#for real though………… look I’m just imagining these recent dream team videos are season 2 ending for Dream where he reunites with his friends

[quarterfromcanon]

27-29 for the get to know my favorites game

Hello, lovely! Thank you for these. :) Trios turned out to be a surprising challenge (I apparently have more favorite groups of four than three), but I’m pretty happy with the ones I remembered after giving it some thought. The final picks are under the cut! <3

Top 5 BROTPs

1. Paula Proctor & Rebecca Bunch (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) - Naturally, this was the immediate choice that sprang to mind. It’s the first relationship on the show I really fell in love with, and it’s the one friendship in the series that consistently tugs on my heartstrings. It’s flawed, complicated, and messy but the genuine connection underneath it all is strong enough that I’m hopeful they can work through their problems. I would’ve preferred to see more emphasis on that effort in the fourth season (and a lot more work on Rebecca’s friendships with Heather and Valencia as well), but I want to believe things improved between them after the finale. 

2. Steve Harrington & Robin Buckley (Stranger Things) - The general public opinion of Steve Harrington has been on such a journey since Season 1, bringing him now to a status of common fan favorite. As such, I think a delicate balance needed to be struck in finding a suitable match to team up with him on adventures. This person needed to:

A) Have good chemistry in their interactions with Steve

B) Bring a new dynamic to the table that he didn’t already have with an existing connection 

and most importantly 

C) Be a unique and engaging character that the audience would care about individually, so they didn’t get lost in simply being an offshoot of Steve’s story. They couldn’t be relegated to perpetual sidekick with little else to define them.

As far as I’m concerned, Robin Buckley fits the bill on every account. She’s artistic, resilient, loyal, and - especially endearing to me - a movie buff. She has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and a big heart. Being friends with Robin helps Steve take the specter of his high school self less seriously so he can put it behind him, and she helps him more fully embrace the person he’s becoming in the wake of that lost status. Having Steve for a friend helps Robin resolve some lingering emotional scars from school as well. It gives her an opportunity to share her authentic self with a peer and - to her relief and ours - find acceptance after revealing a pretty important secret. I can’t wait to watch the two of them be adorably nerdy and goofy bros at Family Video in Season 4, presumably with some daring fights against dark forces when they’re off the clock. Does saying I hope Kali comes to Hawkins somehow and bonds with one or both of them mean I can speak that into existence? I’m doing that now. It’s worth a try. If it happens in some capacity when the time comes, know that I will throw a One Blogger Party of epic proportions. 

3. Wynonna Earp & Nicole Haught (Wynonna Earp) - I had to use this specific screencap because it perfectly encapsulates the chaotic energy that makes me loves these two together so much. Their separate approaches to their shared work environment are at pretty much polar opposite ends of the spectrum, but they make a pretty solid team when they play to each other’s strengths and communicate. They also both love Waverly most of all, so it feels like they were bound to work out their differences eventually since neither would want to make her feel torn between her sister and her girlfriend. The hijinks they get up to in each other’s company are just top shelf. I look forward to at least a little bit of fun like that from every season. If I wind up having a lasting partner later on down the road, it’d be cool if their personality balanced well with my sister’s on this level. I’d also be really happy if I ultimately gelled with her person in a way that sounded unlikely at first but worked. Fingers crossed for both outcomes, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

4. Emily Thorne [Amanda Clarke] & Nolan Ross (Revenge) - I have two things to quickly clarify for those who are unfamiliar with this show.

#1 She has two listed names because she was born Amanda Clarke but goes by Emily Thorne for most of the series to hide her true identity. 

#2 Despite the impression this picture may give, Nolan is not marrying Emily; he is simply walking her down the aisle. 

These two are there for each other through so much - the looming threat of discovery, jail time, capture, near death experiences, heartbreak, the passing of loved ones, etc. - and they make it to the other side with a deep bond the likes of which they’ll never experience with another person. It is at times heavily one-sided because of how much drama Emily deliberately dives into, but it’s something that she tries to make up for during her more self-aware and less self-involved times. There’s genuine love and mutual respect there by the finale and it’s really gratifying to witness the journey they’ve taken together. 

[~Slightly spoiler-y closing statement after these brackets~] I was pretty sure I knew where the show was going with romantic ships by the end. I knew for certain it wasn’t my personal OTP for her because they’d already killed that person off quite some time ago. There was a part of me that could’ve found some contentment in leaving the story with these two as a couple. After all, one of my favorite ship dynamics is Reluctant Acquaintances to Best Friends to Lovers, but it was not to be. That being said, the platonic friendship they shared was a big part of the heart of the show and I cherish it for that. Nolan was a rare exception for Emily, a genuine bond formed in the years when she was tried to operate like her heart was made of stone. I also think working with Emily gave Nolan a sense of purpose and let him flourish in his area of expertise. I’m not sure how either of them would feel about the musical reference but, to slightly paraphrase from Wicked: because they knew each other, they have been changed for good.

5. Penelope Stamp & Bang Bang (The Brothers Bloom) - I have seen Rachel Weisz and Rinko Kikuchi in more roles since this movie than I had prior to watching it for the first time so, if anything, my fangirling over this friendship has gotten worse rather than more manageable. x) This post classified the film under the subgenre whimsical noir. It turns out that’s a style I instantly adore every time I stumble upon it. One of the titular brothers, Stephen, lives so deeply immersed in the variations of the world he writes for their heists that even those closest to him are essentially characters he can interact with on a daily basis. His feelings for them as people can get very muddled with his feelings for them as interesting OCs to move through narratives. A big trouble with this is that his living archetypes can often get reduced to clichés. He’s not always mindful of their nuances or allowing for the full range of their autonomy. Penelope is selected by Stephen to serve as the “manic pixie dream girl” who will be his brother Bloom’s forever love and Bang Bang is essentially presented as a “dragon lady” stereotype. I haven’t done a rewatch in years so I may be giving the movie too much credit here, but I remember this choice feeling at least semi-deliberate. It could be interpreted as a way to illustrate how Stephen warps real life to fit his vision. At least, I can definitely remember scenes that felt like they debunked the one-note assessments of these two. What I genuinely love, though, are the little moments when Penelope and Bang Bang are able to just spend time together with little to no interference from Stephen or Bloom. They share their hobbies and teach each other new skills. It feels like they truly perceive one another as whole human beings on a level that neither guy is capable of doing since they’re both so immersed in the drama of the plot. When the women are with each other, they get to be more than an extension of the men who maneuver them; they get to be themselves. Penelope is the only one Bang Bang clearly wants to maintain contact with once the heist is finished. I think that says a lot. Honestly, this is another BROTP that could slide to OTP. If someone wrote fic of them completely severing ties with the brothers and going off on their own - romantically or platonically - I wouldn’t be upset at all. 

Top 5 Trios

1. Luke, Leia, & Han (Star Wars Episodes IV - VI) - Oh dear, I’m overwhelmed just looking at a picture of them together. Star Wars has been a part of my life since childhood. Getting to watch the original trilogy felt like a rite of passage (when I was really little, Mom used to find things for us to do outside the room while Dad watched because she was afraid some of it might scare me). Princess Leia resounded with me on a level that almost no other fictional royalty has ever quite matched. Han’s wardrobe is still some serious #aestheticgoals and I would 100% wear replicas of his jackets and vests if I had them. I also remember thinking that Luke’s new look in Return of the Jedi was SO COOL with the all-black wardrobe and green lightsaber. Wow, imagine that, an edgy costume change that shared vibes with the common Disney villain color palette called to me as a baby fan of antagonists and antiheroes! Who ever could have foreseen that sudden spike in appreciation? :P Anyway, one of my lingering sorrows about the more recent trilogy is that we never got to see all three of them as aged adults in each other’s company. I still wanted our new cast to get their time to shine, of course, but I do lament the absence of at least one little trio reunion.

