Revs Top Rhinos, Advance to Open Cup Quarters

NEST:

PROVIDENCE, R.I.-- A pair of first half goals from Saer Sene and Kelyn Rowe were enough for the New England Revolution to top their USL Pro affiliate, the Rochester Rhinos, 2-1 on Wednesday at Stevenson Field. Saer Sene opened the scoring in the 11th minute, while Kelyn Rowe grabbed a goal of his own in the 33rd minute. After starting the second half down 2-0, the Rhinos controlled possession and fought aggressively to tie, but fell short as they only were able to score on a Colin Rolfe header in the 55th minute.

- John C.L. Morgan

A Day in the Life of a DIII Soccer Coach in Maine

Bates:

“What do you do in the off-season?” It is a question many wonder about college coaches who compete for short two to three month seasons every year. We decided to follow Bates men’s soccer coach Stewart Flaherty for a day in the off-season to gain some insight behind the scenes of a Bates head coach.

- John C.L. Morgan

NE v. NYRB Pre-Game March Narrative

The Bent Musket:

This is the culture of soccer in the United States. We supporters, siblings that often quarrel, are all part of one family. No city more so than New York can sympathize with and understand the pain and heartache that Boston is recovering from. The Rebellion banner in the Revs section read: You will not break us. We will never fear you. Our city, our Country will always overcome. The march down Riverbend Drive helped transform those words painted on a banner into a reality we can all believe.

- John C.L. Morgan

MLB as MLS

Boston-based graphic designer Mark Willis has reimagined Major League Baseball's uniforms if the franchises were part of Major League Soccer (or any other soccer league, for that matter):

AL East

AL Central

AL West

NL East

NL Central

NL West

- John C.L. Morgan

Revere's Ride: NESN Soccer Expands Revs Coverage

After first taking flak from Revs supporters and then Revs executives, NESN soccer has expanded their coverage of the New England Revolution leading up to the start of the 2012 season.

Started in response to their parent company, the Fenway Sports Group, assuming ownership of Liverpool FC, NESN Soccer is a relatively new media source, and its mea culpa and improved coverage represents another stone removed from the wall that separates Europhile soccer fans from soccer enthusiasts who enjoy the domestic incarnation just as strongly as they play across the pond.

- John C.L. Morgan

Revere's Ride: Revs Top Red Bulls in Pre-Season Play

A summary of the game can be read here.

- John C.L. Morgan

Revere's Ride: Dump Moreno

In the nine days since Revolution President Brian Bilello sent out a cryptic tweet claiming the Revs "have signed a #9," there's been confirmation the player was Colombian journeyman Jose "Pepe" Moreno, reports that Moreno has changed his mind and would instead prefer to remain in Colombia, and reminders that Moreno has signed all the necessary paperwork to become property of the Revolution.

All of which is to say New England Soccer Today's Brian O'Connell is spot-on with his call for the Revs to say thanks, but no thanks to Moreno:

At this juncture, the best course of action is to simply pull the plug on Pepe. It’s fairly obvious he’d rather stay in Colombia. So let him. Forget the potential public fallout for letting him walk. Better to leave him be than to force him into a situation he may never be ready for.

- John C.L. Morgan

Revere's Ride: Headlines

Here's news on the Revs since their first pre-season friendly that may not be news fit to post on its own, but is interesting in the aggregate:

Contributing members to the 2011 edition of the Revolution, Monsef Zerka and Rajko Lekic, will not be returning for the 2012 campaign. (February 1 and January 30)

Sainey Nyassi has gained permament resident status from the U.S. government, so the Revs now have five of its possible eight slots for international players open. (January 31)

Rookie Kelyn Rowe's solid debut attracted some positive press, including attention for his adjustment to a new position and predictions of a successful rookie season for the former UCLA midfielder. (January 30 and January 29)

Midfielder Stephen McCarthy may find himself playing center back this year. (January 30)

Midfielder Benny Feilhaber's January experience with the U.S. national team results in more questions than answers. (January 30).

The Revolution have announced two schedule changes for the upcoming 2012 season. (January 30)

News article leads to hopeful speculation that a new stadium deal may be in the works. (January 28).

- John C.L. Morgan

Subsidiary of Boston-Based New Balance Gets Liverpool Uniform Deal

Associated Press:

Warrior Sports, an athletic apparel company based in Warren, Michigan, said Thursday it signed a six-year agreement to design the Liverpool kit. Liverpool is owned by a group that owns the Boston Red Sox while Warrior sports is owned by Boston-based shoe company New Balance. "We are here to shake up the world of football and our partnership with one of the most successful club teams of all time is just the start," Warrior Sports general manager Richard Wright said in a statement.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Report: Liverpool FC to Play AS Roma at Fenway Park (January 16, 2012)

Report: Liverpool FC to Play AS Roma at Fenway Park

Boston Globe:

Organizers are planning a Liverpool FC-AS Roma exhibition soccer game at Fenway Park this summer, according to multiple sources involved with the negotiations. The match would be part of US tours for both teams, the first since controlling interest in the clubs was purchased by Boston-based investors. Liverpool, founded in 1891, was purchased in 2010 by Fenway Sports Group, headed by Red Sox owner John Henry (NBA star LeBron James is also an investor). AS Roma, founded in 1927, was taken over last year by a group which includes Red Sox minority owner Thomas DiBenedetto and Celtics owner James Pallotta.

- John C.L. Morgan

Klinsmann Calls Up Revs' Feilhaber

New England Revolution:

New England Revolution midfielder Benny Feilhaber is among the 20 players called in by U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jürgen Klinsmann for the team’s annual January training camp, which will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 3, in Phoenix, Ariz. Also included in the three-week camp itinerary is a pair of international friendlies against Venezuela in Glendale, Ariz., on Saturday, Jan. 21, and Panama in Panama City, Panama, on Wednesday, Jan. 25.

- John C.L. Morgan

Recommended Reading: The History of Soccer in New England

Via Dave Litterer in The American Soccer History Archives:

The history of American soccer finds a prominent place in New England which was one of the 3 major hotbeds of US soccer for much of the earlier part of the 20th century, and the later part of the 19th. In fact, the team commonly called the first regular soccer club in the country was the Oneida Foot Ball Club which played undefeated for most of its seasons between 1862 and 1967, and played many of its games on the Boston Common, where a plaque memorials their presence.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Revs Should Complement New Uniforms with Throwbacks (December 6, 2011)