Offseason Decisions, Loudoun Establish USL2 team, FIFA Book The Village People, and More: Wednesday Freedom Kicks
At the top, I just wanted to express my hope that everyone had a good Thanksgiving experience last week! My own was a great meal with people I like and didn’t have to worry about, but sandwiching the experience were two incredibly bad road trips. Leaving, 80 miles of 270 and 70 combined allowed me forward progress only in the most technical sense. The return trip featured the revelation that the GPS app, Waze, does not have any programming regarding horrible road conditions caused by, say, incredibly dangerous icy conditions on mountain roads. My car and I survived the experience, but, I’m not driving anywhere significantly far for a WHILE.
Christian Benteke announces he’s leaving D.C. United– The Athletic
This has been known for a few days now, but if you want to read behind a paywall about the Belgian striker’s departure, here is your link. He will be missed, and the lack of fallout from his camp proves he’s such a stone pro, which makes it feel maybe even more unfortunate to lose his character from the district.
Spirit name Carter to head ops; Trinity Rodman ‘top priority’– ESPN
While United is busy figuring out who their next star(s) will be, The Spirit have made a front office move to sign Haley Carter as their new president of soccer operations, a role in keeping with her most recent job description at The Orlando Pride. In normal times, this would be an interesting development that area fans would be curious to see play out over the offseason, but this ain’t no normal time for The Spirit and Michelle Kang. They gotta keep Trin, and that’s gonna be the first labor and thing people howl at Carter to do something about.
And, just as I was about to publish, an update:
Loudoun United FC 2 to join USL League Two in 2026– USL2
While many fans of area soccer will be chagrined that MLS original and initial serial winners, DC United, have not done what a USL club has managed to do at this juncture, I myself am flummoxed that USL2’s website is more structurally sound to include here as a link than the damn official website of Loudoun United. I’ve never once gotten an article to successfully link from that site.
U.S. Soccer Launches Kang Women’s Institute to Transform Health and Performance in the Women’s Game– US Soccer
Michelle Kang is inextricably linking her money with the women’s game in America, and this one is clutch. Hopefully, this benefits professional female soccer players worldwide, as support and understanding of their wellbeing is vital to the industry and it’s participants.
U.S. Soccer officially announces USMNT pre-World Cup friendlies– Stars and Stripes FC
Donald has written up a piece covering the 3 impressive and prestigious footballing programs that the USMNT will face in the runup to hosting the World Cup. Take a look!
She’s a damn icon. Nuff said.
One of these is a very specific inclusion to please someone who will likely be in attendance.
How the U23s can boost USWNT options for World Cup 2027– ESPN
Emma Hayes: It’s always good to have young talent coming through.
(Rest of the world already struggling to keep up even with Triple Espresso out): We’re gonna need you to stop, Emma.
Meet the former footballer behind the choreography of hit show Ted Lasso– FIFPRO
Sometimes, the disappointing termination of a playing career before it has even begun isn’t the end of someone’s impact on the game they love, and how it is presented to the world. Here’s a story that proves it.
Raccoon gets drunk at Ashland ABC store and passes out in bathroom– Axios
And finally, the RFK raccoon seems to have held it together for Benteke’s departure, only to have their resolve crumble at the Loudoun’s USL2 announcement. It’s sad turn for the dedicated United fan, but at least now, they can push off from rock bottom.
That’s all I’ve got! One-up me in the comments, and have a great sporting day!
I’m really excited for the US/Germany game. I remember being in the upper deck at RFK for the Centennial Game and feeling the stadium shake as the Outlaws and other supporters bounced in the stands below. I’m guess Soldier Field is more rigid.
Belgium should be a fun game too. I’m kind of eh about Portugal.
That Germany game was incredible, and really eye-opening (for someone who didn’t grow up in this area when the NFL team played there) of what RFK could REALLY be for soccer games. It made me so mad that the DC United leadership had never come close to capitalizing on that.
I had a blast at that game. I met with the German Ambassador, and he insisted that his staff replace my tall boy Bud Lite with a “Deutsche Bier”. I had several of those. What a nice guy.
Another brilliant RFK memory, or maybe a Raccoon memory….VA ABC….infamy….glory……honor……
Portugal are incredibly talented.
If they would move on from a decreasingly mobile CR7, they’d have a frightening team dynamic.
That doesn’t seem to be a call that’s gonna be made, cuz Ronaldo remains an icon for some of the most annoying people on earth.
Soccer will be better off when he’s not siphoning attention and favouritism from every authority around the world. Same for Neymar in Brazil. Ancelloti will have his hands full deflecting stupid questions when he’s left off the team because he can barely walk without pulling a muscle.
You hit the nail on the head. My issue with Portugal is Ronaldo. As much as he is a transcendent player, the issues around him and how annoying some of his fans are is a deterrent for me.
In his defense (a rarity for me), he has seemingly matured a bit in the last year or so. I still find him comprehensively vain, and his fans are about as annoying as Cowboys fans from Waldorf. (apologies)
I blame DC United’s FO for the failure to relocate RFK refugee racoons to Buzzard Point. Look at the result: a shameful, but “spirited” (see what I did there?), racoon bender driven by crushing emotions over the departure of Benteke.
I grieve for the devastation of RFK, its last tennents, as well as the countless drams of whisky lost on the floor. He should have invited friends……
Props to this intrepid rodent who managed to smash bottles and drink in the contents, apparently without getting glass splinters in feet or tongue. Skillz.
Mad skills
Columbus in for a ride this winter. We’re already depressed so it can hardly get any worse; meanwhile they’ve got to replace one of the best coaches in league history, all of the talent they’ve lost in the last year, and whoever else is departing this off-season. Tall has a lot of work to do.
One could say Issa Tall order to do all of that
Well played sir!