Alright, so it seems like only a week ago we were voting for a team name with many, including myself, having put Union at the bottom of their respective list. A month later, we were the Union.  Consider all we have been through as fans and just think, we now have our own team. Players, coaches, rumors, interviews. Hell, even a stadium. People have started talking and arguing about the team. Blogs have popped up, news sources, chat rooms (I will compile a list at some point).  This is all exciting stuff and it has been a lot to take in and keep up with the past few months or so.

Going forward, I will do my best at giving little tidbits here and there, audio clips from the players, live updates from the press box, all sorts of news, interviews of local products in the area (hopefully one with Penn State’s and soon-to-be MLS combine participant  Jason Yeisley), and whatever else you SoBs want. So what has happened in the last couple days?

The Union signed one of the best goalkeeping coaches the college game in this country has to offer. Rob Vartughian, part of Sasho Cirovski’s brilliant set-up at Maryland for six years, will re-unite with former charge Chris Seitz in Philadelphia. His success at College Park with Seitz (who won an NCAA championship with Maryland in 2005) and current Terp sophomore Zac Macmath (who won an NCAA championship last year as a frosh) speaks for itself but he is also no stranger to Philadelphia. In 2001-2002, Vartughian was with the University of Pennsylvania for two Ivy League championships, led by one of his own, senior goalkeeper Matthew Haefner. Haefner wound up winning the only Ivy League Player of the Year in Penn’s history at the time and grabbing All-American honors. So the pick-up is clearly a good one. The most current connection, however, is Vartughian’s work with Piotr Nowak’s Olympic squad last year.

The MLS Combine is coming up fast, January 8th – 12th, and we are already seeing talent drop out. Several combine participants, which is somewhat common, are already overseas testing their chops at trials throughout Europe (Penn State and Allentown product Jason Yeisley for one) and others, like Dartmouth Kiwi Craig Henderson, have already signed for a team (in his case, the Allsvenskan’s newcomers Mjallby). Meanwhile, US Youth NT U-20 striker Tony Taylor looks set to sign with a Miami FC affiliate, Estoril FC, a second-division Portuguese (Liga Vitalis) squad. The announcement of more Generation Adidas signings should help the cause. With Danny Califf and Shavar Thomas in the mix, does another centreback like Wake Forest’s Ike Opara – assuming, of course, he declares – present the best option? Do we trade up at number one? So much to think about but things will be a bit clearer once the Combine gets under way.

A Philadelphia native and a player that never gets enough respect could be making his way to the Union soon. Jeremiah White is on his way out at AGF Aarhus and will most likely be coming stateside. It is hard not to imagine him in the blue and gold. What do you think?

If you haven’t seen Damarcus Beasley’s left-footed curler from the corner of the 18, please do so. Now. It has been a fitting last couple games for Run DMB as he has gotten a few starts with Rangers, making what little time left he has at Ibrox fulfilling. Or could his recent form keep him in Glasgow? Click here to see it. It was the gamewinner in a 3-0 thrashing of Dundee United.

More soon.