Dorman finds sweet success overseas

Scottish football has treated Andy Dorman very well.

Since arriving at St. Mirren Park in January, the Welshman has not only gotten himself up to speed, but has secured a spot in the Saints’ starting XI as well. In his first start with his new club on January 19th, Dorman assisted on teammate Mark Corcoran’s first goal of the match against Motherwell.

It’s fair to say that if his early form is any indication, Dorman has returned to his familiar playmaking self after the questionable demotion to the Revolution bench toward the tail end of last season.

Revsnet’s Brian O’Connell recently caught up with the former Revolution midfielder to get his view on Scottish football, and his new life in Paisley, Scotland.

Brian: After arriving at St. Mirren, what were your first impressions of the town? I would assume Foxboro and St. Mirren are very different places to live and work. But are there any similarities at all?

Andy: Paisley is a working class town and is completely different to Foxboro. The good thing is that most of the people are St Mirren fans so it gives the town a sense of identity and brings the people together.

How have you taken to manager Gus MacPherson's style of coaching?

So far I have been impressed, he and Andy Millen are very positive and try to get us to go out and work hard for each other and express ourselves when we get the chance.

How about your new teammates? Are there any similarities between your St. Mirren mates and your former Revolution mates?

All the lads have been good to me since I arrived at the club, everyone enjoys the training sessions because we work hard and have a laugh at the same time. So that is no different to the Revs. The only difference I have noticed so far is that because people live all over the place, they don’t hang out as much outside of training as at the Revs.

After playing in the United States for a combined seven years, there are obviously adjustments to be made when playing in another country. What has been the most difficult adjustment to make personally? Professionally?

I am really enjoying the football so that side of it has not been too much of a problem. But personally it has been a bit harder. I am used to living with people and now I am in a flat on my own which is sometimes a bit lonely. My girlfriend is still in the U.S., so I don’t see much of her at the moment. But, at the same time, my family and friends have been traveling up on the weekends for the games so I always have visitors on the weekends, which is good.

Describe your state of mind as you made your St. Mirren debut coming on as a substitute against Dumbarton. How were your nerves?

I was excited to get started. We were 2-0 up and looking pretty comfortable so it was a good situation to be coming on to.

Although you've only played in a handful of matches thus far, how does the style of play in Scottish football differ from American soccer? Are there any similarities?

Scottish football is quicker, but a bit more hectic. It is harder to get the ball down and play because defensively the other team work so hard to close you down and pressure you.

How have the fans been at St. Mirren? How different are the fans there compared to the fans in New England?

There aren’t as many of them at the games but they bring a great atmosphere to home and away games. So (they’re) not too different from the Revs fans. So far it seems like the Revs fans have more of a personal relationship with the fans, over here you don’t see much of the fans outside of the games.

You earned your first start against Motherwell and certainly did your part to aid the club by putting a nice ball through to Mark Corcoran for the first goal of the game. How satisfied were you with your performance?

I was happy with the win first and foremost but it was also nice to get a full 90 (minutes) in which is going to help towards getting fully fit.

You and your club had a big match this past weekend at Rangers, playing at The Ibrox in front of over 45,000 fans. What was that experience like for you?

It was amazing running out of the tunnel before the game in front of that many people. I enjoyed the first 20 (minutes) and I thought we were in the game but then things changed pretty quickly and it was too enjoyable chasing the ball for the rest of the game.

What are your goals for the remainder of the season? Do you feel like this situation, one in which you were able to join in the middle of the season rather than having a full season ahead of you, makes things easier or more difficult?

I hope we can have a good run in the (Scottish) Cup and try and push up the table and if we have a bit of luck with injuries there is no reason why we can't do that. I guess playing half a season will make it easier for next year knowing what to expect, but I am just thinking about the next game and no further ahead so it doesn’t make it any easier or difficult because we have a tough game against Dundee United coming up.

(Editor’s note: Dorman scored the deciding goal for St. Mirren yesterday as the Buddies beat Dundee United 1-0 at Tannadice Park. The win helped steer St. Mirren to the Scottish Cup quarterfinals.)

Scrooge England Revolution?

Cheap.

It's a pretty unflattering term. But, in the past two weeks alone, I've received numerous e-mails from Revolution fans "commenting" (and I use the term advisedly, since there may be children reading this) on the transfer bid for Taylor Twellman, Andy Dorman's departure, and now, Pat Noonan's club option being declined. Despite the varying topics, there's one prevailing theme among the fan feedback:

The Revolution organization is cheap.

It's not a completely unfounded (or recent) argument if you consider the club's recent track record of contract negotiations with its own players. When given the chance, the club has repeatedly refused to shed its cheapskate label, despite the fact that an unused designated player allocation and some leftover cash from the Clint Dempsey transfer are beginning to attract moths.


That being said, let's take gander at the club's track record when it comes to player contracts.

Exhibit A: Taylor Twellman. The club’s all-time leading scorer signed a four-year contract that, on average, pays him close to $400,000 annually, which isn’t chump change by any means. However, when English side Preston North End reportedly offered as much a $2.5 million transfer fee for the Best XI striker last week, it was apparent that he was clearly worth much more. Twellman's value, in terms of both the club and the league, has greatly risen over the last year alone, and though he signed his contract extension prior to last season, a market adjustment would appear to be warranted for such a vital component of the Revolution machine.

