SuperLiga to the rescue

(Photo: Chris Aduama)

Steve Nicol probably isn't the biggest fan SuperLiga. You can sense it in his post-match pressers.* There are probably a bajillion different things he'd rather have his team doing on a Wednesday night. Volunteering at the animal shelter. Bowling for charity. Throwing Silly Bandz parties. Pretty much anything that does not involve his team getting subjected to vicious slide tackles and ninety minutes in the thick August humidity without league points at stake.

(*That's not to say that Nicol isn't happy that his team's currently on a bit of an unbeaten streak. I'm sure he's beyond pleased about it. But you could tell that after Marko Perovic and Kevin Alston each picked up injuries during last night's game, Nicol wasn't exactly bonkers about this tournament.)

But as much as the gaffer may not give a googly-moogly about these extra-MLS matchups, the tournament has obviously benfitted his team tremendously over the past month.

You could say that the Revs rebirth started before SuperLiga. In fact, you could say it began on July 10th, when they shocked the Galaxy 2-0. Granted, Landon Donovan and Omar Gonzalez both missed the match, but the heart of the matter is that the Revs beat the best team in league in convincing fashion.

After the match, Darrius Barnes talked about carrying the momentum into SuperLiga and really making a run in the tourney. Winning was important, no matter what the forum. The team's victories up until that point could be counted on one hand. A win, nevermind a series of wins, would mean the world to this group of hard luck lads.

So that's what they did. They followed up that victory with a 1-0 win against Pumas, a game which featured one of the sloppiest first halfs played by the Revs this season. Yet, somehow, Zack Schilawski managed to get a hold of a goal in the 18th minute, and Revs got themselves together in the second frame to hold off a charging Pumas for the remainder.

And their ferocious form continued against the Fire. They grinded out another 1-0 victory thanks to Marko Perovic's late-match blast and solid defending from the Tierney-Barnes-Osei-Alston back four. It wasn't pretty. Thankfully, style points weren't factored.

Days later, the Revs picked up their third straight 1-0 result against the alliteratively-named Monarcas Morelia, this time with Sinovic at left back, and Shalrie and Sainey on the bench to preserve their status (both received yellows in the Pumas match) for the semifinal. You may remember that Steve Ralston was supposed to play his final match that night, but due to some unforseen circumstances*, never appeared on the pitch to help his team out. Nevertheless, Steve Nicol pulled a rabbit out of his hat and a spot in the semifinal was secured.

(*According to a few people I talked to familiar with the situation, the appearance was scrubbed after some insurance issues -Rally had an offer in hand to coach in H-Town - surfaced. Not to lay the blame on anyone/any entity, but these are the times when a little forethought could have gone a long way. The fact that an MLS legend couldn't even stop onto the pitch for a final hurrah due to legalities is a farce of the highest order. Having said that - Steve Ralston Testimonial, anyone?)

It was all going so well. A few players probably wished that these were league games. Conveniently, a league game presented itself in Philly over the weekend, where the local lads resumed their league form by promptly conceding the first goal of the game, courtesy of Sebastien Le Toux. It looked like the old Revs were back until Perovic's dead ball brilliance emerged in with twenty minutes to go.

Last night, the first half featured a disheveled effort. To add to their woes, Puebla savagely assaulted Nyassi, Joseph, and Mansally, curiously without reprimand. Instead of retaliating, Mansally had the match of his season, as he found space often and regularly threatened in the second half, with his 56th minute goal giving the home crowd hope of another SuperLiga final.

That hope, of course, was rudely interrupted two minutes later when Puebla equalized despite a disputed handball seen by everyone but the referee. The score stayed one-all before penalties were employed to determine the winner.

The Revs converted their penalties and Reis made a heady save on a low shot from Edgar Lugo, and all of sudden, it was back to the Super Liga Final.

A month ago, this team had just had their collective tails handed to them by Real Salt Lake. It's one thing to lose one or two-nil. Five-nil is comprehensive humiliation. It's a Dustin Diamond homemade video. It's the kind of stuff that makes you wish you could ask for a do-over.

But, the Revs didn't plan on getting a time machine to fix it. Instead, they looked ahead and defeated a sleeping giant, then paraded their newfound confidence in a tournament they won only two years ago. Instead of playing tentatively, they've picked their heads up and battled through some fierce competition.

Look, let's not kid ourselves: the playoff ship left port a long time ago. This is a team that sports a 4-9-3 record and currently hovers perilously close to the Eastern Conference cellar. The likelihood that it will somehow find maximum points from now until November and magically maneuver itself into the postseason is My Little Pony stuff.

That being said, there are a slew of games that still remain. How this team performs down the stretch will tell us how hungry they are to forget the failures of the season's first half. How ready they are to show us it a complete aberration. It will tell us what this team, despite the injuries, hard luck, and the multi-goal massacres, is really made of going into next season.

There's no doubt SuperLiga has recharged this club. Yeah, they're not league games, but the tournament has proven to be something far, far more important. It's become an oasis. A place where the losses don't sting as much. Figuratively, of course. A place where the long-lost chemistry has finally been located. An opportunity to breed confidence, a trait that this club had sorely lacked during the spring and early summer.

Steve Nicol may not like SuperLiga. But without it, it's fair to say that his club could have been in far worse shape without it.

How Nicol is undermining his own success

0-4.

That's not the type of score you want to see on a Saturday night, nevermind a Saturday night in which you were holding down the fort at home while braving the remnants of Tropical Storm Hannah. The sound of branches snapping off the trees and rain pelting the windows only added to the sense of portentousness that pervaded through the flickering television screen as it struggled mightily to carry the Revolution-Crew match into the living room.

For those of you who love stats - and those of you who hate them - this is the third 0-4 match in the past 21 days for the Revs. Losing 0-4 to top of the table Columbus is one thing. Losing 0-4 to expansion San Jose (8/16) and Trinidad's fourth-best club, Joe Public (9/2), is reason enough to seek witness protection in PDL or USASA.

Steve Nicol will be the first to tell you that his club is tired. They've "got nothing in the tank." Good excuse. I can't tell you how many times I accompanied a tardy term paper with that very explanation. Unsurprisingly, it didn't work with many of my professors, and I can tell you that its shelf life is particularly short with much of the media, myself included.

Yes, I know, the club has will finish a grueling 38-day, 11-match stretch on Thursday against Chivas USA. The press releases remind me of that after each loss. Injuries, call-ups and suspensions have chewed into the club's first team significantly. I understand the manager can do little about these situations. I'll grant him a couple of mulligans. After all, he's not a shaman. His powers are not of the metaphysical variety. So I don't expect that the club will be fully fit and at the pinnacle of its power during this especially concentrated period of true football.

However, I have a suggestion to help alleviate the heavy toll.

Full disclosure: I never played at Liverpool. Nor have I ever managed a side where my charges were old enough to ride a ferris wheel unsupervised. But, I do have some managerial advice. The gaffer can do himself a tremendous favor by - get this - assigning players to their natural positions, rather than adehering to the continued practice of juxtaposing the starting eleven to point of borderline experimentation.

Case in point: the deployment of Amaechi Igwe at centerback. Igwe, when positioned on the left, is a pretty good attack-minded defender that gives the opposing defense something to think about when he crosses the centerline. Plus, he has to the speed to get back and defend after pursuing such an attack. He's not great but, if given the minutes, he can develop into a quality left back. So you can imagine why I'm puzzled that he's stationed in the center.

