My 2011 Major League Soccer Predictions

Can't get enough of the prediction game. I realize Major League Soccer had their First Kick last weekend, so I'm cheating a bit by making my predictions now.

2011 Eastern Conference Champions:

New York Red Bull

2011 Western Conference Champions:

Real Salt Lake

2011 MLS Cup Playoff Teams:



2011 Supporters Shield Winner!

New York Red Bull

DC United

Columbus Crew

Real Salt Lake

LA Galaxy

Colorado Rapids

Sporting KC

San Jose Earthquakes

Philadelphia Union

Houston Dynamo

2011 Supporters Shield Winner:

Real Salt Lake

2011 MLS Cup Champion:

New York Red Bull



2011 MLS Cup Champion!



Major League Soccer Can Improve It's Product! Part 3

My worldwide blog readership of 17 is starting to have an impact.

Maybe not, but these two bloggers get it:

http://community.foxsports.com/jamietrecker/blog/2010/11/23/when_bad_ideas_happen_to_good_leagues

http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/playoffs-are-dead-mls-just-doesnt-know-it-yet/10901

Major League Soccer Can Improve It's Product! Part 2

Just watched the MLS Cup on ESPN. Colorado won 2-1 in overtime on an own goal by FC Dallas. Match was a little ugly by soccer standards, but very exciting!

ESPN did a good job covering the match. The best move they made was bringing in Ian Darke for match play-by-play.

Building on my previous post, here are some additional recommendations for MLS:

Play the MLS Cup Championship at the home field of the team with the best seed coming into the MLS Cup Playoffs. It is obviously nice to reward BMO Field with the Championship match, but the neutral crowd is taking away from the atmosphere that would be much better in one of the team's home field.

Also, Don Garber, MLS Commissioner, announced at half time that the MLS would play a balanced schedule next year (18 team league with the addition of Vancouver and Portland). This means that each team will play a home-and-home against every other team for 34 matches total. Good move.

Now the bad news. Mr. Garber also announced ten teams would make the MLS Cup playoffs next year, further diluting the regular season. Bad move.

I still would advocate for a single table, rather than two divisions. Top 8 make the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Support Your Domestic Soccer League-MLS Cup 2010

This is pretty much a shameless plug, but having a relevant domestic soccer league is important to the USA's standing in International soccer.

Tomorrow night (Sunday, November 21st) at 8:30pm EST on ESPN the 2010 MLS Cup will be played between Colorado and FC Dallas. Watch it. It won't be the quality of an EPL or La Liga match, but it will be exciting!

Here is a link to everything you would want to know about the match:

MLS Cup 2010