2. Luna, Neville, & Ginny (Harry Potter series) - The Silver Trio, pictured here with the first set of three that comes to mind when thinking about the books and movies. I do still love Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but I’ve found a growing appreciation for this other team-up over the years. They’ve been through a lot too, even if they are not always present where the main action is. Bullying, loss of parents, manipulation of the mind and body, abuse at the hands of authority figures - they’re all left with internal (and probably external) scars to bear. There’s also something to be said for how strong they all were in the school year set during Deathly Hallows, when the Golden Trio wasn’t around to inspire and unite those who wanted to stand up to ever-increasing tyranny. It can be easy, unfortunately, for them to get written off based on the oversimplified stereotypes that have gotten associated with them. People remember Luna as being weird and spacey, Neville as awkward and hapless, and Ginny as bland and lovestruck. They’re all far more nuanced than that, and they accomplish great things while fighting for and beside their friends. I’m planning on doing a re-read of the books at some point, and I really look forward to revisiting these brave kids.

3. Irma, Marion, & Miranda (Picnic at Hanging Rock) - Ah, yes, my very recently discovered darlings. I have many thoughts about them all. I’ll try to keep this as condensed as I can while still making sense. Some spoilers will follow, although those won’t answer every question the story poses. There are audience members who ship the above characters as a throuple, which I totally get, but for me it’s like soulmates of a different kind. These three have met at a point in their lives when they all burn with compatible intensity. They long for the same dream version of youth, for a way to begin life free from the confines of a world that won’t accept all their hearts contain. While the people that surround them may not be willing to bend the rules, nature itself appears to show them mercy. How often do we see a story of girls who just... love other women so much that a sacred location goes, “Y’know what? I’m gonna help you escape your restrictive society. Permanently.” This miniseries definitely depicts the setting as being involved in messing with the investigation, as a mystical place that befuddles unwanted intruders. I love the way these three fortify each other in times of pain and fear, and there’s something deeply moving about how standing side-by-side helps them defy the odds.

4. Sarah, Alison, & Cosima (Orphan Black) - Okay so, technically, when I picture our core team in this show, the net is a little wider. My mind tends to also include Felix, Mrs. S., Kira, Helena, Donnie, Delphine, and Scott. However, I think you could kinda argue that those characters have a stronger connection to one of the above three than they do to the other two. Thus, this ends up being the central triangle. They’re all such solid performances and the fact they’re all played by the same person is incredibly impressive (not to mention the, like, twelve other clones Tatiana brings to life throughout the series). Watching them go from tense strangers to sestras was wonderful. I’m glad they had each other through the increasingly complicated web of lies and schemes they had to unravel and survive. 

5. Galavant, Sid, & Isabella (Galavant) - Remember how James Marsden was in Enchanted? If you dialed down the deliberately cartoonish quality of that performance and allowed for more not-so-G-rated humor, I feel like you’d have a general sense of what Galavant is like as a character. Sid is his squire and Isabella is a princess whose mission happens to combine with Galavant’s, albeit fueled by different driving motivations. They find themselves involved in a lot of shenanigans because of Galavant - even in his own universe, he’s into the whole dashing knight thing more than is strictly necessary - but they make a fun little team to follow through the world of this musical television series. I’ve gotten fuzzy on the details since I watched it air live four years ago, but I remember the series being enough of a summer feel-good time that I’d be game to revisit the show again someday.

Top 5 Family Relationships

1. Stevie Budd & The Roses (Schitt’s Creek) - The whole fish-out-of-water setup for this series was already pretty fun in and of itself, especially given how outlandish their lifestyles evidently were before the show begins. The thing that makes it special, though, is how the absence of all their expensive distractions finally helps them prioritize being a family. The Roses do a lot of work to reconcile who they were with who they find themselves becoming in the present. It’s sweet to see them collectively conclude that growing closer to each other is one of the few things they do not regret in the slightest. They also silently agree to adopt Stevie along the way and, boy, does that give me a lot of Big Feelings, particularly in the later seasons.

2. River Song & The Ponds (Doctor Who) - I think it’s been like seven years or so, give or take, since I watched Doctor Who with any regularity. These three have resurfaced in my mind many times since then. They all love with such fierce and unwavering devotion, spanning lifetimes. It’s fascinating - and often heartbreaking - to learn about the things they’ve experienced and endured. Oh gosh, and once the show reveals how River’s story overlaps with theirs, and you pay attention to how she looks at them, IT HURTS but it’s so engaging to watch. The emotions are all flooding back just remembering them now. Argh, what great characters... </3

3. The Tico Sisters (Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi) - Rose appears in two installments of the third trilogy, but this is the episode that has both Tico daughters. We never get to see them interact onscreen in the film, but I still feel the bond between these sisters so intensely. I found out later that Kelly was present for the filming of Paige’s death scene (which happens so early in the movie that it doesn’t feel like a big spoiler - please forgive me if it is). I’m glad that was something they decided to do behind-the-scenes, because it definitely informs Rose’s grief. She’s sitting in the dark, picturing her big sister’s final moments with such horribly vivid detail that it feels like she was there, and yet she can’t do anything to change how it ends. The shape of the sisters’ necklaces immediately establishes that they were a unit even when acting independently, that they felt like two halves of a whole - all they had left of their family. Now there is only one, and that fact is a weight around Rose’s neck both figuratively and literally. It serves as a visual reminder of how she carries Paige’s absence always, trying to discover and embrace who she is on her own while still honoring the memory of a relative she loved so deeply. I think she reaches the end of Episode VIII feeling like she’s someone of whom her sister would be quite proud. I’m very proud of her, too. 

4. The Tyler Siblings (Wonderfalls) - Jaye is comically different than the rest of her family, and the show establishes that right out the gate when we learn that she’s the only one whose name doesn’t rhyme with the rest (left to right, the others are Karen, Sharon, Darrin, and Aaron, respectively). Her relationships with her parents could certainly lead me off on some analytical tangents but, predictably, it’s the sibling stuff that interests me more. I think it could be said that all three do more living inside their heads than they do out in the world, and that they’ve all grown up to be borderline loners (Ironically Jaye, who is considered the most troubled, is the only one I remember being shown to have formed and maintained a friendship). Aaron’s a very philosophical and analytical person, so you get the sense he talks to himself more than to others, although he still manages to resurface from those deep contemplations so he can goad and tease his sisters from time to time. Sharon is high-strung, competitive, and brings that “disaster lesbian” energy to basically every social interaction she has. Jaye’s standoffishness seems to stem from both the difficulty of fitting in with people and the fear that connections will fall apart once they manage to form at all. They’re all just messes trying to make the best out of the situations they face, and I appreciate that. I also enjoy how prominently the Jaye and Sharon sister bond features throughout the show’s only season. It starts out on pretty rocky ground, but they grow a lot in regard to how willing they are to communicate and express their love for one another. 

5. The Brothers Proctor (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) - The family dynamics in their house are in need of some serious work, without a doubt. I’m just really touched by how close these two have become without Paula’s notice. It’s possible they always were, in that we-fight-but-we-care way that siblings can often be, but the supportive side of that really moves to the forefront as they get older in the series and it warms my heart. There’s such a glaring difference between The Household As Paula Views It and Things That Are Happening While She’s Not Paying Attention. I can’t help using fic as a way to explore that. I happily find excuses for her sons to make pop-in appearances, just to check up on them. I'm so pleased that, as of Season 4, they seem to have become fairly well-adjusted in spite of everything. Oh, and I am still not over the revelation that they attend renaissance festivals together, in character, for fun. What precious cuties who would no doubt dislike me referring to them as such! Paula, please give them an extra hug from me! 

