Ok, with the games being played this week, here are the possible playoff ramifications... Eastern Conference 1) DC United can clinch #1 seed with... a) a draw or win against Red Bull b) a loss combined with a Chicago draw or loss against LA Galaxy 2) Chicago can clinch a playoff spot with... a) a win against LA and a draw by KC b) a win against LA and Red Bull losing 1 of their two games c) a win against LA and Red Bull drawing both their games d) a draw against LA and a KC loss e) a draw or loss against LA and Red Bull losing both their games 3) New England can clinch playoff spot with... a) wins against both Red Bull and Kansas City along with a Red Bull loss to DC United 4) Kansas City cannot clinch or be eliminated 5) Red Bull cannot clinch or be eliminated 6) Columbus be eliminated from playoffs with... a) two wins by Red Bull eliminates Columbus regardless of their outcome b) 1 win by Red Bull and loss by Columbus c) a win & draw by Red Bull and draw or loss by Columbus d) a win by KC and draw or loss by Columbus Western Conference 1) FC Dallas cannot clinch #1 seed this weekend. They can clinch playoff with... a) a win or draw against Real Salt Lake Nobody else can clinch a playoff spot and nobody can be eliminated from the playoffs this week in the Western Conference. Supporters Shield DC United can clinch the SS with a win and a loss by FC Dallas.
Re: MLS Playoff Race: September 16 [R] Chivas was in third going into the weekend, Rapids played Saturday, got a point and moved into 3rd place. Chivas played Sunday, got a point and moved back into 3rd place. the only change in standings was that, in between Saturday and Sunday
Re: MLS Playoff Race: September 16 [R] That makes sense. I had forgotten about swapping Chivas & Colorado on Saturday night.
Man, that NY-Revs game tomorrow is going to go a LONG way towards determining exactly what KC needs to do to stay alive.
I think in the end of the day, its going to come down to the last game between KC and NY. Should be a playoff level intensity in that match, and fun to watch if you're not a fan of either team. Me, i'll be biting my nails straight off.
People smarter than me in the Wizards forum have pointed out that if they win out, the Wizards are in the playoffs. Regardless of tonight's outcome, if the Wizards get 45 points, there is no way RBNY can get 45 points. So that gives KC a magic number of 12. Barring a collapse by KC, NY, or NE, that KC-NY game is going to send someone home for the winter. (Hmm, if this were a single table, every team but C-Bus would still have a reasonable shot at the playoffs. Someone explain this "meaningless games" problem to me again.)
The one advantage to letting 2/3 of the league into the playoffs. It's a valid point, though. Barring pro/rel and international competition spots, about the only thing that would make single table exciting through the entire season would be to keep a large number of teams in the playoffs. The key there would be to give a much larger benefit of some kind to those teams finishing higher, and getting higher seeds. Financial or otherwise.
It might be harder to not make the playoffs. Odds are in your favor. There also is not much difference in finsihing fourth instead of say second. Why even bother fighting for position until about August? The Wizards have shown it not really necessary. The 3 month break they took in the middle of the season hasn't really hurt them. They still control their own destiny. That seems to be the main problem to me.
I was being a little facetious. (I also watched a match from the EPL last Saturday that was as listless as any late-season KC Royals game in the last decade, so my perspective on the "meaningless games" debate might be off-kilter.)
Not trying to argue for or against the amount of playoff teams, but I would say the Wizards mid-season form puts them in a fight for a playoff spot instead of going for the Supporter's Shield. Big difference.