I must admit that I never really considered the New England Revolution as an MLS Cup contender at the beginning of the year. Yes, they finished up last year’s regular season as the third seed in the East with a respectable 51 points (14-11-9), but a mediocre start in March and April combined with the bigger stories coming out of DC and Kansas City, the Revs were quickly pushed to the back burner.
A terrific record of four wins to one loss in May was followed by a dreadful June and July (combined record of 1-7-0) which seemed to bury any hopes the New England club had of making a solid playoff run. DC United was in the midst of a remarkable bounce back season. Sporting KC were still riding high as defending Cup Champions. Even Toronto FC were grabbing headlines. New England were all but forgotten.
That is, until August.
Rumors had been swirling for nearly two months about which MLS club would land USMNT midfielder Jermaine Jones. Chivas USA was the early favorite. Chicago Fire seemed an almost certainty. Then from seemingly out of nowhere the New England Revolution landed the American international and the Revs playoff push was in full force.
Since the signing of Jones, the New England Revolution have posted a remarkable record of 8-1-1. New England was suddenly red hot. At the same time the wheels were coming off down in Kansas City. Once locked in a dead heat for the top spot with DC United, the defending champs were struggling. Second place looked entirely achievable and the Revs took it by storm.
Jones was clearly the giant piece missing from the center of the Revolution’s puzzle. New England had only totaled nine wins in the five-and-a-half months before Jones got there. In the two months with Jones, a remarkable eight matches won. Leading goal scorer Lee Nguyen netted half of his eighteen goals in the two months since Jones signed with the team.
New England was a team flirting with mediocrity before Jones arrived. They had enough talent to put together a hot streak but were too inconsistent enough to follow it with anything but a frigid cold spell.
They were floundering. Jones brought a balance to the team.
It would have been very easy following the atrocious July for the players to lose hope and for management to give up on the season. Most teams would have packed up shop and looked toward next year. When that did not happen and management went out and spent the money to sign Jones, I believe it inspired the team. It showed the faith management had in the players and the players responded and justified that faith.
The Revs became something special. A team responding that well to the faith of management and rallying so well to save the season is such a rare occurrence in sports that I find it hard not to get behind. I think the Revs have something special brewing up in New England and I expect it to lead them to the MLS Cup.
It will not be easy of course. First up for the Revs are another team heading into the playoffs scorching in the Columbus Crew. Nearly everything written about the Revs could be copied and pasted into an article about the Crew.
All but counted out, the Crew got red hot when it counted the most. Sneaking past the free-falling Sporting KC for the third spot, the Crew may just be the biggest threat to derail the Revs in the East. Will Trapp has come into his own and Ethan Finley is clearly a star on the rise, however, I believe the talent of Lee Nguyen and Jermaine Jones will prove to be the difference in the match.
The special feeling surrounding this team is reminiscent, to me at least, of the 2007-08 Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins of 2011. Big signings for the Celtics, late season run by the Bruins, both teams with a special feeling surrounding them ended the year as champions.
Looking back at the year now, knowing what the team became, it is easier to see that this team is more than just a flash in the pan. They needed something to complete them but they were far from the disaster of a Toronto FC, who are solely dependent on big names. The Revs have young talent and a solid squad. They had their ups and downs this year but the way they responded to their down really showed what this club and it’s players are capable of.
I believe they are special and special in New England usually means championships.
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