Divergence: USA != MLS

There are numerous commentators writing up their thoughts on the Olimpia-DC United first leg. Some of these soccergentsia are quietly whispering that the game, if combined with a Houston victory on their soil, could portend a watershed moment for MLS, and perhaps by extension, the USA. You heard it in the call of the game from Paul Caligiuri who talked about DCU's victory as a (paraphrasing here) measuring stick for the US game, and Marc Connolly says it outright in his column at US National Soccer Players: "It was not only a resounding moment for a very proud franchise, but also for Major League Soccer as a whole." Jeff Carlisle at ESPN also thinks that we're on the verge of a watershed moment: "...if the Dynamo can pull it off and if United advance as expected, then they will indeed be writing a new script for MLS clubs in the CCC."

Before we wrap ourselves in the American flag, I should praise Kinney for his sharp riposte to Caligiuri. After Caliguiri has spoken of the "advances for the USA," Kinney shot back at the screen, "Sure it is, with three goals from Argentinians and one from a Brazilian." It was a telling comment.

If one was inclined to overread things, and I certainly am, then one could say that DC is making a statement about the nature of MLS: "We have no desire to be a developmental league for the US National Team, we want to win." Winning is first and foremost. I've written before that I think that Freddy Adu learned a lot at DC United, but probably not as much as he wanted or could have. DC dealt with the uneasy balance of developing a young player and maintaining a winning team with an awkward compromise. When that situation became untenable, DC made the correct choice and chose to make the deal that gave them a chance to win. (Yes, I know, Freddy demanded a trade. But if DC had played Freddy in the middle more that demand might never have happened. Instead, DC always gave preference to putting team quality first. Which they should.)

On another angle... Ian Penderleith, who I have tons of respect for as a writer, rejects the idea that MLS has made progress, but instead says that the real value of the results from two days ago are that they remove the ready-made MLS Excuses for international failure on foreign soil. He even goes so far as to say "You wonder, though, if the power of auto-suggestion gives our teams a negative mindset before they even take the field." That's a hell of an argument, and I'm not sure I buy it, but I like the sound of it. I hope it is true one day.

The major point I'm trying to make here is that the results of the past week tell me that one of tensions at the heart of MLS is close to being resolved. Given a choice between developing players for the US Nats or putting out winning teams, more MLS decision makers are choosing the latter. This is the right move.