Goff is also saying the match is postponed until tomorrow.

As is the DC United website

More beef from X:

QUOTE:
“He has frictions with most of the players within the team,” Xavier said. “The only player he doesn't have frictions with is David Beckham.”

With Xavier's release from the Galaxy last week, those strictures don't hinder the former Benfica and Everton player any longer.

In an extensive phone interview, Xavier shed light on how Gullit has amassed power at the club, why his relationship with the former Holland international went south, why Xavier says players don't want to play for him and how the scene playing out in Los Angeles may soon resemble the ones played out at Chelsea and Newcastle.

The Galaxy, Xavier claims, let Gullit amass “too much power over the club” and ignored the “many things that happen behind the scenes.”

“I would like to see Mr. [Tim] Leiweke, [AEG President & Chief Executive Officer] be closer to the players to realize what is going on,” Xavier said.

When contacted by phone for a response this assertion and others made in the article, Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas said the team had no comment.

Xavier painted a portrait of a former world star wielding that power without adjusting the brash coaching style that once saw him try to bench Alan Shearer at Newcastle.

“I know Ruud through his years in Europe,” Xavier said. “No one knows him in the United States. He was a legend. I admired him as a player, but I do not admire him as a coach. The way he conducts himself, his lack of ability to communicate with players and his way of developing the team shows a lack of respect.”

That perceived lack of respect grated on Xavier, an experienced player who felt that his teammates deserved better treatment from their coach.

“When we win, he praises himself,” Xavier said. “When we lose, he blames the players.”

This is the same guy that will never take responsibility for one of his mistakes, instead blaming everyone else.

Andrea Canales has an interesting insight at Sideline Views:

QUOTE:
As a journalist, I liked Xavier being outspoken. Yet he avoided taking responsibility for his failings on the field. He'd say the entire team was to blame ("The responsibility to defend is on the entire team."), the ref, whatever. He believed in expressing his opinions and he had a lot of them. I remember once when Xavier was upset about a game and talking on and on about the officiating to the assembled press. The locker room emptied out of other players, but Xavier was still detailing his issues. Landon Donovan walked by and remarked dryly, "And that's the short version." I think he was kidding, but there's an element of truth behind those jokes.

Andrea Canales shows Toronto the back of her hand:

QUOTE:
I've had it with the fawning over Toronto fans. At the most, I'll allow that they're better fans of their home team than of anything else, including the game itself. However, the game, the concept of the beautiful sport and believing in its worth and value, is something I hold sacred.

I don't, however, understand the point of Toronto joining an American sports league if they're going to be so freaking rude about it. Booing the U.S. anthem? Singing their own anthem over it? If that happened at a U.S./Mexico match in L.A. (Where mind, the teams would be playing against each other and boorish rivalry would make a bit more sense) people would be livid. It doesn't happen, though. Mexican fans might ignore or cheer over the U.S. anthem at times, but sing their own over it? Not even in Azteca. Because it's rude and unsporting and they respect the game more than that.

I don't buy the "We didn't know our anthem was going to be played." excuse, either. Come on. Half the U.S. stadiums play their anthem even when there aren't any U.S. teams involved - just because they're hosting some event. When has the anthem ever NOT been played at BMO? Did the Canadians simply not trust their own organizers?

The Spanish announcers were simply befuddled during the game to see steamers thrown at Beckham. One questioned, when boos rained down on various MLS players, whether the Canadian fans understood that for this match, which team was the home side.

Sure they did. And they didn't care. If it's not TFC, it sucks, no matter how pretty the crosses of Becks were or the goals by Gomez and Blanco. That's so simple-minded, to not accept the larger concept of league representation, the opportunity to see some of the best players available working together for a common cause. If nothing else, respect the game, recognize and reward good play - but there was little of that from the fans.
...
The best fans in MLS? Not by a long shot. Fans who recognize how far the league has come, how far it still has to go, who can cheer generously for both club and league when the occasion presents itself - can you imagine the Fire fans if this game had been held there? They would have blown the socks off the TFC malcontents. DC fans, too. LA fans, RSL fans, heck, even Rapids fans paid more attention to the game and supported the All-Stars more last year.

QUOTE:
Because it's rude and unsporting and they respect the game more than that.

It's rude, but it's not unsporting. Unsporting is fishing with live bait.

So the Fire gets McBride for Barrett and a bag of balls. I like Barrett more than most, but the thought of having Blanco paired with a top quality striker for the next year and a bit has me more than a little excited.

See what happens when you let the Canadian dollar be equal ?

Well, I'm glad this whole event has allowed everyone to exercise their 'I hate Canada' catharsis. We'll see you next year!

I would only say the boos were wrong, but they came out of the fact that by playing the English and American anthems side-by-side with both flags unfurled, it implied the MLS was an all-American league.

For those who are jumping on this 'Canadians are jerks' bandwagon now, please see the 1992 World Series. We have a history of having our national emblems ignored/abused. Thank you.

Welcome, Richard. Good to see you here (this is Tom from Pitch Invasion).

I presume this is the place to ask for opinions of Kenny Cooper and of the likely accuracy of stories from this source?

Concidentally I was just about to ask about Toja. Any good?

Kenny Cooper is good. Great skills for a big man. Kind of like a smaller, less awkward Peter Crouch.

Hey Tom! I actually logged in based on your Surinam piece...

Is it true the national anthem is played before every sporting event in America. Why? Is there any debate about this? (I could have this completely wrong, if so sorry.)

It's annoying enough God Save the Queen being played before the cup finals, if it happpened at every league game there'd be plenty of booage I think. And that's from English people never mind foreigners.

We've had the anthem played before basically every sporting event since, I believe, around WWII.

There's no debate because, well, most people ignore it unless the singer is remarkably bad. It's one of those things that fades into the background as "that's the way it has always been done, so it must be correct."

Also, in today's current climate where someone who has decided on a lifetime of government service culminating in a run as a presidential candidate can be called "unpatriotic" for not wearing a flag lapel pin at all times, it is not easy to move away from things like this.

The anthem will always be played--I can't see any opposition against it being given any respect. Whereas complaints about singing God Bless America during the 7th Inning Stretch since Sept. 11 are numerous, and lots of people think it's gone too far. I think the fact that Steinbrenner started it allowed opposition to it be seen as something other than treason.

Ad Hoc--Toja was really good last season, not so much this season. His inclusion in the All-Star Game was rather puzzling.