Photo courtesy SoundersFC.com

The Galaxy have a chance to clinch a playoff berth this Sunday at CenturyLink Field against the Seattle Sounders (6:30 p.m., FOX Sports 1). On Wednesday, Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena and defender A.J. DeLaGarza both noted the difficulty of playing on CenturyLink Field’s artificial turf.

As the defending MLS Cup Champions prepare for their first trip to CenturyLink Field this season, understand the science of how turf changes the game in this ESPN Sports Science clip:

The turf vs. grass controversy was a huge topic for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup as player safety and health were called into question for the tournament.

The Galaxy, whose road struggles in the past few years have been well documented, have had a fair amount of success at Seattle. Since the Sounders played their first MLS game in 2009, the Galaxy have a 5-4-2 record in CenturyLink Field (or what used to be called Qwest Field). One of those losses really turned out to be a win though because Juninho’s wonderstrike in the second leg of the 2014 Western Conference finals sent the Galaxy to the MLS Cup on the away goals rule, despite the 2-1 loss in the game.

Women’s soccer is more important to the Olympics than men’s soccer with the tournament devoted to U-23 teams, most world powers all but ignore it in favor of the World Cup and media coverage is at best subdued.

While the U.S. anonymously opens its campaign against Canada tonight on a minor TV channel in the Midwest, El Tri will take center stage in the nation”s largest Latino market, Southern California for the next 10 days, a span that will also include the massive Confederations Cup playoff in Pasadena.

For more, read this week’s 100 Percent Soccer Column here.

Elena Barlett added eight kills and two blocks for Chadwick (12-1, 4-0). Kate Borden had five kills and five digs.

Ryan D’Angelo added four aces for Vistamar.

Amy Gaal, Isabelle Lau and Lindsay Giese all swept in singles for the Mustangs.

In doubles, Isabella-Katarina Draskovic and Madi Giese-Drew Waller both swept in doubles for Mira Costa (9-1).

Doc Rivers/Photo by Associated Press

Doc Rivers is on the NBA’s competition committee. One new rule it established over the summer was playoff seedings. Previously, any team winning its division was guaranteed a top 4 seed, even if it had an inferior record to a team that did not win its division.

That has now been changed so seedings will be based solely on record.

One rule change that would have been welcomed by fans didn’t get done. That’s the Hack-a-Shaq that affected the Clippers and post DeAndre Jordan, one of the worst free-throw shooters in the league.

When an opponent would make it a point to continually foul Jordan on purpose, it slowed the game down and made it downright difficult to watch.

But Rivers said the possibility of change there got little play.

“There really wasn’t a lot of talk (about that),” he said. “That rule is a tough one. I get it, again, for the fans; it’s ugly. It looks bad. But it’s tough to change a rule for five or six guys (in the league).”

Sabrina Li shot a 41 and Nicole Chernoff and Dana Otera each shot a 46 for PV (4-3).

Julienne Enge led West (4-3) with a 45 and Daphne Yang and Katherine Fukuda each shot a 46 for West.

I’m pretty sure the guy next to Clint Dempsey won’t be in the starting XI for the 6:30 p.m. game on Fox Sports 1, however.

From the Sounders press release:

The initiative marks the first time an MLS club has altered its jerseys for any match mid-season, as well as the first time Sounders FC has worn anything other than Rave Green jerseys for an MLS regular season home fixture. The new Halo 5: Guardians-inspired jerseys utilize Sounders FC’s Pitch Black third kits. During warmups, Sounders FC players are also wearing limited edition pre-match training tops, custom-made with Sounders FC and Halo 5: Guardians branding. Sunday’s match is the only opportunity that fans have to buy this one-of-a-kind jersey, as a limited supply of 200 are available for purchase at the CenturyLink Field Pro Shop.

They’ve claimed 24 of the 282 awards given out at this year’s Great American Beer Festival, which took place Thursday through Saturday of last week.

The winners were chosen from 6,647 entries from 1,552 breweries.

A total of 15 breweries, large and small, from the Santa Barbara area through the Inland Empire were awarded.

Head over the jump to see the list.

