It was a tough “opening act” to follow in 2007, with RedBull, Shakira, and Bruce Arena at al throwing their horns in the MLS ring in 2006. Shakira threw a little something extra for the fans on that day, April 8, 2006. Let us not forget Pele and other NY Cosmo greats, game balls literally falling from the sky, copious amounts of Red Bull beverages and “Red Bull Girls,” and the official “birth” of “Johnny Toro Rosso,” who appropriately appeared from the porta-potty in the Red Bull Energy Zone.

A close second might be a tossup between this year’s opening defensive campaign with a new face between the pipes that did not have any previous connections with NJ, Senior International, Ron Waterreus. The other would be this year’s first clash with LA Galaxy, in which “Becks” debuted for his first full 90 in MLS league play. You have GOT to see the highlights of this marquee match in front of ~ 67,000 fans!

With the first NYRB Designated Player, “Captain America” Claudio Reyna, a returning defensive line (Parke, Mendes & Co.), and of course, “Cletus,” the 2007 edition of the New York Red Bulls set an MLS record for longest consecutive opening minutes of the regular season WITHOUT giving up any goals! AMAZING!

Enter the “God of Goals,” the “Sultan of Strike,” the “Flamboyant Finisher,” the “King of Komposure,” (I know it is misspelled!) . . . Juan Pablo Angel in mid-April 2007. JPA was the second DP signing for NYRB, who changed the entire complexion of the team. We now had something to cheer about on offense. Believe me, he has delivered! Did I mention that he was the MLS All-Star MVP, too?

As the famous Emeril would say . . . “BAM!” There goes Waterreus’ ankle . . . The first RBN Heart of the Bull Award winner, Marvell Wynne, gets a complimentary iditarod tour of “The Great White North,” along with crowd-pleaser and all-around “Mr. Nice Guy,” Todd Dunivant. Other key players begin falling off the roster and NYRB and MLS executives contemplate renaming the team, “New York Red Cross.”

But, wait! We have NJ-bred “Stalwart Stonewaller,” Jon Conway, to save the day and the team’s defensive record. Huh? What? Ronnie is OK, now? He is back in net? To the astute and even clueless spectator, Ron Waterreus never really regained is early-season form. Ron suffers through an agonizing regular season phase, which cannot be attributed solely to him. Despite more entertaining attacking play, shoddy defending and lackadaisical marking keep everyone’s optimism in check. However, being the passionate Red Bull fans we are, we still hope for the best, and now, HERE WE ARE!!!!!!!!!

Conway is back in net. Claudio Reyna, with counsel from the American Podiatric Society, is suing MLS for not paying him enough as a DP and playing him too much. “Captain Who?” Parke, Mendes, Freeman et al seem to be returning to form, with Jozy, Woly, and JPA beginning to gel. The Red Bulls even CLINCHED a playoff berth before the end of the regular season!

You are kidding me!? With the weight off their chest, the Red Bulls treat fans to two entertaining matches to round off the regular season, beginning with a 2-1 result against KC to secure 3rd place in the East Conference and ending with a understated offensive effort against Beckham, Donovan, Jones, and the LA Galaxy (1-1), whose Cinderella run for the playoffs oddly coincides with the increasingly frequent sight of pumpkins on the doorsteps of many American households . . . Hmmmmmm

Through it all, RBN had its own “regular season” drama, beginning with “Chief Toro” joining “T-Binks” behind enemy lines in Virginia, but not before a new Executive Director was elected, then another one stepped up, then finally, “Mama Bull” took the plunge as the current RBN Executive Director. It was not easy, but in the end, all of us pulled together and things are certainly looking up . . . I guess that could also be said for the Red Bulls 2007 campaign.

After the completion of the regular season, we look ahead to an old nemesis, New England. I can just sense destiny creeping up, especially after we mostly dominated the run of play against New England this season at each meeting, especially the last match. The US Open Cup will overfloweth with the tears of the victims of Red Bull wrath on October 27, then November 3, and so on, until November 18, when fate throws down the gauntlet in Washington DC for the 2007 MLS CUP!!

. . . Ahem . . . I keep forgetting this is a BULLog and not Shakespeare . . . (said the guy with the Golden Horns and bass drum, who hangs out with Johnny Toro and the “The Three RedMetroBullStars”) . . .

While I am concerned that we could not close the deal against LA, despite a plethora of chances (I think JPA had nine of his own?!), I am encouraged by the fact that it seems that Bruce and his coaching cronies seem to be nearly perfecting the lineup recipe just in time. In addition, the ENTIRE team seems to be regaining their health, thus thwarting the Red Bull and MLS executives’ name change idea.

These are all good timely signs for an incredible East Conference Semifinal matchup! By the way, props to MLS for getting the playoff format right in lieu of a single table, which I am not sure is the answer for the MLS brand of soccer. There is still drama to watch unfold has the regular seasons of several other MLS clubs conclude on “MLS Soccer Saturday.”

You have heard of the “Running of the Bulls” in Paloma, Spain? Well, RBN Nationals and Diplomats are running alongside our beloved team from Foxboro, to ??, to Washington DC, on the road to the 2007 MLS Cup. Won’t you join us? There is more history to write, and we all need to be a part of it!

Speaking of history, thanks for the memories Eddie and Cobi! Your presence on the pitch will be missed, but just do not become another Eric Wynalda, OK?

YIRB,

Chief Toro

PS

CONGRATS TO US SOCCER FOR BREAKING THE EUROPEAN SOIL DROUGHT!