Witnessing a possible MLS Cup preview

Unlike in years past, when parity assured a good handful of teams who could be considered MLS Cup contenders, the 2005 campaign has just three championship-worthy teams heading down the stretch. Defending champion D.C. United has that look of a team capable of running the table, but the two best teams for most of this season have been New England and San Jose.

Their excellent form, coupled with the way both teams have gotten to this point in the year as likely conference champions, makes Saturday's match between the Revs and Earthquakes as good an MLS Cup preview as you can find. On one side stands New England, boasting the league's most potent attack. The other side features the Earthquakes, which feature the league's stingiest defense and best reconstruction project.

Back on June 12 you would have had a hard time selling San Jose/New England as a championship preview. The Revolution was an easy choice, having stood unbeaten (7-0-4) at the time and looking every bit like a team capable of running the table. The offense looked unstoppable, featuring too many weapons to count. Even the Revs defense, which figured to be a serious weakness, had the look of a title winning back three, even if aided by the constant possession of New England?s dynamic midfield.

The Earthquakes were another story altogether. They came into the season as big a question mark as any non-expansion team in the league. Landon Donovan was gone, so was Richard Mulrooney. In their place was a bunch of castoffs that had all shown promise but had never quite reached star status. Brad Davis was on his third team in four years, Danny Califf was tossed away by the Galaxy like a day-old newspaper and Dwayne De Rosario joined the Earthquakes only after a failed attempt to land in Europe. Then there were the former Earthquakes, Ronald Cerritos and Wade Barrett, making their way back to the club. Needless to say, you needed a crystal ball to figure out how the 2005 Earthquakes would do.

Things only got worse in late May, when defenders Troy Dayak and Craig Waibel were lost for the year with knee injuries. Star forward Brian Ching was sidelined with an injured hamstring, which he went on to tear a month later. San Jose started 3-3-6 and looked in danger of writing off 2005 as a lost season.

The magic began to happen for the Quakes once De Rosario, a long-time forward in MLS, made the permanent move to an attacking midfield role. Rather than trying to take defenders on repeatedly, De Rosario learned patience and developed a keen eye for dropping quality passes and making well timed runs from midfield. His tireless work rate and skill on the ball helped fill the void left by the departure of Donovan and Mulrooney. With a rejuvenated Davis and trade acquisition Mark Chung manning the wings, the Earthquakes quickly evolved into a team that was much more than a defensively sound bunch.

And what about that defense? When San Jose lost two starters off of an already-shaky backline, the eulogies were already being written even though it was just may. Kelly Gray, another mid-season acquisition, settled in at right back while Califf and Eddie Robinson formed a stingy and physical central defense tandem. Add Barrett, who is the unit's leader from the left-back spot, and you have a revamped Earthquakes defense that could help win the club's third title.

So does this patchwork bunch really have what it takes to win a title? Of course it does. Ching has come back from hamstring surgery and gives the team a marquee striker to go with Ronald Cerritos and Alejandro Moreno. The midfield crew of DeRosario, Clark, Chung, Davis and Mullan is as deep as you?ll find outside of New England. Toss in Pat Onstad, arguably the best goalkeeper in MLS and you have a team that could win MLS Cup despite the departure of Landon Donovan. San Jose is also unbeaten at home and has already clinched home field for the Western Conference championship.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of San Jose's campaign is that the team has succeeded despite its uncertain future in California. Anschutz Entertainment Group is looking to sell the Earthquakes and the inability to secure a favorable stadium deal in the San Jose area has limited the chances that an owner will keep the Earthquakes in San Jose, much less keep the franchise name. The uncertainty probably keeps the Earthquakes' long-time fans awake at night but it hasn't stopped San Jose from putting together the type of season that might make moving the team that much more difficult.

New England's road to MLS Cup in Dallas is quite a bit tougher than San Jose's. The Revs hot start and impressive form all season has done nothing to change the fact that they still play in the loaded Eastern Conference, where they could very easily be knocked off by whichever team secures the No. 4 seed out of Chicago, Kansas City and the MetroStars.

Unlike the Earthquakes, who have been gathering momentum in the past few months, the Revs have struggled at times to maintain their dominant form and have shown some chinks in their armor. Namely the suspect ability of a back-line that can be beaten if placed under pressure. The only problem with pressuring the Revs defense is having an attack dynamic enough to beat New England in the midfield, and disciplined enough not to get torched on the counterattack.

D.C. United is best equipped for dealing with New England's Fab Five of Taylor Twellman, Pat Noonan, Clint Dempsey, Steve Ralston and Shalrie Joseph, but the Revs made perhaps the shrewdest roster moves of the late season by adding Daniel Hernandez and Ricardo Phillips. Hernandez gives the Revs toughness in midfield that will come in handy against a D.C. squad that loves beating up opponents both mentally and physically. Phillips has yet to make an impact but his dynamic play in the Gold Cup for Panama reveals the type of offensive threat he can be. Phillips gives the Revs a better attack option off the bench than Jose Cancela and provides cover in case one of the team's stars goes down with an injury.

As unconventional as the construction of the 2005 Earthquakes was, the building of this year's Revolution is a study in masterful drafting. Twellman, Joseph, Noonan and Dempsey were all draft picks in the past four seasons, giving the Revs a success rate never before seen in MLS. The result is not only a talent-laden roster, but also one devoid of inflated salaries, at least for now.

