The Rocky Mountain Cup: Dawn of a New Era or Continued Domination?

The Rocky Mountain Cup: It's gonna be feisty.

Cascadia gets all the rivalry attention from Major League Soccer, and let's face it, the atmosphere created around those matches is indeed quite the spectacle.  However, for my money, the most underrated rivalry in MLS will have it's final chapter for 2013 (at least in the regular season) written at Dicks Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado: The Rocky Mountain Cup.

It's quite true that the rivalry between Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids has been rather one sided in terms of results over the last several years.  However, the matches are always super-competitive and can be nail-biting for the non neutral fan of other stripe.  It's physical, at times it's pretty ugly, but it's always unpredictable!

So who do I tip to raise the cup, or shall I say "drive the Suburu" come this weekend?  The inside track clearly goes to the Colorado Rapids.  They earned a great road result with a draw at Rio Tinto earlier this year and took all three from RSL in the first meeting at the Dick.  All they have to do is draw, and RSL's record at the Dick isn't really any better than Colorado's at the RioT.

RSL will also be missing some key players, especially on the back line, which has been the biggest vulnerability in recent weeks.  Chris Wingert will be out due to the extra game suspension he earned for laying out Sporting KC's Kei Kamara.  Tony Beltran will be back from Gold Cup duty, but will also be suspended for the red card he picked up in his last match for RSL.  Injuries further complicate things for the defense.  No Schuler, No Kwame, perhaps no Carlos Salcedo.  This leaves Borchers alongside either Aaron Maund, who is still very much a project, or newcomer Brandon McDonald.  Take a deep breath, RSL fans.  Also, I wouldn't at all be surprised to see Yordany Alvarez pick up a suspension from the disciplinary committee for his challenge on Tim Cahill in New York.  If Kyle Beckerman picks up a knock in the All-Star Game, well, I don't even want to think about it.   Rapids fans have good reason to be hopeful.  They're going to get some chances, and RSL's defense is going to make some mistakes.

However, it's not all doom and gloom for the Claret and Cobalt and not all roses for the folks in Burgundy either.  The Rapids will be missing Hendry Thomas, who will be suspended due to yellow card accumulation.  In my mind he's been a key cog for them in front of their back line, which has also proven to be vulnerable at times this year.  With Alvaro Saborio back in the mix and others in RSL's rejuvenated attack, RSL will get some quality looks as well.  The other good news is that Nick Rimando is back in the fold for RSL.  Yes, he'll be at the All Star Game as well, but we can hope that he doesn't see action.  His heroics have been enough for RSL in the past, and they'll need him for this one.

Again, for the cup, all the Rapids need is a tie.  However, don't expect them to play for the tie.  They've been one of the more dynamic teams in MLS in recent weeks, and they have their eyes firmly fixed on the top of the table, where Real Salt Lake currently sit.  They want all three.  The Western Conference race is so tight right now that a point out of this match at home will clearly not be good enough for the Rapids.  They'll attack all out like Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg, and they should do so.  RSL's makeshift defense demands it.

This could leave RSL with some nice chances on the counter though.  I don't expect them to sit back and absorb pressure, they're not very good at it, but when the Rapids do get men forward, and they will, their defense could be left ripe for the picking as well, and RSL has showed it's ability to put up multiple goals on pretty much anybody.

So in my mind, this comes down to two things.  First, which defense makes the fewer mistakes, or avoids making the catastrophic mistake?  Second, which goalkeeper puts on the best show: Nick Rimando or Clint Irwin?  Irwin has been pretty much a rock for the Rapids, and he'll need another strong showing, as will Nick Rimando.

How do I see it unfolding right now?  I'm going with a 1-1, or maybe a 2-2 draw.  The result gives the Rapids the cup and hands them the battle.  However, that would keep RSL ahead in the war that is the standings, for now anyway.  Portland plays Vancouver at Jeld-Wen, so you probably tip them to win that one.  The standings could shuffle, but one thing is for sure, this weekend will be highly interesting.

HBO Investigative Piece Focuses on Chivas USA Allegations

HBO's Real Sports focused on a lawsuit against Chivas USA (Getty Images)

Last night was not a good night in terms of publicity for Chivas USA and Major League Soccer.  HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" ran a 20 minute piece on a lawsuit filed by two former Chivas USA youth coaches, Teddy Chronopoulos and Dan Calichman, that alleges that they were dismissed from their positions because they weren't Mexican or of Mexican descent.

Both the lawsuit and the Real Sports segment focus on the time period since Jorge Vergara, who owns Liga Mx's Chivas de Guadalajara, bought the team.  According to the lawsuit, since that time, Chivas USA have undergone a systematic effort to eliminate personnel that weren't Mexican or of Mexican descent.  It's alleged that in his first address to the team and staff, Vergara spoke only in Spanish until he realized that not all of his staff spoke Spanish, he then commented, in English, that if you didn't speak Spanish, you should go work for the Galaxy.  Another gentleman commented that if you speak against Vergara, that you are speaking against Mexico and are regarded as a racist.

Soledad O'Brien also explored the effects of this on Chivas USA's academy, where Chronopoulos and Calichman coached.  A mother of a former Chivas youth player provided Real Sports with a questionaire that was given to kids and parents where the parents not only had to ethnically identify the child but the child's mother and father as well.  This was a little disturbing.

According to the lawsuit, Chronopoulos and Calichman filed a complaint with Chivas USA's Human Relations department and were then promptly dismissed from their positions.

Also interviewed was DC United's James Riley, who was traded away from Chivas USA.  Riley, who is half African-American and half Korean, alleges that he was traded from the club because he was not of Mexican descent.  Real Sports is following the stories of 17 different players who have been jettisoned from the club since Vergara took over that were not of Mexican descent.  They were largely, if not totally, replaced by Mexican personnel.  This includes former head coach Robin Fraser, who was replaced by El Chelis.  The parents of the youth player interviewed for the piece have moved their son to the LA Galaxy U-12 Academy, where he is now captain.

Real Sports requested an interview with Vergara, but the club denied this request, instead giving O'Brien 15 minutes with technical director Paco Palencia.  The interview ended abruptly when O'Brien's questions  became a little too pointed.

The piece was unquestionably ugly and very bad press for MLS.  Gumbel and O'Brien ventured the guess that Chivas USA see it as a marketing tool to the large Mexican population in LA, or that perhaps  it's all a cultural misunderstanding.  The problem is, that even if this is the case, being ignorant of employment laws regarding discrimination in the United States doesn't make you exempt from following them, and it certainly looks like these two men deserve their day in court, though it is understandable that MLS and Chivas USA are not going to comment given the ongoing lawsuit.  Alexi Lalas said on Twitter today that he asked Commissioner Garber about it, and Garber said that while the piece raises serious issues, he can't really comment because of the litigation.

Also, yes, most job applications in the United States require you to list your ethnicity, generally for affirmative action purposes, however in my opinion, requiring this info on children is a bit beyond the absurd.  Also, I think anyone would be a little suspicious of an employment application that asked you to validate the ethnic identity of your mother and father.

In the end, I'm just left wondering how Major League Soccer let it come to this.    Not to mention, did they not see this coming when they hooked up with Chivas de Guadalajara.  I get that in Mexico, Chivas is largely seen as a national symbol of Mexican pride and that these practices are considered to be perfectly legitimate, but this is not Mexico.  It is also unquestionable that if an MLS franchise ditched all their ethnic players and hired only white players and staff.......well it doesn't take much imagination to think of the PR scandal that would rightly follow.

Anyone who pays attention to, or closely follows MLS saw this coming.  None of it is news.  it became more obvious with every offseason move made by the Goats.  Didn't that send a red flag up with SOMEBODY at League Headquarters?  Perhaps they were too concerned about YSA and NY2 to notice what seems to be pretty blatant discrimination in one of their already existing franchises.

Personally, they could shutter Chivas USA tomorrow and I would be fine with it.  The franchise is a joke.  Despite touting the superiority of their Mexican based system, they remain in last place.  Their attendance is down even further, if that's possible.  Their constant ineptness, on the pitch and off, have made them the laughing stock of the league.  Meanwhile, Real Salt Lake, who came into the league at the same time, and in a much smaller market, have managed to win an MLS Cup and build a yearly contender featuring an extremely diverse roster.  Chivas USA is the poster child for how not to run an MLS side.

