Rank the silverware: offseason addition

[BigKris]

Normally I'd wait a couple months to start this thread... but this poster makes a good insight (quote stolen from another thread):


The moves the FO are making right now are aimed for the entire season in general. I don't think anyone expects whomever these unnamed players are to come in and will us to victory in February.

That may be true, but is is it the RIGHT move? DC United is competing for at least 5 trophies this season - your mission: rank how the tream should prioritize them:

*US Open Cup
*Supporters' Shield
*Concacaf Champions' Cup
*MLS Cup
*This funky new MLS-MFL thing

What's your priority?

[Soccer von Fußball]

MLS Cup - the championship of our league

US Open Cup - a legitimate trophy

CCC - nice to have ( a little unrealistic )

Supporters' Shield - it counts to a point, i guess.

MLS-MFL Thing - maybe someday it will be interesting. i'd like the guys to win it if they get money out of it.

[Allan Quatermain]

...CCC - nice to have ( a little unrealistic )...

Why is it unrealistic? We won it once before, after all.

Furthermore, winning it wasn't just "nice to have." Winning the CCC and then subsequently playing (and beating) Vasco da Gama represents the high water mark both for our franchise and for MLS in general (I would argue our achievement in beating Leon and Toluca bests the Galaxy's CCC win, since they played poorly and basically tied and PKed their way to the title -- in my estimation that is a cheap way to win. And winning the Interamerican Cup ... well, I don't think LA ever even got around to playing the South American rep after winning the CCC).

To my mind winning the CCC would be the best thing we could accomplish in 2007.

[URwormfood]

How do you rank a TURD in a John?

.........?


..................?


..............................?



Hey new coach...tell us that one!

~worm~

[PJohnson]

1. CONCACAF Champion's Cup

2. MLS Cup

3. Supporters Shield.

4. US Open cup.

5. MLS/MFL Super Liga.

Champion's Cup is the most important in my view. Because the winner gets a spot in the Club World Cup, and the runner up gets a spot in the Copa Sudamericana. And competing in those tournaments can bring a tremendous amount of exposure and prestige to DC United and MLS. The other choices are obvious.

[AlecW81]

1. MLS Cup
2. CCC
3. Supporters Shield
4. MLS/MFL
5. Open Cup

I think the Open Cup is absolutely WORTHLESS, and United shouldn't waste any effort on it. It means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.
The MLS/MFL competition is merely a Pony Show this year, but I'd rather do well there than the Open Cup.
The Supporters Shield is nice, but it's also usually a kiss of death for MLS Cup hopes.
The Concacaf Championship Cup is another shiny bauble to taunt the rest of the league with.
I have MLS Cup first because we need that 5th star dammit!

[BBBulldog]

1. CONCACAF Champion's Cup

2. MLS Cup

3. Supporters Shield.

4. US Open cup.

5. MLS/MFL Super Liga.


saved me typing

[AMERICANS SC]

1. CONCACAF Champion's Cup

2. MLS Cup

3. Supporters Shield.

4. US Open cup.

5. MLS/MFL Super Liga.

Saved me some valueable time from typing, which I can use for drinking!

[griffin1108]

What PJohnson said: Region, League and after that, who the hell cares.

[John L]

1 & 2) - Supporter's Shield and MLS Cup

Definitely top priority - These are the standards for the league and dominance in MLS - These are the biggies - Gotta balance between a number of factors: Developing your bench, Going for the wins when you can, Building momentum in September - What you do have to be careful of is over-extending players thru mid July and August - It ain't the heat, its the humidity - So sacrifice a few games in Aug and early Sept to give rest to over-worked starters - If this means not running away with or even losing some ground in the SS, then so be it - History has shown that some teams fade in Sept - This time it shouldn't be us

3) - CONCACAF - 2nd/3rd Round - Since its such a pre-season tourney for us, winning it all against any upper level Mexican or Central American club is not realistic - Just don't be embarrassing

4) - MLS/MFL & Other Internationals - I'm getting conflicting stories about how we originally were selected but then maybe not anymore (replaced by Red Bull?) - In any event, this is a time to use your bench - Games will be in late July/August when starters will need some rest - Except for the single Internationals, like Celtic or RM, which would be much more high profile

especially higher than

5) US Open Cup - Sorry, but until this has some relevance in the off-season or International play the next season, OR MONEY, this is the low man on the totem pole - Definitely time for the reserves to show what they got

[lawrenceterp]

1. MLS Cup


--- huge gap ---


2. CCC
3. Supporters Shield

--- gap ---

4. MLS/MFL
5. Open Cup

I agree with this exactly. MLS Cup is the most important trophy in American Soccer. End of story. I don't think any of the others are even close. And I think the MLS/MFL SuperLiga has a chance to move up to #2 if they start incorporating other countries and make entry based on qualification rather then invitation. It could have a Champions League feel to it and would become a close second to the MLS Cup.

Also, what happens if we add in the new PanPacific Cup? I think that would currently move into the 4th spot but would have a shot to move up based on how it is set up and whether the MLS/MFL Superliga gets going.

[dcuni_ted]

1. CCC- We could finish last this season, but if we win this trophy none of that matters. Well it does, but this is bigger than any trophy right now. I'm surprised this is so low on everyone's list

2. Supporter's Shield- Goes to the team that finished first in the league. 12 (13) teams, one winner. Most underrated trophy in the history of MLS.

3. MLS Cup- Good thing to win, because you are dubbed champion of league. I would be retarded if I didn't say that we should strive to win this every year. The only reason it is not higher on the list is because I feel any team can get hot two-thirds into the season, sneak up the table, and blow teams away in the playoffs. (Ex. Galaxy- 2005) Until MLS gets teams this will stay down here.

4. MLS/MLF Champions League- NEVER give up a chance to beat a Mexican soccer team. I feel that if this gets bigger it could truly become the North American equivalent to the UEFA Champions League.

5. U.S. Open Cup- Yeah this is nice, but in the end does it really matter? The winner has there 15 minutes of glory, and then we continue on with the rest of the season.

[fatbastard]

Through February, March, and even the first half of April I only want the team to care about one trophy - the CCC trophy. With this much turnover, this can be their only goal at first - once they get through the first and/or second rounds ok, then they can worry more about what's important later in the year .....
Then, my priority would be:

1) MLS Cup - this is the league we're in and winning it should be the single most important thing

2) Supporter's Shield (in case (1) does not happen) - this is also based on how we look in May - if we have had some early season luck, the team had gelled ok, and we are doing ok in the standings it remains #2, if not, drop it to #3 and put more emphasis on MLS Cup and CCC (Supporters Shield and MLS Cup are only way to get back to CCC next year to use our experience from this year as a building block)

3) CCC trophy (see #2, these are somewhat interchangeable depending on what happens early in the season).

4) US Open Cup

5) MLF thingie - make it a MILF competition, I'd be much more interested, otherwise I just don't care one lick about mexican soccer. I'll be there screaming if we're in the late stages and have a chance to win it, don't get me wrong - but I'd do that if we played USL-2 teams in a tournament too :)

[BigWave]

1) MLS Cup - bragging rights...
2) CCC - watching a Mexican team lose to a preseason MLS team is always satisfying:) Plus, I think we could've done better than Club America in the Club World Championship!
3) Supporters' Shield - we get a spot in the playoffs, the CCC and (I hope) a spot in the MLS-MFL tournie...so this brings all sorts of amenities.
4) This funky new MLS-MFL thing - I guess this takes place during the middle of our regular season? If true, then this would be an accurate barometer of how we compare to Mexican clubs (the best teams in the region). However, when CONCACAF realizes that this tournie makes more money than the CCC...
5) US Open Cup

[RecSpecs]

1 - CONCACAF TITLE
International respect is key to the team's success both on the field as well as financially. If DCU were to win the CONCACAF tournament, we'd be playing in Japan against a Barça or Liverpool when they're all fit. How sick would that be?!? I for one am all about a road trip to Japan...

2 - MLS CUP
At RFK. I would love to see the upper deck packed. The whole city would be nuts. Pride's on the line here. 'Nuff said.

3 - MFL-MLS
I'd put this ahead of the MLS Cup, but seeing as RFK is hosting, it slips down a bit. International games are great, and I enjoy watching different styles of play. Sure there's not a lot of incentive for the tournament to exist (besides the purse), but with time it could grow into a great league rivalry.

4 - US OPEN CUP
Nice to win only if part of the double-- alone it's a crutch for bragging (talk to any Fire fan and they're likely to bring it up within oh two minutes).

5 - SUPPORTER'S SHIELD
The thing looks like an upside down Star Trek pin. Who gives a crap.

[onefineesq]

1. CONCACAF Champion's Cup

2. MLS Cup

3. Supporters Shield.

4. US Open cup.

5. MLS/MFL Super Liga.

Champion's Cup is the most important in my view. Because the winner gets a spot in the Club World Cup, and the runner up gets a spot in the Copa Sudamericana. And competing in those tournaments can bring a tremendous amount of exposure and prestige to DC United and MLS. The other choices are obvious. I'm with you. The only debate is if the first 2 should be swapped, but I find that to be a toss-up.

[LN - Dougg]

1)Concacaf Champions' Cup

I also can't believe how many of you are raking this low... Winning this trophy does not only make us the best (at least during the tournament time period) in the US, but in the whole CONCACAF region... If we win, we get to go to the World Cup... C'mon, say it with me... "DC United in the World Cup." I think most that are down playing this cup do it because of doubt, and even fear... Some will even call it "being realistic." Whatever the case may be, rank these trophies based on what/why its important for DC United... We already know we are the best in the US, we have been proving it for years... I think it's time, and it has been time, for us to step up to challenges at the global level. Give tournaments like these priority...


2) MLS Cup

Winning #5 in our own stadium? Can't get any sweeter than that!

3) Supporters' Shield

This opens the doors for international competition and continues to prove we're the best team in MLS, with the best fans.

4) US Open Cup

Not a priority this year in my view. Last year, yes, this year, we have bigger fish to fry.

5) MLS Reserve League Cup

6) Atlantic Cup

7) Coffe Pot or whatever that thing we have with the Battery it's called.

8) uh... trying to come up with something...

56) Still trying...

99) Hmmm...

100) This funky new MLS-MFL thing

pft...

[Bison1997]

1) MLS Cup - This is the league championship, and should be the priority every year. Thankfully, United doesn't really need to get on a roll to do this until September.

Besides, aren't we all tired of watching the revs stink up the Final?

2) CCC - How sweet would be it be to win this? The Region's Championship, entry into the Club World Cup - I'm not the only person that would travel for that, right? - and if United wins it this year, it probably means they've beaten chicas guadalajara (with dirty sanchez in goal, do the goalies still hear La Norte after having been moved over?) and club america. I'd really like to see that happen.

3) Supporters' Shield - One of two ways into the CCC, which is the only reason I have it above the USOC.

4) US Open Cup - One more cup for the tropy cabinet.

5) MLS-MFL Thing - I think it's going to be more of a Proof of Concept thing this year. As time goes on, it may well replace the CCC in terms of importance and CWC invitation, but who knows?

[fatbastard]

6) Atlantic Cup
7) Coffee Pot or whatever that thing we have with the Battery is called.
100) This funky new MLS-MFL thing
I would swap 6) and 7) most seasons, the Atlantic Cup is a made-up useless doorstop of a "trophy" - the only thing good about it is that with us winning it, it can't be the only thing in that otherwise empty spiderweb holder - the New Jersey team's trophy case.

However, I do not believe we are going to be playing in the Carolina Challenge Cup this year, so that trophy may be un-winnable this year :)
I thought we were going to opt out of Charleston because of the other CCC, but with all this turnover, maybe we should go anyway, it's a great week for all the players to get to really know each other better :) Besides, I love drinking beer outta that thing :cool:

[Allan Quatermain]

...MLS Cup is the most important trophy in American Soccer. End of story. I don't think any of the others are even close...

I am not sure I understand this thinking. Not that our situation in MLS and that of any typical European league are exactly similar, but let me pose a question that might clear this up: Do you think Liverpool last year would have traded their Champions League title for the Premiership trophy?

My guess is no, and that they were happy to have a relatively subpar league season (effectively not qualifying for the next European campaign) as long as they won the Champions League.