March 18, 2009 by f4denz.

So I thought as we look at what Real Salt Lake is doing with their 2009 Season Tickets to remember back to the 2008 season as well. There was no ticket pick up event, or if there was I didn’t go and nobody I talked with could remember it. What you did get was a “Royal Club” t-shirt, a 14 page handbook, and a generic looking series of tickets (sorry I can only show you the stubs-I used all my tickets), one has to remember that RSL also had to deal with the move to Rio Tinto Stadium and had a differently branded ticket for the matches at the new stadium.

Shirt, handbook, RES and RTS tickets

Handbook

tickets

Back of shirt

1st match at Rio Tinto Stadium commemorative ticket

Well we know we will have to wait to see the 2009 scarf, and the ticket for the 2009 MLS All Star match(it will likely be a commemorative like the opening match at Rio Tinto), but here are some images of the 2009 season tickets handed out last weekend.

5 seats and they are all mine

One Sheet of tickets

Top Row

Middle Row

Bottom Row

A single ticket

So when we get our scarves I will post pictures of them as well. But I have to say that this is what season tickets should look like and a huge improvement from RSL season tickets in the past.

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March 18, 2009 by f4denz.

Well as a RSL fan I have to take some pleasure in the fact that the soccer pundits are giving Real Salt Lake some respect, some people think too much, but I would not be one of them. So let’s take a look around and see what people have to say:

www.mls-daily.com has RSL ranked #3 in their week one power rankings. Saying “Only team standing out in the West for a good reason, besides Seattle. RSL should run away from the pack and hide this year.”

www.cbc.ca has RSL ranked #2 in the West and offer these thoughts:

• 2008 regular season: 10-10-10, 40 points (3rd in Western Conference)
• 2008 playoffs: Lost in conference finals
• Key arrivals: Defender Jamison Olave, midfielder Ned Grabavoy, forward Jean Alexandre
• Key departures: Defender Nik Besagno; midfielders Dema Kovalenko and Nathan Sturgis; forwards Kenny Cutler, Fabian Espindola and Kenny Deuchar
• Outlook: Salt Lake surprised the critics in 2008 by qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in history, bowing out in the conference finals - all of this, despite lacking a genuine goal-scoring forward. Things haven’t changed much in the Mormon State in the off-season. Salt Lake boasts solidity and depth in defence and in midfield (even with the loss of Kovalenko), but the Utah club still needs an outright striker to lead the attack. Playmaker Javier Morales is one of the league’s most creative players, but he could be even better if he had a quality forward to feed his exquisite passes to. Without a first-rate striker, Salt Lake will rely on the strength of its workman-like midfield to grind out results just like they did last season.
• Difference maker: Javier Morales. The Argentine playmaker oozes class with his silky smooth dribbling ability and flawless passing skills.

www.goal.com also has RSL finishing #2 in the West and go so far as predicting RSL will bow out of the MLS playoff losing in the Western Conference final and offering these thoughts:

Key arrivals: Jean Alexandre (M), Ned Grabavoy (M)
Key departures: Nathan Sturgis (D), Dema Kovalenko (M), Fabian Espindola (F), Kenny Deuchar (F)
Key player: Javier Morales
Key question: Is it sharp enough at the sharp end?

The Lakers figured out a formula that worked last season with the two physical center backs, the two aggressive fullbacks, the diamond in midfield and the rotating cast of strikers. Aside from the projected signing of the fitness-challenged striker Luis Miguel Escalada, RSL has stuck with the same core of players. RSL’s solidity should be enough to keep them in the running over the long haul. The lack of a consistent goal scorer – unless Robbie Findley or Yura Movsisyan reach that level – may stunt RSL’s progress into the upper echelons of MLS.

www.soccerbyives.net has RSL ranked #3 and offers these thoughts “Outlook: After coming so close to reaching MLS Cup in 2008, RSL brings all its key players back and looks poised to unseat Houston as the class of the Western Conference.”

www.dailyherald.com(a Chicago paper) has RSL ranked #1 in the west and has this to say:

It will be a good season if: Coach Jason Kreis can complete the club’s turnaround from doormat to respectability. Former Woodridge resident Will Johnson repeating his 2008 Goal of the Year a few times wouldn’t hurt either. It will be a bad season if: Javier Morales can’t build on his 6-goal, 15-assist season. Bottom line: This club is on the move, and not just into new Rio Tinto Stadium.

soccernet.espn.go.com has RSL ranked #4 in their power rankings and offer this “Jason Kreis has abundant faith in the cast already on hand at Rio Tinto, but a reliable striker needs to emerge. RSL needs Yura Movsisyan to have a big year.”

Some other preseason hype

MLS Top 25 players (www.goal.com) has two RSL players listed:

18. Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake): He’s got a soft, hippie demeanor off the pitch, but the sight of his dreads on the field tell opposition players they are in for a combative match. His ball-winning abilities and physical presence allow the more silky RSL midfielders to go about their games.

9. Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake): Morales earned himself a four and a half year deal last season, as Real Salt Lake fretted losing their playmaker. Sitting atop their midfield diamond, his finesse and vision provided 15 assists last season, as he led RSL to the Western Conference final.

SBI MLS Pre-season Best XI (soccerbyives.net) has no RSL players in the first XI, but Chris Wingert made it into the second XI, and Javi, Kyle, and Jamison Olave all made the third XI on Ives list.

What does it all mean?

Nothing, well some people say that any preseason thoughts mean nothing, but I would say they mean a lot. If you’re a team of young players and a coach heading into only your second full season, then knowing that around the soccer community that your team is highly thought of can be very reassuring, when you’re respected by your peers at your craft it can boost your confidence. After exceeding expectations last year, RSL finds itself no longer able to sneak up on people. Playing a full season on the grass at Rio Tinto Stadium will remove the criticism that RSL was good at home because they played on the turf at RES.

For me the expectations are that a 20% improvement should be expected, we have the same core of players that made a run that ended as 3 shots bounced off the posts in the Western Conference final match against New York. Consider the fact that the following players that played in the 3 RSL 2008 playoff matches are on the 2009 Opening day roster: Kyle Beckerman, Nat Borchers, Robbie Findley, Will Johnson, Ian Joy, Clint Mathis, Javier Morales, Yura Movsisyan, Jamison Olave, Nick Rimando, Robbie Russell, Andy Williams and Chris Wingert. RSL has lost Kenny Deuchar, Fabian Espindola, and Dema Kovalenko from their 2008 playoff run, but remember Kenny played 1 minute, Fabi played 9, and Dema played 149.

Could the high expectations cause undue pressure on a young team, sure, but having gotten to know a number of the players last year I think they are more than up to the task. Can newcomers like Jean Alexander and Raphael Cox make an impact? RSL’s luck with draft picks hasn’t been to impressive in the past, but recent history of bringing in players with international experience has been more impressive (Johnson, Joy, Borchers, Olave, Russell). This years wild card for RSL will clearly be the possible impact of Luis Escalada, will he be another hit like Javi Morales, or a flop like Luis “the cone” Tejada? Here is hoping for the first.

Coming Up

I am going to do a Western Conference Preview, but I am going to do it a bit different, I am going to do a post comparing RSL to the rest of the West by defense, midfield, forwards, and overall team. I will post one preview post per day next week leading up to RSL’s first match on the 28th.

OFF MY SOAPBOX

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