and based on Thursday's high-rev affair, we're in the middle of a real dandy -- I don't think anyone can pin much on a lack of Sounders' big-game experience.
2. Building quality depth at Qwest: When it comes to talking up all the impressive elements of an outstanding debut season for Seattle, it's a "take your pick" type situation. That is, there's a lot to choose from.
The most frequently mentioned talking points include the first expansion side to make the playoffs since 1998 and the unbelievable fan base that developed so quickly, with such mad flourish. But here's something worth noting that's a little further below the radar:
What about the way Schmid has built depth so quickly on the side?
When Seattle goes to Houston next week it will be the club's 40th game this year (including exhibitions and friendlies, but not including anything in the preseason.)
Such an ambitious menu of friendlies (and a big run that claimed a U.S. Open Cup crown) gave Schmid plenty of chances to spread the minutes around the squad.
Patrick Ianni was one of the beneficiaries. Tyrone Marshall and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado have been the undeniable first-choice selections for Schmid all year. But Ianni was there when needed, making 10 MLS starts.
He also started in the U.S. Open Cup final in a difficult environment, at RFK Stadium. And he appeared in other illustrious matches, such as the friendly against Barcelona at a packed Qwest Field.
So there surely wasn't much alarm when Marshall became a late lineup scratch due to a knee injury. In came Ianni, who did quite well in dealing with Brian Ching's target play and Dominic Oduro's speed for Houston. Ianni, despite playing center back, even had a couple of Seattle's best chances, very nearly whipping all those green scarves into a frenzied wave as he came forward on set piece opportunities.
Roger Levesque, one of Schmid's top choices of late off the bench, had Sounders FC's final chance, narrowly missing on a header in added time. In addition to scoring earlier this year against (soon to be MLS rival) Portland in the U.S. Open Cup, he also struck a huge game-winner in the Open Cup final and scored two weeks ago as the Sounders clinched a playoff spot.
Overall, 17 players started at least five MLS matches for Seattle.
3. Who else has a Steven Lenhart?: As if Columbus doesn't have enough going its way, the men of yellow may have the playoff's most effective striker coming off the bench.
Like Seattle, Columbus has done a masterful job this year in building depth. Also like Seattle, some of it came from necessity as injured players needed replacing. But manger Robert Warzycha also had to carefully manage minutes, especially as it came to Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
Even when he didn't start, Steven Lenhart managed to stir up a ruckus. He appeared in all but four MLS matches this year (16 times as a substitute.) And even if he doesn't always score or directly helped arrange a goal, his ability to be an absolute nuisance surely has a bothering effect on defenses.
Look around the playoff field and ask: Who else has a Steven Lenhart, a guy who can be effective while supplying energy, stubbornness and general combustibility?
Los Angeles might have one, depending upon how Bruce Arena uses Edson Buddle, Mike Magee and Alan Gordon. But in all honesty, the effect delivered generally could be labeled Lenhart Lite. Real Salt Lake might have a little more spunk the back trunk, depending upon how manager Jason Kreis chooses to deploy Robbie Findley. Findley, the team's leading scorer, came off the bench frequently in the late-season run but did start in the big finale. So, he might be more likely to start once again when RSL lines up against Columbus this weekend.
Houston thought it had one in Luis Angel Landin, but the young Mexican striker just hasn't gotten up to MLS speed. New England and Chivas don't have a starter at moment who evokes more than standard-level concern in defenses, much less a sparkplug sub.
So while everyone has a forward or two off the bench, Lenhart looks like the top commodity from the sidelines in the 2009 playoff field. And that's not to mention Jason Garey and Emilio Renteria, who are also in reserve for Warzycha. (Renteria looks like a young, promising Alejandro Moreno starter kit.)
There is some precedent here: Ronald Cerritos featured in a similar role during the San Jose Earthquakes' title run back in 2001, providing a change of pace and scoring once in the postseason off the bench. Later it was Dwayne De Rosario who came off the bench for San Jose, scoring the game winner in the 2001 MLS Cup championship. More recently, Pando Ramirez came off the Galaxy's substitute bench to claim the game-winner in the 2005 MLS Cup.
