Real Salt Lake and the Los Angeles Galaxy face off in the MLS Cup Final tonight in frigid, rainy Seattle.  It’s on ESPN at 8:30 ET/5:30 PT, so if you don’t like Curb Your Enthusiasm and you need an alternate for the three hours plus that nothing is happening on the NFL field, check it out.  Here are a few factors to consider.

Parity: The Galaxy won the Western Conference.  Real Salt Lake were the last team into the playoffs.  However, the disparity was only eight points.  LA won 12 of their 30 matches.  RSL won 11.  No team won more than 13.  Had RSL not suffered a seven-game winless stretch early in the season, they’re about even.  RSL drew LA 2-2 at home and beat them 2-0 in LA.  Though, those matches were before the metrosexual midfielder (and his entourage) arrived.  RSL also had a better goal difference.

Injury: Speaking of Beckham, he suffered a bone bruise on his magical right foot against Houston.  He couldn’t train until Friday and will need painkilling injections to play.    Expect any RSL player who even grazes that foot to be immediately red-carded and pummeled in the tunnel by MLS goons.

Key Matchup: Fundamentally, soccer is about space and the exploitation of it.  For RSL to win, their DM Kyle Beckerman needs to close down David Beckham.  Beckham has tremendous vision and can hit a moving stop-sign at 40 yards.  He remains in the England setup, because he’s still one of the few players in the world who can pull a goal out of his ass regardless of the run of play.  You’ll be able to spot these two easily.  They have the worst hair on the field.

Awkward: Beckham and Donovan kissed and made up publicly, but there seems to be lingering frostiness, at least from Donovan.  There was a slight, but palpable, bristling on the B.S. Report when young William brought up Beckham.  Donovan was more stinging than the normal athlete platitudes, backhandedly stressing how “life is about choices” and Beckham chose to “be a man and want this team to be successful.”  They’re professional.  They work together on the field, but we’re guessing the In N’Out burger rendezvous haven’t been rekindled.

Middle Class Comfort: In what could be a first for an MLS Cup final, there are no Troy’s in either squad, and only one Josh.  The Kyle’s are picking up the slack, however, as there are three of them.

Perfect Ending: Sportswriting is about storytelling. The best narrative is Beckham and Donovan disregarding personal issues, uniting to make the Galaxy great and winning a championship.  But, this could be the ending of that partnership.  Donovan turns 28 in March.  Assuming he still harbors ambitions of playing at the highest level in Europe, he needs to leave now.