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Fantasy Pro: Last chance for points

Jonathan Nierman — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:59:00 GMT

With just one week left in the 2009 Major League Soccer season, six teams are still in the hunt for the final three postseason berths. It all comes down to this.

In the fantasy game, you have just four trades left to make this season and just one more chance to pick up points to make your own final-week surge. Who should you put on your roster? Players that are participating in meaningful games. For clubs who have already clinched, this week is all about getting (and/or staying) healthy and prepping for the playoffs. That means safety first, and some marquee players could even be rested entirely. But with so many sides still in the hunt, you have plenty of options for MLS's Week 32.

Below is my list of six players -- one from each of the teams fighting for those final playoff spots -- that give you the best chance to earn points. Put as many of these guys as possible on your squad and hope for the best. Good luck!

Colorado Rapids (40 points, seventh place)

Conor Casey (Forward) -- Trailing Jeff Cunningham (see FC Dallas below) by one goal in the Golden Boot race gives the U.S. international even more motivation heading into the Rapids' season finale on the road in Salt Lake City on Saturday. Casey didn't have a good game for the U.S. team against Costa Rica in the last World Cup qualifying match and he failed to find the net last weekend against Dallas. There's still plenty to prove for the burly goal scorer.

Toronto FC (39 points, eighth place)

Dwayne De Rosario (Forward) -- The 2009 campaign hasn't been a dominating one by the Canadian's standards, but he does lead this team with 11 goals, six more than second-place Chad Barrett and Amado Guevara. TFC will be looking to get the job done on the road, but they're visiting the lowly Red Bulls, mercifully putting an end to the Giants Stadium era in New York. Expect to see De Ro's trademark strut/shake after hitting the back of the net against the worst team in MLS.

New England Revolution (39 points, ninth place)

Shalrie Joseph (Midfielder) -- The Revs just don't have all that many attacking options, leaving Shalrie Joseph as the man most likely to pick up points for you, either by scoring himself (he has eight goals this season) or by setting up others (he's also got eight assists). Playing the last game of the season means the Revs should know what they need to do before kickoff, and their opponent, Columbus, is already into the postseason and could even have the Supporters' Shield in hand by then.

D.C. United (39 points, 10th place)

Luciano Emilio (Forward) -- The Brazilian has had a pretty average season, just like his club. Emilio did keep the Black-and-Red's playoff hopes alive last weekend by scoring the only goal in D.C.'s victory over the Crew. After bursting onto the MLS scene in 2007 with 20 goals, Emilio needs one more to tie last year's mark of 11. The club is desperate to get back into the playoffs after missing out last season, and Emilio needs to show that he's worth the Designated Player money he's raking in.

FC Dallas (39 points, 11th place)

Jeff Cunningham (Forward) -- This one is a no-brainer. It seems as though Cunningham has almost singlehandedly lifted this team into contention. The Hoops managed to earn a win last weekend even without Cunningham getting on the score sheet, though he did set up one of his team's two goals. With 17 goals so far this season, Cunningham is in first place in the Golden Boot race, and he's looking to lock up that award and add to his incredible tally of 121 career MLS goals.

Real Salt Lake (37 points, 12th place)

Robbie Findley (Forward) -- Though he hasn't found the net in almost two months, Findley is a spark plug, and that's just what RSL needs if they're going to make the leap into the postseason. He injected energy into his team's last game, though it wasn't enough to earn the club any desperately-needed points. Facing their biggest rivals, Colorado, at home should mean a big and loud crowd at Rio Tinto; hopefully Findley can feed off of that and get the job done.

Fantasy Pro: The good, the bad, and the both

Jonathan Nierman — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:08:00 GMT

Week 27 provided quite a few impressive performances, and it also had its share of not so impressive performances. That's to be expected. Interestingly, there were also a few performances that included elements of both. Let's take a look at how things went down.

THE GOOD

Zach Thornton (Goalkeeper, Chivas USA) -- Definitely the man of the match in the Goats' scoreless draw on the road in Seattle. The big man made save after save, helping Chivas to a precious point to keep them in the thick of the playoff hunt.

Jeff Cunningham (Forward, FC Dallas) -- This guy just can't stop scoring goals. A tap-in against the Wizards was his 13th of the season, a figure only bested by ...

Conor Casey (Forward, Colorado Rapids) -- A last-gasp penalty kick -- and a questionable one, at that -- allowed the Rapids to escape lowly San Jose with a point on Friday night. Casey clearly has his eye on that Golden Boot award.

Brad Davis (Midfielder, Houston Dynamo) -- The winger's gifted left foot either set up or scored each of the Dynamo's three goals in a big win over Real Salt Lake on Saturday night. When Davis is on, there's not a better left-sided midfielder in MLS.

Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Midfielder, Columbus Crew) -- After missing time in the middle of the season due to injury, the reigning MVP is back on his game. Two second half goals by the former Argentina international gave the champs a draw in Chicago Sunday.

THE BAD

Marcelo Saragosa (Midfielder, Chivas USA) -- A kick to Fredy Montero's face earned Saragosa a straight red, leaving his team to battle with just 10 men for the final 20-odd minutes on Saturday. They couldn't muster a goal and had to settle for a single point.

Jamison Olave (Defender, Real Salt Lake) -- A dirty tackle sent Olave to an early shower Saturday, meaning RSL had to play about two thirds of the match with a numerical disadvantage. All coach Jason Kreis could do was shake his head.

Toronto FC's Offense -- One shot on goal against the Galaxy. That's just not going to cut it, especially when you have talent that includes Amado Guevara, Dwayne De Rosario, and Chad Barrett. Is a playoff spot slipping away?

THE BOTH

Jimmy Conrad (Defender, Kansas City Wizards) -- The World Cup veteran was having an atrocious outing Saturday, where he was almost entirely responsible for both FC Dallas goals. Redemption was sweet for the K.C. captain, as he eventually scored the game-winner in the 80th minute -- his first of the 2009 season.

David Beckham (Midfielder, Los Angeles Galaxy) -- A goal and an assist in a 2-0 win looks pretty good on paper. Missing the target completely from 13 yards with only the goalkeeper in front of you looks terrible no matter how you look at it. And you want to play for England in the World Cup?

Brian Ching (Forward, Houston Dynamo) -- The U.S international scored his eighth goal of the season early in the Dynamo's win over RSL, but Ching will miss Houston's next league match as he was given a straight red for a violent late tackle. It's not much to worry about for Houston, though, as they're all but assured of a spot in the postseason.

Check in again two weeks from now for my final piece of the season -- a look at who can help get you points in the last weekend of the regular season.

Fantasy Pro: Bubble team difference makers

Jonathan Nierman — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:02:00 GMT

Time is running out on the 2009 MLS season and it looks like the race for the playoffs is going to go right down to the wire. Each game now carries so much importance that it's almost like the playoffs have already begun.

If the season ended today, Columbus and Chicago would claim the Eastern Conference automatic berths, while Houston and Los Angeles would be in from the West. But it's the at-large berths that are really tight. Seven teams are serious contenders for the four spots: Colorado, Seattle, New England, Chivas USA, Real Salt Lake, D.C. United and Toronto. These are the teams that I'll say are "on the bubble."

Each club has only a precious few more chances to secure a spot. In my opinion, players that have something to prove and a specific goal are the ones you want. That's why this week I'm picking one difference maker from each of the above bubble teams. These are the guys that need to step up, and these are the guys I'll be trusting to earn me some valuable late-season points.

Colorado Rapids

Everyone knows about Conor Casey and Omar Cummings, and each is still a great value. But you might also consider goalkeeper Matt Pickens, who comes on the cheap (about 90K) but has recorded seven shutouts this season, including one Saturday against Toronto FC. Having a 'keeper from a winning team is huge, and only Houston has recorded more wins than the Rapids.

Seattle Sounders FC

Fredy Montero is the Sounders' go-to guy on offense, but what about in the back? James Riley is averaging 10 fantasy points per game and he'll only cost you about 75K. He does have a tendency to lose his cool, so just hope that he can stay out of trouble as the expansion side looks for a playoff berth in the inaugural season at Qwest Field.

New England Revolution

It was only a few weeks ago that this team looked almost dead and buried, but now they're right in the thick of it, even after suffering a 4-2 loss to Kansas City over the weekend. Rookie Kevin Alston has looked lively on the wing, and they don't come any cheaper than 45K. The Maryland native is still looking for his first professional goal, but he's averaging seven fantasy points per game.

Chivas USA

Maicon Santos picked up an assist in his first appearance for Chivas USA and has seen time in three matches since joining the club on loan. The Brazilian has looked solid so far and will certainly be trying to make an impression while helping Preki's club into the postseason. Snap this guy up and hope he pans out.

Real Salt Lake

This is a tough one to pick, but I'll stick my neck out and say Clint Mathis. He's an experienced guy who always seems to play better in big games. From now until the end of the season, every RSL is a big game for the club. He should add to his totals of two goals and seven assists. But you don't need me to explain why he's a risky pick either.

D.C. United

The Black-and-Red are desperate to get into the postseason but have been consistently inconsistent this year. A big stretch of home games might be just what the doctor ordered. It's a bit of a revolving door in the back these days, but Bryan Namoff is the ever-present member of this back line. The veteran has already set career highs in goals (two) and assists (four) and has suddenly emerged as a pretty serious threat on set pieces.

