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Are there too many playoff teams? This poll is closed. |
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| Yes |
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11 | 64.71% |
| Yes |
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6 | 35.29% |
| Total: | 17 votes | ||
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 Welcome one and all to the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. The league's playoff structure has been a fairly simple one for the fast few years: 14-team field, straight knockout with the conference #1 seeds getting a first-round bye. Straight-forward, uncontroversial, produced some banger matches... ...so of course that's going away because  ) before going to a straight knockout format. The play-in and best-of-3 rounds go straight to PKs if tied after 90', but the rest of the rounds do not (no Golden Goal). Super straightforward, right? Oh, and there's an international break between the best-of-3 and the conference semis, which could mean a loooooooooong layoff for a team that wins their tie in 2 games...at least all the games will be one on place (AppleTV+ MLS Season Pass) for a change, with some simulcast on regular-rear end TV. # = Game will be simulcast on FS1 and FOX Deportes/FS2 in Spanish for  , TSN and RDS for  Wild Card Round (Knockout, No ET) #9 Charlotte FC @ #8 New York Red Bulls - The playoffs started with a bang with 7 total goals (!!!) and a hat trick as the Red Bulls win 5-2 #9 San Jose Earthquakes @ #8 Sporting Kansas City - Just before kickoff I predicted this would go to PKs after 0-0 because of how the last game went. I hate being right all the time. Sporting KC advance 0 (4) - 0 (2) Conference Quarterfinals (Best-of-3, No ET) - October 28 - November 12 Eastern Conference #1 FC Cincinnati vs. #8 New York Red Bulls - Game 1: @ CIN - Pretty much one way traffic the whole game, highlighted by a 45 yard chip into an empty net. Cincy wins 3-0 - Game 2: @ NYR, Saturday, November 4, 7PM EST - Not sure how this ended 11v11. We were *so close* to keepers taking kicks. Cincy squeaks by 1 (8) - 1 (7) FC Cincinnati advance #2 Orlando City vs. #7 Nashville - Game 1: @ ORL - A single thunderbastard decides it. Orlando wins 1-0 - Game 2: @ NSH - A single defensive gaffe decides the game, and series. Orlando wins 1-0 Orlando City advance #3 Columbus Crew vs. #6 Atlanta United - Game 1: @ CLB - Turns out having your arguably best player get himself suspended for the start of the playoffs is a *bad* thing. Columbus win 2-0 - Game 2: @ ATL - *Ric Flair* WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Good thing one of the worst misses ever didn't affect the final outcome. Atlanta dominates 4-2 - Game 3: @ CLB - If Game 2 was Ric Flair, Game 3 was Randy Savage, who I totally knew was born in Columbus without googling it, you can't prove otherwise. Columbus win 4-2 Columbus Crew advance #4 Philadelphia Union vs. #5 New England Revolution (since this was a Decision Day matchup, they might play each other 4 games in a row) - Game 1: @ PHI - First half was all DOOP, second half was the Union remembering they're a team from Philly and trying, but failing, to give the game away. Philly win 3-1 - Game 2: @ NER - Philly takes advantage of the Revs going down to 10 men...eventually. Philly wins 1-0 Philadelphia Union advance Western Conference #1 St. Louis City vs. #8 Sporting Kansas City - Game 1: @ STL - We have our first #MLSAfterDark game of the post season with a massive upset. SKC cruises to a 4-1 win - Game 2: @ SKC - St. Louis fraud status: Confirmed. SKC wins 2-1 Sporting Kansas City advance #2 Seattle Sounders vs. #7 FC Dallas - Game 1: @ SEA - One team was clearly better today, and it wasn't the visitors. Seattle wins 2-0 - Game 2: @ DAL - Dallas takes advantage of Seattle's abysmal first half and a second half gaffe. Dallas wins 3-1 - Game 3: @ SEA - Do you like offense? Well you will have absolutely hated this game. Triply so if you're a Dallas fan. Seattle wins 1-0 Seattle Sounders advance #3 LAFC vs. #6 Vancouver Whitecaps (same deal as PHI/NER + they've already faced each other in CCL, so that's 7 possible times they'll face each other this year) - Game 1: @ LAF - Pew pew pew pew pewpewpew (it's a shootout, get it?). LAFC win 5-2 - Game 2: @ VAN - Vancouver fans will feel miffed about the penalty LAFC got. They should be mad at their team for generating jackshit on offense in a do-or-die game. LAFC win 1-0 LAFC advance #4 Houston Dynamo vs. #5 Real Salt Lake - Game 1: @ HOU - A late scramble in the box that RSL can't deal with proves to be the difference. Houston wins 2-1 - Game 2: @ RSL - A Houston rebound off of a PK gets cancelled out by a thunderbastard free kick from RSL. Houston's first kick in penalties is a candidate for the worst ever and is the only miss. RSL wins 1 (5) - 1 (4) - Game 3: @ HOU - Once again the teams play to a 1-1 draw resulting in penalties. A  on RSL's final kick decides it. Houston win on PKs 1 (4) - 1 (3)Houston Dynamo advance <FIFA international break here> Conference Semifinals (Knockout, ET) - November 25 + 26 Eastern Conference #4 Philadelphia Union @ #1 FC Cincinnati - A very late goal with a very suspicious VAR no-check give the home side the W. Cincinnati