Well, here they are.
My predictions.
A bunch of meaningless nothingness really.
Just an opinion.
One that probably should be better informed too.
But hey, it’s a democracy (in theory).
Every man with an equal voice.
So get ready for mine to exercise my Constitutional Right to be wrong… about everything…
Obligatory MLS Power Rankings (03/24):
- Houston Dynamo: Why fix what isn’t broken? Houston won two in a row with that theme, and I see no reason #3 isn’t inevitable. They don’t have the most talent, but in the big games, they are the best “team”. Everyone contributes.
- DC United: DCU made the necessary offseason acquisitions to stay in their place of prominence. They just won’t win this year, they will occassionally embarass opponents.
- Chivas USA: There’s more depth this year, Guzan is fantastic (once he heals) and Preki continues to demand (and get) the best from his players. Akwid approves.
- New England Revolution: Critical losses prevent the Revs from reaching (and losing) MLS title game fourth consecutive time. Marv Levy toasts Natty Light with Jim Kelly & Thurman Thomas.
- Chicago Fire: Blanco bumps the Fire to the next level. If Rolfe and Mapp are healthy and the defense plays physical soccer, this team could join the elite.
- FC Dallas: Toja is a juggernaut of activity. If he controls the flow for 90 minutes, they will always compete. If he tires, so will the former Burn’s chances.
- Kansas City Wizards: I love Jimmy Conrad. I don’t know why. My therapist doesn’t either. But his leadership is dreamy. Jimmy, the Wiz and the Louse will continue to improve all year.
- Colorado Rapids: Gomez makes this team dangerous offensively (for pretty much the first time ever). With Pablo and a fantastic keeper to boot, the Rapids will make the playoffs and the Dick will explode with joy (I can’t believe that’s actually an accurate statement…)
- New York Red Bulls: So much offense with Altidore and Angel, yet so much inexperience and so little depth on defense. NYRB will fail in ’08, but they’ll still be fun to watch.
- Los Angeles Galaxy: Sir Golden Balls of Manchester will delight the crowds, but the defense will disappoint and Lalas will be forced out, regrow the goatee and develop an herbal cure for mad cow disease. (This is probably my most accurate prediction yet)
- Columbus Crew: One man a team does not make. Schellotto will be a handful for opposing defenses, but the Crew will continue to stagnate at the league’s back end. That sounded disgusting.
- Toronto FC: FC needs some eleventh hour deals to get done this week, otherwise they will languish at the bottom. You just can’t get it done with the offensive weapons they have now.
- San Jose Earthquakes: I know! Better than Utah’s bunch? You bet. At least they have a good defense. Though, I guess that doesn’t really matter if you never score.
- Real Salt Lake: I’ll believe it when I see it Real fans. Though, I wouldn’t be terribly surprised to see them higher up “Real” soon (wow… worst… pun… ever… typed…)
And here is how I think they’ll finish in 2008:
East:
- DC United
- New England Revolution
- Chicago Fire
- Kansas City Wizards
- New York Red Bulls
- Columbus Crew
- Toronto FC
West:
Supporters’ Shield in ’08….? DCU. Why? Why not? They’ve won it two years in a row and appear to be better this year than last.
The MLS Cup will be won, once again, by Houston. For my reasoning, just read the above paragraph. Same thing. Better now than before. Three-peat likely. Eight-peat still not ruled out. Yes, the Alan J. Rothenberg Trophy will likely reside in Houston at season’s end. The Alan J. Rothenberg Trophy? Doesn’t have a “Stanley Cup”-type ring to it, does it?
MVP is difficult to predict in any league, but it’s even tougher in MLS where every year there are new faces from various places around the globe. Will “the Louse” exceed EJ’s goal tally in KC and take the Wiz to the top of the East? Will Beckham bend a dozen or so set pieces into the net and make the Gals a contender once again? Who knows?
So, for MVP I have to go with the guy who is going to make the biggest difference to his team. It may be crazy for me to even suggest it, but I think it’s gotta be Blanco.
Wha?
He’s 35! (I know!)
He’s out of shape! (I know!)
He’s still a playmaker who can singlehandedly win a game! (I think!)
Coach of the Year? I would love to say Kinnear since he perpetually gets the most out of the least, but I have to go with Gullit. If he can get Beckham’s bunch into the playoffs after last year’s debacle, he’ll have performed a miracle.
So, that’s it folks. Hope you enjoyed the previews. Within the end of the week we will have our first results. It’s a good time to be a fan of MLS soccer, so please take the time now to convert as many people as you can.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
This website really pisses me off when it says it’s full MLS commentary. And yet, you are so uninformed about the teams you write about. Real Salt Lake at 14th? The fact that they’ve acquired 4 potential starting defenders in the off season doesn’t help supply their defense?
Hi Raven
If you check out our updated page at http://www.soccerticketsonline.com/mls-2008-season-preview-the-update-edition/
we did note that RSL had added the new players that you mentioned since we wrote the original article.
David
raven, you obviously completely lack any ability to think about RSL objectively.
you have them 7th in your preseason rankings, which is outrageous based on their past performance (definitely more outrageous than 14th). so spare me the vitriol.
your argument that the D will dominate is curious though since it is based only on apparently some sort of premonition. i like borchers, he helps. don’t know much about mantilla, but he looks good on paper. i assume ian joy and olave are the other new players you are referring to. as far as i am concerned, they are largely wild cards at this point and to me its way to early to push RSL up to 7th based on these acquisitions alone. performance gets you moved up, not good intentions.
BTW, you do know two of those guys stand at about 5’7″. Not the tallest back line in the world, but what do I know, right? It’s not like I actually analyze stuff….
my point is that, yes, RSL has acquired some talent this offseason and appear to be better this year. yet right now its just “appear” and not yet “are”. as with all things, only time will tell.
until the results change, i will put them down at the bottom. if they play well in week 1 and SJE and TOR get blown out, i’ll move ‘em up past them. if they continue to play well, they will continue to move up.
frankly, its ridiculous you would become so irate over someone else’s subjective opinion. your level of anger reveals your own inability to think about this rationally.
how would you feel if someone went around criticizing every statement you made on your site?
i think it would be foolish for someone to do so because those statements are just your opinions, nothing more nothing less, just like these are mine.
like for example, in your preview you state: “look for Chance Myers to be the defensive standout for the Wizards”.
really? not MLS all-star and national team player jimmy conrad, but the rookie who even now has not yet nailed down a position as a starter?
opinions are inherently subjective, so don’t give me this “RSL can’t be 14th” crap. you say we have no commentary here, but in that RSL preview i broke down why RSL lost so many games last year (most losses by one goal, 75th-90th minute goal hemorraghing). meanwhile, i dare say i don’t see any analysis on your site. it basically just looks like some kind of drunken RSL love fest, which is fine. but spare me the “high and mighty” soccer analyst B.S.
if you don’t like the commentary or the opinions, you don’t have to read them. if the website pisses you off, don’t read it. if you only want to read websites that fawn over RSL, you will only be reading your own.
the funny thing is, i even stated in the preview that i thought RSL would improve throughout the year and look like a “finished product” by the end of the season. you like to focus on the negative though obviously (well, not when it comes to RSL though apparently)…
p.s., its been about a month since you last posted on your site. why not do a little analysis yourself before criticizing someone else’s…?
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