Being A Fan Of Major League Soccer

As a follow up to last night's piece on being a DC United fan, I write this story though not as just a fan of D.C., but as a fan of Major League Soccer. As a D.C. fan who gave up on his team's playoff hopes months ago, I've truly enjoyed watching the 2010 MLS season. The storylines have been brilliant. You've got Real Salt Lake and the Columbus Crew, two successful trophy-winning teams who haven't changed their roster strategies, competing against the newly established "Superclubs" in L.A., New York, Seattle, and Chicago. And then you've got the upstart FC Dallas, perennial losers who have lost only two games all year.

I'm pumped for Friday night. The league's website is billing it as the Game Of The Season and I hope it is. I don't have a horse in this race. United isn't competing with the Los Angeles Galaxy or New York Red Bulls for playoff position. So maybe my newfound impartiaility and love of the league is clouding my judgment, but I was totally fine with MLS seemingly conspiring to ensure that Thierry Henry is available for action. While our pal RSL Soapbox predictably led the charge against the league, and Once A Metro sarcastically and wittily took the other side, I'm with MLS. I want to see Henry versus David Beckham and Landon Donovan, and I don't care the cost.

Well Henry's not playing, but not because he's suspended. But I'll still be watching.

United's year may be over. The MLS season isn't.