Seattle, your moment is finally here. Just after 6 p.m. PT on Thursday, the Sounders and New York Red Bulls will kick off the new season at Qwest Field in a match that offers plenty of intrigue. Can the new boys start off with a bang? And what of the Red Bulls? Can they pick up where they left off in 2008?
Opening weekend features five more games on Saturday, the pick of which is unquestionably Columbus at Houston. The first round of matches concludes at the Home Depot Center on Sunday afternoon, when DC United and the Los Angeles Galaxy meet in a matchup of teams with plenty to prove after both failed to make the playoffs last season.
Of course, at this time of year, every side must establish itself. Even the Crew, with the glory of last November still fresh in their minds, must show that they have what it takes to become just the third club (after Houston in 2007 and DC United 10 years prior) to repeat as MLS Cup champions.
Ahead of the big kickoff, here are some thoughts I had on each of the 15 teams participating in MLS' 14th season.
Eastern Conference
Chicago: The Fire were relatively quiet in the offseason, mainly because they didn't need to do much. Having Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Brian McBride for a whole season could be the key to another championship, provided both stay healthy. With Chris Rolfe and Justin Mapp backing up the veteran duo, scoring goals shouldn't be an issue. Nor will keeping them out, with arguably the best backline in MLS protecting Jon Busch in goal.
Columbus: After what the players did last year, the main question mark for the Crew concerns their rookie coach. If Robert Warzycha can pick up where Sigi Schmid left off, then a repeat is on. CONCACAF commitments will test a deep squad, which is almost identical to that which won it all. Brad Evans' departure is a bigger loss than some might realize. Eddie Gaven and Robbie Rogers must continue to develop and take pressure off Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
DC: Not a happy offseason for those in the nation's capital. The club's future is up in the air while the search for a new stadium goes on. Meantime, the squad Tom Soehn takes into the new campaign is one of the weakest United has had for some years. What does Christian Gomez have left? Jaime Moreno also looks to be nearing the end, while Luciano Emilio's mood will dictate his form. Defensively, they look vulnerable and unproven too.
Kansas City: Claudio Lopez's return at a vastly reduced salary is a boost, although the Argentinean will have to provide more consistency if the Wizards are to make the postseason. Santiago Hirsig is an interesting signing, but he isn't likely to be a difference-maker. Meanwhile, Adam Cristman came in and promptly got hurt, while passing him on the way out was Tyson Wahl. K.C.'s loss is most definitely Seattle's gain.
New England: The spine of the club still is in place. Any team featuring Matt Reis, Shalrie Joseph, Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman is going to be in contention, or thereabouts. Still, the Revolution have many questions to answer. Can Michael Parkhurst be replaced? Gabriel Badilla will be given every chance, but he showed little form last year and has been affected by injury so far in 2009. Up top, someone has to step up to help Twellman, who has had his own health issues.
New York: As always, the Red Bulls are a lightning rod for debate. The defending Western Conference champions (it still feels weird to write that) feature a number of new faces, and opinions seem split on their potential impact. A new back four features Mike Petke while midfielders Khano Smith and Dane Richards offer pace on the flanks. Alberto Celades and Jorge Rojas must prove their pedigrees are adaptable to MLS. No concerns with their leading man up front, although Juan Pablo Angel is a year older.
Toronto: Canada's finest should be fun to watch. Offensively, Dwayne de Rosario and Amado Guevara each might need his own ball, but if they can gel, they will form an effective midfield partnership behind Chad Barrett and Pablo Vitti. At the back, there is less reason for optimism. Kevin Harmse has been a suspension waiting to happen, while Adrian Serioux isn't ideal at center-half.
Conclusions
Columbus has the résumé, but Chicago is the team to beat. The two sides appear to be miles ahead of the rest of the conference as the season begins, and I wouldn't be surprised if they meet in the East's championship game for the second straight year. New York and Toronto will blow hot and cold all season. New England and DC have experience, but each needs a spark of youth to break through. Kansas City has the most work to do to make the playoffs.