Exhibit B: Shalrie Joseph. Another player at the center of a transfer bid - this one made by the illustrious Celtic FC. The Scottish club made multiple offers for everyone’s favorite Grenadian, and at one point, reportedly offered as much as $2 million for his contract. Naturally, the bids were rejected each time, though all parties involved stood to benefit greatly from the proposed transfer. Embittered by the proceedings, Joseph declined his appointment as club captain prior the start of the 2007 season, as the failed transfer and ensuing contract negations had soured him. After interest cooled, Joseph, perhaps seeing little other alternative, signed a contract extension in August for a figure that probably wasn't even close to the amount money he would have received abroad.

Exhibit C: Andy Dorman. Can you believe that the newly-baptized Buddie was making a schoolteacher's salary ($30,870 according to MLS Underground) last season? Neither can I. After a pretty good season during which he became the club's second leading scorer, you have to believe that the underrated attacking midfielder was due for a pay raise when his contract expired at the end of the year. Instead, the club balked at his requested figure (which, according to reports, wasn’t unreasonably high), then waved goodbye to another crucial piece of their successful playoff-caliber puzzle.

Exhibit D: Now comes Pat Noonan. The highly-regarded striker and childhood friend of Twellman has partnered up front with his old buddy for the past five seasons –all of which the Revs have clinched playoff berths. It’s hard to dispute that the attack is remarkably better when both are on the pitch. Granted, Noonan has had some difficulties staying healthy at times, but when he's fully fit and ready to go, there aren't many better forward lines in MLS. Plus, it’s safe to say that a certain Tecmo Bowl-playing pal would not be pleased if Noonan were to walk.

In hindsight, the recent streak of success of this club has enjoyed must be further appreciated given the organization's tightwad tactics. It's almost an aberration (albeit a fantastic one) that amid all of this player unrest, this club has still made it to three consecutive MLS Cups. But it would be foolish to think this trend will last forever, nevermind the foreseeable future.

This season has the potential be a big year for the Revs. But it also has equal chance to reek of a rebuilding year in which a playoff appearance would be impressive enough. Dorman's presence will be missed, and should Noonan go as well, no rookie or newcomer would be able to adequately fill the respective voids on such short notice.


In essence, Revolution fans are tired of it all. Tired of having their talent club come up short. Tired of seeing management failing to extend itself beyond the “we gave it our best effort” excuse in terms of signing new players. Tired of shortchanging its better players. Tired of reading about the Red Sox and Celtics doling out the necessary cash for big names to improve their teams while the local XI continues to ride the backseat of the New England sports bus.


Most importantly, they’re tired of the organization not doing enough to not only make their club better, but by extension, not doing enough to promote the game of soccer in a region jam-packed with sports fans.

The Departed

The flickering first two letters of the "no vacancy" sign for the attacking midfielder's position have finally burned out after Andy Dorman signed with St. Mirren of the Scottish Premier League to ring in the new year.

Dorman's expected departure was due, in part, to failed contract negotiations between him and club after the two sides were apparently none too close in coming to an accord. When you combine that along with his relegation to the bench during the final weeks of the 2007 season - well, you’ve got your second-leading scorer plying his trade thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

Dorman began last season tamale-hot, with seven goals in the bank before the MLS All-Star match. But before long, his goalscoring began to subside as he struggled to find his first half attacking form. Yet, as one of the league’s most underrated two-way players, Dorman certainly held his own dropping back to provide support for a defending corps that was vulnerable at times during the course of the season. Nonetheless, manager Steve Nicol made the decision to drop Dorman from the first XI, and slotted right winger Steve Ralston into the attacking midfielder’s slot.

However, the switch left the attack overly reliant on striker Taylor Twellman, who scored all three of the Revolution's post-season goals. While Ralston provided decent service in the middle, the insertion of Wells Thompson on the right wing left much to be desired. As a result, the attack had clearly sputtered, and a defensively adept Houston club exposed the Revolution before a national audience during MLS Cup. And yet, Dorman, who had already endured two consecutive MLS Cup losses with the Revolution, could only sit back and watch until his number was called late in the 78th minute. With less than fifteen minutes of regulation to operate with, Dorman tried to spark the attack, but he and his club fell short for the fourth time in six tries.

With Dorman now gone, Nicol certainly has his work cut out for him in finding a suitable replacement. There's no question that while Ralston is serviceable in the middle, his strengths are better suited for the right, where his beautiful crosses have often been the catapult to many Revolution goals. Wells Thompson, Ralston’s successor on the right, may indeed be the heir on either wing - at some point in time. But for now, Ralston is the best option if the Revolution wishes to score more than an obligatory goal per game.

If history tells us anything, it's that Nicol will likely address the vacancy during the MLS SuperDraft on January 18th. Many recall that back in 2004, the gaffer struck oil finding an attacking midfielder when he selected a flashy kid from an obscure college in South Carolina. Yes, Clint Dempsey turned out to be pretty decent, to say the least. Yet, barring the second coming of another Deuce, the Revs may have to hope they can develop an attacking player from the same mold of Dempsey and Dorman, which of course would require time.

However, another possibility lingers: an international player signing. Shortly after the MLS Cup, Nicol and assistant coach Paul Mariner boarded a plane for Argentina, the wildly-popular locale as of late among MLS managers and executives after last season's success stories of Juan Toja and Guillermo Barros Schelotto, both alums of the Primera Division Argentina. Whether Nicol and Mariner have discovered a mini-Maradona or a Lionel Messi clone remains to be seen. But there's no question that, regardless of the manner in which the Revs go about it, the attacking midfielder role needs to be addressed prior to First Kick on March 29th.