Another is Chris Tierney at left back. Tierney is a midfielder by trade, but apparently, Nicol has grand illusions for him at left back. Why? Tierney isn't particularly fast, and often struggles to contain even the most speed-deficient attackers. While his service is decent, he'd far better off playing in his customary role at left wing, rather than getting regularly dusted by the average right-sided midfielder.

Now, Nicol's tinkered with the above ideas at various points since the All-Star match. The worst such example of this was complete and utter failure vs. Joe Public last Tuesday. I'm guessing the four goals allowed in that match won't make it to the club's highlight reel this season.

The Revolution will get a welcome 10-day respite after Thursday's Chivas match. Hopefully, the break will allow Nicol to clear his mind and assign players to their actual positions. And by then, the "tired" excuses will be tired. The extra-MLS tournament crutch no longer remains. The woe-is-us-the-schedule's-a-beast quote will be the soccer equivilent of the boy who cried wolf. The expiration dates on these excuses will have expired. Bill Parcells once said, "You are what you are." And if the Revs hope to convince the rest of us that they are more than just a tired, mediocre club, they will have to leave the excuses at the door and step it up.

I think Danity Kane said it best: "Actions speak louder than words/You gotta show me somethin'."

Meet the Rookies: Matthew Britner

Matthew Britner knew Steve Nicol was watching.

During the course of Britner’s collegiate career at Brown University, a short trip south of Foxboro, MA, the tall defender felt that he was gaining plenty of attention during his time in Providence. Just to be sure, Britner capped off his senior season by earning 2007 Ivy League Player of the Year honors.

Along with Brown coach Mike Noonan’s familiarity with Nicol (the two are often seen chatting with each other at Revolution reserve matches), it wasn’t a stretch to assume that Noonan may – just may- have had something to do with Britner’s selection by New England in the third round of this year’s SuperDraft.

“It’s entirely possible,” said Britner after a recent Revolution training. “Coach (Noonan) will do anything to push his program. I also think that because Steve scouts some of the (Brown) games (in Providence).”

So when Britner’s name was announced as the 41st overall pick, he was thrilled to find out which team was choosing him.

“I was just happy to be drafted in the first place. But when I heard it was the Revolution, and Steve Nicol called me, I was extremely excited,” said Britner.

Excited indeed. Not only because of the short distance he had to travel from Brown to meet up with his new club, but because of the familiarity he had with the area, as well as the team.

“I think of all of the destinations in MLS, this is where I wanted to be for a bunch of reasons,” said Britner. “One (reason) being because I’m already familiar with the area. Another (reason) because I know a few guys on the team already.”

Although he has already caught the attention of Nicol and the rest of the coaching staff to warrant a draft slot, Britner is currently in training without a contract. In other words, he’s with the club on trial. But he doesn’t look at his situation as a disadvantage.

“Just coming in here as a rookie, I’m here to prove myself,” said Britner. “This may be the first extended period in which the coaches can evaluate my play. I’m just coming here and working as hard as I can to show that I can play at this level.”

With more than a month and a half of training, preseason matches, and more training before the start of the regular season, Britner will certainly have the time to prove his worth.

Another thing working in his favor: his height. The 6-1 defender is one of the tallest players in camp right now. With the strong possibility of Nicol employing the 4-4-2 this season, Britner may find earn a spot on the club before long.

He knows earning that spot won’t be easy. But he also understands the challenges ahead of him.

“Obviously, everyone wants to play. I’m realistic about it. Everyone has to prove themselves day in and day out. Obviously, everyone wants to be in the starting XI. But if I can just continue to develop as a player and improve, and make strides – whatever that may be.”

That’s all he can really do right now. Without a body of work in MLS to fall back on, nevermind a contract, Britner knows that the primary focus right now is to continue proving himself in training. And from there?

“Hopefully, I’ll win a contract from the team.”

An inside job: Revolution undermined by one of their own

It turns out that the fourth time wasn’t the charm, either.

After Sunday afternoon’s MLS Cup match between the New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo, the Revolution failed once again to capture the Cup that has painfully eluded them for the fourth time. Only this time around, the local lads didn’t stand a chance even before the opening whistle.

This time, the Revolution was undone by something far more sinister. Something that required precise planning and impeccable execution. Something that was carefully coordinated, and masked under a veil of good intentions. In short, it was inside job.

Any hopes that New England would finally break its MLS Cup streak was dashed long before the club hit the tarmac at Reagan International Airport. It wasn’t DeWayne DeRosario or Joseph Ngwenya that did in the Revolution. They were only accessories to a larger crime. While it may have appeared that the villain was decked out in Creamsicle orange, the fact of the matter is that Steve Nicol is the actual culprit behind the Revolution’s fourth MLS Cup failure.

How? Rewind to early-October, when the Scotsman banished second-leading scorer Andy Dorman to the bench. Though the attacking midfielder, who piled up eight goals before the MLS All-Star match in July, had slumped during the summer, the attack still remained potent, despite Dorman’s struggles. Nevertheless, Nicol, in a very curious move, switched Steve Ralston from the right to the middle, inserted rookie Wells Thompson in Ralston’s old role, and relegated Dorman to the pine.

With Dorman dropped, the attack sputtered - badly. From October 6th onward, the Revolution became heavily dependent upon Taylor Twellman to put the ball in the back of the net. As a result, the offense became mind-numbingly predictable, as opponents began to isolate the Best XI striker by simply blanketing him with a crowd of defenders. Take away Michael Parkhurst’s 60-yard circus goal against Toronto, and the Revs only cracked two goals in a game once - October 13th - against hapless Columbus, who actually managed to claim victory that night.

Going into the playoffs, Nicol stuck to his sure-fire formula, and the attack looked flatter than it had all season. But luck was on New England’s side during the first three playoff matches. The Revolution beat a New York team that lay in shambles on a mere 1-0 aggregate, (the lone goal courtesy of Twellman) and instead of facing MLS MVP Luciano Emilio and DC United in the Eastern Conference Championship, it was the Chicago Fire, fresh off their 4-3 aggregate upset of DC, that came into Foxboro with nothing more than Cuauhtemoc Blanco to throw at them. Again, luck proved to be the Revolution’s mistress, as Twellman amazingly bicycle kicked the game-winner, sending New England back to their third consecutive MLS Cup appearance.

Despite the fact that the Revolution had only scored two goals – both from Twellman - in during the course of 270 minutes of playoff soccer, Nicol stuck to his guns, although it was evident that the Revolution attack had became one-dimensional since the lineup shuffle.

True to form, Nicol once again deployed the same decaffeinated lineup in DC for the MLS Cup. Though they took an early lead thanks to – who else? – Twellman, Houston smartly adjusted, and surrounded the striker with double and triple teams. Going into the second half with a 1-0 lead, Nicol hoped to keep Houston at bay by abandoning the attack and bunkering up in the back. But you cannot simply dance with the champ – you must knock him down.

Instead of going for the jugular and unleashing Dorman or rookie striker Adam Cristman as a substitute to keep the pressure on Houston, the gaffer opted for the conservative defensive shell that essentially provided an open invitation to the Dynamo to challenge his backs. Like the ill-fated snow owl in Dumb and Dumber, the Revolution was a vulnerable bird that Nicol felt required the utmost protection. But when Joseph Ngwenya uncorked the equalizer in the 61st minute, (sidenote: adding to the symbolism is that Jim Carrey sported a gaudy orange tuxedo when he unknowingly offed the owl), it hit the Revolution bird square in between its eyes, as the the creature quickly hit the ground and writhed in agony.

