A Versatile Season Preview

Thursday, March 18, 2010 | View Comments
Soccer players from opposing teams compete for the ball during a match

There's a season coming, and I felt the obligation to write a brief preview. The only problem is that we're still not quite sure what will happen with the MLS labor negotiations, and I didn't want to write something that would be useless if the players strike and the season is delayed or cancelled.


So you get this; a general, shallow, and ultimately worthless thumbnail sketch preview that is nevertheless applicable no matter what happens. Simply follow the footnotes to relevant league/team as the situation, or your own preference, dictates. This is harder than it looks, by the way, so if I stretched things a bit in a few cases, I apologize. At least it can't become obsolete.


***


Squads are filling out, preparations are intense, and the new season is just around the corner. Hope is at it's highest levels as fans around the country harbor dreams of a championship for their beloved teams.


This season will feature stiff competition for the title. North of the border, there is real hope a Canadian team can find themselves contenders¹. It will be on the veterans to push the club where they're fan base believes they belong, at the top of the table and in position for a high playoff seed.


Down south, the club whose owner who also has Premier League interests and the English head coach hopes to make the playoffs after missing out in 2009², while New York's team has big plans after coming up short of their goals³ last year. A new team is starting up in an American soccer hotbed, and has designs on making an immediate impact on the league4 with their regional history and built-in fan base.


International flavor and a future that involves finally getting out of a baseball/soccer stadium sharing situation has things looking up elsewhere5, and though the focus might be off the field for now, the club won't be throwing in the towel on 2010.


There are intriguing stories around the league. From the mid-Atlantic team with the famous name needing a big season6 and hoping to settle their stadium situation to the men in orange looking to repeat their strong 2009 regular season finish but hoping for better luck in the playoffs7.


There's the club with the Latin flavor trying to get over the hump8, the southern team hoping to turn around fairly dismal attendance9, the Scot-led club with more than a few questions9, and the mid-west squad with the beer-loving fan base and legitimate playoff hopes10.


The long off-season, full of often unbearable anticipation is finally over. From coast to coast, every club believes they have a chance to make their mark on 2010, and have little time to prepare themselves for the battle. While talent may ultimately decide the champion, one can never discount the role luck will play, and fans everywhere have their fingers crossed.


¹Toronto FC or Vancouver/Montreal
²Colorado Rapids or Austin Aztex
³New York Red Bulls or Rochester Rhinos
4Philadelphia Union or AC St. Louis
5Kansas City Wizards or Portland Timbers
6DC United or Crystal Palace Baltimore
7Houston Dynamo or Carolina Railhawks
8Chivas USA or Puerto Rico Islanders
9New England Revolution or Tampa Bay Rowdies
10Chicago Fire or NSC Minnesota Stars
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