[andrewuttaro]

New Look Sabres: GM 28 - NJD - Birthday Wish

7-1 Win

The Buffalo Sabres are normally on the receiving end of tremendous beatings, at least for the last decade or so. Last night we got a rare taste of what it was like destroying a team by a lacrosse score line. It was something else. Less than seven minutes into the first period it was probably over. I was thinking about the future of several players careers… Devils players! The consensus on Sabres twitter seems to be this game came at just the right time. This club had the roughest of Novembers but had the points in the bank from October to make up the difference. They spent all those savings and as Thanksgiving came and went they began to find their footing again. After a promising home-and-home with the Leafs a convincing win to solidify the gains of a decent stretch of games was needed. A convincing win that was in fact a win in regulation against a team you should handle. New Jersey came knocking asking if we remembered the Home Opener. Whether it was the 50th Anniversary jerseys or 1970s figures present at the game that jogged their memory, the Buffalo Sabres remembered. That game, the second one of this season, was a rout. But this rout makes that rout look like herding cats. When I said this game was over in seven minutes earlier, I mean it was pretty well over in seven minutes. But before we pile on the Devils I thought I’d share with you some thoughts I had about some great players on their roster whom this game made me feel for. Will Butcher: you passed up Buffalo for what you thought would be better. It was for a time but here we are. PK Subban: I love you bud… but this game showed that scary trend is real. Your advanced numbers are garbage, I hope your next destination helps out. Wayne Simmons: Dude, please don’t retire after this. You deserve better than this awfulness. Taylor Hall: well… huh… we both know you’re not going back to Edmonton. When you go win a Cup with Colorado this June please don’t pass the Cup to Nazem Kadri or Nikita Zadorov. For some reason Sabres twitter loves to roast itself during that part of the Final and those two guys minus well be BBQ Chefs. Let’s get down to business.

The Buffalo Sabres came out aggressive. Yeah, I say that a lot here in the second paragraph of postgame; but this time the New Jersey Devils also came out aggressive, AGGRESSIVELY BAD! The Sabres had two goals before the Devils had a shot on goal. That’s right: let me clear my throat played twice before Linus Ullmark was even tested. To be exact the shots were 3-0 Buffalo five minutes in and that was good for a 2-0 lead. Unreal, right? The first goal was right after a Sabres powerplay ended and Jack Eichel was all alone in front of Louis Dominque and just tapped it against the guys pads. It trickled in and everyone was surprised. Hardly two minutes later New Jersey just could not make a clean zone exit and Jeff Skinner had the puck one-on-one with a now annoyed Dominque. Skinner tucked it in far side with a quick little slapper and there are your two goals against zero shots. Up next, not even two minutes later, Jeff Skinner’s third or… whatever non-numbered line we’re calling it, hauling Larsson and Sheary behind like a Christmas tree on a punch buggy mind you, pull off a goal you are more likely to see in the All Star game when all the guys are just trying trick shots they joked about in college then in a real NHL game. Jeff Skinner skates into the zone backwards with speed because the Devils did not know what they were doing in their own zone and crosses the gut of the ice like a figure skater to shoot the puck backwards at the net. That shot didn’t go in because this isn’t a video game, Jeff. However Louis Dominque blocked it with a pad and the resulting rebound was punched in by a Conor Sheary halfway onto his ass. It’s now 3-0 and I think this was the part where Dominque got pulled. No that wasn’t until the first intermission.

After goal three John Hynes and the Devils coaching staff took a time out to try and stop the bleeding. They did for a little bit. It was about ten minutes later when the Devils had finally figured out this shots on net thing but were still giving up D-Zone turnovers juicer than a holiday ham. Conor Sheary just takes a pot shot from a shite angle and Dominque gets his stick glove on it sending it up in the air. Carter Hutton must have watched this play on the bench thinking he’s not alone anymore. The puck goes straight up, and Dominque even watches a little bit of it’s hangtime. Then it just lands in the goal behind him like a letter delivered by a carrier pigeon. What a game already: its 4-0. Sheary skates the bench in celebrating with a “Idk, it just went in” look on his face. All you Monday night folks who paid for the cheapest Sabres tickets of the season so far got your money’s worth and more. But wait, there’s more! We’re in the last minute of the first period. Folks are filing up the stairs to get to the pisser before others and what happens. Casey Mittelstadt just dumps a puck off to Rasmus Asplund in the offensive zone and Asplund just goes “whatever” and one times it like he’s friggin Alex Ovechkin. It went in: 5-0 because this was Buffalo’s night evidently. That was Asplund’s first NHL goal. The kid who just got called up because of injuries and looked like an NHLer gets rewarded faster than maybe any other recent callup. And so the first period ends… *laughs in disbelief* 5-0 Buffalo.

This game was Founders Night. They had family of the Knox Brothers, the founders of the franchise, in attendance for a pregame ceremony. Apparently there was a giant birthday cake and birthday guard. Fun trivia: 50 Years ago on December 2nd the NHL formally granted Buffalo an expansion franchise. The club wouldn’t get named the Sabres for a little over five months but that’s a birthday even if there wasn’t a name. Perhaps the birthday wish was for lots of goals because 5-0 in the first period was not the end by a longshot. Three minutes into the second period PK Subban and Colin Miller have a little spat and the resulting penalties make it 4-on-4. I don’t know how to put this for children: Victor Olofsson sent a puck to heaven. Olofsson unleashed a slapshot that may soon be outlawed by the Geneva Conventions. The broadcast team didn’t know it went in until the horn went off. Ben Mathewson did a 60 frames per second (fps) replay of the goal and there isn’t really more than a couple frames between the slapshot and McKenzie Blackwood realizing the puck had gone in. It was the hardest goal any Sabre has shot this season. 6-0 Sabres and I really want to apologize to the Devils fans in attendance. This had to be embarrassing. I am so sorry. It wouldn’t be a shutout though guys. Zemgus Girgensons got called for tripping and New Jersey made the most of the powerplay when Nico Hischier sauced in a rebound past Linus Ullmark. 6-1 Sabres, the shutout is gone but the Devils are still angry evidently: Casey Mittelstadt is tripped by Kyle Palmieri, the ref blows it against him and before Mittelstadt is up Palmieri launches the puck at him in a temper tantrum. Mind you the Devils are now out-shooting the Sabres 2 to 1 but the Sabres are locking it down. This was the performance we needed. This was our birthday wish for the Sabres. The Sabres made Palmieri and the Devils pay for that trip and Henri Jokiharju fired a laser from the blue line to make it 7-1 for the home team. At this point we just crossed the halfway point of the game. Buffalo has scored a touchdown and Josh Allen didn’t even throw for it. This game was so good 71-year-old Mike Robitaille was telling 51-year-old Rob Ray that advanced stats are just splendid on the broadcast. It was a savagely beautiful disarming of the trap Ray had set. The Sabres were dunking on the Devils and Boomers were dunking on Boomers about advanced stats. This was such a wildly fun game we’re going to look back on it in two weeks and think it was some collective dream we had.

And it seemed meant to be like some kind of fairy tale! The third period had its scary moments, a couple Devils powerplays and a handful of defensive lapses for the home team but the end result never really seemed in question. Buffalo won in regulation 7-1. This game was everything. Jack Eichel’s point streak continues, he now has 38 points in 28 games on pace for a 111-point season. If he doesn’t make the all-star team we can rightfully conclude this league is rigged against Buffalo. Victor Olofsson probably deserves to go as well. Not only is he scoring at 5-on-5 now but he is leading the team in multi-point games; yes even more than Eichel. Friggin Johan Larsson had a career night: he got three points in a game, all on assists, for only the second time in his career. Think about every shocked or mother-of-god meme you got: that was this game. It was memeable! I can’t imagine they dominate like this every night but like, comment and share this blog to join the fun. Sabres After Dark returns Thursday night for a game in Calgary. I want some revenge for the Thanksgiving Eve myself but by that point my end-of-semester crunch week will be winding down, so I’ll probably settle for just some enjoyable sex puns. I got a pair of those oven mitts they gave away for the Thanksgiving Eve game, let’s hope the Sabres stay hot so I need them! Let’s Go Buffalo!

Thanks for Reading.

