While the nature of MLS playoffs has been discussed ad nauseum here (especially since it changes every year), I noticed one thing recently. Before the playoffs started, I picked Los Angeles to win the west and has a good chance to repeat. After their 2-0 first leg quarterfinal home win, there are a few ways the Galaxy could fail to win the second leg and still advance. If the semifinal ends in a draw and LA wins on penalties, they advance to the final... which is held at their own Home Depot Center. Thus, it's not inconceivable, nor even a longshot, that the "league champions" will have gone through the entire season without a single victory away from home. What kind of joke is that?! Sometimes, the things MLS does discredits itself far more than ESPN apathy or the contempt of the English press. I understand Lamar Hunt's desire for every team to host playoff games, but when you see the tiny crowds, it barely seems worth it. Postseason games are supposed to have a BETTER atmosphere and generate MORE excitement than the regular season. If not, they lose their raison d'etre. Besides, the smaller crowds has to be a money loser! If MLS absolutely insists on having a postseason showcase game, which I imagine they would, then have a one game final between the two best regular season teams. At least you'll get a champion that's somewhat deserving.
And if the Galaxy were to dispatch of San Jose, Kansas City (or Colorado for that matter) and then say, Chicago, why would they not deserve the Cup? If someone can't beat the Galaxy, then someone doesn't deserve the Cup.
Re: Re: LA: possible league "champions" Guess I would have to agree with that view. LA finished 9th out of 10 teams, when it comes time to win the trophy, the teams who did better than them would be expected to dismiss them from the playoffs, but they need to *do* it. It's a joke (to me) that LA is in the playoffs and Columbus' season is already over...but those are the rules we started the year with. It's time for the better teams to show it.
There are no ties in the conference final, if Galaxy advances to the MLS Final, they will have to win in KC or Colorado. (thats if they beat SJ first).
Small crowds? No atmosphere. I'm guessing you don't get Fox Sports World and didn't see the LA game on Saturday.
It does not matter if the Galaxy won on the road this season on all of those silly football fields. They did not care about playing on the road this season. They just cared about playing at HDC. It is a big difference. Half of the MLS teams should be relocated to cities with warmer climates and less interest in grid iron football. The West final will be played in either frigid Denver or frosty KC with no heaters in either football stadium. THe Wizards should be relocated to a larger, warmer market in the west. KC is not a soccer market.
If the NFL playoffs had been held anytime during the past 9 weeks, theres no question, the Kansas City Chiefs would have won it. However, if they don't show up in January, you won't hear a single person (except maybe a Chief's fan) whining about who the real Super Bowl champion is. March Madness, one of the most exciting tournaments in sports, is admitted to be a flawed system where what matters most is when a team peaks and who is lucky. It doesn't take away from the excitement of it all. Those are just two examples of tournaments that people know are flawed, but don't care. You don't hear people whining about the "credibility of the NCAA" or "the NFL discrediting itself."
And who's to say that LA wouldn't have shown up and put up a fight to compete w/ Columbus? Heck, if the rules were different, San Jose probably would have put up a fight on 10/18 instead of getting thumped 3-0. (And probably wouldn't be in the situation it's in right now, as they have allowed the Galaxy to get their groove on.) LA outscored Columbus in their meetings (6-3 ?). LA showed up when absolutely needed, struggling all season to get out of a funk that began w/ an 8 game road trip. What they've proven the last 3 weeks (when they have outscored the Western Conference Champs 6-1) is that they are formidable side.
Hell just froze over! And yeah, anyone who wants to say a damn thing about KC attendance can (for the time being) piss off. Anyone else raise their attendance 25% this season from last season? Anyone? Bueller? [crickets chirping] Thats what I thought.
What, because they manage to win three games in a row at the end of the season but they were terrible through the season they deserve the cup? NO, they don't.
