Let's Go Wiz-zids, Embarrass MLS HQ!

I need something to keep me warm tonight. It sure as heck isn't going to be the oil heating system at my house. It's a tad mind boggling that the elected representatives of the most oil dependent people in the country are usually the ones to block any sort of oil exploration when it comes to a vote in DC. Oh, but the Senate just ratified a UN Treaty which will effectively allows Chinese companies to drill a few miles off the shore of Florida. It's OK, though. NBC logos are green this week and The Today Show flies people around the globe to lecture us on our carbon footprints.

But I digress. The absurdly high heating bill (not including electricity) has caused me to look for alternative sources of warmth. There's an outside chance I'll be warming myself to the Fox Soccer Channel broadcast of the Houston - Kansas City match tonight. The Wizards have a chance to truly embarrass MLS and their complete lack of foresight. Kansas City, the fifth place team from the Eastern Conference, could actually win the Western Conference championship. If that were to happen, I'm putting the trophy presentation on loop and turning off the furnace. I'll be set for weeks.

FATCOC. That was the watchstanding principles mnemonic I learned while I was a reactor operator with the Navy. The "A" stood for anticipation. It basically meant asking "what if" whenever conditions changed and to know all the possible ramifications resulting from systematic anomalies. MLS may have seen this possibility and took their chances, but that really tweaks my sensibilities. Then again, I spent a decade in a community where there was no room for such carelessness, and you couldn't put a positive spin on poor planning with a press release.

Many journalists have justified changing, or abolishing, the playoff system based on boring play or DC choking once again. Guess what, soccer is hit or miss when it comes to excitement. You can't artificially generate non-stop action. Tweak it all you want, there's just no way you can use outside forces to create the 1982 World Cup semifinal classic. Games like that will happen regardless of the setup.

As for abolishing the playoffs, that's definitely not happening. What should happen, and to credit MLS is happening, is getting the word out on the importance of the Supporters Shield. The winner of the league's top record gets a spot in the international competitions MLS is invited to. They now have a trophy celebration at the winner's home ground (as opposed to handing it to the head car parker like Columbus did a few years back). They seem to be leaning towards a home and home schedule when the league gets big enough, which will help to legitimize the Shield from a competition standpoint. These are important steps. What MLS needs to continue to do is promote that trophy so it becomes much, much more important than, say, the one they hand out to the team that has the best record in the NHL. To point out it's level of prestige, I can't even remember it's name (President's Trophy, maybe?).

For those that hope the league "comes around" to the way the rest of the world crowns their champions, give it up. As long as sports like baseball and football have expanded their playoffs and reaped the rewards of more teams being in the hunt for longer into the season, MLS will chase that red dragon. And I don't blame them. Look, winning the Supporters Shield is actually a greater accomplishment. You need to win out in a league where everyone is basically equal. It shows you were the best team over the course of six months. Winning MLS Cup, conversely, is actually a tougher task. It's hard enough to win back to back games in MLS, much less four. Both have merit, but the playoffs are much more exciting which is why they'll never go away.

Getting back to the lack of foresight which lead to the set of circumstances surrounding tonight's game, that problem can be fixed. Oodles of journalists, bloggers, and internet commandos have offered up their resolutions. Why should I be any different?

If I were to make changes, it would start with renaming the first round the quarterfinals, and the next round the semifinals. MLS HQ got a woody from the DC United - New England Eastern Conference Final in 2004. The problem is, they thought the playoff system "created" that game. That's not how it works. Yes, the playoffs add the importance which makes those games exciting, but classics happen on the field, not at the Board of Governors' meeting. What's to say that game in 2004 wouldn't have happened if the two rounds leading up to MLS Cup had the same number of games? Nothing. Either team could have taken a lead into RFK that night or it could have taken place a week earlier. Which leads me to my next change: make the playoffs make sense.

Since Taylor Twellman's fantastic bicycle kick, there's been a little buzz about the Revs in the New England sports scene (given the state of other teams in the area, that's actually quite a leap forward). This buzz has lead to commentators and sports fans actually looking at the MLS playoffs a little more closely. When a lot of people have done that, both on the radio and through anecdotal evidence, they have all gotten confused with the setup. Typically, you'll get the soccer-haters saying something like "just another reason to hate that sport". Those who make that conclusion can pack sand, and I'm someone who actually understands why most Americans can't get with the sport. However, the mass confusion over the setup is what bothers me.

MLS made a marked improvement in their playoff format by having the top eight teams league-wide make it instead of four from each conference. They need to be commended for that. Going into the last two weeks, five teams were fighting for two spots and four were still alive on the last weekend. However, the playoffs themselves need to make sense not just for the fans, but for the teams that compete in them.

