three for chalupny

lori chalupny just announced her retirement from professional soccer. she was a massive part of the red stars team. she did a ton for women’s soccer in general. she wasn’t flashy, but she was instrumental in midfield organization and creating chances for others and scoring and defending and being a captain. she was a silent sort of player who just went about her job, did her best and gave everything at all times. always. a heart on sleeve wearer. playing with passion and integrity and class. doing whatever needed to be done.

this doesn’t come as a huge surprise since she announced her retirement from the national team earlier this year. but i was still hoping she’d stay on for one more season with the red stars. oh well. you can read more details here.

massive thanks to lori for everything she’s done and will continue to do for women’s soccer! and for being an awesome person! without further ado, here are three captains for our outgoing captain. godspeed!

reading watching listening

Reading
Mirror Empire – Kameron Hurley
Event Factory – Renee Gladman
Elysium, or the World After – Jennifer Marie Brissett
Station Eleven – Emily St. John Mandel
The Ninjas – Jane Yeh
On the Steel Breeze – Alastair Reynolds
Ancillary Justice – Ann Leckie
Texture Notes – Sawako Nakayasu
Just Kids – Patti Smith
Concrete, Bulletproof, Invisible and Fried: My Life as a Revolting Cock – Chris Connelly
Totally Wired: Postpunk Interviews and Overviews – Simon Reynolds
Lapsos – Inés Estrada
Susceptible – Geneviève Castrée
Heads or Tails – Lilli Carré

Watching
The total non-event that was RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7
The amazingness of Swansea City FC
The continuing sadness of the Chicago Fire
This fabulous season of the Chicago Red Stars
Women’s World Cup 2015
Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce
Uncle Grandpa

(and as chosen by my son…)
Alice in Wonderland
The Wizard of Oz
Big Hero 6
Home
Scooby Doo
Minions
Justice League

Listening
Syro – Aphex Twin
Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 EP – Aphex Twin
Jerusalem – Sleep
Rosa – La Lá
Hasta la Raiz – Natalia Lafourcade
Ison – Me Jane You Listen
There are like ten songs that absolutely rule by Nicki Minaj. I’ve been listening to those.
Fountainsun, Wrekmeister Harmonies, Hide. Live at Bohemian National Cemetery. A live show, even!
The Unquiet Sky, Guiltless, and From All Purity – Indian

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3046221188 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

draft!

the national women’s soccer league draft happened earlier today, so now there are four more players on the red stars. zakiya bywaters! rachel quon! taylor vancil! jennifer hoy! closer and closer to a full team… excitement!

With the #1 pick in the inaugural NWSL draft, the Chicago Red Stars selected attacking forward/midfielder Zakiya Bywaters from UCLA. With the #9 pick they selected defender Rachel Quon, from Stanford. #17 pick was Taylor Vancil, a goalkeeper from Florida State. With their final pick #25, the Red Stars selected forward/midfielder Jennifer Hoy from Princeton

red stars

the allocation for the new national women’s soccer league happened today! here are the first seven players for the red stars! so stoked! totally looking forward to this upcoming inaugural season. i guess i’ve become something of a nerd for this sport. thanks a lot chuck. you know who you are.

Chicago Red Stars: Shannon Boxx (USA), Amy LePeilbet (USA), Keelin Winters (USA), Erin McLeod (CAN), Carmelina Moscato (CAN), Maribel Dominguez (MEX) and Dinora Garza (MEX).