Something that I hadn’t heard in a long while about the next World Cup, FIFA president Sepp Blatter is entertaining the idea of moving the World Cup to the US in 2010 if South Africa isn’t ready. He didn’t say the African host was going to be unable to host or be ready for the Cup in time but he did mention that there are a few countries like the US who could be ready at a moments notice.

I had heard in the past when FIFA granted South Africa the Cup for 2010 that the US would be a leading candidate to host the Cup if they weren’t ready in time.

The question at hand are now, does the US rather host this Cup or be blessed with the Cup down the road in 2018 like we all assume we can be? Believe me, as much as I would love to see the Cup back here in three years, I kind of want to be granted a host site without it being placed on us because a country cannot live up to their end of the deal for hosting. Next question on my mind, is FIFA using this as a scapegoat so they can put a Cup back on European soil in 2018? There had been talks that the US would have trouble getting the Cup in 2018 because FIFA is possibly doing away with the current rotation system.

What do you all think? 2010? 2018? Hell for fun…2014? Which one works best for the US?

After another weekend of play I am beginning to be as lost as the entire western portion of the league. Only one western team won a game this weekend (but it was against another western team) and there are three eastern teams that have yet to lose a game.
Three eastern teams that have yet to lose a game! Am I dreaming here? Columbus has six points after three draws and a win; Chicago and New York are deadlocked with three wins and a draw tallying 10 points; and no western team has won more than two games.

Paging every team in the west…hello? Anybody…Dallas?…Houston? San Jose…wait…crap…hello?
I really have no idea what to think of this season at this point. Just when you expect a team to do well (DC, Houston) they prove you wrong and play horribly against a team they should beat; and when you expect a team to bomb and they aren’t named Toronto they play really well and even have yet to be scored on (NY).

I like this season though. Its young, full of energy, and it has kept me guessing after each game about how things will ultimately shape up. At this point I don’t know what to really expect out of this league. I think I do but I don’t. The balance is remarkable at this point. Even the teams that haven’t won games or played well are competitive to the point that they should have a point or five in the standings.

Also, I enjoy the fact that there are so many questions still left to be answered. Too often in this league have questions been answered far too early on in a season that they rest of the season drags on. I don’t see that happening this year as you begin to wonder even more as time goes on.

Will New York ever give up a goal? What is going on with DC’s defense? Just how bad is Real Salt Lake? How long will BMO Field be that awesome? Can Chicago and LA really last until their DPs arrive this summer? When will Eric Wynalda get drunk with an online writer again?

So many questions and so far, so few answers. Soccer really is a beautiful game. Its confusing, but so damn beautiful.

Just got done watching Houston and Chicago. Not gonna lie, it was a total bore of a game. Houston had chances and couldn’t deliver, while Chicago made the most of what they got, which wasn’t a whole heck of a lot.

Just a few thoughts I gathered from this real quick…

- DeRo is still no where to be seen on the pitch really. A few chances but blew the free kick late in the game. He should have just taken the shot himself and not had the ball played to him from Clark. Horrible set piece, bad way to end a game too. He isn’t playing up to the standards that we are used to seeing out of him. If he wants a better contract then he needs to start playing like he deserves one. There must be more going on behind close doors in Houston than most of us will ever know right now with DeRo.

- Nice goal by Chris Rolfe. This is the kind of stuff we expected out of him and so far I have to say this season he is bringing it. You really get curious now when you think of what he will be like once he is playing along side Blanco later on this summer. Same goes for the rest of the team on that note.

- Houston had plenty of chances, and I do mean plenty. But at some point the ball has to get in the back of the net. Maybe they should have looked to make some moves to help out Ching in this off season. He is getting no help in my eyes up top for the Dynamo.

- Chicago got three points and a solid road win. I will give them that. But they honestly, didn’t out play Houston today. But sometimes that is what it takes. You need some luck and I believe the Fire got that this evening. Three points is three points and they stay on par with the Red Bulls right now.

- The best two teams in the league point wise (Chicago and New York) were my bottom two teams before the season…ouch.

I was going to have a real post tonight about this weekend but I have too many random thoughts that just need to be put out there about this past weekend. I do understand there are still some games to be played this weekend and even tomorrow night in the Mormon country, so not everything will be answered just yet. I do hope to get some running commentary later on during the Houston-Chicago game.

• First off, I will repeat again, I want ESPN and the MLS to look and listen to the Canadian announcers from Toronto. Their analysis of the game yesterday was a pure joy to listen to. My favorite quote from the afternoon was about Marvell Wynne. The lead announcer said something along the lines of “Marvell Wynne….love that name, either he is Marvelous or he is a winner…” Hearing just the thing made me wish ESPN would have new announcers even more.
• Toronto will begin competing more so now that people are getting healthy and the fact that they will be home at BMO Field for a few games. I believe their next three are at home. Expect some goals and some points from this side in the near future.
• KC was lucky to get those three points yesterday and they know it. After the game ended they all huddled up like they got out of the game alive and with three points. That could help lift this side. Though, if they lose Carlos Marinelli for anytime things could be a iffy. I still don’t see the playoffs in this team’s future just yet.

