Total Futbol

Sad day for women's soccer..

Women’s Professional Soccer suspends 2012 season amid legal dispute with ousted owner

By Associated Press, Updated: Monday, January 30, 12:39 PM

SAN FRANCISCO — Women’s Professional Soccer won’t play the 2012 season amid a legal dispute with an ousted owner.

The league’s Board of Governors voted Monday to suspend the season with hopes of resuming in 2013, the WPS announced.

In October, it terminated its South Florida franchise after clashing with owner Dan Borislow all season. A Florida judge ruled earlier this month that the league failed to follow its own dispute procedures when it terminated the franchise, and another court hearing is set for Wednesday.

WPS CEO Jennifer O’Sullivan said owners chose to cancel the season over possibly working with Borislow in the league again.

“We have diverted so many resources into litigation,” she said. “This is something that needs to be resolved before we can move forward with play.”

Borislow purchased the former Washington Freedom before last season and moved the club to South Florida, renaming it for a telephone call device he invented. The magicJack franchise was repeatedly disciplined during the season for not meeting league standards. In August, after Borislow filed suit against the WPS, the league released a statement accusing him of violations ranging from “unprofessional and disparaging treatment of his players to failure to pay his bills.”

The league has played three seasons. It needed a waiver from the U.S. Soccer Federation to be sanctioned as a first-division league in 2012 with only five teams, below the required eight. In the deal with the governing body in December, WPS agreed to increase the number of teams to a minimum of six for 2013 and at least eight for 2014.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

Dempsey or Donovan? You make the call

Beckham bares almost all for Super Bowl ad

Women who don't follow the NFL and dread Super Bowl Sunday now have a reason to watch.

There is always much hubbub about Super Bowl commercials, and no doubt, Becks' H&M ads will be in the discussion.

Speaking of Beckham, he announced that he is staying in MLS with the LA Galaxy rather than going back to Europe, as most fans thought he would. What do you think of that news? Share your views.

Duke's Wenger No. 1 MLS pick

MLS Draft...Top 20 picks.

1. Andrew Wenger, Duke, D. Montreal

2. Darren Mattocks, Akron, F. Vancouver

3. Kelyn Rowe, UCLA, M. Revolution

4. Luis Silva, UC-Santa Barbara, M. Toronto.

5. Casey Townsend, Maryland, F. Chivas

6. Sam Garza, UC-Santa Barbara, F, San Jose.

7. Nick DeLeon, Louisville, M, DC United

8. Andrew Jean-Baptiste, UConn, D. Portland

9. Austin Berry, Louisville, D, Chicago

10. Ethan Finlay, Creighton, F. Columbus Crew.

11. Matt Hedges, NC, D, Dallas

12. Aaron Maund, Notre Dame, Toronto

13. Chandler Hoffman, UCLA, F. Philadelphia

14. Tony Cascio, UConn, M. Colorado

15. Andrew Duran, Creighton, D. Seattle

16. Dom Dwyer, USF, F. Sporting FC

17. Enzo Martinez, NC, MF. Real Salt Lake

18. Colin Rolfe, Louisville, F, Houston

19. Tommy Meyer, Indiana, D. LA.

MLS draft TODAY, noon.

OK, so Andrew Luck is not involved and the entire nation isn't buzzing about it, but...

The MLS draft is today at noon, ESPN2.

I'll be updating througout the afternoon. Stay tuned...

Dempsey hat-trick!!!

Clint Dempsey scored the first hat-trick of his career in a 4-0 Fulham win over Charlton in the FA Cup. It was the third hat-trick ever by an American in English soccer.

Here are the details, from AP:

LONDON -- Clint Dempsey scored the first hat trick of his career, Brad Guzan saved a penalty and Landon Donovan had an assist on a successful day for Americans in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Dempsey made it 12 goals for the season by scoring in the eighth and 61st minutes, then converting a penalty kick in the 81st of Fulham's 4-0 win over Charlton, which is top of the third tier in English soccer.

"This game is a roller coaster. Stay strapped in for them ups and downs," Dempsey wrote on Twitter. "But I did put that biscuit in the basket a few times today."

It is believed to be just the third hat trick by an American in a competitive league or FA Cup match for an English club, following John Kerr Jr. for Millwall against Derby in a second-tier league match in August 1994 and Chris Cleary for Worksop against Droylsden in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup in October 2004. There have been additional ones in lesser competitions such as Conference play, the FA Trophy and the League Trophy.

Brad Guzan, still Aston Villa's fill-in at goalkeeper in the absence of the injured Shay Given, saved a stoppage-time penalty from Scott McGleish to help the Premier League team beat Bristol Rovers 3-1 away.

Donovan assisted Johnny Heitinga's fifth-minute goal with a corner and hit the post in the 85th for Everton in its 2-0 win over Tamworth, one of three nonleague teams to be eliminated on Saturday. Donovan was playing his second game in his loan spell at the Liverpool club.

Elsewhere, Blackburn and Wigan -- the Premier League's bottom two clubs -- were the big casualties as world soccer's oldest knockout competition threw up a typically mixed bag of results in the third round.

Must see! Tim Howard scored a goal!

Here's something you don't see every day....US goalkeeper Tim Howard scored a 100-yard goal for Everton, just the fourth goal by a keeper in EPL history (and one of the others was also by an American, Brad Friedel). Check it out!

Beckham may stay in MLS, after all...

Everyone (including me) assumed David Beckham and his celebrity wife were Paris-bound and that a deal with PSG was imminent. Maybe not. Turns out he could be staying with the LA Galaxy. Here's the latest.

Thoughts?

Poll: Best moment of 2011?