Open shakeup

Ok, so the Open Cup format has changed. I guess all those who screech about how the MLS regular season doesn't mean much should be a little more placated now. I doubt it, though. I have to say, I like any change that favors the little teams a bit, because it's fun to see the Cinderellas come out to the big dance, so to speak. That's why I've always loved the Open Cup and have wanted it to gain prominance as a competition. But there's still part of me that is intrinsically bugged by the idea that better teams are knocking themselves out of the competition early.

For me, it's as if Wimbledon gave the top six seeded tennis players spots in the tournament, then made the next six seeds play each other in a qualifying tournament for two spots. Meanwhile, players from 20 to 12 got to qualify to enter by playing each other.

Basically, it's like Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova facing each other for a chance to even enter the tournament. I think it's kind of interesting, but not really conducive to the sporting ideal of having the best teams involved in the later stages. It may not last past this year, and I understand the motivation of trying to eliminate the fixture congestion, but it's a bit of an odd compromise.