Gold

Bottle Logic Brewing, Anaheim

• Lagerithm (American-Style Dark Lager)
• Cobaltic Porter (Baltic-Style Porter)

Figueroa Mountain Brewing, Santa Barbara

• Stearns Stout (Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout)

Garage Brewing Co. & Pizzeria, Temecula

• Bucket Seat Blonde (Munich-Style Helles)

Pabst Brewing Co., Los Angeles

• Rainier Lager (American-Style Cream Ale)

Ritual Brewing Co., Redlands

• Big Deluxe (Aged Beer)
• Fat Hog (Barley Wine-Style Ale)

TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Corona

• The Velvet Hog (Chocolate Beer)
• TAPS Irish Red (Irish-Style Red Ale)

Silver

Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach

• Mocha Machine (Coffee Beer)

Firestone Walker Barrelworks, Buellton

• Feral One (Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale)

Heroes Restaurant and Brewery, Riverside

• Boxcar Blonde Ale (Golden or Blonde Ale)

Karl Strauss Brewing Co., Costa Mesa

• Singularity (American-Style Black Ale)

Pabst Brewing Co., Los Angeles

• Olympia (American-Style Cream Ale)

Smog City Brewing Co., Torrance

• Kumquat Saison (Belgian-Style Fruit Beer)

TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Brea

• TAPS Kellerbier (Kellerbier or Zwickelbier)
  

Bronze

Aftershock Brewing Co., Temecula

• Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Ale (Herb and Spice Beer)

Dale Bros. Brewery, Upland

• Nuff (American-Style Cream Ale)

Firestone Walker Barrelworks, Buellton

• Sour Opal (Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer)

Institution Ale Co., Camarillo

• Restraint (American-Style Brown Ale)

Noble Ale Works, Anaheim

• Nose Candy (Session India Pale Ale)

TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Brea

• Amend This! (American-Style or International-Style Pilsener)

In addition, TAPS Fish House & Brewery in Corona took home a win for Mid-Size Brewpub and Mid-Size Brewpub Brewer of the Year and Pabst Brewing Co. (Los Angeles) won for Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year.

Cheers to all the winners!

For a searchable list of all the GABF winners, click here.

Sydney Hall had 12 kills for the Knights (10-3, 1-0 Del Ray League) and setter Tiffany Phillips had 19 assists in Bishop Montgomery’s eighth straight win of the season. Gillian Miles and Carolyn Vaimoso each had seven kills.

Madison Reynolds and Jessica Seto had 11 digs each and Seto also fired off four service aces.

Kassy Laveaga led the team with 13 kills, while Hazey Vaifanua ran the offense to the tune of 15 assists. Allison Dias had 15 digs for the Warriors.

Clare Lenihan had 12 kills and 12 digs for Chadwick (11-2, 4-0 Prep League). Elena Bartlett had six kills while Courtney Bond has seven kills and 17 digs. Taryn Gurbach tallied 10 digs for the Dolphins.

Tuesday’s victory was revenge for a five-set loss last season at King Drew when San Pedro relinquished a 2-0 lead.

Katie Bentovoja led San Pedro (7-8, 3-1 Marine League) with a team-high 10 kills. The Pirates were strong from the service line behind Amya Crouch’s seven aces. Crouch also led the team in assists with 22.

Allison Lyons had 23 digs and four aces while Brianna Corallo pitched in everywhere on the court with three kills, four aces and six digs.

Novilla, the reigning Daily Breeze Girls Golfer of the Year, again had the low score for the Tartars, shooing 2-over 38. Tanoura was not far behind as she fired off a 3-over 39.

Kelly Chow and Hannah Son both shot 10-over 46 for Torrance to help the Tartars (6-3, 3-0 Pioneer League) continue their undefeated league season.

Pablo Prigioni/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

Pablo Prigioni is 38, but he’s only going to be in his fourth NBA season because the native of Argentina previously played professionally in Argentina and Spain.

Coach Doc Rivers likes what he’s seen so far from Prigioni, who this past season toiled for the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.

“He is just a wonderful guy to have on your basketball team,” Rivers said. “Plays his role, he’s been a coach out there on the floor at times.”

Austin Rivers, son of Doc, has been working hard at becoming an even better defensive player than he already was. He said he plans on picking Prigioni’s brain for help.

“I’m still going to learn, get tips from Pablo Prigioni, who has been around,” Austin Rivers said. “Pablo has a lot of techniques to get his hands on balls, so does Chris (Paul).”

Wesley Johnson/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers

Wesley Johnson this week was asked about being an inconsistent player, and he said that figures to change this season now that he’s on a deep team with the likes of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul anchoring it. Keep in mind the previous two seasons Johnson was with the Lakers, one of the league’s worst teams of late.

Speaking Tuesday in general terms and not specifically about Johnson, coach Doc Rivers believes playing on a good team can make the difference for a role player.

“When you’re on a good team and a role player, you’re a better player,” he said from training camp at UC Irvine. “You play better, kind of get your role better. When you’re on a bad team, usually no one actually knows their role and everyone is fighting each other to be the man because the team’s bad, you don’t believe the guy that’s good is that good.

“So I think it’s a lot easier when you come to a team and it’s clear who the guys are.”

