Major League Soccer has issued the longest suspension in league history. Colorado Rapid Brian Mullan is the new owner of this dubious mark, after MLS lengthened his red-card suspension to a total of 10 games after last weekend’s studs-up challenge that broke the leg of Seattle’s former No. 1 overall draft pick, Steve Zakuani, in two places.

Real Salt Lake finally lost a home game, the first since 2009. With a 1-0 win in the second leg, thanks to a goal from Chilean national-teamer Humberto Suazo, Monterrey took the CONCACAF Champions League title.

Jonathan Leathers shouldn’t become a victim of bad timing. Each and every week during the season, the league’s disciplinary committee reviews the goings-on of the previous week’s games. Of course, the red cards are looked at, but so are all of the other incidents. General managers will ask the league to review plays; those requests are always agreed to. That means that Leathers’ tackle Saturday on reigning MVP David Ferreira is being reviewed. That shouldn’t be news.

Ferreira was hurt on what looked to be a rather innocuous play; as he charged to get to a ball deep in Whitecaps territory, defender Jonathan Leathers slid and got all ball with the challenge. No foul was called. Ferreira went over and was down for several minutes, clutching his ankle in pain. He was sent to hospital for tests to his ankle.

The reigning MLS MVP is also the Player of the Week. David Ferreira scored twice and provided the corner kick for Winnipeg native Ugo Ihemelu’s opening marker as FC Dallas thrashed the previously undefeated Colorado Rapids 3-0 on Friday night.

It’s become obligatory for every sports journalist to provide season previews for the league he or she covers. It’s automatic, and a great space killer! In that vein, The 11 presents its “waited until the last possible second before the regular season” season preview! Why the wait? Because it’s hard to figure out the East. The West? Wow, a lot of power and depth there. As for the East? Last season, New York and Columbus and six other mediocre to bad to awful clubs were in the conference. New York and Columbus left them all in the dust.

Major League Soccer continually talks about the importance of having its teams succeed in international competition but, once again, the league has placed its All-Star game in direct conflict with the CONCACAF Champions League. MLS announced that it will host its annual All-Star Game July 27 at Red Bull Arena. But, as has been the case with the last two All-Star events, it clashes with the preliminary round of the CONCACAF Champions League. CONCACAF has already slated July 26-28 as the window for the first legs of the opening round.

The first domino has fallen. Wednesday, Seattle made Fredy Montero, the franchise's top scorer, it's newest Designated Player. Not counting Landon Donovan's grandfathered deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy, the Colombian star becomes the first MLS regular to graduate from the normal salaried ranks to DP status. MLS knew this was coming. When the new DP rule was rolled out on April 1, allowing each team to have a maximum of three slots, the league knew that its member clubs would soon need to use spots so they could retain existing players, not just to attract players from Europe and South America.

As the Colorado Rapids gathered on a platform placed at the centre of BMO Field, jumping up and down, surrounded by sky-blue confetti, holding the MLS Cup aloft, FC Dallas midfielder Dax McCarty stood on the field, staring at the celebration. The rest of his FC Dallas teammates, losers of a 2-1 decision after extra time in Toronto, had left the field. But McCarty stood and stared at the Rapids’ celebration. Wondering what could have been. Wondering what would have happened if a ball off the foot of Colorado sub Macoumba Kandji hadn’t taken a strange deflection off defender FC Dallas George John in the 108th minute and looped past the goal line. What could have happened in penalty kicks had John’s last-gasp effort at redemption, from point blank range, not been stopped by the outstretched hand of Rapids’ keeper Matt Pickens.

Colorado Rapids coach Gary Smith wants MLS MVP David Ferreira to read the following quote. That was obvious at Saturday’s post-practice press conference at Toronto’s BMO Field, ahead of Sunday’s MLS Cup. “I think he’s feeling the pressure a little bit,” the Rapids coach deadpanned after being asked how his team planned to stop FC Dallas’ elite playmaker. “Everyone is …