By Don Cuddy

The night that the Revs beat the Harrisburg City islanders in the US Open Cup at Gillette stadium is one I will not forget. It was the first time that an Open Cup game was played on the Revs’ home field. In previous years the team elected to play its home games at a small stadium in Western Mass.

That night the Patriots were holding a preseason practice on the field next to the stadium. It was ‘family and friends’ night. As I walked into Gillette it looked like there were more people in the bleachers for the Pats practice than were inside the stadium for the Cup match. Official attendance was given at 1700 and that was a generous estimate.

It was all a bit bleak. There was no TV coverage, not even in-house, hence no replays on the screens in the press box and no advertising boards around the field. It was just peculiar.

I left early with the Revs strolling along 2-0 to the good. I missed the 35-yard screamer fired home twelve minutes from time by a guy named Tanzini that put the cat among the pigeons as the wee team saw a chance for glory. The final minutes were hectic I am told.

Too bad for the bold Tanzini that what was very likely the pinnacle of his playing career was not captured on camera for his grandchildren.

Now however the Open Cup final is upon us and things look mighty different.

The game is being shown live on FSC and we have the prospect of a proper cup tie between two teams that can be counted on to do their utmost to get a result for,make no mistake, both of them want to win this one very badly.

For Dallas, playing in front of their home fans, failure is unthinkable. The team has not been playing well lately and a stinging 3-0 loss to Houston combined with their recent 4-2 loss to the Revs should provide sufficient motivation for the Dallas players to hold nothing back.  It also looks like they will be able to field their best eleven.

The Revs meanwhile, rightly or wrongly, have come to be regarded as a team that cannot deliver on the big occasion. Four cup finals to date, nothing to show for it, and each loss more heartbreaking than the previous one. 

This is a group of players that is seeking redemption and they are only 90 minutes away. It may ‘only’ be the Open Cup, but it’s a trophy. The Revs don’t have a trophy and for players like Ralston and Heaps this might be the only one they can look back on when they finish their playing days.

Steve Nicol needs to win something too. He has done it all as a player. He is without doubt the shrewdest coach in MLS and has consistently discovered and developed young players while guiding the Revs to playoff success and conference championship games every year since he took over.

During his tenure the consistency of the team has been astonishing, in spite of limited rosters, spates of injuries and no marquee players. The team has had its ups and downs but losing streaks are simply unknown with teams coached by Steve Nicol.

Yet the big payoff remains elusive. Nicol has yet to greet the final whistle of a final game with anything but his sturdy Scottish stoicism. For him, too, a win on Wednesday is essential.

For this reason I am not going to be watching the Champions League this Wednesday.

When I sit down in front of my TV I am expecting to derive more pure entertainment and excitement from watching a couple of team going at each other in the good ol’ USA.

It may not be an open game, it may not be a high scoring game and given the heat it may not even be a fast game but it is certain to be an engrossing one with the battle of wits between Nicol and Steve Morrow the most intriguing one.

For the Revs the task appears greater since they face Dallas at Pizza Hut Park and will be without their field boss, Shalrie Joseph, who was red carded in the semifinal. He will be missed but I expect Nicol to avoid shuffling the pack. The Revs play a system that is well understood by the players and there will be no experiments made in a Cup final. Some body will be inserted in the open position, probably young Gary Flood, and that player will know what is expected of him.

As Jay Heaps mentioned in the conference call on Monday the Revs will be anxious to avoid overtime. They have good reason to fear it, having lost all four of their finals outside of regulation. Yet given the heat and humidity expected Wednesday night they must also avoid expending too much energy too soon. The temptation to gamble must be enormous but Nicol is so sensible that the approach may be more cautious.

And what will Morrow be thinking? Will he try to lure the Revs forward knowing that Ruiz can deliver the coup de grace given the slightest opening? But Taylor Twellman can do just that for the Revs if Dallas becomes overeager.

Will the Dallas players remain patient in front of a home crowd urging them on?

It all remains to be seen and I, for one, can’t wait.

The Revs have a good record against Dallas but that will mean nothing on Wednesday.

The stage is set, the teams evenly matched and the result is impossible to foresee.

But I am expecting an explosive encounter. As my father says: “Hunger is the best sauce.” These are two hungry teams and there is only going to be one winner.

Which one is the hungrier? For me it’s the Revs.