Updated through Oct-28 following the conclusion of regular season 2012, significant accomplishments highlighted in RED, those out-of-reach in BLUE. Final "Records" Standings: SS# Club New Records Set Existing Records Matched Total 1 S.J. 5 1 6 2 K.C. 5 1 6 3 D.C. 1 3 4 4 N.Y. 4 1 5 5 RSL. 4 1 5 6 CHI. 0 2 2 7 HOU. 4 0 4
Isn't 1 fewer than 2? Assuming that your numbers are correct, shouldn't this be a new record!! also? EDIT - Nevermind, the 1 was incorrect... we have 3 home losses.
Arghhhh, my bad, it's a typo indeed... Truly an amazing season for SKC, best of luck in playoffs as well!!
As Mike stated- I have given up on Big Soccer. I can't deal with this redesign and frankly I would much prefer being on Twitter and FB compared to it. I have given my prediction a lot of thought over the season and I just never thought SJ would keep up their miracle late game heroics. I was wrong, but I still stand by my initial thinking. I feel like we were flawed but the best team in the league, our defense should have been strong enough to overcome the horrid goal scoring record we produced. Giving up two goals at Houston and our inability to score (more) at home in the second leg is why we didn't win MLS Cup 2012.
The only thing I see wrong from your original reasoning is predicting the West would be stronger then the East. That was a consensus choice.
It looks like the trend will likely continue in 2013. LA is up in the air right now, while both RSL and Seattle appear to be in a rebuilding mode. Meanwhile, SKC and most of their rivals all appear to be holding steady or getting even better.
[conventional] But, but, but, the East sucks! [/wisdom] Yeah, I see a major dogfight this year between SKC, Houston, DC, and New York. Don't know about Chicago or Columbus this year. Philly will probably rebound. Don't see much coming out of New England or Toronto, but overall the East looks pretty dangerous.
In my ELO rater, the East has been ahead of the West since around mid-season. For whatever that is worth. I never really thought the West was any better, LA and Seattle just had really good 2011 seasons.
I was saying that all along. The West being signficantly better in 2011 was really by appearance only. People love to cut off the top of something but when you compare conferences, you need to consider all the teams.
Just an update about the other side of the spectrum: on K.C. holding off the temptations of the Wooden Spoon for almost 2 decades, more than double of the closest challengers!!
Not forgetting Tampa Bay... It's an irony that both the top & bottom teams in 2001 regular season were folded together, leaving behind the rest of the 10 teams in the middle: http://aragon.ws/soccerdb/league/latest.php?stageId=139
just so we can put this to rest I picked this season that we wouldn't win the East but would finish second or third in the East
SKC fans have the right to feel being "robbed" of 4th-place in the Shield Standings by MLS, however temporary it is...