Toronto FC

Nobody's really talking aobut this team, but they've got a great opportunity to get into the playoffs, despite a mediocre 8-9-7 record. Stafan Frei has been very good in goal, and he is a fantastic value at around 55K. While his stats may show him as one of the league's best in net, he's averaging 11 points a game -- right up there with the best in the business.

Get out there and make your trades because you're running out of time. Good luck!

Fantasy Pro: Multiple magic in MLS

Jonathan Nierman — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 01:52:00 GMT

You want to know who's hot? A player who scores multiple goals in a game is hot. This weekend, four different players accomplished that feat. All of them are accomplished goal scorers, though they've had different levels of success this season. But nothing enhances a player's confidence like hitting the back of the net more than once in a game. Taking these players will probably help you accumulate points as the 2009 season begins to wind down.

HOT AS HECK

Kheli Dube (Forward, New England Revolution) -- A hat trick from the native of Zimbabwe was more than enough for the home side on Sunday as the Revs took down Real Salt Lake 3-1. A speedster who often finds himself in the right place at the right time, Dube helped New England leapfrog D.C. United in the Eastern Conference standings, and they have two games in hand. Could the Revs be primed for yet another late-season run toward the playoffs and MLS Cup?

Sacha Kljestan (Midfielder, Chivas USA) -- Kljestan's 2009 season has been pretty poor, but the U.S. international recorded his first two goals of the season Saturday night as Chivas disposed of Toronto FC at The Home Depot Center. The first was a tap-in, but the second was a tidy finish on a great through ball from new signing Maicon Santos. Still with several games in hand, Preki's team is in a great spot to lock up one of the two automatic berths from the Western Conference. An in-form Kljestan will only help matters.

Juan Pablo Angel (Forward, New York Red Bulls) -- This team's season is over, but nothing shakes things up like a coaching change. Juan Carlos Osorio's departure could have been the spark as New York, led by a double from Juan Pablo Angel, earned a hard-fought 3-2 win Sunday over FC Dallas. The former Colombian international now has nine goals for the season. The entire club has only scored nineteen. Incredibly, Angel is in the hunt for the Golden Boot, even though his team is easily the worst in the league. No matter what, this guy scores goals.

Omar Cummings (Forward, Colorado Rapids) -- Cummings scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season Sunday, though the Rapids would eventually fall to the Fire 3-2 in a dramatic match at Toyota Park. With 10 assists also this season, Cummings would have to be strongly considered in any MVP discussions. Things are tight in the West, but with Cummings and his strike partner Conor Casey both scoring regularly, anything can happen for this team.

COLD AS ICE CREAM

D.C. United -- What happened to this team? Schedule congestion, fatigue, whatever. The fact of the matter is, they can't win a game. The Black-and-Red haven't defeated an MLS opponent in over a month and they have a lot of work to do if they hope to make the postseason. With the talent on their roster, it can be done. But names don't win games. Somebody (Luciano Emilio? Santino Quaranta? Christian Gomez?) needs to stand up and lead this team.

Kevin Goldthwaite (Defender, New York Red Bulls) -- Goldthwaite will miss the Red Bulls' home contest next Sunday against the East-leading Crew after picking up a red card for throwing a punch at FCD defender Andre Rocha. Solid contact may not have been made, but the intent was certainly there. Don't be surprised if an extra game or two is tacked on to that suspension.

Dasan Robinson (Defender, Chicago Fire) -- Yes, the same Dasan Robinson who scored the Fire's last-gasp, come-from-behind win over Colorado on Sunday. Why "Cold as Ice Cream?" Because getting thrown out of the game for picking up a second yellow celebrating a goal is just plain stupid. Robinson won't be celebrating much next weekend when he's riding the bench for D.C. United's visit to Toyota Park.

QUICK TIPS

- FC Dallas has this week off. Trade Hoops players on your roster.
- Chivas and RSL each play twice this week. Load up for two chances to accumulate points this week.

Fantasy Pro: Grading the hometown superstars

Jonathan Nierman — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:25:00 GMT

Real Madrid’s 3-0 defeat of D.C. United on Sunday has officially closed the book on this summer’s run of international friendlies. From the MLS All-Stars’ loss to Everton to the L.A. Galaxy’s respectable performance against FC Barcelona, there were superstars aplenty on display for large crowds across the nation.

The list is an impressive one, including Lionel Messi, Raul, Tim Howard, Kaka, Christiano Ronaldo, and Thierry Henry, just to name a few. Such an injection of talent onto the MLS playing field got me thinking about our own hometown superstars. That list is also impressive, but have they lived up to the billing? Let’s take a team-by-team look at the biggest names in MLS, assessing whether or not they’ve made the fantasy grade with two-thirds of the season now in the books.

Chicago Fire – Cuauhtemoc Blanco

The recently-recalled Mexican international has four goals and eight assists in 15 appearances this season. No Chicago field player has accumulated more points than the fiery (pun intended) forward. A solid season means Blanco has been up to par. Grade: A-

Chivas USA – Sacha Kljestan

The U.S. national team player may be the closest thing this team has to a superstar, and as the most expensive player on the team’s fantasy roster, Kljestan has been a big disappointment. Thirteen games have produced just one assist (no goals), and he’s averaging just four points per appearance. Grade: D-

Colorado Rapids – Conor Casey

A hat trick against Chivas in his return from injury Saturday has put Casey at the top of the scoring charts in MLS with 11 goals. He has deservingly parlayed his amazing season into U.S. national team appearances, and he could well see action when the Red, White & Blue head to Azteca Stadium for Wednesday’s crucial World Cup qualifier. Amazingly, Casey’s point total of 242 isn’t even the best on his team; that honor goes to strike partner Omar Cummings (268). Grade: A+

Columbus Crew – Guillermo Barros Schelotto

The reigning MLS and MLS Cup MVP has been great this season – when he has been on the field. The Argentine missed his fourth straight game Saturday due to injury, but it hasn’t hurt the Crew, which has won all of those matches, dating back to July 18. His vision is the best in the league, but he can’t earn you points when he’s sitting on the bench. Look for him to make a return soon. Grade: B+

D.C. United – Luciano Emilio

As a Designated Player, many have expected more from Emilio this season. He’s always dangerous, but the Brazilian is such a streaky player. He goes through long scoreless stretches but then explodes, but it seems there have been more periods of the former in 2009. Eight goals and two assists isn’t terrible, but Emilio isn’t exactly lighting it up either. Grade: C+

FC Dallas – Jeff Cunningham

With the departure of Kenny Cooper to Europe, Cunningham has stepped up in a major way. Five goals in his last two games has at least put the Hoops back in striking distance in the Western Conference and Cunningham is only two goals behind Casey for the league lead. Factor in his relatively low asking price and Cunningham has proven to be a great value. Grade: A

Houston Dynamo – Pat Onstad

No goalkeeper in the league has racked up more points than Onstad. What else needs to be said? The Canadian continues to dominate and is a big reason the Dynamo are in first place in the West. He’s not inexpensive, but he’s certainly reliable. Grade: A

Kansas City Wizards – Claudio Lopez

Though he’s no longer a Designated Player, Lopez is still a former Argentina international with World Cup experience and a resume that includes some of the top teams in the world, so he certainly qualifies as an MLS superstar. Five goals and four assists in 18 appearances is not bad, but it’s not out of this world either. Grade: C+

Los Angeles Galaxy – David Beckham

Landon Donovan costs more and is a huge player for the U.S. national team, but there are very few players on Earth that are bigger superstars than David Beckham. After turning his back on the Galaxy for the first half of the season, Becks has returned stateside and hasn’t looked too shabby. He scored a nice goal against Barcelona, but that doesn’t count in league play or the fantasy game. Three appearances and just one assist. Grade: F

New England Revolution – Taylor Twellman

A neck injury has kept Twellman on the sidelines for practically the entire MLS season. He has two goals in just two appearances, and without him on the field the Revs look like a very ordinary team. Their 6-6-6 record proves that point. You can’t really blame Twellman since being injured isn’t his fault, but the season has been a big bust for the St. Louis native. Grade: F

New York Red Bulls – Juan Pablo Angel

Speaking of seasons that are a bust… The Red Bulls are just awful, and that’s coming off their best-ever season last year, when they made it all the way to MLS Cup for the first time ever. They are now easily the worst team in MLS, and Angel is probably the most frustrated member of the club. The Colombian is a great player, but he can’t be expected to do it all himself. Grade: D+

Real Salt Lake – Javier Morales

The Argentinean playmaker hasn’t been the dominant force that he was last season, registering just one goal and four assists in 18 appearances thus far in 2009. The result is a team that is below .500 with just 10 games left in the regular season. Averaging just six points per game isn’t going to cut it for Morales. Grade: C-

San Jose Earthquakes – Joe Cannon

In reality, this team doesn’t really have a superstar, but Joe Cannon is probably the closest thing the Quakes have to one. The ‘keeper has played every minute of the MLS season, but his solid play hasn’t helped San Jose stay out of the Western Conference basement. It’s unfair to blame the Quakes struggles on Cannon, but sometimes life just isn’t fair. Grade: D

Seattle Sounders – Freddie Ljungberg

It’s the other Fred – Montero – that has made the most noise on the field in Seattle’s first season in MLS, but Ljungberg, a former Swedish international, has had an up and down season for the Sounders. The ex-Arsenal man has the ability to change a game with one play, but he certainly hasn’t been dominant. Two goals and five assists are modest numbers, though the club as a whole has been a great success both on and off the field. Grade: B-

Toronto FC – Dwayne De Rosario

Finally with his hometown team, De Rosario has carried his fine form from Houston up over the border this season. His eight goals and three assists in 18 games have helped keep this team very much in the race in the Eastern Conference. De Ro has always been a big game player, so look for him to step up even more as the race for the playoffs heats up in the last third of the season. Grade: B

Survivor Pro: Hard work pays off for Crew

Staff — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:23:00 GMT

This week, all-world striker Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid get set to tackle Toronto FC at BMO Field. On paper, this looks like a mismatch -- and it will be. That's why the Top Choice for the week is Los Galaticos.

