First off, I usually hate this current format for the All-Star game. A ‘select’ side of MLS players against a club in preseason form. But last night’s game just looked and felt better than some of the previous ones I’ve watched in this format. I don’t know if it was just the overall level of play out of the MLS side, or the quality game (3-2 scorelines are always entertaining), or if it was just because Toronto was one hell of a host.

But getting back to reality for second, it was a good win, not a great one for the league. Beating a club that typically finishes in the middle of the EPL won’t raise too many eyebrows about how the league is coming along in other parts of the world. It will look good for a day or two and then everyone will go about their merry way come Sunday when the week 18 games kickoff.

I loved the starting lineup for the league, even though the first 20 minutes were largely a total bore. But that is expect in a friendly of this nature. But once the goals started and things got moving in the second half with all the subs, the game kind of got this electric feel to it. It didn’t hurt to see three Canadians out there and have the home crowd got absolutely bananas for Dwayne de Rosario’s game winning penalty kick.

In all I think this game was a success and this week was a success for the league. So let’s look back on some more thoughts and news from the week and try to finish up that clean up that I first mentioned.

Cuauhtemoc Blanco easily was the man of the match. – I just wish I could have seen more. Blanco put on a nice show for the crowd with his goal and assist. Why ESPN decided the game winning PK was the goal of the game was beside me because Blanco’s strike before halftime was as cool as the other side of the pillow. He continues to show his value to this league. No offense to Toronto’s home boy De Rosario, but had DeRo been picked as the MVP I would have gone crazy!

David Beckham is still a class act. – I’m sure the Toronto fans were finally happy to see Becks play. He worked well with Blanco, Christian Gomez and everyone else last night. Its amazing watching him link up with classy players like Juan Pablo Angel too. It just makes the game so enjoyable to watch.

Shalrie Joseph is mighty good my friends. -There is a reason why I dubbed him my preseason pick for MVP this year. He won’t win because of where he plays on the field but damn this guy is so good and most don’t even see it. What I love about Joseph is he just continues to get the job done, no matter what game it is. He proved last night that he deserves another shot at going to Europe in a year or two (when his current deal is out of course!).

Bornstein may have impressed me the most. – Out of all the guys that I didn’t think deserved the All-Star bid, it was actually probably Chivas defender Jonathan Bornstein. But after last night he totally erased all of those thoughts with what he did on the field. If he plays even half as good as he did last night for the rest of the season, Chivas will be fine and will still contend out west.

Didn’t care for the MLS jerseys. – Black on a almost dark blue? Eh, I thought these kits were a miss for the most part. Why wasn’t it black on red shorts? I dunno, for me it may have been the only draw back to the game because it just looked weird to me on TV. I may be the only one on that though.

BMO Field looks great on TV. – I remember first seeing the renderings of BMO Field a couple years ago and thought it would be a crappy little venue but man was I ever wrong. I love this venue for MLS. Its not just the great fans but for some reason it comes across very nicely on TV. Okay, its probably because of the fans and the fact that we hardly ever see an empty seat there.

‘Bitchy’ the Hawk. – If you watched the ESPN telecast of the game you will know what I am talking about. Honestly never thought I would hear the name Bitchy on Primetime television.

FC Dallas has a tough week ahead. – Are they staying or are they going? We will see I guess whether or not Juan Toja will be in Romania next week and if Kenny Cooper will indeed go to Norway. Listening to Cooper during the second half last night gave me the impression (and both ESPN commentators) that he has played his last game in MLS. As for Toja, he denies but we all know he is leaving.

Buddle to stay or go? – Edson Buddle is also getting a nice look at by a Scandinavian club (probably Rosenborg) too. If he does go then you can pretty much bet that LA will land former West Ham United midfielder Nolberto Solano will indeed sign with the club. Though there is word he will probably sign regardless of what Buddle does or even what happens to Carlos Ruiz for that matter.

The expansion game. – Two more clubs in 2011. The league says they are going to strike while the iron is hot. I guess at MLS Cup we will know those two cities, or at least by MLS Cup will know of those two cities. My best is the cap will be raised in the coming year (the CBA ends soon) and with the new academies in place with most of the clubs we won’t have to question whether or not there is enough talent to fill these clubs, because we will.

You can be the judge on some of these rumors, I’m fairly certain about some of these. Forgive me if some of this is a few days old.

I want to start here in my town, Dallas, about a little rumor about Manchester United going after teenage prospect at FC Dallas, Brek Shea. I know this one is almost a week old but it falls into the category in my books of a “yeah, riiiight” in terms of likely happening.

Here’s what the report says on ManU and Shea:

Alex Ferguson is chasing big Brek Shea – the new rising star of United States football.

