Philadelphia Union’s Maurice Edu Gives Fans Glimpse of MLS Day with Google Glass

For MLS player Maurice Edu, the day begins and ends much in the same way as your day might: brushing your teeth. However, it's that captivating stuff in between that might differ from your daily experience.  For the Win's Nina Mandell spotted this posted video, featuring Edu going about his day and recording it all thanks to the budding technology Google Glass.  As with any day, there is plenty of tedium. However, it's that daily routine that is part of the video's charm, offering what it truly means to see a professional athlete head off to work for the less glamorous part of his life.  This isn't the first time we have seen an athlete don Glass for our benefit, showing up in various videos thanks to former NFL kicker Chris Kluwe.  And it won't be the last.  CNN Money reports Glass was once again put on sale to the masses for a hefty price of $1,500. Now that hardly means the device is about to become as ubiquitous as the smartphone, but it will make videos like this far more prevalent.  For now, the sight of Edu going through his routine is a novelty, what GIF images might have been years ago. Soon, capturing and uploading similar ...

Clint Dempsey’s $6.695 Million Salary Surpasses Entire Payroll of 15 MLS Teams

MLS released its 2014 information on players' salaries on Thursday, which includes a bevy of interesting tidbits, including just how handsomely Clint Dempsey is compensated by the Seattle Sounders.  There is hardly a more shocking fact than the one tweeted out by ESPN's SportsCenter on Thursday, illustrating just how wide the chasm remains between the sport's haves and have-nots:  Although, that is just a tad misleading, because MLS is most certainly growing.  ESPN FC's full report cites a list released by MLS, listing the salaries of each of its athletes. The report reminds that the sport maintains three designated-player spots for each team that allow an organization to bring in top-tier talent that might warrant compensation that falls outside the salary cap.  The most recent examples all fill the top of the 2014 heap:  Toronto made a splash this offseason by bringing in U.S. national team midfielder Michael Bradley from Roma and England veteran Jermain Defoe from Tottenham Hotspur. The duo are the league's highest-paid players after Dempsey, with Bradley earning $6.5 million while Defoe pulls in $6.18 million. It's important to note Bradley remains the top earner as it pertains to base salary, earning $6 million with Toronto FC—the discrepancy for which is due to, "bonuses for signing, marketing ...

Meet ‘Bitchy the Hawk,’ Toronto FC Mascot Who Scares off Seagulls

BMO Field is well taken care of.  Toronto FC's official website introduces the world to a hawk that fans of the club are already familiar with.  Enter parabuteo unicinctus, or as she is more commonly known—Bitchy the Harris Hawk. This bird of prey has a 1.2 metre wingspan and strikes fear in the eyes of seagulls (as well as rabbits, rodents, lizards and possibly visiting teams). She will be watching over the club at all TFC home games. A sports team adopting a mascot is nothing new. From the very real to the insanely fake, teams run mascots onto the field in every sport.  From Georgia's UGA bulldog to the Washington Huskies' adorable Dubs, we simply can't get enough of animals in the sports world.  So we assume Bitchy here will be an MLS star shortly.  As to how and why a hawk becomes the official mascot of a soccer side, the website has us covered. It seems she came to the team in 2012 and the club then ran a "Name the Hawk" promotion.  In the end, the fans decided to maintain her original name. We can't say they were wrong in doing so, because that is as catchy as any other mascot's name. It also means we have ...

Images of New York City FC Pier 40 Stadium Are Too Good to Be True

Fans of soccer stadiums or just beautiful locales will absolutely love leaked renderings of the Pier 40 stadium supposedly made for the future New York City FC.  Unfortunately, it seems the brilliant images of a possible stadium will have to remain fictional for the time being.  Jake O'Donnell of Sports Grid spotted the following leaked renderings originally posted over at Reddit. Take just a moment and imagine the pure magnificence that would come with watching a fixture on Pier 40.  Back in May, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber announced New York would be getting a new team—a franchise born from the partnership between powerhouses Manchester City and MLB's New York Yankees.  At the time, Garber stated the club would play in a temporary locale for its inaugural 2015 season, leaving fans to guess where a permanent home might present itself.  It seems fairly obvious that any stadium sitting along the pier would be amazing for sports fans living in Manhattan.  In fact, you might offer that such fanciful arenas would rest comfortably in the land of "too good to be true." If you believe some of the things being offered in the Reddit comments section, it is.  The following quotes come from Reddit user, RemyDWD, who writes, "I'm a soccer writer in NYC. Been ...

