Clint Dempsey Suspended 6 US Open Cup Matches or 2 Years for Red Card

Six days after getting suspended three MLS matches for tearing up the referee's notebook during a U.S. Open Cup match against the Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey was suspended from U.S. Open Cup competition for either six matches or two years. The U.S. Soccer Federation's U.S. Open Cup Adjudication and Discipline Panel has ordered that the exact nature of the U.S. Open Cup ban will be determined according to which of the two punishments is ultimately more severe, per Brian Straus of SI.com. While most would likely agree that Dempsey's conduct on the pitch was improper, FOX Sports' Alexi Lalas questioned the basis of his second suspension: The 32-year-old star's status in international play remains unaffected, as he was named to Team USA's Gold Cup roster and will be permitted to play for the Stars and Stripes this summer. Following the controversial incident, United States head soccer coach Jurgen Klinsmann expressed his intention to discuss what transpired with his captain, according to USSoccer.com: The situation with Clint Dempsey, obviously, is something that I saw basically on the internet. I was in Europe still after our games against Holland and Germany. It's something that nobody wants to see. It's a mistake, and mistakes happen. So, obviously ...

Clint Dempsey Suspended 3 Matches, Fined for Ripping Up Ref’s Notebook

Three days after tearing up a referee's notebook during a U.S. Open Cup match against the Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey was suspended for three matches by MLS on Friday. According to Don Ruiz of the News Tribune, MLS also fined the United States men's national team star an undisclosed amount. ESPN.com's Jeff Carlisle provided a statement from MLS Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott on the matter: As seen in this GIF, courtesy of NBC Sports Soccer's Andy Edwards, the 32-year-old star let his emotions get the best of him in the midst of a match that saw the Sounders get four players sent off: The length of the suspension comes as somewhat of a surprise since there was discussion of the American captain potentially being suspended for up to three months, per Joe Prince-Wright of Pro Soccer Talk. Also, according to Andy Glockner of the Cauldron, league rules suggest Dempsey should have been suspended for at least six contests: Per ESPNFC.com's Alex Labidou, Dempsey got off easy considering the severity of his infraction: Dempsey's conduct placed MLS in a difficult position since he is one of its biggest draws. While losing him for a significant amount of time would have adversely impacted MLS, the league also ...

New MLS Logo Announced for 2015 Season

With Major League Soccer set to enter a new era in 2015, the United States' top soccer league revealed a unique logo concept Thursday. As seen in this photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated on Twitter, the upcoming logo is a departure from what MLS has been using throughout its existence: Soccer Matters on Facebook provided an expanded look at the new logo: Expansion teams from New York City and Orlando will enter the league next season, making MLS a larger and more significant enterprise than ever before (21 teams total). MLS released a teaser video regarding the new logo, which showcases the ability of every club to tailor the logo to its unique color schemes: It is a potentially revolutionary idea that figures to differentiate MLS from every other major sports league in North America.   Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Bayern Munich Named as MLS Opponent for 2014 All-Star Game

It has been customary for a team of MLS All-Stars to face a top team from Europe in the MLS All-Star Game on a yearly basis, but it can be argued that the MLS will face its toughest test yet in the summer of 2014. According to the Portland Timbers' official Twitter account, the All-Stars will take on Bayern Munich. The 2014 MLS All-Star Game will be held at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Ore., next summer, and the fans will certainly be in for a treat. Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge initially announced on Dec. 8 that his team would be involved in the MLS All-Star Game, according to Tim Polzer of SI.com via SportBild. We were the first German club (to receive) an invitation to the MLS All-Star Game. We have accepted the invitation. We are discussing plans to go for a week in the U.S. and to play two matches. The DFL (German Football League) has great interest that we travel to the U.S. The talent level has increased significantly in MLS over the past several years as the sport continues to gain traction in the United States. With that said, Bayern Munich are arguably the best team in the world right now, ...

MLS Cup Playoffs 2013: Examining Players Who Will Dominate in Conference Finals

With just four teams remaining in the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs, the matches are getting more important with each passing day. The conference finals feature a pair of excellent matchups that could truly go either way, so it will be up to the star players to step up and play at an elite level. Real Salt Lake and the Portland Timbers will do battle in the Western Conference Championship, while Sporting Kansas City will take on the Houston Dynamo out east. Many fans are surprised that the likes of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Seattle Sounders and New York Red Bulls are already out, but that speaks to the talent on the remaining teams. Here is a closer look at three players who will almost certainly rise to the occasion and play to the best of their abilities in the conference finals.   Alvaro Saborio (Real Salt Lake) No player remaining the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs scored more goals during the regular season than Real Salt Lake forward Alvaro Saborio. The Costa Rican star was the driving force behind Real Salt Lake's attack all season long, and that should continue in the playoffs. Although Saborio has yet to score in two playoff matches, there is reason ...

New York City FC: Latest News and Speculation on Newest MLS Team

After many months in the making, it was officially announced on Wednesday that New York City FC will be Major League Soccer's 20th franchise beginning in 2015. The majority stake in NYCFC will be held by the English Premier League's Manchester City, while the MLB's New York Yankees will be a minority partner, according to Simon Evans of Reuters (via Yahoo! Sports).This is a huge announcement as it ensures that top-level soccer will be making its return to New York. While the New York Red Bulls are already in the MLS, they play in New Jersey, so New York City FC will be a true representation of the Big Apple.At the same time, NYCFC will have an international flavor due to its relationship with Man City. In fact, Manchester City players attended the press conference and appeared to be very excited about a sister club in the MLS:MLS commissioner Don Garber was present at the press conference, and he believes that this announcement can help MLS become one of the best soccer leagues in the entire world, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post:As is often the case with new franchises in sports, there is plenty of buzz ...

David Beckham: Why Staying Away from France Was Brilliant Move

After English midfielder David Beckham's five-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy expired, it seemed as if there was a good chance he would go back overseas. After declining an offer from Paris Saint-Germain, however, that won't happen, and I think it was the right choice. Many will call Beckham stupid for deciding to stay in Los Angeles rather than signing on with PSG. That is especially true since Scott French of ESPNLosAngeles.com is reporting that the French football club was offering him roughly $1 million per month for 18 months. Seeing as Beckham had just come off a $32.5 million contract with the Galaxy and made millions upon millions more while playing in Europe previously, money likely isn't even a consideration for him. This decision had a lot more to do with not wanting to uproot his wife Victoria and their children. Many like to criticize athletes for being money-hungry, but with Beckham's decision stemming solely from a family perspective, you can't help but respect him. On top of that, he can continue to be a large fish in a small pond in the MLS. If Beckham were to go to PSG or some other European power, there's no ...