P.S. I don’t think the Bills catch New England for the division but let’s just savor the fact they’re one game back and that such a scenario is a realistic possibility at all. Just enjoying being a fan, I don’t think they catch em either but I’m going to enjoy this well it lasts!

[365footballorg-blog]

MLS Newsstand – June 7, 2018

June 7, 20182:28PM EDT

MLS Newsstand – June 7, 2018

MLS Articles

Yoshi Yotun, Andy Polo Peru World Cup call-ups a big deal for MLS

ESPN – June 6, 2018

Every time a World Cup rolls around, it is interesting to see how much MLS is represented on the world’s biggest stage. In doing so, it’s no surprise to see that the CONCACAF nations, even with the United States men’s national team not competing in Russia, will once again make up the majority of MLS player representation at the World Cup beginning later this month.

This part is typical. What is rare, however, is seeing MLS players from CONMEBOL nations in the 32-team tournament.

Dating to 1998, just four MLS players have ever been part of a final 23-man CONMEBOL team’s roster. It started with NY/NJ MetroStars midfielder Marcelo Vega (Chile) and Miami Fusion midfielder Carlos Valderrama (Colombia) at France ’98 and didn’t happen again until Brazil 2014, when Chivas USA forward Oswaldo Minda and Toronto FC goalkeeper Julio Cesar played for Ecuador and Brazil, respectively.

That brings us to Russia 2018, where for the first time a CONMEBOL team will boast two MLS players in its squad, as Peru boss Ricardo Gareca has announced that Orlando City midfielder Yoshimar Yotun and Portland Timbers midfielder Andy Polo will be making the trip to Russia.

MLS is a league that has enjoyed a heavy influx of South American players of late, with 30 joining the league over the winter, bringing the total to 79 at season’s start. In that respect, there is a feeling that the World Cup calls for Yotun and Polo are the first major milestone for the league in this era, one that’s heavily influenced by South American talent. Most important for the league, though, is that these two players stand to play big roles in Russia.

Yotun’s value to Peru is well known. Deployed in a central role by Gareca, Yotun is a midfield anchor and produced a number of brilliant performances in the 18-round, heavyweight fight that is CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. The peak was Peru’s 0-0 draw vs. Argentina last October in Buenos Aires, when he helped stifle Lionel Messi and the Albiceleste attack.

Yotun brings the same work rate to Orlando’s midfield while adding a bit more in attack for head coach Jason Kreis — especially from the penalty spot, where he is a cool two-for-two this season. Yotun arrived in Orlando only last season and fit into Kreis’ system like a glove, adjusting to the league “quickly, if not quicker than any person I’ve ever coached,” Kreis noted following April’s 3-2 win over San Jose.

It’s the type of experience that could lay the groundwork for more players from Peru’s golden generation to head to MLS.

“Being here in MLS has been the best decision I have made,” Yotun said via a club interview. “The league is very good and very intense, you run a lot, you play a lot, the intensity has risen. Orlando has helped me greatly.”

Unlike the 20 starts Yotun has accumulated in Orlando over the past two seasons, Polo has just six starts in Portland, but it’s no coincidence that the Timbers’ uptick in results this spring coincided with Polo’s return to the lineup, as Portland has won the past four games in which he has started.

Polo also has the luxury of playing the same position for both club and country — the left side of midfield — and that is bearing fruit for the Timbers. Portland fans are just now starting to see what Polo can bring to the table, the most notable examples being the 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders on May 13, then his finest outing of the season six days later in a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles FC, in which the Morelia loanee tirelessly outdueled his LAFC players counterparts.

Peru fans saw the same bite in seven World Cup qualifiers and in Peru’s memorable 1-0 win over Brazil in the 2016 Copa America Centenario.

While he has yet to show his offensive punch in Portland, the 23-year-old Polo is a reliable scorer in a Peru shirt, having scored in official matches at the Under-15, U17 and U20 levels. With a goal in the World Cup, he could become the first Peru player to score in all four categories.

While it might not register as much as a Zlatan Ibrahimovic signing, there is a long-term significance in the Peru calls for Yotun and Polo, with the rest of CONMEBOL realizing that a path to a World Cup dream can be fulfilled in MLS.

Toronto FC looks to extend domination of Union

FOX Sports – June 6, 2018

With defending MLS Cup champions Toronto FC still trying to get their season on track, a journey to face the Philadelphia Union on Friday night in Chester, Pa., may be a welcome prospect.

Toronto (3-7-2) is unbeaten with a 6-0-2 record in its last eight league meetings against Philadelphia (5-6-3), a stretch that includes a 3-0 victory in Toronto just over a month ago.

“I think it’s taking each game as it is and trying to execute on the day,” said Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney. “There’s no real specific reason. I think they’re a good team, but I think we match up pretty well in terms of the guys we have.”

Italian playmaker Sebastian Giovinco has scored six goals and added two assists in seven matches against Philadelphia, including one of each in that win in May.

But instead of proving an early turning point in the Reds’ season, that decisive victory lingers as a rare reminder of the dominance Toronto was capable of in 2017.

An injury-plagued TFC side has gone 1-3-1 since, and last weekend gave back a three-goal lead in a 3-3 draw at Columbus Crew SC.

Forward Jozy Altidore and defenders Drew Moor and Chris Mavinga are among those who remain injured and unavailable this week.

“Nothing is just as simple as missing guys,” Vanney said. “I think collectively our mentality to protect our box and not allow teams to get into our box has to be a little stronger. And that’s how we defend from front to back.”

Meanwhile, Philadelphia was unbeaten in four matches before a bizarre 3-1 loss at Atlanta in which two ejections saw the Union quickly reduced to just nine men.

Midfielders Haris Medunjanin and Alejandro Bedoya were ejected, and they’ll have to serve suspensions in Friday’s game against Toronto.

However, midfielder Borek Dockal believes Philadelphia will still be able to create opportunities, in part because of how they were able to respond and keep last weekend’s match respectable

“If we are going to play like we’ve played the last couple of games, we’re definitely going to create some chances,” said Dockal, who has two goals and five assists in his last five matches. “And hopefully I’m going to come to some chances also.”

The question is whether Philadelphia can stifle Giovinco on the other end.

“Giovinco is a great player, smart,” said Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake. “We just have to try to limit him as much as possible, try to stop his source of getting the ball, and see how much we can (force) him to play it back, which I think is going to be very difficult. But I think it’s a task, and we’re up for it.”

Common goal: how soccer helped heal the area at the centre of the LA riots

The Guardian– June 6, 2018

South Los Angeles is a 51 sq m grille of concrete and asphalt, spread flat below the sparkle of Hollywood and the towers of downtown. Early city leaders wrote racist covenants forcing black people and Latino immigrants into the blocks of south LA – not-so-subtly barricading them from the opulence beyond.

Twice in the last 52 years, south LA has exploded into days of fiery riots following incidents of police brutality. The most recent, in 1992, erupted at the intersection of Florence and Normandie Avenues, roughly the area’s geographic centre, after the police beating of an unarmed man, Rodney King, was captured on video. The riots lasted for nearly a week, leading to 12,000 arrests and exposing the world to LA’s complex and violent tangle of gangs, who still patrol much of the area today.

Less than two miles from this fateful intersection sits the Algin Sutton Recreation Center. From the air, it is like a tiny, almost imperceptible square of green in south LA’s uniform grey. For years, Algin Sutton was a magnet for gangs. According to police maps, seven gangs – including LA’s largest, the 18th Street gang – claim the area as their own. The park’s main feature, a giant field ostensibly set up for soccer, was a pit of dirt, gravel and broken glass.

“Imagine a boat with a hole in it, that’s what that park was – a big hole in the boat,” says George Weaver, the program director at Brotherhood Crusade, an organisation dedicated to helping the underserved in south LA. “Someone had to figure out how to fix the [park’s] community so the community could thrive.”

