Painting the Town Gold Boy, I was ready to rip Steve Sampson a new one after that disappointing second-half Saturday night. True, in the first half, LA's original team tore the New Boys apart, but after the third goal, the Galaxy took their foot off the gas and let Chivas back in the game. Heck, it's not like just a few hours before I'd had to put up with Ipswich pulling another choke job after going a goal up at Elland Road against Leeds. I wasn't in the mood to see LA let a three-goal lead slip away like that.

Now, I've never really been a big fan of Sampson's--with the possible exception of the run the US team had in the Copa America a few years back--but he might start winning me over with comments like the one he made after Saturday's match.

"I felt we did a poor job of managing the result," Galaxy coach Steve Sampson said. "I know we want to entertain our fans, but I think in the second half we have to do a much better job managing the fact that we were a man up.

"I think the guys got caught up in trying to entertain people in the stands. ... Our boys are disappointed, quite frankly. They're disappointed with the way we played in the second half."

So, perhaps it's time to give Sampson a chance. Just like elsewhere in the world, beating your local rival helps coaches/managers keep their jobs.

Rongren, on the other hand, is on the hot seat. I can't see Jorge Vargara being happy with the way his Northern Team has started the season.  ¶ 9:11 AM