Ugh... Ugh... Ugh.. SC

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- All the anticipation... for another City SC/FC team.  Oh, gawd.  I was glad that it couldn't be another City FC team because the USL team is named that, but it totally slipped my mind that it could be City SC.  Why this was such a BIG secret is laughable as that would be my first four guesses (FC St. Louis, St. Louis FC, SC St. Louis, St. Louis SC).  Add City to each and you get 8.  St. Louis City SC is safe and boring.  I do like the honesty of majority owner Carolyn Kindle Betz who had to be convinced "City" was a brand that would take the city international.  I like the crest shape (mimicking the Arch) and symbols of the two rivers and arch in the art, but why are the fonts of the name and "SC" different?  There is yellow and gray in the official color list but not in the logo (it's the opposite dumb reason given why the gawdy red Youtube logo in the LAFC shirts was okay because "red" is an official LAFC color (!)).  

BUT, if I write the fan fiction that it's St. Louis City Soccer Capital, then I can live with it.  While NHL's Seattle team referenced their old 1917 PCHA championship hockey team in the logo, I kinda wish there was some visual reference or nod the the St. Louis Stars (NASL) or St. Louis Steamers (MISL) teams.  

Meanwhile, FC Dallas hosted the first MLS match with fans since the pandemic hit and 2,912 fans showed up (limited capacity was 5,110) which was mostly season ticket holders and invited guests, or what a typical FC Dallas match looked like.  Nashville managed to get their first-ever win on a late goal to beat the hosts.  Same two teams in Dallas on Sunday as they try to catch up with the rest of the league.  I love how you have to sign a waiver to not sue if you catch COVID-19 though.  Too funny.  Yes, we are a sue-happy country.  

The three Canadian teams are now set to play each other six times in Phase 1 in hopes the travel quarantine ban will be lifted after August 21 to allow for inter-country play in Phase 2.  TOR and MTL already played in the MLS is Back tournament so when Phase 1 is over, they will have played 4 times in their 11 regular season matches.

Group A is Complete (7/20)

STARGAZING SATURN, CA -- All 24 teams were alive before today but now we have our first elimination.  New York City FC's 1-0 win kept their hopes alive and killed Inter Miami CF, who have lost their first five matches as a franchise, a record.  Each team committed 21 fouls (42 for the match).  Probably the most interesting thing is an ant crawling on the camera at kickoff juxtaposed against the fake virtual Adidas logo.  NYC has 3 points and a -2 GD and will need help to become one of the four best 3rd place teams.

Host Orlando City SC score two minutes after the Philadelphia Union opened scoring getting a 1-1 draw that made them the Group A winners.  Both will play July 25.  

Ugh... Charlotte FC is still one of the possible names.  Please, no more City FCs or FC Citys!  There is hope as a possible early rendition has a crown above the stadium, so maybe Charlotte Crown FC will win.  But I told you Monarchs won't be it.  The announcement is two days away and is exciting nonetheless.

Now the St. Louis expansion club (which now will play in 2023 instead of 2022) will announce their name on Aug 13.  Stars is popular but like Monarchs, it likely won't be it.  I do hope they spell out "Saint" in their name though.  I would compromise and accept The Lou FC being the name.  Kind of cool sounding and does not remind me of a British toilet.  Being the heartbeat of American soccer, I wouldn't be opposed to SC, just not FC (which is already the name of the USL Championship club).

Back to the pool, no one got a chance to pick these two re-scheduled matches but since Group A is done, we can now award 3 points for the 11 who picked PHI and 9 who picked ORL.  5 got both teams while the other 10 got just one.  So no one will be shut out!  The six points for PHI & ORL propel Six Foot Box to the top of the standings with 15 points.  Bobby Cee Racer and Go Chivas move up to a tie for 2nd with 14 points.  5 won't get any points for picking MIA into the Round of 16.  BigRedMessy is last with 8 pts.