Weaver, however, did not think he was the one to fix it. It was 2012, and he and Ed Foster Simeon, head of the US Soccer Foundation (USSF), were casting about for a place to test an unusual hypothesis: could soccer stabilise a volatile neighbourhood?

Algin Sutton, with its threadbare pitch and violent history, seemed too big a risk. Its empty baseball field and basketball court, built by well-meaning local professional teams, stood as broken reminders of previous attempts at revival.

Then a boy appeared. He was no more than 10 or 12, Foster Simeon recalls, and approached them.

“Are you here to do something about the soccer field?” Weaver remembers the boy asking. “We’ve been waiting.”

Foster Simeon and Weaver looked at each other they knew they had found their place.

For the next year, the pair worked to build that soccer field. They got some help: the USSF, along with the Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy, contributed $ 200,000 (£149,000); Brotherhood Crusade came up with another $ 600,000. By 2014, a full-size turf field had been constructed, along with metal bleachers, a fence and rows of stadium lights.

But instead of simply laying turf and slapping a sign on the pole, they also implemented the USSF’s youth soccer curriculum, called Soccer for Success. A free, two-hour after-school program, it involves coaches teaching skills and mentoring children in small groups.

They hired and trained coaches, and bought uniforms and workout equipment. Brotherhood Crusade opened a summer school, offered tutorial services for classwork, ran classes about nutrition and even provided free healthcare for their families through the nearby St John’s Hospital.

“Some people just want to build a soccer field,” Weaver says. “What we are trying to do is build more than a soccer field. We are trying to build a community.”

On the day of the opening, something strange happened: the gangs stayed away. It was as if the new soccer field – filled every afternoon with coaches and kids – had created an invisible barrier. Algin Sutton had become a place they decided to leave alone.

Weaver says they told the older gang members that he and the soccer foundation weren’t trying to drive the gangs away. Rather, they were trying to build a refuge – one where everybody, including the gang members’ families, could feel safe. He says they understood and respected the goal to create something good in their neighbourhood.

He remembers the moment he knew he had succeeded. It came one afternoon as he sat behind two women watching their children play. One mother had a Pirus street gang tattoo, the other had markings of the Hoover Criminals. By gang code, he says, they shouldn’t have been in the same park, let alone sitting side by side at a soccer game. Yet the field had suspended those edicts.

“In gangs you can’t be caught slipping,” Weaver says. “You can’t be caught in the wrong neighbourhood. But for their kid …”

In a city like LA, which is only 30% white, there are many neighbourhoods like the one around Algin Sutton that lack places for African American kids to play soccer.

The USSF tries to solve this problem by building smaller “futsal” fields in urban areas, and using their Soccer for Success program to introduce kids from underserved communities to the sport. Foster Simeon’s belief is that if kids in these neighbourhoods start playing soccer, the game will thrive in their communities much the way it has in wealthier areas. His partnership with Weaver is unique because Brotherhood doesn’t run sports programs. But, he says, “when they saw the curriculums and the outcomes we were getting they understood. All they care about is helping the kids.”

The conditions that led to the 1992 riots remain, he says. South LA remains a depressed desert in a booming city. Three-quarters of its residents are considered low income. Investment is sparse.

“Their story is very much tied to the 1992 riots,” Weaver says of the local community. “It’s a big deal to have a field built at Algin Sutton. They build fields every day in the suburbs, but not here. All we are doing is helping young people understand that they have value too.”

One recent evening, Weaver stood at the north end of his field and smiled. The park, once overrun with gangs, was alive. The field’s lights blazed bright. Two local teams of Latino teenagers played on the turf. Behind him the basketball courts and jungle gyms were packed. Families lingered on the pavement. Two women sat behind a card table selling cookies. A man sold ice cream from a makeshift cart attached to a bicycle.

“This is actually the only park in this section of the city, which is why the gangs used to come here,” says one of the youth coaches, Leo Hill. “Now the gang activity has just dropped. I think they saw there was a different crowd here. I guess the park was so nice they didn’t want to mess it up.”

U.S. Soccer officially hires Earnie Stewart as first general manager of men’s team

Yahoo! Sports- June 6, 2018

Earnie Stewart’s hiring as general manager of the U.S. men’s national team finally became official on Wednesday, a little more than a week after Yahoo Sports reported that the parties were finalizing a deal.

A three-time World Cup player for the U.S. who won over 100 caps during his 14-year international career, Stewart begins his new job on Aug 1. He’ll remain in his current role as sporting director of the Philadelphia Union in MLS until then. The 49-year-old previously held executive positions with Dutch clubs AZ Alkmaar, NAC Breda and VVV Venlo.

“With his breadth of experience as both a player and a technical director, Earnie is the ideal leader to guide the long-term success of our men’s national team program,” U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro said in a press release. “This is a further step in our commitment to ensure that soccer operations are run by soccer experts.”

The GM position was created by the federation’s board in the wake of the USMNT’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which kicks off this month. The first order of business for Stewart will be to find a new head coach. That process had been overseen in the past by USSF CEO Dan Flynn and then-president Sunil Gulati. Cordeiro succeeded Gulati in February after Gulati decided not to run for reelection.

“Having played for the U.S. men’s national team, I’m honored by the opportunity to return to help lead this rebuilding phase,” Stewart said in a statement.

“We have a tremendous amount of young talent and passion in the U.S., and I’m ready to jump in, hire a new head coach and build a culture of success, with the ultimate goal of the U.S. men’s national team becoming a world champion.”

The U.S. men have been led since November by interim manager Dave Sarachan. Sarachan, who is not considered a contender to coach the team permanently, took over after Bruce Arena resigned.

Born to a Dutch mother and an American serviceman father and raised in the Netherlands, Stewart was chosen from a field of about 10 candidates. The search was conducted by a six-person committee comprised of Flynn, former national team players Carlos Bocanegra and Angela Hucles, USSF technical officers Nico Romeijn and Ryan Mooney and marketing chief Jay Berhalter.

The men’s GM won’t oversee youth national teams. Stewart will be responsible solely for the senior squad. But he will work closely with youth technical director Tab Ramos to implement a consistent style of play through the ranks.

“Building a culture is something that you have to do together,” Stewart said. “It’s not one person or two people. It’s actually sitting down and having conversations with the coaches of the U.S. youth national teams.”

Familiarity should help. Ramos and Stewart have known each other for decades and were teammates at the 1994 and ’98 World Cups.

“Based on the profile of the position and the required skills, Earnie is a natural fit,” said Romeijn.

And it seems to be a dream job for Stewart, who left the Netherlands for Philadelphia three years ago with an eye on influencing American soccer.

“It’s the top of the pyramid in my profession — in my book, this is the highest that you can achieve as a sporting director,” he said. “I’ve worked very hard to have this opportunity. When it came, it was something I could not turn down.”

D.C. United survives in penalty kicks to advance in U.S. Open Cup

Washington Post– June 5, 2018

The early stages of the U.S. Open Cup are license for MLS coaches to set alternative lineups and partnerships. Matches fall amid the stress of league assignments and, until the tournament brackets narrow and a trophy comes into view, personnel decisions require balance.

So it was Tuesday at Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds as D.C. United opened its campaign in this charming, 104-year-old tournament. With a mix of regulars and reserves, United carried itself adequately most of the evening, but after failing to stretch the lead and conceding a late equalizer, D.C. defeated second-division North Carolina FC, 4-3, on penalty kicks.

Ian Harkes scored in the first half for United, but Marios Lomis answered in the 83rd minute for what will go into the record books as a 1-1 draw.

In the tiebreaker, while United converted all but one, D.C.’s David Ousted made one save and watched another attempt hit the frame. Bruno Miranda’s conversion in the fifth stanza secured passage to the round of 16, June 16-20 against an opponent to be determined by Thursday’s draw.

“Welcome to the early rounds of the Open Cup,” said Ben Olsen, United’s relieved coach. “The trick is to always survive them. We got through it.”

