Monday Freedom Kicks: We're Going Streaking!

Two notes before diving in, my thanks to putting names to faces at the BR&U tailgate meetup Saturday, and your respective better halves as well. And thoughts from the BR&U staff to MLS Commissioner Don Garber as he undergoes treatment for prostate cancer. To borrow a phrase, you got this.

Recaps of the Metros win by us, D.C. United.com, WaPo, D.C. United shows mettle in grinding out win over New York - Goal.com, Ives, Washington Times, District Sports Page. From the either side of the fence, the folks at Once A Metro.

DC United defend misfiring Eddie Johnson despite goalless streak: "He's doing his job and then some" | MLSsoccer.com: Folks getting a little bit antsy about the GAM in the room and his lack of goals. To compensate, let's watch a montage of missed Red Bulls chances from the second half.

RICHMOND 1, CHARLOTTE 2 - Richmond Kickers: Down a level Richmond drops their first game of the year, but Michael Seaton scores again. You know, in case anyone was thinking of a call-up or anything.

2014 MLS Salaries Visualized | Stat Hunting: A visual look at this year's salaries from Steve Hunt of Big D Soccer and The Shin Guardian fame, among others.

MLS, players must work to close salary divide - SBNation.com: Jeremiah Oshan on what MLS' salary gap.

Canadian Soccer News - Jock Math, part II: The fully objective power rankings!: Duane Rollins puts together a pre-Week 5 rankings looking at analytics such as PDO (if you are not familiar with it, more information can be found here).

Sampdoria vs. Inter, final score 0-4: Fights, cards and goals, oh my! - SBNation.com: Inter Milan hops back into fifth into Serie A by thrashing Sampdoria on the road. Headlines started when Sampdoria's Maxi Lopes refused to shake the hand of Inter's Mauro Icardi (Icardi living with Lopes' ex-wife may have something to do with it), then got more festive when Icardi scored and trolled the home fans.

Liverpool vs. Manchester City: Final score 3-2, Reds squeak out a classic - SBNation.com: As a neutral this game had a lot of stuff. As a Liverpool fan it had a lot more.

Diego Costa injury: Atletico Madrid striker stretchered off after hurting leg - SBNation.com: It looked bad when it happened, but it is being downplayed by all involved as a 'wound.'

Fan behavior: the funny (when Manchester United fans cheer, then don't), the touching (when a young boy meets Radamel Falcao) and the ugly (when a fan gets homophobic with another MLS player). Give me more of one and two, and cut the crap out on the third please.

The Untold Story Behind The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle - Sabotage Times Sabotage Times: A really good telling of the story behind The Sex Pistols' film "The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle" which, if you are not familiar, please avail yourself. Additionally, Criterion is dropping Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves on Blu-ray in its proper unedited form. As far as von Trier goes his films have gotten...interesting, but this one remains a personal favorite.

As always, this is your place to discuss what you wish to discuss in and out of Kicks scopes.