win 1-0 #3 Columbus Crew @ #2 Orlando City - Orlando go down to 10 men in the second half but manage to keep the game scoreless in regulation...but not in extra time. Columbus win 2-0 AET Western Conference #8 Sporting Kansas City @ #4 Houston Dynamo - I'm glad I don't have to see Peter Vermes' permanently-incredulous face this year. Houston win 1-0 #3 LAFC @ #2 Seattle Sounders - This match mirrored the series this season: lots of (inconsistently-called) fouls, one moment deciding it all. LAFC win 1-0 Conference Finals (Knockout, ET) East: #3 Columbus Crew @ #1 FC Cincinnati - Cincy were up 2-0 at 75'...then turned into the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51. Columbus wins 3-2 AET West: #4 Houston Dynamo @ #3 LAFC - loving Chivas. LAFC win 2-0 MLS Cup (Knockout, ET) - Saturday, December 9, 4PM EST #3 LAFC @ #3 Columbus Crew - In the pissing rain the Crew managed to not piss away their lead late as they had a tendency to do this season.  Columbus Crew win MLS Cup 2023 by a score of 2-1 MLS Cup Host MLS Cup will be hosted by the team who is highest on the Supporter's Shield table, which would be: Columbus Crew Houston Dynamo Sharing Stadiums Kinda Sucks Unfortunately not every team has their own stadium, which could cause some "fun" in terms of seeing NFL lines on the field, if not causing games to have to change dates entirely. New England - The Patriots has a home game on Dec 3rd (CF) and the Army/Navy game takes place on Dec 9th (MLS Cup) Atlanta - Falcons have home games on Nov 5 (QF game 2), Nov 26 (SF) and Dec 10 (MLS Cup) while the SEC championship is on Dec 2 (CF) Charlotte - The Panthers have a home game on Nov 5 (QF game 2) Seattle - The Seahawks have home games on Oct 29 (QF game 1), November 12 (QF game 3) and Nov 23 (SF) Houston - The TSU Tigers have a home game on Nov 11 (QF game 3) Vancouver - The BC Lions are hosting a playoff game on Nov 4 (QF game 2) Dallas - The Frisco School District has a high school football game happening on Nov 3 (QF game 2) On the bright side, because Miami's not in this thing, you should get less content about Messi than if they were in it. Granted, it'd be 25% less content at most, but that's still a reduction. Now it's time to complain about this new format and some of the wacky-rear end kickoff times we've got going here. whypick1 fucked around with this message at 00:14 on Dec 10, 2023 |
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Oct 23, 2023 02:51
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Voted 'Yes' in the poll.
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Oct 23, 2023 02:57
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Edward Mass posted:Voted 'Yes' in the poll.
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Oct 23, 2023 05:13
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FC Dallas plays the Seattle Sounders Win by spite if you must, FCD. I don't think you pull it off, but as always I will gladly eat crow and my words and my foot if you surprise everybody. Silence this naysayer, or do what you always do.
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Oct 23, 2023 05:52
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Edward Mass posted:Voted 'Yes' in the poll. Wasn't going to vote in my own poll, but because of this I have to be contrarian and vote "Yes" whypick1 fucked around with this message at 23:47 on Oct 23, 2023 |
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Oct 23, 2023 21:40
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Charlotte only just squeaked in, so I think I'm required to say that no, there are not too many teams.
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Oct 23, 2023 23:46
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Format sucks. Just go back to two legged series, aggregate score wins, no away goal rule, if tied at end game two go to extra time, if still tied go to Pks. Play game 1 on a Wednesday/Thursday and game 2 on Saturday/Sunday. Better seeded team hosts game two.
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Oct 24, 2023 03:02
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The only reason I think this weird-rear end format is being used is because of the international break that always happens in November. If there was no break, MLS and Apple would probably find a way to fit at least two more matches in there.
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Oct 24, 2023 06:30
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Pure filth from Tolkin there
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Oct 26, 2023 01:05
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Charlotte bad
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Oct 26, 2023 01:05
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Jovial Cow posted:Pure filth from Tolkin there I’ve heard he’s been called the New Jersey Messi
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Oct 26, 2023 01:08
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Edward Mass posted:I’ve heard he’s been called the New Jersey Messi There’s a reason they call him JM
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Oct 26, 2023 01:09
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Where the hell has this been all season?
