The MLS Playoffs!!!

Hello All

I know that the MLS is not a league that many play around here and since I watched a good 75% or more of the games this season, a few of you have asked me to share my bets. I will agree that it is not soccer at the level of World play, but it is getting better and these playoffs should be REALLY interesting.

The playoff schedule is below, and I will post all of my plays and analysis here in this thread... I encourage you all to try and watch some MLS games and support soccer in the United States. It is really coming along!

2009 MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule
All times Eastern; schedule subject to change

Conference Semifinals - Game #1

Eastern Conference
(1) Columbus Crew at (4) Real Salt Lake, Saturday, Oct. 31 - 6 p.m. ET (Regional TV, Direct Kick, MLSnet.com)
(2) Chicago Fire at (3) New England Revolution, Sunday, Nov 1 - 2 p.m. ET (FSC, FSE)

Western Conference
(1) Los Angeles Galaxy at (4) Chivas USA, Sunday, Nov. 1 - 5 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)
(2) Houston Dynamo at (3) Seattle Sounders FC, Thursday, Oct. 29 - 10 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)

Conference Semifinals - Game #2

Eastern Conference
(4) Real Salt Lake at (1) Columbus Crew, Thursday, Nov. 5 - 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)
(3) New England Revolution at (2) Chicago Fire, Saturday, Nov. 7 - 8:30 p.m. ET (FSC, FSE)

Western Conference
(3) Seattle Sounders FC at (2) Houston Dynamo, Sunday, Nov. 8 - 3 p.m. (TeleFutura, Regional TV)
(4) Chivas USA at (1) Los Angeles Galaxy, Sunday, Nov. 8 - 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes)

Conference Championships (times TBD based on match-ups)
Thursday, Nov. 12 (ESPN2, Deportes)
Saturday, Nov. 14 (FSC, FSE)

MLS Cup 2009
Sunday, Nov. 22 - 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN and Galavision)

MLS CUP PLAYOFFS FORMAT
Playoff Format: Conference Semifinal series are conducted in a home-and-home, aggregate-goal format. The lower seeded team in the Conference Semifinal hosts the first game. The winners of those four series advance to single-game Conference Championships that will determine the MLS Cup Finalists.

The team that scores the most goals in the home-and-home series advances to the single elimination Conference Championship. If the teams are tied after 180 minutes in the Conference Semifinal series, a 30-minute extra time period (divided into two 15-minute periods) will be played followed by kicks from the penalty mark, if necessary. The team with the higher seed between the two Conference finalists will host the Conference Championship game.

In the case of ties after 90 minutes of regulation in the Eastern and Western Conference Championship games and MLS Cup, 30 minutes of extra time (divided into two 15-minute periods) would be played followed by kicks from the penalty mark, if necessary, to determine the winners.

Western Conference Game #1 ~ Dynamo @ Sounders FC

As a Southern California soccer fan, I love the fact the The Galaxy and Chivas USA both made the playoffs. As a soccer fan, I have been respecting and enjoying the play of The Sounders FC all season. This is a team that strikes out of nowhere like a wylie snake and is just as deadly. I like The Seattle Sounders to take this one.

Good LUck all!!!

Quote Originally Posted by Dempsey23:

good luck

Bake that's whats so crazy about Seattle today. They went 4 games at home without scoring (before winning 2-1 last week) while the rest of the season they tore it up. And Houston has one of the best defenses in the league. But I do see people scoring, be it Houston or Seattle. Houston is not the type to sit back and defend, they crushed Chivas in LA when everyone was expecting a tight match and will probably try to do the same here.

Excellent points Dempsey23! Yes, Houston is a very good club with strong defense. So you think they will stomp Seattle? YIKES! That doesn't look good for my play. Regardless, it should be a good match.  

Quote Originally Posted by YosemiteSami:

Thanks for the info paranoisense.

Much appreciated and BOL today.

YosemiteSami...

para-This Houston squad is pretty damn good. You can get em at +1/2 -154 on the greek right now and that is absolutely a value against a team thats done a pretty shitty job of protecting their pitch despite the rabid team support. 

Nice to see some posts on here talking about MLS.

Mark_The_Narc... yes, I believe that your bet has value... I honestly feel that The Sounders are past their slump, but you make some valid points... Good LUck to you!!!

eliminat0r85... do you have ESPN2... that's the coverage here on West Coast, anyway....

If I was playing totals, I would go UNDER... except maybe on Galaxy/Chivas.... Good LUck to you ppatrick03!!!

Under seems the logical play tonight. Got it at 1-1 tonight.

Real Salt Lake vs The Columbus Crew (GM 1)

This is a tough one. I really like the play of several Salt Lake players especially Mr. Beckerman who brings a bluecollar work ethic to his role (although he is not 100% with injury). However, The Crew just had that team unity feel this season... that is, until the end. So is momentum a factor here? One has to think so. After all... this is the playoffs, right? But when I focus on pure strength... which I think is the key to this matchup... I simply have to go with The Crew to win this one.