<html><body><table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="10" bgcolor="#330099"><div align="Center"><font color="#cccccc"><u><big><big><big><b>MLS PLAYOFF RACE</b></big></big></big></u></font><br></div></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>TEAM</b><br></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>GP</b><br></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>W</b></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"> <div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>T</b></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"> <div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>L<br></b></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>GD</b><br></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><div align="Left"><font color="#000000"><big><b>PTS</b></big></font></div></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><font color="#000000"><big><b>PM#</b></big></font><br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><font color="#000000"><big><b>SSF</b></big></font></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><font color="#000000"><big><b>GAMES LEFT</b></big></font></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="10"><u>SUPPORTERS SHIELD RACE</u><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#3366ff"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">San Jose</font></b></big> <big><b>(W)</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">25<br></td><td valign="Top">13<br></td><td valign="Top">3<br></td><td valign="Top">9<br></td><td valign="Top">+11<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#009900"><big><b>42</b></big></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#cc66cc"><b>Q</b> [9]<br></td><td valign="Top"><br></td><td valign="Top">vCLB, @LA, vLA<br><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ffcc33"><big><font color="#009900"><b>Los Angeles</b></font></big><br></td><td valign="Top">25<br></td><td valign="Top">13<br></td><td valign="Top">3<br></td><td valign="Top">9<br></td><td valign="Top">+8<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#009900"><big><b>42</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#cc66cc"><b>Q</b><br></td><td valign="Top"><br></td><td valign="Top">@CHI, vSJ, @SJ<br><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#cc0000"><big><b>Dallas</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">25<br></td><td valign="Top">11<br></td><td valign="Top">7<br></td><td valign="Top">7<br></td><td valign="Top">+3<big><b><br></b></big></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#009900"><big><b>40</b></big></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#cc66cc"><b>Q</b><br></td><td valign="Top"><br></td><td valign="Top">vMET, vNE, @DC<br><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="10"><u>PLAYOFF RACE</u><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#006600"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">Colorado</font></b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">26<br></td><td valign="Top">12<br></td><td valign="Top">3<br></td><td valign="Top">11<br></td><td valign="Top">-6<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big><b>39</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#cc66cc"><b>Q</b><br></td><td valign="Top"><br></td><td valign="Top">@KC, vKC<br><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ffff00"><big><b>Columbus (E)</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">25<br></td><td valign="Top">10<br></td><td valign="Top">5<br></td><td valign="Top">10<br></td><td valign="Top">+1<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ffff00"><big><b>35</b></big></td><td valign="Top">3 [8]<br></td><td valign="Top"><br></td><td valign="Top">@SJ, @CHI, vCHI<br><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#3333ff"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">Kansas City</font></b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">26<br></td><td valign="Top">9<br></td><td valign="Top">8<br></td><td valign="Top">9<br></td><td valign="Top">-7<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ffff00"><big><b>35</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">3<br></td><td valign="Top"><br></td><td valign="Top">vCOL, @COL<br><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="red"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">Chicago</font></b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">25<br></td><td valign="Top">10<br></td><td valign="Top">4<br></td><td valign="Top">11<br></td><td valign="Top">+7<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big><b>34</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">4<br></td><td valign="Top"><br></td><td valign="Top">vLA, vCLB, @CLB<br><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff0000"><big><b>Metrostars</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">24<br></td><td valign="Top">10<br></td><td valign="Top">2<br></td><td valign="Top">12<br></td><td valign="Top">-3<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ffff00"><big><b>32</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">6<br></td><td valign="Top"><br></td><td valign="Top">@DAL, vDC, DC,<br>@NE<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="10">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#000066"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">New England</font></b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">25<br></td><td valign="Top">9<br></td><td valign="Top">2<br></td><td valign="Top">14<br></td><td valign="Top">-7<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff0000"><big><b>29</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">-<br></td><td valign="Top"><br></td><td valign="Top">vDC, @DAL, vMET<br><br></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#000000"><big><b><font color="#ffffff">DC United</font></b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">24<br></td><td valign="Top">7<br></td><td valign="Top">5<br></td><td valign="Top">12<br></td><td valign="Top">-7<br></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="red"><big><b>26</b></big><br></td><td valign="Top">-<br></td><td valign="Top"><br></td><td valign="Top">@NE, @MET, <br>vMET, vDAL <br></td></tr></tbody> </table><br><u>KEY</u><br>(W) or (E): Division Leader<br>PM#: Magic Number to secure Playoff Spot (gained or 9th place lost) [ConferenceinBrackets]<br>SSF: Schedule Strength Factor (avg pts of all opponents)<br><br><u>TIEBREAKERS</u><br>1) Head-to-Head<br>2) Goal Differential<br>3) Total Goals<br>4) Rules #1-3 (Road Games)<br>5) Rules #1-3 (Home Games)<br>6) Fewest Disciplinary Points<br>7) Coin Toss<br><br><u>CURRENT PLAYOFF MATCHUPS</u><br>(1) San Jose v Metrostars (8)<br>(2) Columbus v Chicago (7)<br>(3) Los Angeles v Kansas City (6)<br>(4) Dallas v Colorado (5)<br><br><u>TEAMS STILL INVOLVED IN US OPEN CUP</u><br>Los Angeles, Dallas, Columbus, Kansas City (Semifinals)<br><br><br><br></body></html>
Metrostars only one more home game, don't look good. Kansas City could be playing Columbus five more times two remaining games, one more time for the semi-finals of the Open Cup, two more times in the play-offs.
