Dempsey can lead Revolution to title in his swan song

	Clint Dempsey has scored five goals during the Revs' 5-0-2 surge to close the season. AP
	RELATED • BUENO: MLS Cup XI contenders, pretenders
	MAILBAG Grant Wahl will periodically answer questions from SI.com users in his mailbag. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

Clint "Deuce" Dempsey is in the final days of his MLS career -- and he's about to do something that will make everyone remember his farewell to the league that gave him a launchpad.

That's my sense, at least, on the eve of the MLS playoffs, which start this weekend with four games around the country, including the marquee showdown between Dempsey's New England Revolution and the resurgent Chicago Fire (Sunday, 1 p.m., ABC).

There's a reason why Dempsey, the 23-year-old U.S. Player of the Year, has more clips on YouTube (65 at last count) than any other American soccer star. He's a money player, a World Cup goal-scorer, the kind of fearless entertainer who inspires fans to spend hours at their computers putting together homemade highlight videos of their favorite Yank.

(And for what it's worth, he's also the rare athlete who makes unembarrassing rap videos.)

For a while at midseason, it looked as if Dempsey was enduring a killer World Cup hangover, earning his second suspension of the year for elbowing an opponent and voicing his displeasure with MLS' refusal to accept a $1.5 million transfer offer from England's Charlton Athletic. It hardly helped that he wasn't scoring goals for an underperforming team.

But now look at him: Dempsey is on a tear, scoring five goals in his last seven games as the Revs finished the regular season on a 5-0-2 streak -- a record that's even more impressive considering they did most of it without midfield dominator Shalrie Joseph (who hopes to be ready for the playoffs after recovering from a severe hand injury).

It's increasingly likely that Dempsey will be taking his show to Europe during the January transfer window -- his list of rumored potential suitors includes Fulham, Everton, Charlton and Atlético Madrid. And so the temptation is to look back at Deuce's meteoric rise through the ranks, from his long-maned Rookie of the Year performance in 2004 to his first sitdown with Sports Illustrated in 2005 (at a Dunkin' Donuts, no less) to his cracker of a goal at D.C. United earlier this month with Fulham manager Chris Coleman watching in the stands.

But I'd rather look ahead toward what's still to come, and it says here that Dempsey will be the figure we remember for leading the Revs to the MLS Cup XI title in '06.

Here's my take on the four MLS playoff match-ups:

Eastern conference

D.C. United (1) vs. New York Red Bulls (4)

Game 1: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, HDNet, MLS Direct Kick
Game 2: Oct. 29, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2

The irony here is rich: Red Bulls honcho Bruce Arena could be a prime beneficiary of the same kooky MLS playoff system he always ripped with abandon as the U.S. manager. Yes, the Bulls somehow made it into the postseason with a 9-11-12 record, but that won't matter if they can slap down reeling United, starting with an N.Y.-friendly opener on the fake grass at the Swamp. No playoff matchup has more personal intrigue, with the Red Bulls being coached by Arena and his merry band of ex-D.C. stalwarts (John Harkes, Richie Williams and Jeff Agoos).

But is New York strong enough to pull off the upset? I don't think so. Look for a chippy, physical series with plenty of atmosphere -- led by two supporters groups that will travel en masse and don't like each other -- but I'm going with United to relocate its form when it matters most: during extra-time after Game 2 in a closer-than-expected battle. The Pick: D.C. United.

New England Revolution (2) vs. Chicago Fire (3)

Game 1: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2: Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. ET, HDNet, MLS Direct Kick

It's a shame that one of these teams has to go out in Round 1 -- either one is capable of winning the whole thing. New England's second-half resurgence was sparked by Dempsey, while Chicago's run of late has been keyed by, of all people, Tony Sanneh. The Big Cat has become the anchor of Chicago's back line and finally started earning his hefty paycheck. The midfield battle will be fun to watch: The Fire's Chris Armas has been a stud recently, while New England's Joseph could make a difference with his return as long as he's in decent condition. In the end, though, Dempsey provides an attacking element that the Fire can't match. The Pick: New England.

Western conference

FC Dallas (1) vs. Colorado Rapids (4)

Game 1: Saturday, 9 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel
Game 2: Oct. 28, 8:30 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel, MLS Direct Kick

If Dallas can't take advantage of having the MLS Cup final take place in its freaking home stadium for the second year in a row, well, then there's not much more to be said. Honestly, I can't think of a team with more pressure on it to win the Cup. Kenny Cooper has been the best addition to MLS this season and Carlos Ruiz is starting to heat up again, and that should be enough for the Toros to avoid their second-straight first-round upset against the Rapids. (It would help if Shaka Hislop didn't repeat his five-goals-allowed sieve impression in L.A. last week.)

One Rapid to keep an eye on, though, is 20-year-old forward Jacob Peterson, who scored the playoff berth-clincher against Houston last week. Dude doesn't look like much of a player at first, but he's got game. The Pick: FC Dallas.

Houston Dynamo (2) vs. Chivas USA (3)

Game 1: Sunday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Game 2: Oct. 29, 8 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel, MLS Direct Kick

Every year at least one lower-seeded team pulls off a first-round upset, and my choice this year is Chivas USA, which went from MLS laughingstock to the class of L.A. in just one season under coach Bob Bradley. Another rising star who might be leaving MLS soon is the wildly talented but unpredictable Juan Pablo García, and we think he'll be the figure of this series for the Goats. As for Houston, the Dynamo had another stellar season from Dwayne De Rosario, but this hasn't been a team that plays well of late when the pressure is at its highest (see last year's playoff flop as the San Jose Earthquakes). The Pick: Chivas USA.

Conference finals

New England over D.C. United

Chivas USA over FC Dallas

MLS Cup XI

New England over Chivas USA