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Real Salt Lake: Struggling RSL face D.C. United test

James, is it even necessary to talk to the players and coaches anymore? It's the same every year, week by week. "All new players, no more losers, last year we didn't have the right guys. This season will be better" Followed in the first few matches (all of which are inveriably self inflicted disasters a county rec team couldn't duplicate), with "Gosh, we're really close, and it looks bad, but we're really gonna turn the corner any time now..." Soon we'll hear how "one guy stepping up could turn this around, we can still maybe make the playoffs...". Then around the all-star break, Checketts will fire the guy in charge of printing programs and try to convince the ticket holders that it will make a difference. "Losing these close matches is not acceptable to this organization. We want to win now and we think we can...blah, blah, blah" Just trade them to St. Louis for the Blues and get it over with already! Please wake me up when RSL people aren't as predictable as the Cubbies June-Swoon.

SOS, You talk about the coaches and players saying the same thing week in and week out. How about all the soccer and stadium bashers that feel it is necessary to write stupid comments about the team losing? I mean the Jazz didnt win for like 10 years before they finally did something. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed 20 years of losing as well before the finally won something. Bottom line is the RSL is in its 4th year of existance! This league is really competitive and if you didnt notice the Chicago Fire made the Conference Finals and only had a record of 10 wins 10 losses and 10 ties. RSL had 6 wins. As you can guess the difference between not making the playoffs and winning it all is very little. So shut up and enjoy the new stadium in October, because RSL isnt going anywhere.

I don't see any evidence that you disagree with my assesment that the team's performance has not improved or changed since the team has been here. That is a fact and is indisputable. This season is clearly a repeat of the last, and the one before it. Underperforming, malcontent players who continue to whine about why they are so close to being competitive but never walking the walk. If you want to wait twenty years for the team to have one good year like Tampa Bay, then by all means, waste your money. The simple, competitive fact is that Chicago did what they had to do to win, RSL did not, has not and will not. And, because I am not a Chicago fan, I could really not care less. I want RSL to win, not talk about winning. It is much easier to keep recycling the crappy spin about "Trying" because you, the fanatic, buy it. Do not forget that the Jazz left the town they originated in and came within an eyelash of leaving Utah as well. (Under Checketts supervision; it ought to be noted). You are right about one thing though, they are going no where!

Re:Re: RSL Fan

It ought to be noted that the Jazz wouldn't even be here today if Checketts hadn't done what he did. Checketts convinced Larry to buy the team. Checketts brought Stockton and Malone to Utah (and both Stock and Malone have publicly stated that Checketts brought them here). There are way too many fans in Utah that are negative know-it-all whiners! Even now, people are calling for Jerry Sloan to be fired, Carlos Boozer to be traded, and Andre to be let go; and they're 3 games out of 1st place and picked by many to win it all! RSL is a much better team this year than any other. And anyone who cares enough to watch soccer knows that. It's one thing to debate and be objective; but to waste your time on these blogs spewing out the same crud is ridiculuous!

Go Real!

You guys are as bad as the team. OK, yes, I hold a negative view of the RSL franchise; you got me there. But what have they done to give me a positive attitude? I am negative but there is not ANY evidence that I am wrong. This team is proof that all the positive talk in the universe wins zero games. I've never seen a tongue score a goal, but RSL seems to spend most of the time talking, not doing.
Note to Bi-polar: it probably does not help your argument that you provide an example that proves my point concerning RSL. Checketts saved the Jazz by SELLING them to someone who knew what he was doing! He has the cash and the rep, but not the know-how. It is all talk. He left the Jazz, and they got better. He went to Madison Square Garden, and... do we really need to re-hash how that one turned out? Dude just isn't a winner.
I would also appreciate it if you would not lump my factual statements about RSL's losing culture in with the insane people who want to change the Jazz. The Jazz win, criticizing them serves no purpose.

I feel like Bi-Polar Wannabe makes some good points in pointing out the contributions Checketts made when he was with the Jazz back when he was actually getting along with Larry Miller. I really want to believe his statement that RSL is a much better team this year, however we haven't seen that in the first 2 games of this season, settling for a tie after giving up a goal in stoppage time in the season opener for the second straight year and losing to Chivas on the road again, giving up yet another late goal in the process. They seem to be making the same mistakes that killed them last year and until they stop making those mistakes we can't say they're any better than last year. I know it's early in the year and they can still turn it around and I really hope they do, but the fact is that right now there really isn't anything objective to say that they're any better than last year much less the best team they've had. More than likely this is yet another building year for the team, hopefully they'll get this thing built up soon.

I actually live in NYC so I have some knowledge of Checketts out here. Ummm... Under Checketts, the Knicks were a better franchise than any other NY Knick team before or after. The Rangers won the title, he brought boxing back to the Garden. He re-opened radio city music hall. And he turned Madison Square Garden into one of the most profitable sports organizations in the nation. Since Checketts departure, the Dolan's have destroyed the franchise; not Checketts. Most Knick fans would sell their child to get Checketts back (a little overstated, but you get my point).

Checketts never owned the Jazz, so he couldn't sell it to Larry Miller. But he did convince Larry to buy the franchise.

I agree it's frustrating that RSL hasn't finished their opportunities thus far. And I'm not sure they're going to against one of the leagues best teams tonight. But the little things that they are doing shows improvement. They are keeping possession. They are creating scoring opportunities much more than ever before. Nick Rimando has had much less to do than last year. I'm not suggesting that they are the best in the league. But based on their games this year, and watching the other teams in the league; I'm betting they have a legitimate shot of making the playoffs and potentially advancing.
Either way, the games are a blast to watch, it's a fun alternative to Jazz basketball (which I also love).

when will they televise any rsl games

Does that shut up anyone????

4-0 was an amazing win! But it is incredible that 3 games into the season we haven't had one game televised.

Come on KSL!

By the way, right what I said was right. Add Kovalenko, Sturgis and Espindola compared to the first game of the season and we will be winning. Talley is worthless, and Espindola can capitalize or make passes to Deuchar inside. Kovalenko for Williams was logical, less showmanship and more spirit for team glory.

Best Win in RSL History.