Just barely. The visitors — who are struggling in the United Soccer League and had defeated two amateur teams to advance in the Open Cup — were outmatched all over the field and posed no danger until the last 20 minutes. United, though, lulled itself into a false sense of security and failed to close out the match in regular time.

“We should’ve been up two or three nil at that point,” Ousted said. “I’m glad we got out of it and are still in the Cup.”

This Open Cup date lacked the fervor at this stage last year, when an amateur side from Baltimore, Christos FC, attracted an overflow crowd to SoccerPlex and tested United much of an electric night before running out of gas, 4-1.

Tuesday’s crowd was much quieter; announced attendance was 3,118 but actual turnout was probably half that. The biggest commotion came when stray shots sent children scrambling like kittens on a grass hill behind one goal. In extra time, player interaction was audible to most of the remaining spectators.

“They always unfold this way,” Olsen said of the early rounds. “And there are a whole bunch of factors: There are 150 people in the crowd; you’re mixing players up; [the opponents are] playing maybe one of the most important games of their season. It all adds up to early Open Cup stuff.”

With regular season trips to Seattle and Toronto approaching, Olsen saved some regulars and inserted players needing competitive minutes. Dane Kelly, a prolific scorer for years in the lower flights, made his first start for United. Harkes, Miranda and Jalen Robinson were also given a chance

United went ahead in the 25th minute when a burst of pressure resulted in a flurry of opportunities in the penalty area, the last stabbed in by Harkes from close range.

D.C. kept an iron grip on the match while probing for a second goal that would have settled the outcome against a toothless foe. Joseph Mora set up Kelly for a near-post header, but Alex Tambakis made a fine reflex save.

North Carolina gained traction and confidence. And in the waning moments, the visitors drew even when D.C. failed to clear a corner kick. From the top of the penalty area, Lomis turned on the ball and drove a low bid into the near corner.

Ousted came to the rescue in the 30-minute extra time with a superb save on Daniel Rios’s threat from distance.

“We had to stay positive and know our time was coming,” Harkes said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t come until penalties.”

In other matches, United’s USL affiliate, the Richmond Kickers, was crushed by MLS’s Philadelphia Union, 5-0. MLS’s New England Revolution lost at USL’s Louisville City, 3-2. The other 13 games are Wednesday.

Orlando City rolls to U.S. Open Cup win over Miami FC

Pro Soccer USA– June 6, 2018

HIALEAH, Fla. – It wasn’t a league match, but Orlando City got its first win in a month.

And it was a much-needed win the club hopes will be a spark for future success after a four-game MLS losing streak.

The Lions opened their U.S. Open Cup run with a 3-0 victory over Miami United at Ted Hendricks Stadium Wednesday during a fourth-round match that got heated toward the end. A few brief scrums ended with players needing to be separated – by Orlando City midfielder PC – and a Miami United assistant coach was sent off in the 71st minute.

“I’m pleased, obviously, to get a result that wasn’t easy,” said Orlando City coach Jason Kreis. “I mean, this is a very difficult field to play on. As you can see, the ball was all over the place. It’s small and you knew there were going to be a lot of physical confrontations.

“I’m very, very pleased we got the win to advance and I’m even more pleased that we got out of here with no injuries.”

Kreis said he put out the lineup he though would get Orlando City the win on a turf field in Hialeah over an NPSL side. Outside of the usual starters, Stefano Pinho played up top of the Lions’ 4-3-2-1 formation, PC got the start on the left wing, RJ Allen was back at right back and Dillon Powers was the second defensive midfielder alongside Uri Rosell.

Pinho finally got his second goal of the season in the 37th minute of the match. Midfielder Sacha Kljestan found right back RJ Allen in the penalty area after some solid build-up play and Allen’s low cross connected with Pinho, who calmly finished the sequence to open the scoring.

After going scoreless through 10 MLS appearances since scoring a match-tying goal in stoppage time against D.C. United, Pinho was glad to finally finish another chance.

“It’s amazing,” Pinho said. “It’s a great feeling for me. I get more confidence to play more and to help the team for the next game.

“Before I came here, I put in my mind, ‘Today, I want to score.’”

The match also marked the return Orlando City captain and centerback Jonathan Spector – he was the one who started the build-up play that led to Pinho’s goal. Spector found Kljestan, who traded passes with Josue Colmán before Kljestan got the ball to Allen.

“It wasn’t here just to get minutes,” Spector said. “I wanted to contribute, so it was good to be able to do that.”

He added, “I’ve been doing it long enough where I’ve had some long-term injuries before, unfortunately, but it’s part of the game. You get used to it. I just felt really good. Comfortable and really happy to be back.”

Spector said he thinks he’s close to being able to play a full 90 minutes. Prior to Wednesday’s match, he hadn’t played since April 8.

Centerback Chris Schuler also got his first match minutes since breaking his left arm against the Chicago Fire two weeks ago and he was his usual physical self. In the 57th minute, he collided with a Miami United player, who ended up on Schuler’s back in the penalty area. He shrugged off the contact – and the player – and got back into Orlando City’s defensive half.

Powers doubled Orlando City’s lead in the 53rd minute. Kljestan sent a cross to the top of the penalty area, Powers took a touch, then smashed it home with his left foot. That goal was followed by one from PC in the 61st minute – Kljestan assisted on that one, too.

Kljestan’s three-assist night was the first for an Orlando City player since Brazilian legend Kaká did it on Sept. 25, 2015, against the New York Red Bulls.

The goals by Powers and PC were the first ones scored by either player in an Orlando City uniform.

“All three goals, good finishes,” Spector said. “It’s good to get on the scoresheet in that fashion. I think we had some good movements with the ball. Kept the ball really well. Made them work defensively. We got the reward for it.”

Next, Orlando City will take a chartered flight to Vancouver for a Saturday match against the Whitecaps. That match will be followed by one in Montreal against the Impact on Wednesday. The club continues Open Cup play in the Round of 16 — the draw for the next round is on June 7.

“It sets the tone for this trip,” Spector said of Wednesday’s win. “It’s a long road trip for us and it really sets the tone. Hopefully it will be the catalyst for the next couple of games we have in Canada.”

Red Bulls knock NYCFC out of the US Open Cup again

New York Post– June 6, 2018

Sure, New York City FC are property of City Football Group, but they have been owned by the rival Red Bulls.

For the second straight year, the Red Bulls knocked NYCFC out of the U.S. Open Cup. And they rolled to a 4-0 laugher for the second straight meeting (the first an MLS contest on May 5). This one was a fourth-round U.S. Open Cup beating Wednesday night before a crowd of 9,496 at Red Bull Arena.

“It’s a frustration. … We make it really difficult for ourselves,” said NYCFC coach Patrick Vieira, whose team fell to 3-8-1 all-time against the Red Bulls and was taunted with chants of “Who’s your daddy?”

The Red Bulls got a brace from Daniel Royer and goals from Victor Bezecourt and Aaron Long, along with a clean sheet from keeper Ryan Meara. Bezecourt, Long and Meara are products of the USL Red Bulls II squad.

The Red Bulls and NYCFC are philosophic opposites: the Red Bulls’ high press versus NYCFC’s pretty soccer; the hosts’ player development against the visitors’ reliance on pricey imports such as David Villa.

For the second straight year, the Red Bulls, who reached last year’s U. S. Open Cup final, knocked NYCFC out of a competition that allows just five internationals.

NYCFC lost Rodney Wallace and Ronald Matarrita to international duty and Cedric Hountoundji to injury, and their lack of depth and young U.S. players hurt. The Red Bulls were missing Kaku, Tyler Adams, Tim Parker, Michael Murillo and Fidel Escobar, but eight of their starting 11 had benefited from seasoning with Red Bulls II, including six this year.

“It was a great night. This tournament means a lot to us and we want to make another run. It’s a chance to win a trophy,” Meara said. “Being so close last year, almost being able to taste it and losing, that sticks with us. It’s another opportunity and we’re going to put our best foot forward.”

