By Graig Carbino

Over the past few months professional athletes from all over the world have filtered in and out of Americas southern region. They were there to practice, play exhibitions, and compete for roster spots. Spring was in the air and it felt like we could finally open up the windows and air out the house. Get outside and play with kids. Maybe grab the gloves and throw the ball…. wait…. not throw, kick a ball around.

It’s not America’s game that we have waited four and half long months for, it’s the world’s game. Major League Soccer kicked off its thirteenth season this past weekend and the “race for the cup” is on. “But the regular season doesn’t mean anything” you say, “everybody makes the playoffs.” Partially true, but there are enough storylines around the league this year to make it the most exciting season yet. Just to keep things symmetrical, here are 13:

1.) Beck’s affect: It’s fairly obvious to expect Beckham to be the centerpiece of MLS for this season and beyond. He’s got the looks, the personality, the celebrity, the attitude and the soccer ability to carry this league on his back. Luckily for him that’s exactly what Don Garber and the rest of the MLS brass expect him to do. Last season was just a preview of what is to come. The timing of his arrival and the subsequent injuries gave his initial appearance in the states a stop-start feel, but this year he appears fit and ready to go right from the seasons first whistle. Whether or not he will get any help from his Galaxy teammates is a whole different story.

2.) Houston three peat: Will the Dynamo be the first team in Major League Soccer history to rip off three straight titles? The off-season losses of Joseph Ngwenya and Nate Jaqua will be difficult to replace and someone will have to step-up and assist Brian Ching with the goal scoring. Is Chris Wondolowski that guy? The loss of Ryan Cochrane from a very stingy defense could ultimately turn out to be an even bigger loss. Personnel changes aside, Houston is still the team to beat and the sight of them raising another trophy at the Home Depot Center next fall would not shock anyone.

3.) Angel and Altidore: The most exciting forward tandem in the league resides in the New York metro area. There is not argument, so don’t even try. Emilio’s good, Moreno’s too old. Ruiz and Donovan should form a formidable partnership, but neither “bring it” every single game and with international duty and injuries they may not see very much of the field together throughout the season. Angel scored 19 goals in 24 games last season, and Altidore may be the best American forward prospect of all time. Take some advice. Watch these two play together as many times as you can this season. You will not be disappointed. Do it quick too, because Jozy may not be around too much longer.

4.) Does New England get over the hump? Could this finally be the Revs’ year? They have come agonizingly close to the title the last three campaigns but have just not been able to clear that final hurdle. New England possess a prolific goal scorer in Taylor Twellman who, despite his off season disappointment, will still score his share of goals this season. They have the best positional defender in the league in Michael Parkhurst and may also have the best head coach. The fourth time could just be the charm for a team who knows how to get there and now just needs to figure out how to win the darn thing.

5.) Will DC United return to the top? The team from the nation’s capital may be primed to regain their spot atop the MLS thrown. New additions Gonzalo Martinez and Gonzalo Peralta were brought in to sure up a previously spotty defense and designated player Marcelo Gallardo will pull the strings in midfield. It will also be interesting to see if Santino Quaranta can regain some form and live up to his earlier career expectations. Can you believe that he is still just 23 years old?

6.) Blanco: Cuauhtémoc Blanco may just be the only reason to watch the Chicago Fire this season, but catching a glimpse of his vision and passing range is worth the price of admission. When healthy and on-form he is the best attacking midfielder in the league and most likely it’s MVP as well. Just take a glimpse back to the games he featured in last season or the Fire’s first game against Real Salt Lake this year as evidence. A fit and happy Blanco is never a given, but if he is ready to go on a week in, week out basis the Eastern Conference had better take notice.

