MLS Playoff Race: 12 September [R]

HalaMadrid · Sep 13, 2002

<html><body><table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" colspan="9" bgcolor="#330099"><div align="center"><big><big><big>MLS PLAYOFF RACE</big></big></big> </div></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="left"><big>TEAM </big></div></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="left"><big>GP </big></div></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="left"><big>W</big></div></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="left"><big>T</big></div></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="left"><big>L </big></div></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="left"><big>GD </big></div></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="left"><big>PTS</big></div></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><big>PM#</big> </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><big> GAMES LEFT</big></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" colspan="9">SUPPORTERS SHIELD RACE </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#3366ff"><big>San Jose</big> <big>(W)</big> </td><td valign="top">26 </td><td valign="top">14 </td><td valign="top">3 </td><td valign="top">9 </td><td valign="top">+12 </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#009900"><big>45</big></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#cc66cc">Q [7] </td><td valign="top">@LA, vLA </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffcc33"><big>Los Angeles</big> </td><td valign="top">26 </td><td valign="top">14 </td><td valign="top">3 </td><td valign="top">9 </td><td valign="top">+9 </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#009900"><big>45</big> </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#cc66cc">Q </td><td valign="top">vSJ, @SJ </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" colspan="9">PLAYOFF RACE </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#cc0000"><big>Dallas</big> </td><td valign="top">26 </td><td valign="top">11 </td><td valign="top">7 </td><td valign="top">8 </td><td valign="top">+1<big> </big></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffff00"><big>40</big></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#cc66cc">Q </td><td valign="top">vNE, @DC </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#006600"><big>Colorado</big> </td><td valign="top">26 </td><td valign="top">12 </td><td valign="top">3 </td><td valign="top">11 </td><td valign="top">-6 </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="yellow"><big>39</big> </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#cc66cc">Q </td><td valign="top">@KC, vKC </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffff00"><big>Columbus (E)</big> </td><td valign="top">26 </td><td valign="top">10 </td><td valign="top">5 </td><td valign="top">11 </td><td valign="top">0 </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffff00"><big>35</big></td><td valign="top">3 [7] </td><td valign="top">@CHI, vCHI </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ff0000"><big>Metrostars</big> </td><td valign="top">26 </td><td valign="top">11 </td><td valign="top">2 </td><td valign="top">13 </td><td valign="top">-2 </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffff00"><big>35</big> </td><td valign="top">3 </td><td valign="top">@DC, @NE </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#3333ff"><big>Kansas City</big> </td><td valign="top">26 </td><td valign="top">9 </td><td valign="top">8 </td><td valign="top">9 </td><td valign="top">-7 </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ffff00"><big>35</big> </td><td valign="top">3 </td><td valign="top">vCOL, @COL </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="red"><big>Chicago</big> </td><td valign="top">26 </td><td valign="top">10 </td><td valign="top">4 </td><td valign="top">12 </td><td valign="top">+6 </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="yellow"><big>34</big> </td><td valign="top">4 </td><td valign="top">vCLB, @CLB </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" colspan="9">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#000066"><big>New England</big> </td><td valign="top">26 </td><td valign="top">10 </td><td valign="top">2 </td><td valign="top">14 </td><td valign="top">-7 </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#ff0000"><big>32</big> </td><td valign="top">9 </td><td valign="top">@DAL, vMET </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000"><big>DC United</big> </td><td valign="top">26 </td><td valign="top">8 </td><td valign="top">5 </td><td valign="top">13 </td><td valign="top">-9 </td><td valign="top" bgcolor="red"><big>29</big> </td><td valign="top">- </td><td valign="top">vMET, vDAL </td></tr></tbody></table> KEY (W) or (E): Division Leader PM#: Magic Number to secure Playoff Spot (gained or 9th place lost)[Conference in Brackets] SSF: Schedule Strength Factor (avg pts of all opponents) TIEBREAKERS 1) Head-to-Head 2) Goal Differential 3) Total Goals 4) Rules #1-3 (Road Games) 5) Rules #1-3 (Home Games) 6) Fewest Disciplinary Points 7) Coin Toss CURRENT PLAYOFF MATCHUPS (1) San Jose v Chicago (8) (2) Columbus v Kansas City (7) (3) Los Angeles v Metrostars (6) (4) Dallas v Colorado (5) TEAMS STILL INVOLVED IN US OPEN CUP Los Angeles, Columbus (Final)</body></html>

BrianCappellieri · Sep 13, 2002

Thanks.

Are you some sort of HTML wizard?

Port_Qaz · Sep 13, 2002

I think Columbus's PM should be 4. They lose head to head with NE.

kevbrunton · Sep 13, 2002

Originally posted by Port_Qaz
I think Columbus's PM should be 4. They lose head to head with NE.
Click to expand...

You can't just look at Columbus vs. New England. You have to look at the whole picture. If Columbus gets 3 points for a total of 38 then the max Chicago can get is 3 for a total of 37.

If all other teams near or below Columbus get max points, DC United would still only have 35, so Columbus is in with 38 and Chicago and DCU stay home.

kevbrunton · Sep 13, 2002

Of all the scenarios I've looked at, there's one that I DON'T want to happen -- that's for Chicago to win their games and wind up winning the East and getting the #2 seed.

Chicago has a better record on the road this year -- 18 pts vs. 16 pts at home.

About the only good thing about the #2 seed is that we'd be assured of playing someone like Metros, KC or Columbus.

