Presumably captivated by the possibility Clint Mathis (sorry, I meant David Beckham) could lead the Galaxy to next year’s MLS Cup (insert chuckling here), the league announced today its championship game will return to Carson next year.

From the press release:

MLS Cup 2008 will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET (live on ABC and TeleFutura) on November 23, 2008 at the home of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

We are proud and excited to bring Major League Soccers championship event back to the City of Los Angeles and The Home Depot Center, one of the finest sports venues in the United States, said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. The pageantry and top-notch presentation of two previous MLS Cups and the inaugural SuperLiga final prove that The Home Depot Center is a superb stage for national and international showcase events like MLS Cup 2008.

The two previous MLS Cup matches held at The Home Depot Center were resounding successes. In 2003, a sold out crowd of 27,000 witnessed a remarkable match with the San Jose Earthquakes taking home the title with 4-2 victory over the Chicago Fire in a wide-open contest. In 2004, D.C. United lifted the MLS Cup trophy after an intense 3-2 win over the Kansas City Wizards.

The LA Galaxy are honored to once again be hosting Major League Soccers premier match, MLS Cup, at The Home Depot Center, LA Galaxy President and General Manager Alexi Lalas said. We feel that we have the best fans in MLS and I can think of no better way to reward them for their support than winning our third MLS Cup in front of them at home next season.

Since opening its doors in 2003, The Home Depot Center has served as the home of two-time MLS Cup Champion and five-time MLS Cup finalist the Los Angeles Galaxy. Designated as an Official U.S. Olympic Training Site, this facility is also home to Chivas USA and the National Training Center for the United States Soccer Federations (USSF) Mens and Womens National Teams. In addition to two MLS Cups, the stadium has hosted numerous memorable soccer matches, including the 2003 FIFA Womens World Cup Championship game, the 2003 MLS All-Star Game, CONCACAF Mens and Womens Gold Cup matches, InterLiga, this years inaugural SuperLiga series and several other elite soccer competitions.

Hosting the most important game in American professional soccer at The Home Depot Center for the third time shows our continuing commitment to bring exciting and entertaining events to this stadium and city, said Rod OConnor, general manager, The Home Depot Center. We are proud to partner with MLS and the Galaxy for what promises to be a great day for soccer fans in the city of Los Angeles, and across the country.

“I can think of no better place to host soccer’s biggest match than right here in Los Angeles,” said City of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “Los Angeles is the international hub of the world and is a place where everyone comes with a vision and a drive to achieve beyond themselves. We proudly welcome the 2008 MLS Cup match and the league’s teams to chase their championship dreams right here in Los Angeles at our Home Depot Center.”

The Home Depot Center has apparently moved to LA?

His options dwindling, Red Bulls striker-attacking midfielder Clint Mathis was traded by New York to the Galaxy in the brief three-hour MLS trading window this morning in exchange for a third round draft pick.

Mathis, whose big-money contract with MLS expires at year’s end and under-performed (as usual) in New York, is expected to sign an incentive-laden contract with the Galaxy so the mercurial midfielder can prove he still has what it takes to play in the league.

“We’re hoping Clint is motivated and ready to continue,” said Paul Bravo, the Galaxy’s director of soccer. “I think he thrives in this kind of environment – if we can make him see the light.

It’s always going to be a challenge with Clint,” Bravo added. “But we’re looking to bring in guys who can handle a pressure cooker environment – I think he gets bored. For a third round draft pick, he’s definitely worth the risk.”

By the way, the Galaxy had the inside track on Mathis because his in-laws live in OC.

Also, Bravo said the Galaxy see Mathis as a potential back-up playmaker for David Beckham, should he end up playing for England next summer at Euro 2008.

From the Galaxy press release:

Mathis, who was originally drafted by the Galaxy in the 1998 SuperDraft, is the 16th leading scorer in MLS history with 59 goals in his nine-year MLS career. He will join his new Galaxy teammates in Los Angeles this week before heading to Australia with the club on Friday.

Mathis, who will turn 31 on Sunday, was drafted by the Galaxy in the first round (sixth overall) of the 1998 MLS College Draft and went on to appear in 65 games for the club, scoring 15 goals and adding 17 assists. Midway through the 2000 season, Mathis was traded to the MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) as part of the Galaxys acquisition of Luis Hernandez. He played the next three and a half years in New York, where he is now the clubs all-time leading scorer in all competitions, and with whom he was a finalist for the 2000 MLS Honda MVP Award and was named to the 2000 MLS Best XI.

