7:34 p.m., about 90 minutes after the Sol-Athletica game. And so I create what likely will be the only MLS play-by-play I will be making in a while. Great National Anthem, along with some fireworks. And there is Bruce Arena.

He sits, waiting, hoping, praying for a result.

Kickoff: 7:35 PM

1' - Orlando and Los Angeles are going to meet in the NBA final. Here we go. I see my Riot Squad friends. Hello to you, and the ACB. And  some confetti to begin the match, though that's not going to mean much if the Wizards score here.

2' - Augh, why the heck do they show the random L.A. fans? Show the bloody game!

3' - Free-flowing football tonight. ACB getting some in-stadium publicity.

4' - Huge opportunity missed. This is a patchwork team. The only good one there is Landon Donovan. Everyone else, well, is meh. This is why it's a treat to have me, a WPS guy, writing a MLS play-by-play.

5' - Uh oh, Trouble for KC, but danger is cleared.

7' - Chance here for the G's, but the Wizards backline clears.

8' - Hard tackle leads to a goal kick by Kansas City, and former Galaxy keeper Kevin "El Gato" Hartman.

9' - Testy challenge by the Wizards, and a free kick opportunity for Los Angeles.

10' - Defended with precision by Kansas City. These long balls are going nowhere for both sides, unless you are talking about the sign boards.

12' - Great save by Ricketts. He is filling his shoes well.

13' - Hartman reaches for that one. Action plus.

14' - Here come those G's again, opening up the field. Throw-in for the Wizards.

15' - Those horns...they will be the death of the Riot Squad.

16' - A shot by Donovan went wide right. Could only be a matter of time.

17' - Hartman asking his men to go forward. Jeez Louise, these G's are hungry for a victory.

19' - Mike Magee doesn't look to be injured, gets going again.

22' - Another solid stop by Kevin Hartman. This has just be flat-out frustrating. Former Galaxy captain Peter Vagenas is watching from the press box.

23' - An opportunity for the Kansas City Wizards missed. Here come the G's...

25' - It's been a series of oohs and aaahs all around. This has been a defensive match, with neither team able break the deadlock yet, but the crowds seem to enjoy it.

27' - Kevin Hartman continues to show he's lost none of his poise. Another great save.

29' - Foul on the Galaxy. Another opportunity stalled due to questionable officiating by the partisan crowd.

31' - Ugh. I should have known...Terry Vaughn is officiating the match. Of all people, it's this tosser. Cue the facepalm.

32' - Another one goes wide, but it's a corner for LA. And that didn't corner didn't account to much. So what else is new?

33' - I think the Sol are finishing a little bit better than the Galaxy, but that's just me. There's a lot of factors to weigh as the crowd gasps in frustration.

36' - And the possession game continues.

37' - Trouble for LA, but the danger is averted. Even Vagenas is wondering, "What the heck is going on?" A smart-aleck from the press tells me, "It's better than watching paint dry, having you over here."

39' - And another save from the amazing Kevin Hartman.

40' - Come on Terry, what's with the pat on the back. You don't need to rub it in, now. Get on with it!

43' - Well the Tie-Fighters are winning the battle...not sure about the war, though.

45' - This has been another keeper battle...Ricketts with a diving save! One minute of stoppage added.

HALFTIME

Los Angeles Galaxy 0

Kansas City Wizards 0

Hoo-hah.

Game Stats
    Kansas City Wizards    Los Angeles Galaxy
Total Shots:    2    6
Shots on Goal:    1    1
Total Saves:    1    1
Fouls:    7    2
Offsides:    1    1
Corner Kicks:    1    1

Double hoo-hah. One of the the people in the press box said that the MLS people got it wrong. Another said, "Never trust the stats people."

Met Dave Denholm for the first time, talked a little bit about the Sol's success, and even told him about my work.

Second-half start: 8:39 pm

46' - Well, can we score for once? Elton John's "Saturday Night's All Right For Fighting" plays. How fitting.

47' - Yellow card to Jimmy Conrad of the Wizards. Former Galaxy player Herculez Gomez is also on the Wizards first team.

48' - That set piece went nowhere. This match is again a defensive feast.

52' - Gah, these horns...

53' - And the Angel City Brigade's minions dance like they are winnings, while the flatulating machines provide the ominous melody.

55' - That shot by Matt Besler just missed the net. Long-distance, too.

