Sounders Centric Power Rankings - Are You Watching?

The most notable aspect of the forthcoming SB Nation MLS Power Rankings is the ability to judge if people are paying attention to the league as a whole, late to make adjustments or just not believing that recent form matters. There are two teams that should show positive movement on this front (Crew, Dallas) and there are two teams that deserve negative movement off of recent form (Revolution and United). For the most part recent form and some combination of latency are taking hold. Those four clubs are moving, but not much.

Number one is again unanimous. The San Jose Earthquakes are tops by everyone while Seattle Sounders FC and Sporting Kansas City are evenly splitting the votes for second and third. This is even true for Seattle based rankers. Real Salt Lake's fade has stymied while the LA Galaxy are a team that will be capable in a short series, but do have seasonal issues.

Cascadia Cup rivals moved in opposite directions. The Vancouver Whitecaps decided to rest players for a vital match against the Galaxy, continue to slide down in Power Rankings and must seriously question if they are able to host a MLS Cup Playoff match. The Portland Timbers are not going to get the first pick in the SuperDraft, which probably disappoints 2013 coach Caleb Porter.

Dave's Rankings

1. 'Quakes - there is little reason to doubt that they will finish first or second in the Shield.
2. Sounders - 5th best offense and 2nd best defense, but oddly fans rate the defense as the trouble spot.
3. Sporks - An already pedestrian offense loses Teal Bunbury and will have to find ways to score.
4. Dynamo - Others look down on them, but they are a top two team against the best in the league.
5. Red Bulls - Can a team with a horrid defense and keeper questions be considered a power?
6. Fire - Quietly having a strong enough season they moved one of their best players.
7. RSL - They'll have the elevation advantage, but their road worries are apparent.
8. Crew - All they did was reinvent themselves successfully during the transfer window.
9. United - the most likely team to earn 50 points and miss the Playoffs. Think about that twice.
10. Galaxy - Beating up on Vancouver means you are better than Vancouver.
11. Toros - Dropped points early mean they probably don't make the short season, but their quality is higher than a team that will make the Playoffs.
12. Whitecaps - Are they trying to miss the Playoffs?
13. Marsch - I was wrong to think you were wrong.
14. Union - Fire a coach because he's bad. Remove interim tag from a coach that is equally bad.
15. Goats - Defense only wins Championships if it can be amazing for a full season and goals actually get scored.
16. Revolution - No team is worse in the last 10. Their talent is better than that, but Heaps don't earn next week's nickname.
17. Rapids - Losing to Portland at Portland isn't awful, but it's pretty bad.
18. Kindling - Light a fire by winning on the road.
19. Reds - It's not Winter's fault. It's not Mariner's fault. Can they still blame Mo? Preki?