Wake Up Rev Nation!

Fans of Rev Nation, Wake Up!

I have been a Revolution fan, and actually a part of the orginization in the past, for several years. I have monitored the situation in Rev Nation for several years now from the stands, the pressbox and Big Soccer. What I have seen, quite simply, sickens me, and it runs all the way down from the top to the bottom--meaning, you, the fans.
Do not be blinded by your love of soccer so much that you let the Revolution off easy here! The players they are signing today, are for all intents and purposes, crap. Players that willl merely hide the wounds by maybe making a brief playoff appearance.
Do Not let the Revs and their excuses work this time! Here is why:
At the beginning of the season, I distinctly heard personally, and saw on Big Soccer Todd Smith and Sunil and Fernando gloating about how happy they were with the team's showing in the dispersal draft. Smith was particulary elated...beliving he had scored a coup, and had a championship team ready to play in the final at Foxboro.
Of course, it was easy to pluck the best players from the dispersal draft since the Revs had THREE of the first five picks. Unbelivable! Quite simply, the draft was rigged, and the Revs knew before anyone else the Florida teams would be scrapped, that is why they were able to dump so much salary and have roster slots available.
The Revs picked some of the best players available, and indeed some of the best players in the league for the past several years. Their pre-season 2002 line-up read like an all-star team, so NOONE should say Nicol and the Revs are a crap team! They became one from the inept mismangement of Todd Smith.
Smith is in charge here, and he said all along the goal in 2002 was to have a team that was together, that was on the same page and a team that was immune to the transient lineup the side had been in the past. Especially a team that was different from the 2001 pre-season team, a roster group that was such a joke, with players coming and going in training camp that the rest of MLS still laughs at the thought.
That team never bought into Fernando, because they knew when he got back from practice he was always on the phone searching for "better" players. Why play hard for someone who will deal you in a heartbeat?
But this year, it was supposed to be different? Do you remember the articles. Of course, we were all sceptical of Fernando's abilities, but now with a real team, a team full of former all-stars, he shouldn't have had to do that much. Despite the fact Todd and Fernando never saw quite eye-to-eye, the Kraft's liked his personable manner and Smith agreed to a contract extension.
Of course, the team still didn't buy into his non-existent leadership style and ridiculous practice schedules. They struggled this year, and Smith had no choice but to fire Clavijo, a decision that should have been made well before the season started.
Then, with a sub-.500 record staring him in the face, Smith panicked. I know Smith is ill, and I wish him the best, but it is clear that he is in way over his head.
Smith is the one calling more and more of the shots, and under his watch, the trades have become more lopsided and underhanded. At every gathering of MLS personnel I have attended, Smith, and his drinking buddy Dave Kasper (now D.C. United's Technical Director) are always mentioned with a laugh and a shake of the head. There is no respect for someone who has proven to be such a soccer idiot.
Of course the deal with NY/NJ was a joke, and I won't go into details about that here. Williams was the best overall player on the team, hands down. Everyone knows Diallo scores goals...that is what he does, and he would have done it in New England. Regardless, the trade was just the tip of the iceberg. Every single move that has been made during the season is a panic-driven, last ditch effort to save his ass decision.
Anyone involved in pro sports knows teams are not built that way. Why change a team that could have played for a title? Why? Why pine for 2 years and devote incredible energies to signing a player like Semedo, and then just cut him. Why have a player like Frias even on the roster? (shady dealings there)
No matter who the Revs acquire, Smith has proved he doesn't know what he is doing.
Look at succesful teams in any sport, the Earthquakes and Galaxy and even the Fire have kept a nucleus core together. San Jose wins with former Revs (Graziani, Ibsen)
Smith is most definitley in charge, it only looks like he is not because he really doesn't have a clue what he is doing. Sunil does not either, and his record of picking up players is well-known as being dead-wrong.
Around the league, the Revs are known as a team that treats its players poorly in just about every way imaginable. This attitude permeates throughout the entire franchise, and affects every program, ticketing, youth marketing, you name it. Of course, the corporate dynamic of the Revs being treated as the unwelcome little brother of the Pats is a large factor there as well, but I am specifically dealing with on-field issues here.
The Revs have NO EXCUSES this season for being perhaps the most unimaginable, least fun sides in MLS history. And it is not beacause of lack of talent, it is solely due to mismangment.
Sorry for venting, but as a seasonticket holder, Im too pissed now!

I have many, many, behind the scenes stories that colorfully illustrate all my points which I will be posting routinely.