Oh, wait -- that's just an exhibition, so it would not be fair to make that a Survivor Pro pick of the week. (For the record, we're also taking Real Madrid to beat D.C. United on Saturday.)

Let's get back to the task at hand and figure out which two teams in MLS-only matches have the best chance at winning so that you can build on your Survivor Pro streak. This task is made only slightly more difficult by the fact that the New York Red Bulls, who have 10 points on the season and stand seven points back of the San Jose Earthquakes as the worst team in the league this season, have a bye week.

(By the way, how is it that Curt Onalfo loses his managerial job before either Juan Carlos Osario or Jeff Agoos gets canned by the Red Bull organization. Granted, a 6-0 thrashing against a middling rival that you need to beat will send any ownership group into the search for new leadership on the sidelines, but the Red Bulls have TWO measly wins all season. Could Goose's recent Hall of Fame induction be the only thing that’s keeping him from searching the classifieds for work? But I digress ...)

Remember at the start of the season when Columbus looked like they were still suffering from the effects of an MLS Cup championship hangover? Yep, those days are gone. This team has not lost since a surprising 2-1 defeat at the hands of FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park on June 20. Since that time, Columbus has gone 4-0-2 and re-gained their spot atop the Eastern Conference standings, trailing only Houston Dynamo for the most points in the league, 33 to 35.

On Saturday, the Crew travel to California to take on the San Jose Earthquakes. There is a chance that Columbus could be without veteran leaders Frankie Hejduk and Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who both missed last week's 1-0 road win against the Colorado Rapids due to injury. But that does not take away from the fact that this self-proclaimed Hardest Working Team in MLS has a solid lineup from the starters to the bench and head coach Robert Warzycha has this team in prime position to defend their title.

The Quakes, who shocked Seattle Sounders FC with a resounding 4-0 win on Saturday, have yet to build any momentum in a positive direction this season. Over the last two months, San Jose has gone 2-3-3. There are obviously some solid pieces in place with the likes of Darren Huckerby, Bobby Convey and Joe Cannon in the starting XI, but head coach Frank Yallop has yet to find the consistently winning formula. The Earthquakes are currently in last place in the Western Conference with 17 points (4-10-5) and would need to start winning matches now if they have any hope of reaching the postseason.

Keep an eye on the injury report to see if Hejduk and Schelotto will be back, but we think that you're still safe with taking the visitors. Top Choice: Columbus Crew (Season Top Choice record: 4-6)

Let's act like David Beckham is not trying to force his way out of MLS by getting into verbal arguments with local supporters week after week and take a look at the Los Angeles Galaxy's recent resurgence. The Galaxy are unbeaten in their last five league matches to put them within striking distance of table-leading Houston with 28 points (6-3-10).

The surprising part about their run is that while head coach Bruce Arena must love having bickering buddies Landon Donovan and Beckham at his disposal, it really has been the defense that has held its own since May and brought this team back to respectability. Since May 6, L.A. has surrendered two goals only three times in 13 league matches and goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts is squarely in contention for both 'Keeper of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.

(Just as a point of fact, you're going to tell us that Becks is hearing it worse now than he ever did while playing for Manchester United? How about when he came back to England after getting a red card in the '98 World Cup match against Argentina that eliminated the Brits? Don't think so.)

On Saturday, the Galaxy travel east to face the New England Revolution, who will be without head coach Steve Nicol. The Revs manager is serving a suspension after being banished in the team's last match against Toronto. These two teams played on July 4th with the Galaxy taking a 1-0 win in L.A. on Alecko Eskandarian's 8th-minute goal in his first game with the Galaxy. Assuming that the All-Star break and exhibition against FC Barcelona has not derailed the Galaxy, expect a similar result this week. Best Bet: Los Angeles Galaxy (Season Best Bet record: 3-7)

Your pick for both matches is due on Friday.

Fantasy Pro: The 2009 MLS Fantasy All-Stars

Jonathan Nierman — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:32:00 GMT

We’ve made it to the All-Star break, and it will be exciting to watch the best of MLS take on Everton Wednesday. But this website is all about fantasy soccer, so I now present to you my picks for this season’s Fantasy All-Stars.

Remember, this isn’t necessarily a representation of which players I think are best, but rather which are tops when it comes to racking up points and doing so for a good value. And there’s still a third of the season to go, so there’s plenty of time for others to make an impact as we head into the home stretch.

GOALKEEPERS

My starter is Zach Thornton of Chivas USA. His goals-against average is less than one per game, yet the big man still is under the $100K mark. Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo) technically has better numbers, but he’ll cost you over $50K more. Thornton’s backup is Donovan Ricketts of L.A., who averages 11 points per game but also is under triple digits.

DEFENDERS

Starters for me are Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles), Tim Ward (Chicago Fire) and Jordan Harvey (Colorado Rapids). Each man has earned over 100 fantasy points and they’re all hovering around the $50K mark. Substitutes are Aaron Hohlbein (Kansas City) and Wilman Conde (Chicago Fire). Conde costs a bit more, but his ability to get forward and be dangerous adds value to his game. He costs considerably less than standout defenders Bobby Boswell (Houston Dynamo) and Bryan Namoff (D.C. United), who have similar points outputs.

MIDFIELDERS

Ryan Johnson (San Jose) has picked up almost 200 points so far this season, despite playing for one of the worst teams in the league and costing a mere $80K. He’s a definite starter. The other three to line up alongside him are Christian Gomez, the former league MVP from D.C. who is an absolute steal at around $100K, Brad Davis of Houston (averaging 10 points a game but costing around $90K) and the always-reliable Shalrie Joseph (New England). Subs are the D.C. rookie twins Rodney Wallace and Chris Pontius, as well as Marco Pappa (Chicago Fire) and Clint Mathis (RSL).

FORWARDS

Fredy Montero is the obvious first choice, as he leads an exciting Sounders with nine goals, just one from the top spot in the league. Who holds that spot? Last year’s season and championship game MVP: Gillermo Barros Schelotto. But compare their costs – the young Colombian (Montero) will set you back a mere $95K, while the old(er) Argentine is $171. Montero’s partner is Omar Cummings of Colorado, who has six goals and seven assists in 16 games. Somehow he is still less than $90K. Coming off the bench are Montero’s regular partner Nate Jaqua (194 points, $90K) and Cummings’ teammate Conor Casey, who has found the net eight times for the Rapids in just 13 appearances.

Fantasy Pro: Remember the 'King of Pop'

Jonathan Nierman — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:17:00 GMT

There hasn't been enough coverage of Michael Jackson's sudden death (or "golden goal" as we call it in soccer) in the mainstream media. But don't worry, I'm here to fill the void for you. I now proudly present the Fantasy Blog tribute to the "King of Pop."

"Bad" -- Let's start with an easy one. This belongs to the New York Red Bulls. They've got the fewest points in the league (10), despite having played the most games (19). The good news is they weren't defeated in Week 17 (but only because they were off). The bad news is that now they have to face the suddenly-hot L.A. Galaxy, which has won three straight and is set to welcome back David Beckham, on Thursday.

"P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" -- This one is Fredy Montero of Seattle. The Colombian will turn just 22 later this month, and he's definitely one of the most exciting players in MLS to watch. Everything about his play is "pretty," from his passing to his vision to his goalscoring ability. He's got five goals in the Sounders' last five matches, putting the expansion side in second place in the West.

"Smooth Criminal" -- Hello Chad Barrett. The Toronto FC striker "stole" the clinching goal in his team's 3-1 win over San Jose Saturday, racing in to face Joe Cannon one-on-one after Aaron Pitchkolan collapsed with what appeared to be a groin injury. To be fair, it was Barrett's second goal of the game, and he earned the first one.

"Off The Wall (Pass)" -- OK, so I added the "pass" part to that album name. But still, the give-and-go, or "wall pass" between Kosuke Kimura and Mehdi Ballouchy that resulted in Colorado's only goal and three points against FC Dallas was a thing of beauty. Ballouchy held the ball just long enough to let Kimura get in behind the defense, and the Japanese import made no mistake with the finish, blasting the ball high into the roof of the net.

"Dangerous" -- Yes, Lance Watson's tackle was "dangerous," but it certainly didn't deserve a red card. Unlucky, son. Fortunately for him the Wizards were able to hold on for the tie at New England.

"You Are Not Alone" -- This one goes out to Landon Donovan. With Beckham coming back and Edson Buddle finding his form, the fate of the Galaxy no longer relies solely on Captain America. I have no doubt that he and Becks will be able to sort things out pretty quickly, and with the Western Conference so tight, things are looking up for Bruce Arena's side.

