Union

Later today, it is expected that MLS will announce the winners of the the Fair Play Award, for which Sebastien Le Toux is in consideration, and Rookie of the Year, for which Danny Mwanga made the final three. The Soccer By Ives Rookie of the Year Award has been given to the New York Energy Drinks central defender Tim Ream. I think SBI haven’t given a Fair Play Award because no one seems to know what the Fair Play Award means.

Local

The National Soccer Coaches Association of America college rankings are in. Penn moved up one spot to No. 13 while Princeton jumped four spots to No. 16. Penn State break into the Top 25 at No. 22.

MLS

The LA Times says David Beckham “could accomplish a lot by adding an MLS Cup to his resume.”  Uh, like another trophy?  Says Beckham, trying desperately to sound believable but somehow falling short, “Yeah it was great winning FA Cups, Champions League, playing in World Cups, winning [Spanish] La Liga. But now I’m playing in a MLS team and the MLS Cup is the biggest thing in soccer in this country. So it’s an exciting prospect.” An exciting prospect. Yeah.

Supporters groups from Portland, Seattle and Vancouver are working together to increase the allocation of tickets for traveling fans. MLS currently limits traveling supporters ticket allocation to 150, which is pretty ridiculous.

League commissioner Don Garber said on Saturday that the reserve division will be back for the 2011 season. Adopting the voice and intonation of a robot from a 1960s sci fi flick, Garber said, “The reserve league will be back in some form. We are just working out the details. Next Season.” He did not add, “Exterminate! Exterminate!”

The University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport issues grades for the hiring practices of professional sports leagues and on Tuesday, MLS got its grade. The league’s combined race and gender hiring grade was a B-plus, receiving an A for racial hiring, a B-minus for gender hiring. Its lowest grade was an F for general managers, all of whom are white.

So, US Soccer couldn’t reach an agreement with Jurgen Klinsmann, but Toronto FC could? Sports Illustrated confirmed Wednesday that Klinsmann would join the team as a consultant. WTF?!?

It may be based on a faulty Google translation, but the president of the South American football association CONMEBOL just might want MLS teams to play in the Copa Libertadores: “I wanted to make an America’s Cup between all these countries. Make a Libertadores with American teams. The level is rising in American football. The door is open.” Union away fixtures in Argentina? F’ yeah!

Two years after suffering a concussion in an MLS match that has sidelined him ever since, Taylor Twellman will today announce his retirement from the game.

WPS

In yesterday’s roundup we linked to an article suggesting that 2010 league champs FC Gold Pride might not last until the 2011 season. The report also suggests that Washington Freedom, home of star USWNT striker Abby Wambach, is in trouble, although this piece tries to cool the fire. This piece from the Kansas City Star wonders about the survivability of the WPS.

USSF Division 2 Pro League

Puerto Rico Islanders won the USSF 2 league championship on Saturday. They entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.

US

As the first place finisher in Group B of the CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2011 Women’s World Cup, the USWNT knew it would face the loser of the final Group A match between Canada v Mexico in the semifinals.. On Tuesday night, Canada demolished Mexico 3–0, ending Mexico’s eight-game unbeaten streak at home in Women’s World Cup qualifying. The US will play Mexico on Friday, November 5, and the winner will advance to the final and automatically qualify for the World Cup. The loser will play the loser of the other semifinal between Canada v Costa Rica match for a chance to play the fifth place team from Europe for a spot in the World Cup.

Landon Donovan has issued a personal appeal to the Sounders’ Steve Zakuani to join the US national team. Zakuani, who is eligible to play for Congo, England and the US, says he’s already made up his mind and will make an announcement soon.

Elsewhere

Tottenham manager ‘arry Redknapp, that never drying well of quotes, had threatened to stop talking to the press if he was sanctioned by the FA for his comments about referee Mark Clattenburg allowing Nani’s goal to stand in Spurs 2–0 loss to Manchester United on Saturday. Much to the relief of writes about English football writers all around the world, the FA announced on Tuesday that Redknapp would not be punished. The team—and Gareth Bale— celebrated by kicking the bejesus out of Inter in the Champions League.

Redknapp isn’t the only ever-flowing source of quality quotes at Tottenham. When he isn’t being restrained from assaulting a critical supporter, Tottenham defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto is known for speaking his mind. On Saturday, he began a tirade against the prevailing mentality among the Premiership’s top players by calling Wayne Rooney a “prostitute shagger.”  He continued, “We kick a ball around and we earn 100,000, 200,000 or even 300,000 euros a week. We don’t improve the world. It’s not like we invented hot water. We just kick a ball…I’m not in the same world as most of the people in football. I really don’t like this world.” I do not know you, sir, but you appear to be awesome.

Some members of the Ghana national team have complained that they still have not received a promised $50,000 World Cup bonus. The Bank of Ghana says it will not release the payments “in cash as expected of it by the Sports Ministry and players” but will transfer the money to the players bank accounts or by check. You think you have problems?

Today’s Champions League action

3:30pm:  AC Milan v Real Madrid (FSC)
3:30pm:  Chelsea v Spartak Moskva (FSP. Delayed broadcast at 6pm on FSC)
8pm: Shakhtar Donesk v Arsenal (delayed broadcast on FSC)