The league needs to deal with this.  I shudder to think of what a non MLS fan thought of that piece.  It makes soccer continue to look like a foreign game with backwards views and attitudes.  Nothing was mentioned of the other 18 MLS teams with hugely diverse rosters.  It was UGLY.  Meanwhile, El Chelis took to twitter to bash Grant Wahl, calling him "the KKK." He also asserted that gringos were the kings of racism and discrimination.  Yeah Chelis, you classless hack, that's going to help everything.  This coming from the guy who wouldn't shake the hands of Jason Kreis or RSL's staff after his team got pummeled.  

If I can touch on the political for just a moment, this race crap has to stop.  Its sad to think that we haven't moved past this stuff in 2013.  That goes for anyone who thinks that their race is superior to another.  I don't care if you're white, black, hispanic, asian, or anything else, if you view yourself as superior to another human because of your race, you are part of the problem.  If you view your race as superior to another race on the basis of the blood flowing through your veins, you are part of the problem.  At some point we have to move beyond this, though my hopes aren't high.  As author Michael Shaara states in the book "The Killer Angels:"

"There's many a man worse than me, and some better, but I don't believe that race or country matter a damn!"

We're all human and what unites us can be so much stronger than what divides us.  I wish we could see that.

Finally, on a personal note, I do feel for the Chivas USA supporters, those troopers who show up to every match.  They must know that this is not going to end well for their club, and they shouldn't be lumped in with Vergara and his numpties.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming weeks.

Opinion: Hard to Blame Officiating Mistakes

As long as there have been sports, there have been men and women who have the job of enforcing the rules of the sport and making impartial judgements on the field of play.  As long as these referees have existed, spectators and players have complained about them and pinned failure to win a contest on them.  I can imagine that if you go back to the days of the Maya, there were probably fans and players who complained about the officials in their handball games that took place in the stone courts of Chichen Itza.

Of course we all do it today as well.  Even if you say you don't, most likely you do.  I follow soccer fans of most MLS clubs on twitter, most of them, if not all of them, are highly intelligent when it comes to the game, still I could go back on my timeline over the years and find at least one instance where most of them have complained about a referee.

I'm certainly not exempt from this either.  After Saturday night saw RSL lose to Sporting Kansas City, my initial reaction was to blame the referee.  I even tweeted that "incompetence in the center circle" cost RSL.  Now, in the heat of that moment that is what I thought.  Now, a couple of days later, I still think the officiating in the match was poor and inconsistent on both sides.  However, if you read my previous post summing up the match, you know that I backed off the "ref cost us the game" argument.

Let's take a different approach to this argument.  Let's say that all the cards given against RSL were incorrect, but that they happened anyway.  Let's say that Wingert's sending off was wrong (it wasn't) and let's say that the referee was wrong to allow more stoppage time then he originally alotted (debatable).  Was the referee the one who failed to clear the ball out of the RSL penalty area on Sporting's first goal? No. Did the referee save Olmes Garcia's late strike on Jimmy Nielsen's goal?  No.  Was it the referee's job to mark up the Sporting players on the last goal of the match?  No.  The scoring of goals and the prevention of goals is what wins and loses soccer matches.  One can argue that the red card to Wingert influenced RSL's ability to defend on the goals, as at least one Sporting player was going to be unmarked.  However there were, count 'em, FOUR unmarked SKC players on that goal.  Trust me, it happened right in front of me.  It was just bad set piece defense, period, which is also, you guessed it, not the fault of the referee.

So what's my point?  I'm not trying to troll my own team and fans here, I'm just trying to present an objective view.  It's very difficult to blame a referee for the outcome of a match because so much of the decisions are subjective and by nature are hard to quantify.  A player should or shouldn't have gotten a yellow/red card.  It's opinion based on the laws of the game.  It's fine for us as fans and players to have opinions on this, but it's the referee's opinion that counts.  They're not always right, either.  MLS has overturned a few red cards this year, including one to RSL's Carlos Salcedo.  However, don't expect the cards to Wingert to be overturned, because they were correct, in my opinion, and certainly when viewed objectively, they're reasonable decisions for the referee to make.

Let's say there's a hand ball.  Okay, you can objectively, often with the aid of replay, say for certain if a ball struck a player's hand or arm.  There's still room for the subjective here as well.  Did the player handle it on purpose?  Was he trying to avoid it?  Where were his hands when the contact was made?  These factors all go into a referee's decision on whether or not to whistle for a hand ball. It's not always as black and white as we in the stands tend to see it.

Not only are many of these things subjective, but we also have to remember that these individuals are just human.  They can't be every place at once, and their sight is limited.  For example, they can't see through players.  One of the nastiest tackles in the match occurred in the first half when Javier Morales tried to split two SKC defenders on a counter attack.  As he got in behind them, one of the defenders wrapped his arms around Morales and horse collar tackled him to the floor.  It was a tackle worthy of an NFL linebacker.  In my mind, it was certainly a foul and a yellow card, and you see reds given for hands about the neck and head.  However, the referee was trailing behind the play and my guess is couldn't see it through the two defenders.  The linesman was coming in from behind as well.  You can openly criticize referees' positioning on the field, but in the end, it is what it is.

The point is that many of us as fans haven't stepped into the referee's shoes and taken up the whistle.  Honest mistakes masquerade as incompetence, and inconsistency, which all humans are prone to, comes across as conspiracy.  I'm quite sure neither of these are usually the case.  Does that make officials and referees immune to criticism?  Of course not.  Most fans, players, coaches, and probably even league officials would admit that the standard of officiating in MLS is rather poor, and doesn't seem to be improving.

That brings us to the last point, which was the argument that Jason Kreis and many RSL folks have been touting since the end of the match.  Kreis criticized the referee's inexperience, as he has before, complaining that RSL often gets stuck with these less experienced officials.  According to the numbers, he has a point here.  Matt Montgomery crunched the numbers and you can see them over at RSL Soapbox. While the numbers are intriguing, and I would love to see MLS comment on them, what conclusion can we really draw from that data?

Can we generalize from that data that things would have turned out differently Saturday night if we had say, Toledo or Geiger in charge?  Of course not.  I think most referees would give Wingert those two yellow cards, which really was the turning point in the match.  Plus, you hear PLENTY of complaining about the more experienced refs as well.  Let's face it, the refs all around the league need to get a lot better, and there are many high profile calls that are seemingly blown, and the "experienced" refs are just as vulnerable to this as the newbies.  In the end this issue is highly subjective as well.

In the end, it is up to the teams to recognize this issue and deal with it.  RSL didn't do this Saturday night.  One of our veteran players, who should know better, put himself in a compromising position in the first minute of the match.  I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose, but it happened.  That same player made another crucial mental error later in the match that put RSL permanently behind the Eight-Ball.  I'm not trying to crucify Chris Wingert.  I'm sure he'd already put his hand up for the mistakes, but it is the pertinent fact of the match, not the referee's decisions.

Truth be told, nobody wants to hear Jason Kreis complain about refs anymore than they want to hear Ben Olsen do it.  We as RSL fans have gotten a reputation for bitching about the refs every time we lose.  You can argue whether the reputation is deserved or not, but it's there.  I'm sure in the heat of the moment I'll complain again sometime down the road, but hopefully we as fans, and our club, learn to deal with these issues and our team can gain a little more discipline to overcome them.

I'll leave you with a challenge from my friend Scott, who is in fact a soccer referee aside from his day job as a paramedic.  He said on Twitter, to paraphrase: stop complaining about refs and go be a ref.  Kids games always need refs.  Maybe if more of us did that, we'd have a little more perspective.

Just some food for thought.

Smash and Grab: Sporting Kansas City Steals 3 From RSL

RSL keeper Jeff Attinella after conceding the match winning goal. (Deseret News)

I have so many emotions in my mind right now.  I thought that after a night's sleep I might feel a little, well a little less cranky, but that's not the case.  I think the above Deseret News picture of Jeff Attinella pretty much sums up what most of us are feeling, just absolutely gutted.

Let's dispense with a couple of things right off the bat.  Yes, the officiating was poor.  There were multiple calls missed on both sides.  I'm not going to get into the "big games should have big refs" argument because it's totally subjective.  The officiating in the league is mediocre at best no matter who is on the pitch.  While I do sympathize with fans making this argument, having Baldomero Toledo in the center circle doesn't always mean a well officiated match.  We all know this.