"Thriller" -- Though he didn't find the net or pick up an assist this weekend, Guillermo Barros Schelotto continues to be the most "thrilling" player in the league to watch. He came close on a few occasions Saturday as the Crew tied the Fire, but the Argentine still leads the league in goals with 10 and Columbus is just a point out of first place in the East.

"Beat It" -- Hopefully that's what the U.S. national team will do to the rest of the competition at the Gold Cup.

ENCORE:

- FC Dallas has a break from league action until July July 24.
- The Wizards don't have another league match until the next day, July 25.
- The Seattle Sounders host Chelsea on Saturday on ESPN2. Tune in.
- The L.A. Galaxy take on AC Milan Sunday night on ESPN. Watch that too.

Fantasy Pro: Watch me!

Jonathan Nierman — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:24:00 GMT

It has been a great couple of weeks in the world of soccer watching, with the U.S. stunning the world (but not me) with their play at the Confederations Cup. A great performance against Egypt, a surprising upset of Spain, and a fantastic first half against Brazil had the U.S. this close to its first title at a major FIFA competition (for the full national men's team). Fortunately, that's not all the soccer we have to take in.

Next up is the CONCACAF Gold Cup, where is decidedly younger squad will take on decidedly less-challenging opposition. And of course, there's still MLS, where those that are left are battling to get their teams close to an all-important playoff spot. Several of the MLS players in action this past week have been clamoring for their own attention, and I'm going to give it to them.

First up is Fredy Montero of the Seattle Sounders. The Colombian youngster lit up the first match of the season but then seemed to lose focus. He's definitely back now, having found the net in four straight games. I'd tell you to snatch him up right away, but the Sounders have the July 4 weekend off. Definitely keep an eye on him, though, and grab him in time for Seattle's match against Houston on July 11.

Then there's also Nate Jaqua. Montero's teammate has three goals in his team's last three games, including a pair Sunday as the Sounders blew away the Colorado Rapids. Jaqua is another player that could make a fine addition to your team after Independence Day.

Real Salt Lake's Clint Mathis might be trying to get U.S. coach Bob Bradley's attention as well. The former U.S. star had a great game against Toronto FC Saturday, scoring a goal and setting up another. That's two goals and six assists for him on the season, which is two more goals and six more assists than he had in all of 2008. He's got a long way to go to get back to the glory days, but in the meantime he could probably help you gain some points, particularly since RSL's next game is at home Friday against the lowly San Jose Earthquakes.

And while we're on the subject of lowly teams, how bout those New York Red Bulls? They are just horrible. An MLS finalist last year, the club is now the worst team in the league with a 2-12-4 record. I would say they should send Juan Carlos Osorio packing, but what good would that do? They fire their coach every year, and every year they still stink (including last year, when a bit of luck and a short run of good form got them to the final). If Juan Pietravallo is on your team, you might want to drop him. Why? Because the team terminated his contract last week, that's why. Ouch.

I've already mentioned that the Sounders have next weekend off, but you should be aware that Chivas USA and Toronto FC also have some down time. Replace members of those clubs with others for this week. You can always go back and reclaim Zach Thornton or Amado Guevara if you want.

Make sure you tune in to the Gold Cup starting July 3, and get out there and support your local MLS teams as well. Enjoy the summer soccer!

Survivor Pro: Crew to shape up vs. NY

Staff — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:03:00 GMT

Every once and a while, it is good for a team to take a loss against an underdog. Last week, Columbus experienced this feeling with a 2-1 defeat on the road against a struggling (to put it kindly) FC Dallas squad.

The reason it can be a good thing is that it can serve as a wake-up call -- of couse, the flip side of that argument is that the bad loss is just a harbinger of things to come.

This week, the Crew host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Columbus, which started wihtout a win in its first eight matches, has recently found its form to the tune of a 3-1-1 mark in its last five league affairs.

Billed as the "Night of Champions" by the Crew, the home fans will be fired up to see their team in an MLS Cup rematch against New York. How could you not get excited for a ceremonial coin toss with Buster Douglas, the Crew's championship ring ceremony and the chance to see Juan Carlos Osario publicly fired after his team loses for what could be the the 11th time in 17 games?

Oh yeah, and no Mike Petke this week for New York -- now the Red Bulls are definitely sunk.

Coach Robet Warzycha took the blame for last week's defeat against Dallas, but he should take some of the credit when the Crew win on Satuday to extend their unbeaten home run to seven matches (3-0-3). Top Choice: Columbus Crew (Season Top Choice record: 3-6)

Houston enters Sunday's match against the Galaxy tied for the league lead with 8 wins on the campaign. Conversely, Los Angeles is tied with New York for a league low two wins thus far this season. (And, yes, we're sorry for even thinking that the Galaxy were headed for winning ways. Let's call it a moment of temporary insanity on our part.) It took the Dynamo five matches to earn thei first victory, but since that time, the club has been unbeaten in 10 consecutive games. L.A. will be without Landon Donovan yet again (Bruce Arena must have loved USA's miraculous un to the Confed Cup semi-finals) and that offense is not going to crack Bobby Boswell, Pat Onstad and the rest of the Dynamo defense. Best Bet: Houston Dynamo (Season Best Bet record: 3-6)

Your pick for CLB v. NY is due Friday. Your pick for HOU v. LAG is due Saturday.

Fantasy Pro: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Jonathan Nierman — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:06:00 GMT

There's plenty of material to cover and the headline speaks for itself, so let's get right to it.

THE GOOD

- Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Midfielder, Columbus Crew) scored twice more on Sunday to give the home side a 2-1 victory over Chivas USA. It was the second time in as many matches that the Argentinean provided all the scoring in a Crew victory on two goals.The reigning league MVP is all alone atop the scoring charts with 10 goals in 13 games.

- Marco Pappa (Midfielder, Chicago Fire) scored a wonderful goal for the visitors at RFK Stadium, though it ultimately wasn't enough. The Guatemalan now has four goals and two assists this season, and he's a big reason the Fire are still very much in a good spot, just a point behind D.C. United in the East.

- Christian Gomez (Midfielder, D.C. United) gave the Black-and-Red that top spot in the East on a wicked free kick, and he was unfortunate not to get a second goal later when his shot from long distance pinged off the crossbar. It looked like the Gomez of old, and a little confidence can go a long way.

- Cam Weaver (Forward, Houston Dynamo) netted a double on Saturday, scoring his first goals for the Dynamo after starting the season in San Jose. With Brian Ching in the national team picture, the rookie is likely to get more time. He could be a great third forward picked up on the cheap.

- Freddie Ljungberg (Midfielder, Seattle Sounders FC) had a goal and an assist in a home victory over San Jose. It's amazing how much better he plays when he's healthy...

THE BAD

- More questionable officiating over the weekend, with D.C. and Chicago both getting soft penalty kicks called against them. Unfortunately for the Fire, they couldn't convert theirs after an obvious make up call.

- Eddie Lewis (Midfielder, L.A. Galaxy) was shown a straight red card for throwing the ball at a player who was down following a foul call. It was a soft call at best, but it's L.A.'s fifth red card in 13 games. Playing a man down so much surely doesn't help matters for Bruce Arena.

- Emmanuel Osei (Defender, New England Revolution) got tossed for taking a whack at Claudio Lopez while on the ground. Stupid move.

- New York's defense left surprise starting goalkeeper Danny Cepero out to dry as the Red Bulls lost again Saturday, this time 2-1 at BMO Field. Both of Toronto FC's goals came on rebounds, including one on a penalty kick that Cepero had stopped. At 2-10-3, how much longer will it be before the club changes coaches ... for the umpteenth time.

THE UGLY

- Andrew Boyens (Defender, New York Red Bulls) completely whiffed on an attempted clearance Sunday, resulting in a simple finish for the opposing forward on Sunday. The only good news for Red Bulls fans was that he embarrassed himself while wearing his national team jersey. New Zealand was thoroughly trounced by Spain 5-0 at the Confederations Cup in South Africa.

Galaxy gathering steam behind reserves

Staff — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:58:00 GMT

Who says that the Los Angeles Galaxy need Landon Donovan and David Beckham when they've got the likes of Edson Buddle and Alan Gordon?

The MLS season has reached the point where coaches have to figure out what they've got not just with their First XI, but with the remaining guys on their roster. Either due to international duty, injuries or discipline, this is a chance for rest of a team's roster to prove their worth.

In the Galaxy's case, Buddle and Gordon (along with an impressive performance by goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts) did just that last weekend in a 2-1 win against Toronto FC at BMO Field. Both players scored, giving the Galaxy their second win of the season. What's more impressive is that that team has been unbeaten since a 3-2 loss to the Colorado Rapids on April 4, a span of 10 league contests.

While draws are deadly when it comes to playing Survivor Pro, this Saturday's match against Real Salt Lake at The Home Depot Center, gives the Galaxy a good chance of upping their season win total. The two teams have already played once this season, resulting in -- you guessed it -- a draw at Rio Tinto Stadium with the final three goals of the 2-2 tie being scored within stoppage time.

Certainly the Galaxy would be a better team with Donovan and Beckham in the starting lineup, but they are finding ways to pull out points without them and that could prove most valuable later in the season. Coach Bruce Arena has been mixing the young (Omar Gonzalez, 20, and A.J. DeLaGarza, 21) with the old (Tony Sanneh, 38 and Gregg Berhalter, 35) to solidify the backfield infront of Ricketts, who is currently playing like a finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year.

