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Last night was Halloween, and the storms held off just long enough for people to come through. By far the best costume I saw: a girl wearing a box made to look like the Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo. It had a clear windshield so you could see her shirt, which had Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, Velma, and Fred.
Let’s get to the soccer:
Nick DeLeon is finally showing everyone what he can do | SB Nation
I remain frustrated that D.C. United’s season ended the way it did, but if anyone else was going to emerge out of the East, I’m glad it’s Nick DeLeon and Toronto FC.
USMNT calls in 20 domestic players for Nations League pre-camp | Stars and Stripes FC
After a colossal failure in Canada, Gregg Berhalter has assembled a group of MLS-based players whose seasons have ended to work out for a week before determining his full squad for the next two Nations League matches. Paul Arriola is in, but somehow, Bill Hamid remains out.
And by “somehow,” I of course mean “due to bad talent evaluation.”
Four Washington Spirit players make Vlatko Andonovski’s first USWNT roster | Black and Red United
At least one of our national teams can assemble a reasonable roster. Vlatko Andonovski’s first squad is missing some big names, but more relevant to our concerns, it includes Aubrey Bledsoe, Rose Lavelle, Mallory Pugh, and Andi Sullivan. Here’s hoping all four Washington Spirit players get a chance in the upcoming friendlies against Sweden and Costa Rica.
The women’s World Cup bump was actually real | SB Nation
I can tell you from being down in North Carolina this past weekend that the rumors flying about a more aggressive, less spendthrift version of the NWSL are far from flimsy. There are plenty of good quotes in here from Spirit owner Steve Baldwin, who has been bullish about the league’s prospects since getting involved this past offseason.
Speaking of which, the Spirit have 2 open international roster spots. Given the ambitious talk here, don’t be surprised to hear about some of the big names in international woso being linked with a move to Washington.
An inside look at why billionaires buy into money-losing Major League Soccer (hint: It’s not really losing money) | The Athletic
You’ve probably seen a breakdown of how MLS is a money-maker for owners due to SUM’s success and the league’s value in terms of real estate. But, this one is more extensive than just about any other that I can recall, and it’s got some United-specific notes to boot.
Fire Front Office Moves To Undermine Section 8, Launch Corporate Takeover Of Supporter Culture | Hot Time in Old Town
So much for the good vibes in Chicago.
What (else) an MLS Cup win would mean for Michael Bradley | MLSsoccer.com
Looks like someone has a few million bucks riding on MLS Cup’s outcome.
Oscar Pareja Emerges as Favorite for Vacant Orlando City Head Coach Position | The Mane Land
Oscar Pareja, who is still currently the head coach of Club Tijuana in Liga MX, should probably look for an organization that isn’t constantly in turmoil due to mismanagement.
But, that’s not gonna stop Orlando City from making him an offer, I suppose.
Every animal face-off in the BBC’s new nature documentary, rated | SB Nation
A foolproof evaluation of whether these animals are involved in sports.
That’s all the links I have for you, so I will shut up and let you get to whatever it is you’ve got today. Have a good weekend!