Winners And Losers: USA Versus El Salvador
by Noah Davis (Commentary | Goal.com - February 24)
For many of the almost entirely Major League Soccer-based squad, it was the last chance to impress the U.S. coach in person. Note: For the purposes of this column, players with little to no chance of making the roster won't be including no matter how well (Eddie Gaven and Brad Davis) or poorly (Brad Evans) they played or absent (Marvell Wynne) they were. more details | go to article

MLS Needs To Raise Salary Cap
by Paul James (Commentary | Toronto Globe and Mail - February 22)
The quality of play in MLS is often debated by many of the avid soccer fans in the United States and Canada. While many submit that there is no definitive answer on where MLS would fit into the hierarchy of European leagues, the logical response points directly to the salary structure of the league as a source of objective speculation. more details | go to article

Defender's Blog Leaves Little To The Imagination
by Tyler James (Blog Entry | Columbus Dispatch - February 21)
From flatulence to naked roommates, Crew defender Jed Zayner spares no details of camp life in Bradenton, Fla., on his recently created blog. more details | go to article

Laboring On
by Shawn Mitchell (Article | Columbus Dispatch - February 21)
MLS labor negotiations are scheduled to continue on Monday. The negotiating deadline, twice extended, is Thursday. MLS and union officials have taken their cases public in recent days. Crew keeper William Hesmer, one of the team's union reps, was disillusioned tonight during a phone interview. more details | go to article

Rogers Looking To Impress
by Adam Serrano (Profile/Interview | Soccer By Ives - February 20)
The U.S. Men's National Team is set to head to Florida for its upcoming match against El Salvador, where the focus will be on reviewing the domestic players who expect to be contenders for World Cup roster slots in June. With the club traveling to Central Florida on Sunday,those who find themselves on the bubble are looking to make their case known to Head Coach Bob Bradley. more details | go to article

Holden On For A Chance
by Andrea Canales (Profile/Interview | Goal.com - February 19)
Stuart Holden was progressing nicely in Major League Soccer, but now he must find out, with a World Cup spot at stake, if the leap to England's Premier League was a bridge too far. more details | go to article

Domestic Yanks Get Last Chance To Impress
by Ives Galarcep (Preview | Fox Sports World - February 18)
What is the point? That was a common question asked when the U.S. national team first scheduled its February friendly against El Salvador. more details | go to article

Who Should The USA Start vs. El Salvador?
by Ives Galarcep (Preview | Soccer By Ives - February 18)
The U.S. men's national team will play its second match of 2010 in less than a week against El Salvador, and while the match is carrying much less buzz than future matches against the Netherlands, Turkey and the Czech Republic, it is important in its own right. more details | go to article

Rate A Player, World Cup Chances
by Luis Bueno, Andrea Canales, Shane Evans, Allen Ramsey and Zac Lee Rigg (Analysis | Goal.com - February 9)
The Goal.com North America editors are back to hash things out regarding the Everton-Liverpool derby and whose chances are improving or not to go to South Africa 2010. more details | go to article

Nowak Takes First Steps To Form Union
by Kyle McCarthy (Analysis | Goal.com - December 14)
While most teams around MLS are trying to rearrange their personnel for next season, Philadelphia is still in the process of filling out its roster. Kyle McCarthy chats with Union head coach Peter Nowak to see how the process is going. more details | go to article

On The Bubble Part II
by Kenya Brown (Analysis | Yanks Abroad - December 10)
Last time out, I analyzed the chances of current, former and potential players for the US national team as we approach the 2010 World Cup. This week let's look at the other half of the group. more details | go to article

Ultimate XI: 2009 M.L.S. All-Ugly Team
by Shep Messing (Blog Entry | New York Times - July 8)
The challenge in selecting this team was simply settling on a (generally) inoffensive definition of ugly. To be fair to the numerous candidates and also to be politically correct, consider this from Webster’s: “The history, development and origin of the word Ugly: Middle English, from Old Norse uggligr, from uggr fear; akin to Old Norse ugga to fear … 13th century.” more details | go to article

Surrounded By Young U.S. Players, Veteran Hopes To Be Noticed
by Jack Bell (Profile/Interview | New York Times - July 7)
The e-mail message from United States defender Jimmy Conrad arrived early Sunday. “See, I know what I’m talking about,” Conrad wrote. Also: Red Bulls update. more details | go to article

Gold Cup: Quick Turnaround For The U.S.
by Jack Bell (Profile/Interview | New York Times - July 3)
The United States may be using a B-team for the Concacaf Gold Cup, but for the confident and jocular defender Jimmy Conrad, whose movie tastes are more A-list, something like “The Big Lebowski,” it’s about being “as handsome as possible.” more details | go to article

US Sets 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup Roster
by Dylan Butler (Article | Major League Soccer - June 25)
Fifteen Major League Soccer players, including six who are looking to make their full United States national team debuts, highlight Bob Bradley's 23-man roster for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. more details | go to article