After a pandemic of ties in Major League Soccer in recent weeks, only two of this weekend’s seven games to this point (Dallas and Chicago play in a few minutes) ended up in a draw. But the disease still has lingering negative effects on MLSNet.com headline writers:

Last night’s draw was not, in fact, the Galaxy’s “ninth straight,” nor their tenth of the MLS season. It was their fifth straight (they won on May 2 at home against New York) and their ninth in the league. Their US Open Cup play-in loss to Colorado (in penalties) on April 7 officially goes down as a draw (I don’t know where it goes down – in the MLS US Open Cup Play-in Games Record Book, I guess).

LA is 1-1-9 on the season. .500, yes? A big improvement from 2008, when they went 8-13-9 and missed the playoffs (again).

Shep Messing is our guest on the latest episode of Four At The Back (sorry it took an extra day to get it online – but, hey, you’re not paying for it, so simmer down). We also discuss the US National Team’s upcoming busy summer and ask what can be done about the US Open Cup?

Shep shares his insight on this year’s New York Red Bulls team, the sad history of MLS’ New Jersey/New York franchise and the glory days of the Cosmos in Episode 9.

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Man, I’ve really been remiss in blogging lately. Sorry.

But these things caught my eye this morning:

• Huh. Didn’t see this coming.
• This podcast with Adam Carolla and David Alan Grier had me laughing hysterically on the commute in this morning. YMMV.
• It’s going to take an extra day to get the latest Four At The Back online. So much good stuff with our great guest, Shep Messing. Look for it tomorrow.
• Ewwww.
• Highlights of last night’s terrific game between the Chicago Fire and Chivas USA. Seemed like a harsh penalty call at the end.
• Happy Trails to my man David Deal, who leaves the Philadelphia KiXX today. Good man. Good luck.

Sick of team handball yet? Check out this goal from Chicago’s Jolanta Kunickite in the women’s gold medal game of the 2009 USA Team Handball Club National Championships. She was the tournament’s leading scorer – not surprising, given all the ways she can score.

Finally! Highlights from the men’s gold medal match at the 2009 USA Team Handball Club National Championships two weeks ago in Elgin, Ill. Handball is fun. I’ll put highlights of the women’s final up as soon as I get them compiled.

I saw Terminator Salvation today (okay, but McG is a bit full of himself), and trailers for these two films caught my eye: District 9 and Surrogates. They look interesting.

The Steven Cohen affair, ties in Major League Soccer, proFANity in the stands and an NASL reunion are the topics Dan Loney and I cover on the 8th episode of Four At The Back.

In honor of the season finale of American Idol, we even ran a little long this week. Sorry about that.

Notes to amplify the topics, and a place to leave your comments follow after the jump.

(more…)

…that if we’re going to get all up in arms about performance-enhancing things, shouldn’t we get up in arms about poker players wearing sunglasses or otherwise hiding their expressions during high-stakes televised poker games?

Isn’t part of the deal if you’re a poker player that you’re supposed to be able to cultivate…oh, what’s the phrase?…a poker face? Isn’t that a big part of a player’s success or failure?

Watching other people play cards on television is bad enough. Having them turn themselves into robots removes part of the human, emotional element of any competition.

From: Mr. Lawal Olu
Treasury Dept Bank of Ghana

Dear Sir,

I know this letter will come to you as a surprise because you do not know me before; my name is Mr. Lawal Olu, Treasury Dept Bank of Ghana.

During the airlift of some presidential luggage’s to Europe I and my colleagues in the above department unanimously decided to include additional luggage containing US$4.8Million only for our own benefit though it was labeled “Photographic Equipment” for security reasons. I am obliged to contact you to assist us on getting the luggage cleared from the agent and delivered to you. As we have agreed on the following tames.

(1) All relevant documents to claim the luggage will be procure in your name to enable the agent deliver the luggage to your mailing address.

(2) You will be entitled to a share of 25% of the total amount.

(3) 5% of the total amount will be set aside for expenses on both sides.

(4) 70% of the total amount will be for my colleagues and me.

If this business terms and conditions are ok by you, kindly contact me on this mail address, also, furnish me with your full names, mailing address and your personal telephone / fax numbers, for easier communication for immediate forwarding to the agent in Europe.

Note that this business is 100% risk free, as all relevant documents to back up the claim will be procure on your name, however we advice you to keep the entire transaction close to yourself until you received the luggage. For security reasons other modalities will be discussed as soon as you response to me.

Yours Faithfully

Mr. Lawal Olu

Don’t laugh. Lots of people fall for this crap every day.

The marsupials who produce American Idol gave themselves an extra seven minutes by design last night, and used it all in a finale that had something for everyone – assuming everyone is old like me.

KISS? Seriously? Rod Stewart? Lionel Ritchie? What, Hall & Oates weren’t available?

Don’t get me wrong – KISS was entertaining (that wasn’t Ace Frehley, though, was it? Pity), the bit with Bikini Girl was classic (if cruel) and I’m always glad when Steve Martin is around, because he won’t be forever.

And, oh, by the way, Kris Allen won. Middle America strikes again.

There’s no question in anyone’s mind, is there, really, that Adam Lambert’s the more talented performer? Maybe the most talented performer the show’s ever had? He’ll go on and have some sort of a career and Kris Allen will go on and have some sort of a career and Megan Joy will not and that’s the way it should be.

So now I’m hooked on the show and I don’t know what that says about me. Someone stop me before I buy tickets to the tour when it comes here.