It will be yet another remote control weekend for First XI, as we rotate from game to game, seeing what's happening here, there and everywhere. Needless to say, this is the way it's supposed to be in late October in MLS, with every game impacting something. Here's a look into the First XI notebook of headlines we'll follow in Round 30:
11. Crew win Supporters' Shield: Going to lead off with the Crew, who won the second Supporters' Shield in club history. This is a reward to the organization that let Sigi Schmid build something solid rather than getting twitchy when they missed the playoffs in back-to-back years. Now, the Crew not only have one of the best teams in the league -- the best this year, for sure -- but have a young nucleus that should keep them in the hunt for many years go come. Schmid used a formula that's worked in MLS years past: that is, hiring a veteran midfielder "Willie" Schelotto to lead a cast of hungry kids much like Marco Etcheverry led the great D.C. United teams, Mauricio Cienfuegos led the Galaxy and Peter Nowak led the Fire.
10. Everyone remains alive: Count me as one who's always loved the parity of MLS. I've written about it for years, it's exciting to turn on any MLS game and never know what the result might be. In 2008, it's been more true than ever and now we get two weeks and everyone mathematically alive. Sure, it'll take a miracle for San Jose, Toronto and LA, but a chance is a chance and it would be foolish to count anybody out of this thing.
9. Donovan and Cooper down to the wire: We've got a Golden Boot race reminiscent of the great Ruiz vs. Twellman race of 2002, with Landon Donovan and Kenny Cooper headed into the final two weeks separated by just one goal. Both will have to work away from home this week and Cooper's battling an ankle injury and a virus. My one wish for this race is that the winner gets at least 20. For me, 20's always been a magical number of goals in this league, and the aforementioned Ruiz-Twellman race is the last time we had two reach that number.
8. Houston, do we have a three-peat? My 10-year-old son made the call this week. "Houston is going to win it again," he declared. He's been in right in the past, just so you know. It's hard not to admire the way Dom Kinnear's men respond in big situations. witness Wednesday night's stoppage-time victory against a desperate San Jose team. Right now, Houston's path to another MLS Cup would have to run through New York and either Real Salt Lake or Chivas USA. Of course that's subject to change, but you can see where my son's coming from, can't you?
7. The playoffs for Real? A win in the opener at Rio Tinto would've really helped RSL's chances, but I'm going to stick by my preseason prediction that Jason Kreis would lead Real Salt Lake to the playoffs this year. Of course, RSL will need to take care of FC Dallas this weekend at home if they want to take the smoother road to the promised land. In the season's final week, they'll travel to Denver to play the Rapids in a game that will be tough to win even if Colorado isn't fighting for one of the final playoff spots.
6. Can Chivas stay hot? After getting spanked 4-0 by New England, Chivas USA has responded with four consecutive victories, turning what looked to be a season lost to injuries and bad luck into one of promise. No, Chivas isn't going to win the regular season West title for the second straight season, but they'd surely trade that in for a playoff series victory. And how about giving props to this organization. When you look at the trials and tribulations that new MLS teams have gone through in recent years, look at what Chivas USA has done after missing the playoffs in Year One and you cannot help but be impressed. This makes three playoff appearances in a row. Now, they're looking for their first advancement.
5. Chicago lurks. I just have a feeling about Chicago. I can't explain it, but I just have a feeling that Fire fans might just celebrate the 10th anniversary of their MLS Cup championship with another title. The Fire have a lot of weapons and they have a decided home fiel d advantage when Toyota Park gets rocking. I'm not going against my son's call for a Houston three-peat, mind you, but I am taking the Fire as my dark horse team.
4. A Red Bull tradition. What would a MetroStars/Red Bull season be without the playoffs riding on the line in the final game or two of the regular season? Remember 2005, when Metro needed a win at Chivas USA in the season finale and got a heroic performance from Tony Meola and a goal from 17-year-old Michael Bradley to earn their spot? Remember 2006, when Amado Guevara scored a hat trick (two penalties) to lead the Red Bulls to a 3-2 victory? The Red Bulls can most likely punch their ticket this year with one victory in their final two games. That won't be easy as they play Columbus and Chicago. But is it ever easy?
3. Quake heartbreak. I'm a sensitive guy and I must admit watching Frank Yallop contort his body on the sideline with every near-miss the Quakes had in their 1-0 home loss to Chivas USA last week hurt me. Yallop has done a fantastic job re-creating the Quakes and I really felt they were going to make the playoffs and were a good enough team to do some damage in the playoffs as well. Their loss to Houston probably sealed their fate, but I strongly believe San Jose will be in the hunt for an MLS championship next year.
2. Red with anger. And speaking of heartbreak, it doesn't get much tougher than the loss Toronto suffered last weekend in Frisco. After Marvell Wynne's spectacular dash and finish, it seemed John Carver's men were going to pull it off. The penalty call in the game's final moments was a bitter pill to swallow for sure, as I'm sure it was also difficult for Greg Sutton to grasp just how Kenny Cooper's penalty slipped under his body after he guessed right.
1. Win it for Stevie. How can you not admire the work Steve Ralston has done in MLS since 1996? And how can you not feel bad that Ralston will miss out this year as the Revolution try to take care of the unfinished business of winning MLS Cup? I have no idea how they can do it, as the Revs are one of the league's hardest teams to figure out this year, but you just know Taylor Twellman and Co. are going to try their hardest to win it all for Ralston.
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