• What is up with DC? I only caught the first half of the game last night but that was enough to talk about it really. Columbus got up for a game that I felt DC had to win at this point. They are now 10 points behind the Red Bulls for top dog in the east. I know it is early but coming back from 10 points down in the standings at any point can be difficult.
• Columbus on the other hand learns to win a game for a chance. I have to say the more I watch that team the more I enjoy their play. They just know how to frustrate the ever living crap out of anyone out there. Most people like me say if they just get some offense then they will be tough to beat. That is still the case as they shut out arguable the best offensive team in the league in DC.
• I think for DC they need some change in the lineup. They made some changes in defense but obviously the midfield isn’t doing their part. Supporter’s Shield Jinx maybe? You decide.

• LA downs Chivas and boy was I wrong. LandyCakes got going and showed the Goats the door last night.
• Can FSC get a better broadcaster themselves? Seriously, I hate hearing games that are done on there because whoever the guy is that is doing the play-by-play is horrible. Like Rob Stone horrible. Like Rob Stone getting off to a Landon Donovan goal horrible. Its not pleasant to listen to or see. I understand being enthusiastic about calling a game, I know that, but there has to come a point when you can’t be that annoying in calling a game. No wonder Americans have trouble watching soccer on TV, the quality of announcers is horrible here.
• Chivas was looking down without some players like Kljestan last night. Showed no focus or energy out there.

• FC Dallas needs a day off or a week rather. This two games in four days sucks if you ask me.
• New England looked a bit better than in their previous contest with the Crew.
• Sad showing attendance wise in Frisco today. Not even cracking the 10K mark. I believe this is the third game this season with sub 10K games and the others were because of weather. Today was very nice there. I guess everyone was at the Byron Nelson or getting ready for the Mavs game.

• Is it me or is the west really not as good as we thought this year or is it that the east is playing beyond expectations? What is it?
• Can anyone really believe that NY hasn’t been scored on yet in four games? That is a long time, believe me, you go on that kind of streak and you have something special there.
• I have to say though, I get annoyed and bored watching the Red Bulls. Yes, they are the best thing going in the league right now but there is still something lacking for me. Maybe I am waiting to see Angel play for them but its like they bore their opponents to sleep and then find odd ways to score and attack. I don’t know, maybe I am the only one that sees it that way.

• I hope to see more out of the Dynamo tonight. More importantly, more out of Dewayne De Rosario.
• Can Chad Barrett continue his hot streak? I’m not counting on it.

Still loads of balance in this league. We get more reasons to say that later tonight and possibly tomorrow.

Just after two minutes of watching the latest installment of Toronto and Kansas City, I have to say that the new stadium up there in Toronto is absolutely perfect for the team and the league.

I absolutely love the environment at this place, its packed, there is excitement and it just looks awesome to me. Very European feel to it, something the league hasn’t seen before. Just wait for this place to blow up when the Red Leafs score. The crowd there is great as well, very into the game and really behind their side. Even as bad as this club is you have to think they will be this excited all season long by just watching them in this game. It’s great.

Also, this broadcasting group from Canada is a joy to listen to. They know the game and call it very well. I wish the league and more importantly ESPN would get people like this to call the MLS games. The lead announcer and his color commentator just seem so comfortable together, again, something that the ESPN crews are not.

A goal for Toronto will come, you can just feel it. We will have to wait until the second half though. Kansas City looks like a rattled team, they need halftime more than anything. Losing Carlos Marinelli hurt and you could easily see that late in the half. And I got to say, I love the play out of Danny Dichio, very physical player and he really didn’t deserve that yellow against Hartman. That was a fair challenge, anytime a keeper leaves the box he is fair game in my book.

KC pulls forward with a EJ goal in the 80th minute. The life was sucked out of BMO Field, but let’s face it, the Red Leafs got tired as the game wore on. Still its been a joy to watch today. I saw a lot of the team that I expected I would see in the pre-season here today. Lots of promising stuff if you ask me.

Disappointing result for Toronto, couldn’t get the draw but even more disappointing today was the officiating. I felt too many poor decisions by the ref lead to the result. I am not saying he gave KC the goal or anything like that but it would have been much different if there hadn’t been so many poor calls. The last corner of the game is a clear indication of this, I didn’t see a foul by either team, yet something was called. You have to let things play out in the box, especially in the final seconds of the game. Poor decision there by the center ref.

