Pulisic draws third red in two weeks, NWSL tv series announced, and more: Friday Freedom Kicks
Happy Friday! It’s looking like another busy weekend. The USL Championship season kicks off, and the USWNT face Brazil in the W Gold Cup final on Sunday (although I’ll be trying to find a screen to watch it from at a friend’s annual Oscars party).
Pulisic draws yet another red card, scores in Europa League win vs. Slavia Prague (Pro Soccer Wire)
This is his third red drawn in two matches. What a skill to have! I’d like if he could teach it to Trinity Rodman.
“Vanderpump Rules” Producer Alex Baskin, Tech Mogul Alexis Ohanian, Soccer Star Midge Purce Launch Reality Series “The Offseason” (Variety)
I’m looking forward to checking out this show, which sounds like it will be “Drive to Survive” meets an actual enjoyable reality show. The cast includes creator Midge Purce, Maria Sanchez, Lo’eau LaBonta, Michelle Alozie, Taylor Smith, Nikki Stanton, Ally Watt, Taryn Torres, Paige Nielsen and Ify Onumonu.
Ranking USL Championship kits: Oakland Roots SC knock it out of the park; New Mexico United show out in style (CBS Sports)
Some good-looking kits in here!
Tailgating will be prohibited at Kansas City Current games this season (KMBC News)
The Current are trying really hard to fumble the opening of their new stadium. First, they announce on-site parking will be $50 per match (I know, but at least we have public transportation nearby), and now this.
Virginia budget bill leaves out governor’s $2 billion deal to lure NBA and NHL teams from Washington (WTOP)
Not a soccer story, but I thought this might be of interest to some. Ted Leonsis’s plan to move the Capitals and Wizards to Virginia hit a major roadblock, as it turns out Virginia also doesn’t want to pay for him.
Now, our schedule of sports for the weekend, which I would like some feedback on. Last year, I included D.C. United, Washington Spirit, Loudoun United FC, and Old Glory DC in my Friday schedules. Is there anyone else you all would like to see? Other area soccer teams? D.C. Commanders since they play at Audi Field (a.k.a. the Old Glory DC reasoning)?
| Teams | When | Where | Watch |
| Loudoun United FC vs. San Antonio FC | Sat., Mar. 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET | San Antonio, TX | ESPN+ |
| D.C. United vs. FC Cincinnati | Sun., Mar 10 at 3 p.m. ET | Cincinnati, OH | Apple TV |
As you can see, both D.C. United and Loudoun United play away this weekend. D.C. did announce some local festivities, though.
For the schedule– Annapolis Blues
I’m really interested in taking my four year old to a Blues game for his first pro soccer experience. Kind of ease into the Audi experience.
If the Annapolis Blues are covered, we should also cover their NPSL Mid-Atlantic Conference Rivals: Alexandria Reds (Alexandria, VA), Alexandria Rough Diamonds (Alexandria, VA), FC Frederick (Frederick, MD), Northern Virginia United FC (Leesburg, VA), and Virginia Dream FC (Falls Church, VA). There are 3 other teams in the conference Greenville United SC (Greenville, NC), Grove Soccer United (Glen Allen, VA (Richmond Area)), and Virginia Beach City FC (Norfolk, VA).
I have a question for those who have watched United games delayed on Apple TV- how do you do it? I have a social thing that means I won’t get home till around 5 PM that day, maybe later, so I’m curious mechanically about how to do it.
Bonus points if there’s a way to do it without spoilers (seeing the score on the site)
I watch on delay frequently, as recently as this past Sunday morning.
First, in advance dig into the settings within Apple TV+ and hit the toggle to not “show sports scores” to prevent spoilers on screen.
Second, also in advance, select the DCU game from the live schedule row and then either scroll down/hit info on your remote while on the game screen to “add to up next”. This ought to get the game at the top of the MLS Season Pass screen afterwards so you don’t have to scroll past all the goal highlights, etc to get down to the “played matches” row.
When it comes time to watch, choose the DCU game but note that it will default to a ~five minute recap. So to watch the whole thing, either hit info on your remote/scroll down and choose the “full replay” viewing option.
They don’t make it easy, but after you do it once, it’s no big deal.
disclaimer: I use the Apple TV+ app on a Comcast box. The particular buttons on a remote may vary.
This is exactly the info I needed, gracias!
Yes, on adding DC Commanders to the schedule.
In a rematch of last season’s MLR Eastern Conference Final, Old Glory DC (OGDC) visits the New England Free Jacks in the confines of Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy, MA (aka Fort Quincy) at 2 PM ET.
OGDC has lost every away match against New England. During the regular season they’ve lost 38-34 (2021 Season at Union Point Sports Complex in Weymouth, MA), 26-20 (2022 Season at Fort Quincy), 34-31 (2023 Regular Season at Fort Quincy), and 25-7 (2023 Eastern Conference Final at Fort Quincy). Both games in the 2020 season were cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. OGDC’s 2 wins against New England were the 2021 home match at Segra 35-22 and a 27-22 victory in a 2022 Preseason Exhibition Game played at the St. James Sports Complex in Springfield, VA. All time OGDC are 2W-6L-0D against the New England Free Jacks.
