Brazbit
Randomness Personified
Premium
join:2003-10-22
Port Orchard, WA
 ·wavebroadband
| [Soccer] MLS Playoffs
The MLS Playoffs begin tonight at Qwest Field in Seattle. Five teams out of the West and three out of the East qualified for the playoffs this year.
The first round of the MLS Playoffs is a home & away series with aggregate goals to determine the winner. In other words the point totals of both games (one played at each team's home field) are combined to find the winner. So if say Team A won the first game 3-1 and Team B won the second game 1-2 the winner of the series would be Team A with a total aggregate score of 4-3. Semi finals and finals are straight up single game contests.
First Round Schedule:
WEST
W1 LA Galaxy
W4 CD Chivas USA - 11/1 5:00pm Eastern (ESPN2)
W2 Houston Dynamo
W3 Seattle Sounders - 10/29 10:00pm Eastern (ESPN2)
EAST
E1 Columbus Crew
E4 Real Salt Lake* - 10/31 6:00pm Eastern
E2 Chicago Fire
E3 New England Revolution - 11/1 2:00pm Eastern (Fox Soccer Channel)
*Final season point tally was high enough for them to take a spot in the Eastern Playoffs Despite being a Western Conference Team.
--
And so it goes in life.... one minute everything is coming up roses the next you are being torn apart amongst the thorns. |
|
Fobulous
Premium
join:2002-08-14
Missouri City, TX
clubs: | Saw couple of Dynamo's home games.. i dunno the skills these people have are no where near where the Europeans have.. |
|
rfhar
The World Sport, Played In Every Country
Premium
join:2001-03-26
Buicktown,Mi
clubs:  | reply to Brazbit
I will be glued to the TV tonight. |
|
icp1
Premium
join:2000-10-13
Saint Louis, MO
clubs: | reply to Brazbit
sorry haven't cared about soccer in the US since the NASL |
|
Brazbit
Randomness Personified
Premium
join:2003-10-22
Port Orchard, WA
·wavebroadband
1 edit | reply to Brazbit
Due to issues beyond my control I wasn't able to get back to this until now. I was at the Sounders/Dynamo game Thursday and that was a blast. The game ended in a nil-nil draw but could have just as easily been 5-2 if not for some amazing saves and balls off the woodwork that bounced out rather than in. The atmosphere at the game was simply amazing, I have been to most of the Sounders games this year and this one ranked right up there with the best so far.
Results from last week:
LA Galaxy - 2
CD Chivas USA - 2
Houston Dynamo - 0
Seattle Sounders - 0
Columbus Crew - 0
Real Salt Lake - 1
Chicago Fire - 1
New England Revolution - 2
So both Real Salt Lake and New England will be bringing a one goal lead into this second leg. For the teams in the West since both games ended in draws it might as well be a single game series.
This week's games look like this:
WEST
W1 LA Galaxy
W4 CD Chivas USA - Sunday 11/8 7:30pm Eastern (ESPN2)
W3 Seattle Sounders
W2 Houston Dynamo - Sunday 11/8 3:00 pm Eastern (TeleFutura*)
EAST
E4 Real Salt Lake
E1 Columbus Crew - Thursday 11/5 8:00pm Eastern (ESPN2)
E3 New England Revolution
E2 Chicago Fire - Saturday 11/7 8:30 pm Eastern (Fox Soccer Channel)
May the best teams win.
*The Sounders have arranged to get this televised on Fox Sports Nortwest as well as locally on King5 in addition to TeleFutura.
--
And so it goes in life.... one minute everything is coming up roses the next you are being torn apart amongst the thorns. |
|
rfhar
The World Sport, Played In Every Country
Premium
join:2001-03-26
Buicktown,Mi
clubs: | reply to Brazbit
I'm looking forward to them. |
|
Brazbit
Randomness Personified
Premium
join:2003-10-22
Port Orchard, WA
·wavebroadband
| 
Just Prior to Kickoff | 
Attendance: 35,807 |
|
|
obeythelaw
Premium
join:2003-04-16
Bayonne, NJ | very nice. looks like a really good crowd |
|
Brazbit
Randomness Personified
Premium
join:2003-10-22
Port Orchard, WA
·wavebroadband
| Thank you. It was a great crowd both in numbers and participation. Tons of stadium-wide chants. Banners and flags everywhere. Participation levels in everything were off the charts. Currently nothing in MLS can match the environment at Sounders home games and this one was a level or two above the norm.
If the Sounders take out Houston on Sunday and the winners of the Galaxy/Chivas series the following week this will be a MLS cup for the ages with it being held at Qwest Field. It is a tall order to make the finals, especially for an expansion team, I may not be holding my breath but I sure am crossing my fingers.
The Sounders have already won the US Open Cup this season, the MLS Cup would look really nice next to it in the trophy case. 
--
And so it goes in life.... one minute everything is coming up roses the next you are being torn apart amongst the thorns. |
|
rfhar
The World Sport, Played In Every Country
Premium
join:2001-03-26
Buicktown,Mi
clubs: | reply to Brazbit
I'm cheering for them. Can you hear me? |
|
Brazbit
Randomness Personified
Premium
join:2003-10-22
Port Orchard, WA
·wavebroadband
| reply to Brazbit
Last night was a bit of a shocker. Real Salt Lake, the lowest ranked team in the playoffs, managed to knock off the defending champion Columbus Crew.
