Our stars have finally aligned - and in a big way. We have been taking care of business, bringing home 4 of 6 road points against divisional rivals. Meanwhile, said rivals are lavishing us with the the gift of their missed opportunities.

Vancouver - The Whitecaps were rolling...they had taken 13 points in 7 MLS games and won the Canadian Cup (and qualified for CCL next year). Then came the Sounders, trouncing them in Vancouver 3-0 and then trouncing them in Seattle 3-0 bouncing them from the CCL group stages. The Caps previous good form still has them up on us...but by only three points.

LA - the Galaxy looked invincible. An already very good team had added Gerrard and Dos Santos. They started August with 4 MLS wins and 2 CCL wins...all convincing. Then, mortality. A loss to San Jose, a draw at home against Montreal, and a 3-1 thumping at Salt Lake...just 1 point from a possible 9 has the Sounders just two points back.

Kansas City - Wow...KC is in the middle of a run that is reminicent of the Sounders' July...but they aren't short players...they are just playing bad soccer. It started with a 5-0 thumping in Kansas City by San Jose. Since that time, the Sporks have taken just 4 points of a possible 21. Let that sink in. FOUR of TWENTY-ONE!

Portland - Don't worry Timbers...when you fall in the forest, we're always there to hear it. The Timbers have taken just 2 points in their last 4 MLS contests. 3 of those were at home. 3 of 4 games at home, and they bring (keep?) home just TWO of TWELVE possible points.

San Jose - In August, the 'Quakes rattled off 4 wins in a row including two on the road and a win over the then-invincible-looking Galaxy. They had caught up to the Sounders in the standings and had a staggering number of home games left on their schedule. Since that time, they lost to the THE UNION..AT HOME. They followed that with two consecutive home draws - one to us, one to Montreal. Then they travelled to NYCFC and lost. That's TWO of a possible TWELVE points over a four game stretch that included three home games.

Of the teams in the race in West, only Dallas has fared well over this stretch. They were very fortunate to play in Columbus while the Crew were missing nearly half their team. They only recently came back to earth, losing 3-1 in Kansas City (the Sporks only win in their last seven tries).

Meanwhile, the Sounders have taken 13 of a possible 18 points since getting their stars back. They have taken 4 valuable road points against divisional opponents. They advanced in CCL while breaking the spirit of a rival and leaving that rival with a long and pointless journey to Central America to look forward to.

This is good. This is very, very good. IT COULD GET BETTER. How does 1st in the West sound? How about 1st in the Shield Race? It could happen. It could happen by Monday.

Naturally, all of this assumes that we go to Kansas City and give them hell. Even in this endevour, we find the universe consipring with the Sounders. Feilhaber and Besler both hit yellow accumulation and will miss the game. With Besler gone and Opara long ago lost for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, SKC's depth at center back will be tested. The complete opposite is true for the Sounders. We will likely see Sigi's ideal XI and ideal XVIII (for the post-Torres '15 Sounders - Fuerza Roman!). The only other players listed on the injury report are Craven and Correa, who were never going to see the field in this game. Beating KC is never easy...especially there....but this one is ripe for the picking. Let's go for the throat - 5-1 win!

We still need some help from our "friends".

NYRB need to lose to Orlando...in New York Jersey. Impossible you say? Well...it has already happened. 5-2. Crazy. Kaka had 3 assists. Larin had 3 goals.

The Union need to get a result against the Revs. This seems highly unlikely...but this is the same Union that gifted us a San Jose home loss. It could happen.

A Timbers-Crew tie in Columbus. I normally would not wish for a Portland road point..but the Crew are two points up on us in the Shield race. A point each gives us what we want. You can count on a violent war of attrition, as they have drawn Petrescu for this one.

A NYCFC upset in Vancouver. We'll see if Vancouver's spirit is broken by back to back 3-0 losses. NYCFC has won two in a row (both at home) and are still fighting for a playoff spot. They have plenty to lose. Go NYC!

LA plays Dallas in LA. LA has been devastatingly good at home - the best in MLS. However, as detailed above, they have been cold lately. This cold run includes a draw with Montreal in Carson. We want another draw here. 0-0 would be great.

As a bonus, RSL beats San Jose...although, as long we keep winning, San Jose can't catch us.

If all of the above comes to pass, the Sounders - by virtue of tiebreakers - would move to 1st in the West. 1st in the Shield race. True story. This is how much things have shifted in recent days. Thanks "friends"!