Oh, the weather outside may be frightful...

Given the time in which I pen this entry (10:39am to be exact), one can assume that the Revs are on the training pitch preparing for Saturday night's 2nd-leg playoff match vs. Chi-town. Although the conditions at this moment can be deemed "seasonable" (51 degrees and sunny), New England's infamous weather plans to wreak its usual Autumn havoc come Saturday night, which local forecasters have painted rainy, cold and windy, with a gametime temperature of 42 degrees - perfect conditions for what promises to be a slug-fest, balls-to-the-wall battle of a match.

One question that has yet to be answered is Clint Dempsey's status come Saturday night. Dempsey, you may recall, pulled up lame on the follow-through of his 78th minute shot on goal last Sunday. In obvious pain, he signaled toward the New England bench to the effect of "switch it up", indicating he was injured badly enough that a substitution was necessary. The following day, the report on Dempsey's injury was that he sustained a sprainked ankle, but gave no indication as to his availability for the following weekend match.

If anything, should Dempsey take to the chewed-up, gridiron-painted Gillette Stadium pitch come Saturday, amid the forecasted showers, please take a moment to embrace our superstar, as Deuce is likely taking his footballing skills to the English countryside this winter. We have been spoiled by his uncanny knack for not only scoring goals, but ogling defenders with his bedazzling moves. Should this indeed be the last time we see Deuce grace the home pitch, be sure to give him a hearty send-off worthy of the talent, skills, and flair he's shown us over the past three seasons.

*As a follow-up to my previous entry regarding Shalrie Joseph's (ridiculous) suspension, Andrew Hush of Soccer New England reports on manager Steve Nicol's response to the banishment of his star midfielder. Among my favorite lines:

“The general feeling amongst the players is of disgust and I would expect they would have enough fire in our belly that we would want to beat Chicago anyway. They will certainly have a wee bit extra now.”

HERE HERE!