Who is where in the playoffs?

The Galaxy have had the top spot wrapped up for a while.  The Sounders and Real Salt Lake have also had their playoffs spot for a few weeks.  Now there is one position remaining that 4 teams have a shot at with New York in the best position to take it.

The East side is kinda crazy right now.  Sporting KC and Philadelphia Union are tied on points with Columbus Crew and Houston Dynamo 1 and 2 points back.  Any of those teams could take 1st and any one could fall to the 3rd wildcard position.  There are a ton of scenarios for those teams in the East.  An article on Down The Byline makes it clear as mud what Sporting KC have to do.

I do hope Sporting KC end up on top, because when everyone else was saying NY was going to win the east, I was probably the only guy that was even thinking about KC as a playoff contender.  It could be that KC finish only 2 points up on NY, so that isn’t such a big win, and you can’t blame anyone for thinking NY should have been up there, they have the team do it.

No matter what happens, it will be an exciting weekend for a bunch of teams starting with Portland Timbers and DC United.  Likely one team will be eliminated and one team will still have hope after that game.  Then Thursday night New York and Philadelphia will have big impact on several teams.  Then the season is ended on Sunday with the LA Galaxy visiting the Houston Dynamo.

I see KC winning the East, with New York holding on to that last playoff spot.  How do you see it all ending?  Who gets in and who wins the East?

Major League Soccer on social media

I put together a Twitter list that is each of the MLS teams’ official Twitter account.  You can follow the list here: http://twitter.com/#!/mlsfanblog/mls-teams

In the process of putting this list together I started noting the other social network-y type sites some of these teams had accounts with and thought it might be interesting to share here.  Almost every team had Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube covered.  A few teams had some extra links in addition to those standard three.

Chicago Fire only seems to have an account at Facebook.

Chivas USA also had Facebook and YouTube.

Colorado Rapids on Facebook and YouTube.

Columbus Crew on Facebook and YouTube.

DC United on Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr.

FC Dallas on Facebook and YouTube.

Houston Dynamo on Facebook and YouTube.

LA Galaxy on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

New England Revolution on Facebook and YouTube.

New York Red Bulls on Facebook and YouTube.

Philadelphia Union on Facebook, and YouTube.

Portland Timbers on Facebook and YouTube.

Real Salt Lake on Facebook and YouTube.

San Jose EarthQuakes on Facebook and YouTube (a little bit out of date).

Seattle Sounders on Facebook.  Apparently they do videos on their own website - and might not have a YouTube channel.

Sporting Kansas City on Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr.  Sporting KC even have a page with links to many Twitter accounts of players and staff.  You can see that at http://www.sportingkc.com/social-media

Toronto FC on Facebook and YouTube.

Vancouver Whitecaps on Facebook and YouTube.

2011 MLS Playoff race is on!

With just over a month of the MLS regular season remaining the LA Galaxy are the only team to have secured a playoff spot. Seattle Sounders FC and Real Salt Lake are looking to wrap up their playoff spots this weekend. 58 LA Galaxy * 51 Seattle Sounders FC 48 Real Salt Lake 46 FC Dallas 41 Colorado Rapids 41 Columbus Crew 40 Sporting Kansas City 39 Philadelphia Union 39 Houston Dynamo 36 New York Red Bulls ————————————— 36 Portland Timbers 34 D.C. United 31 Chivas USA 30 Chicago Fire 30 Toronto FC 29 San Jose Earthquakes 27 New England Revolution 22 Vancouver Whitecaps FC With the current standings the way they are right now, the match in New York on Saturday evening will have huge playoff implications.

Portland Timbers @ New York Red Bulls

Saturday, September 24, 2011 7:30pm EST

Red Bull Arena

The teams are currently even on points with 36 which has New York in the last wildcard playoff spot and the Timbers on the outside looking in.  My prediction is a 2-1 victory for the visitors which will leave NYRB on the outside.  What is your prediction?

MLS Cup 2009: Real Salt Lake vs LA Galaxy

MLS Cup 2009

vs

Real Salt Lake (#4 East) vs LA Galaxy (#1 West)

The semi-final tonight between Real Salt Lake and the Chicago Fire was a wild one.  Some people might say 120 minutes with no scoring is a boring game - but this was far from boring.  The game eventually went to a shootout and went to 7 shooters before Nick Rimando took over saving the last couple of Fire PKs. Real Salt Lake had the better of the Galaxy during this past regular season with a single win and a single draw.  Will they be able to continue in their first ever MLS Cup Final?  Any predictions?  I’ll have mine later this coming week.

