Does it get any better than this? A week ago, First XI went through all the games of significance (though I omitted Kansas City-New York from the mix for no apparent reason) and, man, did the teams on the brink deliver. From Chicago salvaging a point in RFK to Columbus winning at Gillette, to Colorado scoring in the 90th minute to beat Chivas to the Galaxy refusing to die. Amazing stuff. As you can see, the FXI wheels are spinning, so this week we'll just let the thoughts fly.
11. LA will play Chicago, winner take all, on Sunday. The Galaxy are smoking hot and I get the feeling they'll remain that way on Thursday when they play host to the Red Bulls, who have absolutely nothing to play for in the match. Expect New York to rest their regulars, letting some of the guys who haven't seen much action to battle against a Los Angeles team that's now won five in a row and is looking to make the greatest late-season charge into the playoffs since the 2002 Revolution. You have to like the chances that the Galaxy will play themselves into a winner-gets-the-final playoff spot matchup in Chicago. That game will be one for the ages. Thank goodness I get Telefutura.
10. Chivas USA is in trouble. I still think Chivas USA is playing some of the nicest soccer in the league, but with Ante Razov out with an injury, you have to be worried about their ability to make a strong postseason run. This week, Chivas needs to figure out a way to get at least a draw with Houston or they'll lose the home-field advantage they want (need?) so badly. Chivas USA players surely remember how hard it was to hold on to that one-goal advantage at Houston a year ago, so there's no way they'll want to play a conference final anywhere but at The Home Depot Center.
9. Angel is MVP. Where would the Red Bulls be without Juan Pablo Angel? He scored two more goals last week, running his total to 19, the most-ever by a MetroBull. He's in the right place at the right time ... time after time. He has literally taken this team on his shoulders and carried them to the playoffs. I understand that Luciano Emilio has outscored Angel, but the Red Bulls would be nowhere without their star striker while D.C. simply made a Supporters' Shield-winning team better. I get the feeling I don't have to push too hard for Angel's MVP candidacy ... remember when Amado Guevara won it? I think New York players tend to get the benefit of the doubt.
8. Kansas City is on the spot. With only one win since Aug. 22, the Wizards are pretty much in a free fall here. Can they stop the bleeding in Frisco? If they cannot, K.C. will be staring at three consecutive seasons without a playoff berth, which is hard to believe given the talent that's been on the field on that squad. It's must-win game for the Wizards against a Dallas team that's already locked into its place in the standings. That should be a boost of confidence for the Wizards. But if LA beats New York on Thursday, the Wizards are going to need some help from outside sources.
7. New England-New York, again. We might as well look at one of the playoff series that's locked up already. For the third time in the last five years, the Revolution will take on the MetroBulls in the first round of the playoffs. The Revs, of course, prevailed in both of those series, though the last one (2005) was an epic. Remember the MetroStars winning 1-0 at home on a 35-yard Amado Guevara bomb, then taking a 2-0 aggregate lead in the snow at Foxborough? Of course you do, which means you also remember the Revs going bang (Cancela), bang (Noonan), bang (Smith), to win the game 3-1 and the series 3-2. It was classic stuff. Revs-NY games have been tight affairs in recent years and there seems to be some bad blood when they hook up. This should be a great series.
6. To play? Or rest? The question of the week for D.C., New England, Dallas and New York is "how seriously do you take the game?" While many would argue that those clubs should be obligated to put their best teams on the field, I'd ask "why?" Why risk an injury to a player when there's nothing you can change in the standings? Look around, sport to sport, and you'll see when you're locked in, it's all right to rest guys. This bodes well for Los Angeles, Columbus and Kansas City this week.
5. Get your tiebreaker cheat sheet ready. I have a headache, already, thinking about it. From my raw math, there are a number of ways we could have multiple teams tied at 37, 38 and 40 points. Time for me to review the document. (Or, get some help here
4. What about the bottom? And what's any league without a big-time battle to avoid the basement? A glance at the standing shows that Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC are tied with 24 points heading into the final game of the season. RSL has to travel to Colorado to take on a desperate Rapids team while Toronto gets to play one more frolicking match in front of the home fans at BMO Field. On that alone, I like TFC's chances to finish 12th.
3. Pope's goodbye. Hard to believe it, but Eddie Pope, the best defender to ever suit up in MLS, says goodbye to the league this weekend. From his golden goal header in the very first MLS Cup to his three World Cups, it's hard to think of a player more solid than Pope. I look forward to seeing his number retired at RFK Stadium. In a way, it's sad that Pope wasn't able to play his entire career for D.C. United, but that's sports for you.
2. Happens all the time. If Chicago and LA meet with everything riding on the final game of the season, it will bring back memories for me of the 2005 season when the MetroStars needed to win against Chivas USA to garner the final playoff spot. I'll forever remember that game as the greatest goalkeeping performance in league history. Tony Meola, who'd been injured for most of the year, stood on his head, as the Metros (who were badly outplayed) beat Chivas 2-0 at The Home Depot Center.
1. To the victor, the Shield. Just as I wish the U.S. Open Cup was more appreciated, I wish the Supporters' Shield was held in higher regard. Oh well, that's soccer in the U.S., I guess. Anyway, let's congratulate D.C. United, anyway, on winning the Shield for the second consecutive season. Perhaps in the future, if MLS goes with a single table and a schedule where every team plays the same number of games vs. each opponent, the Shield will have more meaning. Nevertheless, D.C. should raise the Shield with pride this weekend, just as New England should be proud of the Open Cup trophy they secured in 2007.
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.
