This week on the Sportive, we name our Bottom 5 Twins prospects, and do a 30-second-long Frozen Four preview. It’s fun.

According to a report by SI.com’s Brian Straus, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is on the verge of signing a deal to bring Major League Soccer to Atlanta. The report says that the deal will be signed and announced one week from today, bringing the number of MLS teams to 22 – not counting the David Beckham-led franchise in Miami that is still searching for a stadium deal.

Assuming Miami ever takes the field, there would be one spot left in the original “24 teams by 2020” plan that MLS has bandied about. According to a league source mentioned in Straus’s report, the frontrunner for the final spot is Minneapolis.

It is worth noting that the construction timeline for the new Falcons stadium is already behind the new Vikings stadium. Atlanta is scheduled to open their new football palace in 2017; Minnesota, meanwhile, is still slated for a fall 2016 opening.

As always, the same questions about a potential MLS franchise in the Upper Midwest remain: Who would own the team, the Vikings ownership group or Minnesota United owner Bill McGuire? If McGuire, where would the team play – and who would pay for what would likely be yet another new stadium in Minneapolis? No details of any kind have been forthcoming.

That said, an Atlanta announcement next week would be the culmination of years of rumors. Right now, Minneapolis is at the center of similar rumors; it seems like it may just be a matter of time for MLS in Minnesota.

*NOTE: This appeared at SoccerCentric. *

Last week, eagle-eyed Internet sleuths noticed that Minnesota United’s official website listed the team’s August 2 match against Ottawa as being played at TCF Bank Stadium, not the National Sports Center. That’s the date that Manchester City and Olympiakos are playing at the U in the International Champions Cup, making it an ideal date for United to promote the local eleven with a doubleheader of some kind.

The official website has since changed the schedule back to list the match at the National Sports Center. That said, it is true that the team is trying to finalize the details with ICC sponsor Relevent Sports to play its match following the Man City-Olympiakos game, and will make an announcement to that effect this week.

The ICC match will be the biggest soccer match in the Twin Cities since David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy visited for a friendly in November 2007. More than 20,000 people attended that match; if ticket sales go well, 50,000 soccer fans could be in attendance for the event this year. This would make it prime time for a team like United to market itself to a natural fanbase that may be less than aware of the team’s presence in the local market.

The ICC match is at 2pm, while the United match is listed for 7pm. While kickoff times can change, United’s battle may lie in convincing fans to stick around for the second match of the day.

Minnesota wins final preseason tuneup, and adds two players

United’s preseason slate ended on a high note, with a 6-0 win in Faribault over the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Jamie Watson, Christian Ramirez, Mackenzie Pridham (who is still on trial), Miguel Ibarra, and Nate Polak scored for Minnesota, with Ibarra bagging a pair of goals. Four of the six goals came after 60 minutes, as UNO – who is simply playing some spring soccer, and is not in preseason training – began to tire.

The club also announced that triallists Tyler Polak (Nate’s younger brother) and Greg Jordan had signed deals to join the squad for the season. Jordan, a defensive midfielder, and Polak, a utility player, were both part of the squad for much of preseason, including the team’s trip to England. Both were also 2012 MLS draftees who have so far spent their careers on loan in the third-division USL Pro, gaining experience. Either, of course, could make their presence felt on the field this season. However, they also bring the United squad up to 22 players, which allows the team to play full 11-on-11 training matches.

*NOTE: This appeared at SoccerCentric. *

San Antonio Scorpions president and general manager Howard Cornfield appears to have a bone to pick with Minnesota United team president Nick Rogers – and he’s not willing to settle things privately.

In a letter to San Antonio fans that was posted on the team website and promoted on the team social media accounts, Cornfield accuses Rogers of making what he calls “uncalled for [sic] comments by the Minnesota team president over the course of the past year about our fans and organization,” which the Scorpions executive claims are the source of an organization-wide hatred for the United organization.

Later in the letter, Cornfield went after United’s president personally, noting in an unflattering aside that Rogers is “the son-in-law of the team owner and has no prior experience or track record in the sports industry.”

Rogers reacted with bewilderment, offering a signed United jersey via Twitter for anyone who could find a recorded negative quote from him about either the Scorpions organization or its fans. (The closest I could come from the SoccerCentric archives was an interview in which Rogers referred to San Antonio’s ticket sales as “incredible.”)