Let's look at what the referee got right, in my opinion, and how it affected the match.  First off, you have Wingert with an arm to the face of Kei Kamara in the opening minute. I don't think Chris meant to do it, but a yellow card was warranted.  As my pal Justin, who you know as the RSL correspondent for the Standard Examiner, noted: with Allen Chapman as the fourth official, RSL might have been lucky not to have Wingert sent off right then and there.

That put Chris on a yellow card for essentially the entire match.  Kamara is a big, physical attacker, and the chances that Wingert gets out of that match without picking up the second yellow are extremely low.  I'm not much in the habit of second guessing Coach Kreis, but in my opinion, Wingert should have been subbed at halftime.  Now as my friend Kris Lindsay points out on Twitter, you can't really do that because Wingert is your only other centerback option should either Borchers or Maund go down with an injury.  While this is true enough, I think it's the risk you take.  I'd rather run the risk of playing somebody out of position with an injury as opposed to the strong likelihood of playing a man down.  Of course, you trust your veteran players, but in the end the end it didn't work out.

The ref also got the second yellow correct, in my opinion.  It was a professional foul to stop a counter attack.  In my mind, we're up 1-0, and there are other defenders in the area.  That was a bad foul for Chris to take and in my mind, that bad decision cost RSL the match more than anything the referee could have done.

Poor set piece defense undid RSL as well, despite an amazingly poor performance from Graham Zusi, who's heart must have still been at the ESPYs.  Of course when you're minus your two starting full backs, you've got your 5th choice centerback, and your third string goalkeeper on the pitch, I guess its understandable that not everyone's going to be on the same page.  You can't lay it at the feet of Jeff Attinella though, he had another solid match.

What positives can we take away from this for RSL?  You have to learn from it and move on.  First I thought the team played another pretty good match despite missing several guys.  The Claret and Cobalt were the better side up until the red card, but that changed the match.  Several guys continued to step up, Yordany Alvarez and Lovell Palmer to name a couple.  Olmes Garcia again impacted the match positively, but it was tough for him to gain traction with RSL down a man.  Javi Morales was good, as per usual, but Sporting had him on the ground so much it was hard for him to do a lot.  I wonder how Peter Vermes would have reacted if RSL put Zusi on the ground as much as his side hit Javi?

In the end, Sporting Kansas City are too good.  You can't dodge all the bullets when when you give them that advantage, they're going to hurt you.  It was a credit to RSL that they so nearly escaped with a point, but in the end, scoreboard is what matters.

So now, here are my three stars for the match:

THIRD STAR--Jimmy Nielsen, GK, Sporting Kansas City. Though he did bumble on the RSL goal, his save late on Olmes Garcia saved a chance at points for Sporting.

SECOND STAR--Lovell Palmer, DF, RSL.  Lovell played really well last night helping the Claret and Cobalt cope with Sporting's deadly attack.  He made a couple of key tackles and clearances late that kept RSL in the match.

FIRST STAR--Javier Morales, MF, RSL.  Despite being flattened by Sporting on nearly every turn, Morales was easily the best player on the pitch last night.  His free kick created the RSL goal and he was a constant danger man.  Unfortunately in the end, it just wasn't enough for RSL.

Opinion: A Third Group in the YSA Discussion

I had really hoped that the last opinion piece that I wrote about the "You Suck Asshole" chant would be the last one, but alas this issue hasn't gone away.  Just in case you haven't noticed, a couple of weeks ago, during "Supporters Week" of all things, MLS and some of it's clubs decided to crack down on this chant, where supporters promptly inform the opposing goalkeeper what they think of him during goal kicks.  You know the one I mean.

This led to a letter being distributed to several supporter groups telling them that if significant progress is not made on this issue in the coming weeks, then the clubs will go ahead with various sanctions against Supporter Groups.  Clubs could also face a fine from MLS if the behavior is not curbed.  RSL placed papers on seats asking the fans to discontinue the chant (above) during the last home match with the Philadelphia Union.

I wasn't able to attend the Union match, as I couldn't get off work, so my season ticket was put to good use by a good friend.  However, when I watched the broadcast, it was clear to me that progress had indeed been made.  Later in the match the chant reared it's head after some poor officiating, but for the most part, the SG's seemed to have a handle on it.  It wasn't heard all that much at the USMNT match as well, and I was in the supporters section for that one.

However this issue just will not go away.  There's at least two or three arguments between fans and sometimes between club reps every day on social media.  The unease felt by the supporters is palpable on social media, and was noticeable during the USMNT match as well.

Until now this issue has been viewed from two sides.  On one hand, you have the leagues, clubs, and a group of fans who for whatever reason find this chant to be truly offensive.  These fans have put pressure on the league and clubs to do away with it.  Real Salt Lake says that they have lost season ticket holders over the issue.  There's also the broadcast media, who apparently don't want mass "vulgarity" on their airwaves.  Now, you hear worse than that every night on network TV, but I guess that really doesn't matter in the United States of the Offended, you know, where 2 seconds of Janet Jackson's breast apparently scarred two-thirds of the country for life .

One the other hand you have the Supporter Groups, who I think also raise a couple of good points.  First off, they contend that a professional sporting event where one pays to enter, and indeed where alcohol is served, is primarily a setting for adults where, like it or not, this kind of language is probably going to be heard.  They also note that it isn't just the supporters groups participating in it, therefore they don't have total control over the situation.   Still, from what I have seen, most of the SGs associated with RSL have made some kind of effort to do away with that, even though we've heard little on those efforts from the club or the league.

I'm writing this piece to tell folks that there is a third group involved, and that group could very well be as large as the other two.  This is the group to which my interests belong.  As I said in my earlier post, I don't participate in this chant, because after all, it's stupid.  However, I'm not offended by it either.  Sure, mass chanting of swear words isn't ideal public behavior, but whatever, I couldn't care less.  Plus, trying to control the speech of 20,000 folks is difficult, whether it's the right thing to do or not.

I do not belong to a Supporter's Group.  This is by choice.  I don't have any issue with them, and in fact, I do support the continued growth of supporter culture, however, atmosphere is not why I attend a match.  Though I do participate in organized chants when it strikes me, when I watch a match, I'm generally looking at it from an analytical mindset.  I'm watching the players move without the ball, I'm watching for formation changes and tactics.  I actually don't talk much during a match at all, just ask Rick, who goes to every match with me.  In short, I'm there to watch the game I love and watch my favorite team play the game.  Do you ever go to a baseball game and see the guy with the score book that he brought from home, keeping score and making copious notes?  I'm that guy.  If that makes me a lesser fan than someone else, well sorry.  I have a degree in psychology and another one in forensic science, it's just how I see the world.

I may not be as loud as other fans, but money is worth just as much as anyone else's in the season tickets I buy every year, 3 years running now, and in merchandise.  I own 30+ scarves.  Then there's the concessions which I buy, not cheap. There are a lot of people in this group, and whether they're of an analytical mind or not, they just want to GO WATCH THE MATCH, period.  We're tired of hearing about this stupid issue.  We're tired of hearing the league harp on it and we're tired of hearing the Supporter Groups whine about it.

The league and clubs have chosen to make a big deal out of this.  That's their right.  These stadiums are private property and they every right to set standards of behavior.  However, MLS and Clubs, are you listening?  You've made the choice, you've laid down the law, now DEAL WITH IT.  We're tired of this stupid issue distracting from what's going on on the pitch.  If you have to sanction SG's, go ahead.  If you have to kick people out, go ahead, but don't be surprised when the supporters get fed up.  You've made the bed, time to lay on it, just get it overwith.

Supporter's Groups, get over it.  It's time to move on.  I appreciate the efforts you guys have already made on this issue.  I support what you all bring to our matches each and every week.  In the end, it's one chant, and it's a damn stupid one.  I know several members of RSL Supporters Groups and they work hard to be creative.  I hope their efforts shine through.  The rest of you, move on.  This chant is going away, period.  Be a part of the solution or a part of the problem, but you guys know there will be consequences at this point.

This is a final plea on my part, and by others like me, for all the adults on both sides to come to the table.  I hope it happened at the meeting with RSL Supporters Groups.  At this point, it's starting to effect everyone's enjoyment of the game, and it really is needless.  PLEASE get this issue taken care of before you turn me, and folks like me, permanently off.

