It would be a first

As YCS's lone MLS geek, with 6-8 games left in the season, the playoff push is well underway. Unfortunately, poor analysis still reigns. Speaking on MLSnet.com's "Extra Time" show, former New York Cosmos goalkeeper and chewing tobacco spokesman Shep Messing said of a potential Chicago-New England first-round playoff matchup.

"New England would salivate if that's the matchup they end up with because they have that history, they've had the ability to upset Chicago; on the field and off the field, so that would be dynamic."

Now, while Chicago and New England have one of the fiercest rivalries in the league, and have met in the MLS Cup Playoffs more times than any other matchup (7 times), the team that finished with the better regular season record won every series. So despite the frequency of meetings, and despite what Shep Messing thinks, neither team has any history of upsetting the other.

2000: #2 Chicago defeats #7 New England
2002: #2 New England defeats #7 Chicago
2003: East #1 Chicago defeats East #2 New England
2005: East #1 New England defeats East #3 Chicago
2006: East #2 New England defeats East #3 Chicago
2007: East #2 New England defeats East #4 Chicago
2008: East #2 Chicago defeats East #3 New England

In addition, Chicago leads the 2009 season series 1-0-1 with a draw at Toyota Park and a win at Foxboro in the Superliga Semifinals.

Chicago won the 2008 season series 4-0-1, a mark that included 3-0, 4-0, and 3-0 routs.

Off the field? I cannot think of one signing where New England beat out Chicago. Even more strangely, I cannot think of one player who has suited up for both teams. So I'm not sure what Shep means by that either.

Gratuitous video that makes me smile.



Fuck you Greg Lalas you revvie bastard.

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Schadenfreude

One of the hallmarks of a great rivalry is not only rooting for your team, but taking perhaps excessive amounts of satisfaction out of watching your rivals crash on their faces.

As many of you know, I hate the New England Revolution. As many of you probably didn't know, today they were playing in their fourth MLS Cup Final in six years. (If you didn't know, that's OK, as long as you're not a redneck asshole like Jim Armstrong.)

And yea, part of me felt bad for the Revs when they lost the 2002 MLS Cup to the LA Galaxy in overtime in their own stadium in front of 60k+ fans.

And it was kind of bad luck when they lost the 2005 MLS Cup to Los Angeles AGAIN, in overtime AGAIN.

And I really started to enjoy it when they lost to Houston Dynamo last year in the Final after going ahead in OT only to be tied 71 seconds later while they were still celebrating and then lost on penalty kicks.

Today, however, pure joy. It was the stuff of legends. I really wished Pagliacci (at the one-minute mark) was playing over the public address at RFK over the last few minutes of this one. In front of 40,000 fans on East Capitol Street, New England took a 1-0 lead at the 20 minute mark, but Houston came back in the second half, knotting the game at 1 on the hour. Shortly thereafter, New England's Bermudan international Avery John attempted to pull a Zidane and headbutted Houston's Craig Waibel. He was MERCIFULLY shown only a yellow. At that point though, you could tell. It was Houston's Final to lose. New England had lost their focus. The looks on their faces all read "here we go again."

Minutes later Canadian International and MLS Cup MVP Dwayne DeRosario sent a screaming header into the back of the Revolution net. I jumped off my couch and cheered, and when they cut to a New England player and fan with their heads in their hands, I couldn't help but smile. I pointed and laughed when they showed a close-up shot of Taylor Twellman on the verge of tears in the closing minutes as the orange-clad Dynamo fans celebrated.

Damn right, here we go again yeh cheap-shotting, ugly-soccer-playing, ref-whining, tea-dumping, Kennedy-electing fucks. Cry some more, Twellman. It's not going to get you a Cup-winner's medal or a permanent spot on the national team.

As much as I would have loved to have seen my Chicago Fire lifting that silver.....thing , this was the second-best result. Watching the elite of MLS continue to deny New England their first league title, and to play Lucy to the Revs' Charlie Brown.

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