Get Ready To Cheer For Your Las Vegas Mobsters!

Looks like Bob Costas is about to shit himself with the announcement of America's latest semi-pro soccer franchise, the Las Vegas Mobsters of the PDL (4th tier). Obviously they're far away from becoming an MLS franchise, but expect false outrage over the name to begin shortly.
Read more at SI's Planet Fútbol.

It's Happening: The First EPL/MLS Doubleheader on NBC

October 19th's Seattle Sounders/FC Dallas tilt was originally scheduled for 4:00pm ET on NBCSN. It will now start after 2:30pm ET on NBC, following the West Ham/Man City match at 12:30. One may ask why they didn't schedule it this way originally, but that was before Clint Dempsey became a Sounder.
Read more at Awful Announcing.

It's Official: Robbie Rogers First Openly Gay Player In A Major US Sport

Rogers subbed in the 77th minute of Sunday night's game vs Seattle Sounders FC. Sorry, Collins: you snooze, you lose.

Video courtesy LA Galaxy.

 

Robbie Rogers Could Upstage Jason Collins

Before Jason Collins came out in Sports Illustrated, MLS footballer Robbie Rogers came out in February, but retired saying he didn't think he could play soccer openly gay. Well, he's changed his mind, and his rights have been traded from the Chicago Fire to LA Galaxy. He's also scheduled to be on the 18-man roster for Sunday's game against Seattle Sounders FC, but it's unlikely he'll play so soon. There's also a chance he could return to the US National Team if his performance is good enough. But it's possible Rogers could become the first openly gay man to play in a professional US league before Jason Collins.
It also makes for an interesting thought: with NBA preseason almost 4 months away, and with every other sport either being active or starting by the time the next NBA season tips off, it's possible someone from every other professional men's sport could play openly gay before Jason Collins even signs with a new team.
Read more at Pro Soccer Talk.

Wigan Athletic Upsets Man City To Win FA Cup

Even though they're 3 points behind Newcastle and could be relegated from the Premiership, Wigan Athletic won their first major trophy by upsetting Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. Ben Watson scored the lone goal, a header in the 91st minute. Manchester City started the day amid rumors manager Roberto Mancini would be fired, despite winning the Premier League last season and the FA Cup the year before.
Read more at BBC Sport.

Thatcher And The 96

On April 15, 1989, Liverpool FC fans lined up outside Sheffield Wednesday's stadium for a neutral-site match against Nottingham Forest. With such a large crowd, Yorkshire police decided to open three exit gates, and the crowd rushed the stands, which at the time had tall fencing between the stand and the pitch. The standing room-only section filled so quickly, spectators were being crushed and suffocating in the crowd. Fans tried to climb over the fencing, and other fans in the stadium tried to help only to be turned away by police. Police response was slow, and even though as many as 44 ambulances arrived, police only allowed one in. The aftermath was 96 fans killed and over 700 injured.
While the Taylor Report placed the blame on the actions and lack of response by police, Margaret Thatcher wrote in a memo, "The broad thrust is devastating criticism of the police. Is that for us to welcome?" Thatcher was already an opponent of the soccer culture in Britain, having supported a ban on European play in the late 80's, bans on visiting fans attending games, and cutting funding to after-school programs. Thatcher believed the police's story that the fans were drunk and unruly, some even speculating as a favor for the Yorkshire police's actions during the 1984-85 miners' strike. It wasn't until September of last year that Prime Minister David Cameron apologized to the Liverpool supporters and family for the cover-up in the initial reports.
So it should be no surprise the English Premiere League did not require it's clubs to hold a moment of silence, and it'll be interesting to see if the next Liverpool match carries chants like this:

Read more at HuffPo.