How did you enjoy the US Open Cup Final? You did watch, right?


If you skipped it, shame on you; not because of any imagined obligation to support American soccer's one open knockout tournament, but because you missed a damn good soccer game. Seattle outlasted Columbus last night in front of 30,000+ engaged and raucous fans at Qwest Field, and almost every moment of the match was befitting of a Cup Final contest.

The rumor (Update: It's false - see bottom of this post) that the US Open Cup winner won't receive a spot in next year's CONCACAF Champions League has been bouncing around for quite some time. Until now, it's all been speculation, with much of it emanating from Adrian Hanauer out in Seattle. Though the confederation has still yet to confirm the rumor, you can add the Crew's technical director Brian Bliss to those who say it probably won't happen.

Tonight, in front of 30,000 fans at Qwest Field in Seattle, the Crew and the Sounder will face off for the oldest continually awarded trophy in American sports.  The backdrop provides the game gravity it rarely possesses.  The two finalists are quality MLS teams in the midst of playoff seasons, and it should always matter when a title is up for grabs.  Yes, the game is on a Tuesday night in a time slot that will make it difficult for some of the country to commit to watching it all; nevertheless, the Open Cup Final needs a bit of hype in the hours before the game.

When the Sounders became an MLS franchise in 2009, they set their sights on winning a trophy - any trophy.  With a strong history in the US Open Cup as a USL side, it made sense that they would put an emphasis on the knockout tournament.  It didn't matter that the Open Cup was treated as a nuisance by most MLS teams; the title would not only give them tangible success in their first top-tier season, but brought with it a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League.

I groused about the US Open Cup start time last week, a post that got me branded a rampant East Coast elitist; though that wasn't my intention (I should have simply stated that the final should be moved to a weekend), it is certainly discouraging that much of the country would need AM bedtimes to see the game (much less the trophy ceremony) in its entirety.

They make it hard, don't they? Some of us want to support the US Open Cup - the tournament has history, provides the only tangible evidence that the US soccer "pyramid" is actually interconnected, and gives the sport here a knockout competition in-line with what we see in almost every other serious soccer nation. But when the latter rounds, the most serious rounds after MLS clubs treat the early stages as a training exercise, are not broadcast or are placed in an inaccessible time slot, it's easier to just give up and call the thing a lost cause.

"The US Open Cup is BS."


So I was told via Twitter by David from Portland last night.


The US Open Cup has history, a romantic format, and...not much else. Save the possibility of a lower division side (there is only one left in this year's edition) shocking the big boys of MLS on occasion, there's little compelling about a tournament that those big boys treat as a de facto reserve league. Hindered by packed schedules and a lack of quality depth, teams would rather use the games to rest their starters than truly go after the trophy.


After losing to the Sounders at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila last night, Bruce Arena flatly stated his problem with the Open Cup:

"...to me these games don't make sense. Essentially it was a reserve game tonight. I think the timing of this competition isn't right for MLS teams; it's a difficult time to try and play these games. I think if see both teams, obviously both want to win, the competition is water down due to the fact that each team is juggling players and see who you want to play and who you don't want to play. For us tonight there were valuable minutes for some players and others not so good."

This is not a new dance, neither for Arena and other MLS coaches nor those of us who watch the tournament every year in the hope that something will change. Seattle seems to care and brought a bit of new life to last year's edition; whether down to MLS first-year enthusiasm or a holdover from their USL days, it was a refreshing thing to see. The final in DC even managed to build a bit of buzz thanks to some bad blood with United.


But that can only go so far and only applied to one game in the long 2009 tournament. 2010's version has crept by, the games getting little to no attention, little to no attendance, and little to no respect. This is no longer about what the US Open Cup should be, but about the reality. US Soccer sits idly by year after year, MLS teams have no real reason to risk their league chances by going all out for the Cup, and fans are naturally disinterested because their teams clearly don't care. Vicious cycle complete.


The romance of the little guy having a shot at the big guy means nothing when the big guy doesn't care. Goliath didn't have a stand-in half his size for the fight with David.


Rumors are swirling that CONCACAF may take away the Champions League spot given to the USOC winner. If the competition remains in this state, that would certainly be understandable.


So what's the solution? Monetary incentives? Splitting off the MLS teams? Killing the competition altogether?


