A few things...

So much going on and I take a little holiday. Sheesh, the nerve of this guy...

#1 - Guess what? More USMNT-section World Cup tickets will be available.

#2 - I'm really not sure how anyone can fault Daily Soccer Fix ace Steve Davis for not outing the real reason John Harkes was booted from the '98 World Cup team - but he explains it well enough anyway.

For me, who obviously knows many things that are never shared, I would feel pretty low for going to post on it if put in that particular position. It's just not the story I'd want to break.

I'd also like to honor former U.S. coach Steve Sampson as a stand-up guy for making the tough decision and taking all the heat for this episode on his back all these years. Gotta give it up for that prolonged show of integrity.

#3 - Speaking such things, one of my Random Thoughts from yesterday's S365 column was to rip the England bubble for acting as if questioning John Terry's captaincy somehow made it so that they were taking the bond of a squad and a sense of decency seriously.

Pffft. If they wanted to be real, he'd be kicked off the team. We all know that won't happen. So then let's not all pretend anyone really cares that he might of slept with a teammate's partner. It's quite unseemly after the fact (if the story is true, that is).

Oh, and while we're on this sad subject; a recent survey shows that approximately 59% of female England fans are wildly full of sh** (and/or are currently in affairs with Terry).

Ladies... if you'd vote to take his armband for cheating on you, then you have to vote to take it for cheating on his wife. C'mon now, fair is fair. Sisterhood, and like... traveling pants and stuff.

#4 - Another day, another injured 'Nat. This time it was Señor Torres in the Pachuca with a hammy strain.

#5 - While quiet here the last couple of days, I did have a good word with Orebro attacker Alejandro Bedoya and a quick one with Aves loan item Kamani Hill.

As promised, I will have a fresh Top 5 List up here later today. Also... urgh... with several people bugging me to Twitter-ize somehow, I've decided to start dropping little nuggets at the S365 page. Obviously, this will come most in handy during a transfer window, but I did drop one about Danny Szetela's knee surgery early yesterday and now we've had the full story come out today.

So go follow that one, that's as close to joining Twitter as I get (until they pay me for it, of course). Yays all around, indeed.

#6 - Stuart Holden has had a couple of chats with The Bolton News, one about joining the team and one about Davide Beccemano's impact on MLS.

By the way, you'll see in those Random Thoughts, I guessed Holden would debut at Blackburn on the 22nd. From the sound of Owen Coyle's talk, I may have been too conservative. We shall see, but I'm told he is doubtful to dress this weekend against Fulham.

#7 - Since the last Waiting for Gaetjens podcast on young American players in Mexico had some sound troubles, Adam Spangler took the time to type up the two interviews from that bit over at This Is American Soccer.

#8 - Italian reports claim AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini could come out of retirement to play a season for the New York Red Bulls. Interesting.

#9 - Togo is not taking this ridiculous African Nations Cup ban lying down. Good on them.


- Greg Seltzer