NYCFC have lost all four Open Cup games in their history, and until they get a second team to develop their youngsters, they will be working at a disadvantage.

“Look at the defense between the two teams. Both teams had players who didn’t play often, but they look more sharp than us. The reason is they have the B team [that] allows those players to play every week,” Vieira said. “It was quite difficult for [our youngsters] because they didn’t play so many games. … What’s important for us is to try to have the second team which will allow those young players to play.”

Bezecourt scored 1:56 in. Teen defender Hassan Ndamn, in his first start with the big club, saved a Villa shot off the line. Long headed home a Marc Rzatkowski corner in the 52nd minute. Royer added goals in the 87th and 89th minutes. But this one was less about stars and more about development. It’s part of the reason Red Bull is unlikely to pay $ 20 million for Huracan’s Ignacio Pussetto.

“I challenged the team before the game,” said coach Jesse Marsch, who reports claim could be headed to RB Leipzig. “It’s a derby and a chance to showcase our team and our club and what we do here. No doubt our players went out and did that.

“So big sense of pride. … We are at the forefront of player development in this country. There’s no question.”

The Red Bulls will learn their fifth-round foe in a draw at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Minnesota United FC prevails in PKs over FC Cincinnati in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

Cincinnati Enquirer– June 6, 2018

Penalty kicks can be a cruel bedfellow for a soccer club. Futbol Club Cincinnati learned that the hard, uncomfortable way Wednesday against Major League Soccer’s Minnesota United FC.

Minnesota dispatched FC Cincinnati from a fourth-round U.S. Open Cup contest via a penalty-kick shootout, 3-1, before a crowd of 15,486 at Nippert Stadium.

The shootout followed 120 minutes of scoreless play between the MLS and second-division United Soccer League side.

The visiting “Loons” took an early advantage in the shootout by converting each of its first three spot kicks while Cincinnati made just one out of four tries.

Michael Lahoud scored FC Cincinnati’s third attempt after Kenney Walker and Sem de Wit both missed.

Cincinnati goalkeeper Spencer Richey made a save to briefly stave off the loss but Nazmi Albadawi missed the club’s fourth kick, which was tipped wide by Minnesota’s Bobby Shuttleworth, to seal the hosts’ fate.

FC Cincinnati was eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup by virtue of the defeat and saw its all-time record in the competition fall to 8-3.

“Really proud of our group of players for how they performed through the course of the 90 minutes, 120 minutes,” FC Cincinnati head coach Alan Koch said. “They went out and did everything they were asked them to do. A lucky bounce here or there and who knows? Maybe we win the game in 90 minutes… For a second-tier club, to be quite honest, to go play like that against an MLS group where I don’t think you could really tell the difference of who was in the first tier, I’m very proud of our group of players.”

It’ll be a Bessler family reunion when RSL, Sporting Kansas City meet in the U.S. Open Cup

Salt Lake Tribune– June 6, 2018

The Beslers went through a lot of garage doors. Just about every month one of the three boys put a dent in the door with a ball or broke a window with a puck.

“My parents were not too happy about it,” Sporting Kansas City captain Matt Besler said. “I’m sure they’re OK with it now.”

A couple decades later, two of their sons are playing professional soccer, and on Wednesday Matt and Nick have the chance to face each other in a competitive match for the first time. Real Salt Lake takes on Sporting Kansas City at Rio Tinto in the fourth round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.at Rio Tinto in the fourth round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

“I’m going to for sure try to win bragging rights,” Nick said.

Even as kids Matt and Nick were often on the same team against their middle brother Mike and one of his friends. They all played organized sports, but together in the back yard or the driveway they added twists to classic games.

Jumping on the trampoline turned into a contest for who could make the best catch as they tossed the football around. They added a three-point basketball shot to street hockey. When one of the brothers missed a shot in HORSE, instead of getting a letter he had to complete a dare, like closing out his mother’s email while she was working.

The Beslers were always competitive, but Matt had never prepared himself for the possibility of facing Nick in a professional game.

“I don’t know what to expect or how I’m going to feel,” Matt said of Wednesday’s match.

With six years separating them, for Matt and Nick to play each other several factors needed to work in their favor: they both had to be good enough to go pro, and then Matt needed to play long enough and Nick needed to rise through the ranks quickly enough for their careers to overlap. Miraculously, that all happened.

Matt, captain of Sporting Kansas City, has spent the entirety of his decade-long career with his hometown club. The center back also has earned 47 caps with the United States national team.

Nick, 25, was selected fifth overall in the 2015 SuperDraft. He spent the first three seasons of his professional career in the USL, first with Portland Timbers 2 and then with the Real Monarchs.

Traditionally a defensive midfielder, Nick made his MLS debut as a center back in RSL’s 3-0 win over Colorado on April 21. He has made eight appearances since.

The weekend of Nick’s debut was a busy one for the Beslers. The night before, his parents Greg and Diane watched from the Children’s Mercy Park stands as their eldest son tied Kerry Zavagnin’s club record for starts (228) and set a new record for minutes played (20,551). The next morning they flew to Salt Lake City to watch their youngest son kick off his MLS career.

But that kind of travel was the usual for Greg and Diane. They had done something similar when Matt’s wedding fell on the night before Nick’s NCAA championship match with Notre Dame. (“I don’t think they slept at all,” Matt said.)

“They’re definitely the biggest supporters for all three of us,” Nick said. “The stories that they’ve had and the commitments that they’ve made and gone through with are pretty cool.”

The Besler brothers’ dynamic has changed with age. Matt has a family of his own, and he and Nick spend their MLS seasons in different states. Mike took a different path and is now a history teacher.

“At the same time when we still get together there’s a lot of those [same] elements in play,” Matt said.

Take Christmas a couple years ago for example. The Besler brothers and their father decided to go to the gym to play a friendly game of basketball as a family.

“It turned unfriendly pretty quick,” Nick said.

He and Mike teamed up against Matt and Greg. Matt and Nick guarded each other, and at one point Matt almost clocked Nick in the jaw with his elbow as the SKC center back drove to the hoop, according to Nick.

Nick joked if they got on the field at the same time Thursday, they’d try to at least keep elbows away from the face.

RSL is set to rotate in a young lineup for the fourth round Open Cup match in a brutal stretch of five matches in 15 days, making it likely that Nick will get on the field. Matt is traveling with Sporting Kansas City, and the defending Open Cup champions often put out first-choice lineups, even in the Open Cup. However, they have had an especially quick turnaround after beating Minnesota 4-1 Sunday.

U.S. Open Cup round of 16 draw: Louisville City to host fellow USL club Nashville SC

ESPN– June 7, 2018

At least one club from the second-tier USL will advance to U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals as Louisville City were drawn against Nashville SC in the round of 16.

U.S. Soccer conducted the draw on Friday, the morning after Nashville, whose owners were granted an MLS expansion team last year, advanced by defeating the Colorado Rapids.

Nashville SC will travel to face last season’s USL champions Louisville City, which ousted the New England Revolution on Tuesday night.

The draw was split into four geographic regions, so the winner will advance to play either Atlanta United or the Chicago Fire, who will meet in Georgia later this month.

In the West Region, the Sacramento Republic, the only other non-MLS club to reach the round of 16, will play at LAFC, while the Portland Timbers host the LA Galaxy.

The Houston Dynamo will be at home against Minnesota United in the Midwest Region while FC Dallas travels to Sporting Kansas City.

And in the East, the Philadelphia Union will host the New York Red Bulls while Orlando City visits D.C. United.

Atlanta, LAFC, Houston and Philadelphia will host quarterfinal games in July should they advance.

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MLS Newsstand – June 7, 2018 was originally published on 365 Football

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What’s in a Good LinkedIn Summary? Examples, Templates, and Tips

Imagine you were trying to get a job fifty years ago. You would find a job listing in a newspaper, set up an in-person interview, and walk in with your resume to introduce yourself to the company.