MLS say they have a committee to address the problems with the Open Cup, and that they'll submit their recommendations to US Soccer. Will the federation listen to whatever they propose? Or are we destined for weak lineups, small crowds, and coaches complaining until the end of time?

MLS, meaning the corporate entity that runs a soccer league rather than the competition of teams on the field, announced the formation of two committees this week. Though these committees have different tasks, one looking inward while the other focuses on league fortunes abroad, they collectively represent a visible commitment on the part of the people in charge to address two of the more frustrating (and blogged about) issues facing the league: The US Open Cup and the CONCACAF Champions League.


The former is an absolute disaster from an MLS perspective. Few fans care, fewer show up to watch, and clubs rarely prioritize it above de facto reserve league status. The abject nature of the competition at the top level is a death spiral: the fans don't care because the clubs don't, and the clubs don't care because the fans don't show up.


Midweek matches are notoriously tough to sell in the US, and with US Open Cup clashes existing only in that attendance wasteland, it doesn't behoove teams to market it aggressively. Often, the financial considerations lead clubs to choose cheaper auxiliary facilities over their usual homes, driving the relevance meter down further. Simply put, the MLS profile and interest level of the US Open Cup is at life-support levels, and though proponents of the history-rich tournament do their best to breath what life into it they can, it's clearly time to assess the situation.


The latter is a matter of Major League Soccer's ability to compete with other teams from the region (mostly Mexican) for the title of CONCACAF champion. The deflating fact that they simply can't, with the the relative quality of its teams lacking and the tournament format penalizing a league that is only just starting its pre-season during the knockout stages, is doubly troubling in light of Mexico's biggest teams giving more weight to the Copa Libertadores than their own regional championship. If MLS has dreams of ascending to regional supremacy, or simply hopes to make the FIFA Club World Cup for marketing reasons, something has to be done.


What exactly, short of spending significantly more on player salaries across the board, something we know won't happen anytime soon, is anyone's guess. MLS will not, under any circumstances, alter their business philosophy and slow-growth model just to finally have a team or two win in Mexico when it counts.


Hence the committees for both problems, groups likely to make recommendations commiserate with the over-arching attitude of a frugal, yet aspiring, league. Whether these groups will have any real power, of if their suggestions will be noted, discussed, but ultimately discarded, is a question for future consideration. Simply forming committees gives reason to lend the league the benefit of the doubt, recognizing that there will be at least some effort made to correct problems facing MLS teams in each competition.


Not that you should hold your breath on major changes coming any time soon. The forming of committees is, in itself, no real action. There's bound to be months of discussion with no final conclusions drawn while we all forget that the committees even exist. In the case of the US Open Cup committee, all the league can do is make recommendations to US Soccer, who will then need to address changes themselves. This could take awhile.


But hey, you gotta start somewhere, right?

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber is a candidate to be the next United States Olympic Committee chief executive according to a report by the Reuters news service.


Garber is one of a number of potential candidates for the USOC job, though the story does mention that the committee is not revealing its list. With the hiring of a chief executive apparently only thirty days away, the search committee is interviewing candidates with an eye towards recommending one or two to the USOC's full board.


Garber's candidacy, if in fact it is serious and he intends to consider the job, should fill MLS fans with dread. Now is not the time for the league to go through a transition at its most important position; not only is a new collective bargaining agreement still not done, but Garber has successfully led the league through stormy waters to a new era where successful new clubs are joining at a rapid clip.


Garber isn't perfect, and neither has the job he's done. But there's generally more good than bad there, and even those who question his actions have to admit that the devil we know may be better than the devil we don't. It's been more than ten years since Major League Soccer changed over it's commissioner, and unless an experienced soccer brain with an understanding of the difficulty he (or she) will face comes forward, there's reason for concern.


Taking issue with Don Garber over single table (by no means a certain success), the salary cap, or items on the demand list of the MLS Players Union is one thing; knowing for certain that someone else would be a better fit for the job without presenting a viable candidate is another thing altogether.


Garber has been open, accessible, and forthright during a hectic period of Major League Soccer's young life. If he does move on to "greener" pastures, are we sure his replacement would do the same?

This week on Match Fit USA, Jason and Zach break down USA-El Salvador, discuss officiating, review the current state of the Hexagonal and the American chances of qualification, and close out talking about the US Open Cup final.

