Should regular season OT be eliminated?

Discussion in 'MLS: General' started by Hattrix, Sep 1, 2002.

  1. Hattrix

    Hattrix Member

    Sep 1, 2002
    Chicago
    As long as MLS is going to let ties stand, should they be allowed to do so after a regulation game, like everywhere else, or should teams be forced to play (and fans be forced to watch) an extra ten scoreless minutes?

    Some thoughts:

    1. For a team in a tie that needs a win, 2nd half stoppage time is irrelevant, since ten more minutes are gonna be added anyway.

    2. In other leagues, ties can actually be celebrated, particularly on the road. For a team that is trailing, it should be possible to save the day with a late goal and salvage a point for the team. Tacking on ten more minutes eliminates the glory of a late goal. Hence a tie is never an accomplishment, it is always a failure to win. (Consider Keane's late goal against Germany--did Ireland deserve that draw, or should they have been forced to defend for ten more minutes to get it?)

    3. The shootout and the countdown--pathetic attempts to attract non-soccer fans by Americanizing the game--were successfully eliminated by fan pressure. These changes bring our league closer to the international standard. Ollowing regular season OT to continue simply confirms MLS' status as a Mickey Mouse league.

    4. Golden goals are nice and all, but doesn't it make them even more special to only have them in the post season?
     
  2. BenReilly

    BenReilly New Member

    Apr 8, 2002
    I'm against OT, but your comments are utterly absurd (i.e. "Mickey Mouse league" )
     
  3. prk166

    prk166 BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 8, 2000
    Med City
    No-no. A late goal that ties it is even better since you have that much longer to win the game outright. Imagine tieing up the match in the 90th minute and scoring a golden goal 5 minutes into extra time. Or even more gut wrenching, tieing up in the 87th minute only to loose in the 2nd half of OT.
     
  4. SueB

    SueB New Member

    Mar 23, 1999
    Waterbury, VT
    My biggest complaint about OT is that, if you can't watch the game live, and you want to set your PVR or VCR, you have to set it for at LEAST 2 hrs + 10 minutes. I have a PVR, and last night I was watching the Revs' game delayed by an hour or so because I have to deal with my kids' bathtime and bedtimes, etc from 7:30 to 8:30. At around 9:40 - halftime for me - I knew there was a risk, but didn't have a lot of recording time left, so I went to stop the recording, and the telecast was still going on. Therefore, I knew it was a tie. Kind of wrecked it for me. Why not just let it be a perfect two-hour experience?
     
  5. Hattrix

    Hattrix Member

    Sep 1, 2002
    Chicago
    Re: Re: Should regular season OT be eliminated?

    It isn't my belief that it is a Mickey Mouse league at all, but it sure seems that a lot of people think so--it's a very common topic on BS. My point was just that bringing MLS more into line with the normal way of doing things makes the league more legitimate. Clearly the NASL's adjustments to the usual rules (like the 35 yard line idea) created a uniquely American soccer league--and the only way that it fit in with world soccer was as a lovely retirement home.

    Was it just the MM comment that you found "utterly absurd"? You mention that you're against OT. Why?
     
  6. Beckhamcpt07

    Beckhamcpt07 Member

    Nov 16, 2001
    Amsterdam, the Netherlands
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  7. Khansingh

    Khansingh New Member

    Jan 8, 2002
    The Luton Palace
    I think you hit upon it yourself. Americans do not like ties, in fact, they hate them. Consider, all other leagues list in their standings: wins, draws, losses. But every American league (NFL, NHL, MLS, etc.) that has the potential for ties: wins, losses, ties. Americans almost regard a tie as being worse than a loss. It's simply anathema to American sports for there to be no winner, no loser. When you win a good game, your efforts are justified. When you lose a good game, you have the consolation that you play the game well, you simply came up short. Simply, I think most of the world thinks a tie means that everybody wins. Americans think it means everybody loses. MLS is a soccer league, it should follow the rules provided by the sport's governing body. But it is an American league, and should try to accomodate American tastes. Anyway, FIFA dealt precisely with the shoot-out during the NASL days. They told the league it had to drop the 35 yard line, but that the ending of the game was totally under the control of each league. Frankly, when watching European and Latin American soccer, I hate the way teams often seem to settle for a tie toward the end of the match.
     
  8. dred

    dred Member+

    Nov 7, 2000
    Land of Champions
    No way, OT is great for fans.

    The best thing is, if you are close enough to tie, you are close enough to win. Even if it's minute 90. Plus it makes stalling for a 0-0 draw harder, which to me is a good thing.

    A ten minute OT is just about right. If a game is still tied after 10 minutes you get a sense that it ought to be tied.

    I really don't care what european leagues do, and besides, there are several other leagues that use OT and are not mickey mouse.
     
  9. JMU Soccer!

    JMU Soccer! New Member

    Jul 19, 1999
    Moved to MLS General Discussion. This topic is not current News and Analysis.
    Thanks,

    JMU
     
  10. NACIONAL

    NACIONAL New Member

    Dec 31, 2001
    Medellin, Colombia
    Re: Re: Should regular season OT be eliminated?

    if you hate so much the tie, why supporting it???

    when the OT finish, the teams CAN BE TIED, and your so hated OT is there.... don't talk me about possibilities to win... because i hate that stuff, if you don't want the ties don't make the OT, make an ETERNAL GOLDEN GOAL OT, because you will never have ties that way, yeahh like BASEBALL... and when the players are really exausted you can bring the gatorade....
     
