The New England Revolution have built a remarkable record of playoff success over the past six seasons, appearing in every Eastern Conference final since 2002 and reaching the MLS Cup final on four occasions. But without an Alan I. Rothenberg trophy to their name, the "dynasty" tag has eluded the Revs, a state of affairs which could change if they can overcome the Houston Dynamo on Sunday.
Jay Heaps knows something about dynasties. During his college days at Duke University, the Revolution right back earned a spot - and eventually a full scholarship - on the Blue Devils' celebrated basketball team as a walk-on, adeptly juggling his hoop dreams with a starring role on the soccer squad.
Heaps was more of a role player on the hardwood and left school a semester early to pursue his MLS career, missing out on Duke's 1999 run to the NCAA tournament championship game. But he says he still plays "tons of basketball" in the offseason, and has benefited greatly from the many lessons learned in three and a half years under legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.
"It holds a special spot in my heart," said Heaps of his stint at one of college basketball's perennial powerhouses. "I learned so much from the program, from my relationships there. Looking back, I loved every minute of it."
At 5-9, 155 lbs., Heaps had to rely on intelligence, intensity and grit to hold his own in a sport full of big, athletic bodies and those lessons have served him well in his seven years as a steady performer on the New England back line.
"In practice at Duke for basketball, I was competing every day, because I was outmanned, outmatched, outsized, everything," he explained.
"For me, it took a lot of mental toughness to keep up with bigger, better athletes who could dunk over me at any moment. So for me to compete, I had to really turn it on every day. That definitely carried over into my professional career, because it's very similar out here. You have to be able to deliver every day and that was something that I learned, how to work hard every day and bring it every day and not take a day off."
Heaps is full of praise for "Coach K," the enduring face of the Duke hoops program (who has also taken the reins of the United States national basketball team) and sees parallels to Revs boss Steve Nicol, who has masterminded New England's rise since his arrival in 2002.
"Coach Nicol, and Coach K, I think they're very similar in how they approach the game," said Heaps. "Behind the scenes, they give it to you straight. They're not lying about what your role is, they give it to you how players want to handle it. When you can create a good team and a good locker room and not have it be taken away by a coach or oppressed by a coach, I think that's when you really see personalities come to life and players come to life. And then when the coach knows how to put those ingredients together and put the right team on the field, it's almost unstoppable."
Heaps remains a religious follower of Duke basketball, and is quick to provide an expert analysis of how the current team can shake off last season's disappointing campaign with the infusion of several talented newcomers.
"I think the freshmen are going to learn quickly on the job," he predicted. "That's important. How good they're going to be is based on their freshmen. [Senior guard] DaMarcus Nelson, too, is going to be the man - I think teams are going to watch him, so I think you're going to see him elevate his game to the next level."
The 10th-ranked Blue Devils take on Princeton in their third game of the season on Monday night. But Heaps is thoroughly focused on Sunday's Cup final rematch against the Dynamo, where he'll be looking to his attacking teammates to steal momentum from Houston's tricky wingers and bruising strike force.
"Defensively we want to be smart, but we want to get the guys forward - Ralston, Twellman, Noonan getting their chances on our wide play," he said. "[Houston's] wide play is strong, so it's going to be important for us to counterbalance their wide play by having them pushed back a little bit. That will be our best defense, if we can keep them back on their heels."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