The Gold Cup at Rio Tinto: My Experience.

Kyle Beckerman provided another quality ball for a Wondo goal (SL Tribune)

First off, I'd like to thank everyone at Rio Tinto Stadium, Real Salt Lake, and US Soccer for working to bring the US Men's National Team to Utah not once, but twice this summer for World Cup Qualifying and the Gold Cup.  It really was a special opportunity for the soccer fans in Utah, and I am very glad that I took advantage.

The ride down to the RioT from Ogden was punctuated with good news.  It was announced that all three of our RSL men, Nick Rimando, Kyle Beckerman, and Tony Beltran would start for the national team against Cuba.  That was certainly a nice present for all of the RSL fans heading to the RioT.  Once we arrived we took our seats in the South end, front row, right at the bottom of the boom cam that was being used for the TV broadcast.  Our season tickets for RSL are in section 30, so it was interesting to get this view.  I hadn't sat in the south end since my first game at the RioT in 2010, after I moved back from Florida.

The start of the match was hammered by thunder and a pretty good sized cloud burst, but it didn't dampen the spirits of the American Outlaws, who were in the same section.  We joined the chants as the match got underway.  Overall I'd say the crowd and the "atmosphere" were better for this match than they were for the World Cup Qualifier.  There was definitely more chanting and YSA only reared it's head a couple of times.  After that, "USA" seemed to be the popular chant by most folks in the south end on goal kicks.

The first half wasn't what you would call glorious from the USA.  They had plenty of possession, but failed to make a connection in the final third.  Then the unthinkable happened. Late in the first half Cuba went on a counter attack, torched our left side, and managed to sneak a goal past Nick to give Cuba a 0-1 lead.  That seemed to wake the US up though.  Just a few minutes later they earned a PK, which Landon Donovan promptly converted to tie the match at 1-1.  The shouts of "USA, USA" became somewhat deafening from the Rio Tinto crowd, it was, just for a minute, one of the loudest chants I've heard in many games at the RioT.

The US took charge in the second half.  Brek Shea went out, and I'm sorry to say for him that it was a pretty dismal performance.  He didn't look great from where I sat in the south end, but when I got home and watched the broadcast, the scope of his failure was all to clear.  The Yanks earned several quality set piece chances early in the second half, but they weren't able to convert.  Finally Joe Corona hit a gorgeous goal in the 57th minute to give the USA the lead.  Corona looked great throughout the match.  Chris Wondolowski checked in and provided the USA with two more goals, including one off of a great pass from Kyle Beckerman, to make the final margin 4-1 and send the US folks home happy.

But wait, there's more.  In the second game of the double header, Alvaro Saborio started for Costa Rica against Belize.  I'd say about 2/3 of the crowd left after the USA match.  Many of the remaining folks filed over to the west side of the stadium to get out of the sun.  I should have done that, as I ended up with a second degree sunburn.  Oh well, I regret that I have but one epidermis to burn for my country.

The match wasn't great by any stretch and Costa Rica were obviously the better side, but still Belize managed to keep them out of the net into the second half.  The Ticos' lone goal came in the 49th minute in the form of an own goal from a Belize defender, and it was all Costa Rica would need.  Belize had a great chance to equalize in stoppage time from a corner kick, but the header just missed and Costa Rica sealed the 1-0 win.

The victories for both the USA and Costa Rica seal knockout round places for them heading into the last group match in Hartford, where they will face off.  That happens tonight, but I'm still caught up in the glow of watching my national team, and it's representatives from my club, shine in my stadium!  This summer of International soccer is something I'll never forget.

MLS Eastern Conference at the Halfway Point: Entirely Up For Grabs

The failings of Ben Olsen's DC United headline the first half back east.

Interestingly enough, the major story of the Eastern Conference in the first half is not who is at the top of the table, but rather who is at the bottom.  No disrespect to the Montreal Impact, who sit up top, but they've really slipped in recent weeks, and the fact that they remain in 1st place is more of a monument to the inconsistency of the teams behind them than a tribute to their play.  At the bottom though, DC United have been a league worst all season.  This from a team that I personally thought might compete for the Cup this year.  Here is my rundown of the teams and their top players for the first half.

1. Montreal Impact, 31 Points

The Impact have really shown that they are a force to be reckoned with this year, and they got off to a huge start, including road wins in Cascadia, to jump way ahead of the East.  However the shine has come off in recent weeks, especially on the defensive end.  The Colorado Rapids came from behind to beat them at Stade Saputo, and then last week they dropped points at home to the lowly Chivas USA, who actually led for a good portion of the match.  Still, the Impact lead the league in PPG, but my main concern for them going forward is can their aging roster (Di Vaio and Nesta types) keep up with the grueling MLS schedule in the second half, especially considering that they'll be playing in CCL.  

First half Team MVP--Marco Di Vaio.  The Italian leads the league in off-side calls, but he's right there in goals as well.  Until recently he has been a shoe-in for your three goal monte, but has kind of cooled off of late.  Still, he is a great scorer and gives opposing defenses plenty to think about.

2. Sporting Kansas City, 30 Points 
I didn't really think Sporting Kansas City was going to go away, despite the fact that they've struggled a bit more at home than they're used to.  In particular, they seem to be more prone at giving up goals at Sporting Park.  I still think this team has all the tools, particularly with the return of Kei Kamara from his loan in the EPL.  I think he's one of the most fun players in the league to watch and is almost always a danger man.    Like Montreal, Sporting will be dealing with CCL play later on this year, so it will be interesting to see how they hold up and if that gives some of the teams behind them an opening.
First half Team MVP--Graham Zusi.  Zusi is one of the best, if not the best, midfielder in MLS in my opinion, and he's made significant strides with the National Team. To me, Sporting seem to be lacking security in their play when he's not around, and he should help propel them through the congested second half.

3. New York Red Bulls, 28 Points.
I still don't think the Red Bulls have gotten it.  They seem to continue to believe that bringing in guys on basis of name recognition is the way to MLS Cup, regardless of the player's age.  At the beginning of the year they signed former Brazilian international Juninho.  Hey that's great, but he was 38 years old.  Did it work? Nope.  Red Bulls did help solidify their back line with the addition of Jamison Olave, but some injury issues, the same that affected him in recent years at RSL, have started to crop up again, as well as a red card every once in awhile.  However, I do like the signing of Ibrahim Sekagya, a 6'1 defender from Uganda.  He could step in beside Olave and help out a lot.  Tim Cahill has also started to come around, which should bolster their attack.
First Half team MVP--Tim Cahill.  Yeah, I'm not going with Henry here, mainly because I haven't been all that impressed with him this year.  To me the times when the Red Bulls have really been able to hit a higher gear is when Cahill has been in form and in the lineup.  They'll need him to stay consistent to keep threatening the top of the conference.

4. Philadelphia Union, 27 Points.

Well hello there, Philadelphia.  It seems like this team has finally recovered from the junk and the drama that Peter Nowak put them through at the end of his tenure.   Jack McInerney has been the star of the squad, and the return of Sebastian Le Toux has reignited his form and given the Union another weapon.  Speaking of weapons, how about Conor Casey?  Has there been a more underrated pick up in MLS this year?  I kind of figured Casey might be through after being jettisoned from the Rapids, but not only has he stayed healthy, but he has proven that he can still be one of the most productive big men in the league.  My question about the Union is in goal.  Zac MacMath is progressing, but the youngster is still essentially learning on the job and has been fairly inconsistent. I think he'll need to step it up a bit going forward, but still the Union look pretty solid as a playoff team right now.
First Half Team MVP--Jack McInerney.  This is pretty easy to justify.  He's turned into a big time goalscorer who has also proven his ability to pass off to teammates to help create.

5. Houston Dynamo, 26 Points.
Injuries and international absences have hit the Dynamo hard so far this season.  They've been without Brad Davis quite a bit, as well as Oscar Boniek Garcia.  Will Bruin has played well, but is also in the USA camp.  Meanwhile the Dynamo acquired former Rapids man Omar Cummings, but unlike Casey for the Union, Cummings has failed to yield any real dividends for Houston.  To make matters a little more pressing, Houston lost their unbeaten streak at home.  It seems like more and more opponents are figuring out the stadium, and the Texas summer heat only lasts for so long.  I have my doubts as to whether the Dynamo can retain their playoff position, but they always seem to stick around somehow.
First half Team MVP--Tally Hall.  I look at Hall a lot like I do Clint Irwin of the Rapids.  He keeps Houston in matches, and with a little more support he can keep them in the playoff hunt.

