Cardiac Contests

Although this weekend will test the blood pressure levels of all RSL fans as we sweat out the Houston-Colorado match on Saturday and then see if our boys can pull off the win on Sunday I figured that I would shine some perspective on the subject.

Any RSL supporter will tell you that our team is like a good crock pot. The end result is usually delightful, but it will take a bit of time to get there. For one reason or another the guys take their time at getting going. But when they're going they are oh so good. Of the the 44 goals the team has scored this season 33 have been tallied in the second half.

The season as a whole is also another indicator of the progressive improvement in the team. If you were to separate the schedule into two halves - making the first 16 games up to July 8 in the first half and the remaining 17 as the second - RSL's results are just like a game. Seven of our 10 wins came since the half, while 9 of the 13 losses were during the opening period. Ironically, ties are split right down the middle at 4 a piece.

Forgetting about the fact that we're completely dependent on whether the Dynamo care enough to win this Saturday, RSL's task of going into Victoria Street and beating Chivas at their place is no minor feat.

Even with the good late season form, RSL hasn't won on the road since August 16 against the Crew. Not to mention that we have yet to defeat the Goats this year. After having three buckets off bitterly cold ice dumped on our season opening optimism the last time we played Chivas outside of Rice-Eccles Salt Lake have managed to draw the two times they were on the turf. Although that second one felt like a loss.

The rest of the season all boils down to Sunday. If the motivation of "keeping good form" is enough for the Dynamo to beat the Rapids than I'm optimistic about our chances against the Goats. But, isn't that the same motivation teams have to play well through the early part of the season?