Freedom Kicks: D.C. United links for April 4, 2013

Happy Thursday, ladies and gentlemen. I hope your week is going smoothly. If you're anything like me, you're going to make up a fake excuse to leave work at 3 pm, then head down to the bar to watch some Europa League. You're not a real soccer fan until you skip work to watch Europa League.

Today's edition of Freedom Kicks includes a couple of Sporting KC previewish things, some notes on the U.S. soccer hall of fame inductees, self-promotion and some other notes from around the league.

Keys to the game | D.C. United

The biggest key is that you need to play soccer better than the other team. #analysis

Can United change their road mentality? | United Mania

I'm pretty sure they play one of the league's most conservative systems at home, too.

Moore, Vermes elected to Hall of Fame | Washington Post

No word on whether or not a rendition of 99 bottles of beer will be sung at the induction ceremony.

Rayados come back to upend Galaxy in LA | SB Nation

Well, that was a bad finish.

David Beckham isn't a sideshow | SB Nation

I wrote this!

Reports: Maximiliano Urruti and Argentine midfielder to TFC done | Waking the Red

This year, it's actually TFC's year.

Merritt Paulson, John Spencer and what went wrong for the Portland Timbers | Major League Soccer

This is really consistent with everything I've heard about John Spencer.