Today, LinkedIn has taken the place of the newspaper, your resume, and even that first meeting. Your presence on LinkedIn matters. In fact, 87 percent of recruiters will vet your candidacy by visiting your LinkedIn profile, according to data from Jobvite. So with this in mind, a great LinkedIn profile starts with a fantastic summary.

How to Write a Killer LinkedIn Summary

When setting out to write your summary, remember how LinkedIn users will interact with it on your profile. When someone goes to your profile, they’ll scan your title and location, see your photo, and notice if you have under 500 connections. After that, they’ll likely turn to your summary to get to know you. It’s the equivalent of a public cover letter: it gives your contacts a sense of who you are before they read what you’ve done.

Here’s a screenshot of my LinkedIn profile, for those of you following along at home. Because it’s so visible (and often public), your summary is the best place to capture your potential new contacts’ attention and give them a glimpse of your personality. Therefore, the most important rule of writing a LinkedIn summary is to make it original. You are a unique, talented professional, and your summary should capture the things that make you the greatest social media manager, writer, banker, underwater basket-weaver, etc.

Before you start writing your LinkedIn summary, you should do two things. First, search for leaders in your field, and check out the key terms they use to describe themselves. These keywords will help your profile appear in LinkedIn’s search results. Then, ask yourself these questions, and jot down any surprising things you discover:

Who am I at work?

What are the core features and values of my personality?

What unique perspectives and experience do I bring to my field?

What original ideas have I brought to the place where I work now?

Here’s a tip: Don’t know which keywords to include? Try googling your job title and see which words are used in job postings, descriptions of your position, and other top search results.

After you’ve generated a few ideas, it’s time to draft. Check out these tips for structuring your summary.

Writing Your LinkedIn Summary

Summaries don’t need to be long, but you might want to take a moment to plan and write yours. Here are a few tips to make your summary shine:

1 Write your summary in the first person. Unless you’re a celebrity or public figure, we all know you wrote it yourself.

2 Keep it short. Don’t say something in five words that could be said in two. Also, shoot for four to five paragraphs of no more than a sentence or two each.

3 Proofread everything multiple times. Read your LinkedIn summary out loud to make sure it sounds natural and eliminate mistakes.

Here’s a tip: Want a second set of eyes on your LinkedIn summary? Try Grammarly to keep your profile clear and mistake-free.

What Are the Parts of a Great LinkedIn Summary?

Authenticity and creativity are the hallmarks of a great summary, which is why most LinkedIn summaries feature distinct sections. Make sure you nail these to make your summary perfect.

The Opening Line

Writing an engaging opening line is key to drawing in potential employers, clients, partners, and contacts. To find your opener, just think: what is the first thing someone should know about me?

If you’re still stumped, try these tips for great first lines, and experiment! If you set a timer for ten minutes, you can probably write fifteen different opening lines. Then it’s just a matter of choosing the one that suits you.

The Pitch

After your first line (or first few lines), you’ll want to explain in the best way possible why you’re a rising star in your field. Remember those keywords we collected above? Now is the time to use them. Tell your readers what you’re passionate about, what you’re good at, and why these things matter.

If you need more help pitching yourself, check out these tips for writing a great pitch.

The Call to Action

After you’ve written three or four concise paragraphs, wrap it up. As you’re closing out your profile, consider the action you want your profile-viewer to take. Do you want them to email you if they’re interested in becoming a client? Do you want them to message you with job opportunities? Do you want them to tweet funny cat memes at you?

Whatever action you want people to take when reading your LinkedIn, list it at the end of your profile. In most cases, a simple “Message me with” or “Email me if” will suffice.

The Proof

Thought you were done with this whole LinkedIn thing? Wrong! Put your work samples where your mouth is.

Many LinkedIn gurus will suggest a “skills” or “strategies” list in your summary, both to pack in keywords and to show your skills at the top of your profile. If you have lots of relevant skills, certifications, or knowledge, feel free to include a list of your abilities. If that’s not your style, never fear! Attach samples of your work below your summary. Show off that video, slide deck, report, or publication that you finished recently. These embeds are very helpful in proving that you know what you’re talking about.

LinkedIn Summary Examples

Need inspiration? Here are some real, live LinkedIn summaries you can use to guide your writing. Check them out, then leave your thoughts in the comments below. What similarities do you see between these summaries? Do you see any differences?

The Gold Standard: An Influencer’s LinkedIn Summary

Marianne Griebler is a two-time member of the LinkedIn Top Voices club, and with good reason. Her LinkedIn profile is polished yet original, and she produces high-quality articles on LinkedIn Publisher. Like everything else she writes, Marianne’s LinkedIn summary is top-notch.

What you say about yourself is almost as important as what you actually do.

So what words do you wish you could use? About your business? Your nonprofit? Your career? Your dreams?

If words are failing you, I’m here to help with clear, compelling messages targeted to the audience you want to reach. Maybe you’d like to do the writing yourself, with my coaching; maybe you’d like me to craft the content for you. You decide what makes the most sense for you.

I’m an award-winning marketing communicators strategist, writer and coach with deep experience on both for nonprofit and for-profit sides of the business world. A commitment to research will help us figure out the messages that will have the greatest impact on your audience … and on the goals you hope to achieve.

Contact me to set up a 20-minute call to talk about how I can help you with your messaging:

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Specialties: Marketing communications | Content development | Coaching | Strategy | Branding | Brand management | Message development | LinkedIn | Digital marketing | Social media| Strategic thinking | Public relations | Job search | Project management

Surprising Celebrity: Shaq’s LinkedIn Summary

Shaquille O’Neal may not be the first person who’d come to mind when you think “great LinkedIn profile,” but his LinkedIn is a slam dunk. His summary is engaging, to-the-point, and explains his career transitions well. It’s definitely worth checking out.

During 19 seasons in the National Basketball League, I drove success on and off the court. I developed partnerships with global brands, pursued my academic interests in business and leadership and became the only current or former NBA player to hold three degrees: a bachelor’s, a master’s and a doctorate.

Basketball remains a big part of my life, whether it is providing NBA analysis on TV, serving as part-owner of the Sacramento Kings or appearing as a featured character in the latest video games. Since 1985, every NBA championship team has included a current or former teammate. I guess that makes me the Kevin Bacon of basketball.

Since retiring from the basketball court, I’ve expanded my brand relationships into one of the most diverse portfolios in the business world. As an early adopter of technology, I’ve identified innovative organizations as a serial tech investor. I work with brands that are household names such as Turner Networks, Reebok, IcyHot, AT&T and many other great companies. I also bring my business acumen to like-minded companies as a featured speaker at conferences and events nationwide.

Though I’m best known for basketball and business, my interests have always varied. I’ve released four studio albums and served as a sworn reserve officer in several law enforcement agencies across the country. I’ve collaborated on everything from fashion lines and jewelry to best-selling beverages and foods; from the latest technology products and games to children’s books.

Bonus: My Summary!

Want to see an average, everyday LinkedIn summary? Here’s the text of my summary, which was included above. Let me know what you think in the comments.

As a child, I once loaded up the entire Civil War section of my local library into a wagon, because I was going to write the next great work of 1860s historical fiction.

Although I never published my heavily referential short story, a spirit of intrigue and a voracious love to read have followed me to this day. In all aspects of my life, I gravitate toward three things: rapid innovation, unbridled creativity, and one hell of a challenge. For this reason, my interests range from stop-motion YouTube videos to discussing the sociological impact of comics, the judicious use of Google Analytics filters to the transformative power of the Oxford comma. I’m always in favor of the most effectively creative solution to a problem, even if it requires maximum effort.

Currently, I create engaging social experiences for a community of over 10 million bibliophiles and grammar nerds for Grammarly. Our free writing app ensures everything you type is easy to read, effective, and mistake-free. Want to know more about social strategy, effective creativity, or Grammarly? Message me here or at @allmystars on Twitter.

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