MLS Mediocrity

If it's true that "you are what you are," then most MLS teams "are" mediocre. Take a look at the standings. Only three teams have winning records. The rest of the league has a .500 record or worse with varying amounts of draws.

The NFL has acheived parity through a slary cap and free agency. Baseball is still trying to even the playing field, so to speak, through revenue sharing. But MLS is undoubtedly the most balanced league. We're almost at the All-Star Game and you can't rule any team out of the playoffs (okay, maybe that's because about 99 percent of the league qualifies for the postseason). But even Real Salt Lake, as Kansas City Royalish as they've looked at times, have a shot of sneaking in. And the Galaxy, recently in the Western Conference cellar, look as strong as anyone in the conference with the return of Donovan and Albright.

In the East, the last-place Crew are only two points out of third-place. And they have been ravaged by injury all season. Meanwhile, New York must like their chances of moving up the table with Bruce Arena joining their cause. It seems to me that New England should start gaining some separation from the third-place pack because they're the most talented Eastern Conference squad not named D.C. United, but when are they going to make a run? A 3-1 home loss to RSL doesn't inspire confidence, and it doesn't get any easier for the Revs this week as they travel to Houston (one of the three teams above .500).

All of these mediocre teams have one thing in common: poor road records. That's not going to change for most, but the clubs that manage to just break even on the road will find their way up the table.