This is a risky pick given the amount of draws the Galaxy have claimed this season, but they should be able to build upon last week's road victory. RSL has yet to win a game on the road this season in six attempts (0-5-1). Top Choice: Los Angeles Galaxy (Season Top Choice record: 3-5)

Meanwhile, Steve Nicol's Revolution finally appear to be healthy and look to have turned a corner on their season after very slow start. The Revs, who are coming off of two important Eastern Conference home victories against D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls, head to Kansas City on Saturday to take on the Wizards. In only his second match of the season, Taylor Twellman scored twice against New York, goals 100 and 101 of his MLS career. With Twellman and goalkeeper Matt Reis back healthy and reliable veterans Shalrie Joseph, Steve Ralston and Jay Heaps still going strong, this Revs team looks ready to make a run. Best Bet: New England Revolution (Season Best Bet record: 3-5)

Your picks for LAG v. RSL and NER v. KCW are due Saturday.

Fantasy Pro: A week of firsts

Jonathan Nierman — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 01:28:00 GMT

The highlights from Week 11 in Major League Soccer included a number of season firsts. Why is this significant to the fantasy game? Because those firsts should give you reason to be hopeful about the future of some of those involved. Here's my take.

- Taylor Twellman (Forward, New England Revolution) made his first appearance of the season on Saturday, playing 65 minutes in the home side's controversial victory over D.C. United. While he didn't find the net, the pesky striker did find himself in good positions. It's only a matter of time before one of the league's most prolific scorers tallies his first this season.

- Fred (Midfielder, D.C. United) did find the net in that match for his first of the season. He was unlucky not to have more, especially with his wicked shot from the top of the box clanging off the crossbar. The Brazilian lined up in a central position with Christian Gomez out because of injury. Coach Tom Soehn could let the mono-named star run the show again Thursday night vs. New York.

- Pat Noonan (Midfielder/Forward, Columbus Crew) finally picked up his first start of the season for Columbus as well. He celebrated with a picture-perfect assist -- his first of the season -- on Alejandro Moreno's goal. A win at home and a draw on the road last week means the defending MLS Cup champs are showing signs of life. Noonan's full return can only help.

- Edson Buddle (Forward, Los Angeles Galaxy) scored his first goal of the season Saturday. His club's 1-1 draw with their fourth game in a row with that score line, and their fifth consecutive draw. But if Buddle can get back to the kind of form he enjoyed last season, when he scored a career-high 15 goals, the Galaxy might actually be able to improve on their ridiculous 1-1-9 record.

- Jeff Cunningham (Forward, FC Dallas) also found the net for the first time in the 2009 this season, providing the first goal in a 3-0 rout of the Chicago Fire Sunday. The Hoops will need plenty more from the veteran marksman if they are to climb out of the Western Conference basement and get into playoff contention.

- Cornell Glen (Forward, San Jose Earthquakes) made his first appearance of the season in his team's midweek loss to the Crew. Things went much better for both club and player on Saturday, as San Jose picked up its first win since March with a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake. Glen's first of the season got them off and running. Just like with FCD, the Quakes still have a long way to go. Glen's addition certainly won't hurt matters though.

And just so that you don't think all was peachy around the league last week, here are a few blemishes to consider.

- Poor refereeing stole points from both Chivas USA and D.C. United, as stoppage time penalty kicks doomed each to a loss when they should have had a draw. Neither "foul" was beyond question, and most would probably agree that the decisions were at least harsh.

- Freddie Ljungberg (Midfielder, Seattle Sounders FC) scuffed a penalty kick wide of the target Saturday at home against the reigning MLS Cup champs. Because of the miss nearly 30,000 fans on hand were forced settle for just one point. It was the team's fifth straight draw, meaning they were both unbeaten and winless in the month of May.

- Gregg Berhalter (Defender, Los Angeles Galaxy) had to take his second straight red card of the season Saturday. In each situation he has pulled down an attacking player after being beaten as the last man.

Survivor Pro: Chivas USA say Bye-Bye Blanco

Staff — Wed, 27 May 2009 04:28:00 GMT

With Memorial Day in the rearview mirror and a third of the season in the books, MLS teams should have a feel for what type of team they are going to be for the 2009 season.

On Thursday night, two teams leading their respective packs square off at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., as Western Conference leader Chivas USA hosts Eastern Conference leader the Chicago Fire.

Is this a prelude to MLS Cup 2009? Possibly, but don't book your tickets for the November finale just yet. Who would have put New York in last year's championship? Exactly. No one.

Chicago enters the match as the last unbeaten team in MLS (4-0-6), while Chivas has been pretty stellar on their home turf at 5-0-1. The Fire are coming off of two road wins in Toronto and New York. Chivas USA, on the other hand, has stuggled of late in letting a lead slip late in a draw with D.C. United and scraping by with a point in a come-from-behind draw with Kansas City last weekend.

Already being billed by Chivas USA as "the most exciting game of the year" and local fans' last opportunity to say "Bye-Bye Blanco" before he retires at the end of the season, Thursday's match should make for entertaining television (granted, not quite as compelling as Wednesday's Champions League finale between Man U and Barcelona, but let's not digress).

The Goats need to pass this test to prove that all of their wins have come against the league's weaker competitors. The Fire need to remain unbeaten for two more matches to tie the MLS mark for most consecutive games without a loss. Chivas USA will be pushed by the Fire, but expect the league leaders to shake off some recent injuries to come out on top. Top Choice: Chivas USA (Season Top Choice record: 3-4)

The Fire may not be good enough to pick in Thursday's match, but that does not mean you should abandon them entirely this week. The team returns to Bridgeview, Ill., to host FC Dallas on Sunday. The Brimstone rivals will meet for the second time this season after Chicago claimed a dominant 3-1 win to open the season in Dallas. Against a weak and wounded Hoops squad, expect the results to be similar this time around. Best Bet: Chicago Fire (Season Best Bet record: 3-4)

Your pick for CHV v. CHI is due Wednesday. Your pick for CHI v. FCD is due Saturday.

Fantasy Pro: Random thoughts and observations

Jonathan Nierman — Sun, 17 May 2009 19:26:00 GMT

- Josh Wolff (Forward, Kansas City Wizards) is on the prowl. With goals in his team's last three games, the Georgia native has the Wizards just one point back of Eastern Conference co-leaders Chicago and D.C. Take notice, Bob Bradley.

- Andre Rocha (Midfielder, FC Dallas) scored a lovely goal for the Hoops in their draw with Seattle on Saturday. However, if he'd put away what can only be described as a sitter earlier in the match, Dallas would have walked away with two more points that they desperately need.

- Maykel Galindo (Forward, Chivas USA) made his first start for Chivas USA in over a year on Saturday, scoring a goal in his side's 2-2 draw with D.C. United at The Home Depot Center on Saturday. If he's finally back to full fitness, the Cuban could be a great addition to your front line.

- Toronto FC should work on heading. There were at least four excellent chances in the air for them to get back in to Saturday's game against Chicago. They wasted them all and fell 2-0 at home and got leapfrogged by the Fire.

- The Red Bulls were unimpressive once again Saturday. It didn't help when midfielder Jorge Rojas was ejected for a vicious elbow on Brian Mullan. Don't be surprised if his suspension is extended by the league's disciplinary committee. Despite being down a man, New York was able to escape with a point after a late strike from substitute striker John Wolyniec. One could certainly argue that the Staten Island native deserves a start for his efforts.

- Corey Ashe (Midfielder, Houston Dynamo) has been having a very solid season so far, though he doesn't necessarily have the numbers to prove it. The speedster picked up his first assist on Saturday with a beautiful ball from the left wing that Chris Wondolowski buried. More of that and bench warmer DaMarcus Beasley is going to have to be concerned. (Side note: Sweet ATV, DMB!)

- Trailing Chivas USA 2-0 on the road, D.C. United coach Tom Soehn inserted winger Fred after halftime and playmaker Christian Gomez with 20 minutes remaining. Low and behold, the Black-and-Red rally for two late goals to stretch their unbeaten run to seven games. That's all well and good, but why were they on the bench to begin with? Talent like that needs to be on the field.

- Going into Sunday's matinée between Columbus and Los Angeles, each team had recorded a single win in eight tries. What happened at The Home Depot Center? They tied, of course! Tony Sanneh gifted a goal to Guillermo Barros Schelotto that put the visitors on front, but Eddie Lewis absolutely hammered home a late equalizer for the Galaxy. It was a frantic and exciting finish, but a single point does little to help either side.

- The Crew have next week off. Plan accordingly.

Survivor Pro: Chivas holding steady in West

Staff — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:47:00 GMT

Chivas USA will encounter another good test this weekend when they host D.C. United at The Home Depot Center on Saturday night. The Goats have sprinted out of the gates to a league-best 7-1-1 mark, while United is atop the Eastern Conference with a 3-1-5 record.

Home field has been especially kind to Chivas USA as they have gone 5-0-0 with nine goals scored and two goals against. While D.C. United currently sports the best attack in the league with 15 goals in nine games, Zach Thornton and the rest of the Chivas defense have been downright stingy, limiting foes to three goals overall.

Will the Chivas USA D be able to stand up to Luciano Emilio (4 goals), Jaime Moreno (3 goals) and surprising rookies Chris Pontius (3 goals) and Rodney Wallace (2 goals)? Let's see ... does Carlos Ruiz dive? Is Beckham overpaid? Does Slumdog Millionaire tug at the heart strings?

