That, and at 3-1, they let their foot off the pedal. I give 'em a fifty-fifty shot at getting to 3-1 even if you catch the handball.
Doesn't matter - it's still a call the ref should make, if he sees it. And I think that's the problem: if the Center ref was on the other side of the play -- in other words, behind Eskandarian, he doesn't see whether it strikes his face, hand, mid-section, whatever. The AR nearest to the play can't make the call, either because Esky's body is between him and the play. And the other AR is 80+ yards away on the other diagonal. I'd guess the ref said no call because from his view he saw nothing to call. That said, both teams gave a pretty entertaining match, but good golly, Taylor can't finish his breakfast! If he has a job in professional soccer next year, he'll be spending a lot of extra time in front of the nets, because he's never going to forget the nightmare he had last Sunday.
it wouldnt matter if it was 1-nil DC, that would still make us "some sort of offencive juggernaut that KC couldn't hangle" since we would have still WON. But I digress, we WERE offencive juggernauts against your metros this season, as usual.
I didnt want to read through the whole thread so I applogize if this has already been posted: What struck me about the final is with all the parity in the league and how on any given day one team and beat any other team etc......how these two teams looked so completly different.
Well sure. Woudlnt you? I mean, after all, we not only shut you out two straight matches, but also scored 4 goals on your boy Walker, all en route to our 4th championship. C'mon, you guys cant be THAT bad, i mean really, not EVERY team makes the playoffs.
DC United also had the most goals scored of any team with a half-competent defense over the regular season. DCU averaged 2.5 goals a game during the playoffs. That's a fair definition of 'juggernaut' in my book.
How about scoring 43 goals in 30 games played, for the second most potent offense in the league? Code: GP GF MetroStars 30 47 D.C. United 30 43 Los Angeles Galaxy 30 42 New England Revolution 30 42 San Jose Earthquakes 30 41 Columbus Crew 30 40 Kansas City Wizards 30 38 Chicago Fire 30 36 Dallas Burn 30 34 Colorado Rapids 30 29 While giving up 42 goals, for the 6th spot in defense Code: GP GF Kansas City Wizards 30 30 Columbus Crew 30 32 Colorado Rapids 30 32 San Jose Earthquakes 30 35 Los Angeles Galaxy 30 40 D.C. United 30 42 New England Revolution 30 43 Chicago Fire 30 44 Dallas Burn 30 45 MetroStars 30 49 And for the post season (including MLS Cup) goals for: Code: GP GF Avg D.C. United 4 10 2.50 Kansas City Wizards 4 7 1.75 New England Revolution 3 5 1.67 San Jose Earthquakes 2 2 1.00 Los Angeles Galaxy 3 2 0.67 Colorado Rapids 2 1 0.50 Columbus Crew 2 1 0.50 MetroStars 2 0 0.00 goals against: Code: GP GA Avg Los Angeles Galaxy 3 3 1.00 Colorado Rapids 2 2 1.00 Columbus Crew 2 2 1.00 D.C. United 4 5 1.25 Kansas City Wizards 4 5 1.25 New England Revolution 3 4 1.33 San Jose Earthquakes 2 3 1.50 MetroStars 2 4 2.00 Just because the Metro couldn't score in a brothel full of Crewzers and Luiz Hernandez' mother, sisters and aunts in the runup to and including the playoffs doesn't mean that DC United didn't. Edit - screw this formatting, you can figure it out for yourself.
I am constantly amused by the fact that the people who just won a title need to constantly compare themselves to the Metros. Keep it up Fellas. I am enjoying this. LOL!
You originally wrote: They've been offensively strong for a pretty damned long time. There are the numbers from the '04 season backing that up. If you want to go back to find out what their goals for numbers for other seasons are, knock yourself out. They're all available on MLSNet.com's archive pages. Oh, and as to your assertion that they only scored one goal on offense in the Cup, you're full of crap. Eski's second was not "a clear handball" and the third would've been Eski's hat trick if not for the fact that Zotinca put it in first.
As Graham Parker pointed out a long time ago, passion is no ordinary word. If that KC had only put a little bit of passion into those last 15 minutes, it could have been the most exciting MLS game ever. As it ended, one is left to merely wonder if anyone -- even the players and coaches -- really gives a darn about MLS. I don't expect MLS players to have the skills of the world's best (although I think they are pretty close), but I do expect them to care. KC is still waiting for the return leg.
I just dig a system that allows the 4th best team during the regular season to be crowned "champions".
No one is forcing you to support MLS. There are plenty of other soccer leagues around the world where the "champions" are decided a month or two or three before the season is over. Pick one of those.
I was speakin' to KC clearly having the superior regular season record. You've got your trophy again. No need to be so defensive about how you got it.
Over its last 15 games, DCU won 9, tied 4 and lost 2, scoring over 2 goals a game. Once we clicked, we were the best offensive team in the league, even better than those that didn't have a half-competent defense. Yeah, I think you hear me knocking, and I think I'm comin' in.