I started this blog in the depths of the offseason with a sketchy idea - to write about Metro, from the point of view of a Metro supporter, with one guiding principle: what needs to be done, to make the Metrostars the top team in the US, and a legitimate top team in the region, and eventually in the world of soccer?
(Obviously, I thought it would take a little while)

As I write, there's less than two hours now till the new Metro era gets underway. Strange feeling I get as I say that; I'm feeling a mix of the anticipation that comes at the start of every season, and a real unsettledness that's hard to put a finger on. That's new - I've never felt quite like we were on the cusp of losing this team in the way I feel now. An odd day to say such a thing, I know. Is it true that some good has come of the Red Bull takeover? Undoubtedly. That's been chronicled, and assuming that the 700-strong Metrofan Armada doesn't break apart on the shores of the Delaware this afternoon, there will be a lot more accolades for RB tomorrow. That's fine. But the quease-inducing, ire-raising name change aside, and the Red Bull honeymoon period aside, there is still a shoe that very, very few are watching. At some point - I don't know when or how - it is going to drop.

I had been planning on spending time this afternoon writing a proper season preview, but there are just so many questions around this team, long-term and short-term, that I'd rather let the string play out a little first before commenting. How many certainties does this team have right right now? You got me. As far as starting lineup goes, Ives seems to be throwing names at the wall, even if they're guys that saw limited action in preseason (Canero, Henderson, Wynne). Edson looks ready to go, as well as Youri and Amado - Honduran fender-bender aside.

Final score?

It's a complete shot in the dark, but I'm going to say DC 1, Metro Reds 1. Boswell and Guevara.