Replies Responding to a few different replies... "Is there an echo in here? Take this over to the Sanjose whining boards" I admit I haven't read the board in the last few days so I'm sorry if this was beaten to death earlier. However, I don't care one way or the other about San Jose. "Small crowds? No atmosphere. I'm guessing you don't get Fox Sports World and didn't see the LA game on Saturday" This I concede. I based my comment on the Metros-NE match (which I did see) and the numerous MLS playoff games I've watched in previous years. I mean, Mutts-NE is one of the biggest rivalries in the league and this is the first time they'd ever met in the playoffs AND there was additional rancor due to it being the fourth meetings in like a month and due to the crap that occured during their Open Cup tie. If all that can't generate an atmosphere, then what gives? The LA-SJ crowd seems to be the exception that proves the rule. "It does not matter if the Galaxy won on the road this season on all of those silly football fields. They did not care about playing on the road this season. They just cared about playing at HDC. It is a big difference... LA showed up when absolutely needed." That's exactly the point. If so many of the regular season games don't matter because the teams "did not care" then what's the point of having a regular season? Shortening the playoffs would force teams to show up more often, not just for the last month or two. "If the NFL playoffs had been held anytime during the past 9 weeks, theres no question, the Kansas City Chiefs would have won it. However, if they don't show up in January, you won't hear a single person (except maybe a Chief's fan) whining about who the real Super Bowl champion is. March Madness, one of the most exciting tournaments in sports, is admitted to be a flawed system where what matters most is when a team peaks and who is lucky. It doesn't take away from the excitement of it all." Fair point. But the difference is that teams with a losing record are unlikely even to make March Madness and even less likely to make the NFL Playoffs let alone win the either, like New England (my team, incidentally) came within an eyelash of doing last year's MLS Cup final. Another notable difference is that neither the March Madness nor the NFL Playoffs change their structure every year. It's this consistency that helps cement the credibility and makes it easier for fans to accept the flaws. Consistency is one of the main differences between a flaw and a quirk.
Yeah, I grant you that New England and New York are natural rivals, but it's not one of the biggest. New York's main rival is DC. Anyway, the reasons MLS playoff matches don't draw sellout crowds are well-known. When people can think of their MLS team with the same feeling as their NFL, MLB, NBA, or NHL team, then you'll see the large crowds and excited atmosphere come playoff time.
Maybe if LA do win the Cup, people will start recognizing the Supporters Shield more. Shield fans should be hoping for LA to go all the way.
The team that wins the Cup... deserves to win the Cup. They will have shown that they did what it takes. SJ, sadly, put it in cruise control and is stuck. Kinda like LA played on the road the first 8 games and got ... stuck.
Took the words right out of my mouth. (of course, i already mentioned this in another forum, but the more the merrier!?!?)
Um, I do not think LA did what it takes to make it here as much as Dallas gave them a playoff spot by sucking so bad. And anyway, LA fans do not have to worry about staying undefeated at home for two reasons, one being that they probably will not make that far and even if they do the Revs will have to take the cup away from disheartened Galaxians in their stadium's inaugural year. I guess revenge is a dish served warm, warmed by the Californian sun.
every since Sigi (or was it hartman, or both) said they want to make a mockery of this playoff system I've wanted LA to take the Cup... I don't see why anyone would be against a single table regular season crowing LEAGUE CHAMPIONS and then the top 8 making the playoffs for a post-season single elimination BEST OF THE BEST "MLS Cup"... keep the USOC the same and we have our treble, 3 domestic champions every season... we have that now (minus single table), but somewhat unofficially, the league recognizes the supporters shield but stupid fanless teams like San Jose don't treat it or the fans of the league with respect and don't care about it and lose at the end of the regular season, while REAL CLUBS, with true fans, a great front office and great players like the Fire treat the fans of the league and the Shield with respect...
Try finding the words "Los Angeles" in my quote, which I assume you read b/c you quoted it. Here goes: "The team that wins the Cup... deserves to win the Cup. They will have shown that they did what it takes." Do I mention any team? No.
The playoff system in effect is the one we'll be using when we have future expansion. Period. Yeah, it's stupid that 8 out of 10 make it rendering the regular season kinda... impotent. However, in 2005 when it's 8 out of 12... 2007 when it's 8 out of 14... Point made. Now look at the BIGGER picture. MLS is just another ENTERTAINMENT product. That's all it's being tweaked to be. If you think otherwise, go back to your Playstation. tommy mack PS: Hey REVS, how did you do last year? You mean you SUCKED during the season yet almost (damn crossbar!) won MLS CUP?
At the end of the regular season in 2002, the Revs were #1 in the Eastern Conference. I don't see how that qualifies as sucked.
I agree with Tommy. New England sucked last year and fell back-assward into first in the crap conference. When we're up to 16 teams in a few years, 8 teams will be playing "meaningless" games toward the end of the season b/c they are out of the playoffs. Meaningless. Boring. But we will have a well-established playoff format that is simple and fair(although if they made the first round a single game, it would be much better, IMO).