Presented with an even score, a stubborn Nicol remained steadfast, intent on playing for overtime instead of regulation. But the guillotine finally dropped on Nicol’s fail-safe plan when Dwayne DeRosario headed in the go-ahead tally in the 74th minute. With Twellman completely entrapped in a wall of orange, Nicol tried to counter by deploying Dorman late in the 78th minute. But it was a classic case of shutting the proverbial barn door after all of the horses had escaped, as the Revs were treated to yet another spectator’s view of an MLS Cup celebration.

Nicol’s supporters have often stated that the reason the Revolution has gotten to four MLS Cups is because of him. Yet, a growing contingent of detractors are countering that with each successive MLS championship failure, the Revs have made it to the finals in spite of Nicol; that a team comprised of five MLS all-stars (Twellman, Ralston, Shalrie Joseph, Michael Parkhurst and Matt Reis) should make the playoffs. It’s their manager that continues to undermine their efforts in championship play due to an ultra-conservative game plan that has failed each time.
In the wake of their fourth MLS Cup loss, many are calling for the Scotsman to be shown the door.

Given the Revolution’s successful regular season track record, it is unlikely that management will give into the cries for Nicol’s head. Even so, it may be time to shorten the leash tethered to Nicol’s neck. For anything less than an MLS Cup in 2008 should be viewed as a failure on the part of the front office to address this issue well in advance.

Sunday Morning Striker: Revs outlast Rapids on a late goal, 1-0

This is a grand time of the year. Though the calendar indicates summer's concluded, the days are still somewhat warm, and the leaves begin to turn astonishing pigments of orange, yellow, and red. Yes, fall has greeted us at the front door, and soon, we will be carving pumpkins, raking leaves, and retiring the lawnmowers ‘til spring.

But before then, SMS wanted to elaborate on a term that he has recently coined. Now, before said term is shared, SMS wants to give due credit to one of his college professors for the inspiration behind this phrase. For it was four years ago, during one of SMS's favorite courses - Courts and Public Policy - that his professor, Dr. Schmeling, noticed that with the cool air blowing through the open class windows, "Halloween weather" was upon us.

So with that, Sunday Morning Striker declares that said weather is also "Revolution weather." Why? For a few reasons.

One, as a sports fan in general, this is the time of year where the Red Sox start tanking it (thankfully, they held on and clinched the AL East on Friday night), the Patriots, though off to a tremendous start, are still in the toddler stages of the NFL season, and with the Bruins...wait...does anyone still care about the Bruins? Exactly. The Revs are playing critical games as the season winds down - games which they typically win, if you look at the recent history of their September stats - which is very un-Red Sox like. Though there is some sadness that the regular season is almost reaching its finale, it's quelled by the excitement of another playoff run. The tickets are already punched; it's just a matter of where they finish, and who they play. Simple.

Second, there's a little something extra on the line this season. You may have heard about this little trophy called the U.S. Open Cup – the oldest of its kind in the U.S. - which the Revs will be playing FC Dallas for this Wednesday. It's the club's shot at its first piece of braggable hardware. How lucky are Revolution fans right now for their beloved club to be in contention for three trophies? In addition to the U.S. Open Cup, the Supporter's Shield (top MLS club) and the MLS Cup are all within grasp.

Third, as a history buff, the fall reminds SMS of tales of the Battle of Yorktown, perhaps the decisive battle of the Revolutionary War. The battle began on September 28, 1781 and concluded on October 17th. After this battle - a battle in which a team of American and French forces defeated an embarrassed General Cornwallis - the war, which by now had reached year six, and the British were losing their resolve. This battle served notice that the colonists were in this for the long haul, while the British were simply losing interest. Think of it like any previous Revolution-Toronto FC match up, and the fourth goal was scored. After the first three, you knew Toronto wanted nothing to do with the affair. They just wanted to pack up and go home. Same thing here with the British. (And both wore red…not a coincidence!)

In general, it's worth nothing that the ragtag continental armies despised fighting during the cold winters; so much of the strategy and planning of battles usually took place before the cold set in (which made Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas Day 1776 that much more brilliant – the Hessians and British wanted nothing more to do that day than to feast while a wicked snowstorm had just blown through Trenton, NJ). Thus, fall was great opportunity to stage battles, as the air was often dry, and the weather seasonable enough to endure weeks upon weeks of battle, if necessary.

Speaking of “Revolution weather”, the Revolution and Rapids kicked off Saturday night under –what else- cool and breezy early-autumn conditions! The last time these clubs met was back on August 16th, in what essentially proved to be a glorified game of keep away, as Revs chased and chased en route to a disastrous 3-0 result in Commerce City.

Soon after the Gillette Stadium audio system blasted the ubiquitous “Welcome to the Jungle”, the Rapids kicked off at 7:38pm ET. A surprising subplot took shape when the Revolution marched onto the pitch without their sniper, Taylor Twellman, who was nursing a strained groin. To make up for the loss, the Steve Nicol surprisingly employed the 3-4-3, with Steve Ralston inserted as a forward.

Early on, it was the Rapids that threatened, as the Revs struggled to form an attack of some sorts. Nearly ten minutes after Gun n’ Roses blared, a brief assault was organized in the 9th minute. Adam Cristman pickpocketed a lazy Rapids pass deep in their own end, took a touch, and fired a shot from the right channel that forced Bouna Coundoul to make the save.

Just seconds later, the theatrics sparked up when Tony Sanneh dramatically fell like he’d been shot in the hindquarters after he ran into a stout Jay Heaps. Sanneh remained on the pitch for some time, drawing as much attention to his condition as possible. Amazingly, referee Ricardo Salazar took the bait and Heaps was awarded a yellow for his non-efforts. As Sanneh hobbled off the field, Medhi Ballouchy entered for his Oscar-worthy teammate.

Halfway through the first frame, the Rapids had the Revs on their heels, occupying the land in front of the lighthouse for a better part of the first twenty five minutes.

Then, a quick counterattack was commandeered by Captain Ralston in the 26th minute, but after sidestepping a defender and racing into the D, his shot was stopped cold by Coundoul.


Although Colorado controlled possession for much of the first half, the Revs attack sprung to life briefly in the waning minutes when Shalrie Joseph, Khano Smith, and Ralston all orchestrated invasions of Rapids territory. But it was all for naught, as the local lads failed to penetrate the goal line before the frame concluded.

Entering the second half, Nicol’s troops came out poised to spoil their guests’ stay in Norfolk County, and what better way to say “get the heck outta here with your foolish flopping” than a quick goal? However, the Rapids rejected the proposition and continued their first half ownership of the adidas Teamgeist ball.

However, in the 55th minute, the Revolution mounted a mild attack in which Ralston kicked it back to Dorman and fired a deflected shot on a vulnerable Coundoul. Fortunately for the keeper, he was in perfect position, as the ball magnetically found his mitts as he literally sat in the 6-yard box.

At the hour mark, the Revolution attack began to show its teeth, as it found more and more opportunities near the lighthouse in the second half. Though the home side threatened with a pair of corners, Coundoul kept the ball away from the net.

On offense, Rapids threatened on a dangerous free kick in the 71st minute after Cummings powerfully headed the ball goalward, until Larentowicz deftly blasted the ball out of the vicinity

With the scoreboard on snooze at 0-0, the Rapids continued to fall like gray dominoes, hoping to draw the attention of Salazar. Apparently, they had forgotten that 1.) The object of the game is to put the ball in the back of the net, and 2). By the way, you’re still three points short of a playoff berth.

