For the past three years, the gulf between the two MLS conferences has seemingly been as deep as the Grand Canyon.  In 2011 and 2012, the East's representative in MLS Cup was Houston, a convert from the West.  The last time MLS Cup featured an original Eastern Conference team was 2008 when two teams from the […]

As you may have noticed when you excitedly opened your podcast app this morning, we were unable to record a post-Thursday episode of the MLS Talk podcast due to a variety of conflicts.  However, after a wild and crazy first round/conference semi-final round, I wanted to approach a wrap-up from a different perspective.  After elections, […]

Tonight the road to MLS Cup 2012 begins with Chicago hosting Houston in the Eastern Conference 4/5 game.  Over the next month ten teams will battle to determine who is the best team in MLS this season (at least, the best playoff team) and based on the regular season all of these games are must-see […]

This morning, U.S. soccer fans are again wearing their rose-colored glasses and celebrating the home team's necessary 1-0 win over Jamaica last night at Crew Stadium.  With the win, the Yanks sit atop Group A and control their destiny in qualifying for the Hexagonal, the next step on the road to Brazil 2014.  Unlike Friday's […]

The game was called the biggest matchup of the early season by ESPN's Adrian Healey in the pregame. While this may have been an overstatement, yesterday's match featured two teams that during the preseason many had as the best in their respective conferences.  After 90 minutes, only one looked like an MLS Cup contender. Sporting […]

For the first seventy minutes of yesterday's First Kick match-up between the Galaxy and RSL, the predictions about the amazing 2012 Galaxy season looked like they were more than just hype.  Only the crossbar and some timely RSL defending denied the Galaxy a multi-goal lead and the defense looked shaky but solid.  When Edson Buddle converted a […]

On the eve of the much-anticipated American Civil War between Everton and Fulham, American soccer fans are relishing the chance to see three of their best players take the pitch at the same time at the highest level of competition.  Other American sports' fans do not understand the importance of this match: Kobe plays LeBron […]

Today we wrap up our "Three Questions" series with the defending MLS champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy.  By any definition, they were the best team in MLS last season: they convincingly led the Supporters Shield's race most of the season, looked like the best team in the playoffs, and won the MLS Cup.  They did […]

This past season in U.S. soccer was certainly an interesting one.  In MLS, two new teams were promoted and the soccer world fell in love with them and their passionate fans.  Coaches were hired and fired, players finally fulfilled their potential, and others failed to inspire.  One MLS team had a chance to make history […]

With their 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo yesterday, the Galaxy reached their season-long goal of winning an MLS Cup and certain high-profile players notched their first North American championship.  Anytime a team wins a championship, writers and bloggers take to the keyboard to assess where that team or franchise fits in the pantheon of […]

As the U.S. men's national team struggled through yet another 1-0 loss in an international friendly, Twitter was afire with criticisms of the team and the new boss.  The most damning criticism might have been this: that the team played like a Bob Bradley coached squad.  Harsher words have never been said! However, we have […]

Last night I laid out the pros and cons of Dwayne De Rosario winning the MLS MVP award.  Everyone on each side of the argument can agree that a De Ro MVP would be unprecedented, as he would be the first MVP in any sport to have been traded twice in-season.  But what about the […]

Often I view the end of the European soccer season as a silly time, because every player with any talent (and some without) are rumored to be acquired by one club or another.  This speculation extends to MLS because the league has shown that it is capable of developing talent and playing a high level […]

Wednesday night is quietly becoming a great night for MLS.  Over the past few weeks the league has put some very good matches on with some compelling story lines.  This week is no different, as tonight we will see two teams with drastically different styles face off as they try to continue their climbs up […]

A great weekend for MLS soccer was overshadowed by some high-profile injuries that may close the door on some struggling teams.  Meanwhile, the top of the pack looked stronger: Donovan's return coupled with New York's victory Thursday has two of the big name teams clicking on all cylinders at the moment and threatening to open a divide in […]