Sunday Morning Striker: A trophy on Wednesday, but a loss to follow on Saturday

The Dewar Trophy has finally returned to New England!

For the first time since Ponta Delgada F.C. of Fall River, MA, won the US Open Cup tournament 3-2 against Chicago Sparta A & BA in the 1947 Cup finals, the prestigious chrome and silver booty has returned to the region with the New England Revolution's 3-2 win over FC Dallas during Wednesday night's US Open Cup final in Frisco, Texas. Additionally, it is the first championship trophy acquired by the MLS club in its 12-year history.

Soon after the 8:30pm kick off, it was apparent that the Revs were onto something they rarely did in prior championship matches: they came out with an aggressive, all-out attack rather than the defensive turtle they typically displayed when the stakes were at their highest.In fact, any indication that the match would slide into the realm of a defensive bore were duly suspended when Pat Noonan magically harnessed a loose ball in the 6-yard box and tapped it in for the first goal of the match in the 21st minute. It was the earliest goal scored in Revolution championship (US Open Cup and MLS Cup) match history.

The Revs continued to push the pedal to the metal, playing the aggressor rather than the pacifist, the bull rather than the matador.

Though this approach caused a few defensive hiccups in which Carlos Ruiz and Arturo Alvarez boldly escaped the backs, the Revolution refused to abandon the attack, and did so with the fervor of a team hellbent on grabbing the silver hardware.

However, that fervor was temporarily quelled in less than ten minutes later when Arturo Alvarez guided a heat seeker from the left corner of the box that pounded the far post and deflected in.

Instead of deflation, the Revs kept the breathing down the collective necks of the FC Dallas defenders, and after a Steve Ralston corner kick, the ball deflected off a defender and right toward Twellman, who banged it in outside of the far post for the go-ahead goal in the 41st minute.In the 58th minute Taylor Twellman journeyed down the left flank, and crossed to Noonan near in the box. But with two defenders buzzing close by, Noonan deferred the ball with a quick, back-heeled pass to Wells Thompson, who deftly took the short pass and launched a left-footed thumper past Dario Sala for the New England’s second goal.

After Alex Yi came out in the 64th minute after had a close encounter with Khano Smith, his replacement - Abe Thompson - immediately put his mark on the match by trapping a short pass outside of the box from Clarence Goodson and chipped it in to close the gap to one.

And after a breathtaking half hour which included close calls near each net, and four minutes of stoppage time, the referee Alex Prus finally blew the whistle as the Revolution secured their first championship spoils in club history. With a small contingent of Revolution fans in attendance, the players brought the spoils to them in appreciation for their unwavering loyalty and encouragement. Meanwhile, about 2,000 miles away SMS and good friend Tony Biscaia enthusiastically slapped hands and already began looking ahead toward the MLS Cup in November.

Three days later, Sunday Morning Striker waited patiently for the 8:30pm start time for the Revs and Fire on Cox3. In an unfortunate sequence, the UConn-Rutgers women’s game was nine minutes into their first overtime, matched tied 0-0. With a five minute break, and another ten minutes for the second OT, a streaming message alerted viewers that the Revs-Fire would be shown in progress once the collegiate match was over.

In other words, SMS was at the mercy of the goal-scoring prowess of two college sides. Aiyeeeeeeee! SMS want a quick score ladies! Now, SMS loves college soccer when it doesn’t interrupt his Revolution viewing habits, especially on a summer-like Saturday Night and a WaterFire taking place in downtown Providence. “We’ll join the New England Revolution @ Chicago Fire in progress at the conclusion of this game. Please stay tuned.” Tease me, tease me, Cox Sports Television.

Speaking of WaterFire, the Revs tried to do douse the fifth place Fire and take three road points in their attempts to chase the Supporter’s Shield. DC United currently sports the best record in MLS, and after they drew to KC 1-1 on Friday night, the local lads tried to inch that much closer to their Eastern Conference counterparts.

Finally, at 8:48pm ET, the powers that be at Cox3 allowed SMS to at long last view the proceedings in Chi-town at the 12th minute exactly. Score 0-0 and Chicago controlling the ball, the Revs looked to acquire an early score when Jeff Larentowicz fired a shot high of the bar only a minute later.

The sweat began to appear in the 19th minute after a questionable handball call. Cuauhtemoc Blanco elected to take the free kick, ran up at full speed, and fired a high-ballistic missile that grazed the top of the bar as Matt Reis stood in awe of the comet.

