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You made it, dear reader. You survived the first real day back at work/class/home in 2014. And here's your reward: another daily edition of Freedom Kicks.
Richard Farley's take on Marco Pappa to MLS | ProSoccerTalk
We'll start with something actually D.C. United-related. Farley's number one worry with Pappa isn't whether D.C. United should burn its spot in the allocation order - it's whether Pappa would play like he actually wants to be here, something he didn't really do in his last days with the Chicago Fire.
Christian Dean melts the hearts of all the #MLSSnobs | SBNation.com
Note to all: "MLS," like "D.C. United" should never be preceded by the definite article. Think about it; it's not "the Major League Soccer" just like MLB isn't "the Major League Baseball." I guess if you're an octogenarian, I'll let it slide. But you young people! Get it right! Like Christian Dean does. If you're like me, this somehow makes you feel in your gut that we're more likely to take him in next week's SuperDraft.
What's a draft pick really worth? | Brotherly Game
Speaking of the SuperDraft, our SB Nation colleagues up in Philly take a look at the value of MLS' mechanism for allocating the vast majority of young incoming players. It doesn't weigh draft position against higher or lower picks, but looks at all the drafts in the aggregate. Click through for their conclusion.
As the Camilo Turns | Eighty Six Forever
Get your popcorn ready. Tthe Whitecaps and MLS are convinced that they have validly exercised a team-held option on the Brazilian attacker. Camilo (and, more importantly, Camilo's agent) is convinced that it was a mutual option that he has declined, making him a free agent. Queretaro has signed Camilo on what they - apparently - consider to be a free transfer. Basically, somebody dropped the ball (my money's on the agent and the Mexican club who look to have failed to perform due diligence), and this ain't going to end till FIFA gets involved.
I found Waldo! He's in the Atlanta suburbs! | MLSsoccer.com
Eric Wynalda is returning to the Silverbacks for a second stint as head coach. But he's only halfway doing it, literally. He's only on-board for the spring half of the NASL's split season, and even then he won't be leaving his other job at Fox Sports. And he wonders why no MLS team will hire him.
Barcelona baby boom: does sporting success affect birth rate? | BMJ
We'll end today's links with some Very Important Research: Did Andres Iniesta's Champions League-winning blast prompt a surge in Catalonian births nine months later? The real questions to my mind are "how could it not?" and why aren't there more babies named "Lewis" or "Neal" being born in the DMV?
Be sure to share other links from around the soccer world down in the comments, and consider this your open thread for the day.