A New MLS Cup

It was 2005 the last time the West was represented by someone other than two time defending champion Houston Dynamo.  The New England revolution have represented the East even longer, 2004 was the last time someone other than the Revs made it to the MLS Cup.  This year both of those teams dropped out in the first round thanks to the Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls. Of the 4 remaining teams only the Chicago Fire have ever made it to the MLS Cup, so we will see at least one new team playing for the title this year.

 @

Chicago Fire (#2 East) @ Columbus Crew (#1 East)

Thursday November 13th - 6:30 PM

ESPN 2

The Eastern conference final has possibly the two favorites to win the MLS Cup.  I know I would be happier to see these teams match up for the MLS Cup rather than what we will end up with.  The Crew had the best record in the regular season and get to play at home.  The Chicago Fire are hot right now.  I think the Fire will be too much for the Crew to handle.  Chicago wins 3-2.

 @

New York Red Bulls (#5 East) @ Real Salt Lake (#3 West)

Saturday November 15th - 8:30 PM

Fox Soccer Channel, HDNet

The Western conference final isn’t really the Western conference final.  New York obviously plays in the East but due to the silly playoff setup they get to play in the Western conference half of the playoff bracket.  Real Salt Lake has never been in the playoffs before.  The Red Bulls have been here but not ever advanced to the final.  After seeing what the Red Bulls did to Houston this is a tough game to predict.  I’ll stick with the home team and say RSL 1-0.

What are your predictions?

Playoff race is on

With just about 5 weeks remaining in the regular season schedule the race to the playoffs is heating up. Here is a quick look at the current situation of each team

Columbus Crew 14-6-5 47pts

The Crew missed the playoffs last year and are on the top this year.  They have at least a spot in the playoffs clinched and are the only team to do so yet.

Last 5: W T W W W (13pts)

Remaining Schedule:

@ New England Revolution
LA GALAXY
@ Chicago Fire
@ New York Red Bulls
DC UNITED

New England Revolution 12-7-6 42pts

The Revolution are always near the top, usually going far into the playoffs and collecing some trophies (just not the MLS Cup).  This could be the year they get that MLS Cup.  They got SuperLiga and aren’t doing so bad at 2nd place in the league.

Last 5: T W L L T

Remaining Schedule:

COLUMBUS CREW
REAL SALT LAKE
@ Kansas City Wizards
@ DC United
Kansas City Wizards 

Houston Dynamo 10-5-9 39pts

Defending MLS Cup champions have a habit of starting the season slow and peaking at the right time and they could do it again this year.

Last 5: T W W L W

Remaining Schedule:

@ Toronto FC
@ Colorado Rapids
DC UNITED
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
LA GALAXY

Chicago Fire 11-9-5 38pts

The Fire started out with a bang this season - for a while they held the top spot in the league.  Now they are in a slump but if they come out of it at the right time they can bean anyone and could add to their collection of silverware.

Last 5: L L W L L

Remaining Schedule:

LA GALAXY
@ Kansas City Wizards
COLUMBUS CREW
@ Toronto FC
NEW YORK RED BULLS

New York Red Bulls 9-8-8 35pts

The Red Bulls have been all over the place, near the top and near the bottom.  You never know what the Red Bulls are gonna do.   They are currently 5th overall but currently 4th in the East with DC and KC within striking distance.  They could go either way in the playoff hunt but I’d expect to see them get in.

Last 5: L W L T W

Remaining Schedule:

COLORADO RAPIDS
TORONTO FC
@ Real Salt Lake
COLUMBUS CREW
@ Chicago Fire

DC United 10-12-3 33pts

One of the most successful clubs in MLS History, defenders of the Supporters’ Shield, DC United is going to make it close to the playoffs this year.  If they playoffs were to start today, they’d be the last team in.  There are a couple teams right on their heels.

Last 5: L T L T W

Remaining Schedule:

@ FC Dallas
CHIVAS USA
@ Houston Dynamo
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
@ Columbus Crew

Chivas USA 9-10-6 33pts

Chivas USA were winners of the Western Conference last year and then took a first round exit from the playoffs.  Right now they have 2nd position in the West although they are 7th overall.

Last 5: W L W W T

Remaining Schedule:

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS
@ DC United
@ San Jose Earthquakes
COLORADO RAPIDS
HOUSTON DYNAMO

Kansas City Wizards 8-9-8 32pts

The Wizards must like to cut it close.  They’ve gone down to the very last day of the regular season to determine their playoff fate a couple times in the past few years.  Right now they’ve got some ground to make up to get in this year.

Last 5: W W L L T

Remaining Schedule:

@ Chivas USA
CHICAGO FIRE
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
@ New England Revolution 

Colorado Rapids 9-12-4 31pts

The Rapids have been up and down this year.  They missed the playoffs last year and hope to change that this year.  They are current tied on points with RSL for the 3rd position in the West - which will likely be the last position to get into the playoffs from the West.