“I have no idea what comments he’s referring to,” said Rogers, via text. “I don’t think I’ve ever made any negative comments about the organization, and I’m sure I’ve never bad-mouthed their fans.”

On Twitter, Rogers wrote, “I have nothing but respect for the Scorpions organization and their fans. I’m sorry Mr. Cornfield felt it necessary to write that letter. If someone on my staff wrote this, I’d make them take it down and apologize. We’ll have a further response on the field on Saturday.”

Cornfield’s letter appears to be the latest in a line of pro wrestling-style attempts to drum up interest in the Scorpions, which includes a mysterious egg appearing at San Antonio’s stadium. (This may well be a homage to one of the single silliest moments in pro wrestling history, which is of course a “sport” that has been fairly littered with silly moments.)

NOTE: This post appeared at SoccerCentric.

Minnesota United announced Thursday evening that midfielder Miguel Ibarra has signed a contract extension. The 24-year-old, who was already signed for 2014, is entering his third professional season, with both of his previous years being played in a Minnesota shirt.

As is usual for United, terms, length, or useful information of any kind were not disclosed. It is rare for United to sign a deal that does not allow the team to get out of the contract each year, though, so one can only speculate how many years of team options this deal has attached to it.

Ibarra struggled in the first half of 2013, but a strong second half saw him named to the NASL Best XI for the season. He scored just one goal all year, after scoring five in 2012.

The end of the preseason

United’s final match of the preseason will take place tomorrow – but not in its original location.

The team had originally hoped to play the University of Nebraska-Omaha tomorrow at the National Sports Center, on the stadium field, but despite the field being in good shape, it’s currently buried under a foot of snow. Consequently, the friendly has been moved to Shattuck-St. Mary’s, in Fairbault, in their domed fieldhouse. The game is at 5:30pm, and it’s free and open to the public.

Ask your question

United’s supporters group, the Dark Clouds, are holding a Town Hall meeting at Amsterdam Bar next Tuesday night, from 7-9pm. Fans, front-office personnel and United players will be in attendance; each will have a chance to speak, and fans will have a chance to ask questions and mingle and generally get to know others. It’s an excellent chance for newer fans, who might not be well-versed in the team or its supporters culture, to learn something about what goes on with United.

NOTE: This appeared at SoccerCentric.

In 2013, the stadium field at the National Sports Center encountered huge turf problems in the spring, to the point that a Minnesota United match on May 21 had to be played at the U of M’s Robbie Stadium instead of in Blaine. This year, however, the crew at the NSC reports that the field will be ready to go.

NSC Chief Communications Officer Barclay Kruse snapped the above picture yesterday, before the snow began; despite the harsh winter, there is already a bit of green in the field, a good sign.

Through Kruse, NSC turf superintendent Curt Conkright reports that the field – which had just melted off, before today’s snow – has come through the winter in good shape. It was covered with snow all winter, which helps protect the grass; it’s the swings in temperature and freeze-thaw cycles, which we had none of this year, that cause havoc with the turf.

Conkright says that with some water and warmth, the field should green up nicely. He also said that the giant pile of snow that fell this morning will be helpful, counter-intuitively, as it will be wet snow that will melt into the turf quickly.

United’s first home game of the spring is April 26, against Edmonton. By then, we all hope that the grass will be a little greener, and a little less snow-covered.

NOTE: This appeared at SoccerCentric.

The North American Soccer League finally announced the details of their video subscription package for 2014. It’ll cost you $5 for a 30-day pass or $30 for the full season, and you will be allowed to sign up for a 10-day free trial in April.

As I said when this news first came out, this seems remarkably steep. The corresponding package for MLS is $65 for the season, for more than twice as many games, and the MLS broadcasts are professionally done; a few of the NASL broadcasts have been an insult to the word “amateurish” in the past. Here’s hoping the league will make an effort to improve the broadcast quality this year, especially given this new revenue stream.

That said, if you live in the local area, all of United’s home games will be on TV this year – and between the 10-day free trial and the 30-day subscription, it is possible to see every road game for less than the full $30 cost.

