FiftyFive.One
• Voices From Soccer's North •
Author: Wes Burdine
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The Complete Darkness 2017
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: The Complete Darkness 20172017 was a big year for soccer in Minnesota and particularly for Minnesota United FC. For the first time since 1981, a professional Minnesota soccer team played in the top flight of American soccer. Attendance topped out at almost 350,000 tickets sold, far out-pacing any other year since the Minnesota Kicks. To commemorate this year,…
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Minnesota United Takes Tyrone Mears in the Re-Entry Draft
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Minnesota United Takes Tyrone Mears in the Re-Entry DraftMinnesota United FC made its second dip into the player acquisition of the off-season by drafting right back Tyrone Mears in the Re-Entry Draft. Now that the team has drafted Mears, they will have to either exercise his option or make him a “bona fide offer.” Last season, Mears was paid $183,756 in guaranteed compensation.…
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United Sculpture Unveiled to Honor Fans at Allianz Field
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: United Sculpture Unveiled to Honor Fans at Allianz FieldOn every match day, the 11,842 members of Minnesota United FC’s Itasca Society will be able to walk by their names, engraved upon a 12-foot-tall sculpture that was announced today by the team. The sculpture, a 12 by 65 foot “UNITED” will stand at the southwest entrance of Allianz Field. Managing Partner Dr. Bill McGuire,…
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FiftyFive.One Podcast 65: Toronto, Tigres, & TAM
Categories: MediaContinue Reading: FiftyFive.One Podcast 65: Toronto, Tigres, & TAMYou get TAM, You get TAM, You get TAM! It’s a TAM frenzy in MLS and Wes and Alex are here to wonder if Minnesota United FC are going to look under their seats. Plus Toronto are the best team in MLS and Tigres are the best team in North America. Wes and Alex talk…
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Minnesotan Sean Boyle on Player of the Year Shortlist
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Minnesotan Sean Boyle on Player of the Year ShortlistHe was tagged on Facebook. That’s how Minnesotan goalkeeper Sean Boyle found out he was named a finalist for the 2017 Disabled Player of the Year award. The 22 year old has been working in Atlanta for Soccer in the Streets and was wrapping up life there to return to Minnesota for the holidays. A…
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World Cup Nations Learn Group Fates for Russia
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: World Cup Nations Learn Group Fates for RussiaThe 32 World Cup-bound nations learned their fate for the 2018 tournament in Russia as the groups were drawn in a ceremony on Friday. After every World Cup draw, it has been customary to fight over which group can be dubbed the “Group of Death.” While there may not be just one difficult group, there…
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Guest Post: Two Defensive Targets for Minnesota United’s Offseason
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Guest Post: Two Defensive Targets for Minnesota United’s OffseasonEarlier this month, University of Minnesota’s professor Michael Lower invited me to speak to his class “Soccer: Around the World with the Beautiful Game.” One of the projects in the class asked students to come up with a transfer target report for particular teams. One of those groups put together two transfer targets for Minnesota…
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MLS Roster Deadline Round-Up: Here is Who’s Available
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: MLS Roster Deadline Round-Up: Here is Who’s AvailableOn Monday, November 28th most MLS squads made some big roster announcements. Clubs that weren’t involved in the playoffs announced whose contracts had been extended, declined, or just expired. There are a number of players now available that stand out: Mattias Laba, Nick Rimando, Kyle Beckerman, Mike Grella, Jose Villareal, Teal Bunbury, and the legendary…
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Eight Players Leave as Minnesota United Announces End of Season Roster
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Eight Players Leave as Minnesota United Announces End of Season RosterLate Monday, Minnesota United FC announced its roster decisions as they parted ways with eight players from their inaugural season. Returning Many of the names announced as returning for Minnesota United will not surprise fans. Abu Danladi, Christian Ramirez, Sam Cronin, Ethan Finlay, Miguel Ibarra, Kevin Molino, Sam Nicholson, Rasmus Schüller, Collen Warner, Michael Boxall,…
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Death to the Myth of MLS 4.0
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: Death to the Myth of MLS 4.0Are we in MLS 4.0, yet? Have we moved past the academy revolution of 3.0 and the designated player plus supporters culture iteration of 2.0? The only thing that remains clear is that we have not transcended the delusional Silicon Valley fad of speaking of American soccer in terms of teleological progress. Anthony Precourt, however,…
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FiftyFive.One Podcast 63: PERU! and the Loons Go Scouting
Categories: MediaContinue Reading: FiftyFive.One Podcast 63: PERU! and the Loons Go ScoutingPERU ARE GOING TO THE WORLD CUP! Rodrigo joins Wes and Eric to relive the beauty of his Peru making the World Cup for the first time in almost four decades. But this episode is catching up on far more than just the World Cup qualifiers as the three discuss the craziness of the Columbus…
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Lagos and Watson Spotted in Colombia Scouting for Minnesota United FC
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Lagos and Watson Spotted in Colombia Scouting for Minnesota United FCThe off-season may feel long for fans, but for the Minnesota United staff it is a short turn-around to start making wholesale changes to the squad. Colombia may be one of the sources for some new signings as sporting director Manny Lagos and assistant coach Mark Watson were spotted at a match in Colombia last…
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Minneapolis City Out of Open Cup as Stegman’s Falls to Rochester River Dogz
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Minneapolis City Out of Open Cup as Stegman’s Falls to Rochester River DogzPaul Gotham is a freelance writer from Rochester, NY and makes a guest appearance for FiftyFive.One to recap Stegman’s Soccer Club’s US Open Cup match. PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Stegman’s Soccer Club got the start it wanted Sunday afternoon, but the Minneapolis City affiliate fell short in its quest to qualify for the 2018 Lamar Hunt…