55' - Facepalm moment, baby. I can understand why the ticketholders to these matches are not pleased. Then again, now with the Sol winning today, Grahame Jones, do you still think the Sol should sack Abner Rogers? In your fantasy world, his head would be roasted on a spit, I would imagine.

Que sera, sera.

57' - A.J. De La Garza gets a yellow card for a bad challenge.

58' - And so we have some substitutions taking pace during this stretch.

59' - Red card to 16 Gregg Berhalter for a foul. See what I mean by tosser? Vaughn better be ready for projectiles thrown his direction.

59' - Ricketts saves a set piece.

61' - The ACB and LARS trying to stir up the crowd. The question is, is it even effective?

61' - Substitutions Kansas City Wizards:
IN 17 Roger Espinosa
IN 28 Graham Zusi
OUT 2 Michael Harrington
OUT 26 Kevin Souter

Substitutions Los Angeles Galaxy:
IN 14 Edson Buddle
IN 22 Tony Sanneh
OUT 18 Mike Magee
OUT 21 Alan Gordon

64' - Cross by the Wizards went nowhere.

66' - Edson Buddle comes in; can he provide something for the fans to chew on?

67' - Set piece for KC...liftoff! That would have counted for three...in the American code.

70' - Half-hearted shot attempt from the G's.

71' - Mexican wave? Sounds like it.

72' - Corner for LA. You could defend that set piece with Braille. I'm gaga for the Chickisms, forgive me.

73' - The crowd is getting impatient.

74' - And so is Buddle. This has been a game of shots well off-target, and great saves of shots on target. And a red card. And a few yellows.

76' - Those horns...there they go again.

78' - Franko, a Galaxy media guy, tell me that 19,673 were in attendance. More than three times that of the Sol. They are just waiting for something to happen. More than half-capacity.

78' - Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 7 Chris Klein
OUT 6 Eddie Lewis

79' - Yellow card to Davy Arnaud of the Wizards.

81' - Have mercy Miss Percy, it seems we've got another draw on the way.

82' - These bad shots sure are becoming a nasty habit, aren't they? A corner wasted.

83 - I would imagine if the Galaxy score, it's gonna be electric.

84' - GOAL! Kansas City 22 Davy Arnaud. Assists: 21 Herculez Gomez, 17 Roger Espinoza
Can someone call Guus Hiddink and tell him that the position at Los Angeles is open? Tell him that after your run with Russia, please manage this club. I promise, this guy is no Ruud Gullit. Complete opposite.

86' - Equalizing opportunity wasted.

87' - GOAL!!! Los Angeles Galaxy 14 Edson Buddle Assist: 10 Landon Donovan
Calling Guus, Calling Guus, we hope you consider...now these guys need to score.

90' - Three minutes of stoppage time, says Baldomero Toledo, the 4th official tonight.

90' + 2' - Yellow card to KC's Lance Watson.

FINAL

Los Angeles Galaxy 1
(Buddle 87)

Kansas City Wizards 1
(Arnaud 84)

Just another victory [sic] for the TIE-fighters.

Source: Click Here

If you listen closely, you'll hear a very surprising sound.

It's the sound of MLS standing strong and making a commitment to expansion while other American sports leagues are scaling back on payroll and laying off employees.

America's "other" sports league will expand to 18 teams by 2011 after it adds a Philadelphia team in 2010, and clubs in Portland and Vancouver for the 2011 season.

When you consider the magnitude of the global economic meltdown, it's pretty amazing that a sport that most Americans consider to be inferior is faring so well in the States.

About two weeks ago, fellow US football enthusiast Kwame Manu asked me to do an article on how the MLS has been able to continue expansion in this economic climate. I'm taking that prompt and running with it, giving an explanation for how MLS has managed to remain successful in any economic climate.

Salary cap

For the 2009 season, MLS has imposed a $2.3 million salary cap. That's a tremendously small figure when compared to any other major sport in the US, but it's a smart thing for MLS.

MLS is still in its infancy, and as such, not every club is making enough money to turn a profit just yet. But thanks to soccer-specific stadiums and shirt sponsorships, every club is either profitable, or very close.

These stadiums and sponsorships aren't lucrative enough yet to allow teams to start blazing through large stacks of cash.

In an effort to combat the small profit margins, MLS keeps salaries in check with the cap. This means that even if all 15 clubs are spending their allotted $2.3 million, the league will only be dishing out $34.5 million in salary. David Beckham could easily afford to bankroll the league for a couple of seasons.

