We Are The Champions! Ben Cup Leg 2 Review

I'm trying a new format on my reviews to try and cut down the length. Not every game requires the 'War and Peace' treatment. Right now I'm just testing things so this will be a work in progress. If you've got any suggestions, let me know!

1st Half Grade: C-
Judging by the scoreline (and the reaction from people across the internet), I must say I was expecting worse in this one. RSL played pretty well in the 1st half, controlling the first 15 minutes and then outplaying DC over the last 10-15. The 15 in the middle though? All DC, all the time. RSL's defense held up pretty well to only allow one goal. Of course, the goal was on a PK called after a Dema Kovalenko handball in the box. If you haven't seen it, it was called when Dema went in for a sliding tackle and the DC cross hit him in the arm. Intentional? No way. A soft call? Perhaps. If the shoe were on the other foot would I want/expect a PK for RSL? Definitely. So I can't really say too much about that call, I can forgive it. Plus, if RSL's midfield play could lead to an attack, or our forwards could find some seams, perhaps we'd get a shot or two off and maybe even *gasp* score!

2nd Half Grade: F
Honestly, RSL didn't play all that bad as a team for most of the second half, but any time you give up THREE FREAKING GOALS in a half, it's hard to get any other grade. I'm not sure why, but that's two games in a row that RSL has actually improved after going 3 in the back. I know we can't score, so loosening up the defense is probably a bad idea, but if results don't change soon, maybe Jason should look into it. How bold are ya? Anyway, before you ask, let's get to the 2nd PK. This one I'm not so forgiving on. Mainly because the foul that should have been called was the hold outside the box. Emilio never would have been slowed down enough for Talley to catch him if he hadn't been held outside the box. The tackle itself looked fairly clean, but it was from a weird angle and from behind, so I can understand it, even if I've seen far worse go without being called. Talley really was terrible on that sequence, with the turnover that started to DC break and the tackle that was whistled for a PK. Nice job buddy! Either way, I think this was a pretty iffy call, like I said, since the original, blatant foul was outside of the box. The Quaranta volley goal was nice, but too easy. Morales fell asleep and let him go free on the weak side, and with Borchers distracted on the 3-man backline, he never even saw him to pick him up. In fact, RSL's weak side defense was exposed numerous times in this game, including on the Gallardo goal. Borchers missed the header, letting the ball fall to Gallardo near the end line. He then bent the laws of physics and volleyed it into the back of the net. An amazing goal. If you haven't seen it, check out the 'video highlights' link on the MLSnet game recap. RSL did pick up what ended up being the Ben Cup winning goal after they went down 3, with Beltran getting on the scoresheet for the first time as a pro by flicking a header to Talley off of a corner. Talley basically just ran into the ball and bulldozed it into net. And with that, RSL are your 2008 Ben Cup Champs, oh yes!

Pros:
-Olave looks like he could be the real deal.
-Joy at least looked like he belonged on the field for stretches.
-Chris Wingert looks good as of late.
-RSL looked to still be putting in some effort, even down 4-1 late.
-We got to see that goal by Gallardo. Wow.
-RSL are your Ben Cup Champions (by a score of 5-4)!
-Thomas Rongen's bow ties. Hilarious!

Cons:
-Deuchar and Beckerman were nowhere to be found.
-Movsisyan tripping over the ball, trying to force through 5 defenders, and never, ever passing.
-Weak side defense.
-Complete ineptitude going forward. Can't cross, can't send through balls, can't get shots on net (13 shots with only 4 on goal [31%]! DC had 16 & 11 [69%])
-This RSL team looks like every other RSL team.
-Thomas Rongen's bow ties. Horrendous!

Game grade: D-
Ouch. RSL's problems in attack are back again. You're telling me that Indra is actually worse than our current strike force? I don't believe it (plus, he'd sell RSL jerseys overseas. Oh well.). Gallardo is the real deal, I can't wait until we "earn" our DP. That'll be sweet.

Player grades:
Nick Rimando-6 Some decent work, not a lot he could do on most of the goals
Chris Wingert-7 Pushed forward, defended well, nice game for Chris
Nat Borchers-5 Probably his worst game for RSL so far.
Jamison Olave-6 Showed some flashes, he could be a good one
Ian Joy-4 Again, positioning problems, but sadly probably his best game for RSL
(Andy Williams 58)-5 Played well, but too many of his patented shots to the moon
Dema Kovalenko-5 Very up and down, let frustration get to him
Javier Morales-3 Nice free kicks, otherwise contributed nothing to the attack
Carey Talley-4 Good game other than the horrendous turnover/PK combo play
Kyle Beckerman-3 Completely absent from the game, we need more from Becks
(Tony Beltran 73)-5 Decent in limited time
Kenny Deuchar-3 I honestly thought that I'd missed him being subbed off at one point
Robbie Findley-4 RSL's best forward on the day. That's not saying much
(Yura Movsisyan 59)-3 PASS THE @!%*$ BALL!!!

RSL Man of the Match:
Chris Wingert - For the second straight game, Wingert has been the best player on the field for RSL. He looked good in the back, in the midfield, and even pushing forward on the wings. He even put a decent corner in. Too bad for RSL that our best production is coming from right back, but well done Chris!

Assclown of the Match:
Luciano Emilio - He must have spent the summer at the "Cuauhtemoc Blanco School of Flopping." Financial aid is available for those who qualify.

Ye Olde Royal Predctions: Week 6

I'm still trying to get through the second leg of the Ben Cup, but it is difficult. I'm only to the first PK and already it is difficult to watch. But I will try to press on. Anyway, here are this week's predictions:

Thursday, May 1:
Energy Drinks 1 vs. Streamer Warehouse 3

Saturday, May 3:
Louganises 1 vs. NERds 1
KC 1 vs. Columbus 2
TST 1 vs. Houston 2
LAG 3 vs. REAL SALT LAKE 2
Dallas 2 vs. NTOTB 0

Sunday, May 4:
Ben Cup Losers 2 vs. Crapids/Cripids 1

Bonus Pick:
Wednesday, April 30:
US Open Cup Play-In:
NTOTB 1 vs. REAL SALT LAKE 2

Yes, I have RSL losing to LA, I'm aware. The last two games have inspired no confidence whatsoever. I'm not sure they can stop Donovan with how well he is playing.

