Once again, Vancouver failed to do its part in ending playoff hopes for 3 teams out West. And Dallas tying didn't help matters, either. POR can still technically make the playoffs if they win out and VAN loses out- because POR has more goals scored this year. The only help POR would need (besides VAN losing out) is having Dallas doing no better than earning a single point over its next 3 games. COL can lose to LA tomorrow and still won't be mathematically eliminated, with the same scenarios as for POR. CHV has a game in hand on DAL and VAN, so technically again they too aren't mathematically eliminated. It's almost pathetic how no one is playing like they want that last playoff seed out West.
I don't know. I think Dallas has been doing pretty well. Who thought they'd have a good shot at it a month ago? Also, the games left between these teams: Vancouver @ Chivas Oct 3 Chivas @ Dallas Oct 7 Chivas @ Colorado Oct 20 Vancouver @ Portland Oct 21 Dallas @ Chivas Oct 28 We will get a very good sense of who is the worst in the West by season's end. The good money is on Chivas.
Since tonight's outcome between LAG and COL will not affect them--except possibly COL's TN--here are the updated numbers; corrections are always welcome. GR = games remaining, MP = maximum points, MN = magic number, TN = tragic number, SS = Supporters' Shield magic number. Code: EASTERN CONFERENCE Rank Team Pts GR MP MN TN SS 1 SKC 58 3 67 ** ** 13 2 NYR 53 3 62 5 15 18 3 CHI 53 4 65 5 18 18 4 DCU 51 3 60 7 13 -- 5 HOU 49 3 58 9 11 -- 6 CLB 48 3 57 11 9 -- 7 MON 40 3 49 -- 1 -- 8 PHL 30 5 45 -- -- -- 9 NER 29 3 38 -- -- -- 10 TOR 22 3 31 -- -- -- WESTERN CONFERENCE Rank Team Pts GR MP MN TN SS 1 SJE 61 3 70 ** ** 7 2 RSL 52 3 61 ** ** -- 3 LAG 49 4 61 ** ** -- 4 SEA 49 4 61 ** ** -- 5 VAN 39 3 48 8 12 -- 6 FCD 37 3 46 12 8 -- 7 COL 30 4 42 19 4 -- 8 POR 30 3 39 -- 1 -- 9 CHV 28 4 40 21 2 -- SKC and SEA have clinched playoff spots. SJE technically needs one more point to wrap up first place in the Western Conference, since it is still possible--although very unlikely--that RSL, LAG, or SEA could tie them on 61 points and catch them in goals scored.
I got ambitious and calculated magic numbers for all of the individual playoff slots, since each carries a tangible benefit--top four (T4) guarantees a home playoff game, top three (T3) avoids the wildcard round, top two (T2) gets home-field advantage in the conference semifinals, and first place (1P) means home-field advantage through the conference finals. The Western Conference is a little tricky right now, since LAG, RSL, and SEA will all play each other down the stretch. Again, corrections are welcome. Code: EASTERN CONFERENCE Rank Team Pts GR MP TN MN T4 T3 T2 1P SS 1 SKC 58 3 67 ** ** 1 3 5 8 13 2 NYR 53 3 62 15 5 6 8 13 15 18 3 CHI 53 4 65 18 5 6 8 10 15 18 4 DCU 51 3 60 13 7 8 12 15 17 -- 5 HOU 49 3 58 11 9 12 14 17 19 -- 6 CLB 48 3 57 9 11 13 15 18 -- -- 7 MON 40 3 49 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- 8 PHL 30 5 45 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 9 NER 29 3 38 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 10 TOR 22 3 31 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- WESTERN CONFERENCE Rank Team Pts GR MP TN MN T4 T3 T2 1P SS 1 SJE 61 3 70 ** ** ** ** ** 1 7 2 RSL 52 3 61 ** ** ** 7 8 19 -- 3 LAG 50 3 59 ** ** ** 10 12 -- -- 4 SEA 49 4 61 ** ** ** 10 11 22 -- 5 VAN 39 3 48 12 8 -- -- -- -- -- 6 FCD 37 3 46 8 12 -- -- -- -- -- 7 COL 31 3 40 2 18 -- -- -- -- -- 8 POR 30 3 39 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- 9 CHV 28 4 40 2 21 -- -- -- -- --
As of now, the "gap of injustice" between the 5th Seeds in East/West is 10 points through Week #30, already larger than the league record of 8 points set in 1999 (S.J. out with 37, while Miami in with 29). Should the current trend out West/East continues for the rest of the season, the gap could be widened to like 15 points!!?? Simply mind boggling...
With TFC not having won since mid july, the Wooden Spoon race doesn't offer much interest this year. However, there are some going ons at the bottom of the table. The sub 1.00 pts/gm is the lazy man's benchmark to identify a truly bad season, and this year we currently have 4 such teams (PHI, POR, CHV, TFC). If this holds, it would be a first for MLS. 96- 1 COL 97- 1 (SJ) 98- 1 (NE) 99- 3 (NE, NY, KC) 00- 1 (DC) 01- 1 (TB) 02- 0 03- 1 (DAL) 04- 0 05- 2 (RSL, CHV) 06- 0 07- 2 (RSL, TFC) 08- 0 09- 1 (NY) 10- 2 (DC, CHV) 11- 3 (TFC, NE, VAN)
Mathematically speaking, TFC's sub-1.00 season is confirmed (22 points/3 games left/max 31 points), while 5 other teams are still not out of it yet (until they reach 34 points or more): Colorado, Portland, Phily, N.E. & Chivas. So it could be up to SIX teams, wow!
Good catch. I just made the list on the fly, because this year seemed somewhat out of the ordinary. Of course, there are more teams now, so this may be not be noteworthy.
The other side of the coin would be the superb seasons with sup-2.00 ppg, which have been achieved by just 3 teams below: Code: Best MLS Teams Over 1 Season Rnk Year Team GP W L D Pts PPG GF GA GD GFA GAA GDA 1 1998 L.A. 32 22 6 4 70 2.188 85 44 41 2.656 1.375 1.281 2 2001 Miami 26 16 5 5 53 2.038 57 36 21 2.192 1.385 0.808 3 2005 S.J. 32 18 4 10 64 2.000 53 31 22 1.656 0.969 0.688 For 2012, only S.J. is still on course, should they drop less than 2 points in the final 3 games.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Union join this prestigious club of suckitude by the end of the season but I think you need to replace Philadelphia (1.03 PPG) with New England (0.94 PPG) in your current list.
The table actually cheered me up....to think that only 3 of our 6 seasons we have been below 1ppg! I assumed (without looking) that it was more like 4 or 5! Small bits of good news do cheer you up!
My bad. I have NE in my notebook but somehow Philly was on my mind when typing this up (obviously too quickly).
And not only did none of the three win MLS Cup, none of them made the final. (And two of them did not exist the following season.)
This just proves the LA bias of the league which is the only team that will be allowed to succeed >= 2 averages points per game! Based on this new data and the fact that SJE has an approved stadium plan in place, I have to assume SJE will not reach the 2 PPG average.