They should either have the first round one game or the second round two games. I'm fine with having MLS Cup as one game. That's the annual big game and the only real shot the league has at hyping it's product. If they went to two games per round, I would make it so the lower seed hosts on a weekday (Wednesday or Thursday) and then the higher seed hosts on the weekend. They could rework the ESPN deal to cover two games on both weekend nights (how's that for buzz?). The higher seeds would benefit from a better attendance draw, and the colder weather teams could play during the day before temperatures drop into the 20's like it did at Gillette on Thursday. Having this setup would also shorten the playoffs by one week, allowing for more scheduling versatility which will be needed as MLS clubs take a more serious attitude towards international competitions.

In the meantime, get rid of the "conference final" moniker. Tonight, it's a misnomer. No one takes that glassware seriously, anyhow. Unfortunately, MLS would get away with it as long as Houston wins.

From a competition standpoint, both teams will have just as good a chance at beating the Revs as the Revs have in beating them. However, there's one important fact to consider: Missouri sports teams have been New England's bitches when it comes to championship games since the 70's and they have been the unfortunate losers in these landmark titles:

1957: Boston Celtics defeat St. Louis Hawks to win their first NBA title.

1970: Boston Bruins defeat St. Louis Blues to win their first Stanley Cup in 29 years.

2002: New England Patriots defeat St. Louis Rams 20-17 to win Super Bowl XXXVI, their first ever.

2004: Boston Red Sox sweep St. Louis Cardinals to win their first World Series in 86 years.


In other words, we need to play Kansas City in the final before they move across the border to Kansas next season. The Missouri Mojo (momojo) is still intact as long as they played their home games at Arrowhead this season.

So now there's two big reasons I want Kansas City to win tonight. As the cheerleaders at my high school used to chant: Let's Go Wiz-zids!

Twellman's Goal

Here's the goal that sent the Revs to the MLS Cup Finals:



No explanation needed. Simply incredible.

Props to Adrian over at Politics & Soccer for finding the clip.

On To The Finals!

I guess we deserved it a little more than Chicago. One gleaming shot in an otherwise empty scrum. A boring, stereotypically incompetent MLS game overtaken by one glorious goal by the likely hero, Taylor Twellman.

It has to be pointed out: four straight years. Four straight years where the Fire have met their demise. Four straight years that the Fire have ended their season by losing to the Revs at Gillette Stadium. Man, they must hate us.

Especially the twenty or so people who represted Section 8. Hey, next time you belittle our fanbase, send more than 22 people to represent you. Then again, RBNY said there would be over a hundred when they sent about sixty. I should have known better.

I guess this is the alcohol talking, but who cares? The Revs have a birth in the championship game and have two extra days to prepare for it. The Fort was hopping and the team took it home.

I need to sleep before some important meetings tomorrow. To the Midnight Riders, to Rev Army, to my boy Rob from New Hampshire, to the people who hooked me up right before game time, to Fran who was erroneously ejected, to the people who splurged for category 1 (Category 2 and 3 were sparse tonight), to everyone who doubted this team:

THIS ONE'S FOR YOU!!!!!!

Much more in the lead up to MLS Cup!

Tonight's The Night

Tonight's the night. The night we find out if the 2007 incarnation of the New England Revolution has the moxy it's predecessors had in the playoffs. The night we see if they have that certain, oh I don't know, je ne sais quoi to defeat the Chicago Fire and end their season for the fourth straight year. The night we cheer the boys on from The Fort in frigged temperatures. The night the team mans up to Blanco's bobos and stops their unbeaten streak in it's tracks. The night NBC pats itself on the back for proclaiming Al Gore's movie 100% factual.

OK, so I'm dvr'n the last part and won't get to it until next week. The other stuff in that opening paragraph has me freakin pumped. This is what MLS, in it's current format, is all about. Take away the complete waste of time the last nine months were. Going into training camp, we all knew who the best eight teams were. Maybe Colorado had a say and anyone who bought into LA's hype would have yelped, but not the rest of us. We all knew there would be eight teams in the playoffs capable of beating the other seven. And we all knew Chicago and New England would meet up again, ready for another round of foul and stall.

So now it comes down to tonight. To the winners: a trip to MLS Cup with more than enough time to rest their tired carcasses. To the losers: ten extra days to work on their Halo 3 rankings (no one still golfs, right?).

The matchup isn't that hard to break down. New England will attempt to control the middle of the field with Joseph and Larentowicz while looking for holes to pace through balls to their forwards and wings. Chicago will answer with the muscle of Chris Armas, and Blanco will try to go around the Revs' big boys and launch quick strike attacks.

I can see this one being a grind. However, both Chicago and New England have been known to pack the box if they grab a quick lead. The timing of the first goal, if there is a first goal, will mean everything for the neutrals. However, Chicago relied on quick counterattacks against DC United. The Revs probably won't commit as many players forward as DC did. I can't predict how this game will go, but I'm not alone in thinking this one will be rough and low scoring.