Last 5: T W W L L

Remaining Schedule:

@ New York Red Bulls
HOUSTON DYNAMO
@ LA Galaxy
@ Chivas USA
REAL SALT LAKE

Real Salt Lake 8-10-7 31pts

RSL have had a bit of a slide lately.  They had been on top of the West and looking forward to making the playoffs for the first time in their history.  Now they’ve got a battle to get there.  This could come down to the last game of the saeson when they play Colorado.

Last 5: L L T W L

Remaining Schedule:

@ San Jose Earthquakes
@ New England Revolution
NEW YORK RED BULLS
FC DALLAS
@ Colorado Rapids

FC Dallas 7-9-9 30pts

FC Dallas could likely be one of the team that made the cut last year to drop out.  They have had their moments but not enough of them.  They are only 1 point away, but I think it is unlikely they move up.

Last 5: W T L L T

Remaining Schedule:

DC UNITED
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
TORONTO FC
@ Real Salt Lake
@ LA Galaxy

LA Galaxy 7-10-8 29pts

The Galaxy have had ups and downs as much as anyone in the leage.  For a while they got hot and led the west, they’ve also been on the bottom on the single table.  Chances of the Galaxy getting into the playoffs are not looking very good.

Last 5: W L T T L

Remaining Schedule:

@ Chicago Fire
@ Columbus Crew
COLORADO RAPIDS
@ Houston Dynamo
FC DALLAS

San Jose Earthquakes 7-9-8 29pts

The Earthquakes have been close to or at the very bottom for most of the year.  A first year team isn’t expected much more, but they have had a hot run in the 2nd half of the season.  They came up and threatened to take a playoff position, but now they’ve fallen back a little bit.

Last 5: T W W T W

Remaining Schedule:

REAL SALT LAKE
@ FC Dallas
CHIVAS USA
@ Houston Dynamo
@ Kansas City Wizards
TORONTO FC

Toronto FC 7-12-6 27pts

TFC spent some impressive time in the playoff hunt, but now they sit at the bottom of the league.  It would take an amazing run to get them in now.

Last 5: L T L L T

Remaining Schedule:

HOUSTON DYNAMO
@ New York Red Bulls
@ FC Dallas
CHICAGO FIRE
@ San Jose Earthquakes

Kasey Keller and Clint Mathis coming back to the US

Both former US National team players Kasey Keller and Clint Mathis are leaving their European clubs in order to head to the United States to play in Major League Soccer.

Kasey Keller began his career with the Portland Timbers 19 years ago. Since then he has spent some time with 7 different European clubs. Now Keller is the 2nd man on the brand new Seattle Sounders FC roster.

Clint Mathis has played with several MLS teams already in his career. His time in Major League Soccer included a poor season with Real Salt Lake in their first year of existence. Now Real Salt Lake is in first place in the West and they have re-acquired Mathis after he left MLS to play in Greece. Mathis played in 8 games and scored 1 goal for Greek club Ergotelis.

MLS among the best in the world

This is from an article about Real Salt Lake attendance and American fans adopting MLS.

L.A.’s Landon Donovan, Chicago’s Cuauhtemoc Blanco and defensive shot-blocker Jon Busch are among the best soccer players in the world.

I guess if I were standing in a room with some of the best soccer players in the world, you could say I was “among the best”. I don’t want to put down Jon Busch or any other player in the MLS, they’ve proven themselves to be great athletes just to get a chance with an MLS team. Maybe it is a stretch to call Busch among the best soccer players in the world. He was just recently waived by Columbus and Toronto, two non-playoff teams. Maybe just being a professional soccer player puts your among the best in the world. Professionals do make up a tiny percentage of every person that plays, so why not call them all among the best in the world? Is Jon Busch among the best goalkeepers in Major League Soccer? To qualify for “among the best” for this situation you have to be in the top 1/3rd of all goalkeepers.

Real Salt Lake one step closer to US Open Cup

Real Salt Lake had another impressive victory at home last night in their US Open Cup play-in game vs expansion San Jose EarthQuakes. Kyle Beckerman notched the first two goals of the game. After that Yura Movsisyan and Andy Williams each got a goal of their own to complete a 4-0 demolition of the EarthQuakes.

This sends Real Salt Lake to Columbus for their next Open Cup qualifying game. The winner of that game then plays at Chicago Fire in a winner qualifies, loser out game.

Surprise Suprise, DC United Beat Real Salt Lake

Goals from Christian Gomez and would you believe Luciano Emilio lifted DC United to a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake.  DC United has no one in the league table above them while Real Salt Lake has only the Los Angeles Galaxy below them.  Even the mighty Toronto FC with all their stars injured are above Real Salt Lake in points on the season.

The only thing that surprises me about this game is that the score wasn’t something closer to 7-0 for DC United.