I’ve dedicated a good chunk of my life to Canadian Soccer. I’ve covered World Cup qualifiers since the 1990s. I’ve been on the TFC beat and, by now, most people know me as the colour voice for FC Edmonton on TV and radio. But, looking back, all of the talk of match fixing makes me wonder if I am lying to myself.

Make no mistake, the CSA’s decision to protect a national Div. 3 vision, while at the same time endorsing a report which backs away from a national Div. 2 strategy, represents a major, major win for NASL over USL. FC Edmonton and Ottawa will be recognized as Div. 2 in NASL, while USL can’t cross the border — at least not in a way that would be recognized as, well, Canadian.

The Canadian Soccer League says that it is still sanctioned by the Canadian Soccer Association.

USL President Tim Holt said it was a “seamless transition” to bring the Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact back into the USL-Pro fold.

Canadian Soccer Association President Victor Montagliani says the new USL-MLS partnership will not impact the push for an all-Canadian Division 2 or 3.

“The emblem of a competition is an important step on the road to the first game,” said FIFA President Sepp Blatter in a message that was recorded for the launch event.

Christine Sinclair has won the Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s top athlete of 2012.

And, in Janine Helland, not only are the women’s national teams of years past recognized, but also the Edmonton Aviators.

But women’s national-team coach John Herdman isn’t so sure. Instead or rosy prognostications about women’s soccer in Canada, he said it’s time for us to lower our expectations, as time has come for the program to take a few lumps.

But, this is where it gets interesting. After being asked directly about how FC Edmonton and the Ottawa franchise, set to join NASL in 2014, could be impacted by a new Div. 2, Fonseca didn’t rule out the idea that those two teams would be compelled to join a new Canadian circuit.