The Guardian’s Ryan Baldi leans into MLS’s weather extremes being one of the things that makes the league interesting to watch.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/mar/06/mls-schedule-lafc-real-salt-lake-snow-blizzard-la
Those are really awesome kits coming out of the USL…their jersey game is better than most of the MLS.
Agreed. Loudoun got deserved props. Orange County is hilarious.
BTW, the shirt sponsor for New Mexico United (first jersey reviewed) is Sandia Resort & Casino, owned and built on Sandia Pueblo land on Albuquerque’s northeast border and abutting the Sandia Mountains foothills. A very large, adobe-style structure, the hotel and casino is the most spectacular public building in New Mexico in my judgment.
Also, FWIW, in the background of the jersey photo are the Sandia Mountains where, initiated under my leadership as mayor, the city government bought the 8,000 acre Elena Gallegos grant (two miles wide from the foothills to the crest at 10,600 feet).
As a result, Albuquerque is the only city in America where, when you step across the eastern city limits, you literally step into a designated national wilderness.
While on the western edge, stepping across the city limits, you enter Petroglyphs National Monument and city-owned 4,000 acres of open space around five extinct (one hopes) volcanic cones which acreage the city also purchased under my mayoralty.
Both of which were key to executing my vision that Albuquerque would forever be “a civilized island amidst a sea of nature.”
My company’s conference is in Albuquerque next year. I’m excited to visit there for the first time!
Brendan
Email me at davidrusk1020@gmail.com and I’ll send some suggestions on what you should do and see in Albuquerque.
Several years ago I visited for the balloon festival knowing nothing else about the city; Sandia and the petroglyphs were very pleasant surprises, and made Albuquerque stand out from the run of the mill. I applaud the foresight involved in securing control over these spaces… so many urban areas haven taken their local geography for granted over the decades and subsumed the good parts under pavement.
Thanks, Stunned Duck. Over the years Albuquerque taxpayers have approved over $170 million to buy 20,000+ acres of open space 1) to prevent paving over, and 2) to maintain touch with nature. Other significant acquisitions have been in the bosque of the Rio Grande.
Btw, did everyone see the news that the VA government basically refused to pay for Youngkin and Leonsis’ deal to move the wizards and capitals to out of DC?
Think it’s great, personally
Well, Lucas (Senate budget committee) simply left it out of the senate budget. There’s nothing for Youngkin to sign. There are other avenues Youngkin can play (I really don’t care one way or the other, but I’d hate to see the venue in Chinatown go to waste.
Theodur (Lord of the Rings): “How did it come to this?”
It’s a messy situation. Politics, greed, vision….all wrapped up in a flavorless burrito.
The other avenues likely involve (checks notes) rich people paying for it instead of the taxpayers. That’s a death sentence for most deals.
And btw, just to be clear, I meant the news is great that the deal fell through.
You are not alone in that regard. If the move was never mentioned, I would never have thought of it. I’d like DC to get back on its feet in Chinatown, more than adding to the bloat of Northern Virginia (my hometown, Arlington). Candace Buckner (WashPost) wrote a scathing article the other day in the sports section, check it out.
Re: Gov. Youngkin stealing the Caps and Wizards:
Virginia killing stadium deals has a decades long history. Jack Kent Cooke tried to build what is now FedEx Field at Potomac Yards in the mid 1990’s. It failed for pretty much the same reason: sticker shock by the rest of the state.
Virginia has to issue the infrastructure bonds out of the general budget. It eats up bonding authority that would normally go to routine state capital improvements or maintenance.
That is different from Maryland and the District which both have special agencies with bonding authority that is separated from the normal budget as long as they are repaid from taxes on events at the stadium.
Youngkin and Leonsis did not do their homework. The sooner Leonsis sells the teams and moves away, the better off we will be.
Those teams should be downtown just like the Nate and DC United should be in a close in neighborhood on the Metro.
Tbh, as a Marylander, I’m a little indifferent. I don’t go to more than a game a year, so I’m not the audience, either. Potomac Yards isn’t exactly far out — It’s not like the phone booth was a great concert venue, but hard to replace its size. I imagine those concerts would migrate there too. I guess I wonder if the arena was no longer sustainable, would that be a net negative or net positive for DC? Depends on what would replace it. That said, it feels like the city would be better symbolically, but I’m not sure that getting those clubs back from Landover did all that much for the city. I guess it was fun when the Caps did their Cup run, but the Wizards haven’t made a dent in DMV life. Not even when they had Michael. Might that change someday?
One issue I have with the place is the seats seem far away from the action. Do other arenas provide better views?
Actually, speaking of being a Marylander, I am a Virginian, and I like the central location at the heart off metro lines for both groups of fans to enjoy (and DC fans of course). I think the Virginia plan would have been hard on Marylanders.
All the DC teams should be downtown and that includes Old Glory DC! Hell I’d love if OGDC could somehow play games at Buzzard Point.
Not only do I value your rugby reports but also you know the soccer gods-given name for our stadium. The
Claudia Pagan sits down with Aaron Herrera in this week’s episode of “Inside DCU, presented by Audi”: https://youtu.be/eWSJcfSc-nw?si=HUJIE-_U85fJfJko