MLS Playoffs 1st round (R)

Other positive repercussions?

Long standing stadium deal in Houston gets finished off with another title? Revs-Somerville idea is reborn?
Sounders open up even more seats for 2010?

 

The playoff pairings appear to be ideal on paper.
Let's see how the crowds and players take it up a notch.

DALE DYNAMO!

 

I think we have ideal pairings in the West for creating the best atmosphere. Based on last year's playoff attendance, I think Columbus vs. RSL will be good, not sure about the Chicago at NE game.

 

2009 MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule
All times Eastern; schedule subject to change

Conference Semifinals - Game #1

Eastern Conference
(1) Columbus Crew at (4) Real Salt Lake, Saturday, Oct. 31 - 6 p.m. ET (Regional TV, Direct Kick, MLSnet.com)
(2) Chicago Fire at (3) New England Revolution, Saturday, Oct. 31 - 4 p.m. ET (FSC, FSE)

Western Conference
(1) Los Angeles Galaxy at (4) Chivas USA, Sunday, Nov. 1 - 5 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)
(2) Houston Dynamo at (3) Seattle Sounders FC, Thursday, Oct. 29 - 10 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)

Conference Semifinals - Game #2

Eastern Conference
(4) Real Salt Lake at (1) Columbus Crew, Thursday, Nov. 5 - 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)
(3) New England Revolution at (2) Chicago Fire, Saturday, Nov. 7 - 8:30 p.m. ET (FSC, FSE)

Western Conference
(3) Seattle Sounders FC at (2) Houston Dynamo, Sunday, Nov. 8 - 3 p.m. (TeleFutura, Regional TV)
(4) Chivas USA at (1) Los Angeles Galaxy, Sunday, Nov. 8 - 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)

Conference Championships (times TBD based on match-ups)
Thursday, Nov. 12 (ESPN2, Deportes)
Saturday, Nov. 14 (FSC, FSE)

MLS Cup 2009
Sunday, Nov. 22 - 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN and Galavision)

 

Chicago will defeat New England, Columbus will take Salt Lake, Houston over Seattle and Galaxy over Chivas. As a Fire fan I'm happy to see the way things worked out in the east, I think the Fire and the Crew will play close matches but the Fire will come out ahead, if it wasn't for a bs call against Conde in the last regular season match; the Fire would have won. I think the best teams in the west are definitely Galaxy and Houston, Houston has a rough schedule and it may lead to a Sounders victory and Chivas will be playing for pride so if it could end up Sounders and Chivas, which I would love because I think the Fire will match up better against either of these 2 teams in the Final if they were to get there.

 

Anyone have any clue what coverage will happen in Canada? I'll be there on business when a few games are taking place.

 

These are nice pairings. WHo knows, maybe NE may get a decent crowd, particularly w/ Blanco as a draw.

I was a bit surprised to read/infer that Univision will not be showing any games this weekend.

 

The first round in chronological order:


(2) Houston Dynamo at (3) Seattle Sounders FC, Thursday, Oct. 29 - 10 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)

(2) Chicago Fire at (3) New England Revolution, Saturday, Oct. 31 - 4 p.m. ET (FSC, FSE)

(1) Columbus Crew at (4) Real Salt Lake, Saturday, Oct. 31 - 6 p.m. ET (Regional TV, Direct Kick, MLSnet.com)

(1) Los Angeles Galaxy at (4) Chivas USA, Sunday, Nov. 1 - 5 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)

(4) Real Salt Lake at (1) Columbus Crew, Thursday, Nov. 5 - 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)

(3) New England Revolution at (2) Chicago Fire, Saturday, Nov. 7 - 8:30 p.m. ET (FSC, FSE)

(3) Seattle Sounders FC at (2) Houston Dynamo, Sunday, Nov. 8 - 3 p.m. (TeleFutura, Regional TV)

(4) Chivas USA at (1) Los Angeles Galaxy, Sunday, Nov. 8 - 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)

 

Terrific ESPN coverage - four games over two weeks. In the middle of the NFL & CFB seasons.

This year makes me wish the conference finals were two legs.

 

I'm glad ESPN is showing so much... but I really just don't understand why one matchup isn't Thursday/Thursday.

 

Probably because nobody really wants a Thursday home game, other than Seattle where it won't really matter. And I think Houston has "school night" restrictions at UH.

 

And so do the LA teams, I believe.

 

Also... when i reflected a bit a minute later I wouldn't be surprised if ESPN was also forced to show at least one Eastern conference game in the first round.

 

And there is only one game in the first round that is NOT on national television.

 

Not really.

LA is undefeated this season against Chivas and Houston.

And, one could make the case that the Seattle game came at a bad time for LA (as LD and Beckham were returning from national team duty).

 

NE attendance will be under 12K book it. And you were thinking of Telefutra, not Univision.

 

I don't think "forced" is the right term. I'd think ESPN would want to capitalize on the eastern time zones and getting an eastern conf. matchup for TV would allow the game to be shown at a more favorable time.

 

Just a question, do most non latinos watch MLS on telefutura? Do they understand soccer terms en español?

 

"Most"? Do you mean "many"? I'd be surprised if "most" non-latinos watch any MLS. Most non-latinos don't watch soccer at all.

Typically the games that are on TeleFutura are not available on other sources so if you want to watch that particular MLS game you are watching on TeleFutura. I'd guess a lot of English speaking soccer fans in the U.S. can understand quite a few soccer terms in Spanish. For a long time that was one of the main ways to watch soccer. And familiarity with Spanish is increasing all the time.

 

''And familiarity with Spanish is increasing all the time''

The world is every day more and mas globalizado

 

LA is a solid team and their biggest weakness is teams with speedy forwards. I still see Arena's team likely to get dumped out in PKs because of two draws or two 1 goal games. (or just one in the conference final)

If Beckham was really good enough to play for England and AC Milan I'd believe they have two game breakers and Beckham might pull some magic, but right now I just see LA is an extremely consistent team that might get around their single massive flaw.

I honestly do not think there is a clear favorite at this point. LA, Houston, Seattle, and Columbus are all good enough to win but the first round is tricky and the parking lot for the final is double tricky.

 

Chicago @ New England is now Sunday, Nov. 1 at 2pm.
http://twitter.com/NERevolution/status/5212867659

 

Gol TV Canada has been showing the ESPN2 Game of the Week for most of this season, and I believe they will be doing so throughout the playoffs (although this is not confirmed, and their website is crap).

It's a specialty digital channel so you're not likely to get it in your hotel, but if you're in Toronto, bars like The Football Factory, The Duke of Gloucester and Scallywags all subscribe to Gol and would be your best bets to catch the games.

 

Are you ready for some football?