After a grueling season that has seen many ups and downs, good times and bad, it all comes down to one game. The 31 previous games don't matter. Ideally, a team would like to have its own fate entirely in its own hands, but RSL don't have that luxury. John Ellinger's team needs some help from Houston against Colorado on Saturday, but Jason Kreis, Chris Klein, Jeff Cunningham, Eddie Pope, Carey Talley and Co. will also need to go to Los Angeles and beat their expansion brothers Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center on Sunday night.
Isn't it interesting that both games are exactly where all four teams started their seasons? RSL is hoping for a repeat performance in Houston, where Dynamo blasted Colorado 5-2. On that day, Brian Ching had the greatest opening day in the history of the league, as he tallied four of the five goals.
In L.A., however, a drastically different result is required. It seems like forever ago when Chivas opened 2006 by throttling RSL 3-0, a scoreline that really could have even been more lopsided. There is some sort of poetic justice that the HDC, the place of this year's first humiliation, is the venue where the ultimate RSL redemption may take place. RSL owe Chivas a little something for the embarrassment of that day, owing it to themselves and to their fans. There is no better way to atone for that distant, miserable performance in early April than by winning in the last game of the year to punch ones into the playoffs.
For the postseason, the mindset right now is that nothing else matters but getting a result this weekend. There is a great deal of anxiety to deal with, as every day of training seems that much more magnified in terms of its importance. As the week winds down, no one wants the end to be near. No one wants Saturday to be the last training day of the year. Each player finds himself being consumed with the upcoming game. Concentration in training is at its utmost. Tension is high, winning is the priority, and anything less usually leads to arguments.
There is anxiety that a result is needed on Saturday in order to make Sunday's game meaningful. The thought of the entire week spent looking forward to Sunday's game is tempered by the thought that Sunday may not matter if Colorado ruins the party. With the lack of love lost between the Rapids and RSL, there is also some perverse pleasure that will be taken by the team that gets in, knowing that they did so at the expense of their archrival. Then there is anxiety about individual performances. Each player wants to contribute to the effort, and push the team into the playoffs. Some players may start to think that they don't want to be the one who makes the mistake that costs that game for RSL. No easy way out.
These are the moments for which the true competitor lives. These games and these situations are the kinds that attracted all of us to competitive sports. To get to this level, and be successful at it, one has to own a ton of self-confidence. Arrogance is a common term bantered about with regard to professional athletes. RSL need to have a lot more players who are arrogant and self-confident than the type that is thinking about not making mistakes.
In this game on Sunday, there will be no room for wavering confidence. No room for self-doubt. If all goes as planned on Saturday night, RSL needs to be prepared to come out and battle tooth-and-nail for the entire game. The team has to enter the game with full belief. Sunday will not be for the weak-minded or for the weak-hearted.
Robin Fraser, a five-time MLS Best XI selection and two-time MLS Defender of the Year, ended his 10-year MLS career and 16-year professional career last October, and now begins his first season with RSL as the team's color television analyst. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Fraser amassed 27 caps for the U.S. National Team and was drafted fourth overall by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the inaugural MLS draft.
Comments? E-mail Robin and the entire RSL broadcast crew at fun@realsaltlake.com, and your e-mail could be featured in the Computech "Fan Feedback" feature on all RSL on KSL and FSN Utah broadcasts, as well as on KALL 700 AM.
