Americans Rally For Win In Cup Tuneup
by Bill Ward (Result | Tampa Bay Tribune - February 25)
Considering the majority of the players used for the match probably won't make his final World Cup roster, it's debatable precisely what, if anything, U.S. men's national team coach Bob Bradley can glean from Wednesday night's affair against El Salvador. more details | go to article

St. Pete's Salkicic Solid Against Mexico
by Nicholas Murray (Result | Tampa Bay Tribune - February 25)
St. Petersburg's Tarik Salkicic was hoping to get to play in front of his home fans in Wednesday's curtain-raiser as the U.S. Under-17s played Mexico. more details | go to article

Cunningham Shooting For One Last Chance At World Cup
by Bill Ward (Profile/Interview | Tampa Bay Tribune - February 24)
Jeff Cunningham says he is "living the dream." At home, the former University of South Florida soccer All-American says he has a "beautiful wife," Jocelyn. They are parents to a healthy 15-month-old daughter, Mikayla. And career-wise, Cunningham is coming off a season in which he was Major League Soccer's scoring champion for FC Dallas. more details | go to article

Rowdies To Unveil Uniforms, Preseason Schedule Wednesday
by No Author Listed (Blog Entry | Tampa Bay Tribune - February 23)
The FC Tampa Bay Rowdies will unveil their uniforms for the team’s inaugural season, and the remainder of the club’s preseason schedule, at a press conference to be held on Wednesday at 10 a.m. the club said in a statement issued on Tuesday morning. more details | go to article

Local Players Anticipate Selection To Under-17 Team
by Nicholas Murray (Profile/Interview | Tampa Bay Tribune - February 23)
It has been a big adjustment for local soccer players Atsouh Ayah and Tarik Salkicic since they joined the U.S. Under-17 Residency Academy last August. However, both say they are getting the most out of the opportunity given them. more details | go to article

Ray-Jay To Host U.S. Friendly
by Bill Ward (Preview | Tampa Bay Tribune - January 15)
Two days after Tampa learned it has a shot at hosting future World Cup soccer matches, the city was named Thursday to host an exhibition game between the U.S. men's national team and El Salvador on Feb. 24 at Raymond James Stadium. more details | go to article

CONCACAF Fun Facts
by Bill Ward (Preview | Tampa Bay Tribune - March 9)
For the first time, the U.S. Under-23 team will be composed solely of professional players. In previous tournaments, there has been at least one college player. more details | go to article

Donovan's Hat Trick Fuels U.S. Win
by Jeffrey Jones (Analysis | Tampa Bay Tribune - March 26)
With 31,547 spirited fans at Raymond James Stadium cheering him on, U.S. midfielder Landon Donovan put on a show that was both exciting and vindicating for player and fan alike. more details | go to article

U.S. Men Closing In On World Cup Berth
by Bill Ward (Preview | Tampa Bay Tribune - June 8)
Following Saturday's 3-0 victory against Costa Rica, the U.S. men's soccer team finds itself with a little breathing room as it takes on host Panama today in its second World Cup qualifying match in five days. more details | go to article

Soccer Tourney Heads To Tampa
by Bill Ward (Article | Tampa Bay Tribune - April 19)
ver since Major League Soccer folded the Tampa Bay Mutiny three years ago, there's been constant rumors of another team returning to the area. Although the wait for pro soccer here continues, United Soccer Leagues president Francisco Marcos plans to bring more than 140 youth soccer teams and the USL's annual general meeting to Tampa this fall. more details | go to article

Ex-Plant High Star Earns Starts With D.C. United
by Bill Ward (Profile/Interview | Tampa Bay Tribune - April 12)
Former Plant High star Bobby Boswell describes his omission from last January's Major League Soccer player combine as "kind of a shocker." And when February's MLS supplemental draft came and went without a phone call, Boswell says he "definitely wasn't happy." more details | go to article

Americans Brace For Mexican Challenge
by Bill Ward (Result | Tampa Bay Tribune - March 27)
In terms of great soccer rivalries, the United States vs. Mexico may not be in the same league as England-Germany or Brazil-Argentina. After all, a rivalry entails a certain amount of parity and the Americans' all-time record of 0-21-1 against Mexico south of the border certainly does not meet that standard. more details | go to article

Glazer's Pitch About To Be Rushed By Fans
by Joe Henderson (Commentary | Tampa Bay Tribune - March 15)
We have come to know Malcolm Glazer and his offspring as people who usually get what they want, mostly because when the object is to make a buck, they don't seem to be hindered by nuisances like a conscience. Their takeover plans for publicly traded Manchester United FC is the latest example of this, and we've been tempted on this side of the pond to dismiss this story as a boring business deal that has no impact on life in Tampa Bay. more details | go to article

Chivas USA Challenge Draws In Rongen
by Bill Ward (Profile/Interview | Tampa Bay Tribune - February 27)
He already owns what he calls "passable" skills in Spanish and has two assistants who are native speakers of the language. But as coach of the first club in Major League Soccer to establish formal ties to a Latin American club, Thomas Rongen says he feels an obligation to master Spanish. more details | go to article

Gramaticas Bring Out Stars For Charity Soccer
by Katherine Smith (Article | Tampa Bay Tribune - February 15)
It's safe to assume whenever the Gramatica family gets together, a soccer game usually breaks out. Since this is a close-knit family, there have been a lot of soccer games. more details | go to article