Crystal Dunn retires, Apple TV cutting Spanish-language coverage of MLS, and more: Friday Freedom Kicks
It’s Friday! We are still largely snowed in here in DC. I’ve made it out of the house a little bit the past couple of evenings but remain very nervous to move my car. I just know someone is going to try to steal the parking spot we carved out of the ice the first time I try to buy groceries. Do you think people will respect a folding chair? Should I bribe one of the alley cats to guard it?
Crystal Dunn announces retirement from professional soccer (SSFC)
Crystal Dunn is an absolute legend who should go down in history as one of US Soccer’s greatest talents. An attacker who stepped up to become a world-class fullback for the National Team, she made 160(!!) appearances for the U.S. and won a World Cup and Olympic Gold. (Fun fact: the club team for which she made the most appearances was… Washington Spirit!)
D.C. United Signs Swiss Defender Silvan Hefti from Hamburger SV (D.C. United)
Hefti, Hefti, Hefti! (H/T Blasian)
DC Power Football Club Sign Midfielder Justina Gaynor Through 2025/26 (DC Power FC)
DC Power Football Club Sign Forward Hannah Richardson Through 2025/26 (DC Power FC)
DC Power continue their busy midseason break. PJ pointed out they’ve signed four players, parted ways with three, and extended four.
MLS to cut a quarter of Spanish-language broadcast talent on Apple TV, according to sources (The Guardian)
Surely, this is how you grow the game of soccer in America!
International Round Up: How Did The Spirit Players Fare? (The District Press)
PJ looks at what was honestly a very good camp for Spirit players. All five saw plenty of playing time and had some good moments, including a combined three goals and two assists.
Why World Cup teams are setting up base camps in unexpected corners of the U.S. (Yahoo Sports)
A look at how some countries are choosing their home bases for the 2026 World Cup, in particular Germany in Wake Forest and Croatia in Alexandria.
Pochettino on Weah’s critique of World Cup ticket prices: Players should keep focus on the field (The Athletic $)
Of all the “political” things for a player to be criticized for speaking about, high ticket prices feels particularly silly. Why shouldn’t a player care about fans being able to access their own sport? Maybe Poch should take his own advice and focus on the pitch.
Now, for some Friday fun, enjoy this video of Croix and Trin’s dance video being crashed by a surprise guest:
And some more fun because you deserve it: Loudoun United’s beep test reactions:
Dunn had an incredible career. While it’s a shame she is involved with someone who shouldn’t be near the sport, I can’t think of another player who played so many positions at such a high level for so long.
Pochetinno is the one who should’ve STFU, Weah criticizing ticket prices has nothing to do with on-pitch performance and in no way undermines his coaching or authority.
I agree with both observations 100%.
The ticket prices are disgusting, and just like Apple TV’s incomprehensible decision to dial down on Spanish broadcasts, men’s soccer is toying with a cliff.
Just look at the joy that our USWNT brings to game in that video. THAT is what football should be.
Does make you wonder if Poch is just trying to nip in the bud anything remotely close activism amongst the squad.
My general reaction is, fuck that, players should be allowed to speak up, and people are getting hurt and killed defending that right in the streets.
But also, if someone does decide to become more vocal, I do wonder if that creates a rift amongst these young men. Pulisic’s ideology especially has never been explicitly stated, but hints and evidence are a bit eyebrow raising.
Poch, you’re openly daydreaming to the press about rejoining the EPL as a manager of a big club soon.
What the fuck are you talking about?
And Annie, and everyone else, you gotta know it’s lord of the flies out there for clear enough parking spaces.
The only question about the folding chair at a parking space is, does the person looking to park throw it close enough for you to find it, or scoff and say, “free foldable chair.”
Update: I took advantage of my neighbor also being out of their spot, set out a chair, and successfully did a grocery trip without losing my spot! We are back in frozen pizzas over here!
