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The Prognosticators                    
by Viking

It's prediction week in MLS, and the fans are out in force predicting disaster for their longtime foes, while hope springs eternal for the home side. This year in MLS all predictions are highly speculative, because so many changes have been introduced to the league itself, never mind the squads.  Predicting results in a league that reinvented itself in the off-season is a lesson in futility.

The new schedule format takes the Burn to the cleaners, and leaves others vastly better off . The Burn play half their schedule against teams that either a) won the MLS Cup, b) played in an MLS Cup, or c) made the playoffs every year of their existence. Meanwhile, the E-quakes and the Wiz-ards are in the ideal situation: They have coaches that took over a flagging team during ‘99, finished with some respect, cleaned house, and got a major talent upgrade on the break. Coupled with a schedule full of "not Dallas not Chicago not DC," they can rack up points if things work out. MetroStars and New England are in similar position, though neither coach has been on the touch line yet.

It's impossible to guess where each team will finish in points. Ties will now stand after 90 plus ten, which means teams will play to tie when away, play to win when at home or in need of points. This factor mitigates the schedule changes for Chicago, Dallas, and Columbus, who now can hold steady in the standings, if they can manage a few ties to their credit. All in all, I have my fingers crossed for the MLS, that the combination of ties, new players, and new schedules, will work together for a great year.

Where the Burn will spend their time in the league this year is very open to question. I am not objective about it, so
I won't lie to you with some falsely objective prediction. I want the Burn to own the MLS Cup from wire to wire, and to Kansas with everyone else. I think they can stay in the top four, I am confident they can stay in the top six. It may or may not get Burn home field advantage, but they have a chance.

Just last week I said that, the talent being what it is, Burn is top four. With some younger players likely to get more time on the field, they may drop a bit before they hit their stride. More younger players on the field means it will be longer before they find rhythm in motion. Half the games will depend on Jason Kreis, the other half will depend on his supporting cast.  Jason doesn't have to score another 15-15 year, but he must prove that he cannot be marked out of a game, he is a menace to score on par with Graziani, and that he can find a way to win, either by scoring himself or play-making that just won't quit. That play-making will also depend on the youth. If Daniv, Rhine, Broome, Martinez,
and Alavanja are not ready to take the league by storm,  it's going to be an educational year.