To their credit, the Revs ooohhhed the crowd in the 77th minute after a couple of quick attacks, but failed to deposit the pill through the Colorado goalmouth. Pat Noonan harnessed a high ball and booted it to Cristman on the doorstep. Unfortunately, the rookie crashed before he was able to put an appendage on it.

In the 83rd minute, a spirited Matt Reis repeatedly pushed forward his large mitts as he implored his teammates to salvage a late goal with the clock winding down.

And as the autumn breeze began to pick up in the 88th minute, the Revs answered the call to arms. Joseph, stationed mere yards after the halfway line, fed a ball forward to a streaking Smith on the left wing. The Bermudan cut inside, split two defenders, and boomed a shot into the net for the late-match tally at 9:22pm ET under the waning gibbous moon that glowed above the Stadium. It was the only goal needed, and after four minutes of stoppage, the Revs walked off the pitch proud with another home victory.

THREE PENNY ANALYSIS: Well, it had all the makings of a lackluster performance early on, but the Revolution truly found a way to win. The first half was all Colorado, and despite the Revs outshooting them (2-1) and having the advantage ok corners (4-1), the possession was clearly in favor of the guests. The Revs best chances in the first sixty minutes came from close-range free kicks, where Twellman’s absence was especially felt when Ralston’s lobs failed to meet a teammate’s noggin.

With the free kicks only giving brief promise, the Revs would simply have to keep attacking – and did just that in the final 15 minutes. Whether it was weariness from chasing the turbo-charged Ralston or from flopping so often, the Rapids were exhausted, and Kenny Smith made them pay dearly with his next-to-next-to-last-minute heroics. The defense held its part of the bargain in the second half, and the Revs put it altogether for the win.

And not to be overshadowed is the fact that they ride this momentum into Frisco on Wednesday for the US Open Cup final against FC Dallas.

Random soccer-related thought, Part 1: The Rapids, in their grayish-blue road kits, sported a look that can best be described as throwback Philadelphia Phillies road jerseys.

Random soccer-related thought, Part 2: And say what you will about Fernando Clavijo, but the man knows how to dress. By the way, how was he not listed in GQ’s “50 Most Stylish Men” issue? But fear not, for the soccer gods, though mysterious, smile upon these sorts of matters.

O ye trifle not with the soccer gods: Medhi Ballouchy was issued a yellow card in the 67th minute, after his predecessor, Tony Sanneh, convinced referee Salazar to award one to Jay Heaps on a highly-suspect foul in the 10th minute.

Back, and better than ever…well, at least they’re back! A couple of Revolution haikus for you to chew on…

Twellman out tonight
Ralston steps in to replace
3-4-3 indeed

Match stuck at zero
For a long eighty eight minutes
Then Kenny seals it.

A silver Revolution jersey? Last week, the Patriots, donned the incredibly useless silver alternate jerseys against the Bills. By useless, I mean they are essentially the white jerseys without being washed. Seriously. They look like the unwashed version of the white jerseys. SMS is not the only one who thinks this.

Anywho, this reminded SMS that the Revs also wore silver jerseys at one time. Though he does not have any photographic evidence to corroborate this claim, he does distinctly remember his intent to purchase one at the local Sports Authority back in 2000 after seeing them on TV. Unfortunately, being the poor college student that he was, SMS was ten dollars short of the $45 retail price, and thus the shiny shirt was never purchased. Seven years later, SMS simply wishes he had mowed a few more lawns and picked it up a few days later. Sigh…

Who oversees grammar at MLSnet.com? Recently, SMS received an e-mail from MLSNet.com promoting their charitable efforts in fighting malaria, a deadly, mosquito-transmitted disease that affects many children on the African continent. While the cause is certainly worthwhile –SMS himself sent in a donation - the e-mail was oddly-titled “Enter the MLS WORKS for Nothing But Nets Sweeps.” Huh? What’s MLS doing? Or what is it not doing? Aiyeeeeeeeeee!

US Women’s National Team Update: The WNT faced off against Brazil on Thursday, and for a little added drama, manager Greg Ryan boldly benched Hope Solo in favor of Briana Scurry. Owing to Scurry’s overall record and previous play against the formidable Brazilians, Ryan played the percentages and went with the ’99 World Cup hero rather than Solo and her 290-minute shutout streak. SMS said it in his Running Diary and he’ll say it again: Dance with the one that brung ya! Predictably, the experiment failed, the US went down early 0-2, Shannon Boxx got tossed, and the Brazilians never looked back, as they thrashed the Americans 4-0. Thus, the best team in the world will not be playing for the World Cup, and poor SMS will have to settle for watching the third-place game on Sunday.

Greg Ryan is a great coach – his record proves that – but his decision to bench Solo was a dumb, dumb mistake. The early goals (one of which was an own goal by Leslie Osborne) seemed to deflate the US, as they failed to establish any prolonged attack before Boxx was sent off. After that, it pretty much became elementary: the US was not coming back, and Brazil did well to ensure that. Kudos to them, and though the US will always be my team, SMS will be rooting for Brazil in the finals.

SMS Alma Mater Update: The Anchorwomen clashed against Springfield College on Tuesday night, but were blanked 3-0 by the Pride. Then, on a date that SMS had circled on his calendar, RIC played #23 Western Connecticut State University on Homecoming Weekend. SMS proudly sported his RIC hoodie and hat, and though the Anchorwomen were shutout 3-0 by Colonials, the home team played their hearts out in the face of much stiffer competition.

That being said, while the Anchorwomen sport a “they can do better” record of 3-5-1, their schedule is laced with nationally-ranked opponents. SMS personally admires the lack of cupcakes in the schedule, and feels that the sharp competition will only improve the play of the Anchorwomen over the next few years.

Sunday Morning Striker will be reporting back after the Chicago match where he will discuss the US Open Cup Finals, the farce that became the MLS national TV schedule, and the amazing parallels between the Red Sox and Revolution.

Got a question, concern or deeply-held grievance? E-mail the Sunday Morning Striker at SMSRevs@gmail.com.

Sunday Morning Striker: Commentary on an undermanned club...oh, and the Revs beat the Wiz, 1-0!

A few hours before Sunday night’s Revs-Wizards match, SMS quietly meandered through the World Wide Web in search of – what else- knowledge. What kind of knowledge, you ask? Any kind, as long as it’s free.

Unfortunately, though the bit of knowledge SMS had just stumbled across was free, it was troubling to say the least. Frank Dell’Apa of the Boston Globe reported that the Revs would be without the services of Steve Ralston for the second game in a row, following his recuperation from flu-like symptoms. To make matters worse, Pat Noonan would also be out of action as well with a groin strain, thus leaving the Revs deprived of not only two critical players, but also a deviation from their favored formation – the 3-5-2 - as opposed to the more conservative 4-4-2.

Now particular injuries cannot be predicted – however, they are as much a part of sports as post-game groupies, so they (injuries, not groupies) must be planned for. Injuries are never well timed – whether it be at the beginning, middle, or tail end of a season - yet they almost always seem to strike at the worst possible moments. That’s why it’s essential for a club to carry capable reinforcements.

Rookies Wells Thompson and Adam Cristman took the spots left behind by Ralston and Noonan, respectively. However, beyond these two players, what’s left on the Revolution bench should injury or tactical shift become necessary?

