Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week 9

FC Dallas and the Montreal Impact maintain the #1 and #2 spots for the 3rd week in a row and the Portland Timbers move into the top 5 for the first time all year. The New England Revolution and Seattle Sounders move out of the bottom 5, replaced by the Chicago Fire and San Jose Earthquakes.

Biggest moves up this week: New England Revolution, Portland Timbers, Columbus Crew

Biggest drops: Philadelphia Union, Sporting Kansas City, San Jose Earthquakes

This week's rankings (+- vs last week):

1) FC Dallas (West)

2) Montreal Impact (East)

3) LA Galaxy (West) +2

4) Portland Timbers (West) +3

5) Houston Dynamo (East) -1

6) Sporting Kansas City (East) -3

7) New York Red Bulls (East) +1

8) Columbus Crew (East) +3

9) Chivas USA (West)

10) Philadelphia Union (East) -4

11) Colorado Rapids (West) +1

12) Real Salt Lake (West) -2

13) New England Revolution (East) +5

14) Seattle Sounders FC (West) +1

15) Chicago Fire (East) -2

16) Vancouver Whitecaps (West) +1

17) San Jose Earthquakes (West) -3

18) Toronto FC (East) -2

19) D.C. United (East)

Major League Soccer Match Picks, Week 9

Four for ten last week, 34% on the year.

My picks for this week:

Winners: Montreal Impact, FC Dallas, Columbus Crew, Sporting KC, Chivas USA and the Houston Dynamo

Draws: Toronto FC/New York Red Bulls, New England/Philadelphia, Real Salt Lake/LA Galaxy

Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week 8

FC Dallas and the Montreal Impact maintain the top two spots in this weeks rankings, while the LA Galaxy takes a top five spot from Chivas USA. After eight straight weeks in the bottom five, the Chicago Fire jump up to number thirteen.

Biggest jumps up this week: Real Salt Lake, Chicago Fire and Seattle Sounders

Biggest drops: Chivas USA and the Vancouver Whitecaps

This week's rankings (+- last week):

1) FC Dallas (West)

2) Montreal Impact (East)

3) Sporting Kansas City (East) +2

4) Houston Dynamo (East) -1

5) LA Galaxy (West) +1

6) Philadelphia Union (East) +1

7) Portland Timbers (West) +1

8) New York Red Bulls (East) +3

9) Chivas USA (West) -5

10) Real Salt Lake (West) +4

11) Columbus Crew (East) -2

12) Colorado Rapids (West) -2

13) Chicago Fire (East) +4

14) San Jose Earthquakes (West) -1

15) Seattle Sounders FC (West) +4

16) Toronto FC (East) -1

17) Vancouver Whitecaps (West) -5

18) New England Revolution (East) -2

19) D.C. United (East) -1

Major League Soccer Match Picks, Week 8, Weekend Edition

Missed on my Wednesday night pick. Thought that the New York Red Bulls would scratch out a draw with Sporting KC at home, but Sporting got the 1-0 win.

My pick for the weekend matches:

Winners: Colorado Rapids, New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas

Picking draws for the balance of the matches.

Major League Soccer Match Picks, Week 8, Wednesday Nighter

Last week I was 3 for 9, maintaining my 33% pick rate for the season. Dartboards beware!

Going to drop my Wednesday night pick now, with the rest of my match predictions coming later in the week.

The New York Red Bulls will manage a draw against Sporting KC at home.

Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week 7

A change in the top spot this week! FC Dallas takes over for the Montreal Impact on the strength of a 5 game unbeaten streak, including 4 victories! The LA Galaxy drop out  of the top 5 for the first time all season, with Sporting KC returning after a 3 week absence.

Biggest gainers this week? Colorado Rapids, New York Red Bulls and Portland Timbers

Biggest drops? New England Revolution, LA Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes

Here you go (+ - vs last week):

1) FC Dallas (West) +2

2) Montreal Impact (East) -1

3) Houston Dynamo (East) +2

4) Chivas USA (West)

5) Sporting Kansas City (East) +2

6) LA Galaxy (West) -4

7) Philadelphia Union (East) +3

8) Portland Timbers (West) +4

9) Columbus Crew (East) -3

10) Colorado Rapids (West) +5

11) New York Red Bulls (East) +5

12) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)   -1

13) San Jose Earthquakes (West) -4

14) Real Salt Lake (West) -1

15) Toronto FC (East) -1

16) New England Revolution -8 (East)

17) Chicago Fire (East) +2

18) D.C. United (East)

19) Seattle Sounders FC (West) -2

Major League Soccer Match Picks, Week 7

Horrible week last week. I was only 1 for 7. 33% on the year.