When the time comes for New England to pay the piper for being so good at drafting talented players, someone will have to go. Will it be Twellman, who surely itching to return to Europe after a failed first stint in Germany, or will it be Joseph, arguably the most valuable player on the Revs this year but one who might be deemed expendable if Hernandez can be a solid defensive midfielder at a smaller salary than Joseph's.

If we have learned anything about MLS, it is that keeping such a talented group for more than a handful of years is all but impossible. Twellman, Dempsey and Noonan are all surely going to try and have their relatively modest salaries doubled this off-season. The first D.C. dynasty found this out the hard way while international transfers dismantled Chicago's championship team before salaries became a real issue.

The inevitable salary budget problems simply mean that the talent-filled Revolution has about two seasons to make the most of its mind-blowing collection of offensive talent. That knowledge should help create the type of urgency the Revs can ride to another successful run through the playoffs.

In an MLS season when so many teams have failed to meet expectations, the Revs and Earthquakes have helped set a high and consistent standard. When they meet Saturday at Gillette Stadium, the match will be more than an MLS Cup preview, it will be a showcase of what can happen when a team does things the right way for a few years, and also what can happen when a team keeps things together even when a season appears to be going down the drain.

Game Previews

Desperate times call for desperate measures and after failing yet again to make up ground in my selection record, it is time to bring out the heavy artillery. Midweek games have been off the prediction slate all season, in part because you never know how weekend games would affect the midweek slate.

This week's picks will be different. Wednesday's schedule of four matches was too tempting to overlook and being seven games under .500 can make you do desperate things. Hey, if teams like the Galaxy and Rapids can pick on the expansion teams multiple times, why can't I?

D.C. United at MetroStars

The Metros, unbeaten in their last 11 at home, are desperate for three points while D.C. is still smarting from its Copa Sudamericana exit. This series has been a brutal one in recent years and now that playmakers Amado Guevara and Christian Gomez are suspended, this game could get downright ugly. The Metros will win the midfield battle and inch closer to a playoff spot. MetroStars 2, D.C. United 1.

San Jose Earthquakes at New England Revolution

The Supporters Shield is on the line as the Conference leaders square off in a rematch of the season opening tie played at Spartan Stadium. The Revs love to spread opponents out and run them to death, something the Earthquakes don't deal with much at home. Expect a wide-open affair similar to the Revs-MetroStars contest two weeks ago. Nine goals might be too much to ask, but this should be an exciting match that will make impartial fans pray for these teams to meet again in MLS Cup X. Revolution 2, Earthquakes 2.

Chivas USA at Columbus Crew

While Gillette Stadium will feature an MLS Cup preview, Crew Stadium will feature a horror show four weeks before Halloween. To be fair, Columbus has been solid in the past month, going 4-1-2 in its past seven matches. Edson Buddle is back and looks ready to make a late season surge. Chivas USA players just look ready to go home for the winter. Crew 2, Chivas USA 0

Chicago Fire at Kansas City Wizards

Talk about feeling the heat. Both these teams know that a loss, coupled with a MetroStars win, would put them squarely in danger of missing the playoffs. The edge goes to the Wizards, who boast a stronger midfield and home-field advantage. The speed of Josh Wolff and Davy Arnaud will prove too much for the struggling Fire to contend with. Wizards 2, Fire 0.

Real Salt Lake at Colorado Rapids

The Rapids are five points behind the Galaxy for third place in the West with two games in hand. Expect them to dispose of the expansion club with ease. The only real question left for Salt Lake is whether Clint Mathis will ever wear their uniform again. Rapids 3, Real Salt Lake 0

FC Dallas at Los Angeles Galaxy

The Galaxy will look to ride the momentum of winning the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday but standing in the way is FC Dallas, which was on the losing end of that cup triumph. The Hoops are without Eddie Johnson and could be without injured stars Carlos Ruiz and Ronnie O?Brien. Without that trio, FC Dallas will struggle to generate much of an offense. Steve Sampson's squad wins another and moves him one step closer to returning in 2006, much to the chagrin of scores of Galaxy fans. Galaxy 2, FC Dallas 0

Wednesday's Games

Columbus Crew at FC Dallas

Crew continues late charge as Dallas continues to fight injuries. Crew 1, FC Dallas 0

MetroStars at Chicago Fire

Metros continue success against Fire with win that moves them past Chicago in the East standings. MetroStars 3, Fire 1

Chivas USA at Colorado Rapids

All these games against expansion teams could seriously affect the Rapids form once they start playing real competition. That said, they still cruise past the Goats. Rapids 3, Chivas USA 0.

D.C. United at Real Salt Lake

If D.C. officials have a heart they will make sure Freddy Adu starts so that the fans who do show up in Salt Lake City for this game can at least have something to look forward to. D.C. wins and locks up the No. 2 seed in the East. D.C. 2, Real Salt Lake 0

Last week: 2-3 Overall: 59-66

Ives Galarcep covers MLS for ESPN.com and is also a writer and columnist for the Herald News (N.J.). He can be reached at Ivespn79@aol.com.