Pan-Pacific Championship

The Pan-Pacific Championship kicks off tonight so I thought I'd throw a little preview out there as there is little news on the RSL front (other than an embarrassing debacle against Lynn Univ. Who? Exactly.) and it features my other team, Sydney FC out of the Australian A-League. It is my blog, after all, so I'll talk about whatever the hell I want! hahaha

Tonight's first game features the LA Galaxy vs. Gamba Osaka of the Japanese J-League. LA is the one team in the competition not there on their merits, but obviously on their marketing potential. Yes, there is some BS given about being runners up in Superliga, blah blah blah, but seriously, we all see through it. Anyway, LA was not a very good team last year to be honest, but have made some interesting additions (for example Ruiz) and some odd subtractions (Albright). It'll be interesting to see how and if this team can come together and if the players will all play to their ability.
As for Gamba Osaka, I know as little about the J-League as anyone. I know it has a reputation as a fairly good level of play. I know it is in Japan. I know it exists. There you have it. A quick look at wikipedia says that Gamba finished 3rd in the 18 team J-League last year, but they won the J League Cup, which appears to be a tournament featuring every team in the J-League (but whose results are not a part of the J-League). This sounds like a solid team, featuring some players from Japan's national team, past and present. However, on the same token, this team will be missing SEVEN of its players to national team duty (6 to the men's squad, 1 to U-23).
Both teams are in their preseason and are trying to fit new players in. However, just by a few videos on the PPC web site, Gamba seems much more about results and LA more about being seen. Also, I'm honestly not sold on this LA team yet.
PREDICTION: LA Galaxy 1 - Gamba Osaka 3

Game 2 is the one I'm looking forward to. It features reigning MLS champs Houston and my boys, the sky blues of Sydney FC. This game could be interesting on many fronts, not the least of which is to see how the Dynamo work out their forward line. They lost 3 or 4 forwards this offseason (including, just so I can work this line in, Nate "Andre the Giant" Jaqua) and have a couple players (like Brian Mullan) who could cover the midfield to move DeRosario back up top. Nevertheless, I can't count out the two-time MLS champs, especially when most of the players that left were depth, not stars. I have a feeling Houston will show well in this tournament.
That leaves me with Sydney FC, who will have the good fortune of being the only team coming off their season, having lost in the minor semi-finals to Queensland less than two weeks ago. However, going against them are the continued injury woes of Juninho, who will not play in the PPC, and a possible lack of confidence after a very mediocre showing in the playoffs (0 goals in 2 games). This lack of confidence will certainly extend to winger/forward Alex Brosque, who at times can be brilliant, but in the playoffs choked worse than Karl Malone. If he can overcome this, and old man Steve Corica can keep up the form he showed at the end of the season, then SFC will have a good shot at taking down Houston. If not, it could get ugly.
I really want Sydney to win, but I don't see it against a solid Houston team, even if they are in their preseason. Maybe a bit of this pessimism toward my team comes from being an RSL fan (and a Cubs fan, a Syracuse Orangemen fan-especially "pointy football", a Southen Utah Thunderbirds fan, etc. etc. etc.) and I hope it's irrational, but I think the Creamsickles win this one.
PREDICTION: Houston Dynamo 3 - Sydney FC 2

Predictions for the 3rd-place and Championship games after my current predictions come undone (haha).

Also, on a completely unrelated note, props to the dude on big soccer who echoed my sentiment of getting Archie Thompson over here, and I second his Joel Griffiths idea as well. Well done, my good man.