The Revs tried to answer seconds later when a high bouncing ball in the box found the foot of Ralston, who fired a shot high that Matt Pickens had to levitate to stop in the 21st minute. The attack stayed strong, as the pressure continued to mount deep in the Fire end. Then, a token gift appeared when Steve Ralston sent a ball into the box that deflected a Fire defender that fortuitously found Larentowicz yards above the D. The Kaiser immediately struck a beautiful ball that slalomed through defenders and found the inside right post for the goal at the 24th minute. 1-0, Revs.

The Fire tried to knot it on a break into the Revs end in the 31st minute when Blanco, carrying a white-shirted entourage, forced a ball forward to Chad Barrett. But the quick strike went wide of the far post, as the Revs went back on the attack after the ensuing goal kick.

Though possession fluctuated often, the overall possession was clearly favoring the guests, as they traipsed into the Chicago end like they were carrying postcard invitations from the Fire defenders.

Barrett tried to spark another attack in the 37th minute when he went one-on-one with Parkhurst and sent a shot that was batted high and away by the paw of Reis.

Then, in the 42nd minute, Shalrie Joseph, absent from Wednesday’s US Open Cup final, went down with an apparent leg injury that required a few minutes of medical attention before the Grenadian luckily returned shortly thereafter.

Just as stoppage time was about to commence, the Fire blazed through the Revs back line as Barrett meandered into the top left corner of the box, fed an oncoming Chris Rolfe, who laced a groundhog right past Reis for the equalizer in the final seconds of the 45th minute. 1-1, Anyone’s match.

As the WaterFires sparked up on the Woonasquatucket River deep in the heart of downtown Providence, SMS wondered aloud if the Revs could throw some water on the Fire in Chicago. While he pondered that, TV38 showed some highlights of Wednesday’s US Open Cup Final game. Ahhhhhhh…..The sight of the Revs hoisting the Dewar Trophy will never get old.

The Fire kicked off for the second half, and immediately coughed the ball up to the Revs, keenly intent on getting the go ahead.

A hilarious moment erupted in the 47th minute, when the ref stopped the proceedings as the Revolution goal was showered with streamers courtesy of the Fire Supporters. Never one to let his ego get in the way, Blanco attempted to clean up the mess himself, as he visibly urged the home crowd to lay off on the streamers ‘til Halloween.

The streamers almost came out again when Barrett headed a shot right on Reis welcome mat. But the bald brickwall stood stout and calmly hauled in the light shot right on his line in the 49th minute.

The match began to get hot in the early part of the second frame, as Chicago continued to threaten with quick shots and good pressure on the backline. Then in the 55th minute, the Fire was awarded a dangerous free kick just before the box. Just after Blanco wound up and fired, James Riley cleverly, if not illegally, ran toward the shot and headed the ball away from the shadow of his net.

At the hour mark, with the constant pressure on the backs, the Fire finally broke through on a beautiful sequence as Paulo Wanchope came down the left edge of the box and fired hard right on Reis who initially batted the shot out of danger. But with Barrett nearby, the Fire forward quickly took the rebound and nailed the go-ahead right into the back of the net in the 61st minute.

The Revs nearly got it back in the 62nd when Ralston took a pass from Larentowicz and fired a laser from long distance that unluckily skimmed the top of the bar. Less than ten minutes later, the Revs mounted heavy pressure, and launched three corners within the course of two minutes, but came away from the assault empty-handed in the 68th minute.
The evening cannonade commenced yet again in the 70th minute, when Joseph cocked and unloaded a cannonball that clanked off the right post.

In an effort to keep the attack fresh and charged, Steve Nicol unleashed speedy rookie Abdoulie Mansally for Pat Noonan in the 76th minute. The Gambian immediately got himself into the mix, and was fouled near midfield mere seconds into his MLS debut.

During the final ten minutes, the Revs feverishly searched high and low for the late equalizer. Dorman launched a dangerous cross from the right channel that was parried by Pickens in the 84th. Three minutes later, Jay Heaps tried to left-foot the ball goalward, but grossly misplayed the shot in the 87th minute.

Four minutes of stoppage aided the Revolution’s late-match efforts, but the attack fizzled, as newly-crowned US Open Cup champions disappointingly clocked out of Chicago with nary a point.

THREE PENNY ANALYSIS: The Revs appeared to be en route toward victory early when Larentowicz struck gold in the 24th minute, the Chicago’s killer B’s, Blanco and Barrett, were relentless, and terrorized the Revs backs for much of the night. When they finally found paydirt themselves in the Chris Rolfe equalizer just as regulation expired.