Last week's results:
OK, that was much better. Not my best week ever, but at least it was decent.
4 right (0 exact), 3 wrong (57%)

MLS Season Total: 15-20 [1 exact] (43%, 3%)

The Royal Rankings #3

It's time for another edition of the Royal Rankings. Don't worry, there will be some Ben Cup Leg 2 content up soon, but I want to get my new rankings up sooner rather than later. And awaaaaay we go:

14 NTOTB (aka San Jose) - Expansion fever, catch it! Actually, don't. It makes you suck.
13 REAL SALT LAKE - Is it still deja vu when it has happened so many times? At least the Talley goal saves the Ben Cup.
12 Houston - As the kids say, "WTF?"
11 Chivas TST - I've said all year I wasn't sold. They are proving me right.
10 LAG - Donovan is on fire. Must be prepping for his part in "Eurotrip 2: Landycakes Abroad"...
09 Energy Drinks - ...Co-starring Jozy Altidore as 'Farnsworth, the wide-eyed emigrant'. No, I have no idea where I got that either.
08 DC United/Ben Cup Losers - I still think they have the firepower to bring home the Shield once again.
07 Crapids/Cripids - Just like Kid, they've got a sweet fade. Ah, 'House Party' references, will you ever be out of style?
05 (tie) NERds & KC - Tough teams to figure out. Can't pick one over the other.
04 Dallas - Leading the West. Right now that's like taking first in a U-5 league.
03 Toronto Streamer Warehouse - You need streamers? We got 'em! You can't beat our prices, they're INSAAAAAAAAAANE!
02 Columbus - Your current MLS points leader. Welcome to 'The Twilight Zone.'
01 Chicago Louganises - Diving right in to a second straight #1!

Game Preview: Ben Cup Leg 2-Full Throttle

I'd have liked to get more Ben Cup content up this week, but work has been crazy. If you haven't already, check out my interview with DC Ben, done after Leg 1. Some good stuff there. Also, on a quick non-BC related note, the infamous 'anonymous' appears to be calling us RSL fans out after last weeks crapfest in Toronto (check the comments at the bottom). Stand up for yourselves and be heard, RSL fans! Do I smell a new rivalry coming on?
Anyway, here's some keys to tomorrow night's game:
1) Abuse Gonzalo Peralta. He was awful in Salt Lake and, by all accounts, awful last week at home in DC. RSL needs to take the game to him and force him to prove that he can defend.
2) Cover Emilio. Yes, he has been worse than terrible all season, I agree. However, one of these days he is bound to break out of it, you don't have a 20 goal season by accident. He got free a couple times at Rice Eccles and luckily didn't make RSL pay. At RFK I see that having a different outcome.
3) Come out with purpose and attack always. RSL has never played well in "bunker mode." Yet, they try to do it all the time. For a prime example of why RSL should not do this, see last week's 1st half. Enough said.
4) Solid defense. Yes, this is an obvious one, but it needs to be said in this instance. Sturgis is out for at least a couple weeks, so it will most likely be Talley back at d-mid. He's been very up and down this season. Hopefully he's up tomorrow. In addition, Ian Joy has been VERY shaky all year. If he's in, we need some better play from him. I say if as there are grumblings that Beltran and Olave may both start this week. If that happens, we need the defense to gel quickly. Can it happen? Let's hope.
5) Remember, it's the Ben Cup, relax. RSL always wins the Ben Cup. They have a 4-0 lead. No worries, just relax and let nature run its course. RSL having the Ben Cup is just the natural order of things.

Lineup I'd use: GK-Rimando; D-Wingert, Borchers, Mantilla (Olave if injuries are too much), Beltran; M-Kovalenko, Williams, Beckerman, Morales; F-Deuchar, Findley (Espi is out injured)
On a side note, I still rate Findley WAY above Movsisyan. Wake me when Movs does something, ANYTHING, productive in an RSL kit.

Lineup I expect: GK-Rimando; D-Wingert, Borchers, Mantilla (Olave if injuries are too much), Joy; M-Talley, Kovalenko, Beckerman, Morales; F-Deuchar, Findley

Royal Prediction:
United will be too fired up. Between the 4-0 shellacking in Leg 1, the 2 game losing streak, the run of bad form for many key players, and the backing of what still looks to me to be MLS's most passionate crowd, I just think there are too many things for DC to use as motivation in this one. Ben Cup stays in Salt Lake, but it won't be pretty. DCU 3 - RSL 1; RSL wins Ben Cup 5-3.

Ye Olde Royal Predctions: Week 5

Ouch. Let us just kind of skip over last week and never speak of it again. This week will be better, I promise (basically because it cannot possibly be worse). Here's the predictions for this week's games:

Thursday, April 24:
NERds 1 vs. Dallas 2

Saturday, April 26:
KC 1 vs. Toronto 2
Houston 1 vs. Columbus 0
REAL SALT LAKE 1 vs. Ben Cup Losers 3
Crapids/Cripids 0 vs. Louganises 2
TST 3 vs. LAG 2

Sunday, April 27:
New Team On The Block (NTOTB) 1 vs. Energy Drinks 2

Last week's results:
Feel free to stop reading at any time...
0 right, 7 wrong (0%)

MLS Season Total: 11-17 [1 exact] (39%, 4%)

Game 4: Real Salt Lake @ Toronto FC

So I just went through the game again (although it was on fast forward again, this time I paid better attention). I also looked back over my first impressions and realized that that all basically still stands, so this review will be pretty short as I went over a lot in that other post.

First off, what in the hell is with all the streamers in Toronto? Did someone hijack a semi full of streamers and drive it to BMO Field? Seriously, that was a bit, ok, a LOT, out of hand. Folks, let's start stocking up on streamers now and when TFC comes to town absolutely annihilate their players with paper while they attempt free kicks. I swear I thought Javi was going to drown in a paper deluge while sending in a couple of those corners.

Anyway, what a terrible first half by RSL. There's been a lot of talk of pushing the action and being a possession team, but this looked like the RSL of old. Back on their heels, sending worthless long ball after worthless long ball forward. To make matters worse, both Deuchar and Findley spent long stretches of time playing so deep, you'd think they were playing defensive mid. Not good, not good at all. At least Jason Kreis owned up to it, saying "I think we came out tactically and played that game a little bit wrong, to be honest. The coaching staff takes full responsibility for that. We were sitting back when perhaps we should've pressed them from minute one, which is the tactic we took up in the second half." (Thanks to MLSnet and James Edward) Well duh, Jason. You want to press teams and try to score goals and make them work rather than sitting back and letting attack wave after attack wave come at you? I'd have never guessed. I guess that's why he makes the big bucks... Honestly, RSL was lucky to escape that first half down only 1-0.

