NWSL

The Seattle Reign and Western New York Flash were in need of a field this weekend, but what they got was a small patch of grass in the outfield of a minor league baseball stadium, resulting in one of the silliest-looking soccer games we have ever seen. In case you were wondering if the NWSL is a serious professional league, signs would point to "no" (We mean the league itself is not a serious professional league.

The Orlando Pride's home opener against the Houston Dash Saturday was noteworthy for several reasons. First, it was the NWSL's newest team's first-ever home game. Second, it was the most-attended game in NWSL history with an estimated 23,403 fans in attendance. Third, team talisman Alex Morgan scored her first goal as a member of the Orlando Pride.

Never doubt Carli Lloyd.

Before the 2015 World Cup, Lloyd’s former coach and the coach of World Cup rival Sweden, Pia Sundhage, said that Lloyd was a great player, but was mentally weak.

“Carli Lloyd was a challenge to coach, by the way. When she felt that we had faith in her, she could be one of the best players. But if she began to question that faith, she could be one of the worst.”

“It was so delicate, so, so delicate.”

FC Kansas City, the reigning champs of the NWSL, got a little shock when they received their shiny new championship rings.

FCKC, who have won the NWSL in two of the league's three seasons (season four just started), shared a nice photo of their championship rings on Twitter (the tweet has since been deleted). But something was a little off.

Megan Rapinoe has been here before. Twice she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee while playing her college ball with the University of Portland, injuries which resulted in her missing out on both the 2007 FIFA World Cup and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 

Now, aged 30 and with more than 100 caps with the United States national team, Rapinoe is once again facing the arduous trials and tribulations of returning from an ACL injury, this one having been sustained in her left knee.

Rachel Daly announced herself as a new star to watch as the NWSL season kicked off this past weekend. Daly, who hails from Harrogate in England, scored one and assisted one in her debut for the Houston Dash as they trounced the Chicago Red Stars 3-1 in front of a vociferous home crowd. 

The NWSL schedulers really know what they're doing in terms of manufacturing storylines. The Orlando Pride, the newest NWSL franchise, and the Portland Thorns completed a trade this offseason that sent Alex Morgan, one of the most marketable USWNT stars, from Portland to Orlando.

So of course they played each other for their season opener.