This just in from the league:

Major League Soccer today announced details for the 2013 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas and the 2013 adidas MLS Player Combine.

For the ninth consecutive year, the MLS SuperDraft will be held in conjunction with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Convention, and take place on Thursday, January 17, at the Indiana Convention Center, in Indianapolis, Ind. The SuperDraft will beginat 12 p.m. ET.

The 2013 MLS SuperDraft will include two rounds and 38 overall selections. The first nine Read more »

I went down to the Pacific Sports Center yesterday to speak to coach Joe Waters about the new indoor Tacoma Stars. I’ll have a story on that coming up soon. However, I also had to ask about the old Tacoma Stars, and especially that legendary night in 1987 when a still-record crowd of 21,728 packed the Tacoma Dome for the Stars’ MISL championship final against the Dallas Sidekicks.

Here is Waters’ vivid recollection:

“That whole series was phenomenal. In fact that whole playoff year, we went to five games, I think, in the first round against Wichita; then we went to seven games against San Diego and finally beat them back in the Dome. And then we went to seven games with Dallas. But Dallas had actually won all of theirs in short periods. … They were rested, waiting for us. But they were a terrific team. They were built very much along the same lines that we were. It was no surprise really, that it went to Game 7.

“But that night in the Tacoma Dome, Read more »

Personnel moves are beginning around MLS, and today the Sounders declined options on Andrew Weber, Mike Seamon and O’Brien White.

Here is some background (and a complete list) from the league:

Major League Soccer today announced the list of players eligible for participation in the 2012 MLS Re-Entry Process.

Clubs may still sign their Re-Entry Process eligible players through 5 p.m. ET on December 6. Additionally, eligible players may opt out of the Re-Entry Process between now and 5 p.m. ET on December 6.

The Stage One draft of the Re-Entry Process will take place on Friday,

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The first week of the short MLS off-season has begun, and no time has been wasted regarding possible player movement.

Here’s a good roundup from MLSsoccer.com.

Of particular interest to Sounders fans could be this Brotherly Game report that the Union is interested in brining Sounders defender Jeff Parke back home.

The Los Angeles Galaxy defended its MLS Cup title with a come-from-behind 3-1 win over the Houston Dynamo today.

The Sounders and other MLS clubs beginning training for the 2013 season … next month.

(Even in that short an off-season there certainly will be Sounders/MLS/soccer news between now and then, so we’ll keep the blog and @donruiztnt busy through the offseason.)

When MLS Cup 2012 kicks off ar 1:30 p.m. Saturday there will be a pretty impressive representation of players with Puget Sound connections.

The Galaxy playing roster includes midfielder Pat Noonan, formerly of Sounders FC. The Dynamo roster includes forward Cam Weaver, who was born in Tacoma; midfielder Nathan Sturgis, who played with Sounders FC; forward Brian Ching, who attended Gonzaga and played with the USL Sounders, and coach Dominic Kinnear, who played with the USL Sounders.

However, key guys with South Sound connections might be Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall, and Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena.

Hall was born in SeaTac, grew up in Gig Harbor and attended Gig Harbor High School. Arena in 1976 was a goalkeeper for the Tacoma Tides of the American Soccer League before the University of Puget Sound offered him a soccer coaching job that would change his life.

This week I was able to ask each about what they remember from their time in Pierce County. Some highlights:
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Sounders defender Patrick Ianni struck the MLS goal of the year, it was announced today. You can see the kick above.

At the time, Ianni called it the best goal he had ever scored in practice, in a game or since he was born. (And I shrewdly got around to mentioning it in the eighth paragraph of my game story.)

Here’s the news from the league:

Major League Soccer’s most outstanding individual plays were honored today when Seattle Sounders FC defender Patrick Ianni earned the 2012 AT&T Goal of the Year and Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando won the Save of the Year.

On June 20 against Sporting Kansas City, Patrick Ianni launched himself horizontally to meet Mauro Rosales’ curling free kick with a right-footed side volley inside the near post. The goal tied the match in the 15th minute and the game ended 1-1.

The AT&T Goal of the Year was determined by an online and text fan vote, after 64 initial nominations for the award were eventually narrowed to four finalists. The final poll results for the four finalists:

Patrick Ianni (SEA) vs. SKC, 6/20 33.1%
Darlington Nagbe (POR) vs. RSL, 3/31 25.1%
Fredy Montero (SEA) vs. LA, 5/2 22.8%
Lee Nguyen (NE) vs. VAN, 5/12 19.0%

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No surprise. Well deserved. Here’s the release from MLS:

Major League Soccer today announced that San Jose Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski was voted the Volkswagen MLS Most Valuable Player for the 2012 season.

Today at approximately 4 p.m. ET, Wondolowski will receive the award and be presented to media in the Los Angeles area covering MLS Cup 2012 at The Home Depot Center.

Wondolowski’s 27 goals this season tied the League’s all-time single-season goal record and won him a second Budweiser Golden Boot award. He also became the only player in MLS history to score the most regular season goals

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