When it's all said and done, and Dorman steps onto the pitch at St. Mirren Park bearing the black and white bars of the Saints, his departure will have left more than just a void in the midfield. He will have left series of questions for fans and media alike to chew on until the buds begin to bloom.

A Tale of Two Halves (of the MLS season): The Andy Dorman Interview

For Andy Dorman, the 2007 MLS season must have felt like a tale of two halves. After inheriting the attacking midfield spot vacated by the potent Clint Dempsey, the former Boston University Terrier tore through the opposition in the first half of the season like Jet Li against all of those ninjas in Kiss of the Dragon, racking up seven goals and an assist all before the MLS All-Star game – a game his performance certainly warranted consideration for.

However, things began to change in the second half of the season. His offensive statistics began to wane even though the club was still scoring goals – and more importantly, winning – with him in the first XI. Then, shortly after the Revolution’s US Open Cup Championship in early-October – a game in which he not only started, but played the entire ninety – he found himself relegated to the bench four days later in Chicago. Unbeknownst to him at the time, but the US Open Cup Championship would be the final time the attacking mid would find himself in the first XI for the Revolution in 2007. As the postseason neared, Nicol kept Dorman on the bench for much of the remainder of the season and playoffs, as the club’s second leading scorer’s minutes diminished dramatically.

With the MLS off-season now in full-swing, Revsnet’s Brian O’Connell recently caught up with Andy to get his thoughts on the two-sided coin that comprised his 2007 season.



Brian: Going into the season, you were pegged as the player that would most adequately fill the shoes of Clint Dempsey as the playmaker on this team. Did you prepare any differently this season as you had in previous seasons, given the added pressure of replacing a guy like Clint?

Andy: Well obviously Clint was and is a great player but I didn’t feel any added pressure of replacing him. I prepared the same as the previous years with rest until the New Year and then starting back in the gym in January. Then I started pre-season with the team at the end of the month.

Brian: You got off to a remarkable start to the season, scoring seven goals before the MLS All-Star game – a game which many would argue you should have been a part of in light of your mid-season stats. Were you surprised at all that you weren’t chosen to the All-Star squad, especially since Steve Nicol was the man at the helm for the MLS side?

Andy: I felt I was playing well at the time and I would have loved to play against Celtic in that game, it would have been great experience and exposure. But I missed out on the All Star team the year before when I felt I was playing better than in 2007 at the equivalent time of the season so I was not surprised.

Brian: After the All-Star break, your goal scoring cooled down somewhat, even though you managed to score a goal in the US Open Cup game against Harrisburg back in August. How does a player like you try to get back on track? Did the tremendous start add any undue pressure in terms of getting back on the score sheet?

Andy: I didn’t see myself as going off track we were winning games and although I wasn't scoring goals I was happy with my work ethic and contribution to the team. It is nice to score goals but I don’t judge my performances solely on goal and assist stats. I believe I am a two way midfielder and during that time I was working harder defensively so found myself in deeper positions and therefore found it harder to get into goalscoring positions.


Brian: As you struggled to find the back of the net as the season wore down, were you at all concerned that your starting role may be in jeopardy?

Andy: I was just concerned with working hard and winning games for the Revolution; the rest is out of my control so I didn’t really think about it.

Brian: It seemed like your demotion to the bench came very suddenly, almost out of nowhere, because you had started every game of the season up until the October 6th match at Chicago, when you came on as a substitute. When did you learn that you would be dropped for that match? Were there any signs prior that there may be a change brewing in terms of how Nicol wanted to utilize you?

Andy: I found out after pre-game meal the day of the game. It was the weekend after we won the Open Cup final so I presumed it was a case of rotation for the Chicago game.


Brian: Obviously, as a player who started every game of the season in 2006, and nearly all of 2007, the decision to drop you must have come as shock. What did Nicol tell you as to the reason for the demotion?

Andy: He wanted to play Steve in the middle to keep more possession.

Brian: It appeared that after the Chicago game, the situation may have just been temporary in order to “shake things up.” Was there any indication from the coaching staff that you would be given the chance to earn your way back in the starting eleven? Was there any point in which you felt that without game experience, it was hard to prove yourself again?

Andy: There were no indications given either way but I had a feeling after the next few games that I had started my last game for the Revs.

Brian: It was common knowledge that you were in the final year of your contract, and with the start you had to the season, your value to the team had certainly increased. Do you think that your contract status played a part in Nicol benching you, to perhaps decrease your value on the free agent market?

Andy: I have no idea what goes on off the field, I was more concerned with training and staying sharp.

Brian: There was a report from The Boston Globe wherein Nicol had stated that he expected you to sign with a British club. How true is this statement? Have you indeed signed, or look to sign, with a club overseas?

Andy: I was hoping to re-sign for the Revs but financially it was never an option. This was despite the generosity of my host family who I would like to thank publicly. They are wonderful people and I will miss them tremendously. Currently my agent David Williamson and I are looking at various options, in America and in Europe for when I am out of contract in January.

Brian: Lastly, there’s no question that you’ve been a fan favorite here in New England. If you could tell the fans one thing about your situation, what would it be?

