Advice to RSL--Get Out of the Gate Fast

[Rover]

For the fun of it I did some simple number crunching to see how expansion teams have done in MLS and how a winning tradition gets started. Since there have only been two actual expansion teams before this year, I also looked at 1996, when every team was new. So I don't pretend that this is a scientific analysis, but here it goes anyway.

The best start ever for an expansion team was . . . Chicago Fire in 1998 at 20-12--no surprise there. But even if you include all ten teams that started in 1996, only Tampa Bay finished better, also at 20-12 but with one less Shootout Win (good riddance to those) for more total points. Chicago was second in the West that year to the Galaxy's 24-8 (68 points), still the best in league history. But Chicago won the MLS Cup, and which would you take?

In 1996, LA finished 19-13, Dallas and KC tied at 17-15, and DC was 16-16 (the only other teams without losing records), with DC winning the inaugural MLS Cup. Overall since 1996, only two clubs have won over half their games. Chicago is at 0.554 and LA at 0.543. DC is next with 0.465. LA also own the record for most wins at 138. DC is second at 123.

What's the point? All three--LA, DC, and Chicago--established a winning tradition right away. Tampa Bay was never on top again, but they're the anomaly. And although DC and Chicago have had bad seasons (only LA has never had a losing season in MLS history), in nine seasons these three clubs have won 5 Supporters' Shields, 5 U.S. Open Cups, and 6 MLS Cups between them. That's no accident. Winning early becomes a tradition, and that's what RSL needs to do.

It's true that San Jose and Kansas City have been to the mountain top too, but they did it with specific players. LA, DC and Chicago have done it with different lineups over a period of years.

You want the other side of the coin? The C-Rapids were MLS' worst team in 1996 (11-21), are ahead of only two active teams as the worst all-time (0.421), and have no major trophies. What could make the new rivalry more painful in Denver than RSL taking a trophy (any trophy) home in our first year?

I'd rather follow DC, LA, and Chicago and establish a winner right from the get-go. No one says it will be easy, but who cares? Better to aim high.

[Jim Umber]

I agree. That's the only way to do it. It will also, of course, establish a fan base in the fastest possible time. I also believe that we have exactly the coach, and the players that we need to do it.

In the future, you will hear the radio announcers saying, "How 'bout that ReAL".

A team that did just that was the BLiTZZ. They won the Western Division Championship every year of their existance, and the national title twice. Interestingly enough, that coach is now an assistant coach at ReAL Salt Lake. I believe coach Ellinger is also used to winning. So I believe that we have what it takes to start right and keep on going. And I believe that we have the intention to do just that.

By the way...

...Is it April, yet?