Former Bradley All-American Bryan Namoff, a veteran defender for Major League Soccer's D.C. United, will take part in an online chat Friday through United's official website. Fans may email questions in advance and Namoff will answer selected questions beginning at noon (CT). For more information and to submit questions visit http://www.dcunited.com/chat/2009/07/online-chat-bryan-namoff.
The Black and Red have had a near two-week break since their last game, a 2-1 victory versus the Harrisburg City Islanders in the quarterfinals of the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The defending Cup champion will host Colorado in MLS action Saturday night, then will host the Rochester Rhinos in a U.S. Open Cup semifinal Tuesday at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md.
Although Namoff enjoyed a late-game rest in the Open Cup quarterfinal, he remains one of just five field players in MLS that has played every minute of his team's regular-season games this year. Namoff is tied for second with 1,530 minutes played heading into Saturday's game against Colorado and his steady play at right back has helped United (5-3-9) to a third-place tie in the Eastern Conference standings with 24 points, just one behind co-leaders Chicago and FC Toronto.
A high-scoring midfielder during his four-year Bradley career from 1997-2000, Namoff remains second in Bradley history with 32 career goals and third with 81 career points. A product of Rockford, Ill., Boylan High School, Namoff helped Bradley Soccer to its first-ever Missouri Valley Conference championship in 1998 and he was an honorable mention All-American selection as a senior in 2000 when he helped the Braves to their first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Following his senior campaign, Namoff became Bradley's first-ever MLS player after he was picked in the second round of the 2001 SuperDraft by D.C. United. He has remained with the Black and Red all nine years of his pro career and also earned his first career CAP with the U.S. National Team in 2007 as a second-half substitute in a 3-1 victory against Denmark.
Glinton, Kreamalmeyer To Make TV Appearance Friday
Following Friday afternoon's chat with Namoff, the spotlight will shift to two more former Braves Friday night when the USL First Division Carolina RailHawks host the Vancouver Whitecaps in a 7 p.m. (CT) game that will be televised nationally on Fox Soccer Channel. Former Bradley stars Gavin Glinton and Luke Kreamalmeyer both suit up for the RailHawks. Coming off last Saturday's 1-0 win at Charleston, Carolina (8-4-3) is fourth in the USL First Division standings with 27 points, just four behind league-leading Puerto Rico.
Fox Soccer Channel is a premium sports network available locally on Comcast cable at channel 555, as part of the DIRECTV sports pack on channel 619 and as part of DISH Network's Top 250 and above on channels 149 an 877.
Cutshaw Helps Chicago Fire Premier Clinch PDL Playoff Berth
On the amateur circuit Bradley senior Chris Cutshaw assisted the game-winning goal in the 86th minute, helping the Chicago Fire Premier to a 2-1 road victory against the Michigan Bucks in Premier Development League action Saturday night.
The win moved the Fire Premier (9-1-4, 32 points) into a first-place tie with the Kalamazoo Outrage atop the PDL Great Lakes Division standings and assured Chicago a spot in the PDL playoffs. The Fire Premier will visit Fort Wayne Saturday night in the regular-season finale.
Cutshaw enters the regular-season finale second on the Fire Premier roster with nine points and four goals. Including the U.S. Open Cup game at Minnesota, Cutshaw has played in a team-high 15 games this summer. He is joined on the Chicago roster by Bradley teammate Grant Campbell, who has played as a midfielder in nine games for the Fire Premier.
