Todd Brandes

@MLSist Pablo, I am a fan of your writing and overall sense of humor. However, your take is totally off base here. Please educate yourself on the facts before commenting on such topics. Thank you.

@chiamakaafc 14

Most people will say 5 Only the sharp ones will get the real answer 👀 How many holes are in Ronaldinho’s shirt

@thesoccerdon Just words

We’ll take it from here. #mlsisback

@SoccerInsider They're trying to sell tickets, not improve the on field product

MLS high-profile summer signings not at all perpetuating its image as a landing spot for late-career European-based stars: Lewandowski, CHI, 38 next month Griezmann, ORL, 35 Casemiro, MIA, 34

@thesoccerdon @MLS @LigaBBVAMX How do you plan on capitalizing on the ridiculous tv numbers from the us audience? At the moment, the majority of the us doesn't care about MLS. Spend the money on up and coming stars and you'll see a difference

The rivalries return. The stakes continue to rise. Leagues Cup is back, and once again, the best of @MLS and @LigaBBVAMX meet on the field. See you on gameday.

@MenInBlazers The man who made me fall in love with the sport. There will never be another Ronaldinho

It's 23 years since Ronaldinho was unveiled as a Barcelona player, and no footballer has looked so effortlessly cool since 🤙

@herculezg No way can you bet against Messi. It's like betting against Jordan. Ain't happening bro

Alright, prediction time. I’m not betting against Messi, it hasn't worked out well for me before. Like against England, they find a way. That said, Spain is a huge favorite here. #Spain #Argentina