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I apologize for the slight delay; as I write this, I am in Texas, taking care of some various site business.

But I'd be remiss if I didn't post a little something on Wednesday's US Open Cup final.

Quite a final, wasn't it? On it's own, the actual play would have made the game an instant classic, as least in terms of the US Open Cup. Two fairly strong MLS teams intent on winning silverware, putting out the best sides they could in light of the rules that govern the tournament. Add in the Josh Wicks-inspired drama, and the final enters the realm of "much talked about". It's a condition that the Open Cup doesn't always possess.

Wicks' actions, with the Sounders victory as the other story, are dominating the discussion. What Wicks did, and there is little question as to his intent as he "stomped" Freddy Montero after the Columbian's goal, was terrible and inexcusable. Frustrations boil over, and players are human, so "blow ups" are always only moments from happening; but for Seattle's first trophy as an MLS club to be overshadowed by Wicks is unfortunate.

Montero avoided injury, however, and so Sounders fans should be happy to move on and celebrate their Open Cup win. They've achieved one of their states goals for their inaugural top-flight season, and will now head into the CONCACAF Champions League next year. That's a massive thing, not just for them but for that competition, as (if they are able to carry over their momentum in the stands) they will surely bring bigger crowds to their CCL matches than any other American club.

The other battle, the one over the site of the final and whether or not DC United could draw a crowd "worthy" of winning that bid, was of just as much interest to many observers as the game itself. 17,329 fans filed into RFK Stadium, a number that represents a massive success considering the midweek date and the non-league nature of the match. That crowd represents the fourth best attendance for United in 2009, and I don't think it's a stretch to say that DC's marketing department should be applauded for all they did to make it happen. Their investment in the game, spurred by the war of words between Kevin Payne and Adrian Hanauer, was impressive.

I'm sure, however, that Sounders fans would still claim they would have sold out the match and almost doubled United's crowd; but their team won the match, and that should be the most important thing.

Congrats to the Sounders; if Major League Soccer's most successful club couldn't win their 13th trophy, then having the newest gold standard of American soccer clubs win their first is a fine alternative. Hell, it might even be a better result for the future of the tournament.

Feel free to post your thoughts on the match, the "success" of United in the stands, or the fallout that might/should come from Josh Wicks ill-advised foul.

Highlights, courtesy of DCUnited.com

After all of the cattiness, the hurt feelings, the back and forth, and the clever marketing, the 2009 US Open Cup final is almost upon us. The Seattle Sounders, looking for their first trophy as an MLS club, will take on the defending cup holder DC United in front of an as-yet-to-be-determined crowd at RFK Stadium.

The day before kickoff, and the game itself somehow seems secondary.

The focus still seems to be on the location of the final, and each team's ability to draw a significant crowd; Seattle, through GM Adrian Hanauer, continue to maintain that they would have sold out the final, despite an afternoon kickoff. United is working hard, though creative marketing efforts like WeWinTrophies.com and tour of the city with some of United's significant trophy collection, to drum up as much interest in the game as possible in the Nation's Capital. Even with those efforts, however, word is that the club has only sold 11,000 tickets thus far.

Is it enough? Will United get a significant walk up crowd and push beyond the 15,000 mark? Tough to say, and disappointing if they don't. Sounders fans will certainly revel in the "failure", and depending on the outcome of the match, could have more than a few shots to lob at United fans tomorrow night.

Will a "failure" on DC's part to draw a good crowd have a lasting effect? Hard to say, with the process that US Soccer runs in regards to the host sites for this tournament, but I would expect that Seattle and their management would make some more noise; add to the Sounders heat the participation of others (namely Bryan of the Sons of Ben, whose has taken to their potential and natural rivalry with DC with abandon) in the DC-bashing, and it could be both a good night (provided they win) and a bad one for United.

Hell, it might even affect some change if attendance is disappointing tonight. How could US Soccer continue with the sealed bid process as it exists if DC fails to live up to what Seattle might have been able to provide?