6. New England Revolution, 24 Points.
Don't look now, but here come the Revs.  They've been kind of quiet about it, but I think they're one of the more improved sides in MLS.  Diego Fagundez has really come on strong, as has Bobby Shuttleworth in goal.  As you probably know, GK Matt Reis's father in law was severely injured in the Boston Marathon bombing, and the emergence of Shuttleworth has been great to let Matt and his family focus on that.  Saer Sene continues to be a force in attack as well.  Right now they're just a little too inconsistent, especially playing from a winning position.  They seem to be learning how to close matches out.  Still, this team just might fly under the radar right into a playoff spot.
First Half Team MVP--Diego Fagundez.  Sure, he isn't scoring all the goals, but he's proven himself to be highly capable both attacking and creating.  This young man is the future of this club and the future is now!

7. Columbus Crew, 23 Points.
The Crew have been a little disappointing for me this year.  However, they have a completely valid excuse.  They've lost a few key players, including Eddie Gaven, to season ending injuries, and it's wreaked havok.  Jario Arrieta has also missed significant time for national team duty.  Federico Higuain has struggled a bit more than last year, it's possible that the league is adjusting to him somewhat.  What is of more concern however is the fact that he is among a group of Argentinian players who have been suspected of doctoring their passports.  We'll have to see where this goes, but whatever happens, I think the Crew could use multiple reinforcements if they want to stay in the playoff race.
First Half team MVP--Dominic Oduro.  You may not have heard much about him in the rest of MLS, but Oduro has really settled in nicely in Columbus and fashioned himself into one of their top weapons.  His speed is always tough to deal with and his eight goals show an improvement in finishing.

8. Chicago Fire, 21 Points. 
When you talk about the story of the Fire's season so far, you have to talk about Mike Magee.  Some folks wondered if he could continue to play as well as he has after departing the Galaxy.  Yes he has, and he's been the man for the Fire.  Bakary Soumare came over from Philly and helped solidfy things at the back in front of Sean Johnson, one of the better young 'keepers in the league.  However, it seems like the Fire are still having a little trouble putting all the pieces together on a regular basis.  Right now I don't see them as a playoff team.  Sure, they've gotten better, but I can't see them cracking the top five.
First Half Team MVP--Mike Magee, cause duh.  #MikeMageeFacts

9. Toronto FC, 13 points.
At some point the long suffering fans in Toronto are going to get a winner, but it doesn't look like it's going to be this year as TFC have already lost touch with the playoff group.  Last week local media trumpeted the arrival of Diego Forlan, and MLS even asked via Facebook if TFC were now contenders.  Forlan and his agent shot down the reports the very next day, but for a few hours the fans had something to be excited about.  The revolving door of players continues, and I don't see Ryan Nelsen bringing in the stability that the club needs, at least not yet.  I look for the carousel of players to continue as Nelsen looks for guys that fit his mold, whatever that is.
First Half Team MVP--Robert Earnshaw.  One of the new additions that has stuck, Earnshaw has been one of the few bright spots for TFC.  He is probably their only consistent goal scoring threat, for what it's worth.

 10. DC United, 10 points.
How do you go about pinpointing what in the world is wrong at RFK?  Both Dwayne De Rosario and Chris Pontius have been injured, and that hasn't helped, but the defense has been a disaster in front of Bill Hamid.  The front office has seemed clueless for much of the year, and Ben Olsen's penchant for blaming the referees has gotten real old, real fast.  United needs help everywhere.  If they can solidify the lineup and make a run ahead of Chivas USA and TFC, that might be something to build on.  If they can't, Olsen's days may be numbered.
First Half Team MVP--Dwayne De Rosario.  The former MVP has to get healthy and stay healthy.  He is the best hope this team has of getting out of the cellar.

So there you have it, my thoughts on the East.  In the end I suspect that Sporting KC, Montreal, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia, and the Revs will be your five playoff teams, but there is a lot of football left to be played.

2013 Gold Cup Day 3: Costa Rica and USA Roll

Chris Wondolowski earned a hat-trick in a 6-1 mauling of Belize

Jeld-Wen Field, the home of the Portland Timbers, took center stage in Gold Cup action Tuesday night as Costa Rica took on Cuba and the USA took on Belize, who were playing in their first ever Gold Cup match.  The results of both of these matches were predictable, as the Group C favorites avoided the pitfalls that hit Mexico and Canada on Sunday.

The first match between Costa Rica and Cuba wasn't quite a sparkling affair, but Cuba certainly had a lot to play for as they came in winless in their last 11 Gold Cup matches.   Costa Rica controlled the match with 68% possession and did not allow a single corner kick for Cuba.  The Ticos left it late though, not scoring until Michael Barrantes netted in the 51st minute.  Jairo Arrieta of the Columbus Crew scored in the 71st, and Barrantes completed his brace in the 77th minute to make the full time score 3-0.  Of interest to RSL fans, Alvaro Saborio started for the Ticos and played 79 minutes, coming out after the final goal was scored.

The nightcap in Portland featured the opening match of the tournament for the United States as they took on Gold Cup newbies Belize.  The Stars and Stripes were riding high after blasting Guatemala 6-0 in a friendly before the tournament and looked to inflict more goals on Belize.  They did just that.  It was a Tahitiesque performance from Belize, even though they did manage to sneak in a goal off a blown coverage in the first half.  However Chris Wondolowski scored a first half hat-trick, including one off of a fine ball from Kyle Beckerman, to make the half time score 3-1.

The USA didn't look back in the second as Stu Holden came in for Beckerman and gave the team a more offensive minded approach.  He scored in the in the 58th minute, and Michael Orozco added another in the 72nd.  Landon Donovan added a PK goal in the 76th minute to complete the destruction and make the full time result 6-1.  It was a impressive performance from the USA, especially on offense.  The defense wasn't tested much, but to me they still looked a little less than solid, especially on the blown mark that led to the goal.

A shadow has been cast over this match though, and maybe over the tournament as a whole.  That shadow is the one cast by international betting and match fixing.  According to 7 News Belize, 3 players, including their goalkeeper, were approached by a man in Guatemala offering them money to throw the match.  The players have said that they did not accept the advances, but it does make one wonder about the result. 

Group C continues on Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium as the USA face Cuba and Costa Rica will take on the aforementioned Belize.  I'll be there, and you can be too!  Tickets are still available!

2013 Gold Cup Day 2: Honduras Takes Charge

Haiti played well but couldn't fend off timely Honduras strikes (Fox Sports)

Gold Cup group B play opened up yesterday at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey with two matches.  El Salvador took on  Trinidad and Tobago in the first match and the second was between Haiti and Honduras.  I thought both games were pretty entertaining to watch and made for a good night of football.

El Salvador and T&T provided most of the night's scoring.  Going in I probably would have expected El Salvador to get the win, but honestly I've seen very little of them and even less of T&T.    It was T&T that drew first blood though.  In the 10th minute Philadelphia's Keon Daniel pounced on an unclaimed ball and drove into the area, sneaking it past the Salvadoran 'keeper to make it 0-1.  It really was a nice finish.  However El Salvador equalized just 11 minutes later with a nice free kick from Rodolfo Zelaya, and the teams went into the halftime break level at 1-1.

The struggle continued in the second half, but El Salvador grabbed the next goal.  Again Zelaya found the back of the net in the 68th minute with a header, and El Salvador looked like they just might push through.  T&T had other plans though as Stoke City's Kenwyne Jones equalized in the 72nd minute to assure that both sides split the points.

I was really looking forward to the Haiti match.  I'll admit that some of it was because of the human interest story involved.  This is Haiti's first Gold Cup since the 2010 earthquake that devastated the country.  I was also really keen to see former RSL man Jean Alexandre, who was captain of the side.

Haiti played a pretty strong match and actually dominated the midfield for much of it.  However in the end they were undone by poor finishing.  Honduras suffered no such issue and they were content to take the chances when they came.  Rony Martinez scored the opener in the first minute to make it 1-0 to Honduras.   San Jose's Marvin Chavez sealed the deal in the 78th minute to make it 2-0, which was the full time result.

