If I were Jimmy the Greek...

...well, I would have watched my mouth for one thing. But, in the spirit of poor prognostication, I offer my picks for the weekend...

Metros Host Fire: NY/NJ looking for their first win. They get it, 2-1.
FC Dallas Hosts ReAL: Did you see the MLS record for "Most Humorous Caution Issued" to Clint Mathis? It was high-lair-ee-us. FC Dallas coasts, 2-0.
Rapids Host Crew: Man, this could be an interesting game. The Crew is erratic in terms of scoring potential, and I still believe in a certain keeper. Another upset, Rapids: 2-1.
Galaxy Hosts Chivas: Chivas needs a win. They'll only get it in the stands, and a sloppy game will end 1-1.
San Jose Hosts The Wiz: You know, the Washington Wizards are in the playoffs. That's kinda cool. Which means that according to the laws of conversation of suckage, KC falls flat. San Jose wins 3-1. There is grumbling about Bo.
United Hosts the Revs: I was at RFK for the Conference Final. I'm told it was the greatest game in MLS history. I'm not sure, since I was feeling so nervous I was sick from about the 50th minute. United needs a win, and I believe. 1-0.

Very Late Update [11 May]
So how did I do?
3-3 ... Not particulary well.

Examining One's Soul

Here's what I don't get. Aside from the "Special Advertising Section" and a story on a exDCUer, the Examiner doesn't cover DCU. And they're owned (in that special MLS version of the word) by the same guy. Why not more coverage? Shouldn't they be beating the pants off the Post, which has had some really good coverage?

I mention this in light of the rather sparse, but at least it's something, preview of Saturday's game. And why this game isn't ESPN material, but the Columbus game was, I have no idea.

The Examiner

Here's what I don't get. Aside from the "Special Section" I can find almost no DCU coverage in The Examiner. I mean, for goodness sakes, they're owned by the same guy, right? So finally a pleasant surprise when we get some coverage, however tangentially related.

Crew 1, United 0

Well, for a loss that was pretty entertaining. DCU had some chances (which they haven't finished, again...) and some of the reserves looked pretty good. Here's a quick reference:

Good:

• Troy Perkins - That goal ain't your fault, as you were screened more frequently than a South Park Episode.
• Freddy Adu - Some are no doubt going to question that shoving match, but I like a little spirit. Yes, when watching Freddy you can see more flops than the World Series of Poker, but aside from one awful pass, he played well.
• Defense - The back line wasn't perfect, but it fed the ball well to the midfield. Still, I'd prefer a health Prideaux/Namoff.
• Nowak - I think starting a bunch of reserves was a good idea, and getting ejected was the second most entertaining thing in MLS this week. For the first, see a post above.

Bad:

• Walker/Quaranta - You can be forgiven for not knowing they were in the game.
• Finishing - This is the only thing that is really worrying me right now. Getting chances is fine, but you have to find the net, and this sort of thing becomes worse to break the longer it goes on.
• The Ref - The penalty that led to the goal was ridiculous, and now we are officially owned karma having paid everything for the MLS final.

It didn't take long, to the surprise of absolutley no one.

United at Crew

Wednesday: Mexico.
Thursday: Travel.
Friday: Columbus.

Wow.

You want to win every game you play, but against a good team on their turf, a draw should be taken gladly.

Oh, and remember that unofficial title thing I was talking about? Well, that title is currently held by DC United as far as I can tell. So this would be a title game. A draw lets United retain.

United 0, Pumas 5

Ouch. The Columbus game is now a "Can you bounce back after a huge hurtin'" game.

Ouch.

Man.

Tonight, in this very ring (er, pitch)

United at Pumas, 2nd leg. Can DC deal with the air (thin), the expected reffing (balanced as a federal budget), and the crowd (loud and obnoxious as AM Radio)? I'm catching it at 9:30, you should too.

The Official Nats Color is Green

Over at District of Baseball, Jeff has taken a second shot in a week at DC United supporters. I don't quite understand this, since the Nats are getting their own stadium and tons of media support, so why take a pot shot? Maybe Nats fans feel like younger brothers, trying to define themselves against the older, and very accomplished sibling. If so, we can take it.

The Unofficial MLS Champions

You know about the Unofficial World Football Championship? Well, follow the link and you will. Anyways, they've done things like the Unoffical Premiership Championship, and I thought it might be cool to do one for MLS. And I have. With the data I could find, at least.

More coming on this

ESPN Power Rankings for Week 2

ESPN has issued its MLS Power Rankings for Week 2. DCU comes in at a solid #3. I think this is probably the right choice here. Yes, DCU's undefeated, but that's against an expansion team and a team that didn't make the playoffs one year ago. #3 is about right. A win against the Crew, and I think they get some first place votes.

As for the rest of the list, I'd switch FC Dallas into the top spot with KC #2. I'd also have Colorado higher, and the tie between LA and Columbus is a cop-out. Give Columbus the higher spot knowing you can swap them next week.

Old Man Adu

Sez Freddie:

"Bobby Boswell, who is a rookie, has stepped in and done a great, great job." [Emphasis Added]

Freddie went on to say "So a seasoned vet like me doesn't have to get hazed like those rookies. Right guys? Guys? Hey, you can let me out of the duct tape now, right? Guys?"

United 1, Fire 1

A draw after an ugly 10 minutes, then sold half hour, followed by wildly erratic 45. Your media coverage is at the Post, the Times, and not the Examiner. Now, given the non-call offsides, and the penalty against Pumas, I think we can say the DCU has paid its karma balance for Esky's handball in the finals last year. I'm gonna give Petke a pass on the offsides comments, since he found the net.