In the second half, it was Fire early and often, and with the Revolution ship springing leaks courtesy of Chicago’s shots, it was just a matter of time before the vessel took on water. Then, the Fire finally put a large hole in the broadsides when Barrett, after a few frustrating sequences earlier in the match, struck for the game-winner just after the hour mark.

An interesting pair of notes: Andy Dorman was dropped from the starting eleven though he came on for Wells Thompson in the 74th minute. Additionally, two minutes later, Nicol deferred to Mansally rather than Cristman when he pulled Noonan out late. The latter was an especially bold move down a goal late, and the idea nearly worked, as Mansally’s speed certainly aided the attack late. Unfortunately, his speed was not enough to find the equalizer, as the Revs were unlucky to find it late despite their best efforts.

Stat of the Match, Part 1: The Revs have scored 47 goals, while the Fire has scored a paltry 30 in the same amount of matches (28).

Stat of the Match, Part 2: Matt Reis has allowed two goals in four of his last five matches (including US Open Cup play).

Stat of the Match, Part 3: Abdoulie Mansally became the fifth Revolution player to make his MLS debut this season.

Stat of the Match, Part 4: Jeff Larentowicz has scored his last two MLS goals from beyond the box.

Stat of the Match, Part 5: Prior to Saturday night’s match, the last time Andy Dorman came on as a substitute was on November 13, 2005 in the 2005 MLS Cup Final.

Red Sox pull a Revolution and wrap up playoff berth: After spending nearly 155 games in first place, the Sox clinched the AL East on Friday, September 28th, despite a lead over the Yankees that, at one point, was 13 games. The Sox did what they did best down the stretch: played mediocre baseball and made it interesting down to the final week of the season.

Now, the Revolution did the exact opposite: they clinched a playoff berth with their win against FC Dallas on September 15th, nearly six weeks before their season ended. Drama? Not in Revolution Nation, my friends!

Granted, there are far more games to be played in Major League Baseball than in Major League Soccer, but give the Revs credit: they’ve played good football without hitting any major funks during the season. They endured a grueling August, and came out with a 5-2-0 record. Then, they amazingly came away with the US Open Cup championship last Wednesday. Heart palpitations? High blood pressure? Not in Revolution Nation – at least not this season!

Now, both teams have amazing similarities: both have long-suffering fans due to prolonged lengths of time between championships. Both have arguably the most potent pairs of offensive weapons - Pat Noonan and Taylor Twellman for the Revs, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez for the Sox. Both often play into September with eyes on playoff glory, and this season saw both claim said glory after strong regular-season campaigns.

Despite the similarities, SMS is proud to report that to the best of his knowledge, Revs Nation currently has no pink-hat contingent, thankfully. Our fanbase is one founded upon true passion and celebration for our team, rather than it being fashionable and/or popular. That in itself makes Revolution Nation one of the most admirable in a land filled with bandwagon Patriots and Sox fans.

SMS Alma Mater Update: The Anchorwomen bounced back this past week with a pair of victories at Wesleyan University (10/3) and Keene State College (10/6). Ashley Jordan scored both goals in the Anchorwomen’s 2-1 win against Wesleyan, and Brittney Godbout scored the lone tally in the third minute on Saturday afternoon in pastoral Keene, New Hampshire.
The Anchorwomen currently stand at 5-5-1, and are 2-2-0 in Little East Conference play this season, good enough for fourth place at the moment. They will return home on Columbus Day intent to break the .500 mark against intrastate rival Roger Williams University at RIC Soccer Field at 6pm.


US Women’s National Team feature: Well, the US women thrashed Norway 4-1 last Sunday, courtesy of two goals from Abby Wambach and one apiece from Lori Chalupny and Heather O’Reilly. But overshadowing the admirable third-place finish in the Women’s World Cup was the fact that club departed China shortly thereafter with more questions surrounding them than when they arrived a month ago. Who’ll take the goalkeeper reins in light of the Hope Solo-Greg Ryan fallout? What direction will the club head in after a somewhat lethargic and precautious overall performance? Which players have worn the red, white and blue for the last time in international play?



Rest assured, all of these questions will be answered soon enough, if not, at least in part, when they face a three-match mini-series against Mexico this month. Stay tuned!



Join us again after the final regular season home match against Columbus on Saturday night. Boy, is it hard to believe that the regular season is on its final 180 or so minutes! In any event, with a playoff spot safely secured, we’ll see if Steve Nicol has any tricks up his sleeve against the desperate Columbus side that will enter Gillette Stadium vouching for a final playoff spot. Hey Columbus – no last minute equalizers this time around, bubs!

