RSL in Control

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how RSL's success in Champions League was good for MLS. I know that Colorado fans would not share my opinion, but I believe that any person who cares about this league should be rooting for Salt Lake. This is a league that gets no respect around the world, let alone in North America. We are still in our infancy and a win by RSL would bring the league some notoriety. The winner advances to the Club World Cup in July where they will face off against teams from Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and Oceania. Having RSL on the same field as Manchester United, in a actual competition, would do wonders for the profile of the league. Now maybe I will feel differently in 20 years after the league has won 5+ Champions Leagues, but for now, I am in their corner.

When Nat Borchers scored the first goal against Monterrey, I opened yelled. I was really pulling for them. At 1-1, they were in good shape. But then in an uncharacteristic move, they stared to play tight. They sat back and bunkered in. A handball call in the box and suddenly they were down 2-1. I was not so much worried by the score. After all, a 2-1 loss would mean RSL could advance with a 1-0 win at home next week. The unsettling this was that they still had about 20 minutes to go and Monterrey was buzzing.

They weathered the storm and in the 90th minute, Javier Morales scored on a thing of beauty to tie the game 2-2. It was an individual goal. Sure, the pass from Arturo Alvarez (who btw came off the bench to make me wonder out loud, wtf man? How are they so deep?) was nice, but the cutback from Morales and the shot to the far post, beating both the keeper and 4 defenders was amazing. At 2-2, all that is needed is a win, a scoreless tie or a 1-1 tie at home next week. They are firmly in control and have an amazing opportunity ahead of them.

Some people are saying that this is the best team in MLS history. Having watched the league since it's inception in 1996, I would be hard pressed not to agree. Yes, the DC United team's of the early years were stacked, but I contend that the competition was not as high. RSL continues to dominate every week in a much tougher league.

If you relive history, you realize just how amazing this all is. In their expansion year, they went 5-22-2. The following two years they finished 10-13-9 and 6-15-9. They were the laughing stock of the league. Grant Wahl has a must-read article on how RSL changed their fortunes. I will encourage you to read it rather than summarize for you. What is amazing though is how they have become such a dominant force without the presence of a designated player. I know, I know, Alvario Saborio is considered one, but as Wahl mentions, he is DP because of his transfer fee only (a situation that is similar to that of Sounders' M Alvaro Fernandez). RSL values the team above individuals - so much that management sat down with the rest of the team to make sure they understood.

In a league where NY, LA and Seattle continue to stock-pile DP's, the best team in the league is rolling along without one. It is certainly an ironic twist. I mean, DP's are supposed to be the best players in the league. The best players normally play on the best teams. but what we are finding in MLS is that high paid players actually can be a distraction. Look no further than Toronto, where the signing of national team captain Julian DeGuzman from Spain actually had a negative effect on the team. Dwayne DeRosario, a 4 time MLS champion and arguably top-5 talent in the league was suddenly getting paid less than a player who had yet to accomplish anything in the league. The story was similar for David Beckham when he first came into the league. It wasn't just Landon Donovan that resented his salary, but all of his teammates. In a league with a strict salary cap where some players are earning less than what they could had they been a teacher, millionaires who don't commit fully to the league can easily be resented.

Looking at how Salt Lake allocates their money, you have Kyle Beckerman ($250k), Jamison Olave ($225k), Javier Morales ($200k) as the highest earners (plus Saborio who is reportedly earning ~$220k). The next tier is Nat Borchers ($140k), Nick Rimando and Chris Wingert ($120k) and Robbie Russell ($114k). It is an exercise in excellence. Pay your most important players the most money. Keep them happy. Then fill in around them with players who earn less. It is a perfect lesson in how to build a team in MLS.

Being a Sounders fan, I am already accustomed to the team spending money on DP's. I am spoiled, but that doesn't mean my view is tainted. The fact is that I respect teams like RSL, Houston and Colorado who have avoided buying into the DP hype. The fact that RSL is one result away from being the kings of the region is made all that more remarkable considering they don't have a Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel or David Beckham on their team. They should give every fan base hope of what could be.