Half grade: D-

The second half was a lot better with RSL cutting down on the number of long balls and working on keeping some possession. They actually outplayed TFC this half (by a bit of a margin as well), but were hit with the most common of RSL's ailments: a complete and total lack of finishing. First in the 47th, there was the scrum off of a Morales corner kick where I think every RSL player (and maybe some RSL fans as well) got a foot on the ball in the 18, but no one came close to putting it away. This sequence led to a series of approximately 1,342 corner kicks in a row for RSL, out of which they did something positive with exactly 0 of these. In RSL's defense, a lot of these corners were not that good, although Morales can be partially forgiven for that as he was being blinded by the world's supply of streamers while trying to send the balls in. Then in the 67th, RSL had another great chance when Dema Kovalenko, wide open in the 18, had a ball fall to him and hit a volley to...Montreal. Whoops. He was open enough to settle the ball and then shoot for an easy goal, but the rush job led to the choke of the week. RSL probably would have finally broken through in the 73rd when Findley fought through a foul, got the ball to the corner of the 18 and the end line and had a wide open passing lane to multiple RSL players directly in front on net. But the ref inexplicably did not let RSL play the advantage, setting up a free kick that went nowhere. Thanks ref! There were other instances of RSL's ineptitude in front of net (see: corner kick to Williams at the top of the box where he puts in 50 feet over the goal), but I'm not trying to write "War and Peace" here. All in all, RSL outplayed TFC, but in usual RSL fashion were unable to get the equalizer. On a side note, it was strange to see RSL actually play better when they replaced Joy with Williams and went to a 3-5-2. They really seemed to take control at that point. It's good to know RSL can play different formations if need be. Final score: 1-0 TFC

Half grade: B-

Pros:
-Much improved 2nd half.
-3 man backline of Mantilla, Borchers, and Wingert looks capable if needed.
-Findley looked a lot better this game than he has.
-Morales is very steady and solid of free kicks.

Cons:
-The first half.
-Streamer death.
-Joy with another poor game.
-Sturgis's injury.
-Espindola was hurt and didn't play.
-TOO MANY LONG BALLS.
-The lack of finishing.
-The not given advantage call.
-The magical 3 minutes of stoppage time that lasts 1:45

Game grade: D+
Can't give a much higher grade for a game where they go scoreless and look overwhelmed for 45 minutes of the match. They better turn this around before next week!

Player grades:
Nick Rimando-7 Solid game, held off some TFC attacks
Ian Joy-4 Seemed lost again
(Andy Williams 62)-5 OK, some decent balls, some awful ones
Matias Mantilla-6 A couple minor mistakes, but solid
Chris Wingert-8 Saved RSL's bacon on a few breakaways
Nat Borchers-7 Quiet and solid as he has been all year
Kyle Beckerman-5 Not enough from the cap'n
Dema Kovalenko-5 On again, off again kind of game
(Yura Movsisyan 79)-5 Didn't have time to do much, and didn't
Nathan Sturgis-6 Decent, but in limited time
(Carey Talley 27)-5 Not a bad game, not a good game
Javier Morales-4 Other than a few nice free kicks, didn't show much
Kenny Deuchar-5 Needs to start finishing some of these headers
Robbie Findley-6 Active, but playing too deep

RSL Man of the Match:
Chris Wingert - Yes, he had an error or two, but his game-saving stops on counter attacks were golden. Without Wingert, this game ends 3-0. Well played Chris!

Assclown of the Match:
Is there any doubt? The whole refereeing crew wins the day here! Start with the not given advantage play that would have been RSL's best scoring chance and add a dash of showing 3 minutes of stoppage time while giving less than two. Bake at 400 degrees for 90 minutes and voila! You win Assclown of the Match!

RSL @ TFC First Impressions

Hello all. I am trying to do a full review, but I feel like I should watch the game again before I do that, as I watched most of it the first time in 1x fast forward. That and I kinda faded in and out of it at times. In other words, what an ugly game. One that will make it hard to watch again, but I'll try. So in lieu of a full review (which, like I said, I will try and get up later this week, work permitting), I thought I'd just put down some impressions I got from the game.

First of all, I was as excited as anyone about the signing of Ian Joy. The guy plays with a ton of heart and bleeds his team. Unfortunately, he's not very good. He's consistently out of position and when he is back covering his man, he often leaves a 5 yard cushion between him and the attacker with the ball. The only thing I read from this is that Ian thinks/knows he is too slow to keep up with anyone so he gives himself a cushion so he doesn't get burned. Unfortunately, this leaves a wide open space for opposing players to send in crosses and find other open players on the field. I like the hustle Ian puts in, but I'm not liking his game. Perhaps it's time to get our #3 pick on the field? Or put Sturgis (when not injured, which seems not to be often) back there? Have Forko and Kipre signed elsewhere?

Secondly, this team looks more and more like RSL 2007 which scares the pants off of me. Blowing leads deep in extra time (Chicago), losing games big in which you play fairly even most of the game (TST), beating down DC at home, and now, the "it's 20 minutes in and I can already tell RSL won't find the back of the net" syndrome has creeped back in. You could just tell RSL would never get an equalizer. And they didn't. If there was any doubt, Dema Kovalenko's absolute disgrace of an open volley proved RSL could not score in that one. (Note to Dema, if you're that wide open and can't hit a volley, here's what you do: Settle the ball THEN shoot. You'd have still been open.). The reflections of last year are striking. And the results are, sadly, nearly the same.

Going back to Sturgis for a minute, I really like his game, and when available I would always put him in over Talley (or Joy). However, as I mentioned a few months ago the guy is ALWAYS hurt. The latest injury is being vaguely reported as a hamstring strain, so I'm not sure how long he'll be out, but between this and (if healthy) the Olympics, I don't expect to see much of Nate this season. Too bad, he's a quality player.

Sigh. This was a disheartening loss as an RSL fan. RSL came out looking like they could sleepwalk to a win and it proved to be their undoing. I worry that this team thinks they are a lot better than they are. They ARE good enough to make the playoffs if they really get their minds in the right place and work. But with the same old "We're just unlucky" drivel coming out of RSL-land all season, I'm not sure this team will get in the right frame of mind. I think this next game will prove a lot. RSL will be up against a hungry DC United team in the second leg of the Ben Cup. DC is coming off two straight losses, should be well rested and healthy (and thereby playing ALL their players, like Gallardo), and will be looking to avenge the leg 1 massacre at Rice Eccles. If RSL can get a result on the road in this environment (and keep the Ben Cup a blowout for this year), then there is hope for them still. If they are lethargic and sloppy like they were against TFC, it will get ugly and won't bode well for the rest of '08. Go RSL!