It was a bit of an unfortunate result for the Haitians, who played pretty well.  The three points puts Honduras in control of the group, but second place is still up for grabs with the result in the first game.  That place could come down to the last game.  Should be interesting.

DC United On the Move, Add Luis Silva

Former TFC Superdraft pick Luis Silva is headed to DC United

It would be quite an understatement to say that DC United's season has been incredibly disappointing.  That just doesn't quite cut it.  United were a team that many, myself included, expected to be in the playoff hunt all season long.  Instead, this proud club finds itself sitting below even the lowly Chivas USA in dead last.

However DC seems to be wasting little time in trying to make the club better with transfer proceedings opening up.  This morning TFC's Luis Silva was conspicuously absent from training.  As it turns out, he had been traded to DC United for allocation money.  

I think it's a great move for United.  Silva is an outstanding talent who was my player of the year for TFC last year in my post season review.  He's young and still raw in many ways (think trying to kick Tony Beltran in the back of the knee), but he should really help DC improve.

Silva was not the only deal triggered by DC today either.  They sold Alain Rochat to Young Boys in Switzerland for what is rumored to be a 500 K dollar transfer fee.  Rochat had been recently acquired from the Vancouver Whitecaps, but wasn't happy about it.  He blasted the MLS (USA) system of trading players from club to club and it's not hard to imagine that he probably wanted out.

So the moves are coming for DC, but they need to make a few more.  We'll have to see what happens in the weeks ahead.  I think this is a positive start though.

2013 Gold Cup Day 1: You Were Expecting That, Right?

Canada is in deep trouble after a day one shock (TheStar.com)

The 2013 edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup opened yesterday in Pasadena, California at the Rose Bowl.   If God Cup Brackets were a thing, a few would probably already be be busted, much to the chagrin of a couple of familiar USA opponents.

Canada took to the pitch first against Caribbean side Martinique.  Martinique are a French territory, and are not FIFA eligible, so this is the highest tournament they can compete in, and they came to compete.  Canada, on the other hand, looked positively awful.  Their midfield looked absolutely puzzled most of the time and the defense looked largely inept, often clearing the ball right to a Martinique attacker.  For their part, Martinique looked solid both in the midfield and at the back, their main problem being that they couldn't finish despite outplaying Canada for much of the match.

Still in the end it looked like Canada might escape with an all important point.  The triple digit heat looked to be wearing on players from both sides as second half stoppage time dawned with the match still scoreless.  However, in the 93rd minute Fabrice Reuperne smacked a gorgeous shot from near the top of the box into the net, leaving the Canadian GK helpless and securing a famous win for Martinique, who previously only had one Gold Cup win on their resume.

The second game was a bit of as shocker too as Mexico fell to Panama.  Now, I don't think this was as big a shock as the Martinique vs Canada match.  Panama has shown that they have a capable side despite their deplorable diving and time wasting tactics.  The question was going to be if Mexico would actually show up after failing to impress both in the Hex and the Confederations Cup.

The answer was, not really.  Panama jumped on El Tri after earning a PK in the 7th minute, which Gabriel Torres just managed to slip by the Mexican 'keeper to give Panama the 1-0 lead.  Mexico would have it's own moments in the first half though, looking as good as they probably have in recent weeks.  They equalized in first half stoppage time when Marco Fabian brought down a Isreal Hernandez and crossed and clinically finished to tie the score going into the locker room.

Panama had the last laugh though when Torres scored again in the 48th minute.  He managed to just slot a ball inside the near post after a nice ball from Alberto Quintero to make it 2-1.  In the end, the Mexico attack degraded into bad passing and carelessness and they were not able to find a second equalizer, handing Panama the three points.

Next the group heads up to Seattle where Mexico will play Canada and Panama will take on Martinique.  The second matchday figures to be a must win for both Canada and Mexico.  Panama will get Blas Perez for their next match, and a win over Martinique would put them in the group driver's seat.

Your Monday Transfer Papers: Forlan Denies TFC Move, Notable European Switches.

Could Diego Forlan soon be wearing red in MLS? (Guardian.co.uk)

I don't do transfer gossip here on the blog, and there's a reason for that: so much of it is total BS.  Generally I try to stay away from transfers altogether until a player is officially unveiled by his new club.  Last night, MLS social media exploded prior to the end of the weekend's matches with a report from The Globe and Mail that Uruguayan star Diego Forlan was set to join Toronto FC and could be on the pitch for the Reds this week against Sporting KC.

Not so fast, my friends.  Multiple sources, including the Toronto Star, have now confirmed that Forlan, his current club, and his agent have all denied that this was the case.  Forlan himself cited his remaining contract and his desire to stay in Brazil through the 2014 World Cup.  Indeed, a switch to TFC might severely hamper Forlan's usefulness to his national side.

What I personally find hilarious is the reaction to this denial by various MLS fans and outlets.  "Oh, they're just denying it because they want more money.  He's definitely coming, this happens all the time." It smacks of the same line that was put out about Frank Lampard, who was supposedly a done deal to come to the Galaxy.  Now, I'm not saying this isn't the case, maybe he does show up, but you know what else happens all the time?  Transfer gossip gets blown out of proportion by media outlets and ends up being total BS.  In fact, I'd say this probably happens a lot more than players issuing false denials.  Perosnally, I don't think Forlan does that much for TFC if he does show up, but we'll wait and see.  Don't put all your eggs in the red basket just yet.

That being said, a couple of notable moves have gone down today in Europe.  First off, Barcelona striker David Villa will moving to Atletico Madrid, where hopes are that he can replace the goals taken away by the recently departed Falcao.  Villa was always likely to be deemed excess by Barca since the arrival of Neymar, and Barca's website has confirmed that the deal is worth up to 5.1 million euros.

Another Champions League caliber attacker is on the move today on the continent.  German international Mario Gomez has left Bayern Munich to join Italian Serie A side Fiorentina.  Bayern confirmed the departure today, saying it was the "player's wish to go to Florence."  The deal is set to be worth about 16 million euros.  Personally I think it's a great move for Fiorentina.

MLS Western Conference at the Halfway Point: Does This Make Sense?

Real Salt Lake celebrate salvaging a point vs the Philadelphia Union. (Deseret News)

So now we're basically at the halfway mark of the 2013 Major League Soccer season.  To me, it really seems like it's flying by.  No matter how you slice it, the 1st half has been full of drama and surprises.  Here is how the Western Conference shakes out, with some of my thoughts on the individual clubs.

1. Real Salt Lake, 34 Points.
Let's cut to the chase here, very few people expected RSL to be on top of the table at this or any point of the MLS season.  I didn't either.  Expectations were tempered with the off season losses of RSL mainstays like Will Johnson, Fabian Espindola, and Jamison Olave.  However, despite the flat out RAGE from some fans, RSL quietly maintained that they were reloading, not rebuilding.  So many guys have stepped up for the Claret and Cobalt this year.  Josh Saunders making a great game saving play against the Union is just the latest in the long line of fine performances in many different positions.  Still, you don't get anything for being first on the 4th of July.  RSL will have to avoid their usual "summer swoon" to stay on top.
RSL Halfway MVP: Javier Morales--Javi has shrugged off the early season injury to come back and play some of his best football in recent memory, setting guys up for goals and scoring a few himself.

2. FC Dallas, 31 Points.
There was a time earlier this season when it looked like Dallas was going to run away with the Western Conference, and maybe even the Supporter's Shield.  They've come back to earth in recent weeks, dropping road results at Portland and LA, and scraping by a little bit at home.  Still, I think Dallas is the real deal and I don't think they're going away.  To me the biggest difference has been in team discipline, which means they've been putting themselves in fewer deep holes in matches.  Blas Perez continues to be a force to be reckoned with and David Ferreira is still one of the best in the league.  The Hoops have also improved on defense and in net.
FCD Halfway MVP--Raul Fernandez. The Peruvian International 'keeper has just earned a spot in the MLS fan XI for the All Star game and has proven to be a great pickup in Frisco.  He's saved a few points for Dallas this year and should continue to do so in the second half.

