So, we get the annual MLS salaries list, as always, from Steven Goff and the Washington Post.
Honestly, it's nice to see how each team breaks down. It's nice to see some of the good soldiers like Peter Vagenas, Brian Namoff, Jim Curtin and Jimmy Conrad are pulling in a livable wage, and confusing to try and figure out how the big financial decisions (like who gets a big exemption and who doesn't) are made. I guess the cap (aka the salary budget) in a single-entity league is always going to be a point of intrigue. Here we are, 11 years into the MLS, and you still hear the same "this team's getting favored over that team" argument.
Not sure it's ever going away.
But, with that said, you've got to like the injection of new ownership blood into the league. Suddenly, for example, when the Red Bulls play the Galaxy in Los Angeles, there's not only two teams that want to beat one another, but two owners who want to be one another. I don't know, for me, it just kind of adds some spice to things.
Speaking of which, I have not blogged in a bit, but wanted to say that the Chivas USA-L.A. Galaxy game two weeks ago was the best MLS regular-season telecast I've ever seen. That game had the feel of a huge rivalry, with supporters of both sides being heard and the players pouring every ounce of energy into the match. It was a thriller.
It was also another illustration of why Landon Donovan is the best player in the league, hands down. LD's old San Jose roommate Joe Cannon calls Landon "the Magic Johnson of American soccer," and on this night he was just that, setting up two Cornell Glen goals as the Galaxy overcame a 1-0 deficit to win, 2-1.
I'm putting the finishing touches on a story on Donovan that will appear in the issue of ESPN The Magazine that hits news stands in two weeks. Interesting guy, no doubt.
Battle of the blogs
I'm getting pretty well hammered by colleague Marc Connolly in the Battle of the Blogs, over on www.ussoccerplayers.com, but it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. I'll make a move this week, here are my picks.
L.A. Galaxy at Real Salt Lake: Talked to Jason Kreis for an interview this week and he thinks his team has played well enough the last three weeks to have more points. I've seen a good bit of their games and Kreis has a point, but RSL's winless streak has now hit 15 games and they desperately need a win to keep the spirit going.
In Los Angeles, Steve Sampson is talking about a change in his lineup after a disappointing 1-0 loss to Columbus last week. I see this as one of those "Landon Donovan Challenge" matches. Playing on RSL's FieldTurf, which plays like Astroturf, we'll see if LD can live up to his goal of bringing his "A" mentality to every MLS match this year. I think RSL has to prepare for this game as if it's their season. You only get so many home games. I think RSL plays well enough to … draw, 1-1.
FC Dallas at D.C. United: No team in the league is playing better right now than Peter Nowak's D.C. United team. A lot was made last week of the poor performance of the Red Bulls, but here's a bit of credit to D.C.: they're working hard, especially Ben Olsen and Brian Carroll in the middle of the field, moving the ball quickly, and playing with a ton of confidence.
Personally, I hated Alecko Eskandarian's goal celebration as I'm against any celebration that requires props, but I'm a big Esky fan. I come out of my seat every time I see him lining a ball up with his left foot. To me, he's just a classic striker, loves to shoot, loves to score.
As for FC Dallas, that was a gutty win they stole in the closing seconds last Sunday, and they're off to a fantastic start, as well. But D.C. does not lose to FCD at RFK. No way. DC 3, FCD 1. Esky with two more.
Kansas City Wizards at Columbus Crew: How good must that 1-0 victory over the Galaxy have felt to ex-Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid? Now, Sigi's gotta hope that mojo can carry over into a big Eastern Conference battle with the Wizards, who are likely to be ticked off this week over their squandered points at Pizza Hut Park. At home, you hope if you're Schmid that Eddie Gaven can jump-start the attack, as it's too early in the season for the Crew to play a sit-back-and-counter style at home.
The Wizards will be out to regain that confidence they displayed in their first three wins. I like this team a lot. I like the approach they took this season, which was to not detonate a team that missed the playoffs just for the sake of doing something different. This game, I'm afraid, is too close to call, so I take the easy way out. Gaven for the Crew, Wolff for the Wiz. 1-1.
Houston Dynamo at Colorado Rapids: This is a game where we get a gauge on if the West is going to be more tightly packed than it was a year ago. The Rapids are tough at home and Houston, while impressive, hasn't hit full stride just yet. I like the Rapids in this one, simply because of keeper Joe Cannon and the Mile High altitude. The West will not be decided before the All-Star game this season. Rapids hold serve at home, beating Dynamo, 2-1.
New York Red Bulls at Chivas USA: I touched upon this earlier in the blog, but not enough credit was given to D.C. United after their 4-1 win over the Red Bulls at the Meadowlands. Too much was made of the "distractions" inside RBNY, etc. Well, as Michael Lewis points out in several pieces on www.BigAppleSoccer.com, coach Mo Johnston has been given a vote of confidence by RB ownership, and Amado Guevara says he's ready to play with fire once again (after trying to calm down a bit in the early season, due to criticism about his hot temper).
Chivas believes it's played better than its 1-2 record shows, but a loss this week will take away all of those good feelings about the way its playing. They need a win. I do not have much to say about this game as anything I say will be taken as either bias or sandbagging. I'll predict the Bulls get their first win, 1-0, and hope something else happens.
Chicago Fire at New England Revolution: When these teams last met, Gonzalo Segares was scoring what looked to be the equalizer late in their Eastern Conference final game. Offside was called, Andy Herron went ballistic (earning a six-match suspension), the Revs went on to win the match, only to lose in the final to the Galaxy.
Anyway, it was a good match last year, and it'll be a good match again this year. The Revs are certainly looking at this game as one they should win, and I don't see any reason why they won't prevail at home. Taylor Twellman will score one, Clint Dempsey another. The Fire will battle as always, but remain winless -- 2-0 Revs.
Jeff Bradley