Believe it or not, despite my natural bias, I might be on the side of Seattle here. The Open Cup is an afterthought for American soccer fans, even the ones emotionally invested in MLS and USL, and needs all the excitement it can get. Will 15,000 fans in a mostly-empty RFK Stadium, no matter how good the game itself is, help push the tournament to a new level? Probably not. If the game was at Qwest Field, and 30,000 Sounders faithful "packed" that stadium, the game might get the kind of atmosphere it deserves. Say what you will about the prospects of a sell out at 1 PM on a weekday (the scheduled local kickoff time if the game had taken place in Seattle), and I myself have serious doubts about that possibility, it would be shortsighted to sell the Sounders and their fans short by assuming it couldn't happen.

Nonetheless, the game will go on, and receive (hopefully) a little more attention than usual thanks to the battle over the final site. It might now be the dawning of a new era for the US Open Cup and the final itself, but it could be a step in the right direction.

Perhaps DC United's US Open Cup campaign could already be termed a success simply because they find themselves in the final. Winning is what sports is supposedly all about, of course, and so a chance at a repeat should be a reason to celebrate.

But it's DC United's other US Open Cup campaign, one of the marketing variety, that has taken center stage in light of the controversy over the site of the final. After allegations of preferential treatment on the part of US Soccer by Seattle Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer, and the acidic response of United President Kevin Payne, the pressure is now on for United to draw a large crowd for Open Cup final on September 2nd.

The team has taken some novel approaches to market the game, including the website WeWinTrophies.com. The front page of the site is dominated by a picture of United's trophy collection, with a rundown of the twelve that the team has won since its inception in 1996.



United took the step of having stickers attached to editions of the Washington City Paper, a free alternative weekly paper aimed at young professionals, with a US Open Cup themed logo (incorporating the date of the final) on one side and the URL for WeWinTrophies.com on the other. Once connected to the website, curious City Paper readers would find themselves reading a blurb on United's rich trophy history, and an entreaty to join the club for what is sure to be the next victory on September 2nd. Interested parties can buy tickets directly through the website, by clicking a link that redirects to Ticket Master.

While targeting the younger readers of the City Paper initially, United has not neglected the much broader and significant readership of the Washington Post. President Kevin Payne has penned an open letter to the people of Washington, and the team has purchased a full page ad in today's Post to appeal directly to the DC community's sense of pride. "The Sounders, and its fans, have said that Washington, D.C. and its fans do not deserve to host the match at RFK. They insisted the match should be played in Seattle," Payne writes, "I know not all of you are D.C. United fans. Many of you aren’t even soccer fans, but a challenge has been issued and we expect all sports fans in D.C. to meet it. Stand up for D.C."

Midweek games, which the Open Cup final will be (September 2nd is a Wednesday) are notorious difficult sells in the American soccer environment. Last year's final, also hosted by United, drew only 8,200 fans to RFK. Although the step up in competition, the Charleston Battery of USL-1 were United's opponents in 2008, should help increase interest, United still faces an uphill battle to draw a significant crowd.

The controversy over the awarding of the final to United is being excellently leveraged by the club, though a failure at the gate could still be a public relations hit. US Soccer should also have a vested interest in seeing United draw well after they chose DC over Seattle as hosts, though their often lukewarm promotion of the tournament leaves open the question of their actual concern. With Seattle's success drawing massive crowds to Sounders' games this year, both US soccer's governing body and DC United as a club face extra scrutiny if these marketing campaigns are unable to drum up significant ticket sales for September 2nd.

But the added drama is an extra selling point for United, one they have taken to heart and are pushing intently. It will be interesting to see if their efforts bear fruit, and if this US Open Cup final meets the higher expectations, both on the field and in the stands, that have come with the competitive chatter usually missing from the tournament.

With three weeks left until the final, I expect United's marketing department may have a few more tricks up their sleeves.

My new MLS Daily column is an ode to the Sounders-United Open Cup final location brouhaha (first time I've used the word on this site; not sure I like it)

Check it out.

US Open Cup Final Could Use Some Controversy

I may just run that headline into the ground. It seems that the US Open Cup will continue to frustrate, anger, and disappoint me until the final is played and the tournament is over. Only then might I get a respite from being continually irked by the condition and treatment of the Open Cup, and it will all come back in less than a year to haunt me once again.

Today, it's this lovely bit of news: The US Open Cup semifinal between DC United and Rochester Rhinos will not be broadcast in video. If you're unsurprised by that, then you've got the proper mindset; you've learned that nothing is ever as it should be when it comes to our little domestic cup, and that the best thing to do is to lower your expectations. Good for you.