Elsewhere of note...
Chivas looked better than last week deadlocking San Jose, and the Revs decided to remind Columbus exactly how they lost in the first round last year with a solid 3-0 result. MLS, LA, Tino Palace, and the USMNT are going to pretend that Germany never happened, and two goals can help that. And Eddie Johnson didn't find the net, for once.

Pumas and Palace

No local media coverage today, but yesterday's "The Clean Sheet" did have Tino Palace's observations. Now, tell me, what was the point of this article? His criticism seems to be that "United...needed to find a way to win this match." How, precisely? Would he have subbed differently? Put four on the back line? Not have moved Gros from Right mid to left? Well, no, the most constructive observation I see here is this:

...he [Moreno] may have just been dumbfounded at the inability of U.S. home sides, club or national, to ever have a referee treat them as they would a Mexican team playing in Mexico

That's the best we got? Please. United showed class in not overly protesting the penalty when it was awarded. Only after the conversion, after the draw itself, did United seem to protest. Which, to be honest, I wish they hadn't. There's too much of a "now we'll never win..." feeling to that. And I think DCU has a shot. Not as a good as with a 1-0 or 2-1 result, but a good shot none-the-less. I'll be listening Wednesday.

United 1, Pumas 1

A draw in the first leg, which isn't bad, but it could have been a 1-0 or 2-1 result. Your media coverage is here: Post, Times, and the Examiner.

Let's try that again.

...and the Examiner.

Oh, wait, the people communiting in on the Metro from Potomac don't follow soccer, so the Examiner's got nothing. But they do feature an article about Gol TV. Thanks guys. That really makes up for it

Thoughts on the game later...

DCenters Gets Results

Almost 3PM, but check it out! Pumas v DCU is now the top story not just at DCU's page, but also at MLS's page. Excellent. A few hours late (the time of the story says 10:41AM, but that ain't no 10:41 where I was, so maybe somebody's writing this story from the other coast.)

[You do know that they probably did this without input from you? What do you mean? I mean, you have no comments, and haven't told anyone about this blog, and you probably have no hits. Shut it. Who are you anyways? I am the ghost of Bruce Arena. He's still alive. Umm... I'll get back to you on that.]

See, over here the coach actually coaches

Yanks Abroad has an interesting interview (with reader submitted questions) with former DCUer Bobby Convey. Good reading. Key quote: "I don't think the last year in DC United I appreciated the support I had and was selfish. " Hmmmm...

Let me just touch on this... I don't think Bobby was that much a diva while he was here. A little stand offish, yes, perhaps. But certainly not like, say, Barry Bonds. So his sins were minor in my eyes. But the fact that he even feels bad about that, well, says something about Reading in my mind.

Tubin'

The Post story linked to below also indicates that the red and black are trying to negotiate a TV deal with Comcast Sports Net. The good news here is that the 'Nats aren't going to be on CSN. The bad news is that the Orioles apparently do have a deal in place for some games. I'm not sure how this will all shake out. CSN can't be happy with the new MASN formed for the baseball teams, so perhaps they'd be willing to bump several games to get DCU on TV. Add to the fact that there are no Caps games on the horizon, and that the World Series of Darts has been programmed in prime-time, and I'm hopeful we'll get some good DCU goodness on our TV.

Like posting "First" in the comments section.

Is it possible that the DCenters is the only blog dedicated to an MLS team out there? Could be, as Google hasn't turned up anything, and what looks like another D.C. United blog seems to have been discontinued a year ago. The "Blog Match Night" over at Mid-Atlantic Matchnight doesn't seem to work. So, I don't want to be prideful, but is there anyone (even a Metros blog, sigh) out there? Or are we, dare we say it, "First."

The Morning News, the Game Tonight

The Post gets the right angle on tonight's game: "a chance to test itself against an eminent team in a serious setting." This is the correct perspective on tonight's game, that tonight is a chance to see if MLS runs with the best professional clubs in the CONCACAF region [You know Pumas is last in its group? Yes, but still, this matters.] The Times, on the other hand, seems to think the only interesting thing about tonight is the transformation of the 'Nats diamond. Yes, a great story, but perhaps a secondary story when the home opener happens? But still better than what's in the Washington Examiner. Actually, that last sentence could be shorter. Let's try, "What's in the Washington Examiner?" Nil.

As for DC United's web site, here we are informed that they waived Tim Lawson. There's a link to buy tickets for tonight's game, but no story. [Thoughts on Lawson? Carrol, Gomez, Gros, Guppy, Dema, Olsen, The Quint, and Simms... Yes, I think we have depth in the midfield, no worries. Now, the Post's reporting that Namoff is having back troubles worries me, because its Petke, Stokes, Prideaux, and maybe Boswell, and well ...] Y'know, just an upcoming match preview box would be nice. Maybe a big sign saying "Game Tonight." I dunno...

Today's media advantage: The Post.

[Updated 9:23 to add link to DC Examiner]

FYI, you have a game tomorrow

Am I the only one taking the CONCACAF Champions' Cup seriously? Seriously, I know it's not an MLS match, but a United v. Pumas first leg should be listed as an upcoming match on your web site. I mean, this is Pumas, not exactly a lightweight team. Add the humiliation of Mexico v. USMNT, and this should be something to appeal to the patriotism of the DC Fan.

Of course, it's not on TV either. But there is radio, ah, sweet radio.

Welcome!

I hope to have this be a functioning blog for all things DCUnited shortly. It should be a good season, and even if it doesn't start well (and it already has with three points on the road) last season reminds us that our side can always turn it on at some point. So I'm inclined to give them some slack (provided we still take the Atlantic Cup).