Andy: I am a proud and dedicated professional and so I don’t want to criticise an organisation that gave me a chance to become that professional. However, the last 3 months especially, have really opened my eyes. What is more important though, is that I say; “Thanks for all your support over the last four years. I wish you all good luck in the future and stay loyal to the team as the MLS Cup will come soon. I have so many brilliant memories of my time with the Revs and you (the fans) have really added to them.

Are the wheels coming off the Revolution wagon?

Make no mistake: the Revolution before us has become a hollow husk of its early season self. Forget the stats and results. The most telling sign of the argument is this: come match time of the regular season finale Saturday afternoon, the Revs second-leading scorer may once again be relegated to bench duty.

Why? Because that’s precisely where Andy Dorman began the last two matches. Granted, the attacking midfielder hasn't been the dazzling, red-hot form that saw him clinch seven goals in the first fifteen games of the season. But then again, like all soccer players, he hit a bit of a lull, and before his sails could feel the strong breeze necessary to push him back on track, manager Steve Nicol benched one of his primary goal scorers. But why?

Perhaps the answer may, in part, lie in the defensive struggles of a team that has allowed more decisive late-match goals than it would care to. Though the Revs still sit close enough to the head table to allow themselves a playoff run, the fact remains that the club will go nowhere fast with a back line that has allowed crucial late-game goals in three of its last four MLS matches. Adding to this concern is that starter Avery John has been sidelined with a left knee strain that has kept him out of action since September 29th match against Colorado.

In an attempt to shore up a back line that has deserted its stellar 2006 form, Nicol has recently tinkered with his starting eleven like a mad scientist. Last Saturday, he dropped winger Steve Ralston to the back, moved Wells Thompson into the starter's role at right wing, and employed a defensive 4-4-2 rather than the preferred 3-5-2. With the emphasis on defending, a playmaker like Dorman gets lost in the shuffle, and by extension, the offense as whole suffers. The numbers don't lie - against such “formidable” opponents like Columbus (31 points), Colorado (38 points), and Chicago (42 points), the Revs have averaged a whopping 1.33 goals per game. Despite the changes, the defense hasn't exactly shined, either. During the same set of opponents, they've allowed decisive goals in the same stretch after the 60th minute against Chicago and Columbus.

To his credit, Nicol has tried to address the troubling situation before the MLS playoffs commence. Serbian defender Dusan Petrovic was brought in to help stop the bleeding, but the deal collapsed faster than his fall on the Payson Park practice pitch when he suffered a knee injury in September. With the MLS roster freeze having since expired, Nicol has resorted to shuffling the cards already dealt But in doing so, he's sacrificed the potency of the attack, as Ralston and Dorman find themselves in roles they're largely unaccustomed.

It's curious as to why Nicol would simply realign and move players like chess pieces when fresh defenders are at his disposal. Kyle Helton, Marshall Leonard, Gary Flood, and Amaechi Igwe are not only healthy, but have shown themselves capable in reserve league action. In fact, Leonard would seem to be the perfect fit to take John's left back position, since the versatile fifth-year veteran can play on both sides. Strangely, Leonard has yet to record a single minute of first team action this season, despite the club's defensive woes.

Of course, going into Toronto and facing a club they've thumped to the tune of seven combined goals to none may just be the cure to what ails both the offensive and defensive ends of the spectrum. However, should the Revs come up short to another less-talented squad, it could reveal even more uncertainty about the club going into the playoffs.

Red Sox Nation: Get to Know the Revolution!

By now, you may have heard of some soccer player named David Beckham coming to town this weekend. If you haven't bought tickets for Sunday's L.A. Galaxy-Revs match at Gillette Stadium, well then, you'll have to catch it on TV38 because the game is sold out. Nevertheless, should your interest be piqued by the glamour and glitz or the bending banana kicks of Mr. Beckham, here is a cheat sheet for those of you who know the Red Sox, but may not know much about the New England Revolution (colloquially known as "the Revs").

Back to Beckham: He's kind of a big deal in the world of soccer, and although he's not the best player in the world, he's certainly the most popular, with numerous global brands attached to his very likeness. In jest, he is called "Mr. Posh" after his wife, the high-heeled and large sunglasses-sporting former Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham, who you may have also heard of at some point as well.

But, if that's all you know about soccer, then you are in luck. If you're familiar with other team sports- say, the Boston Red Sox - but are new to soccer, then you may have some trouble getting to know the lads chanted and cheered for by soccer fans across New England.

Now if you are indeed member of Red Sox Nation and wish to see what all the fuss is about, the stars are aligned for a perfect afternoon and evening: the Sox are playing at 1:35pm in Baltimore, thus allowing plenty of time for you to mow the lawn, mix some lemonade, give the dog that bath you've been putting off all summer, and still have time to catch the 7:00pm start for the Revs and Galaxy game. So after the Sox play nine against the O's in the early afternoon, you are personally welcomed to take a gander at our sport. After all, it is the world's game. And lucky you - it’s played professionally right in your own backyard by one of the best clubs in Major League Soccer!

So without further ado, in order to better educate you on some of the more notable Revolution players, the following is some crude, yet somewhat insightful (hopefully) comparisons between some notable Red Sox players and some notable Revolution players.

Taylor Twellman is Manny Ramirez. Twellman (#20) is a forward (also known as a “striker”), and his primary responsibility is quite simple: to put the ball in the back of the net. He is not only the most productive player on the Revs roster in terms of doing just that, but is also one the best strikers in MLS, and has 82 career goals in his six year MLS career to prove the point. Like Manny, he is the offensive catalyst for team that has many offensive weapons, and as a result, is also one of the most popular players on the Revolution.