Unfortunately, no matter how unsurprised I am by this no-video news, it still riles me up to no end. I'm still incensed that the Open Cup is allowed to go on, withering on the vine, while no one with any real ability to help it grow (or merely survive) does anything. There is absolutely no excuse for the semifinal of this tournament to be played in the dark. None. If DC United or Rochester won't foot the bill of putting it online, then US Soccer should be stepping up to fill the void. Contract it out, cover the Rhino's expenses, or just find a few freelance broadcasters in the area willing to put the game up somewhere. It simply can't be that difficult.

US Open Cup fever...Catch It!

But don't worry about trying to watch it, because it's not available.

Argh.

I'm here to rail on the US Open Cup, again. If you've listened to the podcast, or followed this blog for any considerable length of time, you know that I am extremely frustrated with the state of the US Open Cup. A tournament with history and romance that receives little respect from the upper echelons of American soccer, the Open Cup represents the elephant in the room, a significant problem that no one with any sway really wants to address.

Last night, in the quarterfinal round of the tournament, three MLS sides took care of business and will play in the semi-finals. The lone USL winner, the Rochester Rhinos, beat a USL-2 team, the Wilmington Hammerheads, the earn a berth in the semis.

Only two of the four matches were available via some broadcast outlet; the all-USL affair, and the Houston-Charleston match which took place at the Battery's home ground. Fans of Seattle, Kansas City, DC United, Harrisburg, as well as interested neutrals, were shut out, left to track those matches on the internet or through text updates. If if wasn't for USL Live, run by a league whose teams put much more effort into the Open Cup than their MLS counterparts, the tournament wouldn't be broadcast at all.

What a sad situation for the venerable Cup.

I often lament MLS clubs not taking the tournament as seriously as they should; but with the lack of interest involved, and the fixture congestion that so many clubs already face, it's difficult to really blame them. Should I be angry with MLS teams for playing reserve lineups when MLS and USSF are making it clear that the Open Cup doesn't really matter?

Perhaps I should direct my anger elsewhere.

Without consistent broadcasts of the games, the US Open Cup is destined to languish in near-obscurity. While a TV contract is unlikely, I see no reason that US Soccer can't do a better job of disseminating matches over the internet. A camera or two, a reasonably well-spoken play-by-play man, and an internet connection is all it would take. Even if the expense is fairly significant, the exposure possible is well worth the dollars spent. In the modern world of streaming video and YouTube clips, the highlights alone make streaming the games live a winning proposition.

So where is it? Where's "USOpenCupLive.com"? Where's an effort on the part of the tournament organizers to take full advantage of the technology available and raise the profile of the Open Cup, even if only a little?

Instead of working to increase interest in the Open Cup, it appears as though things are headed in the opposite direction. Only hardcore soccer fans are aware of Open Cup match days, and even then it's not a guarantee that following the action will be easy. When the tournament gets down to the later rounds, and games are played at MLS venues, it's as if they take place in a black hole; seeing them anyway other than live and in person is impossible. Add that pesky alternate-venue situation, and it's no wonder so many choose to ignore America's oldest soccer competition. So many of the actions of MLS and US Soccer scream "Let's just get this thing over with" that any enthusiasm on the part of the fans is extinguished by the sheer pointlessness of it all.

"Going through the motions" is the phrase that comes to mind.

MLS, and American soccer as a whole, needs a strong domestic Cup competition. Domestic cups resonant with fans around the world because they represent the sport at its purest; no matter who you are or where you come from, you have a chance to play for a trophy that truly means something. Magic things happen in these tournaments. Players secure legacies or create legends with timely goals or epic performances against better competition. When properly presented, a domestic cup has all the makings of sports at its most compelling.

Jut not here. I've said before, but I think it bears repeating: if the Open Cup is going to continue to receive scant attention, little support, and zero respect from too many of the clubs involved, then it may be time to scrap the tournament. Revamp it, repackage it, overhaul it; do something to make it a worthwhile effort for both teams and fans alike.

Or just broadcast the damn games.

Tonight in Portland, thanks to the magic that is the US Open Cup, the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders will renew their intense rivalry. Longtime adversaries in the USL, A-League, and NASL, the Timbers and Sounders don't generally get along.

In fact, the regional derby might be the singularly most intense in American soccer.