If we aren't the #2, then we're likely to be 6, 7 or 8. If we're 6 or 8, then we're likely to meet either San Jose or Los Angeles and I don't think that'd be good for us.

Best possible situation for the Fire is probably to have the Metros to pull out the #2 seed and have Chicago wind up #7.

NotAbbott · Sep 13, 2002

Originally posted by kevbrunton
Of all the scenarios I've looked at, there's one that I DON'T want to happen -- that's for Chicago to win their games and wind up winning the East and getting the #2 seed.

Click to expand...

While I sort of agree with you, trying to get the #7 slot is going to be too difficult -- winding up #6 or #8 is too much of a risk, and we really don't want to face LA or SJ on the road in the first round. I'd rather take the conference and face either Columbus, NY/NJ or KC. The scary thing now is if we win the conference and wind up playing New England, who hasn't lost in Naperville.

Oh, and does anyone actually want to win the East? Just to make things more effed up, I'm thinking the Fire and Crew tie on Saturday.

Later,
COZ

dakotajoe · Sep 13, 2002

Just a nod for your avatar, Mr. Warren Zevon. Very cool touch. Blessings to him and to his family. Godspeed Mr. Zevon.

lufty · Sep 13, 2002

How about the scenarios where the Fire miss out on the playoffs all together or even worse.... end up behind the DC united

DigitalTron · Sep 14, 2002

HalaMadrid, thanks for these threads, they rock! I think you ought to keep Dallas in the Supporter Shield Race category though, because LA and San Jose play each other and the chance of a split is high. Dallas plays the teams with the two worst records in MLS, both of which are fighting for the final playoff spot. The Burn still have a realistic chance, albeit a small one.

-Tron

SocrStopr13 · Sep 14, 2002

Originally posted by DigitalTron
I think you ought to keep Dallas in the Supporter Shield Race category though, because LA and San Jose play each other and the chance of a split is high. Dallas plays the teams with the two worst records in MLS, both of which are fighting for the final playoff spot. The Burn still have a realistic chance, albeit a small one.

-Tron
Click to expand...

Actually the Burn don't have a chance at the Supporters' Shield. They're max total of points is 46 and if LA and SJ split they're home and away they'd both have 48. If they tie bith games they'd have 47 points which beats Dallas' max point total.

Rocket · Sep 14, 2002

Dallas could win the Supporter's Shield if something truly bizarre happens in one of the LA/SJ matches -- perhaps a brawl starts out between the players and the referee calls off tonight's match, or better yet, both teams are abducted by aliens -- but I'm not counting on it.

dred · Sep 14, 2002

Hell has frozen over.

As of 6:45 PM pacific time, if all remaining matches end as expected, the Revolution will win the east...

Rocket · Sep 14, 2002

Originally posted by dred
Hell has frozen over.

As of 6:45 PM pacific time, if all remaining matches end as expected, the Revolution will win the east...
Click to expand...

How do you figure that? To me, it looks like Columbus is in the driver's seat to win the east.

lufty · Sep 15, 2002

A Revolution win combined with a chicago win would put the Revolution in at #2 next week :-D That scenario scares me to death though as going into the game the revolution would be in a must win situation. Gulp... Poor Poor Chicago.

wanderingpress · Sep 15, 2002

MLS playoff race 2002:

tiiiiighttt ...

Rocket · Sep 15, 2002

Originally posted by lufty
A Revolution win combined with a chicago win would put the Revolution in at #2 next week :-D That scenario scares me to death though as going into the game the revolution would be in a must win situation. Gulp... Poor Poor Chicago.
Click to expand...

It appears to me that NE will be put into a "must win" situation going into next Saturday's match only if DC beats Dallas Thursday.

Should United beat Dallas, we would have 4 teams tied at 35 pts: KC, NY/NJ, NE, and DC. By the head-to-head tiebreaker, we'd have the following standings after the Thursdays match:

6th NY/NJ (5-3-1 head-to-head), 35 pts
7th KC (4-2-2), 35 pts
8th DC (5-6-1), 35 pts
9th NE (3-6-0), 35 pts
10th CHI, 34 pts

However, if DC ties or loses to Dallas, then the standings will be:

6th NY/NJ (4-0-1 head-to-head vs. NE & KC), 35 pts
7th KC (2-1-1), 35 pts
8th NE (0-5-0), 35 pts
9th CHI, 34 pts
10th DC, 32 or 33 pts

In this scenario, NE wouldn't enter its Saturday game vs. NY in a must-win situation since it could still make the playoffs if Chicago lost on Sunday.

Hattrix · Sep 15, 2002

Oh my god.

LA 48 vSJ
San Jose 45 @LA
Colorado 42 vKC
Dallas 40 DC
Columbus 38 @CHI
MetroStars 35 @NE
Kansas City 35 @COL
New England 35 vMet
Chicago 34 vCLB
DC United 32 vDAL

GO REVS!!! Then Chicago could get in with a tie.

"The suspense is killing me. I hope it lasts."
--Willy Wonka

dred · Sep 15, 2002

Originally posted by vw

How do you figure that? To me, it looks like Columbus is in the driver's seat to win the east.
Click to expand...

When I said "if all remaining matches end as expected" I meant next weeks matches as well. Presumably, New England and Chicago will be favored to win at home. ie, barring an upset, New England will win the east, which is an amazing thing to be able say.