People inclined to statistics, which I am not, will tell you that sample size matters. A large number of events is always better than the alternative, and little can be gleaned from one or two events.


Of course, when it comes to soccer, that rule is of little comfort or consequence, depending on the results, to passionate fans.


For the winners, things are bright. The Wizards look like world-beaters, a dangerous attacking team that can challenge the favorites in the East if they play similarly all year, and their fans must be bursting. New York got their first win in their new home out of the way, and no doubt their fans are brimming with optimism thanks what appears to be a much more organized and disciplined team. Colorado actually won on the road, and likely has their fans already dreaming of playoff glory.


For fans of Seattle, Columbus, and LA, this week's win was the first step down the trail they've presumably plotted to the MLS Cup Final.


The losers are bumming hard, particularly in DC, Chicago, and Toronto. There is consolation to be had in the fact that the losses came away from home, but none can be happy with their performances. Perhaps only Chicago fans can take any real positives out of their defeat, while the DC faithful are already in full hand-wringing mode.


The balanced scheduled and additional team, meaning that only half the clubs in the league will make the playoffs, ratchets up the importance of each and every game. With that knowledge comes less patience and more angst if a club has a bad start or shows poorly in their opener.


But MLS is a league of parity, and parity means that one game isn't necessarily a good indicator of a team's quality. Maybe United just had a bad night. The Fire were almost as unlucky as New York was good, and Toronto went into Columbus undermanned.


So relax everyone. Even you Galaxy, Sounders, and Columbus fans might want to put your wins in perspective; LA beat a team missing their best player, Seattle beat an extremely young expansion team, and Columbus beat a Toronto club that seems to think the season actually starts on April 10th. Points are points, of course, but it's a long season, and we won't really know who's good and who's not for at least a month. Maybe more.


The First Kick performance is just one brick in a thirty-brick wall that will be built over the course of the season.


It's curious, then, that Kansas City jumped from last in the Examiner's pre-season power rankings to first after one match. One very good match, to be sure, but one match nonetheless.