MLS: The Official "Comb" Watch

This thread is a spin-off from a related discussion on the worst losses suffered by teams in MLS history (previously defined as "The Blow Out Comb" = an honor awarded to the team losing by four goals or more).

In view of Chivas' spectacular collection of "Combs" this season, have went on to mine some numbers on this, and worked out the "Comb Standings" for each of the past seasons, as well as the "All-Time" Standings.

In order to illustrate the idea better, the definition of the "Comb" is hereby tweaked to be more in line with the concept of "Goal", i.e. as an honor awarded to the team "winning by four goals or more" instead.

Some definitions:

• SS#: Actual Position in the Overall Supporters' Shield Table that season.
• CF = Combs For (equivalent to "Goals For", the higher the better.)
• CA = Combs Against (equivalent to "Goals Against", the lower the better.)
• CD = Combs Difference (equivalent to "Goals Difference", the higher the better.)
• Rank: As with typical league standings, teams are ranked in the following order:

1. CD (High to Low)​

2. CF (High to Low)​

3. CA (Low to High)​

4. SS#​

Let's begin the adventure with the inaugural season as below, more later...

1996:

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    06    S.J.    2    0    2
02    07    N.Y.    2    1    1
03    08    CLB.    2    1    1
04    02    L.A.    1    0    1
05    10    COL.    1    0    1
06    03    D.C.    1    2    -1
07    05    K.C.    1    2    -1
08    01    T.B.    0    1    -1
09    04    DAL.    0    1    -1
10    09    N.E.    0    2    -2

Ain't it a surprise, that the Wooden Spoonist (Colorado) were ranked higher than the SS Winners (Tampa Bay) in this standing?

 

1997:

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    04    L.A.    2    0    2
02    10    S.J.    2    0    2
03    01    D.C.    2    1    1
04    03    CLB.    1    0    1
05    06    T.B.    2    2    0
06    02    K.C.    1    1    0
07    05    DAL.    0    0    0
08    07    COL.    0    1    -1
09    09    N.Y.    0    2    -2
10    08    N.E.    0    3    -3

Another bottom team (San Jose) who had done better than the SS Winners (D.C. United) here, surprisingly..

 

1998:

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    01    L.A.    5    0    5
02    02    D.C.    2    0    2
03    04    CLB.    2    0    2
04    03    CHI.    1    0    1
05    11    K.C.    1    0    1
06    10    S.J.    1    2    -1
07    07    DAL.    0    1    -1
08    08    MIA.    0    1    -1
09    09    T.B.    0    1    -1
10    05    COL.    0    2    -2
11    06    N.Y.    0    2    -2
12    12    N.E.    0    3    -3

L.A.'s 5 Combs (Trashings with 4+ clear goals) against other teams remain the all-time single-season record to this date:

• 1998-04-25 MLS Tampa Bay Mutiny (H) 5 - 1 W
• 1998-06-04 MLS FC Dallas (A) 8 - 1 W
• 1998-06-07 MLS New England Revolution (H) 5 - 1 W
• 1998-08-05 MLS Colorado Rapids (A) 6 - 1 W
• 1998-08-22 MLS New England Revolution (A) 5 - 1 W

Simply an amazing season by any standards, considering they still had several other big wins that didn't "qualify" as Combs, unfortunately:

• 1998-05-06 MLS Colorado Rapids (H) 7 - 4 W
• 1998-05-23 MLS FC Dallas (H) 4 - 1 W
• 1998-09-05 MLS Miami Fusion (A) 5 - 3 W

 

1999:

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    03    DAL.    2    0    2
02    02    L.A.    1    0    1
03    04    CHI.    1    0    1
04    06    CLB.    1    0    1
05    07    S.J.    1    0    1
06    08    T.B.    1    0    1
07    01    D.C.    0    0    0
08    11    K.C.    1    2    -1
09    10    N.E.    0    1    -1
10    12    N.Y.    0    1    -1
11    05    COL.    0    2    -2
12    09    MIA.    0    2    -2

Yet another SS Winners who didn't do too well over here...

