Forget the slumping film industry. Forget the fact gas just hit $11 a gallon out here. Forget the fact that one day recently the weather wasn't exactly 100 percent perfect. Forget how Jennifer Aniston is dealing with the constant attention being given to Brangelina.
The big news out here on Planet LA? The Galaxy won another road game. That means twice already this year they packed their bags, dealt with a grueling travel day, made the best of a foreign environment in another city, battled the nasty home crowd, and still came out victorious.
Oh, wait. That's right. Both of their "away" wins have come over The Goats, and both were right here on The Planet.
OK, scratch that.
Now in the interest of full disclosure, I did not make the drive to the Coliseum on Wednesday night. You see, I am a Home Depot Center snob. My thinking goes: "If a game ain't good enough for the new stadium, it ain't good enough for your old pal Tino."
Oops.
Did you see the game? More importantly, did you see how many people were there? How about a crowd of almost 90,000.
So, what are the takeaways from a night like this?
I'm not sure you can underestimate the importance of the win for the struggling Galaxy. The team that sacked its manager last year while in first place has been basically a mediocre .500 ballclub, both this year and overall since hiring Steve Sampson.
Before Wednesday's win, they were actually closer to fourth place than first. Let's put it this way: after Brad Guzan absolutely stoned Cobi Jones from point-blank range and it was looking like another one of those scoreless nights for the Galaxy, I honestly spent a good five minutes going through a list of the guys I thought would be their new coach. I think Landon could ask Steve Sampson for just about anything he wants right now after his game-winning goal.
Now obviously they have been hurting with national team call-ups, but that's not an excuse in this league. You have to structure your team to deal with it. Yes, this is a different team with and without Landon in the side, but his consistent absences were part of the deal when they bought him. That said, Wednesday was a big win for L.A., who still have plenty of time to right the ship and be the New Eng-er-land of 2005 with a late-season surge.
For Chivas USA, this is the kind of night we all envisioned when the swashbuckling Jorge Vergara said he was going to take the league by storm. A gigantic and electric crowd coming in droves to see Chivas USA battle the Galaxy, one of the league's best. While the crowd was in place last night, obviously to this point neither the crowds nor the quality of play have been in place. But to their credit, Chivas is showing signs of life at times, and as we are constantly reminded, help is on the way.
By the way, after the big crowd last night, think there are just one or two tiny rumblings around the Chivas camp wondering if the Coliseum wouldn't be a better place for them to call home? I don't think so either, but no chance it doesn't get mentioned at some point after that great turnout last night.
I think it's safe to say Wednesday night will not be the last doubleheader of its kind here on Planet LA. But frankly, here's hoping that next year the two MLS sides are battling closer to first place than last.
GRAB A COLD BUD (OR AQUAFINA) AND PUT YER FEET UP:
WHAT I'LL BE WATCHING:
Saturday - ADUNITED vs. CHIVAS USA (4 p.m. ET on The Deuce): Actually, that nickname won't hold up for a while, as young Freddy is out with a knee injury, which was reportedly originally suffered buffing that fancy new ride of his.
Saturday - NEW ENGLAND at FC DALLAS (8:30 p.m. ET on Fox Soccer Channel): Same two teams, same stadium as this year's final?
Saturday - MILE HIGH CLUB at QUAKES (10 p.m. ET on Direct Kick): Diego Serna? Are you kidding me? Next thing you're going to tell me the Quakes are contending for first place.
FLICK-ONS:
Some housekeeping from last week's column: still no consensus on what we're going to call Pizza Hut Park, and most e-mailers backed The Commish in saying the D.C. market is the best in the league, but probably not by far ...
Becks is going to sign a new deal with Real Madrid, so he's not coming to MLS in two years. Hold on while I stop tremoring in shock. Hopefully this will bring to an end any silly thoughts that he was actually MLS-bound anytime soon. I mean, seriously ...
Seen this show Teachers on BBC America yet? Worth a look ...
I take back everything I ever said about the Fire. Seriously. After blowing a two-goal lead at home to a team that had never won in Chicago, well that's something I just can't top. Way to go, guys.
So Cleetus is suspended for a few games after the altercation last weekend against The Goats. Things are going to be pretty interesting if RSL plays well the next couple games ...
So Andy Williams took a few more shots last weekend, including the strike that nestled in the net for the 5,000th goal in league history. Why was he firing away? "My wife kind of cursed me out last game because when I had the ball I passed it off," he told The Salt Lake Tribune. "She said if I get it today, I better shoot." Wow. Gotta love to hear that if your name is John Ellinger! Maybe she can ask him to play some defense, too.
Speaking of his goal, that was Goal of the Week? The only way that beats Little Fishy's backheel (and probably Youri's chip) is if MLS rigged the voting to get more pub for the 5,000th goal, or if there is nothing to do in Checkettsville but sit and pump votes into the website.
Since I didn't go to the double-clasico (but I may order one tomorrow at Starbucks), I saw the local Fox Sports West broadcast, which gave me the chance to see a promo for the upcoming Chivas wrestling night, where you buy a ticket package and get two wrestling masks. Now, that may be the greatest promotion in MLS history.
The Clean Sheet runs each Thursday on MLSnet. Views and opinions expressed in this column views and opinions are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com. Send any questions and comments to tcsresponses@yahoo.com
