Last year everyone watched the New England Revolution crash out of the playoffs en route to the Portland Timbers winning their first MLS Cup. The Timbers who began playing as an expansion team in the 2011 season needed just five years to capture their first playoff title in just their second postseason appearance.
This year, another team will raise the MLS Cup for the first time and beat the Revs to a title. Like Portland, both the Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC are very deserving franchises who have done will in the expansion/Designated Player era of MLS.