After a year in the German Bundesliga with Hannover 96, Mathis returned to MLS, joining expansion club Real Salt Lake in 2005 before being traded to Colorado for the 2006 season and then on to the Red Bulls in 2007, with whom he scored six goals and added two assists in 26 games. In the Red Bulls 5-4 win over LA in August, Mathis tallied a goal and an assist, with the goal giving him a team-record 45 in all competitions during his career with the club.

A member of the U.S. National Team, Mathis has collected 46 caps and scored 12 goals since debuting with the National Team in 1998. He was a member of the U.S. squad that reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup scoring the Americans only goal in the 1-1 draw with the host nation Korea Republic.

Red Bull New York Technical Director Jeff Agoos was also pleased with the move:

By acquiring this pick, we will now be able to have a selection in every round of the 2008 SuperDraft. This allows us more flexibility moving forward.

Is Mathis still capable of scoring five goals like this?

What do you think?

I’ll have more on my conversation with Bravo and word of a Chivas USA player who won’t be leaving the team as rumored after all in Tuesday’s 100 Percent Soccer column in the Daily Breeze and Daily News.

A quick update before I head off to the Galaxy practice this morning:
England players are gathering ahead of Wednesday’s crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia.

And while England wants no repeat of the last-gasp David Beckham free kick it needed six years ago to qualify for the 2002 World Cup there are calls to bench Becks against Croatia.

Meanwhile, the UCLA and USC women both made it through Sunday to the next round of the NCAA tournament.

Playing for 76 minutes a man down, the Loyola Marymount men (3-16-1) suffered their eighth one-goal loss of the campaign and lost 2-1 to Saint Marys Sunday in their last game of the season.

Finally, the Galaxy host their annual Thanksgiving meal in the Stadium Club this afternoon for more than 200 local children and their families:

Several Galaxy players and front office members, as well as staff from The Home Depot Center and Albertsons, will be on hand to help serve meals, which will include all of the traditional Thanksgiving fare. Galaxy players including Landon Donovan, Quavas Kirk, Mike Randolph, Troy Roberts, Peter Vagenas and more, as well as other special guests, including actress Bianca Kajlich, the star of the CBS comedy Rules of Engagement and the wife of Landon Donovan, will also be signing autographs and taking photos with the children.

Sporting an all ex-Galaxy front line of Joseph Ngwenya and Nate Jaqua, the Houston Dynamo beat the New England Revolution 2-1 today in a come from behind win.

This is a team initially molded by former Galaxy Coach Frank Yallop, of course, and four MLS titles in six years is a testament to what can be achieved if stability exists.

Are you listening Galaxy?

The Galaxy at least won something this weekend: retired Galaxy great Cobi Jones on Saturday won the Commissioner’s Award

That was a nod to the past.

If we’re talking about the present, two Chivas USA players, goalkeeper Brad Guzan and defender Jonathan Bornstein of Los Alamitos were named to the MLS Best XI:

GOALKEEPER (1): Brad Guzan* (Chivas USA)

DEFENDERS (3): Michael Parkhurst* (New England Revolution), Eddie Robinson*(Houston Dynamo), Jonathan Bornstein* (Chivas USA)

MIDFIELDERS (5): Christian Gomez (D.C. United), Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo), Ben Olsen* (D.C. United) Guillermo Barros Schelotto* (Columbus Crew)

FORWARDS (2): Luciano Emilio* (D.C. United), Juan Pablo Angel *(New York Red Bulls)

* First time Best XI recipient

No Galaxy players on the list, you’ll notice.

Chicago forward Cuauhtmoc Blanco won the 2007 Goal of the Year today for his stunning left-footed volley into the upper right corner of the net in the Fires 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake in August. It was the first MLS goal for the Mexican superstar.

Check out the unstoppable screamer here:

MLS suits will discuss the David Beckham rule today. Whatever happens, it’s the first domino to fall in what will be a busy Galaxy off-season.

Meanwhile, Becks has returned to the England midfield for today’s noon game against Austria (it’s only available on closed circuit television in pubs and bars locally).

And not everyone is happy about the move.

College beat writer Chris Jackson takes a look at the local women involved in the NCAA Tournament, which starts today.

Here’s more on the USC game and the UCLA match.

I’ll be back later today with more on the England game, MLS Cup activities and the U.S.-South Africa contest, which will be televised at 6 a.m. Saturday on Fox Soccer Channel.