Bobby, me and MLS Week 14

Is Bob Dylan a soccer supporter? Well, since his songs are about all of life, I'm going to assume for today that Minnesota's favorite son is indeed and, like his music does in the video above, that his work speaks to this week's somewhat truncated 6-game MLS schedule.

Mr. Zimmerman performed this song regarding a person who has everything going for her and then is out on her own after getting full of herself (Maybe the Christiano Ronaldo Story ca. 2010?). Well, I am not getting full of myself here, despite the fact that after going 4-3 last week (and if I had not brain farted and missed the TFC/RBNY game, 5-3!) my record is on a steady march up. As it is, I now stand 37-54 for the year, which is .407, or seven games over blind chance. This is the best I have been all year, which of course means that an 0-6 week is coming. So I'd back away slowly if I were you or this Siamese cat on my shoulder will tell you I'm not really where it's at.

Still, I'm not going to think twice and it's alright to pick these games this way:

DC UNITED at SOUNDERS: 1-1 draw. A hard rain is almost always falling in Seattle in the summer right? Well, this game tonight at Qwest Field will be something of a watershed for Seattle. Josh Wicks is the real deal, but so is Kasey Keller. This is the best DCU team we've seen in a few years and I fully expect them to make the playoffs this year, but it doesn't take a genius to predict that Seattle can hold serve at home. Jaqua's back for the Sounders, but Ben Olsen is also probably for DCU. This just points to a closely-fought, tough draw for me as every good point for one team is matched by one for the other.

GALAXY at EARTHQUAKES: 1-1 draw So down at the bottom of the table, here are two teams looking to avoid those Subterranean Homesick Blues. The thing is, the Trembles are almost completely woeful, while the Galaxy are just, well, they're just plain woeful, especially without Landon. LA on paper should win this one as they seem to match up better than SJ at almost every position. Plus, this game is over at the Athletics' place in Oakland, which can seem especially cavernous when the Quacks play there. So, why the draw? Because this isn't Dynamo/FC Disastrous here. When it comes to two relatively even teams and you get blood rivalries going, I just think the Trembles will keep from losing. I just don't think they're good enough to do any more than that.

SOUNDERS at NYRB. 1-0 New York. OK, OK, I know that the Steers are really bad, but I also know that when you go coast to coast after a tough game, you can be seriously hampered. That's tougher than it looks people. Plus, when you get there, you're playing on that Giants Stadium tarmac, which, if you're not used to it, can really bite you. If Dynamo tie there, what is Seattle on two days rest going to do? The stars just look aligned for NYRB to knock on Heaven's door and get an answer they like this time around.

CREW at FC DISASTROUS. 2-1 Columbus Where's the mystery here? Anyone who really thought that Frisco's win in Chicago was any more than a fluke or that their four-game unbeaten streak was built on anything other than sand got a rude awakening this past weekend. Well, Columbus is playing their best ball of the season and the candystripers are in total free fall singing the Tombstone Blues. Columbus wins this one going away, though Ferreira or Cooper (What is this team going to do if he gets called up to the Gold Cup team?) scores a late goal when it's all said and done.

RSL at DYNAMO. 3-1 Naranja Wow, seven whole days off! RSL may have blown out a Landon-less Galaxy team on the road last weekend, but that's a big difference than going against a rested Dynamo team firing on all cylinders at Robertson. To be fair, you overlook RSL at your peril and I was there at Robertson when a 4-0 blow out lead was turned into a narrow 4-3 win against RSL in 2007. Still, down, dirty and focused on finally rising over the MLS landscape like a full shining Houston sun, Dynamo will close these guys out with aplomb.

DC UNITED at RAPIDS. 1-0 Colorado. If it weren't for picking NYRB, this would be the biggest upset of the weekend. Here's what I think will hurt DCU: Playing on short rest, at altitude, against a good Rapids team fully rested and ready to prove itself at home. I just think a draw is the best the Washingtonians can hope for here, and I don't think they're going to get it in the face of some Thunder on the Mountain.