The Houston Dynamo-organized efforts to create a Soccer Night Out for grief stricken Newtown was always a wonderful, worthy cause. It was the brainchild of Dynamo general manager Chris Canetti, a Connecticut native.
Now it’s a wonderful and worthy cause that has grown into something truly special thanks to some of the recognized volunteers.
Originally, Canetti and several prominent players arranged to visit Newtown, site of the terrible Dec. 14 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, on Jan. 7 to stage an event similar to ones they hold in and around Houston.
Now, names keep stacking up from the U.S. soccer community. Canetti revealed via Twitter over the weekend that U.S. women’s national team captain Christie Rampone and women’s soccer greats Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly will participate in the night.
ESPN’s Alexi Lalas, a former national team star, will also take part.
And it sounds like the event will continue to grow over the next week:
-
Getty Images
The 24-year-old American has found a new team, after spending 5 seasons at Villa Park.
-
The Premier League has released its fixture list for the 2013/2014 season in its entirety. Find out the opening fixtures plus your favorite team’s derby here!
-
Jozy Altidore to the U.S. rescue! And there is a lot of that going around lately
Jun 19, 2013, 2:00 AM EDT
Feel free to ask yourself at this point: where would the United States be in World Cup qualifying without its young, in-form striker:
-
Getty Images
How the United States men did individually in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Honduras at Rio Tinto Stadium:
-
What we learned from the U.S. World Cup qualifier win over Honduras
Jun 19, 2013, 12:26 AM EDT
Some take-aways from the he United States’ 1-0 win at Rio Tinto outside Salt Lake City:
-
Jozy Altidore was the hero for the United States, cooly slotting a left-footed shot to hand the Stars & Stripes a 1-0 victory over Honduras.
-
Reuters
Graham Zusi? Fabian Johnson? Jozy Altidore? Who ya got?
-
Is the Pablo Mastroeni trade another smooth move from that wily Bruce Arena?
Jun 18, 2013, 8:33 PM EDT
The LA Galaxy coach has taken aging players and made them useful parts of the roster before:
-
Everyone loves “The Pope”
-
Tim Cahill is the first Major League Soccer man to qualify for the World Cup.
-
Getty Images
Our weekly re-ordering of Major League Soccer teams, following 16 rounds of play:
-
Some of the best U.S. success in the past has come when the United States was backed into a corner. Tonight looks much different:
-
There are a few choices to be made ahead of Tuesday’s match in Utah:
-
About that brilliant atmosphere last week in Seattle: Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah will rock, too
Jun 18, 2013, 12:30 PM EDT
Unsaid in this narrative is this: most U.S. sites are bright and alive these days.
-
Stuart Pearce has been relieved of his duties as manager of England’s U-21 squad.
-
Australia join Brazil and Japan as nations that already have booked their place in next summer’s World Cup.
-
Talking about what’s ahead, plus more on tonight’s match at Rio Tinto Stadium outside Salt Lake City:
-
Scottish football takes another hit as Hearts prepare for administration
Jun 18, 2013, 7:56 AM EDT
Hearts have put the entire squad up for sale to raise the reported £500,000 needed to get the club to the start of the season.
-
Big opportunity ahead as United States faces Honduras in World Cup qualifying action
Jun 18, 2013, 6:00 AM EDT
The teams meet tonight outside Salt Lake City as the drive for Brazil 2014 moves forward:
-
Huge cost of World Cups: Did we need a protest like Brazil’s to point out the obvious?
Jun 18, 2013, 12:10 AM EDT
Reuters
Brazil has infrastructure concerns. They’ve also spent $3.3 billion on soccer stadia. No surprise, people aren’t happy.
-
Play
Video: Police clash with protesters in Brazil
-
Play
Video: Highlights: Sounders win in final minutes
-
Play
Video: Highlights: Revolution dismantle Galaxy
-
Play
Video: What does New York FC have to do to succeed?
-
Play
Video: The Hype: Bending the screen like Beckham
-
Play
Video: Galaxy's Rogers talks about coming out to the public