Steve Ralston is Mike Lowell. Ralston (#14) is a midfielder whose primary responsibility is to help organize the attack, and is often a chief engineer of many Revolution goals. The stats don't lie: the MLS Ironman - he's played in an MLS record 328 games and counting - has 115 career assists, which is also an MLS record as well. This year he's recorded nine assists thus far, and a stat like that speaks to his uncanny knack at sparking the offense. Like Lowell, he brings a steadying veteran presence, and quietly goes about his business, letting his team's record do all the talking.

Matt Reis is David Ortiz. Reis (#1) is a spectacular player who is best known for stepping up in the clutch. Like Ortiz, Reis, the club's goalkeeper, has shined under pressure, as highlighted by a spectacular performance during last season's playoff shootout vs. the Chicago Fire. Not only did he deny two of the five attempts - the success rate of penalty kicks is about 80% - but also blasted one home for the Revs during their sequence of attempts as well. Ortiz and Reis are also much beloved players by their respective fans, and Reis often goes one step further by publicly supporting worthwhile charitable causes.

Andy Dorman is Kevin Youkilis. Dorman (#25) is an attacking midfielder, whose primary responsibility is to not only feed the forwards (like Twellman and Pat Noonan), but to take charge and also put the ball on net. Like Youkilis, the tall and lanky (in that respect, the comparison is bad) Welshman is one of the League's most productive and underrated players, with seven goals so far this season, and does well to terrorize the opposing teams goalkeeper. Interestingly, while both players were deserving of accolades, both we snubbed in their respective league's all-star selections this year.

Shalrie Joseph is Jason Varitek. Joseph (#21) is also a team leader - much like 'Tek - but his responsibility is not only to help initiate the attack when the ball is fairly deep in the opposition end, but to also stopgap an opponent's attack as well. He is the prototypical cerebral player: extremely smart, hardly ever makes an erroneous pass, and is most noticeable when he makes hard challenges on the ball – challenges which he often wins. The tall, dreadlocked Grenadian midfielder is the best in the league at his position, and as a result, offers from oversees clubs have come in to try and pry Mr. Joseph from the Revs. His stats won't "wow" you; it's the incalculable impact he has on the field - the intangibles - that truly make him a special player, much like Varitek.

Adam Cristman is Dustin Pedroia. Cristman (#7) is the most productive rookie in MLS right now, with 4 goals and 4 assists on the stat sheet so far. Like Pedroia, the rookie forward struggled in his first handful of matches before he notched his first goal in May vs. the same LA Galaxy in town this weekend. Both rookies have found their spots on their respective clubs, and are leading candidates for Rookie of the Year honors in their respective sports.

Now, a brief LA Galaxy-baseball comparison:

Landon Donovan is Alex Rodriguez - playing for the Orioles, that is. Donovan (#10) is arguably the best player in the league, much like A-Rod, but is surrounded by a cast of underperforming players this season. Before Becks, he was the League's "Golden Boy" in terms of both marketing and skill on the pitch. His status as one of the best American- born players is backed up by his 34 career US Men's National Team goals, despite the fact that he is only 25 years old. It also doesn’t hurt that he is married to actress Bianca Kajlich, giving the nicknamed “Landycakes” an extra bit of star appeal.

David Beckham is…well, there's only one David Beckham. Imagine, if you will, Michael Jordan leaving the Bulls and joining a lesser, talent-deficient team…wait, he’s already done that.
Truth be told, there really isn't a comparable baseball player, or any other athlete other than Jordan to compare him to; Becks carries with him an unrivaled worldwide appeal that brings a newcomer like you to see what the big deal is.

And with that, I hope you get to know all of the local soccer players, and most of all, I hope you enjoy the game!

Sunday Morning Striker: Back in the win column

The Revs and Toronto FC kicked off on Saturday night on the artificial surface that they first played on back in April – a match in which the Revs thoroughly spanked the so-called Reds 4-0. Nevertheless, for the third match in a row, the Revs played a much lesser club in the standings, but this time came away with the just reward of three points by taking the 3-0 result.

At 7:35pm ET, the Revs kicked off to begin the match, and early on set the offensive tempo by controlling the Toronto end of the pitch. The Canadians only exacerbated their situation with some questionable passing and a rather unorganized defending policy.

At 7:49pm ET, in the 13th minute, Avery John put himself at the top of the box and mailed a pass directly into the mixer. The ball bounced off of defender Kevin Goldthwaite’s leg and right to a sneaky Andy Dorman, who lassoed the gift deflection and sailed it past the keeper for the opening goal of the match. 1-0, Revs.

While the Revs controlled the ball for a large part of the first half, Toronto eventually clawed its way into the opposite end. On a Toronto free kick just above the left corner of the box at the 26 minute mark, the Revs backline blocked the initial kick, and then proceeded to wall up two more consecutive shots, and the threat dissipated soon thereafter.

As the Revs continued to dominate possession, it was only a matter of the time before the home side acquired goal number two. At 8:10pm ET, Jeff Larentowicz catapulted a pass over two defenders en route to an airborne Pat Noonan, who headed the ball past a diving Djekanovic and into the net for the second goal of the match at the 33rd minute mark. 2-0 Revs.

