The Silliest of Silly Seasons: RSL, the Landon Donovan chase, and the new normal

Silly season: The time in which fans and media types alike will believe, hype, and dismiss any and all rumors that surface on the internet. Arguing in the comments section is a regular occurrence and usually these arguments involve close to 0 facts. Emotions are high. Potential depression is around the corner. It’s transfer season and we’re all just hanging on for the ride.

Over the past few years there have been some off seasons and transfer windows that have had so much potential and hope behind them for Real Salt Lake fans — and yet in almost all of them that hope and potential have turned into questions and even some disappointment.

Rumors generally tend, especially in the case of RSL, be few and far between as the league and club do their best to protect the moves from outside influences and potential sniping from other leagues or clubs. This can be incredibly frustrating for fans, especially when the team is in need of reinforcements. In years like 2014, 2015, and 2016 many fans would have given a small fortune for insight into the moves the team was attempting to make. Sadly, there was little information and what did come out was mostly that a deal had fallen through. Yes, we landed Burrito and Yura in those years but was it really all that drama filled for either of them?

This is where the 2017 winter transfer window has really excelled thus far — drama. For some reason this offseason has been rumor filled and a roller coaster of excitement and frustration thanks to those rumors.

Take the Landon Donovan rumor for instance. How many times have we heard from various sources that this one was done and dusted only to have it, almost immediately, reported by another outlet that it’s not going to happen? Four times? Maybe five?

(By the way, I have a conspiracy theory about the relative quickness with which the Landon rumors were squashed, but I’ll save my tin-foil-hat postings for a later date.)

The hype (and deflation that has followed it) that has surrounded that signing has shaken the RSL fan base to it’s core. We want that big signing, for the play on the field and the recognition league wide.

The interesting thing is that more than just the rumor about Landon have swirled about. A rarity in any transfer window/off season would be one rumor about a big player acquisition for RSL. More than that, this season we’ve run into more confirmed rumors than I can remember in years past. Rusnak, Silva, Landon (even though this one is probably dead now, it was confirmed that we were interested), Brooks Lennon (PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN), Bofo Saucedo, and a few more that are still waiting for some movement.

As a fan who loves spending time researching who potential signings could be, it’s been like Christmas all over again almost every single week this offseason. All that said, the Landon saga has taken it’s toll on me and I’d imagine some of you as well -- but wasn’t it worth it?

When I think about previous off seasons and how not even the whisper of a rumor could be heard about a potential signing for our beloved RSL I have to say that I think drama filled transfer windows are better. I hate them. But they’re better. Now let’s hope that a few more pieces fall into place over the next few days before the international transfer window closes.

BROOKS LENNON PLEASE.

Which of the rumors was your favorite to follow? Which rumor that’s out there would you most like to see become a reality?