The answer to all of the above is a resounding YES. While Louis Crayton has been decent, there are still plenty of cracks in the United wall. Expect Chivas USA attackers to break through multiple times as Chivas builds on their Western Conference lead. At this rate, they'll have a playoff berth locked up by July 4. Top Choice: Chivas USA (Season Top Choice record: 3-3)

It may not be fair of us to kick a team while they're down ... but this is a business people. There's no feelings when it comes to making Survivor Pro predictions. Starting goalkeeper Dario Sala is out with an injury for the league-worst FC Dallas (1-6-1) this week against the expansion Seattle Sounders. Granted, Seattle has not looked as strong in their most recent matches as they did in their first three wins to start the season -- the Ljungberg-Montero conncetion has yet to fully click -- but the Sounders are still good, especially when facing ... who the heck is actually on FCD? You might be afraid that this is a trap game. It's not. Best Bet: Seattle Sounders (Season Best Bet record: 3-3)

Picks for both DCU v. CHV and SEA v. FCD are due by Thursday.

Fantasy Pro: Who's hot, who's not

Jonathan Nierman — Sun, 03 May 2009 19:38:00 GMT

It's back to basics in this week's fantasy blog entry. No funny business this time, but just a simple look at which players are lighting it up, and which ones are stinking it up.

WHO'S HOT

Landon Donovan (Forward, Los Angeles Galaxy) -- The Galaxy finally picked up their first victory of the 2009 season over the weekend, topping the lowly New York Red Bulls 1-0 on Landon Donovan's penalty kick. In six games, Bruce Arena's side has only managed to score seven goals, but Donovan has had a hand in all of them (four goals, three assists). There's no denying Donovan's talent, but there's also no denying that the team around him leaves a lot to be desired. When you add on his huge price tag, I still don't think he's a very good value.

Jaime Moreno (Forward, D.C. United) -- The Bolivian veteran celebrated his return to the United lineup by scoring twice and hitting the post once as United beat FC Dallas and moved to the top of the table. Moreno was the best player on the field by a long ways, and that can only mean good things for D.C. Moreno's second strike came from a perfectly-weighted through ball from Christian Gomez, who also has struggled with injuries early in the season. When both are healthy, opposing defenses better beware.

Zach Thornton (Goalkeeper, Chivas USA) -- No player in the Fantasy Pro game has racked up as many points (128) as Zach Thornton so far this season. He has been the best goalkeeper in the league and is on the best team in the league as well. Thornton has been beaten only three times in eight games and leads the league in shutouts with five. The goats have won three of their last four and currently are the class of the league with 19 points. Almost unbelievably, there are over a dozen goalkeepers that will cost you more money. With that kind of value, why would you use anybody else but Thornton?

WHO'S NOT

Matt Reis (Goalkeeper, New England Revolution) -- Matt Reis made his return to the Revolution lineup on Sunday afternoon against Houston, and after Brad Knighton surrendered six last week against RSL, you'd think that would be a very good thing. But Reis showed that there most definitely was some rust when he botched what should have been a routine save on Stuart Holden's fairly tame long-range effort. As he went to the ground to reel the ball in, it simply squirted under Reis and headed into the net directly through his legs. Ouch.

Fredy Montero (Forward, Seattle Sounders FC) -- After scoring three goals in his first two MLS games, Fredy Montero has gone missing, failing to register a goal or an assist in all of April. Things only got worse for the young Colombian in May, as he was shown a straight red card for a high elbow in the Sounders' 1-1 draw at Chicago Saturday. It's not that Seattle isn't having success without his contributions; they are in second place in the West, and only Chivas has secured more points. But for now, Montero needs to be demoted to your bench, especially with a suspension ahead.

Columbus Crew (MLS Cup Champions in 2008) -- Every other team in Major League Soccer now has a win. It's only last year's champs that have yet to break into the win column. A 1-1 draw with Toronto Saturday was the Crew's fifth tie in seven outings. The offense is sputtering and the defense just seems lost. Chad Barrett was wide open on the six-yard line to head in Toronto's equalizer. Until Robert Warzycha can right the ship, I say steer clear.

Scheduling Tip: Four clubs will be in action twice next week, giving you extra opportunities to pick up points and move up in the standings (or retain your lead if you're already a pro). D.C., Kansas City, Los Angeles, and RSL will all be in action Wednesday night, and then again over the weekend. Stock up on their players accordingly. The Colorado Rapids have the week off.

Survivor Pro: Coach change won't hurt TFC

Staff — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:52:00 GMT

Less than a month into the season and we got our first coaching change in MLS. Surprisingly, the news is not out of New York, Columbus, Dallas or Los Angeles, but rather Toronto with the resignation of TFC skipper John Carver.

The colorful (sorry, colourful) Brit will be missed for blunt assessments, but his reasons for leaving have as much to do with his feelings towards the league than anything that was happening with his Eastern Conference leading team.

Which brings us to this week's question in Survivor Pro: Is it worth risking a pick on a team with a new coach?

Either assistant coaches Chris Cummins or Nick Dasovic will be named interim head coach this week after the two combined to help lead TFC to a 1-0 win at home against Kansas City on Sunday. The victory was their second 1-0 win of the week after giving Western Conference leaders Chivas USA their first defeat of the season on Wednesday night at BMO Field.

Sticking with an assistant who is already with the team is the way to go for the sake of keeping some continuity for the players. It's also good news for Survivor Pro players.

On Saturday, TFC continues its homestand with and afternoon match against the Columbus Crew. Based on the way the self-professed Hardest Working Team in MLS has played this season, we're going to refrain from describing them as the "defending MLS champion."

At 0-2-4, the Crew are desperate to get into the win column. While this is MLS and two or three consecutive strong outings will boost you into the playoff race throughout the course of the season, you also don't want to be embarassed by being out of the mix before July 4 (see: Galaxy, Los Angeles, 2008).

These two teams have met once already this season as the Reds spoiled the Crew's home opener in March with a 1-1 draw on a late own by Gino Padula. Toronto will not be able to rely upon Padula to pad their offensive stats this week as the Crew defender will be sitting out after receiving a straight red against the Chicago Fire on Saturday.

Toronto's defense has pitched two shutouts over the last two matches, but they have surrendered nine goals on the season. So long as they can continue to stay strong in the back, keeper Stefan Frei continues his march towards becoming Rookie of the Year (or at least a top candidate) and the offense starts clicking this team will be riding at the top of the Eastern Conference for the remiainder of the season. Top Choice: Toronto FC (Season Top Choice record: 3-2)

Chivas USA went 1-1 last week with a tough loss against Toronto, but overall they went 3-1-1 for the month to get to the top of the Western Conference. This week, the Goats travel to San Jose to take on the Quakes. Chivas is tied with Seattle for the best defense in the league with only three goals allowed. San Jose is also at a bit of a disadvantage at having to play a U.S. Open Cup match on Wednesday while Chivas gets to rest until Saturday. Best Bet: Chivas USA (Season Best Bet record: 2-3)

Picks for both CLB v. TFC and CHV v. SJE are due by Friday.

Survivor Pro: Stick with Chivas USA

Staff — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:43:00 GMT

Hopefully, you were lucky enough to survive last week's landmine-filled matches (as far as Survivor Pro is concerned, not the real thing, of course), which featured three draws, two upsets and one predictable win.

If not, then we're all in the same boat, starting from scratch with a new streak. You had to figure that New York and Dallas would each win at some point this season -- but did it really have to happen in the same week?

This week's matches start Wednesday with Western Conference leaders Chivas USA traveling north to face Toronto FC. The Goats have looked strong thus far this season, but avoid picking a team in this match-up. TFC has yet to win at home, but based on the Red Bulls and Hoops winning this week Toronto is due.

(OK, so there's absolutely no correlation to how NY and FCD played this week to how TFC will play on Wednesday. Would it make you feel more comfortable with our reasoning if we told you that we're going with our guts on this one? Yep, didn't think so.)

The two games worth choosing this week are Western affairs that happen at the exact same time (10:30 p.m. ET) on Saturday night. Surprisingly, neither match involves the Red Bulls, who have total of three goals scored this season, two by way of own goals.

Chivas USA, who will be playing in their second match within a three-game span, hosts FC Dallas -- yes, that FC Dallas -- at The Home Depot Center on Saturday. Through five matches, Chivas touts the best defense in the league with a measly two goals against. This is all with the ageless Zach Thornton in net. Meanwhile, their offense is tied for the second-highest output with eight goals.

The numbers for FC Dallas are not as pretty. They have a league-worst 10 goals against with a middling six goals scored, also through five games. At some point, this team has got to become more than just The Kenny Cooper Show. Their star forward is tied for the league lead with four goals, but as winless Columbus and Los Angeles can attest, one man does not a team make. Top Choice: Chivas USA (Season Top Choice record: 2-2)

After two straight losses, most people are ready to jump off the bandwagon bound for Qwest Field in Seattle. Not us. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller is a big reason why this team posted three straight clean sheets with three straight wins to start their first MLS campaign. He was out for a over 135 minutes in a span of two games, at which time the team surrendered three goals against and wound up losing twice.

