3rd Degree


Bold Predictions 2010

The good, the bad, and the very, very ugly.

April 9th, 2010 . 11:36 am . By: Buzz Carrick

It’s time again for the often imitated, never duplicated, original BOLD PREDICTIONS.
I do this bit every year, and you can look back at all the previous versions on this site if you like, they’re at the bottom of this page.  I did well last year predicting RSL as league champs.  I’ll be dinning out on that one all season.  Here’s last year when I rocked an 8.
I actually wrote most of this before the season, and while it’s a piss poor excuse I moved the weekend MLS opened.  So the week before and the week since my life has been chaotic as heck.  Hence the crazy time frame of many recent posts.  So anywhere, here’s the bit…

Twenty Fearless Predictions for 2010

(For recreational purposes only, no wagering please.)
1 US Advances in the World Cup. After earning a draw against England on a Bocanegra header, the US will advance to the second round with a loss to Slovenia and a win over Algeria.
2 Richard Mulroney will be Comeback Player of the Year for the Dynamo. He’ll end up starting 28 games for Houston.  (I’m trying to break the jinx by not picking Taylor Twellman again this year, for the good of the league I’d love to see him healthy)
3 Five World Cup Players Join MLS. What I mean is five players currently not in MLS will be sign with the league post South Africa.  Two Americans and three players from other countries.
4 West Finish: Seattle, Real Salt Lake, FC Dallas, LA Galaxy, Colorado, Houston, San Jose, Chivas USA. I have great faith in Sigi and expect the Seattle home crowd to carry them a long way.  RSL is still good and LA would finish 3rd if not for being the most impacted by the World Cup.  Colorado is solid and makes the playoffs as the 5th team from West, 3rd to 5th seperated by 2 points.  Houston slips this year, San Jose has not made enough progress, and Chivas is going to be as terrible this year as I expected last year (no Thornton miracle season).
5 Frank Yallop will be fired. Two straight seasons near the bottom will get Yallop the ax.
6 East Finish: Columbus, Chicago, New York, Kansas City, Toronto FC, New England, Philadelphia, DC United. I’m not as in love with the Crew as I was, but they still have enough.  Chicago’s defense is down a notch but no one else is really good yet in the East to challenge them.  NY and KC have solid years, but only one gets in, and I’m betting it’s NY.  TFC I just think Mo will end of wrecking somehow.  NE has lost to much and DC has too much to fix in one season.
7 Jhon Kennedy Hurtado will be Defender of the Year for the Sounders. Keller behind him and Alonso in front makes Hurtado look really good.  Omar Gonzalez will finish second in voting.
8 Peter Nowak and Preki will get in a fight on the sideline of a TFC/Union game. Two stubborn hard nosed coaches for two stubborn hard nosed teams that won’t be playing well.  It’s a recipe for trouble and it will brew up on the sideline over a de Guzman tackle.
9 LA Galaxy will be US Open Cup Champions. They players have something to prove after the World Cup/Donovan missing slump.  Plus the Gals like to buy home field.
10 Pachuca will win the SuperLiga. They’ve been the best team in North American over the last 6 years or so and they aren’t in the Champions League this year.  (To be honest I can’t find confirmation of who’s in SuperLiga this year from Mexico.  So I reserve the right to edit this one if I can find the damn list of teams)
11 Hans Backe will be MLS Coach of the Year. New York + playoffs + new stadium = coach of the year.
12 The Rookie of the Year will be Blair Gavin. He’s gonna get some serious PT for Chivas in their midfield.
13 Berk Shea will have a break out season for FC Dallas. What’s a break out season for a 20 year old?  Hum, how about 4 goals and 6 assists.
14 Seattle will win the Supporters Shield. Seattle rides the wave of attendance to the regular season title.
15 Omar Cummings wins the MLS Budweiser Golden Boot for the Rapids. He’s a bit more selfish this year, his assists will be down and his goals are up.
16 Seattle Sounders will be MLS Cup Champs. Seattle knocks off LA, FCD takes RSL but losses in Seattle.  The Crew knock off Colorado, Chicago beats New York and then the Crew on the road.  Seattle beats Chicago in Toronto in front of a sold out crowd.
17 Freddy Montero will be MLS MVP.  Kyle Beckerman should be the winner, but he won’t.  First place is worth to much to media schmucks.  Montero will lead Seattle in scoring and that’s enough to get the award.
18 Red Bull will trade Juan Pablo Angel. In preparation for their multiple post World Cup signings, the Heffers need to move some cap.  Angel ends up with someone else in MLS.
19 Kenny Cooper will return to MLS. He’s on loan from 1860, and isn’t playing for his new club either.  He also won’t make the US World Cup team.  That’s not exactly the combination Cooper had in mind when he left.  No reason to stay there now, a loan back to MLS and FC Dallas is next.
20 Collins John will be the MLS Newcomer of the Year. He’ll lead Chicago in scoring and keep them near the top all year.