Paul Pierce/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards

Coach Doc Rivers was asked again Tuesday if he has made a decision as to who is going to start at small forward this season. As of right now, it’s either going to be Paul Pierce or Wesley Johnson. Lance Stephenson would also be a possibility, but Rivers said this week he would prefer to keep him on what figures to be a dynamite second unit.

Rivers still isn’t sure which way he’s going to go, but it could be they’ll both start at times.

“I think it’s going to be one of those things where it changes from night to night,” Rivers said. “There will be nights when Wes starts, nights when Paul starts. I  think we’re versatile enough to be able to do that.”

Rivers then made reporters laugh when one asked if matchups and such will determine who starts on a given night.

“Yeah, matchups, Paul’s age, a lot of things,” he said.

Pierce will be 38 on Oct. 13. Johnson is 28.

Doc Rivers/Photo by Associated Press

The Clippers will open their six-game exhibition season Friday when they play host to the Denver Nuggets at 7:30 p.m. at Staples Center. Then they travel for a Sunday game against Toronto in Canada before embarking on a trip to China, where they will play the Charlotte Hornets on Oct. 10 and Oct. 14.

It’s good for bonding, Doc Rivers said, especially for a team with so many new faces.

“The China travel is a little much, but if we’re going to go, I guess this year would probably be the right year to go because we have so many guys,” he said.  “It will give us a chance to get to know each other a little bit better.”

The Clippers’ final two exhibition games will be Oct. 20 against Golden State and Oct. 22 against Portland – both games will be at Staples Center.

Check out the video shot during the 2014 event:

More information on Paddle Fest is here.

Register here.

Proceeds will benefit the Harbor Animal Care Center at 957 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro

It’s combined with a Spay Neuter LA mobile clinic from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with low-cost vaccines, microchips, and flea and tick treatments for cats and dogs.

It all happens in the parking lot at Citibank, 556 W. 9th St., San Pedro.

Check out the Pedro Pals Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pedropetpals or www.spn.org for more information.

For more information on the infographic, including the methodology behind the rankings, visit the GoEuro website.

Isabella-Katarina Draskovic, Madi Giese-Jackie Soliman and Lindsay Giese-Lena Nagy each won their two sets in doubles.

Amy Gaal won two singles sets for Mira Costa (8-0), which hosts Peninsula Tuesday in  a key Bay League showdown.

Doc Rivers/Photo by Associated Press

Coach Doc Rivers on Monday talked about how spirited the first few days of camp have been at UC Irvine. There were two scrimmages this day, with the first and second units each winning one.

“It’s been good,” Rivers said. “And I think it’s been great for the starters because they have to deal with guys coming after them and not really showing them a lot of … you know, they’re just playing them.”

Newcomer Lance Stephenson has been playing with the second unit. He likes making the first unit sweat, and vice-versa.
“Definitely, we want them to work hard and we want them to push us at the same time, man,” he said. “That’s what Doc picked us up for and we came to help the team, to help the second unit and make it hard for them (the first unit) in practice. So come the game, they’ll be ready and we’ll be ready.”

Josh Smith/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets

Power forward Josh Smith likes a lot of things about his new team. The seriousness with which it has conducted itself the first three days of training camp is at the top of the list.

“It’s definitely competitive,” Smith said Monday from training camp at UC Irvine. “We see the vision early and what’s great about what’s going on is there is no air space for any BS, you know what I mean? There’s a lot of policing going around, which is great for the team to be able to kind of get everybody geared on the right vision and right direction to go.”

Which direction is that? Smith was asked.

“Winning the championship, finishing last,” he said.

Smith explained.

“Our owner (Steve Ballmer) had a team dinner a couple of days ago and that’s what really stuck to me,” he said. “Everybody always wants to be first, but it’s all about being last, finishing last, being the last team standing. And that really stuck with me. And if everyone has that mentality, we can do some special things this year. “

Lance Stephenson/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, Charlotte Hornets

Lance Stephenson on Monday afternoon stood inside the Bren Center at UC Irvine following the third of five training days there. Stephenson is one of the several new players on this Clippers team, and he was shaking his head when asked about the abundance of talent suiting up every day.

“The talent on this team, I mean, even when we’re playing in scrimmages, it feels like an All-Star game to me,” said Stephenson, a 6-foot-5 wing. “I feel like this squad has so many weapons and we’ve just gotta put it together and put in the pieces and work hard and bring it to guys.”

This will not be a boring team, Stephenson said. Quite the contrary.

“I mean, they was fun to watch before I got here,” he said. “So adding me and Josh (Smith), I mean, we’ve got Paul Pierce. We’ve got so many exciting players to watch, I think our team is the team to watch.”

