FRISCO, Texas -- When the New England Revolution line up across the field from the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, for MLS Cup 2005, each side will include a veteran looking not only to win the championship in the league's 10th season, but also in his 10th season in the league.
New England Revolution midfielder Steve Ralston and Los Angeles Galaxy journeyman Cobi Jones are the only 10-year MLS veterans who could, and almost certainly will, see time in the last championship encounter of the league's first decade. And if that wasn't interesting enough, there's also a chance that the two will literally meet head on, as they could be playing in wide positions on the same side of the field.
Much has been written and said about the future of the U.S. national team members, particularly Jones, who is still buzzing up and down the sidelines at the age of 35. Ralston, almost exactly four years younger, hasn't been peppered with as many inquiries on what his future holds. But both players said that the farthest into the future they are looking to is Sunday, with hopes of being on the winning end of what they know could be one final shot at glory.
Ralston spent his first six seasons in the league with the now-defunct Tampa Bay Mutiny before joining the Revs prior to the 2002 season. He has yet to win an MLS Cup and has only appeared in one -- the 2002 match between the Revs and Galaxy that ended when Carlos Ruiz struck in sudden-death overtime to take the title.
"I don't look at it as a second chance against L.A., but just a second chance," said Ralston. "I'm running out of years here to win a Cup. Really, there's only a few guys on each team left from those two teams. No matter who we're playing against, we just want to win the game."
Back in that 2002 encounter, it was the Galaxy who were the favored team and the Revs who had just barely squeezed into the postseason. With the inverse being the case this season, as the Revs topped the Eastern Conference and the Galaxy had to settle for the No. 4 seed in the West, Jones acknowledged the differences.
"They're a very good team. I think they're the team that's favored right now," he said. "They're the team to beat. They have everything going their way right now. We're just trying to look at them as an individual team. We're not so much worried or concerned about the past or what's gone on in the season. We're just trying to focus on the playoffs right now and take this as an individual game."
Both Ralston and Jones have primarily played as right-sided midfielders this season, though Ralston was moved to the left flank in the Eastern Conference Championship against the Chicago Fire a week ago. James Riley took Ralston's regular spot on the right side, and played well on both sides of the ball. New England head coach Steve Nicol could employ the same tactic on Sunday, which would pit Ralston one-on-one against Jones.
"I feel comfortable on either side and I think James does as well," said Ralston. "I think James has played quite a few positions for our team and I've played on the left quite a few times in my career -- when I was in Tampa and in my last couple of years here. Whatever the coach tells us to do, we'll be prepared to do and if we end up switching halfway through the game then we do.
"Cobi's a guy that I looked up to. I've played against him many times. This is obviously one of the bigger games to have to go against him. It's going to be difficult. He's a great player. Everybody says he's 35, he's lost a step, but he's still quick, he still knows the game. He's been playing really well lately."
For his part, Jones thinks that while he and Ralston might have a battle, it will be only part of the larger war.
"We know each other well, we have played on the same team together, we have played against each other before and we're good friends," he said. "It's just a matter of doing our thing out on the field. He's going to try his best to stop me and I'm going to be trying to do my best to go by him. It's just going to be a matter of who wins on the day.
"When it comes down to it, it's more than just us -- it's the whole team. As a unit, we have to be able to play our game out there, rather than fall into their trap."
With the kind of impact that Ralston and Jones can have on a game, it's likely that whoever wins their fight will be able to celebrate in style -- with the champagne flowing, a Gatorade shower for the coach and a kiss for the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy.
Jonathan Nierman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
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