NWSL Finals, Jason Levien talks & more: Monday Freedom Kicks

Also, Dolemite is my Name!

Hi, pray for Jason as I think he’s taking the Megabus back from Cary at the moment, and should be back sometime....next week? I dunno.

North Carolina Courage crowned NWSL champions again (All for XI): The Courage did the double for the second straight year, this time over the Chicago Red Stars, in sending off Heather O’Reilly to retirement. I could be/likely am mistaken, but seem to remember coach Paul Riley pulling the “nobody believes in us” line over the last offseason. You know, after they won the title and Shield LAST year. Anyway, solid work. And the United States team gets a new coach today!

D.C. United executive says team ‘should be competing at elite levels of MLS’ (WaPo): Jason Levien’s annual chat with Goff. Not much here is new really (other than apparently they’re going to work on it this winter presumably), but when you’re getting one team further online while getting another off the ground, and a 2nd stadium, and a training site, at least it’s not being forgotten? Anyway, for you to do what you wish with.

Speaking of Goff, this tweet from Friday night is one to read between the lines of on one name:

USA vs. Senegal, U-17 World Cup: Senegal smokes the U-17s 4-1 (SSFC): Griffin Yow started, went 61 minutes and didn’t score. The end.

The Wayne Rooney update Derby County fans will want to hear (Derbyshire Live): Apparently we’re being generous with data?

Loudoun United reflects on “hell of a ride” in 1st season (us): One last look at Loudoun’s year. I like how this turned out but moreover, everyone involved is nice and super-approachable. Would recommend going to a game in the future.

USL’s franchise fee rises (SocTakes): Sort of related, but if Nipun’s got this right, wow. Also, would recommend clicking into the links therein for a (I thought) illuminating look at expenditures for a USL Championship team. D.C. absorbs some of this through team sponsorships and having most of their facilities, and this will improve in 2020 and 2021, but man.

Pulisic sets Premier League, Chelsea, USA marks with ‘perfect’ hat-trick (We Ain’t Got No History): Good on Christian Pulisic.

Anyway, I don’t have a fun out per se, but here’s the very sweary trailer for Dolemite is My Name, Eddie Murphy’s biopic on Rudy Ray Moore, which I still need to see: