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MLS Monday
Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 08:28 AM by Bill Archer
Maybe it's just me, but after a 5 for 5 weekend, MLS East looks more and more like the "Black and Blue" division, while for the West "Pink and Lavender" might be more appropriate colors.
For a few years now The San Houston ClashQuake1836Dynamo has been carrying the West around on it's shoulders: while it was clear that the overall quality lay in the East, it was hard to denigrate the division that produced the league champion year after year.
The suits in New York, worshipers at the altar of Parity that they are, were undoubtedly hopeful that with Chivas coming on strong and a couple other teams undergoing serious overhauls in the off season, that the West was ready to finally get some traction this season.
Instead, the Eastern Conference has taken Parity out back and taken a tire iron to it.
Toronto, worst team in the league last season, is on a three game winning streak while Columbus, which has finished out of the playoffs for three straight years, currently stands alone atop the league.
Meanwhile, Houston, the Pride of the West, is the only winless team in the league and Chivas has only managed one win in five games.
So the two worst Eastern teams from 2007 suddenly look very credible, while the West's best two 2007 sides, were they in the East right now, would be solidly planted in last place.
Meanwhile, the Best in the West, Dallas FC, would stand no better than 6th in the East.
Ever since 2000, when the Wizards went literally from worst to first, it's been said that one of the great things about MLS is the way weak teams can turn it around in a single off season and go straight to being contenders, thus providing fans of weak sister teams reason for hope from one season to the next.
Unfortunately for Houston and Chivas fans, the reverse is also true, and this last weekend's East-West pistol whipping seems to indicate that it's not going to change anytime soon.
For a few years now The San Houston ClashQuake1836Dynamo has been carrying the West around on it's shoulders: while it was clear that the overall quality lay in the East, it was hard to denigrate the division that produced the league champion year after year.
The suits in New York, worshipers at the altar of Parity that they are, were undoubtedly hopeful that with Chivas coming on strong and a couple other teams undergoing serious overhauls in the off season, that the West was ready to finally get some traction this season.
Instead, the Eastern Conference has taken Parity out back and taken a tire iron to it.
Toronto, worst team in the league last season, is on a three game winning streak while Columbus, which has finished out of the playoffs for three straight years, currently stands alone atop the league.
Meanwhile, Houston, the Pride of the West, is the only winless team in the league and Chivas has only managed one win in five games.
So the two worst Eastern teams from 2007 suddenly look very credible, while the West's best two 2007 sides, were they in the East right now, would be solidly planted in last place.
Meanwhile, the Best in the West, Dallas FC, would stand no better than 6th in the East.
Ever since 2000, when the Wizards went literally from worst to first, it's been said that one of the great things about MLS is the way weak teams can turn it around in a single off season and go straight to being contenders, thus providing fans of weak sister teams reason for hope from one season to the next.
Unfortunately for Houston and Chivas fans, the reverse is also true, and this last weekend's East-West pistol whipping seems to indicate that it's not going to change anytime soon.
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As Dynamo fan, It hurts to say but you are right!!Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 09:37 AM by santeroatomico 
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It's not surprising when Crew fans get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or Conferencism as a way to explain their frustrations.
Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 01:48 PM by Honore de Ballsac
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The story of a 30 week season is never told in 5 weeks. This "STORY" would be better in weeks 10-15. The west has dominated since 2000, thats the real story. I do hope NEW YORK finally deos something, its the KEY for a stronger MLS.Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 03:36 PM by Ron86 
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The fact that Sigi may actually be developing players in Columbus may help to explain their success early in this season.
The one thing I've always liked about him is that he could care less what anyone thinks of him, which is probably a good thing considering he won't be a Jenny Craig poster boy anytime soon.
The fact that Gullit realizes that this a "learn as you go" league is pretty impressive given he's been here, what, a couple weeks now?Posted 29 Apr 2008 at 01:10 AM by oldguyfc
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Houston started off the season similarly last year and look where it got them. Columbus and Toronto will burn out and neither will probably make the playoffs.
Posted 29 Apr 2008 at 03:19 AM by Quake87
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