ABC Presents "Major League Soccer All-Star Game"
Billie
Major League Soccer’s Seventh Annual All-Star game returns to ABC Sports when
the MLS All-Stars, led by the league’s two top scorers -- Taylor Twellman of
the New England Revolution and Carlos Ruiz of the Los Angeles Galaxy -- take on
a squad of U.S. National team members led by World Cup heroes Landon Donavan
and Brian McBride. Live coverage airs on ABC, SATURDAY, AUGUST 3 (3:30-6:00
p.m., ET), from RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
COMMENTATORS:
Veteran broadcaster Jack Edwards is in his third season as Major League
Soccer’s lead play-by-play man and is handling play-by-play duties for his
4th MLS All-Star game. Ty Keough has handled the analyst duties for every MLS
All-Star game in league history.
Rob Stone and Veronica Paysse will serve as the sideline reporters. For Stone,
this is his third MLS All-Star game.
EVENT:
The MLS All-Star game will feature the top players in MLS competing against
some of the top players from coach Bruce Arena’s U.S. National Team who
shocked the world with a final-eight appearance at the 2002 FIFA World Cup from
Korea/Japan.
MLS TEAM:
Leading the way for the MLS squad, coached by San Jose head coach Frank Yallop,
are the League’s top scorers, Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution) and
Carlos Ruiz (Los Angeles Galaxy), both playing in their first All-Star game.
Other first timers include Dallas Burn defenseman Ryan Suarez, San Jose
Earthquakes midfielder Richard Mulrooney and Chicago Fire midfielder Carlos
Bocanegra.
MetroStars goalkeeper Tim Howard, making his second appearance, will be joined
by teammate Mike Petke. The defenseman is making his third trip to the All-Star
game. Carlos Valderrama, the 41-year-old midfielder for the Colorado Rapids, is
the sage of the squad, making his sixth appearance.
Added to the team is D.C. United captain Marco Etcheverry, an RFK Stadium
fan-favorite. Etcheverry is the League’s No.-2 all-time assist leader and led
D.C. United to four consecutive appearances in the MLS Cup title game, as well
as three MLS Cup victories in 1996, ’97 and ’99.
U.S. NATIONAL TEAM:
The United States, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the
first time in more than 70 years and captivated a nation in doing so, featured
11 current and five former MLS players.
The U.S. roster for this match consists entirely of MLS players, with nine of
ten teams represented. Leading the 2002 contingent are: San Jose Earthquakes
forward Landon Donovan and Columbus Crew striker Brian McBride, both of whom
scored game-winning goals for the USA in Korea, and the Chicago Fire tandem of
DaMarcus Beasley and Josh Wolff.
McBride also holds the distinction of being the only player in U.S. history to
score a goal in two World Cups.
The roster includes the top two all-time capwinners for the United States: Los
Angeles Galaxy midfielder Cobi Jones with 159 caps, now fourth on the all-time
international list, and San Jose Earthquakes defender Jeff Agoos (133).
Heading up the backline is Kansas City Wizards goalkeeper Tony Meola, who is
the USA’s all-time goalkeeping leader in wins (36) and shutouts (31).
Representing the host venue is D.C. United defender Eddie Pope, who turned in
one of the classiest performances of any defender in the tournament.
HALFTIME SHOW:
International multi-platinum pop superstar Paulina Rubio will highlight the
Halftime Show 2002 MLS All-Star game. Rubio, the internationally acclaimed
“Golden Girl” of Spanish pop, makes the American network television debut
of her latest single, “The One You Love” at the event, following the
smashing success of her first single, “Don’t Say Goodbye.”
Coincidentally “Don’t Say Goodbye” cracked the top 10 of MTV’s Total
Request Live on Tuesday, June 25, the same day that San Jose Earthquakes and
U.S. World Cup forward Landon Donovan appeared on the show.
"STUPIDITY IS NOT A HANDICAP. Park elsewhere!"
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