If you’re bored and curious, you can read the previous decade worth of prediction here: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.






19 Comments

  1. Comment by Ragnar B. on April 9, 2010 12:03 PM

    Except for the fight, these are nearly outrageous enough! lol

  2. Comment by English James on April 9, 2010 12:20 PM

    One small ammendment to number 1. That should read:
    ‘US advances in the World Cup after recovering from a crushing 3-0 defeat in their opening game against the mighty lions of England. Wayne Rooney hits two and Peter Crouch comes off the bench to head a third to start England off in style as they march to World Cup glory’

  3. Comment by brunomarmos7 on April 9, 2010 12:34 PM

    I liked 18 and 19 predictions, and I agree with 90% of them. What about JP Angel for FC Dallas?

  4. Comment by Matt on April 9, 2010 1:01 PM

    Heifers lol

    I like it!

  5. Comment by Gina on April 9, 2010 1:08 PM

    I really like #19!

  6. Comment by mudpoet on April 9, 2010 1:18 PM

    I love how you left Philly out of your Eastern Conference rankings LOL :lol:

  7. Comment by marco4 on April 9, 2010 1:37 PM

    Just out of curiosity, Buzz, did you select Chicago #2 in East before or after they dumped Busch? I really think they’re going to pay for that at some point this year.

  8. Comment by burning247 on April 9, 2010 2:58 PM

    All your Seattle love makes me want to puke.

  9. Comment by hank on April 9, 2010 3:01 PM

    #! USA wins group after beating an English team in turmoil after Rooney’s injury and Terry being caught with the managers’ wife again. England forfeits remaining matches and heads home in shame. USA eventually goes down in the Semifinal to Brazil but rebounds to win third place match against Spain.

  10. Comment by Chase on April 9, 2010 3:13 PM

    burning, be realistic – Seattle plays some of the best soccer in the league . . I still don’t think FCD will finish ahead of Galaxy or Houston though

  11. Comment by Buzz Carrick on April 9, 2010 6:08 PM

    Mud, oops.

    Marco, I had them first in east before and dropped them a spot for dumping Busch. It might have been worse if I felt someone else in the east was ready to challenge.

  12. Comment by English James on April 9, 2010 7:49 PM

    Hank, Rooney is going to carry England to being World Champions while solidifying his place as greatest player in the world. Then John Terry will no doubt top off a great tournament by hooking up with Landon Donovan’s missus

  13. Comment by rocky on April 9, 2010 9:10 PM

    Rooney is quite good but he is not worthy to shine Messi’s boots and the world knows now and will know it better after the WC…he will even overcome the worst manager in the tournament. If Rooney makes it to the WC Healthy the US will have no problem just as they had no problem that last time these two met in WC (1950).
    It’s all good fun but I will be there to support our boys in SA and I hope a few England fans can make it as well.

  14. Comment by Jason on April 9, 2010 9:27 PM

    I predict that less than a handful of these predictions actually come to pass.

  15. Comment by cali fan on April 10, 2010 12:30 AM

    English James……pretty sure Landon doesn’t have a missus anymore!! And my money would be with Avila having the break out year!

  16. Comment by cali fan on April 10, 2010 12:31 AM

    English James…pretty sure Landon doesn’t have a missus anymore so sorry to John Terry. And my money would be with Avila having the break out year….

  17. Comment by cali fan on April 10, 2010 12:33 AM

    sorry….the computer didn’t tell me my comment went through!

  18. Comment by English James on April 10, 2010 9:35 AM

    Rocky my friend, can’t believe you’re still going on about 1950, that’s even worse than us banging on about 1966 all the time. And I’m with cali fan, 2010 is going to be a great year for Avila

  19. Comment by Ruth on April 12, 2010 1:49 PM

    Newcomer of the Year: Ryan Smith

    Bank on it….

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