1. This is a short-term problem, as 2009 may be the final time we have an uneven number of teams. 2. Even in this situation, only Chicago would be at an advantage/disadvantage if they had played all this weekend's games at the same time. Every one else finishes their regular season this weekend. 3. I guess the league probably could have 'guessed' at a team to stick in this slot who was among the least likely to make the playoffs. However, if you did that by any measurable method (last year's last place team.... perhaps this year's expansion team) you would have only guessed very wrong with Los Angeles or Seattle.
True, but it does not help with this seasons muddled mess any. Chicago at least made things a little clearer last night.
Can anyone tell me what the brackets look like today at this time, before the last games are played? In otherwords, Columbus overall #1 in the whole league, who would they play? The #8 team in the whole league or someone in the east. Same with LAG currently #1 in west. I heard we could play Seattle, yet they are only 1 pt behind us... Why don't we get to play a lower seed like Colorado or TFC if they make it... - This is where single table without relation to geography would be helpfull. If you finish #8, you know good and well you are going up against #1 etc... - Would also give travelling fans a little (very little) chance to plan..
Before kickoffs tonight: Columbus - Colorado Chicago - Toronto LA - Seattle Houston - Chivas #5 In the West (Colorado), being the lowest Western team to qualify slides over to fill the gap in the East since there is no #4 Eastern team. By MLS rule any team changing conferences becomes the lowest seed int he new conference, so even though Colorado has more points than Toronto they're the #4 and TFC is the #3.
This sucks LAG should be playing Colorado or TFC Who cares if the east is weak this year.. I am sure the league can' t be happy either.. they obviously want SEA in the final for crowd and or LAG for that becks-donovan appeal.. If Columbus were to loose in the first round, anyway poss for a SEA-LAG final? How are the semi's set up? who plays who out of the QTR finals
Five minutes until the kickoff of the most significant regular season finale in MLS history. Just for a laugh, I'd love to see what the brackets would end up like if we simply had #1 vs #8 and so on...
East vs. West. So one of Houston, Chivas, LA, and Seattle will face one of Columbus, Chicago, and the two remaining wild cards to be determined in the final.
If we had 1 vs 8 and so on, AND the tiebreakers defined by GD and then Goals Scored, we would have had almost exactly the same results that we have now: 1) Columbus - 8) RSL 2) Houston - 7) Revs 3) Galaxy - 6) Chivas 4) Seattle - 5) Chicago So, switch Seattle with Chicago, and it's the same matchups. Even more interesting, is that all the craziness with the MLS tiebreaking procedures could have been accomplished with Goal Difference and Goals Scored instead of going through all of that crap. Code: GP W D L GD G+ G- Pts 1. Columbus Crew 30 13 10 7 +10 41 - 31 49 2. Houston Dynamo 30 13 9 8 +10 39 - 29 48 3. Los Angeles Galaxy 30 12 12 6 +5 36 - 31 48 4. Seattle Sounders 30 12 11 7 +9 38 - 29 47 5. Chicago Fire 30 11 12 7 +5 39 - 34 45 6. Chivas USA 30 13 6 11 +3 34 - 31 45 7. New England Revolution 30 11 9 10 -4 33 - 37 42 8. Real Salt Lake 30 11 7 12 +8 43 - 35 40 -------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Colorado Rapids 30 10 10 10 +4 42 - 38 40 10. DC United 30 9 13 8 -1 43 - 44 40 11. FC Dallas 30 11 6 13 +3 50 - 47 39 12. Toronto FC 30 10 9 11 -9 37 - 46 39 13. Kansas City Wizards 30 8 9 13 -9 33 - 42 33 14. San Jose Earthquakes 30 7 9 14 -14 36 - 50 30 15. New York Red Bulls 30 5 6 19 -20 27 - 47 21