any final -- surely props up the Revs' collective confidence. Especially after taking the full force of the Frisco blow two seasons running.
But Houston's big games this year, in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup and the debut SuperLiga competition, played out as bigger events. The crowds were larger, the pressure greater and the opposition, from Central America and Mexico, probably a little more salty.
Kinnear said those matches can indeed reinforce the players' emotional framework, another weapon in the battle against big-game heebie-jeebies.
"I think your preparation, the lead-up to the game, maybe it's not as edgy," said Kinnear, who noted that some important reserves also played in those games, and therefore won't be as vulnerable come Sunday. "I think it all that helps you relax a bit. Maybe you're not as nervous as you would be."
So, advantage Houston? Maybe.
See. I'm waffling like Saturday morning at the IHOP.
Here's something I can't waffle on: it's sure to be tight. MLS Cup Finals don't play out like Super Bowls, with that event's history of abundant blowouts. And I'm not sure the MLS Cup is going to be particularly pretty, either.
Listen to Michael Parkhurst, the Revs' cerebral sweeper: "The last two finals, I don't think we've played particularly well. It's always tough to play attacking soccer when you know that one mistake defensively can cost you the game, can cost you the season."
He's not the only Revolution player expressing those sentiments. Teammates, as well as manager Steve Nicol are saying similar things. Here's Nicol on the same subject:
"There's too much on the game. People can't expect professional players to just make a cavalier charge from the first minute to the last. That doesn't happen anywhere."
To his point, MLS finals tend to be decided on the edge of a blade. Since 1999, six of seven finals have been won a single goal (or fewer, as in the case with last year's finale, the first decided in penalty kicks.)
That goes back to the absence of big games along the way. When eight of 13 teams make the postseason field, it's hard to realistically assign a big-game label to any match short of September. And for teams like New England and Houston, who finish near the top of the conference, they may pass, trap and shoot an entire season without ever doing so in a true "biggie."
So who can blame them if they aren't quite in tune with how to approach a life-changing match? Nicol, whose 467-match career as a defender and midfielder at storied Liverpool certainly included some primetime dandies, says it's like that the world over.
"How many finals, anywhere, do you ever see that are the greatest games?" he asks rhetorically. "Yeah, you'd love to have a game that finishes 3-2 or 4-3 with lots of goalmouth action. But it just doesn't happen that often."
There is always hope, of course. Nicol believes the atmosphere contributes to the bigger picture. And who can argue about that historic RFK will make for a fantastic backdrop?
Plus, Nicol says the field is right at 2400 East Capitol Street. He lamented the hard pitch back in 2002 as the Revs hosted the final. And the field in Dallas for 2005 and 2006 was a bit too fast for Nicol's liking. (He's a man who prefers a little higher cut on the grass. Could that be because his team isn't quite as fleet in the midfield? Hmmm.)
So the field favors New England. Maybe. Or does it?
And how about the weather? Revs weather, no? Or is it?
Too bad I don't get paid by the number of times I change my mind.
Steve Davis is a freelance writer who has covered Major League Soccer since its inception. Steve can be reached at BigTexSoccer@yahoo.com. 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.
