Revolution, Dynamo could claim division titles in MLS
Editor's note: Who will rule the MLS this season? Our soccer expert, Orrin Schwarz, offers his predictions here and tells you who to watch as the season gets under way this week. You can share your views on this story at www.dailyherald.com or send your comments to us at sportstalk@dailyherald.com. Please include your name, home town and phone number for confirmation.
Eastern Conference (in predicted order of finish)
1. New England Revolution
Will be good if: How can they not be good with players like Taylor Twellman, Matt Reis, Shalrie Joseph, Michael Parkhurst, Wells Thompson, etc.? A fourth straight championship game appearance seems likely. Maybe they can win the thing this time.
Will be bad if: Twellman lets his disappointment in not being allowed to transfer to Europe affect his play, and they miss Pat Noonan and Andy Dorman (7 goals each in 2007) even more than anyone expects.
Most exciting player: Twellman will risk life and limb for a goal, and his bicycle kick last fall kept the Fire from MLS Cup 2007.
2. D.C. United
Will be good if: Luciano Emilio and Jaime Moreno remain one of the league's most potent strike forces.
Will be bad if: Marcelo Gallardo isn't an effective replacement for departed playmaker Christian Gomez.
Most exciting player: Emilio, a Brazilian, led the league with 20 goals last season, earned league MVP honors and gave MLS good reason to keep looking to South and Central America for new talent.
3. Chicago Fire
Will be good if: Forwards Chad Barrett and Tomasz Frankowski, or whoever winds up playing up front, can score like Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi.
Will be bad if: Justin Mapp and Chris Rolfe miss significant time due to injuries again, or if age catches up with Blanco.
Most exciting player: If anyone in MLS is worth the price of a ticket, it is Blanco.
4. New York Red Bulls
Will be good if: Juan Pablo Angel scores 19 goals again, and Dane Richards recovers quickly from injury.
Will be bad if: New coach Juan Carlos Osorio, who fled the Fire over the winter, can't fill the holes in the Red Bulls' weak defense.
Most exciting player: Angel was fabulous last season, but fellow forward Jozy Altidore is the guy everyone wants to see - before he gets the big money in Europe.
5. Toronto FC
Will be good if: It can score. Signing Amado Guevara could help, or it could make things worse.
Will be bad if: The Reds' solid backline of Marvell Wynne, Todd Dunivant, Andrew Boyens and Tyrone Marshall falters.
Most exciting player: Maurice Edu has looked strong for the U.S. national and Olympic teams, but he'll spend August in China.
6. Kansas City Wizards
Will be good if: Newly signed designated player Claudio Lopez dances around defenders like he's Mario Lopez.
Will be bad if: The Wizards miss longtime defender Nick Garcia more than they thought they would.
Most exciting player: Hmmm. Well, defender Jimmy Conrad's ESPN.com column is pretty entertaining.
7. Columbus Crew
Will be good if: Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Robbie Rogers are among the league's leading scorers.
Will be bad if: People start recognizing their goalkeeper, whoever it might be, as "the guy giving up all those goals." Coach Sigi Schmid could be gone by June.
Most exciting player: Schelotto if he's not too homesick and, at nearly 35, can stay healthy.
Western Conference
1. Houston Dynamo
Will be good if: Brian Ching, Pat Onstad, Wade Barrett and Co. aren't spoiled after two straight MLS Cup wins or too tired after competing in U.S. Open Cup and the CONCACAF Champions League.
Will be bad if: With a midfield of Dwayne De Rosario, Ricardo Clark, Brad Davis, Brian Mullen, Richard Mulrooney and Stuart Holden, it's difficult to imagine the Dynamo could be bad.
Most exciting player: When De Rosario gets those dreadlocks flopping, he's a sight to behold.
2. Chivas USA
Will be good if: Chicago-area product Brad Guzan becomes an elite goalkeeper, and someone can make Chivas forget about injured defender Alex Zotinca (ACL).
Will be bad if: Forward Ante Razov can't bounce back from a knee injury and fellow front-runner Maykel Galindo was a one-year wonder.
Most exciting player: Francisco "Panchito" Mendoza guides the team from midfield.
3. Real Salt Lake
Will be good if: Coach Jason Kreis' personnel moves pay off, and midfielder Kyle Beckerman lives up to his promise.
Will be bad if: Argentines Javier Morales, Matias Mantilla and Fabian Espindola don't settle in and mesh with their teammates.
Most exciting player: Though small, acrobatic keeper Nick Rimando can make some spectacular saves, and it looks like he'll hold off U-23 starter Chris Seitz for now.
4. FC Dallas
Will be good if: Center back Duilio Davino can solidify the defense and the Hoops find someone to be as big a pain in the neck to opposing defenses as departed striker Carlos Ruiz was.
Will be bad if: Midfielder Juan Toja can't reprise his 2007 season.
Most exciting player: At 6-foot-3, striker Kenny Cooper is more dangerous with his feet than his head.
5. Los Angeles Galaxy
Will be good if: David Beckham lives up to the hype. That means at least a conference championship.
Will be bad if: The defense plays like the Spice Girls again this season. With Beckham, Carlos Ruiz and Landon Donovan, the offense should be OK, but Greg Vanney might be the best of the bunch in back, and he turns 34 in June.
Most exciting player: Ruiz. Love him or hate him, opponents who don't respect him pay the price.
6. Colorado Rapids
Will be good if: D.C. was wrong to give up former league MVP Christian Gomez, and Conor Casey is healthy and regains his form. Or if opponents suffer altitude sickness.
Will be bad if: Veterans Pablo Mastroeni, Jose Burciaga and Mike Petke don't have much left. Fernando Clavijo could lose the first-coach-to-be-fired sweepstakes.
Most exciting player: Gomez, 33, had 10 goals and 9 assists in 2007.
7. San Jose Earthquakes
Will be good if: Coach Frank Yallop can work some magic. The Fire is likely to remain the only expansion team to win the title.
Will be bad if: They can't find at least one forward soon.
Most exciting player: Yallop can't wait to learn the answer to this one also.