RIP RSLFM.com

([cue KSL voiceover guy] 'We now present a Royal Review editorial opinion')
Well, it appears RSLFM.com is going the way of the dodo, and with it, the best news and opinion resource that RSL had. Some seem to be taking particular glee out of this development, which I do not know (and don't care to know) the details of why, but I find that sad. RSLFM was always a welcome resource, often breaking player news and offering solid critical analysis. Some took that as being anti-RSL but nothing is further from the truth. No one would put that kind of effort into a blog about a soccer team that they didn't like. That doesn't even make sense. Knowing the amount of time I put into this stupid little blog, I can't even fathom the amount of time and work put into that site. Honestly, agree with it or not, like her or not, RSLFM was probably the gold standard in MLS blogs, and I, for one, will miss it. I encourage RSLFM to take a couple weeks and relax and let the soap opera blow over (go to the RSL board on BigSoccer if you don't believe me, specifically here), then come back with renewed focus and vigor. Don't let the terrorists win! :D
(And now back to our regularly scheduled programming. I'm trying to get a small TFC preview up tomorrow, we'll see if it happens!)
PS-I will speak no more on this so don't even try. Seriously. I don't care.

Ye Olde Royal Predctions: Week 4

A decent, if unspectacular, week for my predictions last week as I went an even .500. I did call the big Ben Cup win for RSL, but I don't think anyone on Earth (or beyond) had that scoreline. That was insanity, but in a good way! Here's the Royal Predictions for this week's MLS action:

Thursday, April 17:
Columbus 1 vs. Ben Cup Losers 3

Saturday, April 19:
REAL SALT LAKE 2 vs. Toronto FC 2
NERds 0 vs. Energy Drinks 1
San Jose "First Goals" 1 vs. Crapids/Cripids 3
Creamsickles 2 vs. LAG 1

Sunday (Sunday! Sunday! <-insert monster truck announcer here), April 20 (Duuuuuuude.....4/20! heh heh....wait, what's going on?):
Takin a KC 0 vs. Chicago Louganises 2
Dallas 1 vs. TST 1

Last week's results:
On MLS action I did ok, getting half right. Then, on the CCC action I also got them half right. A very wishy-washy week for the predictions.
MLS: 4 right (0 exact), 4 wrong (50%)
CCC: 1 right (0 exact), 1 wrong (50%)

MLS Season Total: 11-10 [1 exact] (52% right, 5% exact)
All Comps. Total: 12-11 [1] (52%, 4%)

DCU Ben Interview

So I decided to do a quick interview with the eastern half of the Ben Cup committee after last Saturday's 4-0 shellacking. Here's the results in their entirety:

Royal Review: First of all, let's get your general thoughts on Leg 1 of the Ben Cup.

DC Ben: I'll try to keep it family friendly, but there is a special curse that Jables (Jack Black) uses when Kage (Kyle Gass) criticizes his inward singing. Initials C.A.. Best curse ever. That's my first thought. Then there is a curse from the film Donnie Darko that I reserve for Tom Soehn. Initials S an F. Second best curse ever. But since I do not use such language I will say that I was quite disgusted and disappointed.


RR: Did you end up watching the entire game or did you give up?

DCB: Of course. I did go to bed at half, but I watched the rest of the game without knowing the result on Sunday morning. I did not abandon ship on Saturday night because of the score so much as 14 hour work days and a newborn. I had to sleep. Although I will say the lack of sleep did soften the blow.

RR: How can DCU turn things around in Leg 2?

DCB: Easy. 4 man back line. And I will be there, which will make them realize that they care about the Ben Cup.

RR: What will be the outcome of Leg 2?

DCB: DC 5 RSL 0 fueled by anger and a DP that got plenty of rest. (editor's note: HAHAHAHAHA!)

RR: Why does DCU have such a hard time in Utah?

DCB: I'll go with altitude, that sounds about right... oh and ALWAYS thinking RSL is a crap team on a crap pitch (ok, that part is true), which they CLEARLY are not. Maybe RSL sucks all season long, but they DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT suck against DC.

RR: A lot has been said about Soehn's decision making in the game (not playing Gallardo, 3-man backline, etc.)-what are your thoughts? What do you think of him as a coach in general?

DCB: I realize I have adopted a frustrated and angry tone for most of this interview but to be honest DC plays a ridiculously crowded schedule for the number of quality players that we have. The coaching staff has to decide to put a lesser team on the field every now and again. I have to believe that Soehn knew he was not putting out his best squad but I'm not sure how to explain the 3 man back. I mean, on the road you should as a rule bunker and counter which means bolstering the defense and going thin on the attack. Maybe it was the best lineup for using the most reserves.

In general I think he is pretty good. I think he is learning and experimenting and I'm ok with that right now. Soehn has the benefit of assuming his squad can win if he puts the first team out there. That gives him more time to try new things without the pressure. Obviously these are all assumptions. And when you assume bla bla bla...

RR: DC has been very up and down so far this year, what are your expectations for the rest of the season?

DCB: I expect to see some more ups and downs for another month or so and then I expect the team to come together and do very well. I don't expect them to lose 4-0 ever again.

RR: How much does this team miss now-gang member Christian Gomez? Is Gallardo going to be able to replace him?

DCB: The team does not miss Christian Gomez version 2007. He disappeared for games at a time and was always so pouty. I wish him only the best but not for him to come back. Gallardo has replaced him. Gallardo is better than Gomez. Is he worth DP money? That is a question for another day... a day that comes after the 2008 season

RR: If you could pick one RSL player and put him on United, who would it be (if anyone)?

DCB: Beckerman. I love his bite, passion, dreadlocks, and those bombs he puts in the net. It's weird that I like him so much considering how much I hated him when he played for the Denver West Sideuhz. Also, he scored 12 points for my MFLS team.

RR: Any other thoughts on anything (Ben Cup, DCU, RSL, MLS, popular music, world politics, the letter H, anything!)?

DCB: The Ben Cup will come to DC sometime in the next 3 years. I guarantee it. Music sucks. Politics, especially those of the world are AWESOME! The letter H is my favorite Spanish alphabet letter.

Good stuff as always from DCU Ben; be sure to check out his DCU blog The Edgell Supporters. And thanks to him for the interview and for tipping me off to THIS (seriously, go here. NOW.).

