Soccer Watch

Life's been busy for the U.S. Women since the World Cup – especially Abby Wambach and Hope Solo. The pair had a highlight appearance on the Late Show With David Letterman that involved shooting soccer balls at NYC cabs; they and Alex Morgan also scored the first endorsement contract, touting a nonprofit out of Chicago, and Wambach has been named player-coach for her Women's Professional Soccer squad magicJack, who also field WWC teammates Solo, Shannon Boxx, and Megan Rapinoe, and set a WPS attendance record in Rochester last Wednesday night.

While MLS squads suffer embarrassing losses to touring European powers in the league's summer "challenge" series, USL Pro's Orlando City (née Austin Aztex) beat England's Newcastle United 1-0 on Saturday in front of a record 10,889 fans at the Citrus Bowl... Lionel Messi will not play in FC Barcelona's friendly against Mexico's Club America on Aug. 6 in Dallas. Other top Barca players will be on hand, however, including recently signed Mexican wunderkind Jonathan Dos Santos. Tickets are still available.