In the 37th, Toronto crashed again. Jeff Cunningham rocketed a hard shot toward Matt Reis that was deflected away, but created a dangerous rebound that trickled back toward Toronto’s Danny Dichio, who attempted to steer it back on net before Jay Heaps guarded the line and kicked away the menacing ball.

With time winding down in the half, Andy Dorman raced down the heart of the field, and sent in a left-footed shot from the top of the box that skipped feet away from the side post, narrowly missing a potential third goal for the lads from New England in the 45th minute.

As Toronto kicked off for the second act, the Revs immediately continued their dominance of both the ball and the Toronto end of the pitch and reclaimed the rhythm they orchestrated in the first half. The Revs peppered Djekanovic with a Shalrie Joseph free kick in the 49th, then a Dorman surface-to-air missile in the 54th that required an acrobatic save by the Yugoslavian keeper.

Toronto countered with an obligatory rush in the 60th minute, but was effectively snuffed out before it ever reached Reis' zip code, as the ball unsurprisingly journeyed back toward the Toronto end of the pitch.

New England continued their mastery of the adidas MLS teamgeist match ball, and it became increasingly apparent to be that another goal was imminent. Said imminent goal materialized at 9:09pm ET, during the 81st minute, when Dorman, who had barely missed the Revs’ third goal of the match in the 45th, took a beautiful ball from Cristman and delivered the ball wide of Djekanovic and into the back of the net. 3-0 Revs.

The remainder of the match became a passing clinic, as the navy and red played a fine game of keep away from the Canadians for the final few minutes, en route to the home club’s first victory in over a month.

Stat of the Match, Part 1: With their win vs. Toronto, the Revs have now won all three home matches on FieldTurf.

Stat of the Match, Part 2: Andy Dorman has scored three of his five goals this season vs. Toronto.

Stat of the Match, Part 3: Pat Noonan has scored three goals in his last two matches.

Stat of the Match, Part 4: The Revs have allowed 0, 4, 0, 3 & 0 goals respectively in each of their last five matches.

Stat of the Match, Part 5: Toronto FC manager Mo Johnston is 0-2-1 all time vs. New England.

Random observation of the match: Prior to the beginning of the second half, the PA announcer touted Gillette’s new “Phantom” razor, which the company touts as being so smooth, you’ll barely feel the blade.

Ok, two things: a phantom is invisible – by that principle, because the razor itself is quite visible, isn’t that deceptive advertising? Secondly, the Revs are currently unadorned with any sponsorship labels on their kits this year. Hello, anyone home at Gillette? Why doesn’t Gillette sponsor the Revs? It would be a perfect marriage between the local soccer team and the local razor conglomerate.

The AND1 “OH BAY-BEE!” Play of the Match: In another display worthy of a mixtape DVD, Wells Thompson found himself with his back to the proverbial wall as Toronto made a rare excursion into Revolution territory. As Toronto FC midfielder Andy Welsh paced down the left flank, Wellsie kept up with him step-for-step. Then, when Welsh tried to get cute with spin move, Thompson simply poked the ball between the red-shirted poseur. Once again, the sweet move drew the approval of young kids covering their mouths in stunned amazement, and then waving their oversized tees in delight.

As an aside: Should the Revs or MLS ever put out a mixtape/DVD, Wells Thompson should be given a “streetball” name, in the same vein as “The Professor”, “Hot Sauce” and “The Pharmacist”. SMS will get to work on Wellsie’s street name in the coming weeks.

Sour sequence of the match: In the final minutes of the first act, Jeff Larentowicz hit the turf after it appeared that he has gotten poked in the eye by an unidentified Toronto FC defender. The harm required Larentowicz to visit the sideline for medical attention. Less than tow minutes thereafter, Toronto cornered as James Riley was grounded with an injury as well. Riley traded spots with Larentowicz on the sidelines. Luckily, both appeared to be ok, although Larentowicz was substituted for at the commencement of the second half.

Who did the Krafts root for? Patriots 9, Revolution 3. No, your eyes do not betray you. The Revolution and the Patriots actually played to a 9-3 score Friday night in front of a sold-out crowd. And guess what? They played two more times this past weekend…in York, PA, as the York Revolution and Somerset Patriots square off in Atlantic League baseball action.

The soccer gods chortled: After beginning the season 4-6-2, Dave Sarachan was fired as manager of the Chicago Fire this week. Revs fans remember well that it was Sarachan who successfully badgered the league office last fall to have Shalrie Joseph suspended for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals last year after the Grenadian "elbowed" Fire midfielder Ivan Guerrero during Game 1. Like Revs fans, the soccer gods also have a crystal clear memory of this incident, and doled out punishment accordingly.

The soccer gods did not chortle: SMS counted at least three instances in which Shalrie Joseph was hard tackled – and all three went unseen by referee Alex Prus.

Why not the Tea Men? As you may know, SMS has been known to allow himself to be distracted by other sports like baseball and hockey when there’s no soccer on the telly. Such was the case on Friday night, when the Padres and Red Sox squared off in San Diego both wearing vintage, 1980-style throwback jerseys.

This scene got SMS thinking…why not have the Revs don throwbacks as well? Picture this: the normally navy and red Revs in the garish, mustard yellow and red kits of their predecessors: the New England Tea Men! Revs marketing department, SMS’s agent is standing by to take your calls regarding more can't-miss marketing campaigns.