The league controls its contracts

Conor Casey of the Colorado Rapids is tied for the league lead in goals scored this season, with six.

He is not under contract with Colorado.

Instead, he has a contract with MLS, just like the vast majority of the other players in the league.

It's a unique model. Incoming players sign a contract with MLS, and then are allocated to a specific team. This ensures the financial health of the league as a whole because the people negotiating the contracts are aware of MLS' current economic status. It also helps avoid a New York Comsos-esque spending spree by any one club.

Individual clubs can sign players and pay for them out of their own pockets, if they have an open designated player slot. The full salary of these players doesn't count against the salary cap, but each team can only have a maximum of two designated players on their roster.

Currently, MLS only has six designated players in its ranks. They are all players whose salaries would be a substantial chunk of the salary cap.

Squad size

According to a recent report by the Guardian, Liverpool FC has 62 players on their books. That means that their squad is more than twice the size of  any given MLS squad. Liverpool has the financial resources to maintain such a large club. No MLS club is capable of carrying such a large roster.

In fact, MLS squad sizes shrunk this year when the reserve rosters were abolished. I suspect that move had something to do with the poor economic climate.

For 2009, teams are allowed to carry up to 20 senior players on their roster that will count against the salary cap. In addition to those 20, teams can carry up to four developmental players that will not count against the cap.

Limiting rosters to a max of 24 players prevents salary expenditure from becoming bloated. It helps prevent teams from spending beyond their means.

Conference play

From a competition standpoint, I hate the fact that MLS is divided into two separate conferences. The dual-conference system creates some problems when the playoffs roll around and I’d just as soon see it abolished in favor of a unified table that awards playoff seeds to the top eight teams, but that’s an article for another day…

Economically, the conferences make perfect sense. In the early days of MLS, the schedule was very unbalanced. Teams would play three matches against in-conference foes and just one or two against clubs from the other conference, similar to the divisional play we see in Major League Baseball.

This type of scheduling really helps cut down on travel expenses. It’s much cheaper for a team like Los Angeles to play Colorado than it is to fly the entire club cross-country to New York once or twice each season.

Keeping travel expenses in check helps teams operate more cheaply, which helps increase profit margins. That’s good business.

New stadiums

In the beginning, MLS teams were forced to share football stadiums with local NFL or college teams. This often meant being locked into a terrible lease which just sucked money out of the MLS club's pocketbook.

Flash forward to 2009, and you've got Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Houston, Salt Lake, Los Angeles, Chivas, Toronto, and Colorado in their own stadiums. New York and Kansas City have their own on the way. When Philly enters the league, they'll be playing in a brand new stadium built just for them.

In fact, one of the most important requirements for being granted an expansion franchise is having some sort of stadium deal in place.

These stadiums are a great revenue stream. Teams take home parking, tickets, concessions and merchandise sales. These venues can be used for concerts, World Cup qualifiers, and even drum corps shows.

Compare that to New York's lease at the Meadowlands, which essentially allows them to go through the seats after games and pick up any loose change that fans may have dropped.

Open up the champagne!

Don Garber and his cohorts in the league offices know what they're doing. They've got a successful business model for MLS which is allowing it to survive and thrive. Thanks to their smart financial management, there is a healthy interest in expansion because the league is in good shape.

Source: Click Here

Week 10 of the 2009 MLS season brought us an abundance of draws. Thankfully, only one of these matches was a goalless draw. Further complicating the rankings is the fact that none of the top nine lost a match this week. But, thanks to some impressive results, we had to shuffle things around a little bit.

Seattle dropped out of the top five for the first time all season, while Houston and Toronto appear to be on the rise thanks to matching 3-1 victories.

Last week's rankings in parentheses

1. Chivas USA (1)

Chivas continued their impressive form with a 1-1 draw on the road against a tough Kansas City club. Next week's match against Chicago will offer their first major test of character.

2. Chicago Fire (2)

After a draw-filled start to the season, Chicago has enjoyed two straight shutout victories. Will they be able to keep the streak going next week in their titanic clash against Chivas? More importantly, will they be able to remain undefeated?

3. DC United (3)

United is unbeaten in seven as they seem to have found the key to success in MLS: bend, but don't break. They conceded twice against Chivas last week but hung on for a draw. This week? Didn't score any, but the defense held up their end of the bargain and kept a clean sheet.

