7/3 Austin - Laredo; 7/6 Austin - Mississippi

[VioletCrown]

Well, a one win, one loss weekend for the league games.

Nice way to come back from the El Paso game.

Baton Rouge wasn't really any serious threat. And it was a real treat to see tiny Jamie Watson leave that giant defender on his ass for the last goal.

The weekend's results:

Austin 1-2 El Paso
DFW 1-0 Baton Rouge

Houston 1-1 Laredo (thank you, Leones!:))
Austin 3-0 Baton Rouge
DFW 0-1 New Orleans

Standings:

25 Austin
21 El Paso
19 Laredo
17 Mississippi
15 New Orleans, DFW
13 Baton Rouge
10 Houston

If we win our next two games, we are in the playoffs. Our next two games are against the #3 and 4 teams in the standings. Winning both games would give us 31 points. Laredo's max would be 28, Mississippi's max would be 29.

[VioletCrown]

As far as stats go, Ezzy is back on the fouls table (http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2008/Top10.8630213.html) at #4 with his Friday night numbers.

And Miguel is all over the place (http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2008/Top10.8630213.2.html), holding down the #1 in three stats.

We may have the fewest goals scored for a division leader, but we are a steel wall on defense.

I should probably quit talking about where we are. Last time I mentioned anything like this ("El Paso hasn't won on the road..."), well...

Oh, but wait. I remember now. I wasn't there Friday. We've decided that it wasn't the ref, but my absence that caused the loss.

Mississippi will have played Houston on Saturday. Besides wanting to take some points from the last place team, they'll be interested in making up for the last time they played in Houston. Houston knocked Mississippi out of the Open Cup 3-0.

[VioletCrown]

OK, folks, it's the 'home' stretch. We have the #3 and 4 teams visiting this weekend. Good media. Y'all think any of the Tigres fans will come out tonight or Sunday? Or will it be another 'just under 1,000' game?

I'll be in the stands tonight, bringing a friend. And we'll be getting some pre-game Tex-Mex at Chuy's on 183 at 5:30.

See y'all there!

[FrogHammer]

I hope get more than 1,000 since it's a holiday weekend.

[Roma_Wolves]

I'm going with 1200

[VioletCrown]

Hope the rain I'm getting here either misses up there or blows through quickly. Checking the radar, it looks like both are possible...

[duality72]

Yeah, we're getting a fair bit of rain here in South Austin, but from what I've seen on the radar it's mostly been missing Round Rock, though that may have just changed. Hopefully it will be short and sweet up there.

[KillerMoth]

Maybe someone should check my math, here, but from what I can figure, if we win Sunday against Brilla, we'll have 31 points in the league table. No one else in our conference will have enough games left to get better than 30 if they win all of their remaining games. With last night's result, the best Laredo can do is tie us for points.

However, if we lose or draw, El Paso or the Brilla will have enough games remaining that they could win the conference.

So, not only is this the last home game of the season, and not only are we facing a team who beat us the only time we have played them, but this game could decide whether we get into the playoffs or not. So the stakes are very high with this game.

[VioletCrown]

Maybe someone should check my math, here, but from what I can figure, if we win Sunday against Brilla, we'll have 31 points in the league table. No one else in our conference will have enough games left to get better than 30 if they win all of their remaining games. With last night's result, the best Laredo can do is tie us for points.

However, if we lose or draw, El Paso or the Brilla will have enough games remaining that they could win the conference.

So, not only is this the last home game of the season, and not only are we facing a team who beat us the only time we have played them, but this game could decide whether we get into the playoffs or not. So the stakes are very high with this game.

That's pretty much what I see.

If we lose or draw, Brilla and El Paso could pass us. Laredo can't because first tiebreaker is head-to-head, and we beat them twice.

You're right (and I was wrong last night at the pub), if we win, though, not only do we qualify for the playoffs, we win the division. So, Sunday night's game is for the division title.

[VioletCrown]

That's pretty much what I see.

If we lose or draw, Brilla and El Paso could pass us. Laredo can't because first tiebreaker is head-to-head, and we beat them twice.

You're right (and I was wrong last night at the pub), if we win, though, not only do we qualify for the playoffs, we win the division. So, Sunday night's game is for the division title.

Actually, I just looked at the schedule. Mississippi plays El Paso in Mississippi next Saturday.

If we lose every game from here on out, and

a. Laredo wins every game, they can only tie us for points, and we win the head-to-head.

b. El Paso wins every game, they pass us.

c. If El Paso wins every game, then Mississippi will not have won every game. However, they'd still pass us with 29 points if they win all their other games.

OK, we're not qualified for the playoffs yet.

However, Mississippi is playing in Houston on Saturday. If they only get a tie there, then we're in the playoffs. So, once again, our status in a tournament depends on how the Brilla do in Houston.

Deja vu!

[duality72]

Or we could win out the rest of the season and not care what everyone else does. Sounds like a plan to me.

[TwoMeters]

However, Mississippi is playing in Houston on Saturday. If they only get a tie there, then we're in the playoffs. So, once again, our status in a tournament depends on how the Brilla do in Houston.

Deja vu!
Well, Mississippi got a tie there (http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2008/657609.html)...

[VioletCrown]

Well, Mississippi got a tie there (http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2008/657609.html)...

Hmm... now that the numbers are up on the board, I'm not so convinced that we're actually in. I think if I have it right, now, if El Paso and Mississippi tie, and each win the rest of theirs, and we lose all of ours, we'd all three end up tied at 28 points.

So, enough of my silliness. Let's go with duality's suggestion.

Win tomorrow night, and the rest of the season to boot.

:)

[Barrovianhordes]

Looking forwards to tonight, though 1 family has already bailed, I'm bringing 3 kids & 2 teens for their 1st Aztecs game.
Hopefully a few others as well.