There’s a horde of unproven rookies, with the exception of veteran Marshall Leonard, who has been curiously banished to the role of unused substitution thus far.

But there’s a more glaring problem when the Revs head into any particular match shorthanded. A cursory count of the current roster will lead you to conclude that the Revs are two players short a full roster.

The troubling aspect of this development is that it’s not a recent development. Since the Revs placed Joey Franchino on the season-ending injury list and waived Danny Hernandez back in May, the club has marched on without a full roster. Sure, it’s cute when your starters are healthy and the club sits in first place. But when two critical pieces of the starting eleven fall to injury and/or sickness, the issue of pressing on without a full compliment of players is completely unacceptable.

What kind of outrage would there be in Boston if Theo Epstein kept the Red Sox two players below the 25-man limit? Or if Bill Belichick carried 51 players instead of the 53-man max? Fans would be furious! The sports talk-show circuit would feast on such developments. Yet, the Revs have quietly gone about their business with two empty slots, hoping that the soccer gods would seemingly smile on them with an injury-free season.

How foolish.

Due to the ambiguity in terms of the gentleman who carries the responsibility of filling the roster – much is speculated whether it’s Nicol himself or a cast of front office characters that decide the list - I can only conclude that whoever has the final say should be taken to task.

To carry on while a club’s roster is artificially shrunken for the better part of three months is preposterous, and becomes even more absurd when two starters are unavailable. Troubling as it is, what would happen if another starter went down with a more serious injury – an ailment that required the remainder of the season to heal, for example? What is the contingency plan if Taylor Twellman has to miss a lengthy series of matches due to injury? Who’s going to fill in if Michael Parkhurst is forced to the sidelines for a prolonged amount of time?

Nicol has repeatedly hinted at negotiations with a player of interest since May. Well, it’s now mid-August, and the negotiations are either dead or nonexistent. If a deal was going to be made, it would have been John Hancocked weeks ago. Instead, many are left wondering whether another player will actually be signed before the September 15th MLS roster freeze.

Besides the obvious, a shorthanded team is forced to play conservative football to compensate for the losses. This variety of football is ugly, unaggressive fare, which a first place club like the Revs should have no business in dabbling in whatsoever.

The Revs need to sign two capable players now. At very least, the first priority should be to bring in a veteran playmaker – i.e. a Jose Cancela-type player, both seasoned and creative that, should the Revs be put in the predicament their in right now, the drop-off in play won’t be as dramatic. They have money - the Clint Dempsey transfer fee ensures this. Even aside from that, the club is reportedly well under the $2.1 million MLS salary cap.

There should be no excuse why the roster isn’t completely filled. It shouldn’t take two key injuries to raise the issue, but unfortunately, the awareness of the two-open spots has just become a glaring black hole that could doom the first place club. The organization should have anticipated losses during this critical six-game, seventeen-day stretch. Shame on the powers that be for allowing this situation to carry on as long as it has.

Now, with the soapbox kicked back under the bed, it was time to watch the Revs take on the Wizards. Fortunately for the fans of Kansas City, their club actually carries a full roster. Unfortunately, the pitch at Arrowhead Stadium was gridironed due to Friday’s Dolphins-Chiefs game.

The Revs wasted no time on attack as Taylor Twellman crashed the box and skipped the ball wide of net in the first minute after Wiz keeper Kevin Hartman deflected the ball away. Immediately, the Revs put the Wiz on notice that this was not the same club that curled up in a ball and assumed the fetal position vs. Colorado three days before.

Minutes later, the Revs amped up the attack again when Shalrie Joseph took an Avery John pass and raced into the middle of the home end before shooting a cannonball right on Hartman.

In the ninth minute, the skies began to open up and the rains poured down on the slick pitch, which played into the hands of the road club, who often play a quick-paced attack anyway on the fast surface at Gillette Stadium.

During the 16th minute, Andy Dorman sent a free kick right into the mixer right toward a hard charging Adam Cristman. The rookie striker sent a hard header, but the ball went wide of net.

By the 20-minute mark, the Revs had done well to create the offensive chances absent in the Colorado game, and did well to hold back a potent KC attack. In fact, the only chances early for the Wizards were effectively non-chances, as the club was offside on both occasions.

Proving that the Wizards actually had an offense to speak of, Eddie Johnson streaked down the left flank and attempted to cross the ball into the box, but Michael Parkhurst adeptly rejected the pass out of harm’s way in the 29th minute, and thus the mini-attack fizzled.

Off a corner kick n the 32nd minute, Dorman delivered a nice ball into the box that Jeff Larentowicz curiously out jumped, forcing him to chest the ball wide of the far post.

The Revs continued to play well and controlled the match for the most part by creating chances and playing stout defense on the few occasions that Kansas City managed to hold the ball for more than a few seconds.

Shalrie Joseph sent a well-timed pass forward to an onrushing Larentowicz in the 41st minute until Hartman narrowly beat the Kaiser to the ball as the chance dissipated.

The injury bug struck in the 43rd minute as Jay Heaps fell to the pitch with an apparent leg ailment. Attempting to simply finish off the half, the dependable defender tried to press forward. Mercifully, less than ten seconds of stoppage time transpired, and Heaps was just able to finish the half.

James Riley came in for Heaps in the second frame, and in the 46th minute, and immediately made his mark when he took down Johnson near midfield on a disputed foul call that went against the Revs. Much to the chagrin of Revs color guy Greg Lalas, the affable broadcast partner of Brad Feldman simply stated “That’s a good tackle. If you don’t like that, go back to U-10s.”

The Wizards attacked early twice before the 50th minute, but each one was followed up with the sobering offside call by the linesman.

The Revs reorganized a quick attack in the 53rd minute that saw John send a bending ball from midfield into the box that Larentowicz made a dive at before being pushed to the ground by KC defender. No call was made against the perpetrator, as the Revs headed back on defense.

After a brief spurt of offense from the home side, the Revs reacquired the ball and in the 55th minute Dorman sent in a nice corner kick that was headed tantalizingly over the bar by a leaping Larentowicz stationed close to the near post.

Kansas City then re-appeared in a brief attacking cameo until Jose Burciaga flopped in front of the referee, eliciting a dangerous free kick from the right wing that was heroically punched away by Matt Reis in the 58th minute.

By the hour mark, the play on the slick surface began to sway physically, as Davy Arnaud elbowed Shalrie Joseph near midfield. The tough Grenadian got back to his feet soon afterward, and not surprisingly, no card was awarded.

The pain ensured in 64th minute, Kerry Zavagnin was fouled at the doorstep of the box and KC was awarded a dangerous free kick from 18 yards out. Carlos Marinelli launched a rocket right on Twellman, who writhed in pain after the ball hit him in a less-than-desirable location.

The KC attack began to pick up additional steam in the 68th minute when Marinell sent in a dangerous cross to Eloy Colombano, who headed the ball just outside the far post amid a group of disorganized Revolution backs.

The offensive tide appeared to turn in favor of the home club by the 72nd minute until Joseph delivered a beautiful ball to Khano Smith who paced down the left with a clear shot on goal. With Twellman streaking toward the box, Smith sent a perfect ground ball to the onrushing striker, who slid home the ball into the net for the goal at 9:32pm ET.

