"It's our pre-season" was the excuse uttered by Major League Soccer apologists to explain the league's ineptitude in the old CONCACAF Champions Cup that often ran between February and May. "It'd be a different story if it was in our mid-season" they said.

They were wrong.

Very wrong. MLS heaped shame upon American soccer on Tuesday by failing to beat teams from Panama and Trinidad & Tobago when Tauro eased by Chivas USA and Joe Public laid an impressive beating on the kings of choke, the New England Revolution. But what happened Tuesday night in Foxborough was not a choke-job, it was a full scale massacre. The Revs were humbled 4-0 by Joe Public, 6-1 on aggregate, Gregory Richardson hit a hat-trick for Mike McComie's charges.

Joe Public finished the 2007 TT Pro League season in third place, good enough to qualify for the CFU Club Championship, a regional competiton that determines the Caribbean's three representatives in the CONCACAF feature. This year hasn't gone quite as swimmingly for the Eastern Lions as the Macoya-based side currently find themselves sixth.

Many will point to New England's injuries and claim that as the reason for New England's loss, but what injuries can't account for is a lack of heart, a lack of desire from eleven men who are paid to play a game that billions of us play for free everyday. This type of flat, lifeless performance from professionals is simply inexcusable.

Chivas USA did manage to save a bit of face for the league, while they were beaten by Panama's Tauro, they did fight. Tauro do seem a respectable side, they finished second in Panama's ANAPROF to San Francisco who face an uphill battle to join them in the group stages as they currently trail Guatemala's Jalapa 1-0 on aggregate.

The happiest man in America tonight is United Soccer Leagues President Francisco Marcos. Marcos was sure to be watching as the USL's Montreal Impact managed a 0-0 draw away to Real Esteli in Nicaragua which after their 1-0 win at Stade Saputo assured the USL a presence in the group stage. 

Tomorrow should prove to be an interesting day at MLS HQ in New York City, and Thursday could prove even more interesting if the Puerto Rico Islanders can manage to get by Costa Rican giants Alajuelense tomorrow. But the big match will be at RFK Stadium in Washington as DC United face the Charleston Battery in the US Open Cup. DC are the darlings of MLS, and Charleston are one of the USL's most respected, and most senior clubs. Yes, tomorrow will be interesting.