Larentowicz looks back while marching forward

In the most unlikely of scenarios for the most unlikely of heroes, a kid picked in the supplemental draft two years ago took center stage during Saturday night’s match at Real Salt Lake.

The game clock approached minute 82, and the Revs were looking for the clincher. Score tied by the home team just minutes previous on a devastating penalty taken by Real midfielder Carey Talley, Revolution forward Pat Noonan spearheaded a counterattack with less than ten minutes left in regular time. En route to a clear shot on goal, the striker was unceremoniously brought down before the box. Referee Michael Kennedy promptly awarded a free kick from the spot, and, seemingly out of nowhere, midfielder Jeff Larentowicz took charge.

“Sometimes, things just happen,” said Larentowicz, reflecting on the moments leading up to the free kick. “Some players call it ‘being in the zone.’ When the foul happened I grabbed the ball. I wanted it, and I put it down.”

Typically, in such free kick situations, the go-to guy on the Revolution is veteran Steve Ralston, who’s taken the bulk of the free kick chores this season. But with the full moon hovering above Rice-Eccles Stadium, the unexpected occurred.

“Obviously Steve’s the more senior player and he went up and looked at the situation, and let me have it. I mean, it was nice of him - it’s probably the first free kick I’ve ever hit for this team.”

What happened next was borderline sublime. With the match tied 1-1 and time becoming more precious by the minute, the tall, redheaded midfielder stepped up and launched an absolute missile that hovered just two feet off the ground and didn’t stop until the net harnessed the hard shot.

“I didn’t think about it, and after it happened, it took me a couple of times to watch it (on the video replay) to realize what had happened.”

But don’t let the former Brown Bear’s spectacular shot make you think that all of it has gone to his head. For it wasn’t too long ago that the third-year player was patiently biding his time as an unproven rookie, riding the bench and seeing the bulk of his time with the reserves.

“It’s not something I take for granted,” said Larentowicz of his current role of starting defensive midfielder. “Complacency can kind of creep in if you’re playing day in and day out.”

It wasn’t an easy road for sure. MLS supplemental picks often have the shelf-life of a Lindsay Lohan rehab stint. Unfazed, Larentowicz fought through the reserve league matches, bench assignments, and the unsettling job security of a developmental player to attain a highly-coveted senior roster spot with the local eleven.

“It took a long time (to win a starting spot). I’m not going to say I wasn’t helped out by (National Team) call ups and injuries last year, but the confidence I have in myself has grown. The confidence the coaching staff has in me has grown, and mainly I’ve gotten confidence from my teammates. They make you feel comfortable on the field, and that’s basically the way it’s developed.”

Nevertheless, the man they call “the Kaiser” has obviously not forgotten his journey from battling his way into the starting eleven.

Yet, despite the odds, this season has unmistakably been quite the opposite of previous editions for the midfielder. Thus far, he already has chalked up two sensational, highlight-reel goals. When asked to compare his Saturday night special to the memorable diving goal he struck back in May versus Chicago, Larentowicz chuckled and said that the go-ahead at Real Salt Lake was “his favorite.”

He certainly won’t dwell on his most recent goal for long. The Revs have quite an undertaking before them, as they commence a grueling six-game, seventeen-day stretch tonight vs. Kansas City. And how does a player go about preparing for such a demanding stretch?

Larentowicz replied, “You have to be able to control yourself on and off the field. We’re in here for training, it’s hot, and you do what you have to do, and you go home and rest because it’s two-to-three days between games now versus (the usual) six days.”

Certainly, paying careful attention towards training habits and conserving one’s energy weighs on the mind of a full-time starter like Larentowicz.

“It’s something you have to think about, and as a professional, you have to take care of yourself.”

Sunday Morning Striker: Revs dismantle RSL, 2-1

The Revs and Real Salt Lake kicked off Saturday night in Utah on the horribly-surfaced, yet refreshingly football line-free Rice-Eccles Stadium, which is actually the real home of the University of Utah football team. For those of you who follow the “other football”, the “Utes” featured a much-ballyhooed quarterback in 2004 by the name of Alex Smith – the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, made by a then-horrendous San Francisco 49ers team.

