*I don’t mean to degrade the California Clasico set for the Bay Area Saturday as the struggling San Jose Earthquakes host the similarly suddenly struggling Galaxy at Stanford Stadium, but when a San Francisco-based newspaper needs the validation of an English newspaper to put a state rivalry in context, my guess it is not the “most intense rivalry in American soccer.” (These media types have apparently not been to Seattle or Portland of late).

*Also, this newly-signed ‘Quake isn’t available for the contest, but could be for the Chivas USA game next month against San Jose.

*Wondering what’s going on these days with the Palos Verdes Peninsula’s oft-injured John Thorrington at struggling D.C. United? You guessed it.