Well the year that would not end ended yesterday. A decent MLS cup, a lot of goals, and a so so level of play, but a nice sell out crowed and a exciting goal fest kept people watching. San Jose deserved the cup and in the end the best team won. Now a look at things to come! let start w. the 10 teams! 1- SAN JOSE= A huge 360 since 2001. 2 time champs and a star player who has rasied the level of his whole team mates. Landon Donovan has been the key to the Earthquakes. With his descion to not go aboard and stay in MLS the earthqukes are bound to have more sucess, the big question for the quakes in 2004 his how the fix up an aging back line!!! And with Yallop on his way to Canada who will step in to fill his shoes?? Dir would be a nice chocie and he may be getting many offers for the coming year. 2- Chicago had a GREAT year 2 cups in a year is not bad for a rebuilding year. In 2004 expectations will be high in Fire land but it looks like they will measure up and most likely will go for the title next year!!!! Although it may be minus Bocanegra and DMB who seems Europe bound. 3- New England- By years end they we're playing the best and most atractive soccer. W. Cancela and Newman hooking up next year look for a 3 man attack with Fabbro, Newman, and Twellman!!!! WHY NOT! w. fabbro and cancela hooking up well and newman and twellman going for goal, with a couple of off season acuissions, The Revolution may cause a REVOLUTION next year. Steve Nicols work is paying off! 4- LA- With the main stars all getting up in age and slowing down next year may be a up and downer for LA. W. Carlos Ruiz beinging the only one in his 20's, Cobi in his mid 30's, along with elliot the main guns are running out of steam. With cienfuegos gone a # 10 will be sought after in the off season. Next year look for a repeat of this season, up and down. 5- KC wizards- another one whos stars are all getting on in age, but besides Preki the rest have lost a step. Tony Meola had a dreadful year along with others. A late run got them in the playoffs, but again look for more of the same of this year going to next. 6- DC United- All about Freddy Adu next year!!!! But with a great motivator but horrible coach in Ray Hudson DC United is a train wreak!!!!! I hope and pray they don't put the burden of 4 bad seasons on freddy Adu, but it seems that they will! A coaching change rather than player change is needed here! Dir could be up for this one too! 7- Crew- Another place were a coaching change is needed but it didn't happen. A REAL # 10 is needed here. Kyle Martino is a good player but before he carries the team on his own he needs a little help!!!! McBride and Buddle can be fearsome up front they just need the right playmaker. 8- Colorado- The Rapids, ohh boy the Rapids. they are a head ace, at times awsome at times the worst. Spencer is the blood and guts of a very poor team. Alot is needed to get this team to the promise land!!!! I doubt they'll have enough for next year. 9- THe Burn. Went down in flames.... No need to discuss them. Next year could be worse!!!!!! 10- Last but WORSE the Metrostars. Why worse. Why not! Only 5,000 in their 1st cup final. While on the field the metrostars improved some what off the field the team is a joke!!! MPF what ever that was, was their playoff marketing! A stadium that dosen't come, and a GM who cares more about himself than his team!!!! A horrible New Logo and poor marketing makes this team look sooooo amaturish. that's just in summary. Bob Bradley could only do so much in a team mard by stupidity!!!! What to look forward to next year? Freddy Adu. What MLS needs, a consistante level of play. What was good about this year? Attendece was steady.
Nicely done Mario! So does anyone have season end cumulative attendance figures, including the playoffs? Looking forward to see how the talent is disbursed through expansion in the coming seasons.
I hope and pray that the New Jersey Metro Trash have a real bad year one that makes 97 and 99 look like winning years....You know what I hope that a plane crash kills off every one in metro land as they fly over to a west cost trip.. I hope that their plane crashes in the snow filled rocky mountins and that most of them die but the few that survive wind up eatting the dead team mates... Putting a real end to the New Jersey team......
One comment about San Jose's coaching situation: It's almost certain that Yallop will leave (it's not a matter of if, but when) and it's also certain that Dominic Kinnear (now assistant-coach) will be taking over.
Newman? Is this some kind of a joke? I actually like that name. Twellman and NEWman in NEW England. Like helmzgk said, it's Noonan.
Overall, I'd call this a GREAT year, what with all the young guys getting the experience they did and making the impact they did. Ralph, Noonan, Magee, Clark, Gaven, Gonzalez, Jaqua, Pause, Mapp, Buddle, Beasley, Warren, Twellman, Beckerman, Borchers, Davis, EJ, Countess, Alvarez, Donovan, Dunivant, Walker.......... All young guys, all doing fairly well to awesome with the time they were given. Some will measure up to what we expect of them, some won't, a few will move on to bigger things, but one thing's for sure: the young ones are making a huge impact now. They're going to just keep getting better, and the level of play in MLS is going to keep getting better, too.
I can understand hating a team and certant players but wishing harm on someone is sick and classless! Captin Clown is an appropriate name for you but it should be more like Captin AssClown. I, for one, perfer my rivials to be at full health so when my team beats them they will have no excuses when we kick the "stank" out of them.
By and large, LA has great fans, but a few of them are really a disgrace. Oh well, AssClown is probably 13 and doesn't know any better.