MLS Playoff Race: 29 August [R]

HalaMadrid · Aug 29, 2002

<html><head><title></title></head><body><table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="10" 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>SSF</big></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff6600"><big>GAMES LEFT</big></td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="10">SUPPORTERS SHIELD RACE </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#3366ff"><big>San Jose</big> <big>(W)</big> </td><td valign="Top">24 </td><td valign="Top">13 </td><td valign="Top">3 </td><td valign="Top">8 </td><td valign="Top">+13 </td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#009900"><big>42</big></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#cc66cc">Q [10] </td><td valign="Top">33.75 </td><td valign="Top">@DC, vCLB, @LA, vLA </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#cc0000"><big>Dallas</big> </td><td valign="Top">24 </td><td valign="Top">11 </td><td valign="Top">7 </td><td valign="Top">6 </td><td valign="Top">+4<big> </big></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#009900"><big>40</big></td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#cc66cc">Q </td><td valign="Top">29 </td><td valign="Top">@COL, vMET, vNE, @DC </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ffcc33"><big>Los Angeles</big> </td><td valign="Top">24 </td><td valign="Top">12 </td><td valign="Top">3 </td><td valign="Top">9 </td><td valign="Top">+5 </td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#009900"><big>39</big> </td><td valign="Top">1 </td><td valign="Top">37.5 </td><td valign="Top">vMET, @CHI, vSJ, @SJ </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="10">PLAYOFF RACE </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#006600"><big>Colorado</big> </td><td valign="Top">25 </td><td valign="Top">11 </td><td valign="Top">3 </td><td valign="Top">11 </td><td valign="Top">-7 </td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big>36</big> </td><td valign="Top">4 </td><td valign="Top">33.6 </td><td valign="Top">vDAL, @KC, vKC </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="red"><big>Chicago(E)</big> </td><td valign="Top">24 </td><td valign="Top">10 </td><td valign="Top">4 </td><td valign="Top">10 </td><td valign="Top">+8 </td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big>34</big> </td><td valign="Top">6 [12] </td><td valign="Top">34.75 </td><td valign="Top">@KC, vLA, vCLB, @CLB </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big>Columbus</big> </td><td valign="Top">24 </td><td valign="Top">10 </td><td valign="Top">4 </td><td valign="Top">10 </td><td valign="Top">+1 </td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big>34</big> </td><td valign="Top">6 </td><td valign="Top">33.75 </td><td valign="Top">vNE, @SJ, @CHI, vCHI </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff0000"><big>Metrostars</big> </td><td valign="Top">23 </td><td valign="Top">10 </td><td valign="Top">2 </td><td valign="Top">11 </td><td valign="Top">0 </td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ffff00"><big>32</big> </td><td valign="Top">8 </td><td valign="Top">30 </td><td valign="Top">@LA, @DAL, vDC, @DC, @NE </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#3333ff"><big>Kansas City</big> </td><td valign="Top">25 </td><td valign="Top">8 </td><td valign="Top">8 </td><td valign="Top">9 </td><td valign="Top">-8 </td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="yellow"><big>32</big> </td><td valign="Top">8 </td><td valign="Top">35.3 </td><td valign="Top">vCHI, vCOL, @COL </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" colspan="10">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#000066"><big>New England</big> </td><td valign="Top">24 </td><td valign="Top">9 </td><td valign="Top">1 </td><td valign="Top">14 </td><td valign="Top">-7 </td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#ff0000"><big>28</big> </td><td valign="Top">- </td><td valign="Top">32.25 </td><td valign="Top">@CLB, vDC, @DAL, vMET </td></tr><tr><td valign="Top" bgcolor="#000000"><big>DC United</big> </td><td valign="Top">23 </td><td valign="Top">6 </td><td valign="Top">5 </td><td valign="Top">12 </td><td valign="Top">-9 </td><td valign="Top" bgcolor="red"><big>23</big> </td><td valign="Top">- </td><td valign="Top">34.2 </td><td valign="Top">vSJ, @NE, @MET, vMET, vDAL </td></tr></tbody></table> <font="courier">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 remaining 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 Kansas City (8) (2) Chicago v Metrostars (7) (3) Los Angeles v Columbus (6) (4) Dallas v Colorado (5) TEAMS STILL INVOLVED IN US OPEN CUP Los Angeles, Dallas, Columbus, Kansas City (Semifinals) </body></html>

Coach_Barry · Aug 29, 2002

Just picking nits

but...