Austin Rivers/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

It was Monday, the third day of training camp for the Clippers at UC Irvine. Third-year coach Doc Rivers has seen a lot in a short time, what with several new faces on the team.

But after practice, he was asked if any of the returning players had shown him anything new or surprising. He proceeded to speak specifically about his son, reserve guard Austin Rivers, and post DeAndre Jordan.

“I think Austin is playing more like the playoffs all the time now,” Doc Rivers said. “He’s been very good, hard to  stop. And then his defense has been great. But that’s something we saw at the end of the year, anyway, so I guess we expected that.

“Other than that, everybody’s just better. D.J.’s better. D.J.’s in great shape, he’s playing terrific. I guess D.J.’s passing has surprised me. He’s really making great passes from the post and we haven’t seen that.”

Both breweries won silver medals at the 27th annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver with Smog picking up an honor for its Kumquat Saison in the Belgian-style Fruit Beer category and Beachwood for its Mocha Machine, a 9.2 percent ABV Porter.

The GABF medal was old hat for Beachwood BBQ, which has won 10 medals since 2012, but this was only Smog’s second in its young existence.

Incidentally, you can taste the saison for yourself Saturday when Smog releases it in limited bottles and on draft at its Del Amo Boulevard tasting room.

Courtesy MLSSoccer.com

The Galaxy ended their scoring drought in a 3-2 win over FC Dallas on Sunday at StubHub Center. The team is now back on top of the table in both the Western Conference and the Supporters Shield race.

Now that we can stop talking about that pesky scoring drought that lasted three games, we can look forward to the final three games of the regular season and what’s going on in other parts of MLS:

Links:

• OK, not done talking about last night’s game yet. Here’s a recap of the 3-2 win that put the Galaxy back on top of the conference and the Supporters’ Shield race.
• Video of Bruce Arena’s press conference and transcript
• Full quote sheet from the Galaxy
• LAGalaxy.com’s Adam Serrano with his analysis, including a note on Steven Gerrard’s good game
• Slo-mo highlights from the Galaxy

Looking forward

OK, now let’s see what the rest of the season could have in store for the Galaxy.

Here’s the current Western Conference table as it stands now.

Because the Whitecaps lost to New York City FC on Saturday, they’ve dropped to second. The Sounders and Sporting Kansas City tied on Sunday, which puts just the tiniest bit more breathing room for the Galaxy at the top. San Jose pulled out a close one against Real Salt Lake on Sunday, so the Earthquakes are surely in the playoff hunt as well.

The Galaxy have only three games left in the season (at Seattle, vs. Portland and at Sporting Kansas City). For now, the Galaxy are the leaders in the clubhouse, but FC Dallas has five games left and could come back to take the lead, despite the loss Sunday. Dallas does lead the Western Conference in points per game (1.62), barely edging out the Galaxy (1.61), but the Galaxy downplayed the disparity of games left.

“There’s one team with 50 points and that’s us,” Bruce Arena said. “We got 50 in the bank; somebody else has to get that. That’s the most important thing.”

Said Robbie Keane: “I’ll take the points on the board all day long than the games in hand. You have to win the games in hand.”

Just for fun

Giovani dos Santos and Robbie Keane, teammates from way back at Tottenham, have developed a strong chemistry both on and off the pitch in Los Angeles. After Keane scored in the 14th minute off an assist from dos Santos, the pair whipped out their best dance moves. (See GIF in tweet).

Aaaaaaaaaaaand we’re back for the second half! Watch live on @FS1! http://t.co/NEq4ZQgvxR #LAvDAL pic.twitter.com/CGPbho3RHk

— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) September 28, 2015

Not sure if it was supposed to be a whip/nae nae type move, but it was fun nonetheless. Dos Santos was asked about it after the game as well: “The dance? It was a celebration that Robbie told me before the game to do that for his son and we did.”

Jamal Crawford/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

Jamal Crawford heard the rumors during the off-season, and he’s on Twitter, so he sees all that. He knew there were once again trade rumors with his name mentioned. With all the new player acquisitions, his departure seemed a possibility.

It was a bit nerve-racking, he said at training camp this week in Irvine.

“There were some stressful points, there were some points where it was like, you know what? It’s part of the business,” he said. “I was looking back, and from my first year here, the only three guys here who I played with are Blake (Griffin), D.J. (DeAndre Jordan) and Chris (Paul), and myself. So I guess in that time I’m one of those four guys who have been here. So, obviously, I’m where I’m supposed to be.”

Crawford, 35, is entering his 16th season, fourth with the Clippers.