'Tis the season

As my wife and I unpacked our Christmas decorations last night, I realized that this time of year has arrived without nearly as much fan-fare and circumstance as last year. Yet it is here nonetheless. I am as anxious as a school-boy hoping for a bicycle on Christmas morn. I am as calm as a light snowfall in a crisp winter evening. I am as hungry as a lion, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting prey.

It's playoff time.

The playoffs have caught us in a tired and sullen state. We have started this playoff slate with our worst ever performance in our brief but storied playoff history. But, as surely as the seasons will turn to winter and it will once again be time for Christmas, our boys will rally from this half-time deficit of 2-1 to prove to the world that we are the best team in the MLS. To all those who may be wavering in the situation, here is my cry:

Hold your ground! Hold your ground! Sons of Kreis, of Beckerman. My brothers. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me! A day may come, when the courage of Andy fails, when we forsake Findley and he breaks all bonds of his contract, but it is not this day! An hour of chasing and shattered supporters shields when the age of RSL comes crashing down! But it is not this day! THIS DAY WE FIGHT! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you, stand, men of the West!

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.