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Chicago’s acquisition of the rights to veteran striker Brian McBride from Toronto is in the final stages. Chad Barrett and other considerations are heading north. Of course, McBride would not be available to the Fire until after the Olympics. … A few clubs in need of goalkeeping help have inquired about Chris Seitz — who hasn’t seen much playing time in two seasons because Nick Rimando regained his form — but RSL apparently has no interest in dealing the former Maryland Terrapin. Seitz is with the Olympic team as Brad Guzan’s backup for the next few weeks. … Speaking of RSL and the Olympics, the word on the streets is that oft-injured defender-midfielder Nathan Sturgis is in danger of missing the rest of the season with a hamstring problem, an ailment that also removed him from the Olympic roster this week. He has only made eight league appearances for RSL

*We are beginning to learn more about NBC’s coverage of Olympic soccer. As we told you a few days ago, a channel dedicated to all men’s and women’s matches will be created and available on some cable systems. But for mainstream viewing, the USA women’s opener vs. Norway on Aug. 6 — two days before the Opening Ceremonies — will be shown live on MSNBC beginning at 7:45 a.m. ET. The following day, the USA men’s opener against Japan can be seen on MSNBC at 5 a.m. Telemundo is set to offer Honduras-Italy at 5 a.m., followed by Ivory Coast-Argentina at 7:45. *Congrats to USA women’s legend Kristine Lilly, who, on her 37th birthday, gave birth to her first child, 6-pound 13-ounce Sidney Marie Heavey. *Check out the scoring summary from the Washington Freedom’s W-League playoff victory over Charlotte: WAS: Christie Welsh 2 CHA: Christy Rife (Nikki Lyons) 11 WAS:

Two more goals for Kenny Cooper, one step closer to a fat European contract. Rosenborg (Norway) has been the front-runner for some time, but now it appears Cardiff City (Wales) is making a play for the Dallas forward. The headline on the Wales Online story: “Super Cooper in Bluebirds’ Sights.” Clever. However, here at the most cultured soccer blog around, we prefer the late, great Peter Boyle belting out a similar phrase during a classic scene from “Young Frankenstein”: Back later with The Good, The Bad, the Coyote Ugly…..

*To relive the pomp and circumstance, glory and drama of the one and only MLS All-Star Game, click here for video highlights. *Players on the move: — Robbie Russell from Denmark to Utah. — Forward Kei Kamara goes from San Jose to Houston. — Lots of action in Big D. As we told you last week, Dallas star Kenny Cooper may be getting closer to Rosenborg [corrected: brain freeze]. Meantime, FCD midfielder Juan Toja is in negotiations with Steaua Bucharest. I hear that midfielder Arturo Alvarez is not happy and that the club might be eyeing Bruno Guarda, the Brazilian midfielder who played for FCD Coach Schellas Hyndman at SMU and was acquired by Colorado in a special lottery this week. As you probably know by now, midfielder Dax McCarty has been called up to the USA Olympic team to replace injured RSL defender Nathan Sturgis. — Aston Villa publicly

I am out of town on personal business and do not plan to update the blog until Friday morning. This thread is for all non-DCU discussion (Friedel to Villa, Adu to Monaco, Olympic player tug-of-war, NBC Olympic announcers from afar, etc.) as well as the MLS All-Star Game tonight. ESPN’s production begins at 7 p.m. Cheers!

You know about the storm. Now listen to the fury. “Just as a whole, that was bad,” Coach Tom Soehn said. After the long delay, “We came out like we did in the first half: no energy and no life. They punished us over and over again.” And changes are on the way. “We are going to bring in some reinforcements, people that I think are going to make us better in spots on the field where we need to get better,” Soehn said, declining to elaborate. GM Dave Kasper said the club plans to bring in more players for trials starting next week, but like Soehn, did not want to say anything else. What do you think should be United’s top roster priorities? While you are pondering that, a few numbers to throw your way: *Announced attendance: 14,660. *Actual attendance: Maybe 9,000. *Attendance at final whistle: 250? *Time of

Local promoter Elias Polio has confirmed with the Insider that two international friendlies will be staged at RFK Stadium in the coming weeks: *Bolivia-Guatemala, Wed., Aug. 6 at 8 p.m. *El Salvador-Trinidad and Tobago, Thu., Aug. 14, at 8 p.m. The matches will serve as serious tuneups for the three CONCACAF teams preparing for the start of the next 2010 World Cup qualifying round on Aug. 20 (Guatemala-USA, El Salvador-Costa Rica and T&T-Cuba). Bolivia’s next qualifier is Sept. 6 at Ecuador. Might we see DCU’s Jaime Moreno suit up for Bolivia? United plays on Aug. 2 and 10. Tickets for both matches will go on sale soon.

Might we be in store for a third DCU-Houston postponement, or at least an interruption, at Estadio RFK tonight? Click here for the game-time forecast from washingtonpost.com’s Capital Weather Gang.

Well, the deputy walks on hard nails and the preacher rides a mount But nothing really matters much, it’s doom alone that counts And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn ‘Come in,’ she said, ‘I’ll give you, shelter from the storm’ Another maelstrom is a-comin’ to Estadio RFK. (That is what they tell us, anyway.) Hopefully no blood on the tracks or buckets of rain. Thanks, Bob. Okay, after two postponements, let’s try this again: United-Dynamo, 7:30 ET. No standard TV coverage in the D.C. area. Crank up your Direct Kick package to watch it live or tune into Tony Limarzi at WFED (1050 AM) or www.federalnewsradio.com [UPDATES BELOW] *United officials tell me that, if necessary, they will wait all night to get this game in. No curfews apply tonight. That could be a problem for Metro riders, who will need to make the last train at midnight.

A tumultuous maiden season for third-division Real Maryland continued this week with the dismissal of Coach Silvino Gonzalo and the hiring of Brazilian Antonio Carlos Vieira. According to the club’s press release, Vieira began his coaching career in 1989 and has worked in Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize for the national team. The Monarchs, last in the 11-team USL2 with a 3-12-1 record, are 0-9-1 since a 3-3 start. They are 0-6-1 on the road and been outscored 25-2, including 5-2 at Wilmington and 8-0 at Charlotte last weekend. The club had a point deducted a few weeks ago for using an ineligible player. Midfielder Dennis Alas recently left the club to return to El Salvador. Real will play its final regular season game Wednesday night at Maryland SoccerPlex against Bermuda before concluding the season with three road matches. “It was not working out,” Gonzalo