Lion Links: 2/7/16

Hey Mane Landers, happy Sunday! For many people, today is a national holiday for a particular sport that also involves a football and a rectangular grass playing field. For those out there who plan to gorge themselves on melted cheese and chicken wings while watching giants in padded armor collide into each other while chasing a tiny brown ball, at least start your day off with some nutritious, delicious soccer news. Let's do the links!

Rookies Talk Preseason Game

Orlando City’s rookies are getting their first opportunity to show what they’ve got at the closed-door friendly match-up between Orlando City and Eastern Florida State College.

The players are expected to play 45 minutes, however Orlando City's talisman, Kaká, will not be in attendance because he is going to be at the Super Bowl. Keep your eyes on The Mane Land's twitter feed @TheManeland, as we will be there and live tweeting during the game.

And Speaking of Preseason..

We are only six days away from the much anticipated match up between Orlando City and the NASL side Jacksonville Armada. Just in time, Jacksonville got a new head coach, former New York MetroStars Tony Meola.

MLS Potpourri

MLS players reflect on their personal stories for February’s Black History Month. Check out Lion’s forward Cyle Larin along with Gyasi Zardes, Warren Creavalle, Giles Barnes, Sean Johnson, Nick DeLeon, and Maurice Edu.

Big D Soccer breaks down and analyses the 84-page Collective Bargaining Agreement which was made public by the Player's Union on Thursday.

LAG Confidential is reporting on replay technology being tested by MLS referees. The technology is likely to be implemented in some USL matches in the upcoming season and perhaps rolled out into MLS at a later date. If that's the case, Supporter's Groups everywhere will have to find new reasons to hurl abuse at the PRO refs.

2016 Lamar Hunt Open Cup Format Revealed

The format for the US Soccer's 2016 Lamar Hunt Open Cup have been released. Changes to how the tournament is played were announced back in January making a USL-side owned by an MLS team ineligible for competition. This means that eight teams, including Orlando City B, will be barred from participation.

Abby Wambach Is Getting a Barbie Doll

After Mattel, announced last week that Barbie was getting a makeover with the toymaker trying to boost sales by making their brand more inclusive and diverse, the toymaker also announced the release of a Abby Wambach Barbie doll.

Lions Take State 5A Soccer Title

Huge Congratulations go out to the Oviedo High School Lions girl's soccer team on the state championship win. This is the Lions' third title win in six years. If anything proves that the Pride and the girls' academy have arrived just in time to capitalize on the success of girl's soccer in Central Florida, this is it.

Well, that’s it Mane Landers. Have a great week and enjoy that Super Bowl Halftime Show. I’m so old that I still remember the days before the five-second delay for “wardrobe malfunctions.”