The Teams I'm Rooting For This Major League Soccer Season

Although I live in Minneapolis, which doesn't have an MLS soccer team (at least not yet), I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the Los Angeles Galaxy, because I was going to college in L.A. when Major League Soccer began.  I even bought a jersey, which may or may not be still at a friend of the family's.

Saying that, the advent of primary logos front and center on soccer jerseys in the league, something that admittedly is conventional in the world of soccer, has severely corroded my affinity for the Galaxy.  I now refer to them as the L.A. Herbalife, named after the tea-turned-"lifestyle" company.  That's partially why I love the World Cup; the beautiful country kits are unsoiled by corporate advertising.

Saying that, it is possible that four of the teams in MLS do not have sponsorship and will play (or at least start) this season, which begins this afternoon when defending champion Sporting Kansas City goes on the road (shouldn't the defending champion always start its season at home?) and play at one of the most raucous scenes in American soccer, Seattle.  According to the stock photos in this season jersey preview, four of the teams will begin play sans corporate whoring: Chivas USA (based in L.A., like the Galaxy), Colorado, Houston and San Jose.  I feel strongly enough about this that I will now root for these guys ... at least until they slap a company on themselves, which, well, may be as soon as their first game.