A quick trip to MLS Statistics reveals that SJ, LA, Dallas, and Colorado already have playoff spots. KC has 35 points We have 35 points Chicago has 34 points MetroStars have 32 points Where it's gonna hurt us (as i've pointed out before) are the games at Colorado (loss) and home against New England (tie). If we had won both those games, we would have 40 points compared to Chicago's 34. By this point, we know who's going and who's staying. The whole west conference is in, and Columbus, Chicago and MetroStars join them. The only remaining question is who grabs the automatic 2nd seed? Metros play on Thursday at Dallas (8 PM espn2). A metros win will have the Crew bumped way down by 10 PM Saturday night. 1) We're better than the standings indicate. Playing Busch at Colorado would have been a win. 2) The game at San Jose is monumental. A loss or tie will really hurt. Greg's been telling the boys that just getting in the playoffs isn't enough. Home field advantage is.
Home field advantage would be nic, but we haven't exactly been gangbusters at home. Three losses and a couple drawas against teams we really should beat at home (KC, NE). Granted we have played better recently at home, but it hasn't exactly been a fortress for us. We have a comparable record on the road also, so I don't think going on the road will automatically spell doom for the team. The only place I don't wanna see the Crew go without homefield is San Jose since the field is as big as my mousepad. I would also say Naperville, but it seems the Fire haven't adjusted to that field yet either.
Keep in mind this: If the Crew win the Eastern Division, they get the #2 seed and avoid having to play AT San Jose in the playoffs. We all know the LandonQuakes are killer at home on their postage stamp field, but put them on a real field and watch them go out like punks against the likes of DC.
You know, SJ is guaranteed the first spot in the playoffs. In case you haven't looked recently, LA has the exact same record as they do with 3 games remaining. SJ has failed to lock up the West and now it's a toss up like in the East. This whole parity crap annoys me so much. It's nice to say that on any given day one team can beat any other team, but geez, can't we have a few gimme games? Let NE and DC rot, quit helping them out Garber and let them figure their own crap out. Maybe they suck because you keep telling them what to do? Anyway, that really deviated from the point. Point is, don't count on anything as guaranteed until the final whistle blows in Naperville.
This coming week is going to be huge. The MetroSucks should lose the Dallas game. LA should take Chicago. And we all are wishing for a NE-DC draw. That would clinch a playoff spot with a win at SJ, who haven't been too solid in the last few weeks. And we actually had decent games against them when we sucked and they didn't. So it's possible that at the end of the weekend, the Crew with 38 points, could have some leeway over the Fire (34) and MetroSucks (32 with a game in hand) and get much closer to the 2 seed in the league.
Even this weekend's game between New England and DC isn't a gimme. New England will be hungry for points and DC just beat San Jose. Exactly. No one will know anything for sure until September 22nd around 6 PM.
well tecnically if nj loses to dallas, which they should, and la beats chicago, coupled with us winning at san jose we can clinch the division with a tie on the 14th. but damn thats alot of ifs.