MLS: Number of Meaningless Games per Season (Updated)
(Edited 2010-12-21 with final numbers, and a list of the games)The 2010 playoff berths are pretty much decided at this point. Seven of the eight teams are known, and it would take another collapse by the Colorado Rapids for them to miss out (and let Ka...
Rapids 10th Best MLS Champions
I can't say that they're deserving champions (no team that finishes 7th can be, IMO). But they certainly don't belong in the same category as last year's RSL team. In fact, they rank as the third best champions of the past seven years: ...
What Best Predicts a First Round MLS Playoff Winner?
Can you name one thing that all four MLS playoff quarterfinal winners had in common this past season?They all played fewer games than the teams that they defeated: SJ 31 vs 34 NY ...
MLS Playoffs First Leg Results – Who Advances?
From 2003-09, a total of 18/28 higher seeded teams have advanced in the MLS playoff quarterfinals. Here's how each series ended up based on the first leg result: upper lower lower win by 2 2...
"Playoff Teams Only" Table
The records of each playoff team in 2010, only considering games against one another: GP W L D Pts GF GA GD...
VOTE: Najar nominated for MLS Goal of the Week
17-year-old continues to bolster United
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Historic Playoff Hypotheticals
There have been countless arguments over the MLS playoff system and I'm not going to revisit that today. Rather, I thought I would take a look at MLS history and see just how things would've changed if the league's playoffs were a bit more exclusive. How much change would there actually be if the number...
Galaxy likely lose Beckham for the season
When David Beckham had surgery in March to repair his ruptured Achilles’ tendon, he was initially told he would be back playing again in September, in time to get a few quality starts in and gear up for the MLS playoffs. In a new video posted on ABC’s website, however, Beckham reveals that his...
Most League Games, No Playoff Appearances
I've already looked into the list of players who've played the most games without appearing in an MLS Cup (link). But what about those who have never even played in a single playoff game?There have been 1,369 players in MLS history (who have played a c...
Least Deserving Champions in 60 Years
Real Salt Lake is the first American sports team to win a championship with a losing record in 60 years.In the history of the major four leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL), and also MLS and the NASL, only two teams have accomplished that. Both were in the NH...
MLS Playoffs: Yellow Card Rule Change
This was brought to my attention in the play-by-play thread on Bigsoccer: Did you notice that MLS has changed its rules for playoff yellow card suspensions? I'm not sure if this was put into place this year or last year, but it definitely was not the c...
Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders: Match Night Commentary