10 Reasons Why Everyone – Even Euro-Snobs – Should Watch MLS Cup 2009

By: Daryl | November 20th, 2009

I asked for a Beckham vs Blanco, LA Galaxy vs Chicago Fire MLS Cup 2009. But my request was denied when Real Salt Lake beat Fire on spot kicks in the Eastern Conference Final.

Still, as MLS-based attention grabbing events go, an LA Galaxy vs Real Salt Lake MLS Cup 2009 is up there. I’ll definitely be watching. Below are 10 reasons why you should too.

1. It’s David Beckham in a final. Old Goldenballs’ MLS season started late and started badly, when he arrived from Milan with teammates questioning his commitment via a certain book and fans questioning his commitment via the medium of booing. Both of which may have motivated Beckham to put in easily the most committed and concentrated MLS season we’ve seen from him.

2. Which is good for MLS. Because this whole Designated Player business was starting to look a bit shaky. With Galaxy reaching MLS Cup with the DP (it’s called the Beckham Rule after all) signing a big name DP suddenly doesn’t seem so silly.

3. But this final isn’t all about D-Beck. It’s also about Bruce Arena and LA Galaxy as a whole. The initial findings of the Beckham Experiment seemed to be that it’s impossible to build a proper team if you splash all your cash on one or two big names. Turns out that’s only true if you don’t have a proper coach. Bruce Arena has stepped up and done some very very smart things to this LA squad. Like adding veteran Gregg Berhalter and rookie (now Rookie of the Year) Omar Gonzalez to what was a laughably porous defence. The Abel Xavier days are long gone.

4. Last look at Landon Donovan? Arena has also motivated Landon Donovan to have maybe the best MLS season of his career, which was recognized by Donovan (finally) being named MLS MVP for 2009. Personally, I’m through making cheap jokes about Donovan. He’s an excellent footballer who’s been unlucky not to establish himself in Europe, but will more than likely do so in January 2010. I suspect MLS Cup 2009 may be the last we see of LD in MLS for a while.

5. Underdog story. MLS Cup 2009 isn’t all about LA Galaxy either. In the world of MLS parity, Real Salt Lake are true underdogs here. None of the glamour of LA but what seems like an excellent team ethic forged by an excellent young coach in Jason Kreis. RSL were the eighth and last team into the playoffs. So MLS Cup 2009 is the very thing I wish MLS had more of: a David vs Goliath game. Except in this case David plays for Goliath.

6. Someone will confuse Beckham with Beckerman. Similar names, similarly strange hairstyles. Someone somewhere will get these two mixed up. Make sure you’re there to correct them and feel smug about it.

7. Signage on the Space Needle. The city of Seattle is going all out with this hosting business and giving this game a sense of occasion. Right now the Space Needle has MLS Cup, LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake logos on it. Not too shabby. Should be a big crowd at Qwest Field too.

8. MLS can’t lose. If Galaxy and Beckham lift MLS Cup, then it’s a great story and goes some way to legitimizing the whole Beckham thing. If RSL wins then it’s a great underdog story. Either way, MLS wins.

9. Grant Wahl’s book may become obsolete. Make no mistake, that book was huge this year. It probably even played a part in getting Galaxy to the final here. But if Beckham lifts MLS Cup with Galaxy then Wahl’s book will suddenly be out of date, and in need of a rewrite. Or maybe a sequel?

10. Thierry Henry is not involved. I know, I know. The Henry handball story was and is huge. But I’m ready to move on.

So… did that convince you? Let me know: Will you be watching?

MLS Cup 2009 is this Sunday, November 22nd in Seattle. Kickoff is 5:30pm local, 8:30pm eastern. If you’re in the US then it’s on ESPN.