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Kick Off: RBNY's yellow-card fiasco | SEA-LA leg 2 to be "more aggressive" | NYCFC's away kits Untitled Document

Here are the top 15 stories everyone's talking about this morning:

1. RED BULLS WIN OVER FANS

While the sold-out crowd at Red Bull Arena may have won the New York Red Bulls a few new fans, the team still has plenty to do this year. They won't have top scorer Bradley Wright-Phillips available for Saturday's second leg vs. the New England Revolution, and head coach Mike Petke has taken the blame for his not knowing about the yellow-card accumulation peril.

2. ONE GAME AT A TIME FOR HENRY

There's a very good chance that Thierry Henry has played his final home game at Red Bull Arena. The only one who truly seems to know what Henry's planning to do is Henry himself, but for now the Frenchman is just focused on keeping the season going.

3. LET'S GET PHYSICAL

If you thought the first leg of the Western Conference Championship was physical, wait for Sunday's second leg. LA Galaxy center back Omar Gonzalez expects the game to "more aggressive... so it'll be fun." That means LA's trainers - a.k.a., props in Landon Donovan's pregame ritual - will need to be in top form.

4. TOO MANY AMERICAN COACHES?

All four clubs still in the MLS Cup Playoffs, presented by AT&T, are American. One longtime MLS pundit wonders if that is a bad thing?

5. TOP ROOKIE

FC Dallas forward Tesho Akindele has been named AT&T MLS Rookie of the Year for 2014, beating out D.C. United's Steve Birnbaum and Chicago Fire's Harry Shipp. The news earned various reactions, including some wooing from the Canadian federation and this classic, if unimpressed, tweet from Shipp.

7. MORE AWARDS

Also on Monday, the Philadelphia Union picked up the Xbox Team Fair Play Award, and Columbus Crew SC captain Michael Parkhurst won the Xbox Individual Fair Play Award - for the third time in his MLS career. On Tuesday morning, the Defender of the Year Award will be announced.

8. MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHING

Staying in Philadelphia, the Union are certainly undergoing a thorough self-evaluation. From naming Jim Curtin full-time head coach to the hiring of advisor Rene Meulensteen to a global search for economical players, the club is rethinking eveything, including its mindset regarding the acquisition of players. "It's not a war of money, it's a war of talent," majority owner Jay Sugarman says.

9. NEW YORK CITY'S NEW COLORS

New York City FC revealed their away kit on Monday, and it's a crowd pleaser. Meanwhile, on the field, reports surfaced linking Jason Kreis's side to a young Manchester City forward currently on loan in Sweden.

10. STADIUM UPDATES GALORE

Plenty of stadium news this morning. The Washington, D.C., mayor-elect is pushing ahead with new legislation to make D.C. United's stadium a reality. There is a new video showing off Toronto FC's expansion plans, a progress report on Orlando City's new home and a new rendering of what MLS Atlanta's stadium will look like in soccer mode.

11. SALCEDO LEAVING RSL?

Mexican youth international Carlos Salcedo appears to have played his final game for Real Salt Lake. The young defender released a statement saying that he is leaving the team, citing differences with "the GM of the club." No word from RSL yet on the news.

12. OLUM LEAVING SKC?

There's also no word yet from Sporting Kansas City following an agent's tweet indicating that Lawrence Olum has signed with a Malaysian team.

13. LOOKING BACK ON USMNT IN 2014

The year is over for the US national team, and while ESPN delivers its report card on 2014, manager Jurgen Klinsmann gives his take on the year in a lengthy Q & A with USSoccer.com.

14. COPA DRAW

Mexico and Jamaica, the two CONCACAF guests in next year's Copa America, learned their groups on Monday. Mexico should have an easier time against Chile, Ecuador, and Bolivia than Jamaica will have against Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

15. CAMILO ADDS ANOTHER GOLDEN BOOT

Former Vancouver Whitecaps forward Camilo Sanvezzo became the first player in history to win both the MLS and Liga MX golden boots, after finishing with 12 goals for Queretaro in the Apertura 2014 tournament. Alas, Queretaro missed the Liga MX playoffs.

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