Lion Links: 11/26/15

After a flurry of roster moves yesterday for Orlando City that The Mane Land covered here, let’s gather around the table and share what we’re most thankful for this year. Personally, I’m thankful for Luke Boden, who turns 27 today. Happy Birthday, Luke. I’m also thankful for today’s wine pairing which is a nice oaked California Chardonnay to go along with the mashed potatoes.

Orlando City U-14s set to face Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund

Last weekend, OCSC's U-14 squad took down IMG Academy, 4-0, and received an invite to an elite event to square off alongside the English and German youth sides, respectively. Also in attendance are Baltimore Celtic Darby, last year's USYSA champions. Matches will be held today and Saturday at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex.

Orlando City Foundation Helping Families in Need This Holiday Season

In yesterday’s links we highlighted members of Orlando City Soccer Club distributing turkey dinners to Orlando community members and today we’re highlighting the efforts of the Orlando City Foundation’s toy drive. The foundation is accepting toys for boys and girls up to age 16. Drop off locations include Orlando City’s headquarters in downtown Orlando, the Seminole Soccer Complex in Sanford, or any Tradewinds Credit Union in Central Florida. The foundation requests that donated gifts are unwrapped.

Soccer Don Rethinks his Opinion on Tennessee

At Blazercon, the self-styled "Soccer Don" himself, Don Garber, made some less-than-polite comments offhandedly about National Premier Soccer League team Chattanooga FC, while speaking in reference to promotion and relegation in MLS, which he recently apologized for. When asked about the topic, Garber said:

"If you're investing billions and billions of dollars, which we are now at about $3.5 billion invested in 20 years, to build something in Kansas City and they have a (bad) season, to think they might be playing in Chattanooga in a stadium of 4,000 people on a crappy field with no fans, makes no sense…"

This was met with some backlash and Garber has since extended an olive branch saying (from the link above):

"While recently discussing promotion and relegation, I made some inappropriate comments about Chattanooga, I commend all of the soccer fans in Tennessee and the Southeast for their record-breaking support of Chattanooga FC, and apologize to the passionate supporters of the club."

Chile's Former Soccer President Surfaces in Miami

Sergio Jaude resigned as president of Chile's soccer federation last week after refusing to answer questions by fellow officials regarding potential links to FIFA's ongoing corruption scandal. He had been missing ever since his resignation and rumors floated that he was helping the FBI in New York. However, Monday night Chilean state TV showed Jaude walking the streets of South Beach, wearing sandals, a t-shirt, and shorts. It's unconfirmed if he, like most tourists along South Beach, wore socks with his sandals.

Extra Time +4'

David Beckham is still having problems getting a stadium built in Miami, which is neat.

Exciting Houston Dynamo ownership news! Gabriel Brener is reportedly on the verge of becoming the majority owner with plans to buy out Anschutz Entertainment Group.

Over at CNN, they're discussing how the Men In Blazers, like the pilgrims aboard the mayflower before them, colonized America with soccer. Which, in the spirit of the holiday, we should note there were already people here enjoying the bounty.

Hey! Did you know that The Mane Land has shirts? They make great holiday gifts for that special Orlando City Soccer Club fan in your life.

From all of us here at The Mane Land. Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!