4. Houston Dynamo (5)

Is anybody surprised that Houston's recent hot streak has coincided with Brian Ching's personal hot streak? They're poised to overtake Seattle if current trends continue, but start a tough three-game stretch against Toronto, Chicago, and Chivas.

5. Toronto FC (7)

Which Amado Guevara are we going to get, the prima donna or the brilliant offensive machine? Guevara scored twice, including a gorgeous strike from 20 yards that's an early candidate for Goal of the Year. Toronto looked nearly flawless against New England.

6. Seattle (4)

Seattle has slowed down a little bit, drawing in each of their last four matches, but they're still competitive. They still have the third-best defense in MLS at their disposal, and have matches against Columbus and San Jose in the near future. They'll pick up the pace once again.

7. Kansas City (6)

Kansas City continues to impress me, but Toronto was slightly more impressive this past week. Still, KC has only lost twice since the beginning of April and are getting consistent contributions from Josh Wolff and Claudio Lopez.

8. Colorado Rapids (8)

Colorado had victory within their grasp but had to settle for a draw after a late Nate Jaqua strike. Conor Casey continues to make a splash, which begs the question, how long can Bob Bradley continue to ignore him?

9. Los Angeles Galaxy (11)

Not a great result for LA, but they reap the benefits of a miserable New England performance. All Los Angeles did on the weekend was pull a Chelsea...take a one goal lead, gain a man-advantage, and then end up settling for a draw.

10. New York Red Bulls (10)

Surprisingly enough, New York doesn't have the most impotent offense in MLS, it just seems like it most weeks. Of course, take out the four-goal outburst against bottom-feeders San Jose and they DO have the worst offense. At least fans can look forward to the new stadium.

11. New England Revolution (9)

Last time we checked in on the Revs, they were winless in five. Make that six. How can a team with Matt Reis, Jay Heaps, and Shalrie Joseph be so bad? They're MLS' answer to Newcastle United.

12. Columbus Crew (12)

Columbus was mercifully idle this week.

13. Real Salt Lake (13)

Real Salt Lake have not won since April 11th. Seven straight games without a victory. Luckily, they get a chance to right the ship this weekend with a game against San Jose.

14. FC Dallas (15)

FC Dallas only moves up a spot by virtue of San Jose's poor performance, not by any brilliance on their own part.

15. San Jose Earthquakes (14)

As they say in Wrigleyville, "Wait 'till next year!" If San Jose even comes close to a playoff spot, it'll be a miracle.

Source: Click Here

In another B/R article posted today, What the MLS Must Do to Still be in the US in 2020, Mark Jones makes some excellent points, but gets several things wrong as well.

In brief summary, Jones cites low scoring matches, ties, and no-scoring matches as outcomes that must be changed in order to save the American game. He then suggests enlarging the dimensions of the goal, shrinking the size of the pitch, and shortening the length of the match, using PK's as tie-breakers, and calling more penalties in the box as his key solutions.  

His basic premise that soccer is not consistent with American sports culture in key aspects is a good one. Beyond that, he mostly misses the mark.  

Changing the physical dimensions of the pitch or the goal, or the length of the match would diminish whatever international credibility American soccer may have, and make it more difficult for American players to adapt to the international game. 

It would also alienate American soccer purists (of which there are more than Mr. Jones might think) who make up the fan base of both leagues right now, and are essential to both leagues' success.

It is also important to note that unlike most home-grown American sports, the act of scoring is not the key focus of the game, but even in American sports, there's more to the game than scoring.

First of all, the first and most American of all home grown games—baseball—is slower and often as low scoring as soccer. The only difference is that games can't end in ties. Given that some games go into 15 innings or more, it might actually improve the game if ties were allowed.

In American football, a well-managed drive to the red zone is something wonderful to watch and while a team's failure to convert a red-zone possession into points on the board is frustrating, the game is no less exciting because the goal line wasn't crossed.

If there are brilliant runs and beautiful passes as offensive moves the chains, an eventual field goal or touchdown is icing on the cake. But even without the icing, the cake is very tasty. And from a defensive perspective, a goal line stand is almost as thrilling for fans as a touchdown.

In basketball, a powerful shot block is as incendiary to the fans, and as potentially momentum-shifting as a three-point shot.  

In soccer, what happens between the goals is even more significant than basketball or football. Watching an attack begin to form and gather steam, watching plays continually re-shape to adapt to defensive stops, is as thrilling as it is visually beautiful.