 

2000:

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    02    CHI.    2    0    2
02    05    L.A.    2    0    2
03    04    T.B.    2    1    1
04    09    MIA.    1    0    1
05    01    K.C.    1    1    0
06    12    S.J.    1    1    0
07    03    N.Y.    0    0    0
08    07    N.E.    0    0    0
09    08    COL.    0    1    -1
10    10    CLB.    0    1    -1
11    06    DAL.    0    2    -2
12    11    D.C.    0    2    -2

SS / WS Winners again staying close to each other...

 

2001:

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    01    MIA.    3    0    3
02    03    L.A.    2    0    2
03    04    S.J.    2    0    2
04    10    D.C.    2    1    1
05    02    CHI.    1    0    1
06    05    CLB.    1    1    0
07    06    N.Y.    0    0    0
08    11    COL.    0    0    0
09    08    DAL.    1    2    -1
10    09    N.E.    1    2    -1
11    07    K.C.    0    3    -3
12    12    T.B.    0    4    -4

Tampa Bay were the record holder with the most "Combs Against" (4) for 11 seasons, until being over taken by Chivas (6 & possibly counting) in 2012...

 

That's right, to date its been almost 8 seasons (and 232 games) since Colorado was last "combed", though the "uncombed" streak almost snapped when they trailed S.J. by 4 goals in stoppage time in the last game...

 

Full suite of graphics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowout_Comb

 

3 seasons with 10 teams:

2002:

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    02    S.J.    2    0    2
02    05    CLB.    1    0    1
03    07    CHI.    1    0    1
04    09    N.Y.    1    0    1
05    01    L.A.    1    1    0
06    06    N.E.    0    0    0
07    10    D.C.    0    0    0
08    03    DAL.    0    1    -1
09    04    COL.    0    2    -2
10    08    K.C.    0    2    -2

Another SS Winners who didn't do too well here.

2003:

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    03    N.E.    1    0    1
02    04    K.C.    1    0    1
03    08    CLB.    1    0    1
04    02    S.J.    0    0    0
05    05    N.Y.    0    0    0
06    07    D.C.    0    0    0
07    09    L.A.    0    0    0
08    01    CHI.    1    2    -1
09    06    COL.    0    1    -1
10    10    DAL.    0    1    -1

Only 4 Combs happened all-season, & Chicago had 2 of them, the highest number for among all SS winners...

2004:

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    02    K.C.    1    0    1
02    09    N.E.    1    0    1
03    04    D.C.    1    1    0
04    08    DAL.    1    1    0
05    01    CLB.    0    0    0
06    03    L.A.    0    0    0
07    07    S.J.    0    0    0
08    10    CHI.    0    0    0
09    05    COL.    0    1    -1
10    06    N.Y.    0    1    -1

Only 4 Combs all-season as well... Joint-bottom N.E. were joint-top in this Standings!

 

2 seasons with 12 teams:

2005:

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    03    D.C.    1    0    1
02    07    K.C.    1    0    1
03    12    CHV.    1    0    1
04    01    S.J.    0    0    0
05    02    N.E.    0    0    0
06    04    CHI.    0    0    0
07    05    DAL.    0    0    0
08    06    N.Y.    0    0    0
09    08    COL.    0    0    0
10    09    L.A.    0    0    0
11    10    CLB.    0    1    -1
12    11    RSL.    0    2    -2

Just 3 Combs all-season, the lowest record!
Joint-bottom Chivas were joint-top with DC/KC, having "combed" fellow expansions side RSL.

2006:

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    01    D.C.    1    0    1
02    02    DAL.    1    0    1
03    08    N.Y.    1    0    1
04    11    K.C.    1    0    1
05    03    N.E.    1    1    0
06    04    CHI.    0    0    0
07    05    HOU.    0    0    0
08    06    CHV.    0    0    0
09    07    COL.    0    0    0
10    09    L.A.    0    1    -1
11    10    RSL.    0    1    -1
12    12    CLB.    0    2    -2

DC were the first SS Winners to top this Standings since Miami in 2001.
Joint-bottom KC were joint-top here with DC & others.
CLB were bottom in both Standings,

 

Rest of the seasons (up to 2011) with new comers every year:

2007:
Houston dished out the most number of Combs alongside '01 Miami (3), only behind the record 5 by '98 L.A.