Anyway, for those of you eager to acquire the heavy ball and chain, you can hold your wedding at the facility for $2,500 an evening at the Scholarship Reception Room at the stadium. The room seats up to 375 humans, but you’re on your own when it comes to decorations and catering. For those of you who are soccer fans, the price does not include the removal of those horrendous football lines that often poison the view during a match.

Seeking alternate monikers for all 13 MLS clubs, reader Jeff St. Clair suggested RSL be called “the Saltines.” Any objections? SMS approves!

The Revs began early stringing a nice sequence of passes against the one-win club, and the game remained goalless through twenty minutes. The Saltines managed to make it dull and boring against the top-attacking (1.81 goals per game) club in MLS, and early on, SMS was dreading a reprise of the frustrating June 2 proceedings, which ended 0-0. Real reverted to their prior game plan – their only hope against a potent offense like the Revs -purely playing a scrappy, defensive-minded affair.

In the 23rd minute, Pat Noonan drove a shot low toward the near post that was saved by keeper Nick Rimando, giving the Revs a nice opportunity toward the early goal. Soon after, Dorman sent in another shot off the corner, and set off a series of corner kicks that failed to bear fruit for the road side, as the scoreboard remained silent.

Then in the 33rd minute, Rimando robbed Andy Dorman on a nice shot that threatened to give the Revs the first goal. Unfortunately, the ball was intercepted by the RSL keeper, and the match remained tied.

Ralston seemed to keep delivering good balls to his teammates, but each narrowly missed their intended targets. With the Revs clearly dominant in Act One, it appeared it was only a matter of time before the soccer gods would eventually smile upon Nicol’s boys.

Lightning struck for the Revs in the 39th minute, when Jeff Larentowicz sent a long ball to Taylor Twellman, before he headed it in beautifully toward an unmarked Noonan on the right. The not-so-clean shaven striker forward took a couple of crafty steps inside the box and absolutely schooled Rimando on a left-footed laser, giving the lads the 1-0 lead amid the thin air of Salt Lake.

As the half wore down with New England on top, the road side was poised to keep the Saltines below water. Though the home club attempted to break even before the frame closed, the Revs did well to suffocate any threat, and actually attacked late when Twellman went down after attempting to head in a Ralston cross before the half concluded.

The Revs immediately went for the throat as the second half commenced when Shalrie Joseph struck a hard shot before the box that rocketed above goal in the 46th minute, which put the home club on notice that the Revs were not content to sit back and mimic the long-ball approach so characteristic of their opponents.

With the Saltines clearly overmatched and faced to play the ugly route one ball, the Revs continued to attack and pressure the home side.

In the 53rd minute, the Revs threatened on an amazing sequence in which Noonan turned David Copperfield and escaped two defenders before sending a nice pass to his line mate Twellman, before the opportunity fizzled.

After being inserted as a substitute mere minutes previous, Khano Smith came on and laced a hard shot on goal in the 65th minute that kept Rimando on his toes.

Things turned especially ugly in the 67th minute, when Andy Williams slid in and de-cleated Dorman, sending the Welshman down hard to the pitch. Referee Michael Kennedy awarded Williams the dubious red card, which gave the already overmatched club further troubles.

The Pepto Bismol became a requirement in the 70th minute, when Jay Heaps took down Kyle Beckerman in the box, and eagle-eyed Kennedy caught the infraction. Penalty duly awarded to the Saltines, Carey Tally buried the ball past Matt Reis, giving the undermanned club the equalizer in the 72nd minute.

Both clubs played pinball with possession being traded like freefalling stocks between savvy insiders, neither club mounted an organized threat on goal as time ticked away late in the second half.

A chance to reclaim the lead lost nearly ten minutes prior, when Kennedy awarded a free kick to the Revs dangerously close to the Saltine box. Larentowicz took the direct free kick in the 82nd minute and belted out his rendition of “excuse me while I kiss the twine”, as he snipered a low heat seeker that split the wall and hurried into the Saltine net for the go-ahead goal.

With stoppage time extending the proceedings by four minutes, Talley struck a near-goal on a free kick that sailed over the Revolution wall before flying high above Reis. Threat effectively dismantled, the road troops sweated it out for the much-deserved road victory, 2-1.

Stat of the Match, Part 1: The Saltines have only scored nine goals in eight home matches this season.

Stat of the Match, Part 2: Noonan and Twellman have collaborated on three of the past five Revolution goals.

Stat of the Match, Part 3: Prior to Saturday’s match, the Revs last win over Real was back on September 3, 2005.

Stat of the Match, Part 4: After striking four shots on goal in the first half, the Revs did not record a shot on goal in the second half until the Kaiser’s tally in the 82nd.