Seattle's "promotion" to MLS put things on hold for a spell, and it's wasn't a guarantee that the two clubs would meet again until the Timbers move up themselves in 2011; but with the US Open Cup involving teams from both USL and MLS, the regional match ups the tournament provides, and each team taking care of their preceding matches to get to this point, the rivalry is back in full effect.

Portland is expecting a near-sellout for the game will have a sellout for the game and has added 400 standing room only tickets. Sounders fans are traveling, the Timbers Army will be in full voice, and the concern over fans clashing has even led to the Portland organization to put out a plea for peace.

While I abhor the fan violence and discourage it at every turn, I do appreciate the passion that can be behind it's potential. Both the Sounders fans and the Timbers fans care about their clubs desperately, and it would be difficult to argue that's a bad thing as long as no one gets hurt.

More than just a chance to renew a rivalry, tonight's Timbers-Sounders match represents a chance to see soccer at it's most appealing. Thousands of fans singing, chanting, waving flags, and exhorting their team on to victory at any cost; I might even argue that there's not a sports atmosphere in America that can compare the total package that tonight's game will produce. Sure, more mainstream American sports get larger crowds, and there are clearly rivalries that have more history and just as much intensity; but for those of us that love this sport, little can compare to soccer for the passion of its fans and the energy of its best environments.

Disagree with me or not about its place in the wider sports picture, tonight's match should be the best American soccer has to offer. As much as we hope it was so, packed houses of people who care desperately on both sides simply aren't common enough in this country to make this game a normal occurrence. I'm looking forward to this game for the energy it will possess and the passion that it will display more than I am for the play on the field; while I expect the Timbers and Sounders to battle it out until the last minute, I have and will see many games like it this year. What I won't see is anything that matches it for what it will provide off the field.

It's a pity this game isn't not being broadcast nationally. It's too bad that so many people will miss out on the showcase of American soccer because the game will only be broadcast on the relatively unknown USL Live for most of us. But at least it's there.

I wouldn't want to miss it.

As our man Ginge said on the MFUSA Soccer Show only a few weeks back; tonight you will see why MLS needs Portland. Now if they could just get that damn stadium renovation fund figured out.

Oh, and I just had to share this: Apparently there was a battle over who gets to wear green for this match. Neither team wanted to back down. How fantastic is that?

Last night, the third round of the US Open Cup began. The third round is the first appearance of MLS clubs in the tournament proper, when the "giants" take on those clubs from lesser leagues in David v. Goliath match ups.

Score one for David.

Score four, actually, because out of six games pitting USL sides from two different divisions against the higher-profile Major League Soccer clubs, four teams from the lower divisions came out on top.

The USL-2 Wilmington Hammerheads beat the Chicago Fire 1-0. The USL-2 Harrisburg City Islanders beat the New England Revolution 2-1, in a game that saw the Revs finish with nine men. The Rochester Rhinos knocked off the defending MLS Cup champions in penalties, and the Charleston Battery took care of Chivas USA 3-1.

Four upsets, and four more bullets for the quality argument; last night did nothing to dispel the myth that USL teams are close to or on par with MLS clubs, and it's bound to set off a barrage of said argument across the soccer community.

That's right, I said myth.

MLS clubs should be, and in my estimation still are not matter the results of last night, superior to their USL counterparts. But MLS clubs are making my belief increasingly shaky, and I'm beginning to find myself frustrated with the amount of ammunition available to those that think otherwise. But one round of one-off victories by a few committed and hard-charging teams does not prove an argument for USL being equal to MLS. What is does prove is that MLS on the whole should be ashamed of itself; because the league chooses to sleepwalk through the Open Cup at almost every turn, because coaches choose to put out what amounts to reserve sides, and because the players themselves are likely less motivated to play well than they might in other competitions, the league finds itself where it is today.

Six games, four losses. Even the fact that three of the upsets took place at the home stadiums of the USL clubs involved doesn't lessen the blow; and although "upsets happen" and the "any given night" rule certainly applies in the Open Cup, it's not an unreasonable expectation that the teams from the richer league should come out on top more often than not. Clearly, expectations mean nothing when one of the participants treats the games as they would a reserve match.

The "ouch" factor is incredibly high today for America's top division, and it has no one to blame but itself. It's clear that few truly care about the under-publicized and under-funded Open Cup, and as long as that's the case, results like those we witnessed last night will continue to happen.

