• FC Kansas City, the two-time National Women's Soccer League champion, is up for sale, and a Minnesota businessman has emerged as the early front-runner to purchase the team. According to the Kansas City Star, Elam Baer has confirmed that he's in "early-stage" discussions to buy the franchise, but that he has no plans to move the team from Kansas City to Minnesota.

• FC Dallas, which won the U.S. Open Cup earlier this year, added its first Supporters' Shield (regular-season title) last weekend, becoming just the third team to win both in the same year. The league puts too much emphasis on the end-of-season MLS Cup playoffs, but in reality, winning both trophies is enough to make this Dallas season one of the best in history.

• West Ham's home game against Chelsea in midweek was marred by crowd trouble, including seats and coins thrown between supporters. Not quite a return to the hooligan brawls of yesteryear, but it was a reminder of a bygone time when a soccer game involved a threat of violence. Some American fans romanticize the idea of hooligans — see the movie "Green Street Hooligans." Those who do need to stop.