One More For Today

This will be my last post today as it is my second (well, really third, I combined the first two) of the day, but I just found this nugget I wanted to pass along. James Edward is reporting that RSL is finalizing a LOCAL TV CONTRACT with KSL to broadcast 13 RSL games this season, starting with this weekend's trip to Canada. It's about time, nothing will help bring in the casual follower like actual local TV coverage. The casuals and the curious DO NOT buy Directkick, and why should they? This allows RSL to get out there to all of the potential fanbase, and who knows? Maybe a few think, "Hey, that's entertaining, maybe we ought to go to a game or two!" Local TV is currently the best way for RSL to get out to the public and try to expand their base beyond the already established group. It may be a couple weeks late, but as they say, better late than never. Now let's just hope they keep Bill Riley on the play-by-play, he's awesome. And, of course, winning never hurts!

One final note on Saturday's game/Royal Rankings #2

I just want to congratulate all the RSL fans for turning out to the game on Saturday. It looked to be about an average sized RSL crowd, which normally wouldn't be anything to mention. However, Saturday's game was during a Jazz game; a Jazz game vs. a divisional/geographical rival, a team with TWO superstar players (the Nuggets), and was a game of vital importance for the Jazz's playoff seeding. When I realized that, I figured we'd get 6 or 7k tops at Rice Eccles. But no, we had the usual crowd of around 13,000, and they were loud and boisterous. Very cool to see...maybe this team's got a future in this town after all... ;)

(insert tacked on 2nd post to reduce the number of posts on the morning:)
Annnnnd, jump cut to the 2nd installment of my 'MLS Power Rankings' that I like to call "The Royal Rankings," get it? Royal Review, Royal Rankings-it's funny right? Right? Anyway, after little to no research, and 3 weeks (already? Wow!) of games, here's the first rankings of the regular season (in reverse order and now in single table format):

Royal Rankings #2:
14 San Jose - Expansion woes strike again
13 LA Galaxy - Beckham now officially on suicide watch
12 Toronto - Can the new signings (including the insane Amado Guevara) help?
11 New York City - They need a healthy Angel.
10 Houston - Very disappointing start. Where is the stifling defense?
9 DC United - This team should be much better than it has been.
8 REAL SALT LAKE - Have they broken the no scoring curse or was it an anomaly?
7 Chivas TST - Other people have them rated highly, I'm not sold.
6 Columbus - Can't argue with 2 wins in 3 games. Nice win vs. TST.
5 New England - Surprisingly decent with 3/4 of the team in the ER.
4 Crapids - Hate to have them this high, but they've been shockingly decent.
3 Dallas - Class of the west so far.
2 Kansas City - Eddie who now?
1 Chicago - Give 'em a 10 for that dive, it seems to be a winner!

Game 3: Ben Cup Leg 1: DC United @ Real Salt Lake

Wow. Am I glad that I go to the Ben Cup games. Last year was RSL's first win of the season, all the way in June. This year was an absolute drubbing, resulting in a 4-0 win, RSL's biggest ever. Normally, I'd go through the motions and write a full review, but even though it was not perfect, I'm not in the mood to be critical. You saw it, and if you didn't, do yourself a favor and find it somewhere. Truly entertaining. Anyway, without a full written review, that just leaves us with the grades and the regular "Pros and Cons."

Pros:
-The Ben Cup is basically assured of keeping the Ben Cup, so for the 3rd year (of 3), DCU will not win it.
-FOUR goals. Four. By RSL. Just think about that.
-Beckerman finally came back to life, scoring two goals.
-Sturgis started for Talley and looked good.
-Dema Kovalenko was just great. Aggresive, in control, and always moving play forward.
-Findley. His touch was still rough, but it's hard to argue with a goal and an assist in 20 minutes. Plus, the goal was hilarious. Just a terrible goal from a defensive standpoint. Go watch it and laugh!
-Granted it was when the game was solidly put away, but Beltran looked good in limited minutes.
-The central defense was very strong. Borchers is the new Eddie Pope back there, I tell ya.
-The absolutely dejected "We paid to see THIS?" body language from the little Barra Brava corner.
-The attacking mentality by RSL in the second half. Instead of the usual RSL 'Let's sit on a lead' game, the took the game to DCU and played a full 90.
-Just about everything else.

Cons:
-Joy still leaves guys way too open and seems to lose sight of what he's doing at times.
-Deuchar was out of control in the first half, bad calls or no. He needs to keep his emotions in check.
-There were still a couple of dangerous moments on defense, including a scary 1st half moment where Emilio got an opening WITH THE BALL in the 18. Most of the dangerous plays seemed to come from the sidelines.

1st Half grade: A
2nd Half grade: A+

Player grades:
Nick Rimando-7 Didn't have much to do, but was strong when called upon.
Chris Wingert-7 Another quietly solid game from Wingert.
Nat Borchers-8 Very strong on the back line, stymied DCU all game.
Matias Mantilla-8 Solid game, more under control than usual.
Ian Joy-6 Good for the most part, still a couple lapses.
(Tony Beltran 83)-7 Didn't have time to do much, but looked capable.
Dema Kovalenko-9 Simply brilliant. Involved somehow in nearly every good play.
Javier Morales-7 Played well, occasionally took a touch too many.
(Andy Williams 63)-8 Saw the game well, good passing.
Nathan Sturgis-8 Carey who?
Kyle Beckerman-9 Solid defensively...oh yeah, and two goals...
Kenny Deuchar-7 Missed a header or two, let emotions get the best of him, but when under control was very strong.
Fabian Espindola-8 Put his body on the line repeatedly (including getting kicked in the face), looked good.
(Robbie Findley 70)-8 First touch keeps him from a 9, but otherwise brilliant.

Game grade: A+
4-0. Against a solid DC team. Basically singlehandedly winning the Ben Cup. Brilliant. Possibly RSL's best game.

RSL Man of the Match:
Dema Kovalenko - Yes, Becks had two goals (and it was a VERY close decision), but without Dema, RSL may not have gotten one. Great game.

Assclown of the Match:
The ref was seemingly MLS usual: pretty awful, but this weeks "AOTM" is dedicated to DC fans and goes to Tommy Soehn. You pay Gallardo over $1.5 million and have him sit the bench? I don't care how many games you've played recently, get his lazy ass on the field! Then, you play a ton of reserves and go with a 3-man backline? Without your DP midfielder or your holding mid stalwart (the injured Olsen) to control the game? Stupid.

4-0!

