"I'll never forget those moments watching him in the [2002] World Cup and just thinking, 'Wow, I want to be like Beasley, I want to be Beasley.' That's when I began to dream. It's moments like that that kind of shape you and change you, and he was a big person in that. Even playing with him, man, it's so surreal because I was such a big fan. I wanted to be him so bad. I can never put into words what he's meant, and there's no way I'd be able to thank him enough."

-- Jozy Altidore on the impact retiring DaMarcus Beasley, his teammate on the 2010 and 2014 U.S. World Cup teams, had on him. Altidore said the cliche that applies to the 37-year-old Houston Dynamo defender, who announced plans to retire at the end of the 2019 MLS season, is "form is temporary, class is permanent." (The Athletic)

1. NISA commissioner Bob Watkins has stepped down three months before the league's launch. The league received Division III sanctioning from U.S. Soccer is February but information on the teams that will begin play in August remains sketchy at best. Watkins, a former rugby executive, will advise San Diego 1904 FC with which he first became involved when it sought admission to the NASL. In a statement, NISA announced that John Prutch, managing partner of Club 9 Sports, and other executives would take over management of the league.

2. Ian Harkes started for Dundee United in its 0-0 tie at home against St. Mirren in the first leg of their Scottish Premiership promotion-relegation playoff. Dundee United had already disposed of  Inverness, 4-0, on aggregate in the promotion series involving the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the Scottish Championship.

3. U.S. Soccer unveiled its first fan-focused mobile app alongside a new website, launching the new digital platforms to better serve and engage fans. The federation worked with AKQA to develop its new website and mobile app.