SHORT TAKES
• In the most obvious possible move, U.S. Soccer announced that the men's national team is headed to Columbus for its World Cup qualifier against Mexico, on Nov. 11. Columbus has hosted this fixture in each of the past four World Cup qualifying campaigns. The U.S. has won all four, each 2-0 — "Dos a Cero," to taunt our south-of-the-border friends.
• According to reports, the owners of the NASL's Fort Lauderdale Strikers cannot meet their financial obligations for the remainder of the year, leaving the league to pick up the slack. The NASL is struggling; five or more teams could either fold or leave for another league.
• Arsene Wenger marks 20 years in charge of Arsenal this week, a tenure we're unlikely to see again in the Premier League, where the average managerial stint now lasts 13 months. Wenger has won three league titles and six FA Cups. That said, his singular accomplishment, that of never finishing outside the top four in the Premier League standings, does seem like damning with faint praise — especially given that Arsenal hasn't won the league since 2004.
JON MARTHALER
