DC United?? Um, what huge coups have they made on the transfer market? Steve Guppy? 1) They lost their stadium 3) They lost their best defender.
haha DC fans are delirious. They think their team last season was the best in the history of MLS by a mile. No, it really wasn't. You guys sucked for most of the year, picked it up at the end of the season, and then had an ok playoffs (ran over a demoralized Metrostars, gave up 3 goals to a horrible Revs team, and won MLS Cup with 2 flub goals...hardly the makings of world beaters in my humble opinion). If I had to choose a team, it would have to be LA. They brought in a lot of TALENTED players. Lets see how they mesh. Chicago brought in a lot of players, but I think in the wrong areas. Why trade for Sanneh? That seems like a waste, if you already have Brown, Curtin, Caballero and Guerrero back there. Not only that, but who the hell is going to run the offense, or produce? Herron I guess could, but he still has to prove it. Same with Mapp and Thorrington. But to be honest, I think the team to beat going in is Kansas City. They lost nobody from last year, and Gansler is a superior coach.
Right now it is hands down Galaxy. They got great talent for the backline and midfield. The only thing that hasn't been addressed is the forwards, when Ruiz is off with the Nat'l team, Gordon and Ngwenya aren't the answer. Chicago would come in a close second, if it weren't for the fact that they lost just about all of their talented forwards. Traded off Razov, Selolwane. Transferred out Ralph. That leaves Herron, who will be gone come WCQ time. Both of these teams need to get a new forward asap.
I think the Rapids have to win this thing easily but then they had the furthest to go. They've gone from a woeful lack of talent to a pretty decent squad. Cunningham and Martin Morales are quality additions. Melamed, Leo Cullen, Luchi Gonzalez, and Hunter Freeman are not proven players in the league but I would guess that at least a couple of them will make real contributions. And the team deserves extra credit for restraining themselves from wasting big dollars on a worn-out European to get injured and sit on the bench. Nobody's claiming the Rapids are a championship team this year, but they might finally be worth watching.
You're exactly right, except the Israelites is a bit more Old School Reggae than it is Ska. "I don't want to end up like Bonny and Clyde..."
No, we know the 97-98 team was the best in the history of MLS, although last years team managed to scorch you losers 6-2 in mid-season before we put you out of your misery in the playoffs.
I'd have to go for RSL and not just because I am completely biased. As one of the two expansion teams, RSL has gone from zero players to 28, with a roster superior to little brother Chivas USA. Thus they have improved immensely (imagine if only Checketts, Pastorino and Ellinger were "playing" for RSL.....)
Unfortunately for the team and the league, that isn't very high praise at this point. Let's see how they fill the openings.
You need to study your Jamaican music history. Desmond Dekker and the Aces were a ska group. Then came a short period of Rock Steady, which was slightly slower. Rock Steady came about when there was a heat wave in Jamaica and the dancers begged the bands to have mercy on them. Finally, Reggae arrived when Bob Marley came to back from building Chryslers in Mayland and started his own record label, Tuff Gong. BTW, there's a great Desmond Dekker compilation out. I especially like it when he channels the Beach Boys: "Girls like sand, Too much every mon..."
Yeah, when you consider the number and woefulness of the Rapid's foreign acquisitions, I think it's fair. Aside from John Spencer, they would have been better off investing the money in a longshot horse in the 10th race.
My biased but unbiased pick is Kansas City. By not picking up Meola's max salary contract the Wizards were able to re-sign Nick Garcia, Diego Gutierrez, Kerry Zavagnin, Jose Burciaga, Davey Arnaud for only a miniscual drop in keeper talent in Bo. Add to that the versatility of Sasha Victorine who's a first off the bench sub or starter for most MLS teams and what many regard as the top forward in the draft in Scott Sealey. Oh, and did I mention that Chris Klein is healthy and running for 90 again. Let's also not forget that 2 time MLS MVP Preki is ready to go as a super sub when needed. From an offseason percpective keeping Meola and losing any of those key field players would've put us back into filling in with rookie & 2nd year players. With a salary cap it sometimes more difficult to maintain a final caliber team than it is to recruit and add new. And yes Gansler is a superior coach and should've gotten coach of the year given his success levels after losing 3 MVP's (Meola, Preki), Chris Klein, and their previous top goal scorer in Igor Simuntenkov for most of the season.
Dallas. Besides the stadium, change to a fianlly respectable name and lovely new uniforms, they purchased a titanium backbone for their lineup in the form of Richard Mulrooney. But, as mentioned, the biggest plus for Dallas this winter is Eddie Johnson's turn down of Benfica's 4 million dollar offer. Cornell Glenn may prove to be a big steal, as well.
MLS Galacticos? I like that term. I think RSL's done a good job in the off season. I have to give some props to Dallas nabbin' Vanney to help make up for the loss of Gibbs and seeming to keep Eddie Johnson happy enough to stick around. And I think Mulrooney was a great aquisition.
I would have to say RSL has had the best offseason. They are my favorite to get to the MLS Cup, and its their first year! Mathis, Pope, Kreis. They've got all of the tools of a championship team. Not to mention they picked up Jay Nolly in the Superdraft, who is going to become a great goalkeeper within the next year or two.
Dallas. 1. kept Eddie, last year's leading scorer despite modest support. 2. added Mulrooney, a very good MLS midfielder, in a trade that weakened key rival San Jose 3, added Vanney, a MNT quality back 4. added Yi, a baby NAT quality back 5. added Alvarez, a baby NAT quality left-sided attacking player Sure, they lost Gibbs but those are major additions. FC Dallas will be a very big step up from the last edition of the Burn.
I was about to vote for Dallas when I remembered that they had lost Cory Gibbs. I don't think you can lose a guy like that and still have the best offseason in the league. So I voted for RSL. Not only do I think they'll be competitive, I think they'll make the playoffs and could make a run at the cup. But Dallas I guess would be 1A for me. They did get better, even if Gibbs is gone. I think it's those two by a mile.