Put a candle in the window

"Guess I've got that old travelin' bone, 'cause this feeling won't leave me alone.  But I won't, won't be losing my way, no, no.  'Long as I can see the light."  -CCR

Last Saturday, prior to the RSL playoff debut at Rio Tinto, a group of Mexicans donning red and white stripes and bandit masks came parading down the middle of the walkway leading from State Street to the stadium.  These butts proceeded to curse (in Mexican) and yell derogitory remarks to bystandars along their way.  Oh how glorious it was to send them packing with their team down a goal in this 2 leg series.  

This coming Saturday will be opposite day.  I am my fellow loyal supporters will convrege upon the Home Depot center, and we will parade down the pathway to the enternace with quiet confidence, respectful of our hosts.  We will be noisy in the support of our team and do so in an intelligent manner.  We will not celebrate prematurely and we will leave the HDC with fond memories of a sound victory for RSL.  The home supporters will exit the HDC for the last time in 2008, not with satisfaction, but with dissapointment, a stark contrast from last weekend's home supporters' feeling as they exited Rio Tinto.  

In It To Win It

Players win games, teams win championships.  The rest of the fetchin' MLS, national media, everyone except those loyal to the Red Yellow and Blue hasn't given a thought thus far to Real Salt Lake winning the cup.  Javier Morales, arguable the biggest Bad Ace of MLS throughout the season, wasn't even in the top 3 candidates for the MVP award.  Landon Donovan, who will be sitting on his ace watching the playoffs just like I will be, got a nomination.  He obviously wasn't all that valuable to the team, cause they team didn't do squat all year.  Maybe I should get a nod at the award... I'll be just as valuable for the Galaxy this weekend as he will be.  Frank Yallop, coach of the last place San Jose Earthquakes, is up for coach of the year.  He did great coaching his team to last place in the leauge.  Jason Kries took this team, turned it upside down, and made the playoffs, but wasn't even considered for any sort of recognition of his efforts.  All that crap doesn't matter, and won't matter when RSL hoists the cup on November 23rd.  Everyone will be scratching thier heads when they realize what we, the loyal fans, have known all along... it's our time.  It all starts tomorrow.  You can't win 'em all unless you win the first.

Fetchin' Chivas

Last Saturday's game sucked. It was the epitome of the season for RSL. Chivas were getting killed most of the game, but like always, RSL couldn't score any of their 100 chances. It was fetchin' bull crap. It may be Clint Mathis that is the curse of RSL. They are 1-5-2 since the return of Mathis. I don't know what else to blame it on. Actually I have one idea...

It is hard to find solid evidence from looking at stats that support my theory, but I believe that Kenny Deuchar is the secret to RSL's success. He hasn't scored hardly any goals, but he is the secret to RSL's possession in the attacking half of the field. RSL has a problem connecting from the back 4 to the midfield. Often times, they pass the ball around in the back for a while and end up booting it up the the front. Deuchar is prolly the best in the league at directing those long balls into dangerous spots for his teammates and keeping possession of the long balls. When Deuchar is in there, they can keep sending those long balls up there and then Dr. can knock them down for Morales or Findley or whoever is close by and then they can start their attack from there. He hasn't been playing as much in these last few games that they've been losing. He needs to start. He gets into the head of defenses, causes problems for the organization of the opponents. The more he is in, the better off RSL is. And none of the forwards are consistent finishers, but Doctor Goals knows how to be a consistent finisher, so he may as well be in there. IMHO, him starting and playing most or all of the game is the missing piece from the RSL team that hasn't lost at home and the one that we saw on Saturday.

Drought

Dear faithfull readers,

I make no attempt to excuse my recent form.  School, work, social endevours, sickness can accumulate and combine against my passion for Real Salt Lake, but they can never overcome.  This blog, formerly a free-flowing fountain of information for my faithful readers, has since run dry and been left for dead.  But rest assured, ye faithfull readers, that you are not forgotten.  

And now, with this post amidst a drought of posts, there is much that could and perhaps should be said about RSL.  But alas, all I will offer is this peice of advice for RSL, followed by an ultimatum:  Beat fetchin' Chivas' aces.  You have one day.  

Dave