Playoff Predictions
by Mark O'Rourke on Oct 26, 2011 6:57 PM CDT
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PrintI wanted to toss out my predictions for the playoffs (insert obligatory Jim Mora reference here). Also, I'd like to see what other people think and what their predictions are. Since I pretty much don't follow any other teams except for the Fire, I don't know a whole lot about these teams outside of the basics, so a lot of my predictions are based off intuition. So here it goes!
Eastern Conference
Wildcard: FC Dallas v. NYRB
My pick here is Dallas. I realize a lot of people are poo-pooing Dallas because they lost 3 of their last 5 matches. Two of those three were against Houston and Colorado which are two pretty good teams. The third was kind of a throw away game against San Jose at the end of the season. In any case, Dallas has impressed me more this season than New York
Semi-finals: Philly v. Houston
I'm picking Houston. I feel like Houston has really gelled well over the past few months while Philly took a bit of a nose dive.
Semi-finals: Sporting KC v. Dallas
As much as I hate to do it, I gotta pick the Sporks. They really rolled during the last half of the season. I figured they were a playoff team this year, but I never imagined they would climb into first place after their terrible start to the season.
Conference Championship: Sporting KC v. Houston
I'm picking SPKC. Before Listrong Park they were 1-6-3. They are 12-3-9 since Livestrong opened. I think 3 losses in a 24 games stretch is impressive.
Western Conference
Wild Card: Colorado v. Columbus
I'm picking Colorado. Columbus caught a few breaks this season and aren't as good as they appear to be.
Semi-finals: Seattle v. RSL
I'm picking Seattle. Matter of fact, I feel like these two teams have swapped roles as of late. RSL now feels like they are a good team but a beatable team, and Seattle feels like they are a solid contender. Mauro Rosales being out might spoil this for me though.
Semi-finals: LAG v. Colorado
I'm picking LA. I don't think Colorado can keep up with them.
Conference Championship: LAG v. Seattle
I'm hesitantly picking LAG. I think it would be great to see Seattle beat LA, but I don't think it will happen.
MLS Cup
LAG v. Sporting KC
I'm picking Sporting, which gives me mixed feelings. I don't really hate Sporting KC, but I hate the jackasses at the sandwich shop who tried manufacture some sort of rivalry between SKC and the Fire; but I also would love to see some sad faces of LAG fans in their Beckham jerseys watching another team hoist cup in their home stadium. I guess I win either way.
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My picks would be...
Obviously, NYRB won. I would have picked Dallas too because the Red Bulls clearly have the talent, but are dysfunctional like a crack house (and for the record I wouldn’t know how dysfunctional a crack house would be, I am just assuming here). I am wrong on that one.
Rapids/Crew is tougher for me. I don’t like Columbus (I pretty much don’t like anyone other than the Fire), but I don’t think Colorado can repeat earlier. I will say it’s a card fest, there are a few brawls, and the Rapids come limping out of the chaos.
Philly/Houston I got Philly. Although Houston has looked really good and Philly has gone down hill a bit, I still see Le Toux coming through with a big game. Not to mention Mondragon standing on his head once or twice.
Galaxy/Red Bulls, gotta go with LA. Although the big media outlets and ESPN, etc. are probably giddy over two of the three teams they actually care about, I can’t see the dysfunctional Red Bulls putting together a deep run. Especially if Luke Rodgers can’t go.
Sounders/Real Salt Lake is tough. My feelings about the Sounders are known, but they have a serious title shot. Real Salt Lake is a beast, at least up until the last 2 months of the season. They have just been bad at times. However, they have some veteran leadership that will get them going at the right times. Still, I think the Sounders advance to the next round.
Next up would be KC/Colorado for a finals spot. KC by a mile in this one, Colorado can’t ride Larentowicz and co. to victory.
KC then would face Philly, and for me it’s still KC. They have the firepower, and have looked good for a steady length of time.
Galaxy/Sounders will be epic. Assuming everyone is healthy (Keane, Donovan, Rosale, etc) it could go either way. In the end, I think the older Galaxy team makes the difference and they squeak by (Seattle was number 3 in oldest average age, at least in April of this year).
That leaves KC/Galaxy. In the end M3K and I agree. And I am gonna keep with KC as Cup champions as well. I don’t really have a big problem with them other than the fact that they aren’t the Fire. Their fans were pretty nice when I was there for the Newcastle friendly, and I can stomach their team much easier than others. The Galaxy to me is like the Yankees or Red Sox. Even though I may not really care about them, they are that team that I root against because they spend all that money. Basically, I like rooting for the underdog I guess. If you look at most of the sports teams I follow, it’s a common theme with me.
Folks, your 2011 MLS champions will be Sporting KC.
Hot Time In Old Town SB Nation's blog for Chicago Fire, Soccer, & Chicago History
Tradition. Honor. Passion.
How's that Sporting KC projection looking?
On a side note, I was in Vegas the other week. Luckily for my bank account I didn’t put my money where my mouth is (er…was).
by Mark O'Rourke on Nov 8, 2011 4:07 PM CST up reply actions
I though LAG had the older team at the #2 spot...
looking again they are actually younger than Seattle (as of April). I will still take the veteran leadership that LAG has (Donovan, Keane, Beckham, etc). Although LAG may be older now that they added Keane. Either way, Seattle has a strong veteran presence in Kasey Keller and a couple of others, but the LAG will be too much for Seattle.
Hot Time In Old Town SB Nation's blog for Chicago Fire, Soccer, & Chicago History
Tradition. Honor. Passion.
Just finished watching SKC-HOU
Thought it was pretty much the prototypical MLS game: the ref let it be super physical, Houston scores on a set piece and a breakaway, neither team showed very much creativity. I thought CJ Sapong was the best player on the field. SKC didn’t try very hard to stretch Houston at all, their players were too eager to run upfield to see if they had open teammates with tons of space. Of course, I didn’t really care who won this one, though for some reason I would’ve rather have seen SKC come out on top. Houston is just kind of a rough and dirty team. Kansas City at least still has a midwestern vibe I can relate to.
I lived in Houston for a few years and had season tickets for one season. While none of the Houston sports teams are my favorites, I do still root for anything Houston when they’re not playing my team.
But yeah, you’re completely right about their style. Since DeRo and Holden left a few years ago, the team hasn’t been the same. They went from being a great attacking team that had holes in the defense to a good defensive team that gets most of it’s scores off set pieces and counter attacks.
Sadly, I think LA is going to throttle Houston in the Cup. RSL is a very good defensive team (even with Olave playing injured) that actually has some offense, and look what happened.
I hate the Galaxy.
by Mark O'Rourke on Nov 8, 2011 4:30 PM CST up reply actions
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