The pressure to preserve the lead and ultimately three points on the road would fall on the backs (no pun intended) of the Revolution defenders. However, Smith had no such allusions of playing straight defense in the 79th minute when he fired a rocket yards in front of Hartman that hissed wide of the woodwork.

The Revs put on a defensive clinic in the waning minutes of regulation and although extra time was prolonged due to a scary on-air collision near the top of the box between Jimmy Conrad and Joseph, the Wizards failed to muster a single shot, as the Revs pocked a crucial three points, 1-0.

Stat of the Match, Part 1: Including the US Open Cup tilt on August 8, the Revs posted a 4-2-0 during their grueling six-games-in-seventeen-days stretch.

Stat of the Match, Part 2: The Revs recorded three corner kicks in the first ten minutes of play. In their previous match vs. Colorado, they recorded all of one corner kick during the entire match.

Stat of the Match, Part 3: The Wizards didn’t record their first corner kick until the 74th minute.

Stat of the Match, Part 4: Since their last encounter on August 2, the Revs have played five games, while the Wizards had played zero.

Stat of the Match, Part 5: Despite the lack of offensive prowess, the Wizards were caught offside twice as many times (8) than the Revolution (4).

Hidden sign of the match: The last time Matt Reis wore the all-green keeper ensemble the Revs tied the Houston Dynamo 3-3 at Foxboro on July 22. SMS has no idea what this correlation means, save for the fact that Reis likes to wear green on occasion.

It must have been produced by the same guys who did the Emerald Nuts commercials: Prior to the match, Cox3, the local carrier of TV38 Revolution broadcasts, showed a nutty Revolution-Wizards broadcast spot that went along the lines of “Viva la Revolution” featuring a Spanish-accented narrator with Italian-sounding background music. Additionally, there is a graphic of soccer-player’s profile, with a seemingly vintage, communist-themed background. Huh??? What are you trying to brainwash me to do???

The Delorean is parked outside: Did you see where 66,237 showed up – and not disguised as empty seats, either – for the Red Bull-Galaxy match at Giants Stadium Saturday night?

Wow.

Of course, this shouldn’t be surprising considering these types of crowds are exactly what MLS anticipated when they drafted the designated player allocation rule last year. It’s one thing to anticipate or imagine – but to see it before your very eyes? It’s a special time we, as American soccer fans, live in, one which hasn’t been seen in nearly thirty years.

Furthermore, the match – an entertaining 5-4 home victory for the Energy Drinks – was surely exciting for the newcomers, with the defense somewhere else other than the artificial pitch. On top of that, Beckham not only played the a full ninety, but also was on top of his game, chalking up two assists under the same bright lights that Pele, Giorgio Chinaglia and Franz Beckenbauer all played under in the late-70s.

According to multiple reports, the massive crowd on hand was abuzz with excitement, and espnsoccernet’s Steve Davis went so far as to say that the match was “an instant classic.” SMS wishes he could have attended the affair to witness the spectacle first-hand and experience not only the a slice of the overwhelming fervor, but to also see what it was like back in the heyday of the NASL.

Of course, the large crowd at the Meadowlands also begs the question as to whether Beckham would have served the league better by playing in New York (ok, it’s New Jersey) rather than Los Angeles. Would 66,000+ fans show up for every Red Bull match? We’ll never know. Of course, with Red Bull’s spiffy soccer spec stadium due to be completed next season, the League won't see such turnouts in NY unless the club rents out Giants Stadium for each future Beckham appearance.

If MLS is wise, next season's Red Bull-Galaxy match will be scheduled prior to the opening of Red Bull Park (25,000 seating) while the club still plays in the 82,000 seat Giants Stadium. Should this be the case, SMS will be sure to circle the date of the match and purchase tickets in order to witness the soccer extravaganza.

US Women’s National Team Feature: Angie Woznuk, or "Wozzy" as she likes to be called, is a 22-year old midfielder from sunny San Diego who played or the appropriately named "Surf" soccer team for five years. She recorded her first cap back in 2005 on July 24 vs. Iceland, and although she hasn't recorded a cap since then, she hopes to see a few more minutes during 2007.In 2006 she recorded 13 assists and scored two goals for the Pilots, while playing alongside WNT defender Stephanie Lopez. Her favorite women's soccer player is Julie Foudy, and she aspires to be an X-ray technician, and looks forward to becoming a mom one day - to which SMS awards bonus “wholesome points” for the heartwarming proclamation.

Fewf! The recently-compact Revolution match schedule has finally concluded, not only giving the players a welcome break, but SMS as well. Personally, I haven’t written this much since in such a compact amount of time since my Current Political Thought class back in the ol' college days – and I don’t even get college credits for all this!

In any event, SMS will definitely be doing some R & R as he gears up for both the Red Bull-Revs match and the National Soccer Hall of Fame inductions the following day. Due to this, the post-match submission may be a little light, with the focus squarely on the match and devoid of incessant ranting. Then again, your unwasted brain cells will probably thank me for it!

Is it time to pull the plug on the Khano Smith experiment?

While yours truly was reclining in a roomy blue seat in section 120 during Saturday's Revolution-Crew match, the following was shouted at length by a few enlightened fans during a series of Revs counterattacks:

"Don't pass it to Smith! Whatever you do - don't give him the ball!"

Of course, the sentiment is one that was surely researched at length, with critical analysis paid to Khano's weakness and strengths, various sample sizes of randomly-selected matches, and the climatological effects on left-footed Bermudan midfielders playing in New England's sultry early-summer humidity. In short, the comments were surely made after an exhaustive investigation.

So with that out of the way, the ensuing discussion is - in the wake of sub par performances -whether Steve Nicol's deployment of Smith on the left wing should be effectively suspended.

Smith, a forward by trade, was converted to the left wing by Nicol after discovering the Bermudan during the club's annual springtime journey to the island in 2005. After signing as a youth international soon after, Smith appeared in 23 matches that season, scoring three goals and chipping in two assists. However, since then, the third year veteran has been hampered by injury and inconsistency, and the former limited him to only ten matches last season.

At times, the tall (6-3) midfielder looks astonishingly adept on the left wing, flashing both the speed and moves atypical of a player of his physical stature. His size also leaves defenders with their hands full trying to defend a large, and at times, unshakeable attacker not often seen in MLS. This combination of size and speed, in some instances, offer a brief glimpse of Smith's potential.

Then there are times when he looks utterly out of place, resembling a kid trapped inside of a man's body. Recently, he has looked predictable; unsurprisingly cutting out rather than in and lacking the awareness to find open teammates. Surprisingly, through the course of the Columbus match, Nicol did not institute a single substitute, even after it became apparent that Smith was struggling against the back line of a last place club.

In essence, he is to the Revs what Wily Mo Pena is to the Red Sox: a player with tremendous potential, but has yet to develop in becoming consistent enough to meet the heightened expectations.

The club's overall depth on the left has always been a point of contention for fans and media alike. Joe Franchino served admirably in Smith's position last year, but it has become apparent that Franchino's lack of match time has indicated that he is no longer the weapon of choice at the position - which would, disturbingly, infer that Nicol believes Smith is the better performer. If this is indeed the case, it is a troubling indication of the club's inability to find a suitable player for the left wing spot, even though the team has a bevy of young left-sided prospects - most notably, Wells Thompson.

The question whether Thompson is heir apparent to iron man Steve Ralston on the right flank, or is the solution on the opposite side, remains to be seen. If the former is true, then a primary concern for Nicol and Co. should be to find a suitable replacement as soon as possible. If the latter is indeed the case, then the reason why Smith was not pulled Saturday night is clear, as Thompson was already busy manning the right wing in the absence of Ralston.

