Russia's Major Racism Problem: D.C. United & Sundry Soccer Links for 24 October 2014

Election season is upon us.  I can tell because my phone is ringing off the hook, and famous public figures keep personally emailing me with desperate pleas for financial help that put stranded Nigerian princes to shame.

Democracy... It's what Friday Freedom Kicks is all about.

Possible Playoff Opponents | D.C. United:  Molly Bruh explains who our first playoff opponent may be.  It won't be New England.  That's all we know.  I predict it will be the Columbus Crew.

5 Observations from CCL in Panama: October 2014 | D.C. United:  From the DCU communication manager's rundown of the trip to Panama City:  "When you come out of the locker room in Panama City to chants of 'DC United' and 'Vamos United' you can't help but be amazed by our fans dedication and love for this club.  A midweek game in Panama isn't what I would call easy to get to, yet our fans almost outnumbered Tauro's."

MLS: What to Watch in the Final Weekend of the Season - Fansided:  For the DC-Montreal match, Fansided suggests that you "go run some errands or maybe hit up the gym."  Sure, but only if there's wifi connection to the BR&U game thread.

MLS Disciplinary Committee suspends Luis Garrido, Dwayne De Rosario and Igor Juliao | MLSsoccer.com:  Oh, DeRo, what was that?  Video here.

American Exports: Is Freddy Adu set to add yet another country to his growing resume? | MLSsoccer.com:  Without any meaningful playing minutes in Serbia, Freddy Adu may be headed to Sweden.

Forgotten Man - NE Soccer Today:  Diego who?  Lee Nguyen and Jermaine Jones have totally eclipsed Diego Fagundez at the Revolution.

MLS Atlanta urges David Beckham, Miami to share stadium with Dolphins | ProSoccerTalk:  Oh my gosh, no.  NO.  No more MLS fields with gridiron football hash marks and endzones.  No,  NO.  Just stop it right there.  My eyes bleed enough when I watch Revolution games.

No bad feelings towards Mourinho, says David Luiz | Reuters:  Everybody's older brother from 1976-77 pretends like Mourinho's passive-aggressive insults don't bother him.  But I'm pretty sure I can hear him crying in the bathroom.

Ludogorets enjoying their 'crazy' adventure in the big time | Reuters:  Recently third-division Bulgarian side Ludogorets is your new favorite Cinderella story in the Champions League.  They may very well advance out of the same group as Real Madrid and Liverpool (because, oh god, don't get me started on Liverpool).  Real Madrid's stadium holds more people than the population of Ludogorets' hometown.

FIFA's Latest World Cup Controversy: The Weather - The Atlantic:  Qatar 2022 is such a disaster.  Games will start at 1 a.m. local time.  Qatar's version of Mr. Burns will block the blazing sun.  It would be funny if people weren't DYING.

Next Women's World Cup a big chance for US soccer - Newsday:  Meanwhile, the Women's World Cup promises to rev up interest in women's soccer here in the US, what with salacious controversies (Hope Solo, turf war, etc.) and favorable time zones for American television viewers.

Russia has no major racism problem, says minister - USA Today:  Here's the problem, Vitaly.  You do have a major racism problem.  It's not just that you've got racist morons in your stands, known for their monkey chants and banana throwing at South American and African players.  I grant you that you can hear and see similar stupidity in places like Spain and Italy and pretty much all of Eastern Europe.  It's that your clubs only seem to take it seriously when it hits their bottom line.  It's that you punish African stars who give your racist fan base the middle finger.  It's that your sports leaders can't seem to help themselves but display the same level of debasement as your most ignorant hooligans.  It's that you've got major television personalities making light of the problem by suggesting that it's all too much political correctness and that soon Russians will have to refer to black coffee as "African-American coffee."  It's that the woman you chose to light the Olympic flame in Sochi tweets racist, doctored photos of the US President.  Russia has a major racism problem.  There's at least one organization trying to do something about it, though I doubt their Zombie Nazi ad will ever air on Russian TV.  And that's the end of my rant.

In anticipation of Halloween week next week, your Friday Freedom Kick treat is this creepy one-minute long film.

Rant away.