Here's my picks this week:

Winners:

Montreal Impact
Philadelphia Union
Vancouver Whitecaps
DC United
FC Dallas
Chivas USA
Houston Dynamo

Draws:

Seattle Sounders vs New England Revolution
Portland Timbers vs San Jose Earthquakes

2013 Major League Soccer Power Rankings Week 6

Big drops in the rankings this week by Real Salt Lake, DC United and the New York Red Bulls. Nice move up by the Portland Timbers and Colorado Rapids.

Montreal Impact maintain the top spot, with the LA Galaxy and FC Dallas swapping the #2 and #3 spots.

This week's rankings (+ - from last week):

1) Montreal Impact (East)

2) LA Galaxy (West) +1

3) FC Dallas (West) -1

4) Chivas USA (West) +1

5) Houston Dynamo (East) +1

6) Columbus Crew (East) -2

7) Sporting Kansas City (East)

8) New England Revolution (East) +1

9) San Jose Earthquakes (West) +1

10) Philadelphia Union (East) +2

11) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

12) Portland Timbers (West) +4

13) Real Salt Lake (West)  -5

14) Toronto FC (East) +1

15) Colorado Rapids (West) +3

16) New York Red Bulls (East)  -3

17) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

18) D.C. United (East) -4

19) Chicago Fire (East)

Major League Soccer Match Picks, Week 6

Winners this week:

Sporting KC
FC Dallas
Columbus Crew
San Jose Earthquakes

3 Draws this week:

Colorado v Real Salt Lake
Portland v Houston
Chicago v New York

2013 Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week 5

Were are 5 weeks into the 2013 Major League Soccer season, and we now have a pretty good feeling on the quality of the teams to date.

Here's my inaugural Power Rankings for 2013, Week 5:

1) Montreal Impact (East)

2) FC Dallas (West)

3) LA Galaxy (West)

4) Columbus Crew (East)

5) Chivas USA (West)

6) Houston Dynamo (East)

7) Sporting Kansas City (East)

8) Real Salt Lake (West)

9) New England Revolution (East)

10) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

11) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

12) Philadelphia Union (East)

13) New York Red Bulls (East)

14) D.C. United (East)

15) Toronto FC (East)

16) Portland Timbers (West)

17) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

18) Colorado Rapids (West)

19) Chicago Fire (East)

Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis played his last home game with the Ravens today. They beat the Colts to move on in the playoffs.

Although the murder charges, subsequent plea bargain and settlement with the victim's family was a horrible thing, it seems as though for once we have a story of an individual learning from past mistakes to become a model citizen. Credit to Ray Lewis for that.

Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Matchweek 18, 7/10/12

Welcome to the top D.C. United!

D.C. United grabs the top spot this week by the slightest of margins over the San Jose Earthquakes.

Biggest move up in this week's rankings? The Philadelphia Union 7 spots to #11 and the New England Revolution up 6 spots to #7.

Biggest drops? The Colorado Rapids drop 7 spots to #18 and the Columbus Crew drop 6 spots to #10.

My Matchweek 18 Power Rankings:

1) D.C. United (East)

2) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

3) Chicago Fire (East)

4) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

5) LA Galaxy (West)

6) Sporting Kansas City (East)

7) New England Revolution (East)

8) New York Red Bulls (East)

9) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

10) Columbus Crew (East)

11) Philadelphia Union (East)

12) Houston Dynamo (East)

13) Real Salt Lake (West)

14) Portland Timbers (West)

15) Chivas USA (West)

16) Montreal Impact (East)

17) Toronto FC (East)

18) Colorado Rapids (West)

19) FC Dallas (West)

Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Match Week 17, July 1, 2012

I haven't posted these since week 12 (May 30th). I have still been tracking, but got a little lazy in posting them.

The San Jose Earthquakes are #1!