What can Brown do for you? With a full moon rising above the concrete enclave, Real manager Jason Kreis sent in former Revolution forward Kyle Brown for Chris Brown in the 61st minute.

Misleading advertising ploy catches eye of SMS: After the Revs-Creamsicles match, SMS picked up an MLS-sponsored cardboard promotion in an empty cup holder. The flyer inquired: “Your league, your players. What would you do with $10,000,000?” Upon closer review, the card was actually requesting fans to fill out an on-line survey about MLS. SMS took this survey, and curiously, none of the questions was “what would you do with $10 million dollars?”

First things first though: the genius who designed these ad cards did a great job with the format, since at first glance, it looks like the bearer of the card could win ten million dollars. Then again, we all know that MLS does not have $10 million to just give away to a fan, so those of us not among the pipe dreaming contingent know better. In fact, the actual prize mentioned in the card is $500 shopping spree. Wow, from $10 million to $500…only in MLS!

Anywho, what would SMS do with $10 million towards the league and its players?

First of all, I’d use the first five million to give all developmental players raises. Case in point: Super rookie Adam Cristman will earn $17,700 in 2007, while fellow rookie Chris Loftus will take in a whopping $12,900 this year. Seriously, how do these guys even afford to pay for the late-night pizza?

Secondly, I would buy the necessary land to build a world-class soccer specific stadium in New England. Let’s call the price tag on that a square million. The land can’t sit there undeveloped forever…can it?

Four million left…I would pump three million into mega multimedia advertising, which would include ads featuring the super-hot Jessica Alba or Megan Fox. Then, I would get T.I. to write the remix to the MLS anthem for use during its MLS Prime Time commercials and other spots.
The remaining million would be channeled toward the expense of extra match balls. Why? The remainder of the season, any match ball that flies into the crowd is kept by the lucky fan to hauls it in. Just like baseball. Believe you me, this would be a sure-fire hit with the fans, and create awesome tales for the kiddies to tell at recess.

Let’s talk kits: During a recent discussion on the Chris Creamer Sports Logos board, the issue of MLS kits came up, and it was noted that the Revs have only gone with two uniform combos this season: white/white and navy/navy. This got SMS thinking (and typing a response soon after) – why don’t the Revs go with a navy/white and white/navy combo? I’m not asking for any overhauls – the New England kits are one of the classiest in the league (and throughout this season, remain sponsor-free!). But, a switch once in awhile would be cool.

Speaking of unis, with the other four major sports capitalizing on the cash-cow third jersey trend, why doesn’t MLS do the same? The Gals had a third uniform which featured a blue sash rather than the traditional green one, but after that, there are no third unis to speak of in MLS. Hey…do you hear that sound?

*The gears are turning inside the brain of one SMS*

How about a red Revs uniform? Now, history purists would contend that a red Revolution jersey is contradictory – after all, it was the British who wore red! (Note: this very oversight lasted over thirty years with the Patriots before they switched from red to blue as their primary color in 1993) However, speaking strictly on fashion, a red top/blue shorts would be a great way to push those ever-popular jersey sales over at the Pro Shop.

*Gears turning again*

Then again...how about an old wink o’ toward past with a New England Tea Men inspired throwback kit? Although the old NASL club predates his birth, SMS is highly in favor of such a uni, and thinks the red and yellow kits would be a huge hit with home crowd. Picture this: Twellman, Noonan, and Joseph in the extremely 70s –esque Tea Men kits roaming down the pitch right before your eyes. Note to Revs marketing department: please contact my agent for more proposals and ideas.

Pre-match fare: SMS pre-gamed the Revs-RSL match with the Boa Vista-FC Porto Portuguese Liga match in the late afternoon on Radio Television Portugal (RTP). For those of you who don’t know, SMS is half Portuguese, but, embarrassingly cannot speak, nor fully understand the language. (Side note: the match was advertised Friday night with a start time of “4.30 Amanha.”) Hey, SMS knew what that meant!

Anyway, FC Porto, the king of the Portuguese Liga table in 2006-07, won the match 3-0 over the black and white checkered Boa Vista.

Best week ever: Of all the major sports league commissioners, it’s fair to say that Don Garber had the best week ever among his peers this week. While the commish welcomed Beckham’s arrival during the Gals-Chelsea match last Saturday, other sports commissioners were embroiled in national controversies. So long as Landon Donovan stays away from the dog fighting, the refs stay away from Vegas bookies and the Mafia, and Jaime Moreno shuns the HGH and steroids, Garber will easily have the best summer among his fellow league czars in the sports commissioners guild.