@HilzFuld Hashgacha Pratis

My entire perspective shifted over the last 24 hours. We spent the Shabbat in Jaffa, which, if you haven’t been, is a truly magical city. Turns out coexistence is possible when people simply want to live in peace side by side. Anyway, before Shabbat started, I asked a few friends where the best Ashkenazi synagogue is in the area and I was told to go to a synagogue called Zichron Baruch. I knew nothing about it other than the fact that it’s Ashkenazi. The synagogue is about 8 minutes from where we are staying so the walk was short and pleasant. (Not gonna lie, my outfit drew a few funny looks in the streets of Jaffa…) Anyway, so Racheli and I arrive at this small synagogue the size of an average living room and didn’t really know what to expect. As people started to pile into this tiny room, I was confused. Seriously confused. I heard a lot of French being spoken, I saw a lot of secular Jews come in with their tattoos and piercings, then came the hassidic Jews, then some American Jews, and the more people that showed up, the more diverse the group became. I have never encountered anything quite like this. Usually, if you go to a synagogue anywhere in the world, you’ll find many people with the same background. There are Ashkenazi shuls (Synagogues), Sedardic shuls, hassidic shuls, etc. Rarely will you find a shul with so many different groups praying together. It was already a unique experience but it was about to get a whole lot more unique. The services began and it was like nothing I’d ever experienced. Racheli said it was the nicest Davening (prayer services) she’s ever experienced. I tend to agree. They sang everything and the singing was intense and beyond inspirational! To see Jews absolutely covered in tattoos wearing shorts and a tshirt singing and dancing with Hassidic Jews as if nothing separated them was just heart warming. They sang literately everything. A Friday night Davening in a “normal” shul usually takes about an hour, maybe a bit longer depending if the rabbi gives a sermon or not. This Davening started at about 7:30 and ended after 9:15. The Davening itself was unique too. It started with classic Ashkenazi style with tunes and songs from Ashkenazi singers and then it continued with Sephardic tunes and style. It was a total mixture. I wish I had my phone on me so I could capture what I experienced because words cannot do it justice. (Good thing I have AI to try and replicate what it all looked like. The building is a real image of the shul, but I used AI for illustrative purposes to add the people in front of the shul.) Every part of Davening, which is usually said silently to one’s self was accompanied by beautiful song and dance that went on forever and that no one wanted to end. Everyone sang and danced together as if the world was perfect and there were no problems in the world or in Israel. Total unity. Total love. Total spirituality. Throughout the prayers, people continued to pile in and just like in the temple in ancient times, somehow there was room for everyone. It was almost supernatural like the walls expanded so everyone had a place to pray. Then someone got up to congratulate a member of the congregation who got engaged, another couple who had a baby, and others with their special occasions. Then a rabbi spoke for a few minutes and then the prayers continued. As if the people there weren’t interesting enough, in walks Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the United States, now political commentator, and author. The truth is I didn’t see any familiar faces or friends other than Michael for whom I have tremendous admiration and respect. He too was praying with such strong emotion, it was a sight to behold. I was happy to see him and he seemed happy (and surprised) to see me there. He also smiled and complimented me on my funny looking suit. 😁 After the services; we headed back to the hotel, had dinner, and went to sleep. In the morning, we headed over to the shul again for Shabbat prayers and this too was spectacular. Again, secular Jews who, if you encountered them on the street, would never imagine that they pray in a shul on Shabbat, singing and dancing before their Creator. The first prayer was led by an Ashkenazi Jew who sang all the traditional tunes and then the second prayer was led by a Sephardic Jew covered in tattoos. His voice was that of an angel. I went over him after to thank him for his beautiful singing and asked him if he’s a professional singer because he sure sounded like one. He was. I didn’t get his name but apparently he is indeed a famous Israeli singer. I couldn’t help but be reminded of something famously attributed to Rabbi Chaim Kaniefsky who was speaking about Israel vs the diaspora. He famously said that a street cleaner in Israel is holier than a chief rabbi outside of Israel. I gotta admit, I never really understood what that meant until today. The intensity with which these diverse Jews prayed together was like nothing I’ve ever seen. In most shuls, people take their prayer book, say the words, and go home. In some shuls, especially in the diaspora, people don’t even do that. Shul to many Orthodox Jews in the diaspora is more of a social event than a prayer place. Not everyone, of course, but nowhere, not in any orthodox shul I’ve been to, was the Davening this beautiful and this intense. There are of course many beautiful shuls in the diaspora and throughout Israel. My intention isn’t to throw anyone under the bus. All I’m saying is that these “Secular Jews”, or at least Jews you’d think are secular, were praying more intensely than any Orthodox Jew I’ve seen. Throughout the Davening, special blessings were said for all the people mentioned above. For the man who just got engaged, for the woman who just had a baby, and for several people who had recently lost loved ones. After the services ended, they had a MASSIVE spread right in the middle of Jaffa on the sidewalk. People joined from all over as the rabbi blessed the wine and everyone enjoyed some delicious food together. It all felt very messianic. We met Lotan, the man who founded the synagogue years ago and runs it all voluntarily. He is a kind soft-spoken man who is clearly passionate about the Jewish people and who everyone in the congregation clearly respects tremendously. He came over to me (he’s not on social media so he didn’t recognize me or anything.) to welcome me to the shul, to ask me where I’m from, and what I was doing there. As we were speaking, a nice woman who follows me online came over and told Lotan that I dedicate myself online to fighting for our people. He listened to the woman then turned to me to thank me and give me a hug. The entire experience changed my perspective on the Jewish people. Before this Shabbat, I was very concerned with the state of our nation. I was deeply saddened and worried by all the division and internal fighting. Those things are real and concerning, but watching all of what I witnessed reassured me that we are going to be ok. We are going to be better than ok. Our future is bright. This whole thing from beginning to end was one big coincidence. I was clearly meant to experience this. For the first time in a very long time, maybe ever, all of our kids were away for Shabbat. We decided to try and get away. I wrote my friend who owns the Setai hotel in Jaffa and asked him if he wanted a guest for Shabbat. It was already Thursday night but he made it happen and hosted us, not only in his hotel, but in the brand new executive suite. The hotel had its own synagogue so I could have just prayed there but decided to research what other options there were in the area. It all just fell into place and we ended up having one of the most inspirational prayer services we’ve ever experienced. I thought I’d leave this Shabbat well rested and with my batteries recharged. I expected it to be a relaxing Shabbat. Little did I know that it was going to end up recharging not just my physical batteries, but my spiritual ones as well. It was indeed a relaxing Shabbat but it was also an inspirational one that left me loving Hashem and loving my people more than ever. What a magical Shabbat it was! If you have the opportunity to spend Shabbat in Jaffa, take it, and if you do, go to the Zichron Baruch shul to experience what the revelation at Mount Sinai must have felt like. Thank me later. If I had any doubts before Shabbat, I no longer question the fact that Am Yisrael Chai Vekayam, the Jewish people live on! Our enemies got nothin on us!!