In any event, it's become apparent that Khano Smith experiment on the left flank will likely conclude with an obligatory plume of white smoke.

Game 1: Boy(s) Meet World

So much for adding to that 500 franchise goal mark the Revolution has so prominently featured on its official website.

The Revs, who mere months ago sent Chicago packing after eliminating them for the Eastern Conference semi-finals last October, were shut out by a Fire club that pocketed an early goal in the 4th minute and never looked back, taking the 1-0 result from the boys in blue.

New England amazingly started three rookies (Adam Cristman, Gary Flood and Wells Thompson) to kick off the 2007 season, due in large part to injuries to Shalrie Joseph and Michael Parkhurst. Minutes into the game, they already had their backs to the wall early on after Fire defender Logan Pause Swiss-cheesed the New England defenders and found himself in the right place at the right time by shimmying a weak shot just out of the reach of Revs ‘keeper Matt Reis.

From there on out, it was a parade of missed chances for the Revs, who came oh-so tantalizingly close to equalizing on ensuing occasions.

Minutes after the Pause goal, Andy Dorman would send in a cross from the right wing that Taylor Twellman, normally exceptional on headers, uncharacteristically ricocheted just wide of the net. Later in the first half, Dorman would again send in a bouncing cross that missed not one, but two Revs players, as Cristman and Twellman, as if choreographed, both simultaneuously missed getting a heel on.

In the 2nd half, Twellman rocketed a shot that just pounded off the crossbar and high into cold Chicago air. Later, it would be Fire keeper Matt Pickens who withstood a couple of shots from Dorman. Twellman would be robbed by Pickens after making a smothering save on TnT’s free kick in the 81st minute.

The Revs, seemingly snake-bitten after coming up short more times than Susan Lucci at the Daytime Emmys, lowered their heads in defeat, and conceded their first match of the season to their bitter Eastern Conference rivals.

*Steve Nicol threw his young charges to the Fire without hesitation, by starting Cristman up front with Twellman, Flood at right back, and Thompson at midfield. After Pause’s early goal, a sequence in which Flood looked somewhat tentative, all three rooks held themselves fairly well. Cristman seemed to find himself in the mix on a handful of scoring opportunities, while Thompson admirably flowed through midfield traffic to find open space, as well as locating goal-crashing teammates.

*Although the rookies played well, the game itself reeked of 2006. Missed chances, early holes, and the accompanying goose egg must have given Revs fans flashbacks of many of last year’s matches. However, to Nicol’s credit, the substitution of Flood, a defender, for Arsene Oka, a midfielder who also moonlights as a forward on occasion, may have raised a few eyebrows – in a good way. Obviously, Nicol was playing for the equalizer – duh – but did so in a refreshingly unconventional way by threw an untested, but exciting, rookie into a pressure situation, instead of going the safe route by inserting a veteran sub.

*Call it Year One of a Youth Revolution. Despite the 0-1 ending, the fact that four Revolution rookies all made their MLS debuts was exciting. Cristman, Thompson and Oka all had impressive preseasons, and it was fantastic to see each get their chance in a heated (figuratively), early-season match in frosty Chicago. Flood, called into a starting gig with Michael Parkhurst injured, did a good job to bottle up the Fire attack after the Pause goal, and dispersed some very fancy feeds. Although much too early to cast judgment, the supplemental pick could very well be a fine defender in this league before long. Don’t let the score distract you; this was a very encouraging preview of coming attractions.

*Somebody must have dropped the ball on the regional TV coverage because Revs fans in RI faced the same result as the Revs Saturday night: they were shut out. With TV38 - a station unavailable to Cox subscribers in RI – now carrying Revs games this season, the expectation was that there would be an arrangement made between the club, TV38, and Cox to ensure that the game would be available in Little Rhody. Oh, it was – some 21 hours after the final whistle. Cox showed the game on Cox Channel 3 on Sunday night at 7pm, which technically, did illustrate that Cox3 was indeed able to work out an arrangement with TV38. Unfortunately, the caveat that the game be broadcast live was apparently overlooked.

*They say that the best-officiated games are the ones in which you don’t notice the arbiters. This truism was certainly applicable to Saturday night’s match, as referee Baldomero Toledo oversaw a well-officiated match despite the tenacious air between the two teams. Credit is especially due for calling the dodo bird six-second rule on the Fire after Pickens held onto the ball well beyond the allotted six seconds a keeper can seize the ball for. The call gave the Revs a free kick in the 81st minute at a very opportune time.

*The question begs to be asked: When will the Revs get a home date for the season opener? A trend that is quickly becoming steeped in tradition, the Revs have now opened the season on the road every year since their inception. One has to wonder what the motives are behind this rather alarming statistic that keeps the Revs on the road once the season commences. Surely, this can only reinforce the theory that the Revolution has indeed become the unofficial stepchild of MLS.

*The Revs outshot the Fire 18 to 11, but were outdone by one in terms on shots on goal, 6 to 5. Nevertheless, this was a game that the Revs could have not only easily tied, but won, had they capitalized on just a couple of their numerous chances. Overall, the game was encouraging on many different fronts (tactics, rookies, solid chances), and should be no cause for any Revs player or fan to hang his or her head on.

2007 New England Revolution Season Preview

It's that time of year again: the obligatory season preview. A time in which sportswriters break out the clown outfits, shove all of our credibility into the garbage disposal, and formulate comical preseason prognostications.

Disclosure made and door opened to future ridicule, the New England Revolution, come off a season which saw them tantalizingly close to capturing their first MLS Cup. The club’s primary objective: shed the label of MLS Cup bridesmaid. With the offseason departures of superstar Clint Dempsey (Fulham) and Jose Cancela (Toronto FC), returning to the playoffs - nevermind the MLS Cup - will be about as easy as getting Quentin Tarantino to direct a sequel to The Little Mermaid.

After losing these two critical pieces of past glory, Steve Nicol went reached into the toy box affectionately known as MLS SuperDraft and pulled out a handful of shiny new gadgets. In the first round, he "shockingly" (Eric Wynalda's word) traded up to select Wake Forest midfielder Wells Thompson. Less than an hour later, Nicol selected U-20 defender/midfielder Amaeche Igwe with the 12th overall pick. Both players are much coveted left-sided players, giving the Revs added midfield depth on the left wing and left back slots. Nicol may have also found a pair of potential diamonds in the rough in Virginia forward Adam Cristman and Wake Forest midfielder Ryan Solle, both of whom are members of the US Men’s National Team Under-23 squad.

It's hard to measure a team's regular season chances of success based on its preseason results. The Revs obliterated everything in their path this winter by outscoring their hapless opponents 20-3 en route to a 6-0-0 preseason finish. Yes, Nicol’s boys looked solid, even if it was primarily at the expense of lower level clubs. Of course, the squad won't be as breathtakingly brilliant against regular MLS competition during the course of a seven month regular season. Nevertheless, it is encouraging to see the rookies - especially Cristman (5 goals, 4 assists) - rise to the occasion during the late-winter/early-spring tilts.

