This is the time of year, when you get your bi-weekly soapbox on MLSnet.com, you can't worry about cute themes or clever All-Whatever teams. You just want to weigh in on everything MLS. So, here's the contents of my notebook, in this week's First XI:
11. Despite accumulating only four points in their final eight games (0-4-4), the Kansas City Wizards, with 45 points, became the biggest point-getter to ever be left out of the MLS playoffs. The 2000 Miami Fusion, who had 41 points, had held that distinction. The Wizards also became just the second team in league history to miss the playoffs with more wins than losses. The first team to pull off that feat was the 1999 San Jose Clash, who went 19-13 on the strength of 10 shootout wins. One final "Did You Know?" Did you know the Wizards are the only team in MLS that has had more wins than losses in each of the last three seasons?
10. Write this down and remember it: Chivas USA will finish no worse than second in the Western Conference next season. With another allocation, the first overall pick in the SuperDraft and a team that played some nice attacking soccer the second half of the season, I think their climb will be rapid. One thing though, Chivas needs to go after the best available player in the draft, regardless of his native tongue or his ethnicity. Not saying Chivas USA will come close to the 39-point improvement of the Metros from 1999 to 2000, but I'm betting they go beyond 40 overall points with relative ease.
9. The bigger cleanup job needs to occur in Salt Lake. Why? Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time, bringing in veterans like Clint Mathis, Jason Kreis, Eddie Pope and Brian Kamler, but those signings are going to close the window of opportunity a lot faster on this team. RSL needs to hope there are some teams looking for a "piece" this offseason, so they can trade old for new, and give this team a future beyond the 2006. On the positive side, Salt Lake fans, from what I saw on TV, are pretty boisterous.
8. So, parity took a year off in MLS. I threw down the gauntlet early in the season, challenging a team in the league to win more than half its games. No team in the league had done that since the 2002 Los Angeles Galaxy. The Revolution needed all 32 games to pull off the feat, winning their 17th game on Saturday night, while the Earthquakes won their 18th game, beating the Galaxy at The Home Depot Center. The Quakes also made a nice run at the '98 Galaxy's record of 68 points in a season.
7. Where does Tony Meola's 12-save shutout on Sunday rank among the greatest goalkeeping performances in MLS history? I'd have to say it's No. 1, on the regular season charts anyway. I witnessed Meola's MLS-record-setting 15-save performance back in 1997 and, great as that was, it came in defeat. The thing about Meola's performance on Sunday that makes it No. 1 in my book is that he did two things. First he held his team in the game in the first half. Then, after the Metros took a 1-0 lead and failed to convert two golden opportunities to make it 2-0, Meola was simply amazing keeping the clean sheet intact. His best two saves were on Isaac Romo's bicycle kick and Orlando Perez's point blank volley. Just incredible reactions on the part of the dean of MLS 'keepers.
6. Dwayne De Rosario's free kick goal may be the best free kick goal I've ever seen in MLS, but should it be Goal of the Year? I suggest we find a sponsor, maybe one of those free iPod websites, to sponsor the Free Kick of the Year and leave GOTY to goals scored in the run of play. As for my GOTY? I'm still very much in love with Justin Mapp's weaving run, injury-time, game winner at Los Angeles. Probably a longshot to win.
5. How about this for out of the box thinking? Ricardo Clark for MLS Defender of the Year. Yeah, I know he's not a defender, but the way Rico breaks up plays in the middle of the field for a team that allowed a league-best 31 goals, he gets my vote.
4. I see MLSnet.com is asking for fans to vote on the best MLS uniforms of all-time. How about a vote on the worst? I'm going with either the '96 Clash (scorpion logo) or the '96 Mutiny (Space Invader bat logo). How about most boring? Revs by a longshot. And the Revolution logo looks like something from a 1994 World Cup T-shirt. As for the best. I like D.C.'s original blacks, wide stripes and original eagle, and all. Best uniform moment comes from 1996, when Metros striker Ruben Dario Hernandez played the entire second half of a game against the Mutiny wearing a different shirt than his teammates.
3. I think we're looking at an upset-free postseason. So, in other words, D.C. takes out Chicago and New England whups the Metros in the East. San Jose cruises past L.A. and Dallas gets by Colorado. In the conference finals, New England reaps the benefit of home field and edges D.C. in OT while San Jose waltzes past FCD. Quakes beat Revs 3-2 in the MLS Cup 2005. Bank it. Anyone who's followed my picks through the years knows I'm money.
2. So, according to my MLS Awards Tracker, we're potentially looking at Michael Parkhurst as Rookie of the Year, Danny Califf as Defender of the Year, Pat Onstad as Goalkeeper of the Year, Dominic Kinnear as Coach of the Year and Dwayne De Rosario as MVP. Aside from my point above (No. 5) I can't say I disagree with these picks, though Steve Nicol, who has finally had a big regular season, deserves strong consideration as well. Few seem to remember last year's Revolution had just 33 points and did not qualify for the playoffs until the final regular season game of the year.
1. On a final note, here's hoping my many friends in Kansas City, especially the inimitable Sam Pierron, my pal since '96, have a place to sing next season.
Jeff Bradley is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. Send your comments and complaints (200 words or less, please) to Jeff at jbradleyespn2003@yahoo.com and he promises to read (but not respond to) all of them. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