Timbers Game Against Green Machine Features Game-Winning Goal by Cancer Patient

Amid a raucous crowd chanting his name, eight-year-old cancer patient Atticus Lane-Dupre became his team's hero, scoring the winning goal against the formidable Portland Timbers.Deadspin spotted the wonderful moment brought to fans by the MLS side and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which gave one little boy his dream of winning the big game in front of thousands of cheering fans.From the 3,000 people who showed up to watch a friendly between a professional team and a group of kids, to the Timbers, who made the game exciting and competitive, so much wonderful is packed into this short video.Oregon Live has more details on the game, which was as lively as any MLS Cup match. It all went down Wednesday, May 1, at Jeld-Wen Field.The game took place at 11:30 a.m., which, as the report hints, was the perfect excuse for locals to take an extended lunch break.It seems like thousands of Portland faithful got the memo, because they not only showed up for a free game but delivered an epic atmosphere. I dare you not to crack a smile once the crowd chants "Atticus" at the 1:23 mark.Speaking of atmosphere, take in every second of this Vine post from the team. The North End is cheering for #GreenMachine #TimbersWish vine.co/v/bQZEiHa9Hvm— Portland Timbers ...

LA Galaxy Star David Beckham Gets Sculpted with H&M Sexy Statue Release

David Beckham as a chiseled Adonis gets a whole new meaning, as H&M stores will adorn their locales with sexy statues of Mr. Posh Spice. Men, you should probably expect to get dragged to an H&M at some point soon, because the David Beckham statues will attract your better halves like In-N-Outs and Fatburgers attract yours truly. Consider them something of a spiritual journey for the Beckham lover in your household. Yahoo Sports (h/t BuzzFeed) reports the Becks lookalikes were first spotted at the Regent Street store in London. From there, men across the world will get firsthand knowledge of what a man looks like. Whatever. Not seeing the difference between my sexy body in tighty whities and the Galaxy star midfielder's. Sure, he may have less in some places and more in others, but whatevs. If I run, do I not wheeze? If I kick a ball, does it not sputter a few yards before coming to a stop?Oh, I get it. For those interested in the human form without the complement of love handles or mustard stains, Glamour reports the 11-foot statues will get face time in these locations: New York City: South Street SeaportFlatIron, 5th Avenue & 23rd StreetFifth Avenue between 58th Street & 59th StreetH&M Store at Lexington Avenue & 59th ...

MLS Draft 2012: Budding League Still Figuring out Fine Art of Drafting

Every professional sports league would love to find out the secret to amateur draft success. MLS is starting to realize that the non-exact science can be quite frustrating.Every draft is rife with landmines, and the MLS SuperDraft on Thursday is no exception. For every superstar that gets picked late, there are those Ryan Leaf and Sam Bowie pratfalls that malign just about every sport. Steven Goff of The Washington Post highlights this issue, as most first overall picks in MLS have their careers overshadowed by later draft selections. This is an issue that expansion team the Montreal Impact hope to skirt. This is a deep draft with a ton of midfielders and forwards to be had. If defense is what you crave, you may want to target one of the few great center backs around early. What this crop lacks, however, is a few superstars that will infuse this league from the moment they hit the pitch. That is not to say that there isn't a presumed first overall pick. Many believe that Darren Mattocks from the University of Akron is the no-brainer selection. That leaves a great deal of wealth to be had for those who want some playmakers in the middle. Luis Silva is one name ...