Dallas isn't quite qualified yet.

They have 40 points.

If they lose all of their remaining 4 games and NE win their remaining 4 games they will be tied for 40 points each.

One of the remaining games is a head to head between NE and Dallas, so NE would have the tie breaker with 2 wins over Dallas.

I would bet my last dime against this scenario, but the mathematical possibility exists.

FlashMan · Aug 29, 2002

It's not just Hala who has reported that Dallas has qualified, so, while your scenario sounds logical, there may be other factors at work that means Dallas has qualified.

But I don't really know.

KC must be starting to sweat some serious bullets...

...and if the Metros lose to the Galaxy this weekend...

IASocFan · Aug 29, 2002

Dallas has qualified for the playoffs. For them to not qualify, not only NE would have to have 40+ points, but so would seven other teams. DC can't reach 40.

To reach 40 points KC would have to win their 3 remaining games (beating Colorado twice). Colorado has 36 points; to get to 40 they have to get at least one point against KC. Both KC and Colorado can't catch Dallas. ERGO, Dallas is in!

Viking64 · Aug 29, 2002

I can hardly control myself. Home field advantage throughout the playoffs is a whisper away.

SoccerEsq · Aug 29, 2002

Anybody else bothered by the fact 5 of the 8 teams who would currently make it don't have winning records?

Personally, even if DC climbs back in by some miracle, it'll still be really hard for me to take MLS playoffs seriously.

DouginSJ · Aug 30, 2002

Originally posted by SoccerEsq
Personally, even if DC climbs back in by some miracle, it'll still be really hard for me to take MLS playoffs seriously.
Click to expand...

Have you ever really taken the MLS playoffs seriously? When 80% of the teams make it, it's a little bit of a farce. But that's a topic for another post...

xoid · Aug 30, 2002

Sorry if I'm missing something obvious, but shouldn't Dallas be in the third slot in the playoff bracket instead of Los Angeles?

HalaMadrid · Aug 30, 2002

Originally posted by xoid
Sorry if I'm missing something obvious, but shouldn't Dallas be in the third slot in the playoff bracket instead of Los Angeles?
Click to expand...

You aren't, but I posted it and got going on something else....and now I can't edit the post.

CURRENT PLAYOFF MATCHUPS
(1) San Jose v Kansas City (8)
(2) Chicago v Metrostars (7)
(3) Dallas v Columbus (6)
(4) Los Angeles v Colorado (5)

profiled · Aug 30, 2002

At this point being an LA fan i'd much rather have to play Colorado then Columbus.

JasonMa · Aug 30, 2002

At this point being a Colorado fan I'd much rather have to play LA than Dallas

FFan · Aug 31, 2002

At this point being a Fire fan I don't care who we play, we still go to the second round.

dred · Aug 31, 2002

Has anyone figured out what happens if the eastern conference winner faces a western conference team with a better record in the semis?

Who gets the extra home game? ie, does seeding count only for determining opponent?

This makes a huge difference for teams in the western race, as second place would be nearly as good as first.

TeamUSA · Aug 31, 2002

At this point being a Rapids fan I don't care as long as Veronica and ESPN come back to Colorado for another match.

BrianCappellieri · Aug 31, 2002

At this point being a Revs fan, I don't care as long as we don't finish last...again.

And we beat the MetroScum in the last game of the season.

Frank Cunha · Aug 31, 2002

Cappellari I still got the yellow card, and we did the same thing.

BrianCappellieri · Aug 31, 2002

Check your PMs, Mr. Cunha.

lufty · Sep 1, 2002

Revs magic number is now 10 techincally cause we lose tie breaker to the muts. hehe... blah i know but I thought I would say it

JasonMa · Sep 1, 2002

So what are the MLS tiebreaking rules? I ask because Colorado has the tiebreaker over New England (2 wins, 2 losses but +1 Goal Differential) but against DC they won 2-0 and lost 0-2, so what's the next tiebreaker?

lufty · Sep 1, 2002

the tie breaker is goal dif total season not per team

clevfutbol23 · Sep 1, 2002

I dont know if this is completely wrong but dont the winners of each conference get buys into the second rounds so that they can promote the semifinal with homefield advantage while giving lower seeds a chance to advance farther than projected?

I may have dreamt this