Random soccer-related thought: On the espn2 Bottom Line, the Revs-RSL match stated “NEW ENGLND – SALT LAKE 9:30PM”. It should be noted that there was plenty of room for the “A” in New England.

Slyde had no comment on this item: Taking a cue from Jerry Remy, SMS has a plush Slyde sitting in a quite fashionable oak chair much like the one Wally the Green Monster reclines in during Red Sox broadcasts. Like Wally, Slyde is not typically animated during Revs TV matches, although there was one occurrence during the road match vs. Chivas USA where Slyde slumped over after Jesse Marsch’s goal at the 60th minute. Whether this was in disgust or weariness (the game started at 10:30pm ET) is still unknown, and Slyde is not willing to offer comment on the incident.

Shameless plug, part 1: If you haven’t already visited his critically-acclaimed blog (houseofsoccer.blogspot.com), SMS urges you to check it out. Also, if you happen to be a collegiate soccer player who also dabbles in writing, then SMS wants you to contribute your valuable first-hand soccer experiences! Beginning in late-August, the blog will look to feature the first-person point of view of a local collegiate player. If interested, send an e-mail to SMSRevs@gmail.com.

US Women’s National Team feature: She’s blonde, loves kids, chocolate and cheese (hopefully not together!), and after reading her bio, the floating hearts quickly surrounded SMS! Leslie Osborne may have missed the 2004 Olympics, but was a clear-cut choice for Greg Ryan’s World Cup roster this year. This year, she’s played in 10 of the 11 WNT matches, and figures to be an important cog in Ryan’s potent midfielding corps during September’s Women’s World Cup. Interestingly, she also has an interest in coaching. Leslie, SMS will gladly reserve an assistant coaching spot for you when he commences his indoor soccer season coaching duties with NE 1776 in the Fall – of course, after you come back from China with the World Cup!

Shameless plug, part 2: For those of you who simply cannot get enough of SMS, you are in luck this weekend!

I will be Sean Donahue’s in-studio guest for tonight’s Revolution Recap radio show on WNRI (Woonsocket) AM 1380 at 7pm. If you’re not able to listen live, check out Sean’s website – http://www.revolutionrecap.com/ – for the archive.

Join us after a shortened break when the Revs return to the synthetic confines of Gillette Stadium on Thursday night to face the Wizards. With a mere six points separating first and fifth place in the standings, these Eastern Conference matches are becoming more and more critical down the stretch.

Last time, the Revs would have beaten the Wiz 3-1, were it not for a stellar hat trick performance by Eddie Johnson, which gave the Kansas Citians the 4-3 victory. In the same vein as Greg Lalas’ “Keys to the Game”, SMS offers the following keys to the home club prior to the match: mark EJ a little better this time!

The Revolution Midseason Report

With the mid-way point officially arriving moments after the Red Bull-Revs match in the New Jersey swamplands, enough has transpired to where an accurate assessment can be made of the local XI. The club finished the first half with a 7-3-5 record, teetering in first place with a one-point lead in the Eastern Conference standings.

There have certainly been surprises, both good and bad, as well as the expected, which one would anticipate when the core roster has remained fairly consistent for the past three years. That being said, let's take a first half snapshot of the footballers from Foxboro.

SUPERLATIVES

Taylor Twellman: Twellman (whose star deservedly warrants a better nickname than “TnT”) got off to a remarkable start, scoring seven goals in seven games, and at one point, was the primary contender for the Golden Boot honors. However, the striker was called to national team duty in back-to-back tournaments (Gold Cup and Copa America), thus limiting his MLS schedule. Despite the nearly month-long absence, he still ranks third in goals (7), and with the major tournaments out of the way, it won't be long before he re-discovers his goal-scoring groove, and remind those concerned why he is one of the best forwards in the league.

Steve Ralston: Like a fine wine, Ralston only seems to get better with age. The Revolution captain, an MLS mainstay since the league's inception, is having one of his finest seasons this year. In May, he catapulted Chris Henderson as the MLS all-time games played king (324 and counting), then leapfrogged former Tampa Bay teammate Carlos Valderrama for the MLS career assists title (115) with his helper on Andy Dorman’s goal vs. RBNY over the weekend. All the while, Ralston, in typical fashion, has made the club better with his acumen for controlling the tempo of the game and commandeering the attack. Suffice to say, this club is nowhere near first place without Ralston on the pitch.

