Daily news roundups

Thus spake Paul the Octopus

World Cup

Paul the Octopus, who has a 100% record so far for the 2010 World Cup, has picked Spain to win the Final. (You can see the video below. Don’t look into his eyes)

The Golden Ball nominees have been announced: Diego Forlan (URU), Asamoah Gyan (GHA), Andres Iniesta (ESP), Lionel Messi (ARG), Mesut Oezil (GER), Arjen Robben (NED), Bastian Schweinsteiger (GER), Wesley Sneijder (NED), David Villa (ESP), Xavi (ESP). The winner will be announced after the Final on Sunday.

The logo for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was unveiled on Thursday.

What do you call an Englishman at the World Cup final? The referee. (Many thanks to The Fiver.) The World Cup Final will be officiated by ex-constable Howard Webb, known as Baldy to fans of the Premier League. His wife says he can’t even control his own kids, which is OK because professional soccer players never act like a bunch of children.

FIFA says they will make referee changes for the next World Cup. Back on the table for consideration are goal-line technology and using extra officials. Not on the table is introducing “penalty goals.” The Daily News looks at how MLS might become a leader in changes in officiating.

Brazil’s disappointingly early (for some) exit from the World Cup may have been softened by the knowledge that the country will host the next World Cup. Yesterday the new logo for the 2014 World Cup was unveiled.

Union/Independence/Local

If you are going to the Union game against San Jose on Saturday, please note that the start time for the game is now 6pm.

Read the PSP”s preview of the Union v San Jose game here. Pregame starts at 5:30pm on FSC.

Celtic will play the Union on the same day that their new kit, modeled here by Marc-Antoine Fortune, is released.

Green is the color of Celtic in more ways than one. Their new kit, scheduled to launch this Wednesday, the same day they will play the Union in a friendly at PPL Park, is made from recycled plastic bottles.

In more Union friendly news, Manchester United, whose kit (along with Barcelona and Brazil) is also made from recycled plastic bottles, have confirmed that Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Edwin van der Sar, Darren Fletcher and Dimitar Berbatov will be among those participating in the club’s North American tour. Sir Alex Ferguson praised the improvement he sees in the MLS.

Philadelphia Independence striker Amy Rodriguez has been named WPS player of the month for June. She scored five goals and had two assists last month.

The Independence have hired former New York Jets ticket sales specialist Erik Hansen to help improve the club’s disappointing attendance numbers. As reported in All White Kit, while over 6000 came to see the first Independence match, the team hasn’t been able to break the 3000 mark since then and is bottom of the league for attendance.

Drexel University’s women’s soccer team have released their 2010 schedule.

US Soccer

Yesterday we wondered where the new talent for the US national team would come from. This piece looks at US Soccer’s shift in focus to America’s Hispanic players. The Washington Post argues the US will need to better balance younger and older players. Thomas Rongen, head coach of the US U20 squad, talks about what the US needs to do to improve player development.

US sports are mad for statistics. Here’s a look at why performance in soccer is difficult to analyze statistically.

In today’s look at what is being said about soccer in the US, this CNN piece asks if, with the US out, do Americans still care about the World Cup? Meanwhile, this piece from CBS Sports concludes that, thanks to Dancing with the Stars softening the image of mainstream jocks, “it’s a little more acceptable to be elegantly athletic” like a soccer player. Over on ESPNsoccernet, one piece suggests—NEWSFLASH!— soccer is still on the rise in the US, while Patrick Hruby suggest that only one thing needs to be done for America to be completely behind soccer: American’s must embrace divingThe Mercury News disagrees. Here’s what I think: I’ll embrace diving when you can pull the remote from my cold, dead fingers.

Etc.

Here are ten questions with the legendary Eusebio, who has fond memories of playing in the NASL.

Paul the Octopus picks Spain

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