Salt Lakers - the trap game

Chivas surprisingly fell to a 10-man Colorado team today. I think this is the 2nd game in a row that Colorado played (and won) short-handed. Last week they played with 9 men for a stretch.

What does this mean? It means that if we win at Salt Lake tomorrow, the winner of the Chivas-Houston game next Saturday will be first in the Western Conference and will maintain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That'd be a nice place to be for the Dynamo, since they do so well at home; but ... do we want all home games? That would give the Dynamo an apparent edge, and that might be a problem. You see, the team seems to perform better under adversity. Should they have what looks to be an easy path (though it never is), the irony is that the Dynamo would probably stumble. Maybe we should hope they don't get home field advantage. They'd then play with a chip on their shoulder and may progress farther.

For instance, tomorrow they should easily beat RSL. The Salt Lakers are struggling and are experimenting with next year's lineup. Yet, Dynamo-Houston is notorious in its struggles versus bottom feeders. Give us the creme de la creme and we'll hold our own, but goodness, not the dregs! Lark Howorth has a similar take on this strange facet of the team.

Besides home field advantage, coming first in the Conference means nothing. It's not like finishing first in the Western Conference makes a team the Conference Champion. That only comes from winning the Conference Championship, which is the match just prior to the MLS Cup. One match determines the Conference champion, just like one match determines the MLS Champion. Ridiculous...particularly because a team like LA with a losing record can still win it.

Speaking of the vile Galaxy: I'm in the LA area this week for business, so I'm planning on watching the Red Bulls take on the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center this Thursday. That'd be my first trip to the Tool Box (or at least my first trip beyond the road that runs around the parking lot), so I'm looking forward to it. I'll be pulling for the RBNY to end the Gals "dream run."

Here's hoping that the Dynamo can put away the Salt Lakers tomorrow night. Dynamo should easily triumph; therefore, they will struggle. I can't explain it, but that's the way the team seems to roll. Go Dynamo (and RBNY?)!