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    03    HOU.    3    0    3
02    01    D.C.    1    0    1
03    04    N.E.    1    0    1
04    02    CHV.    1    1    0
05    06    N.Y.    1    1    0
06    13    TOR.    1    1    0
07    07    K.C.    0    0    0
08    10    COL.    0    0    0
09    11    L.A.    0    0    0
10    08    CHI.    0    1    -1
11    09    CLB.    0    1    -1
12    12    RSL.    0    1    -1
13    05    DAL.    0    2    -2

2008:
Colorado were joint-top here, despite missing the playoffs by a whisker.

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    03    CHI.    2    0    2
02    09    COL.    2    0    2
03    01    CLB.    1    0    1
04    02    HOU.    1    0    1
05    07    RSL.    1    0    1
06    13    S.J.    1    0    1
07    11    DAL.    1    1    0
08    06    K.C.    0    0    0
09    12    TOR.    0    0    0
10    14    L.A.    1    2    -1
11    10    D.C.    0    1    -1
12    05    N.E.    1    3    -2
13    04    CHV.    0    2    -2
14    08    N.Y.    0    2    -2

2009:
Colorado were joint-top again, alongside league champs RSL.

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    08    RSL.    2    0    2
02    09    COL.    2    0    2
03    11    DAL.    1    0    1
04    14    S.J.    1    0    1
05    07    N.E.    1    1    0
06    01    CLB.    0    0    0
07    02    L.A.    0    0    0
08    03    HOU.    0    0    0
09    05    CHI.    0    0    0
10    10    D.C.    0    0    0
11    15    N.Y.    1    2    -1
12    04    SEA.    0    1    -1
13    12    TOR.    0    1    -1
14    13    K.C.    0    1    -1
15    06    CHV.    0    2    -2

2010:
L.A. were first SS Winners to top this, after '06 D.C.
This was the only 3rd season (after 1998 & 2006) that saw the same Top-2 teams in SS table & here.

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    01    L.A.    1    0    1
02    02    RSL.    1    0    1
03    08    S.J.    1    0    1
04    09    K.C.    1    0    1
05    15    CHV.    1    0    1
06    06    SEA.    1    1    0
07    04    DAL.    0    0    0
08    07    COL.    0    0    0
09    10    CHI.    0    0    0
10    11    TOR.    0    0    0
11    12    HOU.    0    0    0
12    14    PHI.    0    0    0
13    03    N.Y.    0    1    -1
14    05    CLB.    0    1    -1
15    16    D.C.    0    1    -1
16    13    N.E.    0    2    -2

2011:
Yet another honors ("Comb Kings") for N.Y., other than La Manga, Emirates & Mickey Mouse Cups!!
Vancouver were the first "double-bottom" team since '06 Columbus.

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    10    N.Y.    2    0    2
02    01    L.A.    1    0    1
03    02    SEA.    1    0    1
04    03    RSL.    1    0    1
05    04    DAL.    1    0    1
06    08    PHI.    1    0    1
07    13    D.C.    1    1    0
08    05    K.C.    0    0    0
09    06    HOU.    0    0    0
10    07    COL.    0    0    0
11    11    CHI.    0    0    0
12    15    CHV.    0    0    0
13    17    N.E.    0    0    0
14    09    CLB.    0    1    -1
15    12    PTL.    0    1    -1
16    14    S.J.    0    1    -1
17    16    TOR.    0    2    -2
18    18    VAN.    0    2    -2

 

2012 Standings through Oct-7:
* SJ could have earned the 3rd Comb of the season, had Colorado not scored at the death of their 1-4 loss on Oct-7.
* Amazingly, 2nd-place KC are only 3 places above record-breaking Chivas

Code:

Rank SS#    Team    CF   CA   CD
01    01    S.J.    2    0    2
02    07    SEA.    2    0    2
03    09    HOU.    1    0    1
04    11    VAN.    1    0    1
05    13    DAL.    1    0    1
06    14    PHI.    1    0    1
07    15    COL.    1    0    1
08    04    RSL.    1    1    0
09    08    L.A.    1    1    0
10    03    CHI.    0    0    0
11    06    N.Y.    0    0    0
12    10    CLB.    0    0    0
13    12    MTL.    0    0    0
14    17    N.E.    0    0    0
15    19    TOR.    0    0    0
16    02    K.C.    0    1    -1
17    05    D.C.    0    1    -1
18    16    PTL.    0    1    -1
19    18    CHV.    0    6    -6

Last but not least, the "All-Time" Standings through Oct-7, 2012:

Bonus Columns:
* SSn = Seasons in MLS
* Rank = Rankings by CD/SSn
* AT# = All-Time Ranking by Absolute Points per SoccerDB
* CT = "Combs" Total (A team with high CT are like "Jekyll & Hyde", they equally enjoy winning and losing big!!)

Bonus Notes:
* S.J. are the most "Comb-efficient" team to date by CD/SSn.
* Conversely, Chivas/Portland are the most inefficient teams.
* Montreal are the only "Comb-neutral" (all-zeroes) team now...
* Houston & Philadelphia are the only 2 other "Un-Combed" teams.
* N.E. are the team with highest CT, and the only team with CD in twin-digits.

Code:

Rank  AT#   Team    CF    CA    CD    CT    Ssn   CD/Ssn   CT/Ssn
01    10    S.J.    16    04    12    20    15    +0.80    1.33
02    01    L.A.    18    05    13    23    17    +0.76    1.35
03    12    HOU.    05    00    05    05    07    +0.71    0.71
04    18    PHI.    02    00    02    02    03    +0.67    0.67
05    15    SEA.    04    02    02    06    04    +0.50    1.50
06    06    CHI.    09    03    06    12    15    +0.40    0.80
07    17    MIA.    04    03    01    07    04    +0.25    1.75
08    11    RSL.    06    05    01    11    08    +0.13    1.38
09    02    D.C.    12    11    01    23    17    +0.06    1.35
10    03    CLB.    10    09    01    19    17    +0.06    1.12
11    21    MTL.    00    00    00    00    00    00.00    0.00
12    05    K.C.    10    13    -3    23    17    -0.18    1.35
13    04    DAL.    09    12    -3    21    17    -0.18    1.24
14    08    COL.    06    10    -4    16    17    -0.24    0.94
15    07    N.Y.    08    13    -5    21    17    -0.29    1.24
16    20    VAN.    01    02    -1    03    02    -0.50    1.50
17    16    TOR.    01    04    -3    05    06    -0.50    0.83
18    09    N.E.    07    18   -11    25    17    -0.65    1.47
19    14    T.B.    05    09    -4    14    06    -0.67    2.33
20    13    CHV.    03    11    -8    14    08    -1.00    1.75
21    19    PTL.    00    02    -2    02    02    -1.00    1.00

 

Over to you SIR THOMA!!

 

Also, on this note, the other remarkable "uncombed" streaks:

• Houston: ~7 seasons (197 Games: 2006-04-02 to 2012-10-07 & still counting...)
  
  
• Philadelphia: ~3 seasons (95 Games: 2010-03-25 to 2012-10-07 & counting...)
  
  
• L.A.:
  • Streak #1: 6+ seasons (197 Games too: 1996-04-13 to 2002-06-08: lost to N.Y. 0-5 on 2002-06-15)
  • Streak #2: ~4 seasons (113 Games: 2002-06-22 to 2006-04-29: lost to N.E. 0-4 on 2006-05-06)
  • It's just 1 "Comb Against" in their first 10 seasons (coupled with the 14 "Comb For" over the same period), simply impressive!!!

 

Following the mere 0-2 loss to Colorado on Oct-20, Chivas is left with one last chance to claim a record-extending 7th comb of the season vs Dallas on Oct-27, can they do it?