Let's have fun. Who will win the cup? DC repeat under Nowaks guidence? Will Chivas take it all or will it be Real that will repeat Fire? Will we see last to first? --------------------------------------------------- I will go with Fire in 05. With allocations and Herron, Ralph, Razov they could make 04 look like a bad dream.
Yes, Chicago looks good. DC won't win again, not saying why because people will just bitch about my reasons (Northside Rovers). San Jose, even with Ching and De Rosario don't have a chance. Colorado may have a shot if their offense can simply be mediocre. The Galaxy always are a good, solid pick. I can assure you that the West will win it.
I can't even guess. It's such a crapshoot what the two expansion teams will be like, and--for example--I can't even guess how DC will replace Nelsen. I think DC could do it again. The Crew haven't ditched Andrulis, so there's that. The Rev's might finally take that last step to go from being contender to champ. Chicago needs to rebuild, Colorado--I think--will benefit from having their own stadium in '06. Dallas is a mystery--how will they rebuild? LA might rise to the challenge of having a new rival trying to take over their own stadium. SJ? They're licking their wounds next year. In short, this is fun, but I have no idea.
Chicago Fire over DC United in a thrilling overtime Eastern Conference final. The Galaxy crash out at home in the Western Conference Final to a surprising Real Salt Lake squad. MLS is angry at missing out on an expected LA-Chicago final, and consequently MLS Cup ratings are a 0.8 or 0.9 instead of a 1.2 or so. Chicago wins the Cup 4-2 and is happy they prevent Salt Lake from duplicating the Fire's first-year championship.
With rosters in flux, what's the point? Just because a team has allocations or discoveries coming doesn't mean they will use them wisely (See, for example, Bronze Boot Bo). So - yes - I do think it is too early to discuss this with any intelligence. Oh... Never mind. I forgot this was Big Soccer. Proceed.
How many allocations do you expect the Fire to use? From what I've seen, many MLS teams that load up on allocations fail to ever use them, or use at most one. They always claim to be busy in the search for the right player, but I get the impression the teams are just cheap and don't want to raise their payroll costs.
The Revs play a style that is very effective in cooler weather, and if they ditch Llamosa's salary and JMM's salary, they're gonna be swimming in cap room. If Clint Dempsey improves from last year, and they can effectively use their voluminous cap space (i.e., no Steve Howey fiascoes) they look like the best pick out there. DC has a real shot at repeating, but they have a massive hole in central defense. If they can use their voluminous cap space to fill it, they're the #2 pick. And don't forget KC. A wonderful team, but since several of their big stars have injury histories, I make them my #3 pick. A really good coach in Colorado, and clearing out the Powell/Roberts deadwood with quality replacements, and they'd look pretty good. The Mutts are still the Mutts, the Burn are still the Burn, and may not have GAM in the playoffs. San Jose will suck very, very much. Who knows about the expansion teams. The Crew...who the hell knows? Won the Supporter's Shield, but I doubt the team has faith in its coach, which is a recipe for disaster. But if Szetela steps up, and Fraser and Sanneh don't suddenly get real old, watch out. I think it comes down to whether the Revs or DC take better advantage of their cap room.
The chivas are probably the only team that's not going to lose players for (a very busy) WCQ schedule...so, if they can get off to a good start and go into the play-offs with a home-field advantage(will be one of their biggest assets)they can coast right to the finals...and chivas in a finals in dallas will be like a home game for them...
The Galaxy pick up Paulo Wanchope because of Steve Sampson. He teams with Ruiz and they wear out the nets in MLS. Galaxy are always good in odd-numbered years. Kevin Hartman is traded, the Gals pick up Adin Brown and Brown sets a shut-out record, returning to his native California. Chivas is LA's doormat.
Oh yes, and Sampson achieves his goal and is re-named US coach. Arena is fired because USA fails to qualify. John Harkes is named his top assistant.
from what i know as of now...2005 will look like this... West - CD Chivas USA FC Dallas San Jose Earthquakes Los Angeles Galaxy Colorado Rapids ReAL Salt Lake East - DC United Columbus Crew MetroStars New England Revolution Chicago Fire Kansas City Wizards Semi Finals - Chivas over Galaxy San Jose over Dallas DC over NE Crew over MetroStars Conference Finals - San Jose over Chivas DC over Crew MLS Cup - DC over San Jose
gotta tell me who the two expansion teams are going to be first then maybe i can help ya out...hahah don't worry though, DC United and Los Angeles Galaxy have always been my top 2 favorite teams, if i have favorites, in MLS...but i hate Steve Sampson that much for what he did to not only the national team but the whole United States of America as a country... i hope sampson dies and i hope it happens on this trip he is on, then i can goto my annual galaxy home match that i've made it to since 98 (when i was old enough to start flying by myself) hahaha... see ya at the DC-LA match in LA next season, unless sampson is there, he makes me sick looking at him and i wouldn't want to be puking the entire match when i could just watch on TV and save my money and only puke the 3-4 times they show him a game...
Depending on how the Revs do with their defense will determine if they win it all. They got to the ECF with a ************ defense. With a more improved D, the team will get very far.
I want to say Chicago, but I have to think its going to be NY and LA in the finals. I can't pick a winner, though.
Its hard to guess since we don't know the rosters but I think New England has played brides maid 3 straight years. 02- lost in extra time MLS CUP 03- lost on golden goal EAST FINAL 04-lost on penalties EAST FINAL Plus i think Nicol is a good coach and the Twellman, Noonan, Dempsey combo can only get better. OR Kansas City..they are solid, balanced, and well coached.
I am not a arrogant enough RSL fan to say that we will win it all in 2005 but we will certainly do better than a misfit San Jose team. -KC has potential but they might be hurting for losing Meola. -Revs look good but RSL took their major talents in the back line -DC will not repeat, not even with Gomez, Moreno, Esky and the Freddy. With Stewart and Nelson gone, they will be hurting. -Metros are the Metros -Crew need to just one new tool to get further -Chivas are still unknown, much like RSL, but they have good plans. -LA is retooling but not as bad as SJ and Rapids. -Fire looks to do well, depends on who is GK (Ring or Thornton). -Dallas's season depends on who is up with EJ I'll say Revs and LA in final
A recently purchased and happy-to-be-staying San Jose squad goes back to the top, beating the expansion Rochester Rhinos-that-used-to-Rage in a thrilling 2-1 match. MLS is again disappointed with TV ratings below 1.0 b/c of a 'smaller'-market final. As a result, the league moves all Eastern Conference teams to New York and all Western Conference teams to LA for 2007 to bump up TV ratings in the future and create more 'derbies'. Despite half the league now being based in New York, the Curse of Caricola lives on as an LA team drubs a New York team in each MLS Cup until 2012. Unfortunately for the league, Cup TV ratings only show a really significant spike when the halftime show is a public execution of the always-inept Steve Sampson in 2010. Finally, in 2012, the league gives up on TV ratings and again expands to non-LA and New York cities. After this, I have no predictions yet.