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Oct 26, 2023 01:16
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whypick1 posted:Charlotte bad
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Oct 26, 2023 01:17
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Ok, that was pretty cool.
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Oct 26, 2023 01:48
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Red Bulls can’t buy a goal all year and now we’ve got 4.
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Oct 26, 2023 01:55
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What the hell is going on in this game
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Oct 26, 2023 02:03
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Can't wait to see the next game go to PKs after 0-0
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Oct 26, 2023 02:04
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I think the entire Charlotte defense will not have wanted to simultaneously stop playing right there First the Red Bulls take the post season streak from Seattle, then they take the latest post season hat trick from Jordan Morris. loving rude. 
whypick1 fucked around with this message at 02:18 on Oct 26, 2023 |
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Oct 26, 2023 02:15
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Elias Manoel hat trick is something I thought was an impossibility.
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Oct 26, 2023 02:17
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Wait, Graham Zusi hasn't retired yet? Why?
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Oct 26, 2023 02:47
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whypick1 posted:Can't wait to see the next game go to PKs after 0-0 Both teams are terrible, so we'll see if godawful offense or godawful defense wins out today.
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Oct 26, 2023 03:17
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Would be nice if SKC could score a goal. Or just shoot on goal. Or just shoot. SKC classic. whypick1 posted:Wait, Graham Zusi hasn't retired yet? Why? Rumor is both him and Espinoza are retiring at the end of this season.
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Oct 26, 2023 03:29
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whypick1 posted:Can't wait to see the next game go to PKs after 0-0 I've been watching every now and then while working tonight, and this has been exactly what you predicted.
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Oct 26, 2023 04:20
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Lucky you, I've watched basically all of it and pretty much the only thing that kept me from getting up and doing something else was that there was a cat on me. jfc, the Quakes officially had no shots on goal e: 1.6 - 0.49 xG. I think the graphics department put the decimal point on SJ's too far to the right. whypick1 fucked around with this message at 04:35 on Oct 26, 2023 |
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Oct 26, 2023 04:31
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Pulidlol Yuiellol E: good thing I had no faith in San Jose actually doing the right thing and beating KC whypick1 fucked around with this message at 04:43 on Oct 26, 2023 |
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Oct 26, 2023 04:38
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Edward Mass posted:The only reason I think this weird-rear end format is being used is because of the international break that always happens in November. If there was no break, MLS and Apple would probably find a way to fit at least two more matches in there. Yeah, the November international break has always been the problem with the old 2 leg format. Single legs was an attempt to work around it but it meant half the playoffs got zero home games and that sucks for their fans AND their owners (even before you bring Apple wanting more games into the mix) in a way that, at least for me, "just win more during the regular season" doesn't completely answer. As usual with MLS the league is trying to balance between competing objectives under imposed constraints and doing so Really Messily. also LOL at both wild card games, it's somehow perfect that we got both a "where was THAT version of this team all season" slaughter and a 0-0 borefest where one team was obviously holding out for penalties and then sucked at the penalties on the same night Dallan Invictus fucked around with this message at 14:42 on Oct 26, 2023 |
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Oct 26, 2023 14:39
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The first legs of Round One will all be for free on MLS Season Pass, so that's cool.
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Oct 26, 2023 20:30
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Well this game has been rather feisty only 15 minutes in
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Oct 28, 2023 22:26
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That's a rather "whoopsie" goal to concede
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Oct 28, 2023 22:36
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Missed the first couple of goals, but it looks like doop is in full control so far
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Oct 28, 2023 22:42
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New England seem to be under the impression they can win this one if they pick up enough cards. E: phwoar....if that's not offside
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Oct 28, 2023 22:46
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Oct 28, 2023 22:47
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That was offside
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Oct 28, 2023 22:48
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Surprised that match ended 11v11 and without Philly blowing their lead
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Oct 29, 2023 00:06
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Well this game isn't boring
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Oct 29, 2023 01:38
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whypick1 posted:Well this game isn't boring neither of these teams is capable of being boring, or defending set pieces the draw was kind to you neutrals I'm fine, honest
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Oct 29, 2023 02:04
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I would really hate it if one of you dmed me a stream for the cinci game.
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Oct 30, 2023 01:26
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Edward Mass posted:The first legs of Round One will all be for free on MLS Season Pass, so that's cool.
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Oct 30, 2023 01:32
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*NBA Jam announcer voice* FROM WAY DOWNTOWN!
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Oct 30, 2023 01:44
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