In the second leg of the Concacaf Champions League Finals with an aggregate score of 2-2, Real Salt Lake hosts Monterrey tonight to decide the greatest team in North and Central America.
Do you care? Should you?
I've been back and forth on this for months. On one hand, I recognize that having an American team win the CCL and move on to represent the region in the Club World Cup will do very little to increase TV ratings for MLS matches or overall awareness of our product. And as a DC United fan, I appreciate the fact that United is one of only two American teams in history to claim this title, or its equivalent. Some have written this off as jealousy, and that's not without merit. Although I should clarify that I'm not jealous of RSL's accomplishments or talent. I'm just jealous that soccer-watching population of this country are actually paying attention to RSL, getting behind them, and failing to recognize that this isn't the first time an MLS team has done this well internationally.
On the other hand though, I think I'll find myself rooting for RSL because I would root for any American team over any Mexican team in any event ever.
Yo, America is taking on Mexico in a scrapbooking competition? USA! USA!
I understand indifference. I understand conflicted feelings. But I don't understand rooting for Mexico over the U.S.
I've finally settled on rooting for Real Salt Lake for another reason though. Because of the dozens of MLS players on Twitter who have shared their hopes and well wishes for an RSL victory. If Chris Pontius is rooting for RSL, then I am too.
So RU4RSL? Let us know, and then feel free to share any pre-game, in-game, and post-game discussions in the comments section.