Manchester United’s top scout Jim Lawlor is preparing to fly to the States to watch the giant 18 year old, who is skipper of his country’s youth team, on the orders of Old Traf ford boss Ferguson.

The 6ft 3in Shea, who plays for FC Dallas in the MLS, caught United’s eye at last month’s Toulon tournament in France, where he stood out despite being years younger than most in the under-23 category.

The powerful Shea, whose family is of Norwegian stock, can play at centrehalf or in midfield and has been outstanding in his first season as a professional in America.

Shea is a colourful character who used to have a Samuraistyle haircut until he was told to get it trimmed by a national youth team coach.

He now sports a more conservative look that would meet the approval of strict disciplinarian Sir Alex Ferguson. The billionaire Glazer family, who own United, would love an all-American boy to sign because the potential spin-offs would be huge.

Honestly, I love Bristish writing. Especially when they know absolutely little of what they are talking about when it comes to Major League Soccer. I know Shea had a great time with the U-23 National team in France a month ago but that most certainly won’t be enough to get him to join a club like ManU.

Shea was the second overall pick in this year’s SuperDraft. He’s largely seen as a big time project for FC Dallas. He has the tools and the talent to be a big time player I think, but for now he is only seeing reserve time. Plus there is the argument in Dallas surrounding some of the young players that he isn’t nearly as good as fellow rookie Eric Avila. Its an argument but nothing more.

I wouldn’t read too much into this rumor just yet. Maybe if Shea had actually seen significant time on the pitch this season and had done well we would be a little more serious about this.

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Deseretnews.com is reporting that German midfielder Sebastian Schindzielorz is currently on trial with the  club. Schindzielorz is currently plays his football with Levadiakos in the Greek 1st division (Super League Greece) has played in the German Bundesliga with VfL Bochum and FC Koln.

He’s brought in by management for his athleticism and could fill the vacant roster spot.

His trial began a week ago with RSL. No word really yet on how it is going. The club is exploring other options with their open spot so you could see another player or two come in on trial real soon to compete for the position.

As we’ve seen in recent weeks, this club needs a strong midfielder, particularly on the wings. Schindzielorz could be that guy as he does have the experience and could be a good fit for RSL.

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We all know the New York Red Bulls are looking to make a few moves in the next couple of weeks once the transfer window opens up for them. Now the word around the internet world is that a former teammate of Claudio Reyna at Manchester City could be on to join the fun. Paul Dickov had been linked with a couple clubs earlier in the year and is now in line to possibly join the Red Bulls.

According to Sky Sports and Setanta, he may come over during the summer window next month.

The Scottish 35-year old sounds like a bit of a waste to me. I know the club needs a striker at this point but getting an aged striker may not be the answer. He knows how to score but hasn’t seen a lot of competitive action over the last couple of years as Man City has loaned him out to a couple clubs.

The biggest reason why anyone is speculating his name right now in a link to MLS is due to his time with Reyna and Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio. Yeah, it may be nice to get a familiar face in the locker room for these two guys but that doesn’t mean it will work out. This club needs a player with pace and the ability to knock in shots. I’m not saying Dickov isn’t that player but to me this just doesn’t seem like a smart move for the club if it is going to happen.

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Another EPL player is being rumored to a move across the sea to MLS. Nolberto Solano of West Ham United is said to be on the move this offseason. A couple MLS clubs have said to be interested in his services. Solano wants to say in England for another couple seasons if possible but he could make the jump if the right deal comes along. Liverpool is rumored to bid for the winger, so if that is the case throw this one out.

The 33-year old midfielder from Peru could be a good fit for a number of clubs. I could actually see this guy working out in New York or for a club like Chivas. He has good pace and certainly knows how to score.

The biggest draw for a MLS club is the free transfer part. His contract with West Ham ends at the end of the month and it wouldn’t be too difficult to get him to the States if he really wanted to come.

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And lastly for the day…is another edition of the Jared Borgetti to MLS rumor. This time MLS Rumors is linking him to the Houston Dynamo as possibly their designated player.

Uh, yeah, right. Houston wants and needs a striker like Borgetti but currently lacks the funds to do so. They would first have to dump a player in a trade or something along that lines to free up the cap space and then sign him to a deal either as a DP or something on long the lines of one like a Schelotto.

He’s been linked before in 2006 and again in 2007…and now again in 2008 to MLS. Will it happen? More than likely at this point it won’t happen. That is unless some team or the league makes him a deal that he cannot turn down.

Would I like to see Houston sign a player like Borgetti? Sure, if the right move presents itself. Colorado, Chivas, and San Jose have all said to be interested in him in the past. Now Houston is getting their turn on the rumor mill with him.