Keller is back this week as Seattle FC heads home to host the San Jose Earthquakes. While we all wait around to find out What's a Huckerby? (and, more importantly, when he'll start scoring for our Market Pro team), the Quakes need to figure out who is going to step up and start scoring some goals. Or maybe that question is best left answer next week. Best Bet: Seattle Sounders FC (Season Best Bet record: 1-3)

Picks for both CHV v. FCD and SEA v. SJE are due by Friday.

Fantasy Pro: Grading the new faces

Jonathan Nierman — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:15:00 GMT

With each MLS team now having played at least four games, the picture is becoming a little bit clearer in regards to the league's newest players. It's still early days in the 2009 season, but we've had enough of a sampling to get some idea about which rookies and/or new signings have what it takes to thrive in the league. Here's a look at which new player for each team is already making a difference.

Chicago Fire - Marco Pappa
The Guatemalan youth international (and soon to be full international) has been superb so far this season for the Fire. He has two goals and two assists in five games and is a big reason Chicago is in first place in the Eastern Conference. He's also very economical at around $77,000.

Chivas USA - Eduardo Lillingston
With a dozen years of experience south of the border, this is a player that surely has talent. However, he hasn't yet shown me that he's going to be a huge success in MLS. He wouldn't be the first Mexican player to go bust here, and there's still plenty of time to prove me wrong. He currently leads the team with two goals, though it was fellow newcomer Chukwudi Chijindu who found the net last weekend. Competition for playing time is never a bad thing...

Colorado Rapids - TBD
Nobody has really made a breakthrough yet for the Rapids. So far it has been all about Conor Casey, but he was blanked on Sunday against Houston, missing a penalty kick in the process. Expect to see some new blood getting involved soon, perhaps in the form of defender Scott Palguta, a starter vs. the Dynamo.

Columbus Crew - TBD
The MLS Cup champions are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and still without a win, so it's hard to say that anybody has stood out, much less a newcomer. Columbus was off this past weekend, but Eric Brunner did pick up his first MLS minutes a week ago. He's someone to keep an eye on, but the jury is definitely still out.

D.C. United - Rodney Wallace
There are lots of new players seeing time for the Black-and-Red in 2009, including Wallace, a local product who left NCAA powerhouse Maryland after just two seasons. Having seen action in each of D.C.'s first five games, it looks pretty clear that Wallace is going to play a significant role this year. He's not one to rack up lots of points, but he's dirt cheap at $45,000 and therefore a great placeholder if necessary.

FC Dallas - David Ferreira
The Brazilian has had a few good moments, including his first assists for the Hoops Sunday, which helped the club to its first win of the campaign. However, he hasn't performed well enough yet to be worth spending over $90,000 on. Put him on your watch list for now.

Houston Dynamo - Andrew Hainault?
Houston hasn't had many newbies on the field so far this season, but Canadian international Andrew Hainault may change that. He finally was granted his international transfer certificate last week, but was left on the bench for the Dynamo's 1-0 win over Colorado Sunday. Look for him to make an appearance on the field (and in the Fantasy Pro game) very soon.

Kansas City Wizards - Santiago Hirsig
The Wizards obviously like having an Argentinean wearing the No. 10 shirt, and Hirsig has stepped into the role vacated by Carlos Marinelli. He stared last weekend against the Fire, but only played the first half, in which the Wizards fell two goals behind and generated absolutely nothing offensively. While he may perk up later, Hirsig is definitely not worth the asking price at the moment.

Los Angeles Galaxy - Omar Gonzalez
This highly-touted rookie out of the University of Maryland has stepped right into L.A.'s back line, but that's not exactly saying much. Three points from four games to start the season (including the first three at home), is not very good. But with his size (6'5"), the Dallas native is also a threat on set pieces and will likely notch a few goals this season. He's already got one. Taking defenders from bad teams is a risk, but he just might be worth it, with the price so low.

New England Revolution - Brad Knighton
Though he has technically been on the Revs' roster for two seasons already, Knighton is being considered a "new face" here since he hadn't seen any MLS action until this year. Matt Reis is out with an injury, but Knighton has done well in his place, particuarly last Friday against D.C. United, where he made several spectacular saves. Three goals allowed in three games is a pretty good record.

Real Salt Lake - TBD
Coach Jason Kreis is taking his time working the new players into his side, but there are a few intriguing possibilites when you look at his bench. Those include an Argentinean forward (Luis Miguel Escalada) and a U.S. U-17 international (Alex Nimo). For now, though, it's just a waiting game.

San Jose Earthquakes - Cam Weaver and Pablo Campos
Both of these players are back in the States after testing the waters in Scandinavia. Weaver has a goal and an assist in five appearances, while Campos recorded his first MLS goal in the Quakes' draw with Los Angeles over the weekend. Be wary of their high price tags though; neither has yet proven to be worth that kind of money.

Seattle Sounders FC - Take your pick.
From Kasey Keller to Fredy Montero to Freddie Ljungberg, this is a team that is packed from top to bottom with new and talented players. After starting the season with three straight wins, the expansion side has dropped its last two games, but they're still holding strong in second place in the Western Conference. Of the three aforementioned players, Keller is the safest bet, simply because you know what you're going to get. Montero has been brilliant at times and absent at others, while Ljungberg's fitness is still questionable, and probably will be all season.

Toronto FC - Stefan Frei
There are other newcomers to the Toronto FC roster who could factor in later, but the Swiss-born goalkeeper has already played in three games, which is impressive considering TFC also has Greg Sutton at its disposal. Not as impressive is that Frei allowed three goals against FC Dallas Sunday. But goals aren't only the fault of the 'keeper, now are they? He's definitely inexpensive, as far as goalkeeping options are concerned, but he's also risky.

Scheduling Tip:
Two games this week: Chivas USA, Toronto FC, New York Red Bulls, Kansas City Wizards
Off: Houston Dynamo

Fantasy Pro: Seeing red

Jonathan Nierman — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:58:00 GMT

There were seven red cards handed out in MLS matches on April 11, an average of one per game. They ran the gamut from questionable to well deserved, as well as stupid to smart. There were big names and unfamiliar ones. And if they were given to players on your Fantasy Pro teams, there were points lost and there are changes to be made. Here are my suggestions.

Kasey Keller saw his first MLS red card for a handling the ball outside the box. Although the Sounders went on to lose the match, it was atually not a bad card to take. Looking for a replacement for the superb 'keeper? How about Chivas USA's Zach Thornton? He's a bargain at around $90,000, and picked up yet his second shutout in four games Saturday.

Gregg Berhalter was having a very solid game before having his weak pass picked off, forcing him to tug down Alecko Eskandarian as he bolted towards goal with nobody left to beat but the 'keeper. Instead of the U.S. national team veteran, go with Chicago's Tim Ward next week. He has played every minute of the season so far and his team is in first place.

Shea Salinas made a bonehead play when he picked up a second yellow for throwing the ball away and wasting time. Not smart. Don't be a bonehead. Replace him with Marco Pappa. The Guatemalan is an absolute steal at $77,000. He's got two goals and two assists in four games.

Carlos Johnson (New York) got a straight red card for a pointless challenge on the endline late in the Red Bulls' scoreless draw with Houston. Not to be outdone, Mike Chabala was sent to the showers just 10 minutes after coming on for his MLS debut. His two-footed tackle came all the way up in New York's penalty area, and it was right in front of the referee. That was obviously a rookie mistake. Go with experience instead. Jamison Olvae for RSL is an experienced Colombian back and he costs only about $65,000. He hasn't missed a minute for the 2-1-0 club.

Paulo Nagamura was a bit unlucky to be sent off. His second yellow card was probably the right call, but the first was softer than a velvet-covered pillow-top mattress. No worries though. His teammate Jesse Marsch can step right in for you. He was probably the best player on the field in the battle for L.A.

Alan Gordon did something off the ball to earn a second yellow just three minutes after getting one for dissent. He hadn't done much up to that point anyway. On the other hand, Conor Casey is the league's leading scorer with four goals in as many games. Think you can't afford the hottest player in MLS? Think again. A reasonable $109,000 will put the Rapids marksman on your team.

Here's hoping for more goals and fewer reds next week. Good luck!

Survivor Pro: Only the strong survive

Staff — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:18:00 GMT

Saturday will mark the first time that MLS has held a seven-game slate in a single night. The Revolution have the night off, but all other teams are in action and there's some quality matches to keep an eye on for Survivor Pro.

Sure, so far this season we've been picking against the New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas. We could tell you to take Houston Dynamo at home against the Red Bulls, who have yet to score a goal of their own through three games, or Toronto FC at home against FC Dallas and those would likely be safe bets for the week.

Instead of bullying the weaklings, let's take a chance and take a look at two of the stronger teams (yes, it's only three games) heading into the season's second month.

One of the pleasant surprises has been the play of Seattle Sounders FC. The expansion club is 3-0-0 with two solid home wins and their first road win of the season last week infront of a hostile Toronto crowd at BMO Field.

This week, the Sounders are back at home vs. the Kansas City Wizards. This one is going to be an eye-opener for the Blue shirts, who have played before an average of about 8,500 fans in two home games. Seattle has played host to an average of 30,000 through two matches at Qwest Field thus far. Big difference.