So recapping, TFC downed by KC once again, this time around only 1-0. BMO Field will be a fortress to play in down the road. I love the energy from start to finish there. Highly enjoyed this contest today.

More on the rest of the day’s contests later on….

Caught this earlier in the day and felt it needed a mention. It’s an online petition to urging Jorge Vergara and Antonio Cue, the Chivas USA owners to rename the club to something more local. Apparently according to this site, they have gotten plenty of signatures.

Now I will admit, when this club first started and became an expansion squad a couple seasons ago I did not like the name. That is why I typically try and stick with calling them the Goats or something other than their actual full name “CD Chivas USA”. I can fully understand why people want this change. Its a poor attempt at branding a Mexican team to the American sports culture. Most people usually end up leaving of the CD or the USA in their name because of it.

Now if this club was playing as bad as RSL or still on par with that dreadful expansion season, then it would be easy to really get some steam behind this. However, getting people like Vergara to go through a change may be tough, he might have to sell the team to local owners for something to get done.

As much fun as it would be to see this team named something a little more local like CD Los Angeles or something along that lines, it just won’t happen anytime soon, no matter how many names sign a petition. There are just too many issues with this type of change if you ask me. You alienate too many people who already support the Chivas culture for one. For now I have no problem sticking with Chivas and calling them the Goats every time out.

Changing team names in sports is much easier said than done. It cost millions really to do. It works sometimes but not all the time really.

But to those who are trying, I do commend you for it.

Dallas dropped a home game to New York last night. I have to say, the more I see New York the more impressed I get with them. They held their own on the road and got a much needed three points. Go ahead and rate them number one for next week’s power rankings.

I figured a draw in that game and almost got it though. Another 20 and Dallas would have gotten a draw against a very strong side.

But now it is on to the weekend games. Plenty, and I do mean plenty of action. I will go ahead and throw in next Monday’s game since that is possibly being looped into this weekend’s action (plus it will save me time for the weekend to enjoy the games).

Saturday’s games:

Kansas City Wizards at Toronto FC: I enjoyed their contest the other night, now throw in a sellout to debute MLS to Canada and we could see an even better contest. Toronto will also debute froward Danny Dichio, so some offense could come (finally) from the Red Leafs. I said before I believe Toronto would escape this week with at least one point from KC. I still believe that. Toronto will finally find the back of the net as well. WVH Prediction: KC 1, Toronto 1

DC United at Columbus Crew: DC is in a rear 10 point whole to start the season. I almost feel that they were docked points or something at the beginning of the season. This team is still too good of a team to be 10 points out of first. They should get their first points this weekend. As for Columbus, they do have the defense to frustrate DC’s attack and if they can get anything positive out of newcomer and legend Schelotto, then it could be an interesting contest. We will know more answers of DC after this game I believe. WVH Prediction: DC 2, Columbus 1

CD Chivas USA at LA Galaxy: LA is another team that is in need of points in a hurry. Only a six point whole behind west leader Dallas (though Dallas has played plenty more). Many answers will come from the Goats this weekend. Is the midfield good enough to beat a good team. Remember they had their way with two of the league’s worst in RSL and TFC. Though with their performance against Houston, it makes me believe they can beat a team like LA who is having their ups and downs already in this young season. It will be spirited and very hard fought. I do hope to see LandyCakes come alive in this one though. LA needs his play to be stellar right now. If not, I am taking the Goats. WVH Prediction: Chivas 2, Galaxy 1

Sunday’s matches:

New England Revolution at FC Dallas: Can the Hoops respond after getting beat last night to New York? Yes. At this point NY is a much better side than the Revs. New England gave up points last time to Columbus and they cannot do the same on the road with Dallas. I expect some tired legs from the Hoops but they should be able to get some magic from Ruiz and Cooper. Keep an eye out for Twellman though, he always has a nack for scoring against the Hoops. Be safe, go for the draw here. WVH Prediction: FCD 2, NE 2

Chicago Fire at Houston Dynamo: Could easily be the best matchup of the weekend. Houston needs to get hungry and create some offense and get Brain Ching going. Some are tabbing Chad Barrett of the Fire as a darkhorse Golden Boot Winner, I don’t buy it. Things will fizzle out and this will be a very defensive game. Clark returns for the Dynamo from what I am hearing. Should help spark the Dynamo. I hope to see DeRo more involved in this one and even create some offense. I like the Dynamo in a close one. WVH Prediction: Houston 1, Chicago 0

Monday’s contest:

Colorado Rapids at Real Salt Lake: I expect a tough contest. Will Colorado bounce back from their defeat at Dallas? Yes, because let’s face it, RSL sucks something awful this season. John Ellinger will soon be fired. I see a load of goals in this one from both sides. Cunningham and Adu along with a couple from Gomez and Brown. WVH Prediction: Colorado 3, RSL 2