A+E Networks' broadcasting deal to carry the National Women's Soccer League on Lifetime is unique on two counts.

With three Hexagonal qualifying campaigns on his resume, Marcelo Balboa knows well the pitfalls of navigating through Concacaf.

I ask Brian Glanville how many books he's written, and he answers, "Too many." It's actually about 60, more than half of which are soccer books, fiction and non-fiction, from the man who started his sports journalism career as a teenager, has covered 13 World Cups, and at age 86 writes regularly for the Sunday Times of London and World Soccer.

Born and raised in Houston, the Chicago Fire's Arturo Alvarez can look back on a 15-year professional career that started at age 17 and has taken him to several countries to play for clubs and the El Salvador national team.

As the only original member of MLS not to win a league title nor a U.S. Open Cup, the Red Bulls must deal with that stigma as well as a tough opponent -- Sporting Kansas City -- in front of its raucous home fans.

One grew up in the Northwest and the other emigrated from Uruguay, but Brian Schmetzer and Fernando Clavijo formed a strong bond as teammates in San Diego that has woven their lives together for more than 30 years.

At no time in the league's history have so many MLS teams employed young American head coaches. They bring a different perspective to the job, as men who grew up playing in the league -- as well as abroad, in some cases -- before embarking on a coaching career.

A rough pair of Hexagonal matches left the Americans still well short of World Cup qualification and beset by problems in many areas, including how best to unleash the considerable talents of its 18-year-old star.