Getty Images I’m in the writing business, not the prognostication business. Heck, if I were better at predicting winners and losers in sports, I could probably make a little scratch on the side – and give up my night job as towel boy at the local tub club. (It ain’t pretty, believe me.)
That said, sometimes the writing business and prediction business do cross streams, which is always dangerous, as we know. It’s especially dangerous when it comes to Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference this year. It’s Sporting Kansas City’s title to lose; after that, it’s a big ol’ nine-team grab bag. It’s wide, wide open.
Anybody who says they know what’s going to happen in the 2012 version of MLS Eastern Promises is probably fibbing a bit. Fact is, they’re just guessing. Just like I did when I put together my Eastern Conference preview for SI.com. They are educated guesses, but guesses just the same. I noticed that one of the best in the business, Goal.com’s Kyle McCarthy, likes New York and Columbus just a little more than I do. Here’s Kyle’s complete, comprehensive Eastern Conference preview.
My worries about New York have everything to do with some untested pup standing between the pipes and a back line that may yet be very good – but it’s newly assembled and still needs to prove that to me. Bottom line … well, here’s what I said in my own Eastern preview:
It’s really hard to say which way things might go around Red Bull Arena. So much depends on chemistry (i.e. Marquez) and the health of a certain Frenchman (Henry). He’s 34, and those bothersome heel issues probably aren’t in for a drastic improvement. If Henry falls in form or misses time due to injury, a dandy offense suddenly looks more mortal.
I like Houston for second, but Dominic Kinnear’s crew must dodge the slow starts that have afflicted Orange versions past. The Dynamo did manage a pretty good start last year (3-1-3 in March and April), but they’ll be stretched this year with seven on the road to get going. (BBVA Compass stadium, just outside downtown Houston, opens May 12.)
The rest of my guesses picks went like this:
- 1. Sporting Kansas City
- 2. Houston Dynamo
- 3. Chicago Fire
- 4. New York Red Bulls
- 5. D.C. United
- 6. Philadelphia Union
- 7. Toronto FC
- 8. Columbus Crew
- 9. New England Revolution
- 10. Montreal Impact
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- Abram Chamberlain - Mar 6, 2012 at 2:18 PM
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People are really sleeping on Houston. If they can pick 7-10 points in their first 7 games, I’d say the East is theirs to lose. Plus the loss of Omar Bravo is going to be a bigger loss to SKC than people think.
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- Ian Thomson - Mar 6, 2012 at 5:13 PM
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SKC could well top the East, but it’s hardly their title to lose. They topped the Eastern Conference by two points from Houston last year and the Dynamo gave a blueprint for how to combat KC’s attack in the Conference Final. Other teams will be wiser to them also.
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- TheIndirectKick.com - Mar 7, 2012 at 11:08 AM
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MLS East is a crapshoot.
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- ndnut - Mar 16, 2012 at 7:42 PM
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I would LMAO if Montreal wins it! I’m a sounders fan, so I’ll watch the east closely (especially since KC is the closest team to my town and their president went to my high school.)