Mark it down and put it in the bank. Barring a collapse of epic proportions, the Ben Cup stays in Salt Lake for another year!

Ben Cup 2008 Leg 1 Preview

Well, it is already here. And in less than 3 weeks, we will have a winner. This weekend is Leg 1 of the annual Ben Cup between RSL and DCU. RSL comes in with a disappointing 0-1-1 record, while DC comes in at 1-1-0. DC is a bit of a mystery this year, looking very good in destroying Toronto (although TFC was down a man for much of the game) and looking not so good while getting smacked around by Kansas City. Last year's MLS MVP and golden boot winner Luciano Emilio has looked very awkward this year; let's hope he doesn't turn that around any time soon. I've already predicted a 2-1 RSL victory for the game and I stand by it. DCU does not play well in Salt Lake City and RSL should be hungry for a win, we don't need to lose another season by May 1st. GO RSL! Viva la Ben Cup!

The keys for RSL:
1) Everyone: "Knock, knock"
JK: "Who's there?"
Everyone: "Nathan"
JK: "Nathan who?"
Everyone (frustrated): "NATHAN @!#&! STURGIS!"
I think everyone is in agreement that Nate should get the start over Carey Talley, but even if he doesn't, JK should not be hesitant to pull the trigger and make the sub should Carey falter at all. (Or he could go with my even more crazy idea of putting Sturgis in for Joy and go with a midfield of Dema-Becks-Williams-Morales, but that's a whole different story)

2) FINISHING. Someone on RSL needs to put the ball in the back of the net. Please. I'd like to see a bunch of high crosses this game, trying to get them to the head of Kenny Deuchar. However, I will take goals any way I can...PLEASE! RSL needs to at least put some of these shots on goal, Wells has been shaky so far in '08, so let's test him and make him work!

3) NO MORE EXTRA TIME GOALS!!! I don't care if Esky's goal was meaningless and undefended, it was still deep into 2nd half injury time. That means 2 games, two 90+ minute goals. Completely unacceptable. If RSL wants to win, this needs to stop. Now.

4) Have Robbie Findley come on and score two goals again. That seemed to work last year. :D

Kenny Deuchar celebrates with the Ben Cup! Sweet!


BEN CUP LEG 1
DC United at Real Salt Lake
Rice Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Kickoff at 7:00 PM Mountain
TV: Directkick
Radio: 700 AM (still with the wonderful Bill Riley)


PS-Be sure to check out the DCU half of the Ben Cup, The Edgell Supporters and their interview with the creator of the new Ben Cup logo, the newly dubbed "3rd Party Ben." It's worth reading just for my new favorite quote: "It would make sense, as an outside observer, to cheer on the underdog, who, remarkably, in this case would be DCU."

Ye Olde Royal Predctions-Week 3

I hate to distract from the Ben Cup fun (so make sure you go there!), but I just realized there's a Wednesday night game this week, so I need to get the predictions up. Here we go:

Wednesday, April 9:
NERds 1 @ KC 2
Bonus CCC picks:
Pachuca 2 @ DCU 2 (Pachuca wins 4-2 on aggregate)
Houston 1 @ Saprissa 2 (Saprissa wins 2-1 on aggregate)

Saturday, April 12:
Chi. Louganises 3 @ San Jose 1
Crapids 1 @ NERds 1
Goats TST 2 @ Crew Socks 1
Houston 1 @ KC 1
Energy Drinks 1 @ Dallas 2

BEN CUP LEG 1:
Ben Cup Losers 1 @ Real Salt Lake 2

Sunday, April 13:
Toronto 1 @ LAG 2

Last weeks results:
MUCH MUCH MUCH better than week 1. I'm back in the saddle baby! Cowboy up! Eight seconds! Other rodeo related phrases!
6 right (1 exact), 1 wrong for 86%

Season total: 7-6 (54% right, 8% exact)

One last note, congrats to Seattle fans (and to the ownership for actually listening to the fanbase) on keeping the Sounders name. Well done. And then talk of bringing in a "Thierry Henry-caliber player" (Did you watch the press conference? I did.)? Wow. Although, I'm not sure how the fans have earned a DP already, but I guess they're doing something we aren't.

Ben Cup 2008 is here!

It is that time of year once again. Ben Cup season is upon us. In 3 short days RSL will once again be halfway to glory. 2-1 RSL. I'll try and get some more in-depth stuff going soon (this is a terrible week for the Ben Cup to be coming), but I wanted to get this picture of our official 2008 logo up and running. Major thanks to DCU Ben's friend Ben on the logo. And, as always, check out our Ben Cup partners The Edgell Supporters for more Ben Cup festivities.

Game 2: Real Salt Lake @ TST 4/5 Mini-Review

Sigh, I hate to say "I told you so"....well, maybe I don't, perhaps I relish it, but that's not the point. Anyway, I unfortunately called this one. Although I missed about 20 minutes of this one (no goals were scored or anything), I haven't had the heart to go back and watch and take my usual notes. If I do, I will post a full review, but otherwise I'm just going to leave you with some thoughts and notes on the latest HDC disaster.

Pros:
-Nat Borchers looks like the real deal. Another solid game from him.
-RSL seemed to outplay TST for much of the game. The first goal, especially, was totally against the run of play.
-Deuchar looks like he'll be a solid MLS player.
-I must admit I liked JK taking a chance there at the end and taking out Joy for Espindola. It didn't pay off, but at least he realized there was nothing to lose at that point.
-This game is out of the way and we can now focus on the big BEN CUP FIRST LEG next weekend!!!

Cons:
-The scoreline.
-Atiba Harris AND Esky scored. Is there just a curse on the RSL jersey?
-I like his heart and his attitude, but Ian Joy has just not been very good. Totally out of place on the first two goals. Why is he not keeping a better eye on Klejstan of all people?
-Wingert's turnover leading to the 2nd Chivas goal. Ugly.
-Rimando was pretty bad. If you're going to rush out for the ball you better get it, and on that first goal, he didn't. Similar concept on the 2nd; he dove for the cross, missed, and left the net wide open. And he just got told by Esky late.
-I know RSL was in desperation mode at that point, but RSL is now 2 for 2 in giving up a goal deep into second half extra time. So much for that much improved defense.
-No finishing. One of the two banes of RSL's existence (the other being defensive breakdowns), continues to rear its ugly head.
-Why were there not more balls being played in the air to Deuchar in the box? Has JK never seen TST before? Does he not realize their tallest player is about 5' 2"? And the players shoulder this too. Figure it out. Especially after the only RSL goal was scored in this very manner.
-That set play from the corner to Andy Williams for a long volley shot. When does he ever make those? Never. Perhaps once a season if you are being generous. Basically that is a set play designed to turn the ball over. Coaching genius.
-This JK quote from MLSnet, on RSL's performance: "I think that they put their hearts and souls into it and I feel like we're getting out of a game not getting quite what we deserve." Jason, at some point, you're going to have to stop blaming bad luck. Yes, RSL is unlucky, we get it, but sometimes you gotta make your own luck.