7.) BMO Field: If you live in the northeast and have the dough to make a trip to Toronto, try to get your hands on a ticket to BMO Field. It wont be easy as Toronto FC has sold 16,000 season tickets for the 2008 season. If you do manage to make it into the stadium you will have the pleasure of experiencing an atmosphere that cannot be found anywhere else in Major League Soccer. The fans are, for lack of a better word, crazy. They sing, they jump, they clap, and they sometimes throw stuff. Good things don’t always come from over-the-top supporters groups, but the league could use a few more like the ones from the great white north.

8.) Rivalries: The most compelling and fierce contests of the season always seem to be rivalry games. Watching the Galaxy play Chivas USA or DC United face off against the Red Bulls is never for the feint of heart. The relationship between Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids can only be described as less than cordial. It is absolutely necessary to have weekly games that mean something in a league where the regular season does not have a significant impact on the title race. Seeing Pablo Mastroeni stuff his shirt down his shorts after a Rocky Mountain Cup win against Salt Lake rather than trade it with an opposing player still stands out in the memories of most fans who follow the league closely.

9.) Welcome back San Jose: After a two-year hiatus the Earthquakes are back in San Jose. They may not be a ton of fun to watch this season, but it’s good to have them back nonetheless. Hopefully they can renew their once hostile rivalry with the Galaxy and maybe drum up some new animosity towards Chivas USA. They have a few very useful players in Joe Cannon, Ronnie O’Brien, Ned Grabavoy and the underrated Joe Vide. Those names do not really jump off the page but in a league of parity they should at least have a shot at the playoffs. It will be very interesting to see what kind of atmosphere the fans create when the Houston Dynamo roll into San Jose for the first time this season.

10.) Supporters Sections: There was a big stink made earlier this season when Toronto FC turned down a request from the Chicago Fire supporter’s group Section 8 for 500 tickets to a match at BMO Field in October. If the league does not step in and resolve this situation in favor of the traveling fans it is going to come off as supremely naïve when it comes to the nature of fan support in soccer. The league is striving to create a better product, and that cannot be achieved without the help of its most loyal fans. The atmosphere in many of the leagues venues throughout the season is less than raucous to say the least. A club with fan support like Toronto should be the best educated when it comes to supporters groups and what they mean to a team. It will be interesting to see how this situation is resolved as more and more fans begin to follow their favorite teams across the country.

11.) Kansas City at a baseball stadium: The Wizards will play their home games for the 2008 and 2009 seasons at Community/America Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas. Not many teams can pull off changing the State that they play in from one season to the next. Arrowhead Stadium, like Giants Stadium in New Jersey, is just too big for the needs of an MLS franchise at this time. Kansas City’s home attendance has regularly been close too, if not the lowest, of any team throughout the league since its inception. Making the move to a minor league baseball park may not seem like the most ideal situation, but it’s the best option for this team as they await a new soccer-specific stadium. Based on their first game with DC United this past weekend the field seems to be in excellent condition, and quirky little ballparks across the country are always a cool attraction.

12.) Real Salt Lake, Columbus, Colorado, Zzz: Kidding, sort of. These teams have all tried to get better during the off-season, but it is very hard to imagine any of them contending when the leaves begin to change and the playoffs roll around. Real Salt Lake still won’t spend any money, the Crew has an awkward roster of young prospects and old vets, and Colorado has more injuries than Britney Spears has prescriptions (too soon?). It would be pleasantly surprising if one or more of these squads can string a few solid results together and make a push for some silverware as the season progresses.

13.) The Championship race: The most compelling story of all has to be who will win MLS Cup 2008. Will the Dynamo make it three in a row? Does New England have enough to finally reach the summit of American professional soccer? Do popular underdog picks like Kansas City or Chivas USA sneak up on the pack and snatch the title away? Will the Galaxy find a way to sort out their JV defense in time to make a run? Apologies to the loyal fans of Houston, New England, Kansas City, Chivas, LA, and the rest of the teams across the league. This is not going to be your year. No need for a drum roll. DC United will be taking home the Cup in Carson on November 23rd. Mark it down because you read it here first.

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