at Charlie Davies and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.

He had a chance and he didn't go quietly, instead, choosing to take a shot at the country that gave him every advantage he's ever had in his life by saying that "even if they call, I won't come." As far as I'm concerned, he's right; he'll never play for the U.S. The day we start undercutting the integrity of our own program is the day I stop following ANY country.

Probably know all this before you get a chance to answer, but who IS Jermaine Johnson and why is everyone drooling over this ex-pat?

There's a lesson for everyone to learn there, particularly in the US, where apparently it takes a bunch of Canadians to remind US citizens what consumer power really is and how it works.

Let me get this straight. The guy was trying to incite Onyewu into a fight? The guy is an idiot. Aside from the fact that he'll likely face a very long suspension by FIFA for this, what kind of fool try's to get in a fight with arguably the strongest man in professional soccer on the planet? I'll take Onyewu and any odds against any other player in the world today. Any. The guy benches 285 for cryin' out loud!

The Seattle/Columbus game was marred by poor officiating as well. The ref actually showed good control early in the game, by calling out players and verbally controlling the game conditions. Then he fell apart in the second half and just started handing out cards for nothing, really. It wasn't even a particularly physical game. My biggest complaint? Time-wasting and defensive holding. Time-wasting needs to be dealt with sternly, since it robs the fans of game time that they've paid for (along with a slew of other ethical considerations). We got treated Ekpo going down twice, once after failing to get a foul called, running up to the ref to complain, then falling down, grabbing his hip and refusing to get back up. Yellow card. Period. Immediate and without prejudice. This is a no-brainer and MLS needs to get a grip. They don't allow it in most of Europe now, they certainly shouldn't here. Defensive holding. Robs the fans of exciting football by canceling any advantage the offense might have had through good play. The defender just grabs the guy, slows him down just enough to say on him and destroy any continuity. Red card. Period. I'm sick of it and.... oh, HEY! It's against the rules. Imagine....

Personal reasons? Really? The guy doesn't play all year, gets invited into camp (pretty generously, I'd say), and he has personal business? Wow, I think it speaks volumes about his dedication to the game. Short of mom or dad dying, there isn't a good enough reason on the planet for that kid to miss practice with..... well, you guys said it, the USL Miami team. To bad Bob doesn't have the guts to cut him from all NT games for the rest of the year......

Turtle, a little off-base here. No one is disputing that what Riley did deserved a yellow. "Waaaay" over the line is waaaaaay overstating what happened. He reacted inappropriately and it cost him a red. But if you look at the replay, it was really nothin'. Probably should have been a yellow.... but that's soccer.

Onion Bag has it right. There was no "punch" and, if it was, momma definitely raised a wuss. It was a shove to the neck (because that was as high as poor little Riley could reach!!). On the other hand, I'm starting to lose some faith in you, Ives. Any clear look at the video on this by a knowledgeable soccer fan wouldn't illicit the absurd assessment of this being a "punch." You're starting to lose some major credibility here. If after today, the MLS hasn't handed down an additional suspension for the "punch" (as they WILL do if it is determined to be such), I think we need a retraction of that word. No matter what you might think of the usage, it clearly has a very, very poor connotation in soccer. Riley is a class act (perhaps too much so for a defender) and he deserves better from you. So do YOUR fans.

Christa, from what I could tell, you're waaaaay off base here. First of all, it was a completely legitimate challenge (based upon the vid you've provided). It wasn't particularly hard and, frankly, that Daniela was injured makes me question her own fitness level. The ball was hit first, the player second. What am I not seeing? I watched this about 20 times and it is clear. Mostly, it wasn't even a foul in my book. Perhaps women hold themselves to a different standard?