A power shot that barely misses stops hearts on both sides of the pitch.

A dramatic save often earns the applause of the opposing fans as well as the supporters, due to the difficulty of the stop and the beauty of the physical execution.

So in my opinion, it isn't scoring or the lack of which that impairs the growth of American soccer. It is more subtle cultural idiosyncrasies that could be tweaked without destroying the integrity of the game.

In other words, we can Americanize soccer in ways that will raise international eyebrows but not evoke international disdain, and in ways that don't make it harder for our National teams or our home grown players to succeed in international competition.    

Inspired by Mr. Jones, I will submit my own suggestions of rule and policy changes that would increase the marketability of the MLS and WPS in the United States and Canada without altering the fundamentals of the game.

First: Timekeeping

To maintain credibility with local soccer purists and especially with the international community the games must remain 90 minutes long. But...we can keep the official score on the scoreboard, and count down the time by period rather than counting up by entire game length.

Americans are used to getting the actual time on the score clock, and they're used to counting down. This cosmetic change would do nothing to harm the  integrity of soccer and would make American fans much more comfortable.

Second: Substitutions

We'd hear a little more noise from the purists about this one, but they'd get over it.  I'd be in favor of allowing more than three substitutions and allowing players to re-enter the game after being subbed out. This, again, would make soccer more like the rest of our sports, and would ensure that legs remain fresh 'til the end.

Third: Team Names

Purists love it, but team names that include FC anything just don't make sense to American fans. It would be up to individual franchises to evaluate whether or not to change such names as FC Dalls, Toronto FC, Sky Blue FC or FC Gold Pride but teams with names that can be personified by a mascot play better in America.

Fourth: Uniforms

"American" sports have prominent team logos on their uniforms. The MLS and WPS should consider scrapping the international style uniform in which the only prominent graphics are commercial logos and in which the team insignia can't be seen without binoculars.

I understand that corporate sponsorship is crucial to the financial survival of soccer in the US, but I would limit corporate signage to the lower back of the jersey, and make the team logo prominent on the front of the jersey, similar to the style of the original Chicago Fire uniforms.

Chicago had it right in the first place. More recently they have gone the wrong direction on this point.

Fifth: Tie Breakers

On this point I agree with Mark Jones. Americans like resolution. We've added tie-breakers to football and hockey, much to the betterment of both sports. A shoot out at the end of a deadlocked soccer match would add a great deal of drama, and hopefully a great deal more butts in the seats.

Sixth: More Liberal Use of PK's

Jones may have a point here as well. It wouldn't even require a rule change to simply instruct the referees to call more PK's for fouls that occur inside the penalty box.

I wouldn't increase the size of the box, as Jones suggests, for the same reasons I wouldn't change any other dimensions on the field. But calling more fouls in the box could be done, and in so doing, it would increase American interest.

Seventh: Expansion

Jones lauds the MLS for rapid expansion. It could be argued that expansion dilutes the quality of play, and where soccer is concerned, many would say the level of play needs improving, not diluting; however I agree with him that smart, strategic expansion will increase the quality and quantity of soccer fans in North America.

I would recommend that expansion continue in mid-market cities that don't have many or any other major league offerings, and if possible, where soccer is already strong.

Mid-market venues with no other major league teams to get behind would be more likely to fill a 20,000 seat (or larger) soccer stadium consistently than even the largest metro centers with numerous other franchises and sports to compete with.

Last: Inter-League Cooperation and Coordination

MLS and WPS teams in the same city should establish formal agreements to coordinate their schedules to maximize attendance for both teams. Whenever possible both teams should not play at home in the same week.

This would eliminate the competition between the two home teams for attendance on the same weekend, and would also serve to offer major league pro soccer weekly or nearly so in every two-league venue.

Combination tickets packages could be sold beginning with double season tickets, and with ten packs, six packs, four packs, even two packs that would include one game for each team.

Discounts of  10-40 percent could be offered for two-team combos. The additional attendance that would be generated for both clubs would more than compensate for the discounts. The energy generated in the stands by larger crowds would enhance the fan's experience and the team's performance.   

Source: Click Here

One third of the way through the MLS season, and we've yet to see any team besides Chivas USA really do too much to promote themselves as a real playoff contender.

