While we still hope that the entire First Family will join us at RFK Stadium when we take on the Chicago Fire, it is still pretty darn cool to see her with Jaime Moreno, Eddie Pope and even Talon. Oh, yes and a host of soccer dignitaries as well.

She is jumping in to help highlight the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s commitment to the national fight against childhood obesity and support for her Let’s Move! campaign that emphasizes the importance of children getting 60 minutes of active play each day.

The U.S. Soccer Foundation, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, Major League Soccer, Women’s Professional Soccer, adidas, Eurosport, Univision, and LazyTown entertainment all recognize the unique power of soccer as a tool in the national fight against childhood obesity, and are excited about collaborating with First Lady, Michelle Obama, on her Let’s Move! initiative. By harnessing our collective and complementary strengths we will help her achieve the goal of bringing an end to childhood obesity in a generation.

Ed Foster-Simeon, President and CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation.

We are honored that the First Lady has joined us for the launch of this unique partnership between the Passback program and ¡Vive tu Vida! Get Up! Get Moving! Last year over 400 local partners joined ¡Vive tu Vida! Get Up! Get Moving!™ to deliver fun and exciting ways for people of all ages and all sizes to make movement a daily part of their lives. We are committed to bringing the First Lady’s Let’s Move! effort to all communities to help raise a healthier generation of kids.

Dr. Jane L. Delgado, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health

During the event, the U.S. Soccer Foundation will announce a new and ambitious partnership with the National Alliance for Hispanic Health that brings together the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Passback Tour and the Alliance’s ¡Vive tu Vida! Get Up! Get Moving!™ the nation’s largest Hispanic family health lifestyle event series with over 15,000 participants annually.

The combined tour will provide children and their families in 25 U.S. cities with free health screenings and soccer clinics that emphasize the importance of physical activity, proper diet and healthy lifestyles and connect families with local soccer programs that will help children achieve the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Participants of all ages will also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of other activities including tennis and other sports clinics, family health walks, yoga, dance lessons, and learn about programs in their community to help families make physical activity a part of their daily lives.

Age:  31
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 190lbs

Notable past experience:

From 1998 to 2005 Allsopp spent time in England. He played in such Second Division clubs as Manchester City, Hull City, and Notts County. Although he tallied plenty of scores during his time in the U.K., the English Second Division was, overall, the third division in English football.

After returning home to Australia to play for the Melbourne Victory, Allsopp enjoyed the most prolific time in his career. In 89 appearances he scored 36 goals and in 2006 he was awarded the A-league’s Golden Boot award. In 2008, Melbourne Victory won the A-League grand final.

Allsopp has failed to make any sort of impression at the international level.

What he brings to DC:

Allsopp at first glance is a physical player.

I get the impression that he is a bit of an unknown quantity. He clearly knows how to score goals but it is unclear where his level of skill is compared to the rest of the MLS.

At 6'1" and 190lbs he’s a big boy. In my estimation he will be a point man. DC United has had trouble in the final third, and someone who has a nose for the back of the net fills a definite gap in the teams’ roster. Another thing he brings to the table is experience. At age 31 he has seen his share of games and will hopefully be able to impart some of his knowledge to the younger strikers, Boyzzz Khumalo, Chris Pontius and Adam Cristman.

Interestingly he seems physically quite similar to Adam Cristman who is just an inch shorter and 10lbs lighter.

Steve Goff, Washington Post sportswriter and soccer blogger extraordinaire, came out swinging this morning with a letter aimed directly at the league. Read the SoccerInsider's letter here.

The main issues are the retention of player rights by a team even after a players contract has expired, and the adjustment of the spending ceiling (if I understand it right, the new CBA would not include a per-team salary cap but instead a league-wide spending cap). The players have legitimate concerns and the onus is now on the league to make some adjustments or there will be a work stoppage. Everyone can agree, however, that a player strike would damage the public image of a young and still growing league.

