Former Red Bulls forward Mike Magee likes playing for Los Angeles ... The Star-Ledger Arena, Backe and Garber must share blame for the rough stuff Soccer America Rennie will make waves with Caps Vancouver Sun Back to the drawing board for Philly Union Philadelphia Daily News As MLS history demonstrates, Union still has chance Philadelphia Inquirer Vote Now: Rd 2, Gps 1-4 On to the Second Round: Groups 1-4. Watch the goals. Vote for your favorites! Sounders on pace for eighth-largest MLS playoff crowd? The News Tribune Rating refs' reactions to Red Bull rumble, Rapids' red card, and offside Soccer America
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viirduGXXh4"]The Best Soccer Show: Jay Demerit Interview - YouTube[/ame] Special: Jay Demerit interview, discuss his upcoming movie and future with the US National Team. North American Soccer Network
Magee calls NY's '08 final "fluke," guarantees LA's advancement MLSsoccer.com Get your playoff rally on tonight Kansas City Star Defending champs Colorado short on players Soccer America Loss to Dynamo reveals Union's failures Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia A first look at the 2012 MLS Draft (Projecting the Top 10 picks) Soccer By Ives Anything They Can Do We Can Do Better Sounder At Heart Tuesday kickaround: DC United, MLS playoffs, African Cup of Nations, UEFA ... Washington Post
Judgement Time for the Whitecaps Vancouver Sun Montreal Impact sign Ubiparipovic Sportsnet.ca A career rebirth for SKC's Nielsen MLSsoccer.com Obvious Keys To Sounders' Comeback: Osvaldo Alonso Needs To Be The Honey Badger Sounder At Heart BACKE RESPONDS TO LANDON 'Let him talk. We are on another level' Big Apple Soccer WIth raucous crowd behind them, Seattle seeks comeback MLSsoccer.com Teleconference: Bunbury, Pickens LIVE, 2:45 pm ET MLSsoccer.com When The Ink Is Dry ET Radio frames the picture after 1st leg of conference semis Union's Farfan clears air on flying boot to Houston's Cruz MLSsoccer.com Tuesday's Column: Trash talking ignites Galaxy-Red Bulls series 100% soccer
Dynamo assistant Ralston a candidate for Revolution job Houston Chronicle Red Bull coach Hans Backe fires back at Landon Donovan, absolves Rafa Marquez New York Post Sounders Notebook: Historic rallies inspiration for Seattle MLSsoccer.com Sounders down to last hope Longview Daily News Confident Bunbury striking at right time Soccer By Ives Backe chalks Márquez incident up to "emotions" MLSsoccer.com OFFSIDE REMARKS A quick look at the Red Bulls' dozen crises Big Apple Soccer Kasey Keller rips teammates' efforts Soccer America The Dirty Tackle (Beckham)? The Dirty Team (New York)? Or Is It Just Red Bulls vs. Galaxy? NY Times Donovan: Red Bulls take cheap shots at us Youtube [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg1fOHok4zQ"]Hooligan enters the pitch and hits player - YouTube[/ame]
A New MLS Cup Format? Big Apple Soccer How about scrapping the idea of "conference finals" altogether, yeah? And maybe making the final two legs instead of just at the higher seed? Oi....
Yeah, that would be lame. Every playoff except the wild card and championship should be two legged, with total goal ties giving victory in the series to the higher seed.
Honest question, why would you be against a two-legged final? I prefer the symmetry of it, and both fan bases getting to host the final would be great for both markets regardless of whether their team wins. I'm open to whatever you have to say, don't get me wrong, I'm just curious as to your reasoning. My preference is that we get a straight two-legged knockout tournament if we have a balanced schedule, or a 3-game group stage/two-legged semifinals/two-legged final tournament if we have an unbalanced schedule. What're your's?
I very much prefer the finality of a winner-take all game. There is a reason almost all the big competitions are one-off finals.
I think the general american public would be confused at seeing there team lose 1-0 and yet celebrating winning mls cup because they won the first game by more goals. Something about celebrating a championship after losing the second leg just doesnt marinate well with your average joe the plumber type.
Same reason the UEFA CL final is one game, World Cup final is one game, FA Cup final is one game. The moment is just so much bigger as a one game final. One titantic big clash for all the marbles. I like the idea of semis and conference finals being two-legged ties, though I can live with the current format as long as they never add another team to it. 10 and no more. I actually prefer no wild-cards, but I like the advantage it gives the top seeds. ----- Now what scares me is the idea the MLS will have the two finalist bid on who hosts the final. The better to ensure the final is hosted by a favored team.
I expect a better response from a fellow Everton supporter than 'hurr durr that's dumb ur dumb.' I was genuinely asking to be persuaded to the other side of the argument, no need to be a jerk.
Just for the record, count me in for the one-game final. I would be ok with two games for the "conference finals". But the funny thing is, it lessens the home field advantage. One thing I have tossed around (and internally debated) is whether it is better to host the first game or the second game in a two-game tie. With the extra time and shootout at home after the second game, I would think hosting the second game is better. But why not give the higher seed the choice - either host the first or second game? Then nobody can complain that the higher seed is gypped because they are forced to host the second game. But I am also an advocate of the group play, but I am sure there are logistics and debates that would have to rage about that - such as, who does the higher seed host first? The order of the games, can the last games be played simultaneously? Lots of questions to answer there.
This. Of course I'm also against giving guaranteed home-field advantage to one of the teams in the one-game final for sporting reasons. It should stay as a neutral site. What other major sport with a one-off final has it guaranteed to be at the home of one of the teams?
Everyone complains about how the top teams don't have enough of an advantage in the playoffs. Let the higher seed host the MLS Cup final, that's quite an incentive to do well in the regular season. And it would mean better crowds than at a neutral site, maybe we can go back to a "Soccer Bowl" in a few decades when MLS is somewhat closer in popularity to the NFL.
I'd rather it be either one game neutral site, or two legs home and away. Doing things halfway to try and appease everyone is how MLS got itself into this mess we call a playoff system with the implementation of "wild cards" while still clinging to the idea of "conference finals"