Is the Earth Moving For You Too? Game Day News and Notes

My apologies for taking a couple of impromptu days off; I've been very busy lately, finally had a bit of time to myself, and spent almost all of it reading and sleeping. I wouldn't feel bad, except apparently my failure to write has thrown off the space-time continuum: it looks like we're in for a lousy, cloudy, possibly even rainy day when the Vancouver Whitecaps take on the San Jose Earthquakes at Empire Field.

Some mistake, surely? As we know, the Whitecaps have had the mysterious power to attract the sun through all their home games so far. But one supposes the weather gods have grown as tired of Vancouver's average play as the rest of us and are issuing a warning. If we lose this game, I expect our next home game to be played in the middle of a tornado.

So let's hope we don't lose. Anyway, your game-day news and notes.

Imaginatively Named "List of Long-Term Injured":

• Whither John Thorrington? You got me. He is, however, confirmed out for today's game with that same old quadriceps injury.
• Michael Nanchoff, who has constantly been "this close" to returning for weeks now, is still "this close" to returning but isn't expected to have any part in today's affair.
• Atiba Harris is still recovering from knee surgery.

List of Short-Term Injured:

• There are reports, not least from Marc Weber of the Province, that central defender Jay DeMerit may be in line for a return this week. He may play a role today, conceivably, although I'm not sure I'm ready to bet money on that personally. His return would certainly be welcome.
• Shea Salinas might well be looking at a spot in the starting lineup today, which would put paid to his awful preseason injury once and for all.

Other Miscellany and Interesting Titbits:

• Of course you've heard that the Major League Soccer Players Union has released the 2011 MLS salary lists. It's not quite a complete list, with the biggest name missing being that of recent-y-signed midfielder Peter Vagenas (though you can bet it's not a lot). I link it here partially for my own convenience and partially for yours; if you haven't actually been to the MLSPU website before, you might be interested in looking at the salary lists for past MLS seasons posted there as well.
• Bad news for next week, as the May 18 Voyageurs Cup match against Toronto FC at Empire Field will conflict with a Vancouver Canucks home game in the NHL Western Conference final. I guess we'll see who the real fans are, won't we?