The romance of a tournament like the US Open Cup is undeniable. The potential for massive upsets and lower division teams shining against bigger clubs is appealing. But for me, it sucks away the romance to see MLS teams field lineups full of players we barely recognize, and it does the game as a whole no favors in the United States. Despite opinions to the contrary, when Major League Soccer gets a black eye, the public perception of American soccer on the whole takes a hit. For better or worse, the overall health of professional soccer in the United States is directly tied to the success of MLS, both on and off the pitch; last night is yet another example of the league missing the point and shooting themselves in the foot, both because so many of its teams went down to "lesser" opponents and because many of those teams refused to treat their opponents or the competition in which they were playing with the proper respect.

MLS teams, from top to bottom and in almost every case, should be better then USL teams. I still believe that, but it's getting increasingly difficult to back up that argument. For that I blame the league.

Shame on you MLS. There's no shame in being upset; there's shame in being upset when you're clearly not giving it your all.

It's Tuesday, I need to relax with some soccer, and it just so happens that the third round of the US Open Cup starts tonight. So I've decided to do a little live blog, which is up both here and at Epic Footy. I'll be watching the games at USL Live; I highly suggest you sign up there for a free account and join in the live blog.

Last night, teams from American leagues like USL-1, USL-2, the USL Premier Development League, and even the United States Adult Soccer Association competed in the second round of the 2009 US Open Cup. While only two "upsets" (i.e. the team from the lower league coming out on top) occurred, the tournament is still a draw for the hard core fan of the game in this country. The potential for a team from the higher profile MLS winning the tournament is still there, as unlikely as it may be.

But that's exactly what the tournament needs at this point. I've made clear my feelings on the Open Cup, those being that as long as the competition is not highly regarded by MLS sides, the tournament will struggle to gain any traction beyond the passionate fans of the teams involved. If a "lower" (that's for all of you USL-1 fans out there that want to put your league on the same level as MLS) league team can lift the trophy this year, it just might shock the big boys into treating the tournament a little better.

No matter the reaction by MLS or its clubs, the Open Cup desperately needs a shock winner. The status quo isn't cutting it anymore.

Of the non-MLS teams remaining in the competition, five are from USL-1, two are from USL-2, and one is a Premier Development League side. As nice as it would be to see the PDL Ocean City Barons pull off a miracle and make it all the way to the Cup Final, it's probably too much to ask. The Barons are an amateur club after all, and they'll be facing the MLS Eastern Conference-leading DC United in Round 3. No matter what type of team Tom Soehn decides to play against the Barons, they will be massive favorites.

It's from among the seven other USL teams that the chances for an upset lie. One or two (at least) are bound to get out of the third round, beating their MLS opponents. USL-1 clubs are known to beat the big boys on a fairly regular basis, and there's no reason to expect that this year's Cup will be any different. While MLS clubs will line up less-that-full-strength teams, the USL teams will take the match more seriously, relishing the chance to prove that they're better than their "second division" reputation. It's simply a matter of following through at this point; while USL-1 clubs might go deep into the tournament, even as far as the final, they haven't been able to win the Cup since Rochester's 1999 victory.

I know little about the two USL-2 clubs still in the tournament, though I wouldn't be surprised to see one pull off a massive upset. The Harrisburg City Islanders take on the New England Revolution, and with a congested schedule and injuries to deal with, I doubt Steve Nichol will be putting much into the match. The other USL-2 side, the Wilmington Hammerheads, have the more difficult task, facing off against a Chicago Fire club that traditionally does well in US Open Cup play.

If you're a fan of an MLS club, you might not be tracking with my hope that someone other than one of them lift the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup this year. If you're a fan of a club that has yet to make an appearance in the CONCACAF Champions League, you might not want to see a lesser team earn that spot. But the Open Cup competition is laboring, and laboring mightily. It will take an upset winner, someone other than the usual suspects, to inject some life into the tournament.

So when Round 3 comes around on June 30th, and the "minnows" are facing off against the "whales", I'll be rooting for upsets. If the the Open Cup isn't going anywhere, and it sure doesn't seem like it will if it hasn't yet, then it desperately needs a breath of new life. Maybe MLS clubs missing out will do just that.