At this point, they can only stop themselves

If you're a fan of Real Salt Lake, chances are at some point you were a Utah Jazz fan. And chances are, you have some sort of issues from the heartbreak the local NBA franchise has consistently unleashed upon us. Well, the future is bright and the heartbreak is a lot less frequent as a supporter of RSL. In ways, Real Salt Lake have already surpassed their in state professional sports brothers in their six short years of existence. In other ways, they're looking to establish the long term quality and stability in a small market that the Jazz have displayed under the guidance and system that Jerry Sloan and Larry Miller created.

The Utah Jazz have been such a quality team and such a stable team in a market where they have no business doing so. They have been to the highest level of professional basketball twice, but they have never taken home the prom queen. The consistency ranks them among the NBA's best over the last 25 years, but again, the team has never quite climbed over the hump, and therefore will probably never be remembered as a great franchise in the future. No amount of fifty win seasons, no amount of all star players, no NBA finals appearances are truly worth a place in the category of great, or historical moments in NBA history, nor will these things be a moment that stands out or is talked about to the future generations.

Bring in Real Salt Lake, a franchise still in it's infancy. A team that just a few years ago was the laughing stock of the league. A team that was nothing to the world of soccer, a team that was nothing even in our own league. Then, somewhere along the first regime's failed experiments, owner Dave Checketts noticed something was missing. The team didn't have an identity, the team had no leadership, the team's only direction was further down the tubes into an area where all the soccer naysayers said we'd go. Then, in a bold move that surprised everyone, Checketts took a leap of faith by talking then star player, Jason Kreis in to becoming the manager of Real Salt Lake. It was a move, to me, that was eerily reminiscent of Larry Miller's move to replace Frank Layden with Jerry Sloan. The similarities in coaches is very similar, and gave both franchises a building block, an identity, a sort of confidence that as long as these guys are here, everything is going to go smoothly.

Dave Checketts took over as president of the Utah Jazz at the young age of 28, making him the youngest chief executive in NBA history. After buying the Real Salt Lake franchise, laying the ground work to fetch the club a major soccer specific stadium deal, he then handed over the reigns to Jason Kreis, who would become the youngest coach in MLS history and soon turn the dying Utah franchise into the model franchise for all of American soccer.

Kreis' first full season was in retrospect a whirlwind of change. Along with newly hired GM, Garth Laggerway, the culture, the expectations and the results immediately changed for Real Salt Lake. Trades and signings were done strategically with a vision in mind. The result of that vision landed the club Robbie Findley, Yura Movsisyan, Fabian Espindola, Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, Jamison Olave, Nat Borchers and Nick Rimando. With that haul, the core that we see today was in place. Other pieces would later be added to fine tune the product and strengthen the clubs depth.

In the final game of 2008 the mindset and resolve that Kreis had been bleeding finally took shape with the team. In the 90th minute of the final game of the season, Yura Movsisyan knocked home a goal that put RSL into the playoffs, and knocked arch rival Colorado out of the playoffs. I believe that was a major turning point in this club that truly moved us to believe that we could do anything. The club went on to knock favored Chivas USA out of the playoffs, before sputtering out to New York. In 2009 the club went on to win the MLS Cup and put their stamp on the MLS as a team to be reckoned with.

After a record setting 2010 that saw the club to record setting levels in league play, and proving they could play with the regions best in Champions League play, they have arrived at a new pinnacle for the team. A chance to win the regional championship and advance to play for the world championship.

Since Jason Kreis arrival and the implementation of a new mindset, records have been set, a league championship has been won, awards have been given, players and coaches have left, while new one's have arrived. But, the system and the motto that "The Team Is The Star" has stayed and has ruled this club. Everyone works for the name on the front of the shirt, not the back. This is a true army, a once in a lifetime coming together that we're witnessing right now. It's rare that the stars align perfectly in any walk of life, but somehow Real Salt Lake has found a way to put that together and there's no end in sight.

For me, unlike the Utah Jazz. This Real Salt Lake team has the heart and passion, they have what it takes to go out and surprise us every time they step on the field. They don't fold and wither away on the biggest stage. People, even fans keep expecting RSL to trip and fall, to stub their toe, to wake up from this dream run they're on, but the boys in claret and cobalt just keep getting better and achieving things that have never been done. Where a soccer culture of us Americans recently believed we were doomed when we play in Mexico, and a place in the club World Cup could never be achieved, has now turned into an ideal that is feasible, we're not scared any more and the bar for what can be accomplished keeps being raised by Real Salt Lake, and the rest of the country is coming with us. Forget MLS, I've never seen such wide spread support for the National Team for an upcoming game. The league, the teams, the players, the fans.... well, they're all Real Salt Lake fans for this championship match up. And it all started with Jason Kreis not being scared to dream big alongside Dave Checketts, and for them to go out and create a team that is capable of seemingly anything.

If Real Salt Lake win the CONCACAF Champions League, the RSL front office better prepare for the phone calls from Disney.This is a once in a lifetime ride that these boys are taking us on. This one is a classic story waiting to happen, if RSL wins the championship, they could make a movie out of it. You can't script this ride, and I hope it never ends. I hope that this becomes the norm for American soccer. In 16 years we've put ourselves on the same level as clubs and countries that Soccer is all they have. Clubs that have been perfecting their model for over one hundred plus years. This team has faced naysayers at every turn of the way, and they keep proving everyone wrong. Real Salt Lake realizes that you can never reach the pinnacle in sports, that there is always something to do better, always something bigger to achieve, breaking molds that MLS and USA Soccer has been stuck in and blazing new trails for what is capable if done the right way.

So whether you're a local from Utah who loves the Jazz, but aren't quite sure about this Soccer thing, well now is a pretty damn good time to jump on the band wagon. And for fans of other MLS teams or the USA national team. Well, finally there's a representative in Utah that we all, as a soccer community can take pride in, believe in, and realize that they're capable of greatness just like anyone from the states who sets their mind to a goal.

I firmly believe that Real Salt Lake will not only win the CONCACAF Champions League tournament over Monterrey, but they will win the first leg 2-1 becoming the first club or national team to ever win in Mexico. To date, our country is 0-44-4 playing in Mexico. Time to make history!