Shalrie Joseph: There have been periodic stretches during the course of a given match when the Revs attack has looked rather disheveled – that is, before Joseph finds the ball, and reorganizes the assault. Since there are no statistics for intangibles, it's hard for an outsider to judge the true worth of the Grenadian mid. But under closer inspection, it's easy to see why his services have been requested by the likes of Celtic FC. In the same vein as Ralston, the first half would have transpired much differently without his presence.

Andy Dorman: Don’t look now, but the attacking midfielder has already accumulated more goals (7) at the half-way point than he did all of last year (6). Some of that is obviously due to his being thrust into Clint Dempsey’s former role, but the Welshman has certainly been up to task in filling Deuce’s shoes the best he can. Barring injury, there’s no reason why he won’t be able to maintain his form, which will certainly have other clubs abroad knocking at the door at One Patriot Place from now until the end of the season. Well on his way toward his finest MLS season yet, the front office would be wise to re-sign the lanky mid before he tests the waters in free agency after the season ends.

SURPRISES

Jeff Larentowicz: The former defender now moonlights as a defensive mid, and has performed outside of himself in that role. While last season was certainly an eye-opener for the former Brown Bear, who often looked horribly lost on the pitch at times, he has quite nicely come into his own as a more than serviceable center-half during the first half, before he suffered an eye injury vs. Toronto last month.

Adam Cristman: The rookie striker showed flashes of brilliance in pre-season, tallying six goals in six games, which had Revolution Nation buzzing with excitement. Expectedly, he has not been able to maintain that remarkable rate against regular MLS competition, but has shown his knack for putting the ball on net. With much of emphasis placed on first rounder Wells Thompson, Cristman, a third-round pick, has quickly become the frontrunner for MLS rookie of the year honors.

Wells Thompson: Speaking of the man they call "Wellsie", the apple of Nicol's eye during SuperDraft has already shown his versatility, with starts on both the left and right flank. Whether he becomes the solution on the left, or becomes Ralston's successor on the right, remains to be seen. He has shown to be a worthy first option off the bench this season, allowing Nicol the flexibility of inserting the rookie almost anywhere in midfield.

QUESTIONS

Khano Smith: Will he ever truly develop into the player that his biggest fan (last name rhymes with “pickle”) hopes him to be? This isn’t 2006, where Smith was injured for most of the season, thus allowing a built in excuse for his lack of consistency. This season, there are no excuses, and more to the point, we’re on Year Three of the left wing experiment for the former Bermudan striker. Once in awhile, the tall winger will tease you with the remarkable shiftiness and speed of a player more compact than him. But the remainder of the time, he has Revolution fans pulling their hair out at the recurrent stumbling and duck launching (see highlights of the 5/26 Kansas City match)

Willie Sims: It’s hard to believe that the Generation adidas player, selected in the 2005 SuperDraft, is entering his third year with the club this year. That in itself is an achievement, but in his third pro season, he has yet to distinguish himself among the club’s younger players. Four rookies have made their MLS debuts this year, while Sims, who played in nine matches last year, has yet to crack the first team. With the influx of talent from this year’s draft, Lil’ Will may seem himself phased out soon after the Revs win the MLS Cup in November. (Yes, I said that.)


Revolution backs: Last year, the club leaned heavily on its stalwart defending when injuries gathered like locusts, and when all was said and done, the club gave up an MLS-best 35 goals. This season, the defending has reprised its 2006 role at times, but at other times, has looked like a trio of matadors, simply allowing attackers to walk right by. As the matches become more critical down the stretch, the back line will have to ante up if the Revs hope to return to the playoffs.

Revolution coaching staff: Allow to me explain this one. Yes, the club currently reigns supreme in the Eastern Conference, but how do you explain draws to such illustrious clubs like Real Salt Lake and Columbus (twice)? Both of these matches could have been accurately viewed as “trap” games, and when said games arrive on the schedule, it is the coaching staff’s job to ensure that the club does take its seemingly overmatched opponent lightly. Two consecutive draws to two of the worst clubs at the time is telling of the level of preparation the club had for the each of the matches.

What will the second half of the season hold in store for the Revs? It appears they are on their way to another playoff appearance, at the very least, and perhaps another MLS Cup appearance if they stay healthy.

But anything can happen – just ask DC United, with the way their 2006 season transpired toward the closing bell. What’s certain though is that the club has the key ingredients – potent offense, sound goalkeeping, and decent defending – to make another run at the MLS Cup.