<table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="8" bgcolor="#330099"><div align="Center"><font color="#cccccc"><u><big><big><big><b>MLS PLAYOFF RACE</b></big></big></big></u></font><br></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>TEAM</b><br></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>GP</b><br></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>W</b></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>T</b></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>L<br></b></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>GD</b><br></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>PTS</b></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><font color="#000000"><big><b>GAMES LEFT</b></big></font></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="8"><u>SUPPORTERS SHIELD RACE</u><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#3366ff"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">San Jose (W)</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">21<br></td><td valign="Top">12<br></td><td valign="Top">2<br></td><td valign="Top">7<br></td><td valign="Top">+14<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#009900"><big><b>38</b></big></td><td valign="Top">vDC, vDAL, @COL,<br>@DC, vCLB, @LA, vLA<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#cc0000"><big><b>Dallas</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">20<br></td><td valign="Top">8<br></td><td valign="Top">7<br></td><td valign="Top">5<br></td><td valign="Top">+1<big><b><br></b></big></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#009900"><big><b>31</b></big></td><td valign="Top">vCHI, @MET, @SJ, vLA,<br>@COL, vMET, vNE, @DC<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#3333ff"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">Kansas City</font></b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">21<br></td><td valign="Top">8<br></td><td valign="Top">7<br></td><td valign="Top">6<br></td><td valign="Top">+1<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#009900"><big><b>31</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">@DC, @CHI, vCLB,<br>@LA, vCHI, vCOL, @COL<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="8"><u>PLAYOFF HUNT</u><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><big><font color="#009900"><b>Los Angeles</b></font></big><br></td><td valign="Top">19<br></td><td valign="Top">9<br></td><td valign="Top">3<br></td><td valign="Top">7<br></td><td valign="Top">+1<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big><b>30</b></big></td><td valign="Top">vNE, @CLB, vCOL, vKC,<br>@DAL, vMET, @CHI, vSJ, @SJ<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#006600"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">Colorado</font></b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">21<br></td><td valign="Top">9<br></td><td valign="Top">3<br></td><td valign="Top">9<br></td><td valign="Top">-5<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big><b>30</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">vCLB, @LA, vSJ,<br>@NE, vDAL, @KC, vKC<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="red"><big><b>Metrostars (E)</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">21<br></td><td valign="Top">9<br></td><td valign="Top">2<br></td><td valign="Top">10<br></td><td valign="Top">+1<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big><b>29</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">vDAL, vDC, @LA,<br>@DAL, vDC, @DC, @NE<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="red"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">Chicago</font></b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">20<br></td><td valign="Top">8<br></td><td valign="Top">4<br></td><td valign="Top">8<br></td><td valign="Top">+5<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big><b>28</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">@DAL, vKC, @NE, vNE,<br>@KC, vLA, vCLB, @CLB<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big><b>Columbus</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">21<br></td><td valign="Top">8<br></td><td valign="Top">4<br></td><td valign="Top">9<br></td><td valign="Top">-3<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big><b>28</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">@COL, vLA, @KC,<br>vNE, @SJ, @CHI, vCHI<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="8">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#000066"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">New England</font></b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">20<br></td><td valign="Top">7<br></td><td valign="Top">1<br></td><td valign="Top">12<br></td><td valign="Top">-7<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="red"><big><b>22</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">@LA, vCHI, @CHI, vCOL,<br>@CLB, vDC, @DAL, vMET<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#000000"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">DC United</font></b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">20<br></td><td valign="Top">6<br></td><td valign="Top">3<br></td><td valign="Top">11<br></td><td valign="Top">-8<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="red"><big><b>21</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">vKC, @SJ, @MET, vSJ,<br>@NE, @MET, vMET, vDAL<br></td></tr></tbody></table><br>(W) or (E): Division Leader<br><br><u>TIEBREAKERS</u><br>1) Head-to-Head<br>2) Goal Differential<br>3) Total Goals<br>4) Rules #1-3 (Road Games)<br>5) Rules #1-3 (Home Games)<br>6) Fewest Disciplinary Points<br>7) Coin Toss<br><br><u>CURRENT PLAYOFF MATCHUPS</u><br>(1) San Jose v Columbus (8)<br>(2) Metrostars v Chicago (7)<br>(3) Dallas v Colorado (6)<br>(4) Kansas City v Los Angeles (5)<br><br><u>TEAMS STILL INVOLVED IN US OPEN CUP</u><br>San Jose, Colorado, Los Angeles, Dallas, Columbus,<br>Metrostars, Kansas City (Quarterfinals)<br><br><u>TEAMS STILL INVOLVED IN FC CHAMPIONS' CUP</u><br>Kansas City (Semifinals)<br><br>
help me out here .... could you explain the supporter's shield? does it just go to the top team in the league? is it an official MLS thing? if not, who started it. thanks for the help.
The Supporters' Shield is an award for the team that finishes the regular season in first place. Past winners: 1996 Tampa Bay Mutiny 1997 DC United 1998 Los Angeles Galaxy 1999 DC United 2000 Kansas City Wizards 2001 Miami Fusion The Shield was created by supporters. Sam Pierron spearheaded the idea, but it took donations from many supporters all over the country to get the award made. I believe it was completed in 1998? so the 97 and 96 achievements were recognized retroactively. The idea was to honor the achievement of "winning the league". Some people think the award is not that important since there's not a balanced schedule. Personally, I look at it as another piece of silverware, and ALL silverware is important. The Shield is given to the supporters during MLS Cup weekend, at the Supporters Summit I believe. What the supporters do with it for that year is uncertain, but the Mystics presented it to the Wizards in 2000 and it spent the year in the Wizards trophy case at Arrowhead. Technically it is not 'an official MLS thing' but the league isn't trying to discourage it either. I don't know about other teams, but the Wizards have banners on the walls at Arrowhead that read 2000 MLS Cup Winners and matching banners that read 2000 Supporters Shield Winners that are placed just as prominently and are the same size as the Cup winners banners.
LA should probably be included in the Supporters Shield race. They're only a point behind Dallas and Kansas City, they've a game in hand on Dallas and two in hand on Kansas City, and they've got two games against San Jose remaining this season.
Yup. But it's a judgement call on my part, and a week-to-week thing...and as I've said in the pass, I will do LA (nor Dallas, nor Metro) any favors when it comes to judgement calls.
How is that a favor? If you're using your judgement and not a strict set of rules you HAVE to take those things into account. If you said, well I just cound the top 3 teams, then sure you'd have to leave LA out regardless of how many games in hand they have, but since you're doing it with your own mind (albeit a fire fan's mind =)), you need to take things into account such as games in hand, etc. Keep up the good work!
Totally personal opinion, but I think you should list the top team in the East at the top of the playoff hunt list because they are going to get the #2 seed. Thanks for the info.
I list them as the #2 seed every week for the past three seasons under the table in the "Playoff Matchups" listing. They are designated as Eastern leaders by virtue of having a big 'E' by their name. I think it's pretty clear already.
Thanks Hala, its always good to look at your table just to remind myself how much the eastern conference sucks this year.
Shouldn't DC be included in the Supporter's Shield run?? If we can get our offense clicking, we could be dangerous.
Probably because most of teams have won about half of their games and lost about half of their games.