Chicago has made a remarkable run up to this point. They haven't lost since a game in New York at the beginning of September. That was also the last time they played on an artificial surface. Seeing how New England has played nearly every game on the fake stuff for over a month, that could be an intangible. Their timing could be off at the start of the game, and the Revs could capitalize on that advantage. Another bonus for New England is obviously the home field.

Chicago counters with an extra two days off. The Revs also played in inclement weather on Saturday which wears you down. The Fire have to be more fit physically. I would have expected MLS to have seen this unfair setup when ESPN told them what the schedule would be. Then again, I expect my dog to piss on the pee mat, but I gave up being disappointed when it doesn't happen.

So this one, like any matchup possible for the Revs in the MLS playoffs, is a tossup. The Revs have a chance at a bit of history by making three straight finals. They already have made six straight conference finals which is a nice little achievement. But they don't hand out rings for making it there. The Revs are still chasing their elusive first MLS Cup championship. It comes down to the last two games. The first in less than 24 hours. Get down to the stadium after work. It's gonna be a cracker.


Previews

Revolutionsoccer.net
Brad Feldman Breaks It Down Even More
Center Holds It
USA Today
Goal.com
The Sports Network
Boston Herald
Boston Globe
ESPN
Chicago Tribune

ECF: Q&A With Myself

As the Eastern Conference Final quickly approaches, there's numerous questions floating around my head. Who better to answer them than myself:


Q: Why do Revolution fans hate the Chicago Fire so much?

A: That's a fascinating question which would require a 20-part series to answer fully. Since you asked, I'll keep this as concise as possible.

To be honest, the current level of hatred is far less than it was a year ago. At that time, Shalrie Joseph was suspended for the deciding playoff match after MLS, for some reason, went back and punished him for elbowing a player who thought Shalrie wanted to give him a piggyback ride. The suspicion was that weasley manager Dave Sarachan was the one who asked for the review. This was after a suspension was levied against Clint Dempsey a few months earlier in similar fashion. To complicate matters, Chad Barrett wasn't suspended for shoving Jay Heaps to the ground after the whistle that August, because the referee (the same for all three incidents) gave him a yellow card which gave him immunity from a punishment review. So, we felt cheated by MLS and pissed off at the Chicago manager going into that match. There's other issues about Sarachan that I won't go into here, because that's all in the past.

Today, Chicago has a new, less irritating manager. However, they did pick up aging Mexican sensation Cuauhtémoc Blanco, who's the bane of many US Soccer supporters. I'm not as big a Blanco hater as others, but when he starts looking to draw fouls by the bushel on Thursday, the vitriol will flow. All in all, the fact that we have ended their season for three straight years, they aren't as hated as they could be.

Q: So, why do so many people hate Blanco?

A: There's a number of reasons. The main one is he plays with incredible fire on the field and has killed the US in the past. His current incarnation relies on his guile (diving) more than his athleticism, and people don't like some of his simulation antics.

Q: His face got wicked rubbery. Did he have reverse botox or something?

A: No. Every time you go into extreme agony, you make a face that puts a ton of tension on the skin, especially the cheaks. The same is true when you fake extreme agony. Seasons of pretending he got shot in the thigh from a hunting rifle every twenty minutes has taken a toll on Blanco's face. The craters were just an added benefit as I hear he's been used to get those playdough stains out from the Fire's romper room floor.

Q: Is it OK to have a crush on Chris Rolfe if you are a 14 year old girl?

A: Strange question given the source. No, it's not OK. He'll be starting for Real Madrid really soon, according to Fire fans, so hold your affections until then.


Q: What's with Fire fans? Are they the best fans in the league or the worst?

A: Depends on your point of view. From both perspectives, DC has them beat in fan support and in random degenerates looking to start trouble and then running under mommy's coat. I'd also put Toronto ahead of them in the fan support category.

Chicago's got great support by MLS standards. Do they have annoying fans on BigSoccer that are unable to comprehend the loose etiquette standards? Yup. In fact, they've probably got the most. That's just the cyber world, though. Who cares. They'll probably have a good-sized group there on Thursday night. How many show up will vastly depend on the number of people trained at Whopper-board in the Chicagoland area. Critical job skills are scarce these days and Lord be damned if there's a shortage of flame-broiled goodness due to missing fast food operators.

Q: How will the Revolution score against that Fire defense?

A: The Fire defense has been tight as of late, but they broke down in the second half against DC, allowing two goals. It'll probably be another low-scoring affair. The Revs will need to convert two of the six or seven chances they get.

Q: Will there be a large crowd for the game?

A: Unlikely. ESPN was banking on DC United advancing, not Chicago. New England hasn't been known to draw large crowds for weeknight games, and I doubt a four day sales effort will yield a large crowd. Expect around 10,000.

Q: Why would someone go watch a game in 40 degree weather instead of on tv?

A: The ESPN2 broadcast makes you feel sorry for/uncomfortable about soccer in America. Avoid it at all costs. The cold air is also great for your eyebrows, spleen, and Alzheimer's.