As temperatures drop below freezing and blizzard warnings grip the Midwest, it feels as though winter has been here forever and shows no sign of abating. So it’s with an envious eye that we follow the 2017 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship in the Bahamas. 

The tournament, contested by 16 nations from February 20-26, will crown the region’s champion and decide which two teams will qualify for the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. On Friday, the quarterfinals will be contested and it looks like everyone is having a helluva time.

DeAndre Yedlin put in another brilliant performance for Newcastle United over the weekend, showing his defensive qualities in a 1-0 victory over Derby with a blocked shot, six tackles and 10 clearances, including one off the goal line. 

Yedlin with a goal-saving clearance off the line - Darlow in no mans land #NUFC #DCFC

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Prior to Sunday’s match against Serbia, much of the coverage centered on the idea of dual-national American players. It’s not a new concept. The United States has been fielding dual nationals since US Soccer was founded.

Oguchi Onyewu signed for the Philadelphia Union on Monday, bringing back a smorgasbord of painful nostalgia. I loved Onyewu, he proudly flew the flag for American soccer players abroad for a number of years, but he was also at the center of a couple unpleasant memories during a very formative time in my life. 

While United States Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati has declined to comment on U.S. Soccer’s stance towards Donald Trump’s executive order to ban the entry of citizens from seven different Muslim countries, USMNT captain Michael Bradley criticized Trump with a heartfelt message on Instagram. 

Among the big-name signings of Frank Lampard, David Villa and Andrea Pirlo, New York City FC owners, the Abu Dhabi United subsidiary City Football Group, were also keen to add one of America’s own. They got that in the form of USMNT midfielder Mix Diskerud, but he didn't come cheaply. 

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