Rhode Island Stingrays Update: SMS previously stated that the Rays had a formidable challenge when the Cape Cod Crusaders came to town for Saturday night’s PDL match up. The Crusaders are among the elite PDL teams in the Northeast, and to drive home the point, they went 14-0-2 last season. So true to form, the Rays battled, but could not muster the firepower to counter a five-goal output by the 2006 champs, as they fell 5-2. Jeffrey Gonsalves continued his goal-scoring streak by netting both of the home club’s pair of goals, while Rays keeper Joshua Ford had his hands full, to say the least, as he had to come up with ten saves just to keep the score somewhat respectable.

US Women’s National Team Update: Instead of the usual individual player feature, SMS decided to devote this section to the entire team, after their 2-0 win against Brazil Saturday afternoon. Kristine Lilly scored in the 1st minute directly from a free kick at the corner of the box, and Abby Wambach scored in the 17th, as the US women continued their incredible streak of dominance (35-0-7) since manager Greg Ryan took over in 2005.

By the way, how cool are those new WNT gold jerseys? SMS loved them, and in fact, may have to pick one up prior to their World Cup in September. What’s that you say? It’s a chick jersey? As a comfortably secure 26-year-old male, SMS has no problem donning the jersey of one of the best teams in the world.

Next stop on the tour is Hartford, CT on July 14, and yours truly will be there to support the best women’s team in the world against Norway.

“I’m going, going/back back/to Cali, Cali…” Ok, so SMS is not going to California anytime soon, but the Revs are next week as they face Chivas USA for the first time this season. The match will thankfully be on TV38, which improves the chances that SMS will be able to watch the game live after catching the local Stingrays at Pierce Field at 7:30pm. It doesn’t get any better than this!

Finally, although the victory warrants more than what SMS can give right now, a big congratulations to the US Men’s National Team on their amazing 2-1 victory over Mexico in capturing the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup! How exquisite was Benny Feilhaber’s heat-seeker in the 73rd minute? Unquestionably - the greatest goal in recent US MNT history. Great job guys!

Game 2: Revs Trounce Toronto FC, 4-0

When Taylor Twellman scored two-thirds of a hat trick before the game clock reached the 20 minute mark, Revolution fans must have liked their club’s chances of winning the match early on. Sure enough, the Revs justified those sentiments by obliterating expansion Toronto FC 4-0 Saturday night.

The Revs first goal came courtesy of a sweet sequence in the 12th minute. Twellman passed to rookie Adam Cristman, who then returned the ball back faster than a fruitcake at Christmas on a beautiful 1-2 pass to Twellman, who found the back of the net. 1-0 home side, just like that. Goal number one of the season for Taylor, but the occasion was even more exceptional for the rookie, as Cristman recorded his first MLS point on the assist.

To be a goal-scoring master, you must have a nose for the ball. And good. But not in that order. Mere minutes later, Twellman once again found himself on the end of another well-placed ball, courtesy of a Steve Ralston cross from the right wing. Twellman proceeded to bang home the goal in the 18th minute. Taylor Twellman 2, Toronto FC, 0.

The nickname-less Toronto FC looked disheveled often in the first half, as they played like a group that had just been formed fairly recently. Who would have thunk it?

Toronto midfielder Alecko Eskandarian, lined up a shot in the 36th minute that sailed just above the crossbar, out of the reach of a man to who is dead to him, Matt Reis.

(For those of you unfamiliar with the context of that assertion, here is the biased, Cliffs Notes version: In 2005, Eskandarian, while playing for DC United, tried to play the ball in the New England box at the same time as Reis. The result of the encounter was a connection of Reis’ knee to Eskandarian’s melon. Esky would be forced to the sidelines for the remainder of the seasons, and berate Reis later on, calling him a “cold soul” and stating that Reis “was dead to [him].”)

Back to Saturday Night…with the Revs entering the half with a 2-0 goal lead, one could only wonder what defensive tricks manager Steve Nicol would have up his sleeve against good friend and managerial counterpart Mo Johnston in the 2nd frame. Whatever tricks Nicol employed on good ol’ Mo’s squad worked to perfection, as the Revs continued to suffocate the Torontonians (?) attack for the most part, as the Canadians had fewer chances than at scoring than Screech on Saved by the Bell.

In the 61st minute, Shalrie Joseph, inactive for the opening season tilt last week in Chi-town, scored on a penalty kick goal, after Cristman was tackled in the box. The streamers and glitter flew from The Fort with merry cheer and joy soon thereafter. On paper, it was simply 3-0. In the annals of Revolution soccer history, it was franchise goal number 499…

Would goal 500 – highly-anticipated, much-hyped and grand prized goal prominently featured on the club’s official site –occur on this cloudy, cool April 14th night? Surely, you could feel the anticipation. There was a buzz among the 18,184 spectators. The air densely packed with highly-charged electrons. The lighthouse graphics shone just a bit brighter. The question would grip the minds of many: Would this be the night?

The answer to this question came in the 72nd minute, when Captain Ralston bumrushed the Toronto goal, and just when it looked like he lined up his shot, he deferred to his left to find a hard-charging Andy Dorman bursting through the seams of the box. Wham, bam, thank you, Dor-MAN. With Goal 500 securely in the books, the navy and went on to win its first match of the infant 2007 season.

Stat of the Match, Part One: With his two-goal effort, Twellman placed himself in a tie for fifth place in the MLS record book with 13 multiple-goal games.

