Okay, here we go:
1. Get in the spirit of the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday with U.S. head coach Pia Sundage singing to reporters in Germany:
</p> <p>2. On a conference call Thursday with Sundhage and a bunch of U.S. players, I asked <b>Abby Wambach </b>if she’d spared a moment of nostalgia for the Washington Freedom after she and former teammates <b>Sonia Bompastor</b> (France) and <b>Homare Sawa </b>(Japan) all scored for their national teams – former Freedom defender <b>Becky Sauerbrunn </b>also made her World Cup debut.</p> <p>”It bodes well for <b>Jim Gabarra</b>, choosing the three of us to be on the same team, no?” Wambach said. “Sawa and Sonia are both friends of mine. I couldn’t be prouder of Sawa for literally putting her team on her back and carrying them to the final. Sonia, man, she is a very, very skillful left back, one of the best in the world, and I know she’s very proud to have gotten than one goal, especially against the U.S.”</p> <p>3. I can’t imagine that D.C. United’s starting lineup is quite ready to change against FC Dallas tomorrow night. Defenders <b>Dejan Jakovic </b>and <b>Marc Burch </b>are both healthy, but are they fit? Are they game sharp? Probably not quite, and given that D.C. has a busy next week in store, with New England visiting on Wednesday, either or both of them could make their returns to the field against the Revolution.</p> <p>4. Was that <b>Conor Shanosky</b> I spied in a <a href=”http://twitter.com/#%21/CharlieDavies9/status/91925219425533952″>photo tweeted by <b>Charlie Davies</b></a>? The youngster making the travel roster, eh?</p> <p>5. <b>Richie Williams</b> will be added to D.C. United’s hall of tradition when D.C. hosts Portland on Aug. 27. Absolutely appropriate, even if he’s not exactly universally loved as a player or a coach.</p> <p>6. D.C. United goalkeeper turned Georgetown volunteer assistant <b>Andrew Quinn</b> has moved permanently into the coaching ranks, taking an assistant position at Harvard and leaving behind his playing days, the best of which were at Notre Dame since he never got a chance with D.C., injuring his knee days after signing.</p> <p>7. D.C. academy standouts <b>Jalen Robinson</b> and <b>Marcus Salandy-Defour</b> were named to the U.S. under-18 roster for the Milk Cup, which takes place in Northern Ireland starting late next week. I’ve been hearing about Robinson for ages. <a href=”http://www.ussoccer.com/News/U-18-MNT/2011/07/US-U18-MNT-Roster-Set-for-NI-Milk-Cup.aspx”>Here’s the full roster</a>, which also includes Maryland midfielder <b>Alex Shinsky</b> and a number of rostered MLS players such as 2011 No. 1 overall draft pick <b>Omar Salgado</b>.</p> <p>8. Does Davies merit an MLS All-Star commissioner’s pick? On Saturday at halftime of the Fox Soccer game between Colorado and Seattle, <b>Don Garber</b> will announce his two selections to the team that will face Manchester United on July 27 at Red Bull Arena. <a href=”http://www.mlssoccer.com/all-star/news/article/2011/07/10/red-bulls-galaxy-dominate-mls-all-star-first-xi”>This is the First XI</a>. Keep in mind that New York head coach Hans Backe will fill out the roster with guys that are available and help complete his roster, but Garber sends a message with his picks. For one, it would be a pretty strong message if he didn’t pick Houston midfielder <b>Brad Davis</b>, who leads MLS in assists with nine. As for Davies, there may be as much sentimental pull as anything.</p> <p>9. Davies, of course, leads off this video recapping the first half of the season. (Somehow, <b>Andy Najar’s</b> goal against Philadelphia didn’t make it, though.)</p> <p><iframe width=”640″ height=”390″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/Pvxc-UKtTJ0″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen=””/></p>