My Match Week 17 rankings:

1) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

2) D.C. United (East)

3) Chicago Fire (East)

4) Columbus Crew (East)

5) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

6) New York Red Bulls (East)

7) Sporting Kansas City (East)

8) LA Galaxy (West)

9) Real Salt Lake (West)

10) Houston Dynamo (East)

11) Colorado Rapids (West)

12) Portland Timbers (West)

13) New England Revolution (East)

14) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

15) Chivas USA (West)

16) Montreal Impact (East)

17) Toronto FC (East)

18) Philadelphia Union (East)

19) FC Dallas (West)

Catching Up. My Joey Votto Jersey Fund!

Joey Votto's Sports Illustrated cover from 2010:

I haven't posted updates since June 12th, so here you go:

Thursday, June 14th. Reds beat the Indians 12-5. Joey is 1-3 (a home run) with a run and 3 RBI.

Monday, June 18th. Reds lose to the Indians 10-9. Votto is 2-4 (a double and a home run) with 2 runs and an RBI.

Sunday, June 24th. Reds lose to the Twins. Votto is 1-3 (another home run) with a run and 2 RBI.

$30 more in my Joey Votto Jersey Fund!

Reds Smoke the Indians 7-1!

Johnny Cueto throws a complete game gem. Joey Votto goes 2 for 4 with a run and 3 RBI. $10 more dollars into my Joey Votto jersey fund!

$20 More in My Joey Votto Jersey Fund!

I haven't posted for a few days, so catching up today. The Reds beat the Astros last Saturday 12-9, and Joey Votto was 4 for 4 with 2 RBI and 3 runs.

Last night the Reds beat the Detroit Tigers 6-5 on a bottom of the 10 inning safety squeeze perfectly executed by Wilson Valdez and Miguel Cairo. I was at the game with my wife Tammy, and sat in the Diamond seats at Great American Ball Park, 4th row behind home plate. What a great vantage point to have to witness a game-winning suicide squeeze!

Joey Votto hit a 3-run home run to dead center in the bottom of the 3rd, 1 run and 3 RBI in the game.

Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Week 12, 5/30/12

Since Major League Soccer is on an International break, this will be the last Power Ranking for a couple of weeks.

The New York Red Bulls maintain the top spot this week and the Columbus Crew and Seattle Sounders make some big moves, although in opposite directions.

Biggest risers? The Columbus Crew rise 10 spots, the Houston Dynamo rise 5.

Biggest drops? The Seattle Sounders drop 8 spots, the Portland Timbers drop 3.

My week 12 rankings:

1) New York Red Bulls (East)

2) Real Salt Lake (West)

3) D.C. United (East)

4) Columbus Crew (East)

5) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

6) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

7) Colorado Rapids (West)

8) Houston Dynamo (East)

9) Sporting Kansas City (East)

10) Chicago Fire (East)

11) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

12) New England Revolution (East)

13) Portland Timbers (West)

14) Montreal Impact (East)

15) Chivas USA (West)

16) FC Dallas (West)

17) LA Galaxy (West)

18) Philadelphia Union (East)

19) Toronto FC (East)

Add $10 More to My Joey Votto Jersey Fund!

I'm a day late due to travel, but Joey Votto had 2 runs and an RBI in the Reds win over the Rockies this past Sunday! $10 more in my jersey fund!

Forgot to Post This Tuesday. Major League Soccer Power Rankings, Matchweek 11

I forgot to post this before last night's Major League Soccer Matches-so pretend they didn't happen...

The New York Red Bulls take over the top spot this week!

1) New York Red Bulls (East)

2) Real Salt Lake (West)

3) Seattle Sounders FC (West)

4) San Jose Earthquakes (West)

5) Vancouver Whitecaps (West)

6) D.C. United (East)

7) Sporting Kansas City (East)

8) Chicago Fire (East)

9) Colorado Rapids (West)

10) Portland Timbers (West)

11) New England Revolution (East)

12) Montreal Impact (East)

13) Houston Dynamo (East)

14) Columbus Crew (East)

15) Chivas USA (West)

16) Philadelphia Union (East)

17) LA Galaxy (West)

18) FC Dallas (West)

19) Toronto FC (East)

$10 more in my Joey Votto Jersey Fund, and the Reds beat the dreaded Yankees!

Joey Votto hits a 3-run homer (1 run, 3 RBI today), and the Reds win, the Reeeeeeeeeeeds win!

Sean Marshall almost blew it. Dusty Baker had to pull him in a save situation for the 2nd time this year.

$10 more in my Joey Votto jersey fund!

Joey Votto's 3-Run Homer Against the Yankees!