One thread per round of playoffs seems reasonable. With the conference semifinals starting Sunday, here's the schedule through Saturday, US/Canada national broadcasts noted for MLS games, all times eastern. As always, play nice and keep it civil in this neutral thread. MLS CUP PLAYOFFS - KNOCKOUT ROUND Wednesday, October 25 Chicago Fire vs Red Bull New York, 20:30 FS1/UniMás/TSN3/TSN5/TVAS Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs San Jose Earthquakes, 22:30 UniMás/TSN1/TSN3/TSN4/TSN5/TVAS2 Thursday, October 26 Atlanta United FC vs Columbus Crew SC, 19:00 ESPN2/UniMás/TSN4/TVAS Houston Dynamo vs Sporting Kansas City, 21:30 UniMás/TSN4/TVAS USL CUP PLAYOFFS - CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS Saturday, October 28 Louisville City vs Rochester Rhinos, 19:30 Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Red Bull New York II, 19:30 San Antonio FC vs OKC Energy FC, 20:30 Swope Park Rangers vs Sacramento Republic, 20:30 NASL Wednesday, October 25 Puerto Rico FC vs FC Edmonton, 19:30 Saturday, October 28 New York Cosmos vs Puerto Rico FC, 19:00 Miami FC vs FC Edmonton, 19:30 San Francisco Deltas vs Jacksonville Armada, 20:00 FIFA U-17 World Cup Wednesday, October 25 SEMIFINALS Brazil vs England, 7:30 FS2 Mali vs Spain, 10:30 FS2 Saturday, October 28 MATCH FOR 3RD PLACE TBD vs TBD, 7:30 FS1 FINAL TBD vs TBD, 10:30 FS2
It's playoff time. For whatever reason, MLS has never tracked referee stats for playoff games. Thankfully for you all, I've got it covered. Starting with the Knockout Round games, including a first time playoff referee! 2017 Regular Season Stats: 374 games, 3.53 Y/g, 92 R (0.25/g) All-Time: 5077 games, 3.42 Y/g, 1302 R (0.26/g) 2017 Playoff Stats: 0 (of 17) games All-Time: 292 games, 3.85 Y/g, 67 R (0.23/g) Wednesday, October 25 EASTERN CONFERENCE KNOCKOUT ROUND (3)Chicago Fire vs (6)Red Bull New York R: Ismail ELFATH - 103 reg. season games, 3.12 Y/g, 25 R (0.24/g) 2017 reg.: 21 g, 2.90 Y/g, 7 R (0.33/g) All-time playoffs: 5 g, 4.40 Y/g, 2 R (0.40/g) 2017 playoffs: 1st game CHI: 7 g, 1.29 Y/g, 1 R (0.14/g) OPP: 1.00 Y/g, 2 R (0.29/g) REC: 3 W - 1 D - 3 L (1.429 PPG) NY: 10 g, 1.60 Y/g, 2 R (0.20/g) OPP: 1.10 Y/g, 1 R (0.10/g) REC: 5 W - 2 D - 3 L (1.700 PPG) Previous matching or reverse fixtures: 10/27/2013 NY 5 - 2 CHI WESTERN CONFERENCE KNOCKOUT ROUND (3)Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs (6)San Jose Earthquakes R: Jose Carlos RIVERO - 90 reg. season games, 3.91 Y/g, 25 R (0.28/g) 2017 reg.: 22 g, 4.18 Y/g, 8 R (0.36/g) All-time playoffs: 1st game 2017 playoffs: 1st game VAN: 10 g, 1.80 Y/g, 0 R OPP: 2.40 Y/g, 1 R (0.10/g) REC: 3 W - 2 D - 5 L (1.100 PPG) SJ: 14 g, 1.93 Y/g, 5 R (0.36/g) OPP: 1.79 Y/g, 2 R (0.14/g) REC: 5 W - 1 D - 8 L (1.143 PPG) Previous matching or reverse fixtures: 9/10/2014 VAN 2 - 0 SJ Thursday, October 26 EASTERN CONFERENCE KNOCKOUT ROUND (4)Atlanta United FC vs (5)Columbus Crew SC R: Allen CHAPMAN - 108 reg. season games, 3.67 Y/g, 24 R (0.22/g) 2017 reg.: 22 g, 3.41 Y/g, 5 R (0.23/g) All-time playoffs: 5 g, 3.60 Y/g, 0 R 2017 playoffs: 1st game ATL: 2 g, 1.50 Y/g, 0 R OPP: 2.00 Y/g, 0 R REC: 1 W - 1 D - 0 L (2.000 PPG) CLB: 12 g, 1.25 Y/g, 0 R OPP: 1.00 Y/g, 1 R (0.08/g) REC: 6 W - 2 D - 4 L (1.667 PPG) Previous matching or reverse fixtures: NONE WESTERN CONFERENCE KNOCKOUT ROUND (4)Houston Dynamo vs (5)Sporting Kansas City R: Mark GEIGER - 173 reg. season games, 3.42 Y/g, 38 R (0.22/g) 2017 reg: 14 g, 2.71 Y/g, 2 R (0.14/g) All-time playoffs: 14 g, 3.64 Y/g, 8 R (0.57/g) 2017 playoffs: 1st game HOU: 20 g, 1.65 Y/g, 3 R (0.15/g) OPP: 1.80 Y/g, 5 R (0.25/g) REC: 9 W - 4 D - 7 L (1.550 PPG) SKC: 27 g, 1.63 Y/g, 2 R (0.07/g) OPP: 1.93 Y/g, 3 R (0.11/g) REC: 13 W - 4 D - 10 L (1.593 PPG) Previous matching or reverse fixtures: 9/10/2011 SKC 3 - 0 HOU 11/6/2011 SKC 0 - 2 HOU (Playoffs) 8/29/2014 SKC 1 - 3 HOU *All team stats include regular season and playoff games
I'm pissed this Red Bulls game is tonight, because it's the only night this week that I'm not able to attend in person. It's fine though, because Dax is going to score a first-half hat-trick.
Ah yes, the 2017 MLS playoffs: the Columbus Crew requiem edition. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/199626 I'm predicting an all Canadian affair. Whitecaps over TFC And how about a shout-out to our friend Anthony Precourt (thanks @asoc) for introducing us to the worst thing ever.
Good prediction for the Final. I'll go with Portland at Toronto for MLS Cup, with TFC avenging last year's disappointment and capping their great regular season. However, my sentimental favorite is obviously Columbus. You can't be successful if you don't try. The Crew have done so, but Mr. Precourt has not. I feel badly for the loyal Crew fans.
I do think a Cascadian team will get there again. But the question is which one? Seattle has a ton of injuries and a notable red card suspension. Neither Portland nor Vancouver convince me they can do it on the road (but that's true for all the Western teams). If it's Portland v Seattle in the conference final, I'm thinking Seattle advances. If it's Portland v Vancouver, I'm thinking Portland. But Vancouver is very dangerous. Toronto is the obvious choice in the East but if there's an injury or red card to Giovinco, then I'm looking elsewhere to be honest. And if not Toronto, then for me it's wide open. All that said, it is Vancouver's turn to win it all given the last two MLS Cups.
It's cold and the weather has sucked for three days. Plus, getting to Bridgeview on a Wednesday is a huge chore.
Aaaaand this is why the Fire’s stadium situation is garbage. Nobody from the majority of the MSA willing to haul out to the end of Harlem Ave in a far south suburb on a Wednesday.
The only downside of that goal was that I had 0 hope going in...but now i'm foolishly daring to dream.