Why? Just because we DESTROYED the team with the best record in the east? Because we're above .500 for the first time ever? Because Sutton hasn't let in a goal in 200 minutes? because the singing at BMO is feeling co-ordinatated for the first time in ages? Because Laurent Robert is the greatest wheelchair athlete in the world? Because Guevara is FUCKING AWESOME?

Yes, I'd say my head is close to exploding. It was almost a perfect day. Except for the Scotch egg from Pizza Pizza. That was a tad on the ugly side.

Except that it's really weird to go from cheering from the worst team in the league to cheering a powerhouse team in less than a month. Emotionally, I've not quite adjusted. I enjoyed wallowing in our crapitude. I enjoy this too, but it's different.

Still, WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Qu'est ce que vous chantez?
Nous chantons les rouges allez!
La la la la la la la, etc.

From the replays it looked like Toronto had some pretty comical finishing early on and then got very lucky to get that first goal, but the second goal was spectacular.

DC might be getting their act together. They looked pretty good in the second half tonight. Their first two goals were both on penalty kicks but the second two were a great strike by Quaranta and then a class one-timer by Gulardo.

From the stands, the two penalties looked dubious, but I watched the replay of the game on tv tonight and saw it differently. The first one was a clear hand-ball by Kovalenko, in fact it was so clear that I can't believe I didn't see it at all at the game.

The second one was a shirt pull situation at the edge of the box, but apparently, MLS has instructed refs to call PKs when the foul starts outside the box and carries into the box. Maybe that's a FIFA thing, I'm not sure. Still, if I were the ref, I probably would have put that outside the box.

Aside from the first 15 minutes or so, and another stupid goal against, I thought we were excellent. Gallardo was class throughout, and we've discovered how to prevent Peralta from fucking up: never let the other team have the ball. On the downside, as good as Santino was, his crossing was abysmal.

Seems like it was a good day for all of OTF's MLS supporters. Toronto, Chicago, DC, and LA all won. And NE won on Thursday.

That was an ace goal from Gallardo. Even knowing he scored, I still didn't think he'd get it from that angle on the replay.

And just how many goals is Abel Xavier going to give up this year?

Xavier looked worse in the backline than I did playing in my 7v7 game last Tuesday night, and that's saying something. Still, when you score five, it's easy to overlook that. There aren't many times they're going to be able to score three unanswered goals after conceding a tying goal, though, and I hope the Gs realize that. That was just about the closest 5-2 game I've ever seen (or watched the highlights of). Here's an idea--let's play a backline without Vanney OR Xavier. True, the comedic value will plummet, but there are some upsides.

Yeah, after watching the highlights (recommended, by the way--some really nice goals) I thought to myself that Xavier is probably the worst starter in MLS. I also thought to myself that the people who denied Brad Guzan a work permit did Aston Villa a huge favor.

Landon Donovan has 8 goals already, if anyone hasn't noticed.

Guzan's an odd one. Remember, he was never supposed to have started for Chivas, but only did because of Zuniga's injuries in the first season of the club. That first year, I felt sorry for him. He had a horrible defense in front of him, and you could tell that he would be alright with another team. He really grew and gained in confidence the last few seasons. But he can still have some really bad games.

Now my head is going to explode.

Or possibly my estimation of Galarcep's acuity is set to drop. Not sure yet.

(b)

Andrea and Luis at Sideline Views have Toronto 7th and 8th, respectively.

BTW, I can't make next week's DC-Chicago fixture. I just realized that I'm supposed to be in Boston while that's going on.

Any thoughts on why the East looks so much stronger than the West this year? Early season aberration, or a trend? And if it ends this way, will it lead to more calls to scrap the conference system?

Gordon Bradley has died. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=530345&cc=5901

He always seemed like a decent person, and was rather shabbily treated by Ross and the Erteguns when they decided he "wasn't big enough" for the Cosmos.

RIP.

That was 2 hours of my life I'm never getting back. God NY-TFC was crap.

ETA: The Open Cup (qualifiers) kicked off yesterday, not that anyone could have noticed except the impossibly geeky like me. RSL 4-0 San Jose, with a second half snowstorm and 2 Quakes defenders clashing heads and getting taken to hospital to boot. RSL gets to go play another knockout at Columbus May 27.

It was a bit shit on the field, but that was the best time I've had in the stands for ages. The night start and the freezing rain did wonders for the atmosphere. We all stood for pretty much the whole second half and the singing was aces. My throat still hurts, actually.

Oh Toronto
I'm going crazy, oh yes it's true
Something has come over me I don't know what to do!
My life is not worth living if I cannot sing for you!