Garber: Retirement is the new black.

With the breathless debate and interest raised by the news of Cuauhtemoc Blanco's retirement from international duty, Don Garber the MLS Supremo has decided that MLS will use retirement as a way to get news headlines.

First off, Kansas and Columbus will retire from obscurity. Apparently, these teams still exist and will actually market themselves as soccer events instead of just highlighting celebrity appearances and half time light saber duels. We believe that FC Dallas elected to remain retired from view in hopes of keeping all the pizza in Pizza Hut Park for themselves. Second, there is a serious debate about whether the Red Bull New York Red Bulls of Harrison New Jersey will retire from their dismal record of failure. And finally, DC United fans steadfastly refused to retire from their arrogance about winning 12 major international and domestic trophies in 12 years of existence.

Season through September - Part 1

Garber and company are looking to expand several midseason tournaments designed to build interest in MLS. One is the expanded Super Liga – our sources believe that not only will the competition include an additional four MLS teams but will also solicit teams from Europe, MLS has so far approached Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Barcelona, AC Milan, Real Madrid. The understanding is to get these teams to turn their friendlies into matches for the Super Liga.

Phil Anschutz nixed Ruud Gullit and his regime of “sexy football”. Apparently the ultra-conservative billionaire misunderstood Gullit’s accent and thought he was talking about “winning football”.

AEG also allowed Alexi Lalas to “pursue other ventures”. The red haired one apparently left the building under security escort screaming “you’ll regret this! My sad song and waltzes are going to totally rip you apart! The people will know all.” To date, Mr. Lalas has been unsuccessful in getting record producers to believe that sad songs and waltzes will be popular this year.

Kenny Cooper met with Steve Ralston at a bar in DC to discuss the best way to avoid a national team call up. Although rumors persist that Bruce Arena was actually in attendance, we understand that he just mailed in his advice.

FC Toronto is pretty upset about the MLS’ rules on streamers after some Kolumbus Krew fan said a nasty word to a player. So, they have secured the services of the most petulant and aggressive players available. Rumors abound that they are seeking to trade for Cuahtemoc Blanco, Seth Stammler, Jay Heaps, Joey Franchino, and Pablo Mastroeni. Sources stated that they must be thinking, “Ok, so we’ve got Amado Guevara and Carlos Ruiz, how can we make all the other teams fans apoplectic without actually winning a game?”

And speaking of Blanco, MLS Rumors Rumors has discovered that Cuahtemoc has multiple crowd shots in his house of Fire fans. He uses these as targets for darts, in his toilet, and on his cutting boards. He is also thinking of installing a mock up of Section 8 for the back yard so he can use it for target practice for his 12 gauge shotgun. When asked about his apparent dislike, Blanco responded “The fans suck and I’m just showing my support for the poor maligned security professionals that do nothing but bend over backwards for these rowdies. And what thanks do they get? They get argued with, hurt carrying fans from the section, and bruised knuckles from fans’ jaws.”

ON THE MOVE: Blanco to Rapids for Gomez? [UPDATED]

Gomito: Heading to Chicago with his posse? (Photo by flickr user IntangibleArts, used, uh, well, without permission...sorry! and linked via creative commons license... Thanks dude!)

MLS Rumors² has learned that embittered Chicago midfielder Cuahtemoc "Our Supporters Are [Garbage]" Blanco has requested a trade to the Colorado Rapids. Our super-secret source wrote us the following:

Cuah really wants to be part of an organization that shares his philosophy regarding supporters. Colorado, with its proven track record of disdain for its own supporters groups, is just a natural fit. He knows that if he finds anyone the least bit annoying, he need merely gesture to security, and the entire section will be cleared. Quite frankly, no other team in MLS can match that level of contempt for its own fans. Red Bulls were close, but their recent move to replace NJSEA security in Section 101 is a real step backwards for them.

Meanwhile, Christian Gomez, who once famously joined DC United away supporters for a match at the Meadowlands and drummed until his hands blistered, will be a natural fit in Chicago, since, as our source put it: "He actually likes supporters. I think it has something to do with him being from Argentina, because none of us here can quite understand it."

UPDATE: Remember how we said Blanco was Beyond Parody? We lied.

BREAKING: Blanco Officially "Beyond Parody"

CHICACO, 17 August, 2008: Chicago Fire midfielder Cuahtemoc Blanco offically moved "beyond parody," according to a panel of MLS Rumors Rumors staff writers. This follows the volatile player's post-game quote that his own team's supporters (who were protesting allegedly racist behavior by stadium security) are "[garbage]." Of course, he didn't really say "garbage," but the Tribune is a family newspaper, so we here at MLS Rumors Rumors don't know what actual slur Blanco used. Feel free to let us know in the comments, since, well, we're not a family blog.

Mr. White celebrates an own-goal in front of Section 8

The slander was rendered extra-super-duper ironic, as it comes on the heels of Blanco's own run-ins with police and stadium security.

"There's just nothing we can make up that even approaches what Blanco does all on his own," said one MLS Rumors Rumors writer. "I mean, seriously, this guy has a disciplinary record a mile long (*cough* domesticviolence *cough*), and he's criticizing his own team's supporters as drunks and [garbage]? Wow. We just can't top that. It's not even worth trying. Frankly, I'm rather disillusioned by this whole situation. This has to be the lowest point of my making shit up career."

LIVE :: Cuauhtémoc Blanco Sentencing (VIDEO)

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Whither El Pescadito?

For years, Carlos Ruiz has been the poster child for “MLS Bad Boy”. Not only has he been a prolific goal scorer but he has earned his nickname of El Pescadito through his theatrical flopping about on the field. To add to his reputation as a “MLS Bad Boy”, Ruiz has cultivated a poor attitude and learned all the best ways to cheap shot opponents when the referee is not paying attention. However, MLS Rumors Rumors has received word that Ruiz is upset at his loss of status in favor of the new “MLS Bad Boy”, Cuauhtemoc Blanco. According to sources close to the Guatemalan striker, Ruiz feels ignored by the league and the fans. He believes the beating administered by Ricardo Clark got out the collective frustrations of MLS fans and officials and now he is in danger of being a has-been pest. Mexican Blanco’s antics during MLS games and at the US Open Cup match in Germantown, Maryland against DC United, has left Carlos Ruiz far behind in the running for “MLS Bad Boy”. MLS Rumors Rumors has learned that Ruiz hopes to step up his bad attitude and reclaim his mantle.