Okay, this is not going to be that much of a pent up rant since I was on vacation and had other things going on the last few weeks.

Yes, the league making up the New England Revolution's original March 7 home opener against the Houston Dynamo to today August 8 at 4:30pm (AppleTV) before the Leagues Cup slate today is logical for a random standalone game ruined by a blizzard six months ago. Having the Leagues Cup two weeks into your "We'll Take it from Here World Cup" campaign...perhaps not so much.

Jack Harrison Hoping To Make His New England Revolution Debut on Saturday
“I think, in general, Jack will help us just to grow as a team and kind of push us to raise our level.”
The Blazing MusketSeth Macomber

But maybe that's why we're unplugging the Soccer Don from the hive mind at an opportune time. Don Garber has generally done amazing things for MLS during his over two decades of tenure as league commissioner. Massive expansion, media rights deals, designated player success. Garber's legacy as the league's builder is incredibly secure and well deserved in nearly all respects.

MLS' growth globally and recently however is a different matter. Gone is the league's unique and summer orientated schedule that now has to battle against far more of the USA's and North America's major sports like the NFL/NHL/NBA instead of mostly MLB. Likewise the incredibly cluttered fixture list compressing a full regular season, playoffs with a best of three first round, and either Leagues Cup or U.S. Open Cup also needs to be evaluated going forward with a new winter break starting in 2027 into 2028.

I've already detailed what I think of the league's current Apple TV deal at the beginning of the year and the lack of promotion MLS and Apple have been doing for their product. MLS' decision to start up the League's Cup a mere two weeks after the end of the World Cup and it's incredibly lackluster "We'll Take It From Here" campaign that practically started at the end of the tournament is more of the same bare bones, minimum effort we've seen from everyone involved this year.

And if we're being honest, 2026 as a whole is a completely viable, fireable offense for the man at the top. Rather than an unceremonious and ugly breakup, the powers that be rightly decided in an amicable transition of power into one of their own: LAFC minority owner Larry Berg.

MLS Names Next Commissioner
The leadership landscape within Major League Soccer changed on Monday as MLS owners voted to appoint Larry Berg to become the league’s next Commissioner.
The Blazing MusketJosh Nye

Now Berg has already made a few statements on what he hopes to accomplish, he's going to have sell his stake in his team to move up into the big commish chair, but I am actually excited for what the league is doing. By pulling from one their own owner/operators, they have someone who's already been involved in the process of the league shifting calendars and probably has more than enough info on the success and failures of the Apple deal.

Certainly simplifying the league calendar and playoff structure will be among the short term goals, probably including returning the entire league into the Open Cup as well. I do not think that MLS will ever be without some kind of salary cap but that is probably going to be the biggest thing Mr. Berg will have to tackle in the long term. The various Garber Bucks and acquisitions lists served their purpose in instilling parity but are outliving their usefulness.

But as the league looks to the future, I am going to remain happily stuck in the past as is my prime directive. Because it is fitting that the False SuperLiga 3.0 is ongoing without its greatest ever performer and the soccer gods surely knew what they were doing when the reschedule the 2008 SuperLiga Final into the middle of the Leagues Cup. Comical and spiteful bunch those gods.

As always we are joined by our good friend Dustyn Richardson of Bayou City Soccer and no I did not do any gloating about that fateful PK win by New England nearly twenty years ago. While we're going down memory lane, Seth answered questions for Dustyn over on their site because the only thing better than a North American SuperLiga reunion is a TotalMLS reunion. Make sure to check out all of BCS's game coverage over on their site.

Real ones know.

Player Availability Report: 8/8 vs Houston Dynamo
Luca can’t stay healthy
The Blazing MusketJosh Nye

1) Houston currently sits in 4th in the West, is that higher or lower than expectations this year? How would you grade/rate the first half of the year for Houston pre-World Cup?

1. Honestly, if you ask the front office and coaching staff, it's where they expected to be. They talked this offseason about finishing top four in the West and so far they're on track. I think from a media or fan perspective it's higher than expected. They had a lot of turnover this offseason with 2 new DPs and there were a lot of question marks around the team. All things considered, you have to give this team an A up to this point. They are playing well and seem to have found the identity that so many Ben Olsen coached teams have.

2) So Guilherme is clearly good at soccer, with 10G/7A on just 25 total goals this year, which is an impressive but also maybe alarming 70% involvement rate in the scoring. Does the Dynamo attack need some more...dynamics? Is there help on the way via a transfer or perhaps a Mateusz Bogusz breakout after his brace vs SKC?

2. It’s definitely alarming. Guilherme has been carrying a massive load. Bogusz has looked sharp of late, and he seems to be finding his form and his role on this team. I think the front office has known they need another goal-scoring piece if they want to make a real run. Ezequiel Ponce has proven he just isn't it. A DP striker with zero league goals, and it's August, is not just not good enough, it's awful. They went out and got Duncan McGuire from Orlando City and there have been rumors that Ponce could be on the way out. Whoever it is, they need someone else to pitch in on offense just in case Guilherme comes back to Earth at some point and is no longer the second-coming of Kylian Mbappe.

3) Okay, Seven points out of nine after the World Cup break, but beating West basement dwellers SKC and Austin I assume is expected. What has gone right after the break and who is perhaps an underrated player the Revs should be keeping an eye on?

3. The defensive structure has looked much more organized since the break. They got Lucas Halter back from an injury that kept him out almost all of the first half of the season and he is definitely a player to keep an eye on. Another underrated player to look for are the fullbacks, Felipe Andrade and Lawrence Ennali. They switched sides last game and their versatility is so big for this Dynamo side. Andrade can play as a center back, fullback, or even wing back and does so many things well. He is one of the better players in the league that no one talks about, in my opinion. Ennali is a natural winger who moved to fullback this season and has grown into the role well. He has loads of pace and can be a nightmare up and down the flanks.

Lineup/Predictions/Injuries/Etc.

Lineup: Bond; Andrade, Resch, Halter, Ennali; Artur, Herrera; McGlynn, Bouzat, Guilherme; McGuire

Injuries: The Dynamo are very healthy right now outside of defender Antonio Carlos, who is out with a knee injury, and backup goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer.

Prediction: 1-1 draw