Robbie Findley became the latest Alexi Lalas reject to scorch MLS with a hat trick last night at Rio Tinto Stadium in RSL’s 4-1 win over Columbus.  Findley has been capped once for the United States against Switzerland in a friendly back in October 2007. When I attempted to ask Findley last year at RSL training about his choice to play for the US over Trinidad and Tobago he told me he’d rather discuss Salt Lake.Good choice, and he’s a very pleasant up and coming attacker.

But I have to ask an honest yet cynical question: Having been burned by Giuseppe Rossi and with the wheels on Nevan Subotic already in motion come October 2007, did Bradley just want to call Findley up once and then forget about him knowing he was eligible for T&T also? By the way, Kyle Beckerman another player that Bradley seems to have forgotten because he doesn’t fit in the bucket midfield, scored RSL’s fourth and final goal.

FC New York  joins USL-1 next year initially playing matches at Hofstra University before likely moving to Queens. While this is cause for celebration for many lovers of the game in the city and on Long Island, the dean of American “soccer” writers, Paul Gardner has a problem with the name of the club. Gardner feels the club should be called SC New York, because we the sport is referred to as Soccer in the United States.

The England born Gardner’s legendary objection to the use of British terms not withstanding, this is a good move by USL-1. The league whose profile has been elevated by the play of two of its clubs in the CONCACAF Champions League is now considered of a high enough quality to try and compete with MLS in some markets where our first division is struggling. New York, the nation’s largest market where the existing MLS team is based in New Jersey and struggles to get any significant media coverage is a logical place to start.

LIVE WEEKEND TV with American footballers:

SATURDAY

Fulham-Liverpool, 12:30 PM ET/FSC

Toronto-Seattle, 4pm ET/FSC

SUNDAY

Everton-Wigan  10am ET/Setanta

Man U- Aston Villa 11 am ET/FSC

Chicago-Red Bull  3pm ET/Telefutura

Santos-Pachuca 5pm ET/Univision

FC Gold Pride-Boston Breakers 7pm/FSC

You can listen to our latest podcast here. Jamie Trecker, a regular from FOX Sports is our guest as we discuss among other things the US National Team, FOX’s acquisition of UEFA Champions League rights, and MLS.