@HenMazzig What's the point of that sign? What's the need to have something like that? They should take it down

This sign at an Oregon theatre is objectively untrue. We don't have exact points in history for either, but the Odyssey was written around 700 BCE, and the earliest mention of Israel came in 1213 BCE, with Jews undoubtedly having been around a lot longer before then. But more than it being untrue, it's strange. Why is something existing before Jews a selling point? Do they think the story is somehow "untainted" by Jews? What disgustingly blatant antisemitism.

@ManagerTactical They need to focus on signing in their prime elite European and South American players while making a huge marketing effort in the urban core of all major American cities. They also need to some sort of alternative to punish teams not making the playoffs if there's no pro/rel

The biggest challenge MLS has over the next 5-10 years to win over the millions of American 🇺🇸 soccer fans that don’t care about the league. The “sign a star” gimmick won’t work. They also won’t choose MLS in terms of quality when they have at least 5 other leagues with better quality on the field. That leaves MLS with bringing them in due to some personal connection, which is tough. You can’t say “support local” and force people to buy into a very “corporate league”. Liga Mx 🇲🇽 ain’t better than MLS but Mexican Americans have a personal connection to it, which is why it has more viewers than MLS in the 🇺🇸 So how does MLS solve this?

@JPFinlayNBCS Mugsey Bouges would've been incredible because of his size. I also think Devin Hester would've been elite. Maybe white chocolate and Christian McCaffrey

Fun radio topic- What other athletes could play World Cup level soccer if they only played soccer? Best Commander to play goalie: Sonny Styles All time NFL player to play goalie: Randy Moss All time athlete that would have been incredible soccer player: Allen Iverson

@MattDoyle76 @MLS @Pragidealist Dude, the problem is that no one in African American urban communities are playing the sport nor know anything about it. Fix that issue, and then you fix soccer in America

Pay-to-play, @MLS academies and the growth of the US player pipeline: Have we reached a tipping point? a guest post from @Pragidealist, who you should give a follow. tacticsfreezone.ghost.io/pay-to-play-ml…

@GolazoAmerica @CBSSportsGolazo When they start getting in their prime elite talent, then I'll care

MLS has loaded up with talent this summer 🤯 🇵🇱 Robert Lewandowski → Chicago Fire 🔥 🇫🇷 Antoine Griezmann → Orlando City 🦁 🇫🇷 Allan Saint-Maximin → Charlotte FC ⚡️

@JPFinlayNBCS MoCo, PG County, DC, Arlington, Alexandria, & Fairfax. That's it

My best attempt at a DMV map. Hard northern border w Baltimore. Then southern Maryland is its own thing. Frederick it’s own thing. Annapolis its own thing. DMV extends far west and south into Virginia

@ManagerTactical Bielsa

Ok, assuming Pochettino does not stay… who would you want to take over the USMNT 🇺🇸? Keep it realistic, Guardiola ain’t coming.

@JunksRadio The stadium wall should be like this

WATCH HERE: youtube.com/watch?v=UZm2oY…

@usmntonly It's always been the federation starting with Sunil Gulati

Jermaine Jones goes off on the state of US Soccer in a series of tweets 😮

@AlexiLalas He didn't lose it, the players did. Their soft as hell. We need a team full of Clint Dempsey's

No, I think Pochettino did a really good job of injecting national pride and passion into this USMNT. His flaw (or failure) was losing the game that he was hired to win, and losing it in a way that undid much of the good the team had amassed through the tournament.

@ManagerTactical I would fire everyone who's in charge at the USSF

Would you keep Mauricio Pochettino as the USMNT 🇺🇸 head coach? If yes, why? If no, also why?

@usmntonly @mulvihill79 The question is how will MLS capitalize on this???

This is incredible. Combined viewing in the U.S. on FOX & Telemundo: USMNT 🇺🇸 vs. 🇧🇪 Belgium: 50.1M viewers Mexico 🇲🇽 vs. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England: 46.7M viewers These are the most watched non-NFL sporting events in the United States since the 1994 Winter Olympics 😳 (h/t @mulvihill79)

@BMitchandFinlay Here's a concept: use a silhouette of the old logo, and then throw a W in it. I think that can work

Could the Commanders possibly bring back the old Redskins logo? Call in 📞800-636-1067 LISTEN audacy.com/thefandc/liste…