3. L.A. Galaxy, 30 Points.
There's always a storyline going on with the Galaxy, but hey, it's Hollywood, right?  Earlier this year it was Landon Donovan's "sabbatical." Then it was the fact that they traded Mike Magee for Robbie Rogers while Magee was right there leading the league in goals.  Now it's the fact that Rogers has basically done squat since coming on board.  You know what though?  Despite the unrest and the "wtf" storylines that swirl around this club, they continue to be right there in the thick of it.  You just can't bet against a team with Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, and Omar Gonzalez.  However the glaring weakness for this team is in goal.  Carlo Cudicini is NOT cutting it, and one wonders if this issue will bite LA in the rear before the season is over.  Matt Pickens anyone?
LAG Halway MVP--Landon Donovan.  Beckham who?  Since returning from his "Holiday in Cambodia" Landon has proven that he is still the beating heart of this club.  Now, he hasn't always been at his best, but he is the force that drives this team and there's no reason why he can't drive them to another MLS Cup right now.  You have been warned.

4. Portland Timbers, 30 Points.
You have to give the Timbers a ton of credit.  I basically gave them no chance in my preseason preview, and they've certainly proven me wrong.  This team has WAY more heart than the previous editions have had, and the Timbers Army seems to finally have a group that cares as much as they do.  Still, while MLS has seemed to want to crown Portland as the new Kings of Cascadia and maybe even the league, I'm not sold yet.  That big unbeaten streak?  Yeah, there were a lot of draws in there, a lot of points left on the table.  Last year they were losing a lot of the matches they've drawn this year.  Now they have to start converting some of those situations into wins if they really want to stay in the Shield hunt going forward.
PDX Halfway MVP--Will Johnson.  RSL's loss was Portland's gain, BIG TIME.  Will finally had the chance to be the man up in Portland, and he's come through big time.  You can really see the team reflecting his Never Say Die, 90+ minute attitude.  He'll need some help going forward though, especially on the back line.

5. Vancouver Whitecaps, 29 Points.
Just when you want to count the Whitecaps out, BANG, they come out and slap Seattle.  This club is a bit of an enigma, on one hand, you look at their roster now as opposed to a year ago and think that they have to be worse off now, but they might not be.  Camilo has been in high gear recently, and Kenny Miller finally looks like he's settling into MLS.  The problem for the 'Caps is going to continue to be on defense, where injuries have hit them hard, including losing Captain Jay DeMerit to an ACL injury in the 7th minute of the season.  I don't see the 'Caps challenging for the top of the table, but if they can get into the playoffs and stay healthy, they could make some noise.
VAN Halfway MVP--Camilo.  There is no question for me here.  He is one of the most dynamic players in the conference, and he's starting to finally form a nice partnership with Kenny Miller.  The Caps' fortunes will follow his own.

6. Colorado Rapids, 27 Points.
The Rapids have been the most Jekyll and Hyde like team for me out west this year.  The last week at home is a case in point.   They beat the NY Red Bulls 2-0 in one of their better performances on the year, then they come out and look totally uninspired against a DC squad that they should beat in their sleep at the Dick, only earning a scoreless draw.  Their main problem seems to be inconsistency, and their spotty defense has had a lot to do with it.  Finishing also seems to come in fits and starts for them, it seems like they're going to either put up 2 or 3 goals, or none at all.  However, they are a fairly young team, and young teams can be prone to these inconsistencies.  I will say this though, if they get into the playoffs, this is the one team I DO NOT want to face in the first round.  They'll be hungry and have the players to do the damage.
COL Halfway MVP--Clint Irwin.  Irwin has come up huge for the Rapids since the early season injury to Matt Pickens.  He has started to show his youth a little bit of late, but a lot of the goals against him have been goal of the week type strikes.  Make no mistake, Irwin keeps Colorado in matches.

7. Seattle Sounders, 24 Points.
The Sounders are easily the biggest disappointment in the conference so far.  The season has been fairly disjointed as much of their early schedule was disrupted due to CCL play.  They've played three less games than most of the conference, so they have time to improve, but improve they must.  Osvaldo Alonso can't be back soon enough, and the defense has been down right atrocious lately.  They seem to just be going through the motions a good portion of the time, and it's not cutting it.  They have the weapons up front, but it seems like they have little else, except a frustrated fanbase.
SEA Halfway MVP--Obafemi Martins.  He's been streaky, but when he's been on, he's provided most of the good moments for the Sounders.

 8. San Jose Earthquakes, 21 Points.
My, my, what a difference a year makes.  All those things that were going right for the Quakes last year?  Yeah those breaks have turned against them.  The suspensions and fines have piled up as their, shall we say provocative, style of play has caught up with them.  Injuries have also been a big issue. Plus Chris Wondolowski has gone from MVP to down right invisible in many matches.  The Quakes have fired their Shield winning coach and sit eight points back of a playoff spot.  They're going to need a huge dose of that "Goonie" crap to turn it around now.
SJE Halfway MVP--Jon Busch.  He drives me nuts sometimes, but he's one of the most underrated netminders in the league.  Without him, the Quakes might be in Chivas USA territory.

Speaking of.....

9. Chivas USA, 14 Points.
What else is there to say about the doormat of the conference and perhaps the worst managed organization in the league?  El Chelis was a joke.  It was a gimmick, and I'm sure even he knew that.  Since the Chelis spotlight has drifted away, the Goats have made just a TINY bit of improvement, picking up 2 road points at Dallas and at Montreal. Still, the Goats have light years to go before they can be looked at as respectable.
CHV Halfway MVP--Dan Kennedy.  He's the only one really worth mentioning.  When I mention him, I like to mention that he should be playing for the OTHER team that calls that stadium home.

So there you have it.  Does it make sense?  Maybe not so much, but the second half promises to be just as exciting as the first.  What you can positively say is that at least ONE really good team is probably going to miss the playoffs.

RSL Warned, TFC Fined Over Saturday Incident.

There has been disciplinary fallout from the TFC vs RSL clash last weekend.

Many folks expected some fallout from the disciplinary committee following the confrontation between TFC and RSL late in the match last Saturday.  Tony Beltran and Doneil Henry were given red cards and Robbie Findley was given a yellow as RSL held on for the 0-1 win.

All the cards stand, as expected.  Tony Beltran will not serve his suspension until he returns from US International team duty for the Gold Cup.  Henry will serve his suspension this week against Montreal.  Toronto FC and head coach Ryan Nelsen were fined an undisclosed amount for violating the league's mass confrontation policy.  TFC had been warned about this previously.  RSL were given a warning over the incident, meaning they will be subject to a fine the next time they violate the policy.  TFC's Luis Silva was not sanctioned for trying to kick Tony Beltran in the back of the knee, which started the whole thing.

In other disciplinary news, San Jose's Shea Salinas was suspended for one game.  He was busted for elbowing Robbie Keane "above the shoulders" in the 5th minute of Saturday's Cali Clasico.  The red card (2nd yellow) to Victor Bernardez stands, so he will miss a game for that offense and another game for yellow card accumulation.

Three other coaches got hit by the league as well.  DC United's Ben Olsen was fined for public criticism of officials for his meltdown after DC's loss to Vancouver.  Apparently he was right, the league didn't want to listen to the coach in last place complain about officials.  Montreal Impact's Marco Schallibaum was fined and suspended for entering the field of play during the Impact's loss to Colorado on Saturday.  His assistant, Philippe Eullaffroy. was also fined and suspended for a game for entering the field of play and throwing the ball at a Rapids player.

My MLS Best XI at the Halfway Point, or "All-Stars."

This week the voting ends for the 2013 MLS All-Star "Fan XI."  I don't vote, mainly because I don't agree with having what amounts to glorified friendly right in the middle of the league season.  I still have nightmares about Olave getting hurt against Manchester United a couple of years back.  Also, like all All-Star games, it's just a popularity contest, but that's all another story for another article.

If I WERE going to vote, which I'm not, here's how I'd vote.  Now I'm not necessarily sticking to the official league list, so this is basically just a Best XI.  I'll be using a 4-4-2 formation.

GK: Nick Rimando (RSL)
I know you're all thinking, "Oh here we go, it's a homer best XI."  I promise it's not.  I really do think Rimando has been the best so far this season.  He's made many terrific saves keeping points in hand for RSL, who lead the Supporter's Shield race.  Really, what more can you ask of the guy? (Honorable Mention--Donovan Ricketts, Portland Timbers.)