I feel like Annie and I must share a spirit animal, if not a Spirit animal. First, she drops the Hefti, Hefti, Heft reference I’ve been chomping at the bit to make all week .Then, she writes about her concerns about the parking spot.
I may not be unique, but I take a lot of care in my shoveling. Not just the top of the car or the rectangle in which my car sits, and not just the big ice chunks the plows pile up in the road next to the car, but also, trimming corners from the road slop that other drivers in front and behind haven’t touched, so that I can freely enter and exit. Took me 2.5 hours on Sunday, after the football games ended. Then nearly another hour but didn’t finish the walk to my door, because it was already turning into a hopeless chunk of ice.
Years ago during Snowmaggedon, I was in a parking lot, but still spent three days clearing out the snow around my car. One side that first day, then the other side and the back end the next two days. And then I had to go to the store to pick up a prescription and other sundries. Gone less than an hour, but utterly livid to find a car in the parking spot I had probably spent nearly a dozen hours clearing out.
This time, I’ve been loathe to leave home using my car. I did on Wednesday, and put a pair of folding chairs in place. I don’t know if my timing was good, or whether a few drivers respected the effort but the chairs were still there when I returned after 3, racing to catch UCL matches. It should be common decency. Very disappointing that some see it as a Lord of the Flies Hellscape.
Used to live up an Appalachian mountain (Ashby Gap on rt. 50, for anyone who knows), and our “driveway” was over a mile up a gravel road, only most of which was tended by the state of VA (we had about a third of a mile past a gate we had to maintain).
Anyway, the ice storms were the worst of it, way worse than snow. We often parked our cars at the bottom of the driveway near the highway just to be able to walk and get out.
One day, I had to chip my car out of the spot even at the bottom, all I had was basically a cheap metal pole. Got out, came back that evening, someone had parked there. Which the only conceivable reason I could think of was to do a night hike on the Appalachian Trail.
I was incredibly angry
Dunn was an incredible two way attacking player who was marginalized into the left back role, without much in the way of help.
She became a USWNT legend despite that.
Basically could play anywhere in the attack or midfield, as well.
Legend.
Legend. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
I have never been more thankful for a reserved parking spot. Truly it is the Hunger Games this week when it comes to parking.
A little bummed about the Spanish language coverage being reduced. I often watch in Spanish because I just think they’re funnier and have a lot more little tidbits of information to share.
The German base camp in NC literally looks like a castle plucked from Bavaria. Also though they’re shipping in 14 tons of equipment?!
I used to love watching MLS on the Univision channels because the commentary was so much more vibrant (and often just better) than the English channels. Apply to every soccer game in the Americas, actually.
My old roommate, who also spoke Spanish, saw me watching an EPL game one Saturday a few years ago. He said “ugh I hate how dry and boring the English commentators sound! Turn it to the Spanish broadcast!” Ever since then, I’ve always looked for Spanish version broadcast
Loudoun is playing their first pre-season game today against Philly 2, and they’re down 2-0 at halftime, after allowing 2 goals in the first 12 minutes. Not a great look for the new coach/staff/players after last year’s success
Probably shouldn’t have played Philly 2 then, I’d imagine the 1st team’s ability to absolutely thrash us without trying starts there.
Yes, given the current weather, I’m not sure how much cold I’m willing to endure for that season opener. I’ll be numb to the pain?
Is it bad that I’m looking forward to the May 2nd game where LUFC takes on Ryan Martin and Oakland Roots FC at Segra? I want to see if that turns in to the Ryan Martin revenge game.
DC released their official pre-season roster. The only un-signed player listed is Grant Leveille, an Academy GK. Not sure if that means that the draft picks beyond Markovic and Aman have already been cut, or if we’re just not noting them (or any other potential trialists for that matter)
Very disappointed to see that the Spirit don’t seem to have acknowledged Dunn’s retirement in any way. She’s one of the best players in club history. Not sure how many people at the club remember that at this point.