This, of course, is without mentioning the very players who brought the Revs to The Dance in recent years. Taylor Twellman had a fine 2006 season (11 goals, 5 assists) and will look to enhance his reputation as one of the best forwards in the league. At 27, not only is he in the prime of his career, but his foreseeable future here is also secured after signing a 3-year contract extension during the offseason. Andy Dorman hopes to ride the same wave of success he surfed atop last year, and an encore performance may just earn him his first true MLS “payday.” Keeper Extraordinaire Matt Reis will look to continue his superb defense of the net, after being snubbed of MLS Keeper of the Year honors last year. Shalrie Joseph has the Foxboro Faithful hoping that his contract frustrations will inspire him to an even more elevated level of play - one that may lead to even more international attention. The backline of Avery John, Michael Parkhurst and Jay Heaps anchored an exceptional defensive unit in 2006, and aim to uphold their brickwall defense in 2007.

Of course, should all of these hypotheticals materialize, the team would probably be Supporter's Shield owners by July, breeze through the postseason, and finally catapult themselves to keepers of the elusive MLS Cup.

However, the rosiest of pictures is always painted with bright strokes before a single kick is ever launched. So with the warm and fuzzy feel-good optimism out of the way, let us return to cold reality and discuss the following potential ruts in the proverbial FieldTurf that threaten the aforementioned proposition.

It’s no secret that Pat Noonan’s ability to stay healthy is critical to the Revs attack. When he and Twellman are both on the pitch, the only duo capable of scoring more often is Rico and Sonny on Miami Vice. Conversely, without the snake-bitten Noonan, the offense seems to sputter, and the team often transforms into a defensive and cautious shell of its former self. Unfortunately, the Revs have seen the latter circumstance more than the former recently, with Noonan’s nagging injuries refusing to go quietly into the night. So whichever sick and twisted Chicago Fire fan has the Pat Noonan Voodoo Doll, stop it. Just stop it. Adding to the bleak picture is the team's apparent "curse" of winning an MLS Cup only help to darken the picture of the club's fortunes.

Aside from the supernatural, the combination of two important international tournaments this summer (Copa America and Gold Cup) will more than likely require separate US squads for each. Potential candidates for these squads include Twellman, Ralston, Parkhurst, Noonan, and Reis. Avery John could also be called to the Trinidad & Tobago team for Gold Cup action. This summer's Under-20 World Cup in Canada will mean Igwe will be absent from the roster for a spell. Adding to this list of potential may also include U-23 service call-ups for Cristman and Solle should there be any call ups for that squad this summer. Throw in the obligatory unpredictable injuries into the mix, and it's very possible that the starting elevens in June and July could be vastly different than the ones employed in April.

Despite the influx of new faces via the draft, as well as last year’s late-season additions (Miguel Gonzalez and Arsene Oka), the inescapable fact remains that the club’s battle-tested performers are only getting older. Steve Ralston, the newly-minted captain, has been the king of consistency and longevity during his time with the club. But how much longer can he keep it going? Have we seen the last of the recently-departed Joe Franchino? His return to the club uncertain at best; each game he misses only dminishes his chances of ever contributing to the club again. John will be 32 in June and Heaps will be 31 in August.

Although the recent transfusion of young blood has many optimistic of the club's success in the future, it will be no short order to find adequate replacements for the aging veterans who have guided the team's fortunes during the past five years. This season may be Year One of a fast-approaching changing of the guard for this veteran-driven club.

Lastly, to what degree will Dempsey and Pepe's departures affect the club? Their absences will be strikingly apparent until reasonable replacements can be found. Without the World Cup superstar and the Argentinean supersub, the growing pains of an offense adjusting to a midfield without them may linger throughout the season. The Revs must find suitable replacements quickly, or tailor their attack accordingly, if they wish to remain competitive. Otherwise, there may very well be a goal-scoring drought warning in effect for Route 1 this summer.

So now that the good and the bad have been discussed, what type of a season can Revs fans reasonably expect? Well, without further ado, here is a prediction: 2nd place in the Eastern Conference, and an accompanying playoff run. DC United will finish ahead again for the second year in a row.

Do the Revs have the talent to make another MLS Cup appearance? On paper, the answer is yes. On the pitch, the answer is no. There are simply too many variables working against another repeat appearance for the navy and red contingent, most notably the losses of Deuce and Pepe.

With that, it is time for me to slip the noose over my head. See you in DC come November!

Other flimsy predictions:

2007 record (W-D-L): 14-10-8, 52 points (2nd place, Eastern Conference)

Reserve Team Record: 5-3-3

Team MVP: Taylor Twellman

Golden Boot: Taylor Twellman

Best Defender: Michael Parkhurst

Rookie of the Year: Adam Cristman

Supersub: Wells Thompson

MLS All-Stars: Parkhurst, Twellman, Joseph, Reis and Ralston

First Rev to take out David Beckham: Shalrie Joseph

Toughest match: October 6, at Chicago

First goal: Pat Noonan, at Chicago (April 7)

First red card: Shalrie Joseph, at FC Dallas (April 29)

First clean sheet: April 14, vs. Toronto

First mid-season departure: Shalrie Joseph, to Celtic FC

Next player to be at the center of a transfer rumor: Michael Parkhurst

Most Interesting Non-Chicago Game: May 19 at Houston

Midnight Riders Meet the Coach 2007

It was a scene straight out of a sports fanatic's dream. You step into the offices of your favorite team. Once inside, you ascend upon two grand escalators and take a U-turn into an exquisite luxury suite filled with rows of fine wooden chairs neatly lined before a corresponding mahogany presenter’s pedestal. Upon arrival, you are politely welcomed and upon joining about sixty or so of your peers neatly seated. You listen to some of the questions posed by those around you. If you are just as curiously inclined, you ask the manager of your favorite sports team anything your heart desires about your favorite club. Anything.

Well, Revs fans (specifically the Midnight Riders, the team's unofficial supporter's club) young and old were treated to this very fantastical proposition Sunday afternoon - free of charge - as manager Steve Nicol took questions from the very fans who colorfully chide Freddy Adu with "Child La-bor!" chants. Needless to say, this was the type of affair that would certainly never take place at 4 Yawkey Way or One TD BankNorth Garden.

The questions, ranging from topics such as the much-razzed Gillette Stadium FieldTurf pitch, Clint Dempsey's departure, the Reserve Team, were honest and unfiltered. Even a "when we get our own stadium" comment from Nicol himself drew a few skeptical smirks and smiles among the crowd. The gaffer's answers were insightful, engaging, and even colorful, (when asked of his impression of rookie Wells Thompson, Nicol wittingly responded "I don't do impressions") which indicated a certain informal ease among Nicol and his club's loyal supporters.

Say what you will about Nicol and his on-field tactics and managerial decisions, but give the man credit for facing the fans, many of whom posed very insightful queries, and responding to each question with more than the industry-standard one-line, blanket answer. How many professional sports managers or coaches would have the cajones to do the same?

Try picturing the evasive Bill Belichick in the same casual setting. You can't either, can you? Ah, therein lies the beauty of this grand occasion. While I do not profess to know Mr. Belichick, I can tell you that Nicol has the outgoing personality of one you could have a pint of Guiness with. Again, you'll be hard pressed to visualize Belichick in a similar position.

Call me a pipe dreamer if you must, but this sort of event is precisely what is missing from the modern sports landscape, one in which billions upon billions are pumped in by its very own fans, only to have these investments reciprocated with minimal team/fan interaction. The romanticism of fans engaging in casual conversation with members of their favorite team has been largely lost in many professional sports forums. That being said, a tip o' the old glass to Stevie Nicol and the Revolution organization for providing a refreshing reminder of why their fans love their club.