  11. SeattleFan

    SeattleFan New Member

    Mar 4, 2000
    Redmond, WA USA
    Re: Re: Should regular season OT be eliminated?

    Speak for yourself. I'm American, and I like draws.
     
  12. photar74

    photar74 New Member

    Jun 25, 2002
    West Philly
    I have no problem with draws. In fact, I think they are pretty cool.

    However, the notion that MLS needs to do something because that's the way its done in other leagues just doesn't sit well with me.

    Isn't that the same argument for pro/rel? A single table? I mean, no reasons, except that we should copy everything that other leagues do, no matter what they are?

    I think that MLS really did something right with ditching the shootout and replacing it with two five minute OT periods. I think it adds a real element of excitment to the game, and I could give a rat's ass about what other leagues think about it.

    In fact, I think that it is such a good move, that it is something peculiar to MLS that other leagues should consider adopting, rather than something MLS should consider ditiching.

    I ran a poll along these lines a few eeks ago. I think more than twice as many people supported keeping overtime than those who supported ditching it.
     
  13. Jambon

    Jambon Member

    Mar 3, 2000
    Austin, TX
    You have some kind of problem with 10 extra minutes of soccer?

    I know, I know, it's not the way they do it in Europe, but I've seen some pretty exciting games decided in OT. I like it.
     
  14. soccerberi22

    soccerberi22 New Member

    Sep 1, 2002
    Since I don't like games being tied in the end, I have NO problem with the OT. But of course, a tie is better than a loss.


    P.S. I was a shootout fan :D


    ~Bree
     
  15. Chamo

    Chamo New Member

    Aug 9, 1999
    Plano,TX
  16. rymannryan

    rymannryan New Member

    Aug 27, 2002
    N.N., Virginia
    There should be no overtimes because it's such a cruel way to lose if there's a goal in it.
     
  17. Glenwood Lane United

    Apr 28, 2001
    Hanover Park, IL
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  18. Hattrix

    Hattrix Member

    Sep 1, 2002
    Chicago
    Yes. "The game shall consist of two equal halves..."

    I think OT violates this principle. The only instance in which it should be allowed is when there is a tournament and an outright winner must be determined. In such a case, a tie can not be permitted. Playing ten more minutes before deciding that a tie is acceptable is foolish. If they went on to penalties each time, that would be stupid, too. OT and PKs are fine for the postseason and the US Open Cup, but they should not be part of regular league play.

    Consider this angle: a team with a one goal lead is just about to earn three points for a victory. Then they concede an injury time goal, and end regulation time with a tie. Does this team now deserve an extra ten minutes in which to earn back the two points they would have lost under usual FIFA circumstances?

    Without OT, here's how the league stats would look (as of Sept. 2).

    Team W T L Pts

    SJ 13 3 9 42
    LA 10 9 6 39
    Col 11 5 10 38
    KC 9 10 7 37
    Dal 9 9 7 36
    Clb 9 8 8 35
    Chi 8 7 10 31
    NY 9 3 11 30
    NE 9 3 13 30
    DC 5 8 11 23

    Comparing this with the official stats, Dallas would have been screwed without overtime. That in itself is good enough reason to do away with it. I expected to find that LA would have done worse, too, but only slightly as it turns out.
     
  19. Soccer-Six-Shooter

    Soccer-Six-Shooter New Member

    Jan 17, 2002
    Arlington, VA
    I'm for dumping the 10-minute OT. Lets end it at 90. I am also a supporter for the old shootout. It just needed the point system changed for it.
     
  20. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    NO!!!

    When they first came up with the 10 minute OT to replace the shootout (which I hated), I was irked. It was like they couldn't really bring themselves to accept ties.

    But I admit I was wrong. The 10 minute OTs have usually been exciting, but it's short enough that there it's not absurd.
     
  21. Wizardscharter

    Wizardscharter New Member

    Jul 25, 2001
    Blue Springs, MO
    Me too, couldn't agree more. The Mexican lower divisions do it only to award the third point. In the absence of the SO (which isn't coming back), 10 min. of OT is great!
     
  22. mlsfan31

    mlsfan31 Member

    Nov 1, 1999
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes, keep OT! And pump it up to 20 minutes. I enjoy OT. I love ten extra mins. of soccer and I love the Golden Goal. I think OT wins are in the 45% and I never thought it would git that high. Also I have no problems with ties.
     
  23. McGinty

    McGinty Member

    SKC/STL
    Aug 29, 2001
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    You have 90 minutes to decide the winner of a match. 90 minutes to decide which team is better. If you can't decide who is the better team that day, then how is 10 minutes suitable to determine which team is better?

    I'd prefer no OT, but having it doesn't automatically make your league a joke. OT in MLS is the equivalent to the DH in baseball. It is a valid point to argue over, but its fate really is insignificant compared to other league matters.
     
  24. LA Galaxy Fan

    LA Galaxy Fan Member

    Feb 28, 2000
    Tokyo
    Yes, Please creat sign-up petition online and send message to MLS HQ to eliminated OT?
     

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