Seattle's defense has yet to surrender a goal this season. That streak might end this week against the attacking strength of Davy Arnaud, Claudio Lopez and Co., but the Sounders have shown more than enough fire power on offense, even with Fredy Montero out of the lineup last week. Top Choice: Seattle Sounders FC (Season Top Choice record: 2-1)

The other strong team in the Western Conference is Chivas USA. The Goats face a sputtering Los Angeles Galaxy squad at The Home Depot Center. L.A. lost 3-0 to Conor Casey last week and should have fallen in Week 1 to D.C. United had it not been for a questionable late penalty that lead to Landon Donovan's game-tying penalty kick. Chivas at 3-0-0 has showcased solid defense (two goals against) and two-goal-per-game offense against Colorado, Dallas and Columbus. Best Bet: Chivas USA (Season Best Bet record: 1-2)

Make your picks by Friday for both matches.

Survivor Pro: Forming an opinion

Staff — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 02:47:00 GMT

Week 3 of the MLS season is filled with a full slate of seven games, starting Thursday night when Real Salt Lake hosts the Columbus Crew in their home opener at Rio Tinto Stadium.

There are a number of matches worth recording on your DVR (Seattle at Toronto on Saturday, Columbus at Chivas USA on Sunday) if you can't catch 'em live, but there only a few that are worth consideration for your pick(s) this week in Survivor Pro.

It's too early in the season to know which team will be standing victorious on the stage at the end of MLS Cup. Can Seattle really be as good as they've looked (only team 2-0 after two weeks)? Is Kansas City really as bad as its 0-2 mark with a league-high five goals against?

The answer to both questions is "probably not." So, with that in mind, the most intriguing Survivor Pro match-up of the week has got to be either the New England Revolution hosting FC Dallas in the Revs' home opener Saturday night or the Chicago Fire hosting the New York Red Bulls at the home opener at Bridgeview Sunday afternoon.

These two matches are not necessarily intriguing because of the way the Revolution and Fire have played thus far, but moreso the way the Hoops and Red Bulls have played (or not played, depending on your vantage point).

FC Dallas's 2-0 loss to Chivas USA on Sunday showcased two flaws with this year's team: a weak, inexperienced defense and a lack of a true finisher on offense. The team had plenty of quality chances with six shots on goal, but not one got past goalkeeper Zach Thornton. On the other end, Chivas USA scored by winning two one-v-one battles against FCD. Both flaws seem kind of important if you expect to win any games, right?

New England, while not exactly burning up the scoreboard with two goals in two games, has appeared steady on defense, even with veteran 'keeper Matt Reis missing Saturday's draw against New York with a reported knee injury. Watch the injury report this week to make sure the team does not lose any other starters, otherwise you should stay away from this match-up. Until that happens though, the Revs are your pick. Top Choice: New England Revolution (Season Top Choice record: 1-1)

Make your pick by Friday for this match (NE vs. DAL).

Granted, New York should be 1-1-0 on the season instead of 0-1-1, but this team has not scored a goal of their own in two games against an expansion team and an injury-decimated Revs lineup giving a goalkeeper (Brad Knighton) his first MLS start. Their lone goal this season was an own goal. Paging Juan Pablo Angel, please. The season is underway and you can begin assaulting the league's 'keepers. Until you, as a Survivor Pro player, see him do that, this Red Bulls offense is going in reverse and you should pick against them every time. Best Bet: Chicago Fire (Season Best Bet record: 0-2)

Make your pick by Saturday for this match (CHI vs. NY).

Survivor Pro: Take stock, mentally and physically

Staff — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:36:00 GMT

The first weekend of the regular season has come and gone and the results either left fans wanting more of the same (Chicago, Seattle, Toronto) or flipping the calendar to find the last game of the regular season (New York, Dallas). While it is only one result and everyone is jacked up to get the season started with a W, it is worth keeping those first-week results in mind when looking ahead to Week 2.

There are also two other important factors to consider, one physical and one mental. The physical factor is key players not being available for certain teams due to World Cup Qualifying matches on Saturday and April 1. With top players possibly out of the mix, you've got to consider who will be the line-up replacement and will the team be able to overcome the absence vs. their weekend opponent.

The other factor is mental, which we would like to call "The Let-Down Game" and it is only a factor for teams coming off a First Kick win. That rush of adrenaline that first week can come a the cost of either not having enough in the tank for the next week's opponent or just plain overlooking the other team based on how well the team played in the first week.

The one team who might be prone to a loss in Week 2 due to "The Let Down Game" is Seattle. Sounders FC came out blazing in a 3-0 win against New York in Seattle on Thursday. It was a great game to watch and great for the league. The new kids (this includes the players as well as their sold-out crowd) really showed spirit and an exuberance that was unmatched last weekend.

This week, the Sounders host Real Salt Lake, a scrappy team from a year ago that reached the Western Conference Finals, in their first match of the 2009 season. While the fan base could carry Seattle once again, there is a chance the RSL stuns the home crowd by opening their campaign with a road victory.

So, now you're thinking, who should I pick for Survivor Pro? Well, that's what we're here for and based on the preceding philosophies, this one looks pretty easy.

The Chicago Fire would have had a shut-out in Week 1 had it not been for Kenny Cooper's beyond-half-field strike that caught goalkeeper Jon Busch out of position. Even so, this veteran team looked strong behind a 3-1 win against FC Dallas. Both World Cup vets Brian McBride and Cuauhtémoc Blanco scored and neither one will be called in this weekend as they are both retired from international play.

This week, the Fire travel to D.C. to face the Black-and-Red at RFK Stadium. Now D.C. managed to secure a 2-2 draw against the L.A. Donovans on Sunday, but this United team was out-hustled and out-worked for a better part of the game. The defense is a mess, a problem only made worse by Greg Janicki and Devon McTavish cracking skulls (literally, there was blood everywhere) late in the game, which help the Galaxy escape with a tie.

Not even the ghosts of Ryan Nelsen and Tony Sanneh (or even the real, 37-year-old Tony Sanneh, who looked decent for L.A.) could help this struggling defensive core. It's a bit of a rivalry game, but there's not much to a rivalry when one team gets rolled. Top Choice: Chicago Fire (Season Top Choice record: 1-0)

This other match is a tough one to take given the way both teams played in Week 1. The defending champion Columbus Crew earned a hard-fought draw with Houston Dynamo in Texas, while Toronto used two Amado Guevara goals to surge past Kansas City, 3-2. TFC may be the real deal this year with the talent that they've got stocked on their roster, but they won't be able to count on Guevara this week as he's going to be playing with Honduras. The Crew, on the other hand, will have a full roster (barring any mid-week injuries) and they are playing in front of their home crowd for the first time as reigning MLS Cup champs. Best Bet: Columbus Crew (Season Best Bet record: 0-1 ... thanks alot D.C.)

Make your picks by Friday for both of these matches (CHI at DC, TOR at CLB).

Fantasy Pro: First kick, first impressions

Jonathan Nierman — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:51:00 GMT

There were some great moments in the opening week of the 2009 MLS season, including spectacular goals, surprise results and even the announcement of a new team to join the party in 2011. But one of my favorite parts about the early part of the MLS season is getting a first look the players that are new to the league, and have often been much ballyhooed in the slow-news offseason.

Not every acquisition will stick (remember Sergio Galvan Rey, anybody?), but it sure is fun watching to see which ones will become stars and which ones will return home with tail tightly tucked between legs (remember Landon Donovan, Bayern Munich fans? I didn't think so.). Since this is a fantasy blog, let's have a little fun with it. Below you'll see my first impressions of just a few of the new names gracing lineup cards across the nation over the past weekend. Some could be major bargain buys for your team, and others you may take a chance on only to see them go down in flames. Only time will tell.

Fred Montero (Seattle Sounders FC) - This is the obviously place to start, since the Colombian scored the first goal in the first game of the season, which also happened to be the first goal ever in MLS for the Sounders. As if that wasn't enough, he tacked on an assist and yet another goal as the New York Red Bulls were "soundly" beaten. Sorry, couldn't help it. There's no denying that this kid blew out of the gate with one heck of a flying start. He certainly is hot, but will he burn all season or fade away like so many before him?

Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC) - At long last the native Washingtonian has arrived in MLS, and a couple of huge saves at key moments were just as important to the Sounders' win as Montero's timely strikes. Even though he's up there in years, you can count on Keller being solid all year, even if not every game ends up with a clean sheet. There's still risk in buying him, as even the best goalkeepers can't completely safe a defense that is leaky. So far so good on that front.

Cam Weaver / Pablo Campos (San Jose Earthquakes) - Each of these players has joined MLS after time in the ever-popular Scandinavian leagues, and each also wasted golden opportunities for the Quakes in their home loss to the New England Revolution. Yes, they were in the right place at the right time, but that's really only useful if you do the right thing (find the net) when you're there. It's too soon to make a definitive call, but they didn't do themselves any favors by missing the target.

Chris Pontius ( D.C. United) - Here's a striker who made the most of his surprise debut thanks to a Jaime Moreno knock. The rookie out of UCSB buried great shot against the Galaxy that should have given the Black-and-Red three huge road points. Of course, they blew it, but that wasn't his fault. Once Moreno is healthy Pontius will almost certainly be demoted to the bench, but he might be a good value option in a third forward slot until then.

There were a host of other débutantes who didn't really make an impact one way or the other, so it's tough to really judge them. If you see somebody that you think has potential, perhaps a spot on your Watch List makes the most sense. But no matter what, keep in mind that it's a very long season. One performance doesn't mean all that much, so you'll need to have some patience, some skill, and maybe even a little luck to make it to the top. Good luck!