Z/Web

I normally don’t write about non-local games, but this one was crucial as the playoffs were on the line. First a word about Major League Soccer. I’m a huge MLS fan. I love this league even better than the world leagues. There’s something special about having our own league here, about being able to go to a game and meet these players in person, even if the quality of play isn’t always world class. I think the current playoff structure in MLS is stupid with eight out of ten teams making the playoffs — it makes the regular season games meaningless and explains why so many of those games aren’t as exciting as they should be. I sure hope that next year they reduce the playoffs to six teams. Since it will be a twelve-team league that means only half make the playoffs which would be appropriate. Then we’d see teams battling in every single game since all games matter. But with all that good stuff said about MLS, sometimes they do some bonehead stuff. Like not having this game, easily the most important game of the season for the Dallas Burn and San Jose Earthquakes, on television. I pay for the soccer package on DirecTV and this game wasn’t on that, let alone on local TV. That’s just ridiculous. How can this be considered a “major league” sport if it doesn’t put crucial playoff games on TV??? MLS, fix it! Since this wasn’t on TV I had to listen to it on Internet radio. At least that worked, but it’s not as good as being able to see the goals

Now, about this game. The Quakes were in the driver’s seat: a win or a tie and they advance while the Burn had to absolutely win. But when the Burn scored early (twelve minutes in) my palms began to sweat. Then the Quakes came back big time: two goals in two minutes, one from Ching and one from Ramiro Corrales. Now the Quakes were really in the driver’s seat because Dallas would have to score two more goals to advance. Then in the second half the Burn scored — I have no idea how since the radio makes it hard to visualize — and now the margin was the slimmest. The slightest mistake as the Burn assaulted the Quakes’ back line could allow a goal and eliminate last year’s champions from the playoffs! My palms were sweating and I couldn’t breathe for the final fifteen minutes. Every time the Burn got the ball in the Quakes’ penalty area I was nervous. In the final minutes Ching hit the crossbar, almost guaranteeing a San Jose Victory. But Dallas had their own heart-in-mouth moment in injury time when a Cory Gibbs header skimmed the Quakes’ crossbar. It was that close. But the final whistle blew with no change in the scoreline: the draw means that the Earthquakes are in the playoffs! Whew. This team sure likes drama. Final: 2-2 tie, Quakes advance.