The Revolution are pretty much killing themselves, and Chicago remains undefeated. The Galaxy keeping on drawing and drawing, and the Earthquakes are heading downhill like a rock in water.

This is my attempt to sort it all out.

1. Chivas USA (7-1-3, 24 pts)

Is there any question on who will be this year's MLS champion with them in the mix?

2. Chicago Fire (3-0-6, 15 pts)

Still undefeated, and they're looking strong so far. Several other chances for easy wins upcoming, too.

3. D.C. United (3-1-7, 16 pts)

They struggled at times last night against Real Salt Lake, yet pulled out a point in a 0-0 draw. Boring enough, still, they're right among the top clubs in the standings this season.

4. Houston Dynamo (4-2-3, 15 pts)

The Dynamo are coming off an impressive win in their rivalry game versus San Jose, and are looking pretty good heading into the heat of summer.

5. Seattle Sounders (4-2-4, 16 pts)

The Sounders are trend-breakers, and they've been playing like it. Very good debut season for Seattle, despite the dwindling crowds.

6. Colorado Rapids (3-2-4, 13 pts)

Perhaps these Rapids will be the surprise team of the year. They are certainly playing well, but they need to keep it up, for there is no room to slip.

7. Toronto FC (4-3-4, 16 pts)

Their win last night against slumping New England was impressive. Still no room for error though.

8. Kansas City Wizards (4-4-3, 15 pts)

Blah, nothing too special yet from the Wizards this year. Still, they are techncially right in the mix.

9. Los Angeles Galaxy (1-1-8, 11 pts)

They draw, and draw, and draw, oh, and then they tie. Next week I predict draw, draw, draw.

10. Real Salt Lake (3-5-2, 11 pts)

Not quite the surprise team, they were picked to be during the preseason. They should've won last night, but just got another single point.

11. New York Red Bulls (2-5-3, 9 pts)

It's a must win for the Red Bulls today against the Fire. Although it'll be tough, they have to do it, for New York has begun to dig themselves a hole now.

12. New England Revolution (2-3-4, 10 pts)

A rock in water. A plane with a broken engine. A toddler about to get kicked by Ronaldinho. Any way you put it, they're dying right before our eyes.

13. Columbus Crew (1-2-6, 9 pts)

Not nearly what they expected this season. I suppose the Crew need to take a step back and regroup now.

14. FC Dallas (1-6-3, 6 pts)

Bad.

15. San Jose Earthquakes (1-6-2, 5 pts)

And worse.

Source: Click Here

Source: Click Here

The soccer world was a witness to an out of the ordinary event that occurred during the New York Red Bulls vs. Houston Dynamo game.

Jorge Rojas was suspended for two games and fined $1000 for exhibiting disorderly conduct during the game. He elbowed Houston Dynamo's Midlfielder Bryan Mullan in the head followed by a heated argument with their goal keeper Pat Onsted.

He refused to leave the field in an orderly manner after his conduct.

The behavior of Rojas is unacceptable and goes against everything that Soccer stands for. The fact is that elbowing in the head just like the head butt could cause trauma to the brain. After all, the brain is the most sensitive area of the body with its multiple arteries and veins which controls all forms of movements and behaviour in the human body.

The MLS did the right thing in suspending Rojas for two games and this should be set as an example that anti social behavior and sports of all kinds should not mix. If the MLS had not stepped in soon with its two game suspension and $1000 fine, others could repeat the anti social activity or others.

Personally, it would be better if Rojas would have been fined $2000, have a quarter of his pay severed for five games and suspended for the same amount. Regardless, maybe the MLS knows better.

Source: Click Here

All-Star games are meant to showcase a league’s elite players.

Often, players having career years are rewarded. However, there is always a debate on who really deserved to make it and who didn’t.

Take the previous NBA All-Star game: Many pondered how Allen Iverson was voted to start for the Eastern Conference and how Carmelo Anthony was left off the West’s squad.

Part of the reason roster spots go to candidates that aren’t as deserving is because of the fan vote.

Allowing fans to pick who they want to see is a double-edged sword.

The league is getting the fans to feel like they are involved and they get to select the players they want to see play, hopefully providing optimum ratings.

However, the voting can be a popularity contest, and guys with big names who may not be producing like they have in the past, or are injured, can slide into one of the top spots.

Still, the fan vote isn’t a bad thing and in no league is it more important than in Major League Soccer.

MLS doesn’t have the fellowship that the other leagues in America have.

