Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Boot Room: Playoff preview
By By Jeff Bradley
First, it's time to set a few things straight.
As much as anyone, I like to point out Major League Soccer's flaws. In the three years I've been writing this column, I've ripped on everything from ugly uniforms (say it together, "No more teal!"), to impossible to follow league bylaws (there is no more marquee replacement rule, stupid) to faulty disciplinary rulings (no, I haven't forgotten Diego Serna getting one game for slugging Nick Garcia in the face last season).
But I don't think I've yet pointed something out. Not in a while, anyway.
It is absolutely incredible what MLS has done in its seven years to improve soccer in the United States. With fan support that leaves much to be desired. With stadiums that are too big, and fields that are too small. With a minimum player salary ($24,000) that's embarrassing and a "take it or leave it" attitude from the league's chief execs that really should've scared more than just a handful of Imad Babas and Josh Kellers into early retirement a long time ago.
Is Peter Vermes screaming about the color of his uniform, or because Nick Garcia was just knocked out?
With all that going against it, in just seven years MLS has produced some good players, some good teams, and some good soccer. Go ahead, e-mail me till your fingernails crack. You cannot change my opinion on this.
I'm not going to forget watching the World Cup this summer. I was one who didn't think a team of past and present MLS'ers & a team with two barely 20-year-old kids weened in the Single-Entity World of MLS & could wheel and deal against Portugal & could scrap and survive with a tie against the hosts from South Korea & could win a tactical battle against Mexico & and outplay Germany. Not in the World Cup.
Long ago, I asked for the U.S. to "thrill" rather than to "grind" on that stage. And they did just that. I've watched U.S. friendlies and qualifiers since pre-1990 and I cannot remember things as beautiful as Tony Sanneh's cross to Brian McBride against Portgual, or Eddie Lewis' ball to Landon Donovan against Mexico or Clint Mathis' right-touch-left-shot against Korea or Josh Wolff's outside of the foot lay-off to McBride against Mexico. World class goals on the world's biggest stage. Great soccer, all produced by guys who've toiled in a league known as MLS. A league that deserves to take a bow.
And as the MLS Cup playoffs get underway Wednesday, we can only hope the celebration of American soccer continues. A regular season where no team was able (until the end, anyway) to get on any kind of winning roll has produced a dogpile of teams that appear pretty equal on paper. So even, in fact, that I will be a bit surprised if the eighth place Kansas City Wizards don't take the first place Los Angeles Galaxy to a third game in their three-game, first-to-five points series. Obviously, same goes for the other three matchups.
There are a number of critics (of course, it's soccer in America -- they're on the internet, not in the mainstream) who have blasted MLS for forcing parity among its member teams & by making it hard for teams that are good to stay good, and making it easy on teams that are bad to improve in a hurry. I'll be the first to say it's not ideal, and it's sad that the league's first dynasty, D.C. United, is now on the outside of the playoffs for a third straight season, because a very tight cap made the team for all intents and purposes disband in mid-dynasty. But it does make for an intriguing postseason tournament.
Let's take a look at what's on tap for the first round:
(1) Los Angeles vs. (8) Kansas City -- Game 1, Wednesday, 10:30 p.m. ET at the Rose Bowl
Quick Thought: Biggest reason I think this is headed for three games is simple: these teams always play tight games. They played four times this year and although the Galaxy went 2-1-1, one of their wins was in overtime (a Galaxy specialty for two years in a row) and all three non-ties were one-goal games. Maybe I'm reading too much into the regular season matches, but I'm also struck by the fact that Kansas City twice kept L.A.'s MLS goals leader Carlos Ruiz off the score sheet. Wizards keeper Tony Meola and veteran defender Peter Vermes know if they can keep Ruiz goal-less for even one match, there's a good chance they'll be playing in a knockout Game 3.
Style Points: Two German-bred coaches in L.A.'s Sigi Schmid and K.C.'s Bob Gansler. 'Nuff said. The defenses will be organized, the creativity limited. Expect a lot of "feeling out" in Game 1 as both teams jab and look for the counter. Also expect K.C. to go out of its way to frustrate Ruiz, though El Pescadito has proven many times this season, you can mark him out of a match for 89, but not often 90 minutes. It's no great secret that Kansas City could have a lot of trouble getting scoring chances.