Half grades:
1st: C
2nd: D-

Player grades:
Nick Rimando-4 Worst game in a long, long time
Chris Wingert-5 Decent, but points off for starting the rush on the 2nd goal
Nat Borchers-7 Another solid performance, he's quickly growing on me
Matias Mantilla-6 Pretty good game from Matias
Ian Joy-3 Terrible game. Why did we let go of Kipre/Forko again?
(Fabian Espindola 73)-5 Limited time, didn't do a lot with it.
Kyle Beckerman-5 He's been pretty invisible this year. Needs to regain his feisty former self.
Javier Morales-6 Got forward well, but went long spells without doing anything.
Carey Talley-5 I think this is what Carey has left; quiet, unspectacular games.
(Andy Williams 64)-5 See Fabian Espindola.
Dema Kovalenko-6 Decent game, added some sorely needed bite at times.
Kenny Deuchar-7 First MLS goal. First RSL goal of 08. Why were more balls not played to his head?
Robbie Findley-6 OK game. Still waiting for 07 Findley to return.
(Yura Movsisyan 60)-6 Good game. Not great, but a HUGE improvement over the Chicago game.

Game grade:
D
Although RSL really seemed to have the better of the possession for most of the game, as well as most of the scoring chances, they blew another one. The same old demons: no finishing and defensive lapses. End result? A (generous) D.

RSL Man of the Match:
Kenny Deuchar - Welcome to the American scoring charts buddy!

Assclown of the match:
Alecko Eskandarian - After scoring his meaningless, undefended extra time goal, he looked to be taunting the RSL bench, as if to show them up. Esky, if you'd scored a damn goal last year, perhaps they wouldn't have been so eager to get rid of you. I normally like Esky, but that was douchebaggery of the highest caliber.

Game 2: Real Salt Lake @ TST

This Saturday Real travels to Carson, California to take on the Goats of Chivas TST. That foul stench in the air? No, it's not Luis Bueno (although his writing may be contributing to it), but the cursed air of the Home Depot Center: "The Place Where RSL Teams Go To Die". Can RSL overcome the curse and defeat their 2005 expansion brethren? I think they have the players to, but after last week's case of deja vu, I hesitate to go against past results (which, in turn, looks very good for the upcoming Ben Cup game on 4/12). So I'm sticking with my TST 3 - RSL 1 prediction, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see RSL steal a point (or three) in LA. Especially if Jason does the wise thing and keeps Yura firmly planted on the bench.

The keys for RSL:
1) Keep up the good work in the midfield. Rumor has it that Andy Williams will sit in favor of Dema Kovalenko. Bad move. Andy played very well last week (granted, in his usual 45 minute role). I'd like to see Dema in for Talley personally.
2) Can an RSL forward not named Jeff Cunningham find the back of the net? If Deuchar can play target forward as advertised, we could be in for some success. I think if he'd been able to start over Yura last week (of course, being fresh off the plane, he couldn't) that game may not have been in doubt in extra time. Espi looked great last week and we have all seen what Findley can do for RSL, so hopefully RSL can score a goal this week!
3) No more defensive debacles! While most soccer teams seem to be able to survive a defensive lapse here and there, RSL seemingly cannot. Ever. So the boys need to have their heads in the game for the whole 90 PLUS EXTRA TIME. No more getting completely destroyed down the sideline. No more falling all over yourself trying to clear a cross and not getting to it. And no more leaving guys (especially stars) wide open in the 18. If RSL's defense can put together a whole game, we've got a chance.
4) If Atiba plays, bring the smelling salts. We'll probably need them.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, my foreshadowing picture for the week:

Ah yes, Nick Rimando skillfully taming the goats. Well done, Nick!

Finally, for a nice compendium of pre-game stuff, hit up RSLFM, she's got some other match previews and the usual starting lineups. Always nice to have. A+

Real Salt Lake at Chivas TST
Home Depot Center, Carson, CA
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Kickoff at 8:30 PM Mountain
TV: Directkick (sigh, still no local TV games)
Radio: 700 AM with the wonderful Bill Riley
Viewing party at Jersey's Sports Grill (677 S. 200 W., Salt Lake City)

Reserve match Sunday 4/6 @ 11 AM Mountain at the HDC

Ye Olde Royal Predctions-Week 2

Ouch. Last week's predictions were not just ugly, they were "Ooglay". But that can't happen two weeks in a row, right? Here's this week's try:

Thursday, April 3rd
NERds 1 @ Louganises (Chi.) 1
San Jose 1 @ LAG 2

Saturday, April 5th
Columbus 1 @ Energy Drinks 2
Toronto 1 @ Ben Cup Losers (DCU) 2
Cripids 1 @ Takin' A KC Wiz 2
RSL 1 @ TST 3

Sunday, April 6th
Dallas 2 @ Houston 2

Really, after seeing RSL last week, I'm not so sure I see them getting shellacked, but something always seems to go wrong when they hit the Home Depot Center. I'm just playing the averages here!

Also, let's just ignore this last part...
Last week's results:
1 correct (0 exact), 5 incorrect for a sorry 17%. One of my worst prediction weeks so far. Yikes.

