In writing First XI through the years, I've always done it my way and let you, the readers, blast away on various message boards and in my e-mail box. But just like the Chairman of the Board, the keeper of First XI has his regrets ... a lot lately, in fact:
11. Apologies, Mr. Burciaga. So, last week, I threw out a handful of awards, including Best Left-Footed Shot and Best Attacking Defender, and somehow, I left Jose Burciaga Jr. off of both lists. D'oh! Clearly, Jose deserved to be a nominee in both categories and I can't believe I'm so stupid that I overlooked him. However, I don't think Jose wins in either category. As great as his left-footed shot is, the nod still goes to Ante Razov. And I know Jose had eight goals and eight assists last year, which is impressive, but I'm going to stick with my selection of Jon Bornstein as Best Attacking Defender because I think his speed and stamina running up and down the flank separate him, while I think Burciaga racks up most of his goals on dead balls. Anyway, JB Jr. deserved mention.
10. And to you, too, Mr. Beckham. Along the same lines, I thought I was being pretty clever nominating new Red Bulls midfielder Claudio Reyna in a couple of categories, Best Short Passer and Best Long Passer, yet completely left a guy named David Beckham off the lists. That, too, was an oversight. Of course, you can understand why a low-profile guy like Beckham would slip my mind, right?
9. Sorry, Sigi. And, the e-mails came flooding in when I said that no MLS team has won both the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup since the 2000 Wizards. I forgot the 2002 Galaxy, who won that Double as well. Here's hoping I'm more accurate moving forward.
Now, let's move away from regrets and get into the current MLS headlines.
8. D.C. United gets into it. I love the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and have loved it ever since I began watching it. So, it saddens me that I'm on the road this week, and will not be parked in front of my television on Wednesday when D.C. United clashes with CD Olimpia, the champions of Honduras. We really need an MLS team to get to the FIFA Club World Cup, so here's hoping D.C. is ready for this two-game series.
7. Double-takes. This could be a First XI in itself, but how weird is it going to be to see Nick Rimando in a Red Bulls uniform? Kevin Hartman with the Wizards? Joe Cannon and Nate Jaqua with the Galaxy? Amado Guevara with Chivas USA? Ronnie O'Brien in Toronto? Anyone in Toronto, for that matter? Been a pretty busy offseason, no?
6. Chivas USA signs Maykel Galindo. This is an under-the-radar move that could pay off big for Chivas. Galindo, who defected from Cuba two years ago, can fly. If Chivas had a weakness a year ago it was the lack of a speedy striker to complement Razov.
5. Colorado's new colors. I guess maroon is not exactly red, but of the 13 teams in MLS, nine include some shade of red. That said, I like the new look and actually used to sport an "Admiral" West Ham United shirt back in my high school days. I believe I purchased it at J & J Soccer in Kearny, N.J., which was the only true soccer shop in existence. The Rapids should not, however, change their nickname, under any circumstances, to Arsenal.
4. Ching and Twellman sign new deals. For my money, these are the two best U.S. strikers in MLS today, and now they can wage their battle for national team playing time on the fields of MLS throughout the next World Cup cycle. I have a feeling, these two (both scored 11 a year ago) will be 1-2 in the scoring race, with one of them getting close to 20 goals. Do not rule out the possibility of an MLS Cup rematch either.
3. Improving. I know preseason results do not mean anything, but I have to believe the two most improved teams in MLS this year will be the Galaxy and the Red Bulls. I especially like what the Galaxy have done in acquiring Joe Cannon. I think Cannon, by himself, is enough to push L.A. into the playoffs this year. You also cannot help but like the potential of Nate Jaqua, especially when that guy Beckham shows up in the summer. As for New York, I think one of their under-the-radar moves, acquiring Dave van den Bergh from Kansas City, is going to look awfully good when the dust settles. Of course, we anxiously await to see what big signing is headed New York's way to push them up even farther.
2. Confusing. Two teams that are just confusing to me right now are the Columbus Crew and the Chicago Fire. Especially Columbus, who has added Andy Herron and Danny O'Rourke, and also has Stefani Miglioranzi in camp ... I can't even come up with a starting 11 for that team. I mean, where does Danny Szetela enter in? My big question with Chicago is if Thiago can work himself back into a regular role for them. When he was playing with confidence, I thought he was one of the more creative attacking midfielders in the league.
1. And, finally, getting back to the original theme of "regrets." I get more e-mails from fans of RSL and Jeff Cunningham than any other faction. Trust me when I say I have nothing against Cunningham. In fact, I think he's got to be one of the scariest strikers to defend against in the league. Today, I promise to show him more love in '07 ... but he's got to keep putting up the numbers. Little more than a month to opening day. Can't wait.
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.
