Monday Kicks: Japan's World Cup Legacy & more
*Soccer in insignificant compared to the misery inflicted by earthquakes and other natural disasters. But the power of sport is its ability to inspire, uplift and unite as the Japanese well know in the wake of their magnificent World Cup win. I'll have more on the tournament in Tuesday's column.
*How much did this tournament capture the public's imagination? ESPN earned a massive 8.6 overnight rating for the game, its highest ever for any World Cup game, men or women's, according to Sports Business Daily. To put that in perspective, the network's previous overnight high was for last years U.S.-Algeria game - which came in at 4.4.
*Relive the World Cup final in Long Beach in pictures.
*Check out the beach soccer tournament in Long Beach last weekend in this picture gallery.
*West Bromwich Albion may not be an EPL power, but they are still a different class as the minor league Ventura County Fusion learned Sunday in Oxnard.
*Manhattan Beach-based Doxa Italia just missed out on the national amateur title this past weekend.
Updated
*MLS this morning confirmed the game day roster for the All-Star Game.
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
Nick,
Did you acknowledge the Galaxy winning the U15/U16 Developement Academy championship?
I certainly did, although admittedly it was rather brief (I was pretty busy Saturday night).
I gave the youngsters a mention at the end of this post.
sorry but I blinked and missed it. this will be the only thing the Galaxy will win this year. they are 0 for 5 (I think) when they host the MLS cup final.