Stat of the Match, Part Two: On Saturday vs. Chicago, Nicol started three rookies – Wells Thompson, Gary Flood, and Cristman. This week, only Cristman survived the cut as part of the game’s starting eleven.

Stat of the Match, Part Three: The Revs scored on 50% of their shots on goal (8 shots, 4 goals)

Stat of the Match, Part Four: Although the Revs were in control for a large portion of the match, Toronto actually tallied two more corner kicks than New England (6-4)

Sweet Play of the Match: The Steve Ralston distribution to the onrushing Andy Dorman in the box, netting the fourth goal of the game. The pass had yours truly shouting for 2.41 seconds “Why are you pass-?” before Dorman launched it past keeper Greg Sutton. This incident proves one thing: don’t ever question the wisdom of one Steve Ralston.

Sour Play of the Match: In the 57th minute, Toronto midfielder Paulo Nagamura committed an unconscionable foul on Adam Cristman in the Toronto box, leading to Shalrie Joseph’s PK goal in the 60th minute. The foul was completely unnecessary, as Nagamura essentially threw his arm over Cristman’s shoulder while both were in the box, as the ball was yards away, heading in the direction of the New England side of the field.

The Beckham-Effect arrives early in Foxboro: With 18,184 paid spectators in attendance for the home opener, the most since its 2002 home opener, one can only promulgate the theory that Beckham may have had his hand in on this grand success. How so? Well, the Revs ticket office, in a grand scheme to capitalize on Beckhamania, declined to offer stand-alone tickets to the August 12th Becks/Galaxy affair. Instead, it offered what was dubbed “the Beckham Four Pack”, which required those who wished to purchase tickets to the Gals game to also purchase tickets to three other matches, including Saturday night’s opener. Marketing 101, pure and simple, kids.

Before you know it, domestic animals will be sponsored: Saturday night’s match marked the first match in which the Revs played an opponent that had a corporate tattoo emblazoned on its chest, in place the traditional club wordmark. BMO Bank, which also effectively tagged itself upon the name of the club’s home pitch, BMO Field, apparently poured enough cash into the expansion club that the franchise promised the Canadian banking corporation front-of-the-shirt sponsorship rights. Toronto not only became one of the first MLS clubs with this type of sponsorship (Real Salt Lake, Los Angeles and New York being the others), but the first expansion team to ever make a cash-splash with the bold sponsorship deal.

Give Us a Nickname…Please! In an attempt to perhaps “Europeanize” itself, the Toronto franchise also became the first MLS club to establish itself without nickname. Simply put on paper, the club is Toronto FC. However, according to chatter among Toronto-based internet fan boards, the club has been dubbed the “the Reds”, in recognition of the team’s primary color.

Sure, she’s cute - but do they know about her past? In between chart-topping singles, Foxboro Resident JoJo took the time to incorporate herself into the home-opening festivities. Talk about convenience. JoJo, who appears on the popular MTV video request show TRL, shot to musical stardom after releasing teeny-bopper hit “Leave (Get Out)” in 2004. After a couple of other adolescent youth anthems, it appears JoJo appropriately enough appealed to the soccer-playing youth in attendance that night to the chorus of screaming girls left over from the previous US WNT-Mexico match. If they only knew that the TRL star used to date Freddy Adu.

Watch out for the static electricity: Watching from the colorful confines of Section 104, so close to field level you smell the fresh carpet, one could not help but notice the hypnotic spin the adidas Teamgeist ball took on several occasions due to said sythentic fibers. Although the passes were noticeably quicker on the fake stuff than usual, one could not help but be entranced by the dearth of randomly spinning balls outside the touchlines.

Somewhere, the Tea Men are smiling: The game was the first top-tier soccer game in New England played on artificial turf since the New England Tea Men of the NASL last played on the unforgiving SuperTurf surface of Sullivan/Foxboro Stadium back in 1980. Now if we could only get the Revs to sport those garish yellow and red Tea Men kits as a tribute to their NASL predecessors...

Gimme the good (fake) stuff: Taylor Twellman has expressed his displeasure with the artificial surface on a few occasions, and yet, Twellman scored his first two goals of the season on the very surface. While it would be incredulous to suspect he will maintain this rate given the tiny sample size, could one ascertain that with a faster surface thus resulting in quicker passes - especially inside the box - that Twellman's overall game could actually be enhanced by the combination of futuristic synthetic blades and microfiber pellets?

Yeah, but how good is he at Keno? As previously mentioned, the Revs promoted the 500 cumulative franchise goal mark by sponsoring a contest to see who could predict the player who would score the very goal, the game in which it would occur, and the minute of the game in which it would occur. Amazingly, Revs fan Chris Agrela correctly predicted exactly how it happened! Chris, there’s this grand multi-state lottery game called Powerball, to which your talents could prove quite useful for.

US Women’s National Team Player Feature: For those of you who didn't know, one of the most recent additions to the National Team has been forward Lauren Cheney. According to her ussoccer.com profile, the Indianapolis native “enjoys shopping and watching movies.” Anyway, during manager Greg Ryan’s US-Mexico pre-match interviews last Friday, Ryan stressed the need for the team to find goal sharks not named Lilly or Wambach. Cheney must have been listening nearby, as she proceeded to answer the call and scored during her second National Team appearance Saturday. Two caps, one goal. Not bad, rookie.

Join us after the Revs-Crew match – a Thursday Night special – as we discuss Eric Wynalda, ESPN, and the spiffy new graphics package “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” has in store for us.