Is it just me or is this game, so far, pretty much going exactly the way the 2000 final should have gone for us? Giving up an early goal, striking right back, and burying KC immediately? I dunno. Bad memories.
Not to pick on Bo, but could be the man between the pipes for KC made the difference? Meola was an absolute brick wall in 2000. God couldn't have beaten him. One of the best performances from a goalkeeper I'd ever seen.
Which was pretty much my thought. We had several immediate chances that could have turned the tide the same way and Meola was the difference. That said I doubt Lunchbox himself could duplicate that again.
I was there in 2000. Tony didn't have to work much harder for most of his saves than did the posts and the crossbar which each saved his ass several times. Hell, my wife thought it was a toss-up between the crossbar and one of the posts for Man of the Match. But were we both a little bitter.
Bo wasn't at fault for any of those goals. If anything, mini-me was more responsible for the goal he gave up. DC looks great so far though. KC looks like complete crap. Totally outclassed to this point. DC plays a lot like we did when we had Nowak.
Just before he had made a tackle very similiar to the one that he made that broke O'brien's leg too. Except he only got the ball this time.
Or, as is all too usual in MLS, it was the man with the whistle who made the difference by making a mistake like letting DC score directly off an obvious handball. What saved this MLS Cup for me was that the ref's blunder did not stop the better team from winning. I think DCU played the better game and are deserved victors, handball notwithstanding. Hey, if MLS could steal our coach to shore up the sucky Mutts, now that we suck I say the league owes us a coach and should send Piotr home to Chicago.
I have to agree with Waldo on this one. The ref was out of position (he was where he really should have been considering the play), and couldn't make the call. That said, where was the AR on that one? Short of the Windy City Miracle this coming season '06 could be a very nice homecoming...if DC would part with him.
I have to hand it to Esko who a lot of people thought was a draft bust before this year. H eproved people wrong. Great coaching by peter, he didn't give in to those early in the season who were crying for adu to start every game.
Not to take too much away from Alecko, but Nowak turned that kid around. Waldo made a comment about Nowak along the lines of "he has always been a coach," and that's the truth. Nowak shoulders a whole lot of the reasons for DC being what they are right now.