Where are we headed? Los Angeles wins Game 3 in, what else, overtime.
(2) New England vs. (7) Chicago -- Game 1, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET at Gillette Field (ESPN2)
Quick Thought: Funny how things work. In 2000 and 2001, as Chicago was rolling to 57 and 53 point seasons and Central Division crowns, the New England Revolution were a constant thorn in their side -- especially when they played in Foxboro. Then, this season, when the Revs add a boatload of new talent and Chicago struggles with injuries, the Fire find their groove against the Revs, and go 2-1-1, and win twice on the Revs new home field, CMGI & err & Gillette Field. Adding to the irony, the Fire's leading scorer, Ante Razov, who used to miss chances from every conceivable angle at the old Foxboro Stadium, scored four goals in two games at Gillette.
Style Points: Soccer America's grumpy, old columnist Paul Gardner pulled a quote from New England's Joey Franchino, who said, "You always know it's going to be a physical game against Chicago," and used it to illustrate that Chicago is a rough bunch. As if Franchino was pulled off the fields of Brazil. Plain and simple, New England and Chicago will get after each other in the midfield. The Revs will try to keep Fire playmaker Peter Nowak from setting up Razov. The Fire will try to keep close tabs on setup man Steve Ralston, who will be trying to find MLS points leader Taylor Twellman. Gut feeling is there will be goals in this series.
Where are we headed? Seriously, I would not be shocked to see three straight draws leading to a series overtime (aka mini-game). Revs advance on PKs after all the ties.
(3) San Jose vs. (6) Columbus -- Game 1, Wednesday, 10:00 p.m. ET at Spartan Stadium
Quick Thought: This is going to be wild, up and down the field stuff. Sure, I'm basing this on the 3-2 and 4-3 (OT) San Jose wins over Columbus at Spartan during the regular season, but hey, why not? The Crew seem to go into Spartan ready to rumble, which is not something most MLS teams can say. The other reason to think this could be crazy is Columbus has to remember how it absolutely flamed out of last season's playoffs, losing 3-1 at home and 3-0 on the road.
Style Points: Rock and roll. Columbus will have Jeff Cunningham flying. San Jose will spring Landon Donovan from the cages. San Jose probably moves the ball quicker than any team in MLS while the Crew may have the best pure wheels. If you haven't been able to watch Columbus' acrobatic, quick keeper Jon Busch, this series would be a good time to check him out. In the San Jose net, Joe Cannon can also make some death-defying stops. In the end, the difference maker could be San Jose's pure poacher, Ariel Graziani, who is always there to pick up goal mouth scraps.
Where are We Headed? Quakes will win at home. Crew will hold serve. Game 3 at Spartan will be the game of the 2002 playoffs, with the Quakes prevailing late.
(4) Dallas vs. (5) Colorado -- Game 1, Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. ET at the Cotton Bowl
First Thought: Right up until the Rapids played their final home game of the season, in front of 26,000-plus, and came out flat, I thought this series would be spectacular. Now, I'm not so sure. I mean, how could the Rapids, with home field on the line and so many fans in the stands, play so uninspired in a 1-1 tie with Kansas City? Oh well, there's still hope. Dallas (my pick to win it all) has not been in good form for a month, but should gain some confidence from their crazy, comeback win at D.C. in their season finale. A big key for the Burn is that their leader, Oscar Pareja, is ready to go, because he was their motor in mid-season, when they were looking like the league's best team. For the Rapids, we'll see if Carlos Valderrama can finally produce some playoff magic -- something he's yet to do in his MLS career.
Style Points: Both teams are capable of passing it well. And all games will be played on spacious fields. Should be good stuff to watch from both sides. Jason Kreis has to be dangerous on more than just free kicks for the Burn while John Spencer needs to produce for the Rapids. All that said, there are some young, potential gamebreakers on both sides in the Burn's Martinez and Joselito Vaca and Colorado's Chris Carrieri.
Where are we headed? Would be shocked if this doesn't go three, maybe even with a Burn win at home and a draw on the road. Having picked Dallas to win it all, of course, they'll win or tie Game 3 at the Cotton Bowl to advance to the final four.
