November 14, 2007
MLS goes legit?!?
Saint or Sinner?
I know, I know. We all assume the MLS is as rigged as that boxing match I witnessed Saturday night.
And when the decisions are going in your favor, who am I to ask too many questions?
Well... I'm a Rapids fan, and as such given to hear a lot of theories, now widely regarded as fact, that MLS is rigged towards the big teams: LA, NY, DC, ETC.
I was watching Houston give Kansas City an R-rated spanking Saturday night and thinking ... who in their right friggin' mind would want MLS Cup fouled up for a third year in a row?
Nobody. Not even the Don. Yes, it's true. I said it. Don Garber didn't rig the elections... I mean season.
Sure, *before* the season things are as rigged as they possibly can be. That's not the point. That's why they call it the off-season. Everyone takes their eye off the other guy and lets a few things go.
But we've commonly assumed that *during* the season, things were just as rigged. So what am I really saying here? Turns out the referees just suck on their own, nobody's paying them.
Let's look at MLS Cup '05, '06, and now '07.
In both 2005 and 2006, the league desperately wanted FC Dallas to challenge for a spot in the final. Didn't happen. Luckily, Houston brought the fans in 2006.
In 2007? LA was supposed to get to the playoffs and make a month-long splash for MLS. And some more money. Didn't happen.
Certainly, the Supporters' Shield winner, DC, was supposed to be in the Final to sell out their own friggin' stadium.
Didn't happen.
And now it's New England and Houston yet again.
As it turns out, the boys from down south have been a revelation. 30,000+ at the Houston Conference Final victory... and they stayed after the game to celebrate. Amazing!
And New England? Well... at least they're not that far away from DC, I guess. Don't get me wrong, I love the 100 folks we party with every year from the Midnight Riders, but seriously, NE is always a top contender and has crappy support in a city the size of, well, Boston.
Huh.... I don't think MLS planned it this way. That's all I'm sayin'.
Posted by BilFish at November 14, 2007 12:44 AM