Let's keep it real for a moment. The league's cap on spending increases are derived from the 2009 cap plus some very modest growth. The really glaring concern here is that the calculations seem to be based on 2009 figures and are NOT adjusted for inflation or COLA (cost of living adjustments). As an economics major I have to tell you that this seems totally ridiculous and unfair. Since the entertainment industry is one of few that are somewhat insulated from economic downturns, the players have good reason to point out these issues and they are absolutely right to stand up for themselves.

For the whole story, read Steve Goff, who does a good job of breaking it down.

What do you think?

For DCU he rarely saw time on the field, but was thought to be a rising star when DC drafted him in the 2009 MLS Superdraft. At the end of the 2009 season he had an unimpressive 1-2-1 record and 2.34 goals scored against him on average.

The bottom line is that DC will likely keep Josh Wicks, last year's starter. Bill Hamid, who signed with DC straight out of DC's academy system, will round out the goalkeeping corps.

OK, not really.

On Saturday, United had their first scrimmage of the preseason with the Columbus Crew (y'know…2008 MLS champs…those guys). Here's what we know: McTavish had the only score of the night. Problem was, it was into our own goal. Yikes. What a way to start the year – a 1:0 loss where our opponents didn't register a goal of their own making. Reports (www.behindthebadge.com) stated that our goalkeepers (Hamid, Kocic) each had decent games. Other than a few little tidbits, we don't get much of an idea of how the team is looking at this point.

Even if there was some streaming video provided it's just too early to really judge how this team is coming together. Many questions still remain. The most pressing issue is that of our back line: is it strong enough and deep enough? Can this team, with all of its attacking threats, translate its potential into goals without the support of a strong attacking midfield player? I won't be able to offer an educated opinion until I've had a chance to see the team play in one month against RSL.

How do you feel about the absence of a proper central attacking midfielder?

First, United brings back former DC United player Curt Onalfo as Head Coach, then surrounds him with other former United players Mark Simpson (OK, he's a holdover) Kris Kelderman, and Ben Olsen.

Now, Troy Perkins returns.

United traded Fred, it's first round pick in the MLS Draft and money to Philadelphia for the rights to Perkins (who had re-signed with MLS).  It's a move that helps United in three categories that have been lacking. Goalkeeping.  Defense.  Leadership and Character.

Welcome back, Troy.

Yesterday was a spectacular day for the PR and marketing crew for our beloved Black and Red, huh?

Picked up the paper and there it was – a coaching change on the front page, right?

Nope, that was for little Danny’s disaster of a football team. You can certainly understand the column inches that needed to be devoted to the never-ending soap opera of the Burgundy and Gold.

Well, shoot – the news of United’s most recent unveiling at least made the front page of the Post’s Sports section, right?

Sorry, wrong target. Another little misfiring melodrama had to blow up behold the fold.

Some Secret Agent with Zero common sense decided that it was time to test the TSA-like security procedures at Verizon Center and begin brandishing his hardware as if he was auditioning to become the latest poster child for the NRA.

Sigh. Wasn’t it Hesiod practically three thousand years ago who said,

“Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.”

Well, at least the internet nuts were satiated for a nanosecond and had a chance to raise a toast or two in the only bar in town where this latest move by the front office was acknowledged, because elsewhere it barely caused a ripple – unless “D4″ excites anyone not playing Battleship.

Well, there’s always the chance of making a big splash in the next issue of the UVA Alumni Magazine!

So, if you want to cheer yourself up with something that the folks at DC United do right… check out all the smiles created here!

D.C. United is sponsoring a FREE bus trip to the 2010 SuperDraft in Philadelphia on Thursday, January 14. This is a great chance to see and welcome the new D.C. United talent (and to immediately start slagging on the poor schnooks who were selected by rival teams!).

The complete itinerary and the sign up form is here (it's first come, first serve).

If you have questions, contact:

Dale Eustler
Grassroots Coordinator
deustler@dcunited.com
202-587-5000

Come out and meet D.C United's new coach!

Tuesday, January 5
Black Finn
1620 I Street, NW
Washington, DC

(Farragut North and Farragut West metro stops are the closest stops)

6 pm-8pm

Free appetizers and happy hour drink specials.

President and CEO Kevin Payne will also be there to introduce Curt and give a preview for the coming season.