Overall, though, I’m sticking with what I originally said when this plan came out. Following a second-division soccer team is hard enough already; being able to watch league games online for free was the only thing that made it easier. The league is taking that ability away, and I don’t quite understand it.

Two Minnesotans continue run with U-18 squad

Local standouts Mukwelle Akale and Jackson Yueill are once again part of the United States under-18 setup, with both part of the squad for a training camp in California that includes friendlies against Canada and Mexico.

Akale and Yueill, both midfielders, were also part of the team for February’s Copa Atlantico in the Canary Islands. Akale was named the standout player of that tournament, despite the USA losing all three matches by a single goal. The midfielder played all 90 minutes in all three matches; Yueill started one match, and came on as a substitute for the final half-hour in the other two.

Both Akale and Yueill just had their 17th birthdays, and they’re among the next crop of rising American players. US Soccer posted short video interviews with both on YouTube; here is Akale’s, and here is Yueill’s.

Also in the squad is young Jonathan Klinsmann, son of national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann. While his father was once one of the best strikers in the world, young Jonathan – no doubt rebelling against his father – is a goalkeeper.

NOTE: This appeared at SoccerCentric.

NOTE: I hope you enjoy this.

Minnesota United has been on the lookout for veteran talent for the entire 2014 offseason, so perhaps it was inevitable that eventually, they would turn the looking glass inward. Tuesday, the club announced that head coach Manny Lagos would return to a playing role in 2014, becoming the NASL’s first player-coach of the modern era.

Since taking over as Minnesota’s head coach, Lagos has often been frustrated at his inability to find players to live up to the standard that he set during a career that spanned five different MLS teams. His 170 MLS appearances, and three for the national team, immediately vault him to the top of the experience list for United; perhaps only Aaron Pitchkolan, who turned out for Dallas and Colorado 77 times, can rival his coach and now-colleague’s experience.

In 2013, Lagos had to participate in training as a player fairly regularly , given the rash of injuries that hit the club during the first half of the season. Perhaps it was those sessions that convinced Lagos that, with a proper off-season preparation, he still had what it took to play at the top level.

The move is just the latest in a swarm of veterans that have taken over Minnesota in the offseason. New signing Daniel Mendes is 33 already, and off-season signings Juliano Vicentini, Omar Daley, and Tiago Calvano will all turn 33 during the season. Lagos, at 42, will be the senior player for Minnesota.

Assistant coach Carl Craig will likely take over match-day responsibilities from the sideline, at least while Lagos is on the field.

Lagos, who last saw the field in Minnesota in 1996 as part of the old Thunder, will likely slot in near the front of the United attack – perhaps at the top of a midfield triangle. At six feet tall, the veteran coach and player might also work as a target forward, should Christian Ramirez go down or disappoint in that role.

“I’m very excited to be able to play in Minnesota once again,” said Lagos in a press release. He was unavailable for comment, in either a playing or a coaching role.

The move opens the door for Atlanta Silverbacks coach Eric Wynalda, at 44 only two years Lagos’s senior, to make a similar return to the playing field. Wynalda, who famously will be with Atlanta only part-time this year, boasts an even more impressive playing resume, with 107 caps and 34 goals for the national team to his credit.

The team released a video interview with Lagos:

This week on the podcast, noted baseball expert Nick Nelson joined us. Later, we did a Twitter mailbag, because all the cool kids do.

Ireland are your 2014 Six Nations Champions, capping their campaign with a dramatic win against France to clinch the title on the final weekend. As is traditional, the final round included all six teams playing in back-to-back-to-back matches. Brit’s Pub in downtown Minneapolis showed all three, beginning at 7:30 in the morning.

My brother Dave is not a fan of rugby, but he does enjoy activities that consist of watching sports and drinking beer, so he agreed to come with me to watch the final day of matches. We skipped the early-morning beatdown that England put on Italy, but we did see Wales wax Scotland and Ireland’s victory.

Here now, I present the rules of rugby, as interpreted by Dave, who has watched about three rugby matches in his life.

1. SMASH
2. You can kick it but I am not sure why you would
3. You get to keep the ball when you are tackled, except sometimes not?
4. Wild dives across the pile are illegal and strongly encouraged
5. Field goals are everyone’s favorite
6. The ref awards penalties but nobody ever knows why

I’d like to thank Dave for stopping by.