While the Pro Bowl can go unnoticed by NFL fans because of how big the regular season and postseason is, MLS needs its All-Star game to showcase its top players on a national stage.

Having people vote for the players they want to see allows the league to put out the most appealing team in hopes of drawing in viewers.

While I love to see unheralded players get recognition for amazing seasons, it’s OK for MLS to have its biggest names front and center to show what the league has to offer.

Take a guy like Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan–this has definitely not been his best year in the league.

In eight games, he has only managed to register one assist. Kljestan was even benched in one game. But there’s no denying he’s one of the league’s biggest stars.

Kljestan has performed at a high level in both past MLS seasons and the U.S. men’s national team. He is going to be an integral part of the national team for years to come, and is becoming a very recognizable name to American soccer fans.

If Klejstan hasn’t transferred to a club overseas by the time this year’s All-Star game rolls around, and he is voted in regardless of his stats, is it a bad thing?

No, because fans want to see him. Maybe fans of possible transfer targets will want to watch him, to see what he has. Whatever the reason, he will draw in viewers, something MLS desperately needs.

Currently, eight of the top 11 spots in the All-Star voting are held by members of Seattle Sounders FC.

Some—Kasey Keller—are certainly deserving. Others—Sebastian LeToux—aren’t as deserving. But the Sounders’ fans are making their voices heard. This is who they want to see. They sure will be watching the game.

While the fan vote is only a quarter of the criteria for making the team, it still sends a message to the league of who the fans like.

Don’t agree? Vote for yourself. Vote for who you want to see play.

The most important thing for MLS is to get its most liked and most marketable players on the pitch in order to further promote the league. Even if that means playing guys who aren’t having the best season.

Like the popular phrase in the business world goes, the customer is always right.

Source: Click Here

We're nine weeks into the 2009 MLS season, almost a third of the way through. That gives us a large enough sample size to make a fairly accurate judgment as to the relative strength of each club in the league.

Things are looking pretty grim for some of the league's traditional blue-bloods.

Columbus can't buy a victory, even when they take a lead into the 90th minute. New England is rapidly aging right before our eyes, and even Houston has gotten off to a slower start than normal.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. All great accomplishments in 2008 aside, New York is continuing their tradition of underachieving. San Jose has continued to struggle as well, like newer franchises tend to do. Unless, of course, you happen to be Seattle.

Last week's rankings in parentheses

1. Chivas USA (1)

Another week, another match without defeat. Chivas are currently enjoying an eight-point lead over everybody else in the league, regardless of conference. They've got the league's best defense and also have arguably the strongest midfield. They look more like champions each week...

2. Chicago Fire (2)

Chicago remained undefeated with a convincing 2-0 victory over Toronto on the road. Brian McBride continued his impressive season, scoring his sixth goal of 2009. But, Chicago still has only three wins in their nine matches.

They need to continue getting great defensive efforts like they did this past weekend if they want to close the gap on Chivas.

3. DC United (3)

Santino Quaranta delivered a great game for DC as they battled back to earn a tie against MLS' best team. DC was down 2-0, but showed a lot of toughness to battle back, with two goals in the last 15 minutes. This grit will serve them well as the season gets into the summer grind.

4. Seattle Sounders FC (4)

Seattle is slowing down a little bit after their fast start, with only one victory in their last six matches. But the defense is still playing relatively well and Seattle soon begins a nice stretch through June and July, where they'll play five out of seven matches in front of their raucous home crowd.

5. Houston Dynamo (6)

Houston took a 1-0 lead and a man advantage against New York into the 88th minute. Despite having to settle for only a single point, there are some positives for the Dynamo. New York's goal ended a 491 minute scoreless streak for the Houston defense, and the backline has shown that it's capable of carrying the dynamo for long streaks.

6. Kansas City Wizards (9)

Josh Wolff is the man out in Kansas City and affirmed his dominance with a two goal performance against Real Salt Lake. Thanks to Wolff, Davy Arnaud and Claudio Lopez, Kansas City finds themselves sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference. Continued contributions from those three should propel KC into the postseason.

7. Toronto FC (5)

Toronto is now officially the most wildly inconsistent club in the whole league. After a four match unbeaten streak that saw the offense clicking, they sputter and lose 2-0 at home to Chicago. Consistent play will be the key for this club.