Western Conference
Chivas: Even if he leaves in August, Sacha Kljestan has been a huge bonus for the Goats. Maykel Galindo's return from injury is another boost, provided he can stay fit. As this duo goes, so might Chivas overall. Francisco Mendoza will be missed while Ante Razov is no longer the player he was. Meanwhile, in the absence of the retired Claudio Suarez and the injured Lawson Vaughn and Bobby Burling, a potential central defensive pairing of Jim Curtin and Shavar Thomas doesn't inspire much confidence.
Colorado: It looks to be another tough season in the Rocky Mountain state. Matt Pickens' arrival in goal will help, but beyond his signing there is little that appears different from the pool of players that was not good enough to reach the playoffs last season. Conor Casey found his form in the second half of the campaign, and more goals from him would help. But more important for Colorado will be to tighten a defense that gave up 1.5 goals per game in 2008.
Dallas: Kenny Cooper almost took the Hoops to the playoffs on his own last year, and it will take another offensive outpouring from the big striker if Schellas Hyndman's side is to challenge into November. At least he'll have an improved supporting cast. Dave van den Bergh provides good service from the left, while Dax McCarty has put his problems with the coach aside. Watch out, too, for David Ferreira, who might adequately fill the boots of Juan Toja.
Houston: With Dwayne De Rosario gone and Eddie Robinson set to miss a large part of the season, this could be a transitional year for the Dynamo. Much like the Revolution, they still boast a large veteran presence, but the next generation can't arrive soon enough. Of those players currently age 23 or younger on the team's roster, only Stuart Holden is MLS-proven. Corey Ashe, Kei Kamara and Julius James need to step up.
Los Angeles: A much-altered roster still has many question marks. Goals won't be a problem, but a backline featuring Tony Sanneh (38 in July) and a rookie, Omar Gonzalez, could well be. Having said that, without you-know-who distracting everyone, L.A. has half a chance to impose itself in the West, especially if Dema Kovalenko finds his form. Of course, what happens if and when No. 23 returns in July is anyone's guess …
Salt Lake: Jason Kreis hasn't done much to change his roster, mainly because he didn't need to. The core of Nick Rimando, Jamison Olave, Kyle Beckerman and Javier Morales is among the strongest in the league, and is complemented by other key players, including Chris Wingert, Will Johnson and the impressive Yura Movsisyan. Add to that the home-pitch advantage inspired by Rio Tinto, and RSL has much to look forward to in 2009.
San Jose: The prospect of having Darren Huckerby and Bobby Convey on opposite wings is a mouth-watering one for Earthquakes fans, who should be just as excited to see what the physically imposing forward pair of Cam Weaver and Ryan Johnson can do with the quality service the aforementioned duo provides. Joe Cannon remains one of the league's best goalkeepers, anchoring a backline that ought to improve on the 38 goals it allowed in 2008.
Seattle: After all the ticket sales and promotions, can the team deliver on the field? Preseason results suggest that could be the case, with Schmid having put together a squad that appears ready to challenge for the playoffs in its first season. For all the talk of Kasey Keller (who will be solid), Freddie Ljungberg (who could disappoint) and Fredy Montero (who appears to be the real deal), it is Schmid who is most important to the Sounders. Getting him was a real coup, one that should be the catalyst for a memorable first campaign.
Conclusions
I see the West as being more wide open than the East's two-horse race, with as many as five teams -- sorry Chivas, Colorado and Dallas -- entertaining legitimate aspirations to win the Cup. That makes picking a champion tougher, but Real Salt Lake deserves to be near the top of the list, having reached the championship game last year. The Sounders could start well, but I wonder if they can maintain that form as they deal with travel and a long summer. Beyond that, Houston will hang around and Los Angeles has star power, while San Jose could be a dark horse.