Columbus had a slow start to the season but really turned it on in the mid season jetting way out in front of the league standings only to fall off towards the end of the season and barely retaining the best record by a single point. Real Slat Lake had a rather uninspiring season but turned it up a notch towards the end and managed to squeak into the playoffs. This just goes to show the value of momentum in a series like this.
--
And so it goes in life.... one minute everything is coming up roses the next you are being torn apart amongst the thorns. |
|
Brazbit
Randomness Personified
Premium
join:2003-10-22
Port Orchard, WA
·wavebroadband
| reply to Brazbit
After finishing the first game a goal down Chicago won tonight by two and will be hosting Real Salt Lake for the conference final.
Seattle & Houston, LA (Galaxy) & LA (Chivas) play Sunday.
Go Sounders!
--
And so it goes in life.... one minute everything is coming up roses the next you are being torn apart amongst the thorns. |
|
aztecnology
O Rly?
Premium
join:2003-02-12
Murrieta, CA | LA advances... |
|
rfhar
The World Sport, Played In Every Country
Premium
join:2001-03-26
Buicktown,Mi
clubs: | reply to Brazbit
Yup but I was hoping to see the sounders and the crew play the final. |
|
Brazbit
Randomness Personified
Premium
join:2003-10-22
Port Orchard, WA
·wavebroadband
| That would have been nice. Maybe next year. Seattle took Houston into overtime scoreless after 2 full games. I was certain this one was going to penalty kicks.
Last Week:
Chivas 0 - 1 Los Angeles
Houston 1 - 0 Seattle
New England 0 - 2 Chicago
Salt Lake 3 - 2 Columbus
This Week:
Houston @ L.A. - Friday 11-13 - 11:00pm Eastern (ESPN2)
Salt Lake @ Chicago - Saturday 11-14 - 8:00 PM Eastern (Fox Soccer Channel)
--
And so it goes in life.... one minute everything is coming up roses the next you are being torn apart amongst the thorns. |
|
Brazbit
Randomness Personified
Premium
join:2003-10-22
Port Orchard, WA
·wavebroadband
| Well the conference championships are over. Both went to Overtime with Real Salt Lake and Chicago requiring Penalty Kicks to decide a winner. All that is left is the Final.
The MLS Cup this year will be in Seattle at Qwest Field November 22 on ESPN at 8:30PM Eastern.
--
And so it goes in life.... one minute everything is coming up roses the next you are being torn apart amongst the thorns. |
|
rfhar
The World Sport, Played In Every Country
Premium
join:2001-03-26
Buicktown,Mi
clubs: | reply to Brazbit
I will be watching. |
|
Brazbit
Randomness Personified
Premium
join:2003-10-22
Port Orchard, WA
·wavebroadband
3 edits | reply to Brazbit
Some additional viewing that might be of interest to MLS fans:
ESPN Classic: History of The MLS Cup - 3:00pm (PT) Saturday 21st
AND online there is:
MLSnet.com will stream the 2009 MLS Supporter's Summit live beginning at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on Saturday.
»web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp···ext=.jsp quote:
The MLS Commissioner will deliver a special address to some of the League's most dedicated and fervent fans, after which Carey will moderate a question and answer session. The summit will also include a formal discussion addressing the officiating and technical structure of MLS with top League stakeholders, Joe Machnik and Alfonso Mondelo.
--
And so it goes in life.... one minute everything is coming up roses the next you are being torn apart amongst the thorns. |
|
aztecnology
O Rly?
Premium
join:2003-02-12
Murrieta, CA | Thanks, will be sure to set the DVR. Looks to be a good final... |
|
Brazbit
Randomness Personified
Premium
join:2003-10-22
Port Orchard, WA
·wavebroadband
| Well the season is at an end and we have new league champions. Real Salt Lake managed to knock off the L.A. Galaxy last night.
L.A. Dominated for most of the first half. They managed to take the lead 1-0. Then they seemed to all agree that that was enough for one night and RSL dominated the second half and regulation time ended ended with a 1-1 tie.
In extra time the teams did little to impress and did not seem to be going after a win like two teams on the virge of winning the league. RSL still managed to be the stronger team but no one had anything to show for it after the added 30 minutes.
To penalty kicks it went. L.A. had star power and proven goal scorers on their side but they also had lost their starting goal keeper to a broken hand in the second half of the game. It was anyone's game as the penalty kicks started. Each side took their five shots and each side made three goals. Stunningly both team captains (Beckerman and Donovan) missed their shots. The next two made their shots. Then L.A. missed and RSL did not and the new champions were crowned.
So the eighth seed in the play offs, a Western conference team playing through the Eastern conference bracket, managed to upset the team with the best regular season record (Columbus) a pretty decent Chicago team and the team with the best regular season record in the West. You can't fault them for taking the easy route, they managed to do it the hard way.
It was a fun, and cold, night. There was some exciting play and some dreadful play. Outside of the game there was some good (Third Eye Blind in concert for the pregame entertainment) and some not so good (Two league players playing Guitar Hero with kids break dancing behind them for halftime entertainment.)
It was a fun night and I wouldn't have missed it for the world, MLS still has a ways to go but the league does show signs of doing things right and those are becoming more and more frequent.
I took a ton of pictures, when I get the chance I will post a few and bring this thread to an end.
--
And so it goes in life.... one minute everything is coming up roses the next you are being torn apart amongst the thorns. |
|