Defenders (4): Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Matt Besler (Sporting KC), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders), Justin Morrow (SJ Earthquakes).
I really think Hedges has been a great consistent performer for Dallas, even though they've cooled off some.  Besler is the best defender in MLS for my money right now.  I think Seattle is a different team with Yedlin in the lineup, and he's gotten U-20 recognition as well.  Morrow is still one of the best in the league in attack and defense for the Quakes. (Honorable Mentions--Jamison Olave, NYRB, Nat Borchers, RSL.)

Midfielders (4): Mike Magee (Chicago Fire), Graham Zusi (Sporting KC), Javier Morales (RSL), Will Johnson (Portland Timbers)
Mike Magee, because DUH!  Zusi has been in good form for the USMNT and SKC, Javi is back to his old self pretty much, and says he can still do better!  Will Johnson has been the major factor, I believe, in Portland's drive.  He has been a huge force. (Honorable Mentions--Atiba Harris, Colorado Rapids and Diego Valeri, Portland Timbers.)

Forwards (2): Jack McInerney (Philadelphia Union) and Marco Di Vaio (Montreal Impact).
These guys have been scoring machines for their respective clubs and have both teams in playoff position, where neither of them were last year.  I can't see how I can argue with that.  (Honorable Mentions--Camilo, Vancouver Whitecaps and Diego Fagundez, New England Revolution.)


So there you have it.  I'd love to see your lists as well!

Opinion: YSA, Back In the News *Facepalm*

It seems like it was about a year ago that RSL asked it's fans and supporter groups to get rid of the "You Suck A-Hole" chant.  If anything, the chants just got louder.  Well, now it's back in the news as a letter from the league and the club has been circulated among the supporter groups saying that if significant progress toward eradicating the chant is not seen in coming weeks, the groups will face sanctions.  Some of these sanctions may include:

-Prohibiting the use of smoke making devices, flags, and Tifo at home and away matches.

-Revocation of parking passes and stadium credentials.

-Prohibiting the use of drums, megaphones, and capo stands.

Personally I see this as just another huge facepalm situation.  Why in the world are we spending time arguing over something as stupid as this incredibly stupid chant?  I watch MLS Live broadcasts every week and hear 10 times worse.  There are a multitude of chants containing the F word.  There are chants talking about the opposing team or a player "taking it up the a$$"  Still, we go after after YSA.

Now I'm not personally offended by YSA as such.  If you draw it's history back to it Spanish Language counterpart, then yes, it's incredibly offensive.  So I do see why some folks do indeed find it offensive.    I also don't take part in it.  I've been known to yell "You Suck," but I've never tacked the last word on there.

However, I recognize that despite what goes on in the rest of the league, RSL can only police itself.  We must remember that RSL is not the only team that has been warned on this.  Seattle went after it as well early this year putting flyers in the seats asking fans to please stop using the chant.

In the end, the fact that Real Salt Lake as an organization wants it gone is good enough for me.  I'll even discontinue my use of the "You suck" part as requested by the club.  While I don't necessarily agree with the whole thing, I will respect the club's wishes and I urge other fans to do so as well.  The sooner this is taken care of, the sooner we can get back to talking about what happens on the pitch and how to genuinely grow our supporters culture.  Right now this is all a big joke of an elephant in the room standing in the way of all of that.  Certainly our supporters can do without this chant.

I would hate to see flags, drums, and tifo disappear from Rio Tinto Stadium.  So I really hope our supporters groups will finally get on board with this.  I have my doubts though.  A quick glance at the social media response has not been positive as it seems like this is going the way of telling a petulant child not to do something.  We know they either continue to do it or even take it to the next level.  So, that being said, I have a feeling that this ends badly.  I hope I'm wrong.  Many of our fans have a "If you don't like us then get lost" attitude anyway, and this plays into that.

So in the end, yes the argument seems stupid to a lot of us.  The chant is REALLY stupid. but let's respect the club's wishes on this.  If this is done, hopefully the FO and the supporter groups can get together to continue to advance our supporter culture.  Right now, I'm just holding my breath for Wednesday night.

It's Ok to Win Ugly: RSL Captures First Win in Canada

Nick Rimando was a major force in preserving three points for RSL (RealSaltLake.com)

RSL has been playing some sexy football lately, but that wasn't quite what we got in Toronto.  Coach Kreis tried a new look 4-3-3 formation that was previewed in the win over Carolina in the Open Cup.  To my mind, it didn't do much, but was as good a time as any to try it out in MLS play.

It was a rough and tumble match that was hard to behold on a few occasions.  It seemed to me as if TFC was really taking an "if you can't beat them, BEAT them" approach.  Though to their credit, I thought RSL did a decent job of keeping their discipline, well until late, but more on that in a minute.

The lone RSL goal came from what might be an unlikely source.  MF Yordany Alvarez got the start and made good with an absolute MISSILE from outside the box in the 45th minute.  The TFC 'keeper had no chance as the ball sliced into the back of the net to make it 0-1 to the Claret and Cobalt before halftime.

TFC came knocking in the second half, but Nick Rimando was more than up to the task.  However, the big talking point of the match came in the 79th minute when TFC's Luis Silva appeared to kick Tony Beltran in the back of the knee after a scuffle.  Tony boiled over and pushed Silva down.  Toronto's Doneil Henry then came charging in from behind and shoved Beltran, sending him flying a few yards.  Robbie Findley stepped in for RSL, confronting Henry before referee Chris Penso stepped in and took over.  Beltran and Henry both received red cards for their troubles, and Findley got a yellow.  Silva got off without punishment.  I can't really argue with any of the cards that were dished out, but I hope that the league takes a good hard look at what Silva did to initiate the proceedings.  In my mind, it was purposefully done in an attempt to injure Tony.

Pretty much the entire defense came up big in the closing minutes as TFC assaulted the RSL goal.  Rimando made a couple of huge saves, and Nat Borchers cleared a potential equalizer off of the line.  Even Aaron Maund, who had a tough match in his Open Cup run out, played big most of the day and showed that he was definitely capable of playing on our back line.

Now our three stars for the match:

THIRD STAR: Olmes Garcia, F, RSL:
Sure Olmes didn't score a goal, but it's so fun to watch him harass opposing defenses, and he really got in the heads of the TFC folks, drawing several fouls.  He, along with Beltran, helped set up Alvarez's goal as well.

SECOND STAR: Aaron Maund, DF, RSL:
Much, MUCH better from this young man, he even earned the praise "Super" from Coach Kreis after the match.  I thought he made very few big mistakes, and looked much more comfortable than he did in the open cup, though again I wonder how much playing in front of Nick Rimando helps with that.  Now, with the injuries to Schuler and Watson-Siriboe, we need to see him step up and continue to improve when he gets the chance to play.

FIRST STAR: Nick Rimando, GK, RSL:
Seriously, what more is there to possibly say about Rimando?  He preserved the points for RSL on a couple of occasions on Saturday, and I think you can go back and really see that without him, RSL would not have been as successful over the years.  Now he's leaving for the Gold Cup, and we'll see if Josh Saunders can help us as he helped LA over the last couple of years.

Congratulations to Brazil: 2013 Confederations Cup Champions

Neymar and Brazil dominated Spain to win the Confederations Cup.

I'm not sure what I expected from the Confederations Cup Final, but that wasn't it.  Now, I didn't think that it was totally out of the realm of possibility for Brazil to win on home soil, but I didn't expect them to dominate Spain the way they did.  I believe that scoring the first goal (within 3 minutes) was key.  It immediately put Spain under pressure and gave Brazil a foundation to build on, which they did.

All in all, you have to admire Brazil.  They certainly had the more difficult road to the final, at least in my opinion.  After all, they didn't play Tahiti and Nigeria.  Once they emerged in the final, they easily outplayed and outworked a lackluster Spanish side, that honestly looked second best even in the semis against Italy.

So Brazil put themselves in good position for next summer, though since they have already qualified, they won't have another competitive match until the World Cup.  Neymar won the Golden Ball, and Julio Cesar was the top 'keeper.  Spain's Fernando Torres won the Golden Boot, which even as a Chelsea fan, I find kind of laughable.

So congrats to Brazil, their country surely needed something to celebrate during this time of protest.  Hopefully this can be a unifying force and help effect some needed changes in that country.  Next up for them will be the 2014 World Cup!