Game 1: Chicago vs. RSL 3/29/08

Chicago Fire at Real Salt Lake: A Play In One Act:

A husband and wife sit on a couch watching television...
Man: "Honey, change the channel. I've seen this one before."
Woman: "Oh yeah?"
Man: "Yeah, it's the one where RSL is in the season opener, controls the game, gets the lead, and then stupidly gives up a goal in extra time."
Woman: "But at least they still win, right? You did say that they control the game."
Man: (chuckles) "Oh, you'd think so wouldn't you? But, alas, no. They may control the flow of the game, but they also can't score. It's one of those dreaded 'Ties That Feel Like A Loss'"
Woman: (shudders) "Oh goodness, I will certainly change it, I don't like scary shows!"
Fade To Black
END

So as the game starts I see a sad yet familiar sight: American football lines on the pitch looking like they were painted yesterday. Sigh, that new stadium can't come soon enough. The RSL lineup was fairly predictable with just one or two curiousities. One is Yura Movsisyan over Robbie Findley and the other (not so surprising) was Carey Talley over Nathan Sturgis or Dema Kovalenko. Right after kick, Fabian Espindola (aka Espi) immediately looked ready, fighting for balls and playing some nice through balls. To me he looked much more aggressive than he ever has, which was very encouraging. The first half passed fairly uneventfully, but fairly pleasingly, with RSL controlling the midfield and possession. However, on the negative side, the final parts of the attack looked as weak as last year. Yura especially looked lost, missing a pretty easy header on a beautiful cross from Espi in the 6th minute, putting an awful "cross" to no one in the 19th, and then beating a defender (nice) but then making one too many moves and tripping and losing possession in the 21st. Despite having the control of the game and taking a large majority of the shots, RSL couldn't get one in the back of the net and went into halftime tied at 0.
Half grade: B+
A solid half with a few wasted chances. Espi looks good, Yura not so much.

Before I start the second half review, I'd just like to say that I hate the new font on the names on the back of the jersey. And the numbers? Even worse. The ones and sevens look identical. Just awful. Now back to the regularly scheduled review... The second half started out with an amusing incident. Blanco went down and RSL played on and soon turned it over to Chicago while Blanco still laid on the turf. The Fire kept playing for another minute before finally putting the ball out to get Blanco checked on. Why was this amusing? Becuase even his own teammates don't buy it when he goes down since he dives all over the place. In fact, in honor of Blanco, perhaps I shall start calling them the Chicago Louganises. Moving on, in the 49th, Yura missed another easy header off a nice Espi cross. He did, however, redeem himself for that one with a beautiful bicycle kick that went JUST wide in the 55th. In the 61st, Blanco went down with one of the most blatant flops I've ever seen and, of course, was not reprimanded. In the 63rd, Findley came in for Yura Movsisyan, which in my estimation was about....oh, 63 minutes too late. Then in the 69th Dema Kovalenko made his RSL debut, coming on for Andy Williams, who had a solid first half, but started to fade as time passed in the 2nd (will he ever be able to play a good 90?). Soon after, Dema whips a nasty cross into the box that is deflected into the net by Bakary Soumare (Hey! That rhymes!). Although it was not a goal scored by an RSL player, it was a deserved score for the reds as they had been in control of the whole game. In the 72nd, Espindola came out for the newest member of RSL, fresh off the plane, Mr. Kenny Deuchar, who, even on TV, is a big guy. Deuchar immediately looked active, forcing the issue with Chicago keeper Jon Busch and making him play the ball much more quickly than he otherwise would have. In the 78th Findley was taken down in the box, although the ref saw it as a dive and gave him a yellow card. I still say his heels were clipped, but even if he dove, why was he given a yellow? Cuautemoc Louganis was diving all day! A terrible double standard that MLS should really crack down on and quickly. In the 82nd, Dema almost put the game away, hitting a great volley off a deflected ball, unfortunately Busch was up to the task. In the 87th, Mantilla almost handed a goal to the Louganises when he hit a terrible header in the box that went right in front of the net right where Chicago could have easily put it away. Luckily the rest of the RSL defense was up to the task and cleared the ball. Right after the ref set another bad double standard, giving Beckerman a yellow for a tackle that was no worse than what Chicago had been getting away with all day. Even with all this, RSL was keeping control of the ball and looking like they'd run out the clock and walk away with the 3 point. Then, in the 2nd minute (of 4) of extra time, it happened (like it always does to RSL). Carr beat Ian Joy down the sideline and put a nice cross through the box that got past 3 RSL players (who dove in desperation for the ball, taking them out of the play). Finally, RSL was able to get a foot on it and get a semi-clearance. But, of course, it fell to a WIDE OPEN Louganis at the edge of the 18 who drilled one past Rimando to steal 2 points away from RSL. The one big defensive lapse on the day and RSL can't survive it. A shame.
Half grade: C+

Player grades:
Nick Rimando-7 Didn't have much to do, wasn't much he could do on the goal.
Chris Wingert-7 Got forward, defended pretty well.
Nat Borchers-6 Quiet game, but that's not always a bad thing from a CB.
Matias Mantilla-5 Decent game, but that header loses him a point.
Ian Joy-5 Showed a lot of promise, got forward well, but made a few mistakes.
Andy Williams-7 Lost steam, but played well for the most part.
(Dema Kovalenko 69)-7 Had a few good plays early, disappeared late
Javier Morales-6 Too quiet a game for a playmaker
Carey Talley-6 Didn't see much of him
Kyle Beckerman-7 Aggressive and actually put a long shot on net (wow!).
Fabian Espindola-8 One of his best games in an RSL kit.
(Kenny Deuchar 73)-7 Pressed the issue, held the ball in the corner well.
Yura Movsisyan-4 Knocked off the ball way too easily, missed too many good chances.
(Robbie Findley 62)-6 Looked better than at the U-23s.

Pros:
-Espindola had a good game and showed a physical game I don't remember.
-New defenders Borchers and Joy both showed flashes. Borchers looked more settled, but Joy looked like he will be good once he gets fully comfortable.
-Kovalenko looked pretty sharp.
-The midfield looked really good, holding the Fire at bay.
-RSL looked capable of building a solid attack out of the back for the first time in....well, ever.

Cons:
-Another super late defensive lapse leads to another super disappointing season opening tie.
-Yura did not look good at all.
-Andy still can't play a solid game for more than about 50 minutes.
-Blanco dives more than the US Olympic diving team.
-The ref.

Game grade: C+ or F (only counting the 92nd minute game-tying goal part)
RSL's midfield really outplayed Chicago and minus the one lapse, the defense held strong. Finishing was poor as always, it'll be interesting to see what Deuchar can do in a full 90.

Man of the match: Fabian Espindola

Assclown of the match: As much as I want to give it to Mr. Louganis, this award is for referee Terry Vaughn. The first 60 minutes were just terribly officiated both ways (missing obvious calls on both sides). Then, to add insult to injury, he then dedicated himself to terrible double standard calls like the Findley yellow (that should have been a PK) when he allowed Blanco to dive all over or the Beckerman yellow when Chicago had been just as bad on tackles. Well done, Mr. Vaughn, you are truly an assclown.

[Note: This review was hastily written while I was spacing out AND watching "That 70s Show" so if it is terrible (and I have a feeling it is; I don't even remember what I just wrote) I apologize. But, at the very least, I said I'd have one up and I do!]