It's such a fine line between bench, starter

If you can't imagine things changing in a flash; if you assume the party's over and you're all you'll ever be, consider Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Kyle Reynish.

A few days ago, he was sitting in the stands, not high enough on the roster to even dress in uniform. Saturday, he could be in goal against D.C. United.

That's how it goes in soccer.

One day you're as idle as a milk cow, next day you're guarding the net with your life.

"Yeah, it's the nature of the business," said Reynish. "It happens when you least expect it."

It happens when life happens.

"It's definitely a mental challenge. You're up in the stands one week and you're standing on the field the next," he added.

The line between torch bearer and errand boy can be surprisingly thin.

That Reynish would even be considered a starter this week didn't seem likely a week ago. Two-and-a-half seasons out of UC-Santa Barbara, he has played only 55 minutes in MLS. But when Nick Rimando gashed his finger during a game against Colorado on May 2, Reynish got the call. Normal backup Chris Seitz was on loan in Portland.

Reynish ended up allowing a goal but got a save, too.

That was it until last week, when Seitz crashed into teammate Jamison Olave, separating his shoulder. With Rimando still questionable, Real was suddenly down to one keeper — Reynish.

Lose him and RSL could end up using a cardboard cutout of John Wayne in goal.

If it's any consolation to Reynish, general manager Garth Lagerway went through a similar situation. Drafted 150th out of 160 players in 1996 by D.C. United, Lagerway apparently didn't impress. First day, he went to meet the team general manager, only to discover he had already been traded to Kansas City.

You can imagine how long that conversation lasted.

"I was just a throw-in player," he said.

The situation didn't immediately improve in Kansas City, where he was a fourth-stringer. But soon he was on the field. Phil Wellington, the starter, slipped a disc in his back, Chris Snitko got tied up with the Olympic team and Pat Harrington didn't play well. Lagerway ended up playing 23 of 28 games, yet still got cut at season's end. From there he went to the Dallas Burn, where he played 10 games over two years — including a 4-0 streak as a starter — but was waived in the 1999 preseason.