Although you may not have noticed with all the fast paced and world class Major League Soccer games going on, we have crept ever closer to the World Cup, which begins less than a week from today.  Finally recognizing that the biggest sporting event in the world is slightly more interesting than watching Salt Lake and Kansas City duel in 109 degree heat, the MLS brass has decided to set up a break in league play during the tournament.

Metro will be taking a relaxing 3 week break from league games before it plays the Wizards on the 26th, in Kansas City.  Don't worry footie fanatics!  If non stop World Cup Action is somehow not enough for during this period, you will also be able to catch your local, with New York lining up against Brazilian side Cruziero on June 18.

Metro won't play until the 26th, but I will be out of action for slightly longer.  I am going to be gone until the end of the month, because I will be in South Africa attending the World-freaking-Cup.  It is awesome, and I am extremely excited about it, although I hate to let down my loyal legion of fans (which appear to consist of my mother, my boss at the Daily Harrison, and maybe four friends or so that I have conned into occasionally reading my ramblings) but this is an opportunity that I would forever regret if I passed it up.  Even if I repeatedly got robbed and raped in Johannesburg slums it would be awesome, just because it would be the World Cup*.

After New York's two solid home wins this week, they are sitting pretty at the top of the East with a 7-5 record, not to mention their excellent performances in the US Open Cup.  The season has gone well so far, with newcomers Hans Backe and GM Erik Soler both performing admirably.  The core of the team that made it to the MLS Cup in 2008 (which was built by Bruce Arena and neutered by Juan Carlos Osorio) remains intact while complimentary signings like Roy Miller and Joel Lindpere have rounded out the squad.  This years class of rookies, which was selected by long time assistant Richie Williams and Soler has performed spectacularly, with Tim Ream and Tony Tchani looking exceptionally good.  Hans Backe has picked a formation and stuck with it, while effectively organizing the squad and managing to eek out results when the team doesn't play well and still look good when they lose.  Although Metro aren't amazing, they are performing far ahead of the hopes of some of even the most optimistic fans and the turn around has been amazing.

Outside of a friendly against Cruziero, what can Metro fans expect to happen during the World Cup?  It is hard to say exactly what news will develop during this break, but expect a couple signings to either occur or come closer to fruition.  If Thierry Henry is not a Metro by the time I am back, he will be shortly after.  Sadly, it is looking like Ze Roberto will not be joining the team.  Management has also moved closer to signing a center back, which will give Old Man Petke some time to rest his game and Young Lad Ream more time to adjust to professional play.  If there are big signings, which there most likely will be (looking at Henry on this one) they will likely occur after the World Cup.  Hopefully we don't miss too much and I will return just in time to dispense the hard hitting news I know you have come to know and expect from the Daily Harrison Soccer Department Official Foot-Based Sport Correspondence.

I hope that those who do read the Daily Kicker have been enjoying it, and I look forward to continuing to write for it when I return.  South Africa will be a blast, and although I know it will be easy to get jealous of the young, devilishly handsome writer living it up in Joburg while supporting 'Merica in the World Cup, you'd be better off if you didn't worry too much about it.

So, in order to get a feeling for what those who follow this site/my writing do and do not like, I am going to open this bad boy up to (hopefully) constructive criticism.  Please feel free to email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (throw daily harrison in the subject line) if you have any questions, comments, concerns, whatever.  Like when I rant?  Think my interviews are too hard-hitting and I should be asking Petke his middle name and if Sinisa Ubiparipovic rocks boxers or briefs?  Got travel advice or recommendations on stuff to do in the Mother Continent while I am away?  Tired of my grammar and spelling errors?  Don't give a sh!t?  Whatever it is I am looking for some feedback.

Peace, and I hope you enjoy the break as much as I do.

Dave

*On second thought that probably would not be very often and I will do my utmost to avoid either of those events.  But you get the point.

Dave Braneck is a blogger and an all around soccer fan who represents North Jersey to the fullest and contributes to Dailyharrison.com

Image courtesy of World Cups Wallpapers