And finally, doesn't Lenhart's style of play remind anyone of John Wolyniec? The Red Bulls striker was used primarily off the bench last year, although he did get the starting assignment in the playoffs, where he scored twice in last year's run into the championship game.
So it looks like a case of "Advantage Crew."
4. Let's hear it for hearing U.S. voices: On thing that sometimes disturbs me about the domestic soccer establishment is the din of foreign accents. This is no myopic diatribe against foreign influence in the game; hard to say where soccer in the States would be today without the strong legacy of a helping hand from European, Mexican and South American immigrants through the years.
It's just that I sometimes hear pregame, in-game and postgame match analysis and wonder: don't born-and-bred Americans have something insightful to say? In other words, I get beaten down by hearing too many (mostly British) accents, as if home-grown thoughts and opinions just aren't worthwhile.
So it was heartening when, late on Thursday evening, JP Dellacamera and John Harkes finished their part at Qwest Field and yielded to the ESPN studio, where Rob Stone, Alexi Lalas and Julie Foudy had more to say about the high-energy, big-atmosphere proceedings. And no accents were heard.
Then, back at the Xbox Pitch at Qwest momentarily, sideline ace Allen Hopkins interviewed Houston manager Dominic Kinnear. No accents there, either. Hopkins then pushed the microphone toward Seattle striker Nate Jaqua. Not foreign accents there, either. (Kinnear was Scotland-born but was raised in California.)
5. The World Cup and how it affects MLS: Cuauhtemoc Blanco's decision to join Mexican second division side Veracruz is surely linked to the Chicago Fire striker's desire to remain in shape and, therefore, in the national team selection picture. The same can be said for David Beckham and his desire for another lease plan at AC Milan. (The timing of disclosure on all this is certainly less than ideal ... but that's another issue.)
The World Cup is creating a particular pressure point here, of course, as these high-profile athletes jockey for position to possibly feature in South Africa next year.
In Beckham's case, all parties seem to be intent on a subsequent return to The Home Depot Center at the conclusion of South Africa 2010. In Blanco's case, well, who knows? Either way, these two marquee players aren't likely to be present as Major League Soccer kicks off its 15th season next spring.
But here's something else to consider: The World Cup may taketh away in terms of name-brand talent in MLS -- but it may also giveth.
Would it really surprise anyone if some out-of-favor U.S. international backtracks and joins an MLS side in the off-season, hoping to benefit from competitive minutes and more sharpness in an effort to improve his place in Bob Bradley's pecking order?
DaMarcus Beasley comes to mind. He has five appearances for Rangers this year, all off the bench for the Ibrox outfit in Scotland. That's not going to be enough to get him back in favor for the U.S. side, and you can bet his agent knows so. Loan deal? Outright sell? Who knows? But it doesn't sound like the worst idea ever, does it?
Oguchi Onyewu might do well to find a way into MLS, although loan deals and sell-ons are tricky in his case due to the six-month recovery he currently faces. Clearly, it has to make sense for an MLS club, which must get more than a few matches in order for it to fit and make sense in terms of salary expenditure and locker room accord.
Danny Califf has lost his starting spot at Midtyjlland in the Danish Superliga. There's time for recovery, of course, but there's also a potentially huge opportunity for a spot on Bradley's 23-man roster given injury concerns to Onyewu and Jay DeMerit. So positioning is critical, and getting to a club where he can start is the first step. Califf was a valued starter for six MLS seasons previously.
Players in the past have temporarily abandoned the European dream for something a little more dependable in MLS, occasionally with World Cup in mind. Heath Pearce, for instance, has said that it played a role in his decision to join MLS in August.
Steve Davis is a freelance writer who has covered Major League Soccer since its inception. Steve writes for www.DailySoccerFix.com and 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.
