Short takes
• The Orlando Pride might have assembled the most high-powered offense in NWSL history. In addition to all-world Brazilian attacker Marta and star American forward Alex Morgan, the Pride added U.S. women's national team striker Sydney Leroux, trading a first-round draft pick to Utah to get her. The move also reunites Leroux with husband Dom Dwyer, who was traded from Kansas City to Orlando midway through last year's MLS season.
• The U.S. Soccer Federation presidential election is Saturday, with most expecting Soccer United Marketing President Kathy Carter to take over the fractious job of trying to keep every American soccer constituency happy.
• MLS has long taken heat for its "closed" system, with no promotion and relegation — but could Mexico follow in its footsteps? A Liga MX committee is considering a proposal to suspend relegation for at least four years, purportedly to give second-division teams time to bring their clubs up to first-division standard. More cynical observers think that this is just a play by bigger teams to cement their first-division status, in case they have a down year or two.
