As the summer winds to a close, NWSL Commissioner JEFF PLUSH is looking ahead to the league’s four-team playoff later this month. Following a strong season and added exposure from the U.S. Women’s National Team’s World Cup victory, several NWSL players are now household names. While many Americans will be taking it easy this holiday weekend, Plush remains focused on continuing to spread the word. He will accompany Chicago Red Stars F CHRISTEN PRESS and D JULIE JOHNSTON -- along with the World Cup trophy -- to Saturday's Stanford-Northwestern football game at Ryan Field where the duo will be honored. Here, Plush tells THE DAILY his plans for this upcoming extended Labor Day weekend.
WILDCAT SCRATCH FEVER: I am a big college football fan. My weekend actually started Thursday night, as I am a proud Arizona Wildcat. I watched their game against Texas-San Antonio in my new basement with my new TV. I never make plans on Friday. It tends to be a night where we hunker down with my two daughters -- 13 and 11 -- for a play-date or sleep-over. This Friday will probably be dinner and a movie with my wife at the house. We have a couple of shows we like to watch. We are big fans of "HOUSE OF CARDS" and "HOMELAND."
CHICKEN DANCE: We are having another heat wave here in Chicago. It has been hot and humid all week, so after the football game on Saturday, I think I will grill out. I will probably do a BBQ chicken and rib dish. It is pretty foolproof and the kids like it. Any time I can make some messy stuff, it is easy to make the family happy. Then I will see if I can finagle my wife into letting me watch a little bit of Texas-Notre Dame, as well as our NWSL matches.
STARS & STRIPES: Sunday is the final day of our regular season and the family and I will be out at Toyota Park watching the Red Stars take on the Houston Dash. We will also have the Women’s World Cup trophy there for our last celebration before the start of the playoffs one week from Sunday. Like anything, it is work, but it is still fun. You get to be out watching these world-class athletes do what they do. The offices will be closed on Monday. My wife is a Virginia Tech Hokie, and there is a big game Monday night in Blacksburg against the defending national champion, Ohio State. We will definitely gather around the TV for that one. This will be my first time in a long while not living in Colorado during the NFL season. I will either find a TV on Sunday afternoons or find a local establishment that will have Broncos backers.
CUP RUNNETH OVER: Winning the World Cup was obviously a phenomenal weekend. I give full credit to everyone involved with that. We did not go to the Final in Vancouver, but we did go to the Nigeria-USA match. It was a great experience with big crowds and good games. It is a wonderful part of the world and was a really good trip for us.