8. Colorado Rapids (7)

Conor Casey continues to make a case for an international call-up, scoring his fifth goal on the season against New England. It's a bit of a surprise to see Colorado playing so well, but they seem to be making serious strides toward erasing last season's final day heartbreak.

9. New England Revolution (8)

That sound you hear is New England's window for winning a title slamming shut. They're currently two points out of a playoff spot, and fifth in their own conference. The Revs are winless in their last five.

10. New York Red Bulls (10)

I was impressed by how New York fought back to earn a draw with Houston despite being a man down. They still have a long way to go, but they've got two straight matches at home and the Eastern Conference is packed pretty tight.

11. Los Angeles Galaxy (12)

Eddie Lewis salvaged a point for LA with his submission for the Goal of the Year contest. Los Angeles quickly took advantage of being a man up, scoring a last-gasp goal. Still only only loss for the Galaxy, but seven draws means that they're toward the bottom of the table.

12. Columbus Crew (11)

Columbus took a 1-0 lead into the 89th minute, but suffered a red card and immediately allowed an equalizer. Granted, it was an amazing strike, but that sequence is a microcosm of how Columbus' season has gone so far.

13. Real Salt Lake (13)

In my preseason rankings, I had RSL pretty low in the pecking order. Apparently it wasn't low enough, as the trendy dark horse title pick dropped yet another match. Five losses already, that's terrible for a team with Robbie Findley, Kyle Beckerman and Yura Movsisyan on the books.

14. San Jose Earthquakes (14)

They'll be fighting with Dallas for the first pick in the draft all season.

15. FC Dallas (15)

Poor, just poor. I know they drew with Seattle, but it doesn't matter. They're still the worst team in MLS and should miss the playoffs by a wide margin.

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Sports fans in Seattle have something to cheer about again!

In a year in which Seattle's pro sports teams have fallen on hard times, the expansion Seattle Sounders of MLS have generated a buzz in the city not felt since the Seahawks made it to Super Bowl XL.

Currently second in the Western Conference behind Chivas, the Sounders are displaying an exciting brand of soccer with such current and rising stars as Fredy Montero, Freddie Ljungberg, and Kasey Keller.

The boost they've provided was needed.

Last year could be defined as the low point of Seattle sports.

The year began with rumors of the Seattle Sonics relocating at the end of the NBA season. The most successful of Seattle's franchises, the Sonics joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1967.

In the ensuing years, the team would collect one championship (1979), three NBA Finals appearances, six trips to the Conference Finals, and six division championships.

It seemed improbable that the NBA would leave Seattle.

However, the improbable happened as the Sonics owner ordered the team moved to Oklahoma City at the end of the season. Fans fought valiantly for their team and their pride (Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer even offered to chip in for the team), but to no avail.

The move of the Sonics created a void in the Seattle sports scene that was only made worse by the fortunes of the other teams in town.

Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners began the 2008 season with high expectations after trading for pitcher Erik Bedard in the offseason. However, they were only a shadow of the more successful Mariner teams earlier this decade.

The team quickly fell flat and the manager and general manager were soon fired after losing the respect of the team and fans. The Mariners finished the season with an American League-worst record of 61-101.

Luckily, Seattle was still able to look forward to the NFL's Seahawks...right?

The Seahawks had won four straight division titles at the beginning of the 2008 season. In 2005, they stormed through the season with a franchise best record of 13-3 and made it through the playoffs to Super Bowl XL, a game they lost against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Everything seemed ripe for another great season.

In what turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the season, the Seahawks hardly did anything at all. They finished the 2008 season with a 4-12 record and added yet another disappointment to Seattle's year.

Throw in the University of Washington's win-less football season and it's possible that no other city in sports history has had a worse year.

It's one thing if one team has a horrible season; it's quite another for every team to do so. Needless to say, Seattle was pretty down on itself.

And who would have guessed that the anit-depressant for the city would come from the Seattle Sounders, the expansion team in a sport that is far down the pecking order of American popularity?

Yet, the Sounders are selling out the lower bowl of Qwest Field, 30,000 strong at every game. More established MLS teams are struggling to get half as many per game.

It is evident that fans in Seattle are responding to the Sounders' winning ways, something that's been rare in the city for over a year. The thousands that show up to games all carry some form of team merchandise and proudly show it off to the world.

The Seattle sports scene is alive again, thanks to the Sounders. As a result, a new mecca for American soccer has been born.

Now, can Seattle's other teams thrive off the enthusiasm?

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