KC plays Colorado in the two remaining games not Columbus. They do play Columbus in the Open Cup. Last night the rapids webcast was commenting that it's possible the Rapids and the Wizards could play each other 5 times in a row (Last two games plus 3 playoff games)
Someone has told me that some people have been taking these html tables to other sites and passing them off as their own. I would ask politely that you please stop.
Metros would still have to do a major el foldo to not make the playoffs but having watch them play so much, it wouldn't surprise me. If they lose on Thursday, anything's possible, making the winner of the DC-NE game in the driver's seat to take over their spot. OTOH, Dallas will be spent by Thursday no matter how many different players they play on Sunday-Tuesday, and the Metros could easily nab a point or 3, especially that now (one would think) they'll put Mathis up top (in lieu of Diallo's injury). Chicago ain't completely out of the woods yet either.
With NY, NE and DC playing each so often (3 of 4, 2 of 3, and 3 of 4 remaining games) it sure looks like the three of them are battling it out for that one final spot. I would say it's a problem for NY to only have one home game left, but they haven't done so well at home this season, have they? And, if you're Dallas, I'm not sure if it's good or bad to have your last 3 games against the bottom 3 teams. One the one hand, there's a reason they are the bottom 3 teams; OTOH, they've got a lot more to play for then, say, Col or KC. Parity may be a real bummer for fantasy and prediction leagues, but it sure does add intruige to the end of the season.
Thanks for doing this every week. My only question - is your title an insult? Wouldn't K. Kreis' pimp or something be better?
Hala will hopefully have this week's playoff race thread up soon, but in the meantime I've updated the table to reflect Thursday's and Saturday's results.
Isn't LAs (and SJ) magic number for the conference 4? If either of them get 4, no other team can catch them, if I'm not mistaken.
You're right. I'll correct it. If anyone finds other errors, let me know. I'm a novice at this table construction stuff compared to the master, HalaMadrid.
So if I read this correctly, Chicago could split the series with C-Bus and still miss out on the playoffs? Wow. The strangest thing about this is that the only places Metro and Chicago cannot end up at this point are #1 and #3. Anywhere from division champs to dead last is still possible for both teams. (Columbus cannot end up in last behind DC because they won the season series.)
One of us could, of course, create a new thread titled "MLS Playoff Race: 9 September [R]" but I figured Hala should have the honor. But until Hala has the time to create the new thread, I figure the table I created by editing his "quoted" table works well enough.
If I have my facts right Columbus should be in first place of the East conference as they hold the tie-breaker over NY.
I guess he's too depressed from his team losing to the Galaxy. After all, I'd be weepy too if my team lost to the Galaxy at home in front of a sold out crowd, by giving up two goals to blow a lead. Dema Kovalenko gets a card to send Chicago to 10 players, after Ezra was already red carded. Give that guy a brain. Has anyone checked the hospitals?
I went with MLS' methodology and placed the MetroStars in 1st place in the East since they've earned 35 pts in 25 matches while the Crew have earned 35 pts in 26 matches. Of course, were the MetroStars and Crew tied in points having both played the same number of games, Columbus would win the tiebreaker since their goal differential is 0 compared to -1 for the MetroStars (the teams are tied at 2-2-0 in head-to-head competion)