Lion Links: 5/10/20

Happy Mother’s Day, everyone. To all the moms out there, you rock. You do a difficult job all the time with little to no appreciation and you do make a difference in people’s lives. Keep doing what you do.

It’s also Alex De John’s birthday, so let’s all wish the Orlando City defender a happy one.

I am coming off a productive Saturday, in which I took all the trash out; unloaded, loaded, and ran the dishwasher; did two loads of laundry; cut my own hair (with…meh results…not bad, not good); and made a couple of masks for my return to the office this week. What do you think?

Now that my stylish mask has made its public debut, let’s get to the news of the day.

Alex Morgan is a Mom

Orlando Pride/USWNT forward Alex Morgan and former Orlando City midfielder Servando Carrasco welcomed their daughter into the world Thursday with the arrival of Charlie Elena Carrasco.

At 1130am on May 7 weighing 8lbs5oz, Charlie Elena Carrasco made her grand entrance into the world. She made us wait longer than expected, but I should have known she would do it her way and her way only. My super moon baby. pic.twitter.com/dDbIXW6INr

— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) May 9, 2020

Look, I hope Servando isn’t on the hook for Mother’s Day gifts for Alex. We’re in the midst of a pandemic and he’s had only two days’ notice! In all seriousness though, a huge congratulations to the happy couple. Hopefully Charlie is already enrolled in the Orlando Pride Academy as a future Homegrown Player and now it will be interesting to see how Morgan bounces back with the Olympics delayed and the NWSL season not yet underway.

Kaká in the News

Columbus Crew midfielder Artur has recognized the greatness of former Orlando City captain Kaká, placing him in his five-a-side team of players he’s either played with or against in his career.

“For me, because he played in São Paulo, he’s an idol in São Paulo. For the person he is – he seems to be a very nice guy when I talked to him. As a player, everybody knows what he can do. When I was young, I liked the skill he had with the ball and the quality of his play.”

The former Lion has been a busy man. He spoke to Philadelphia Union Academy U-12 players on a Zoom call recently to offer up some advice, telling the young footballers to find balance in their lives. Wait a minute, why is Kaká helping the future players of another Eastern Conference team? Is he a traitor? Well, it turns out he was doing a favor for his former Brazilian National Team teammate Kleberson, who is coaching in the Union’s academy.

Nani’s FIFA 20 Game vs. Atlanta Televised Today

While real MLS soccer won’t return until some unspecified time in the future, Nani returns to the virtual pitch today and it will be on television. Nani and Abe Valbuena will take on Atlanta United’s eMLS player Paulo Neto and defender Franco Escobar. The MLS website even has a preview of sorts for today’s match-up. It can be seen on FS1 and FOX Deportes and the winner of the match will face the winner of the Vancouver-Toronto match — which kicks off the broadcast at 7 p.m.

“I expect a tough game,” Nani said. “Playing against Atlanta is always difficult. But we are Orlando City, I must represent in the best way. I’m going to give my best but I’m sure my opponent is tough. He’ll give me a tough time.”

USWNT Wants to Immediately Appeal Ruling

After suffering a significant blow in their legal battle for equal pay last week, the United States Women’s National Team filed a motion to appeal. Basically, the USWNT doesn’t want to wait until a trial on the remaining issues not dismissed to try to get the ruling overturned.

The players would normally have to wait until after a trial on the two remaining, limited claims before they could appeal the judge’s decision. The motion argues an expedited appeal would allow the players to potentially have the dismissed claims reinstated ahead of a more comprehensive trial. 

“Simply put, the dismissed equal pay claims constitute the core of plaintiffs’ case, and without a final resolution on their status, it will be exceedingly difficult for the parties ever to reach a settlement,” the motion read.

Free Kicks

• C.J. Sapong picked Dom Dwyer for his MLS Five-a-Side team and in case you missed Nani’s picks, his are embedded in this story as well.
• GOAT gonna GOAT.

The GOAT life. 😎 pic.twitter.com/BRIlidAMzO

— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) May 8, 2020

• Greg Seltzer’s list of greatest MLS goal celebrations has a glaring omission as he did not select Kaká’s tribute to injured teammate Kevin Molino in 2015. He also made back flips ineligible, because reasons, thereby eliminating Nani and Dwyer.
• German soccer might be preparing to resume but as the lockdowns are eased up, we’ll probably see more situations like the one going on at second-tier Dresden, where the entire team is going into 14 days of quarantine.

Health authority in Dresden orders the Dynamo Dresden squad into 14-day quarantine after two new coronavirus cases.

Sports manager Ralf Minge: “We can neither train nor participate in the game in the next 14 days.”

Were due to return to 2. Bundesliga action next weekend.

— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) May 9, 2020

• Those joining De John in being born on this date include Fred Astaire (1899), Nancy Walker (1922), singer-songwriters Donovan, Graham Gouldman, and Dave Mason (all in 1946), punk legend Sid Vicious (1957), U2’s Bono (1960), basketball’s Rony Seikaly (1965), soccer legend Dennis Bergkamp (1969), open-wheel racing’s Helio Castroneves (1975), and hockey’s Ryan Getzlaf (1985).

That’ll do it for me today. By the way, if you are not familiar with Nancy Walker — listed in the birthday list above — check out the 1976 comedy Murder By Death.