Playoff Positioning

The Sounders have clinched a playoff spot (as witnessed by our purchased tickets) but we don't yet know the opponent. That gives us a chance to waste our time by speculating at which team we'd rather play. With MLS's funky system Seattle could end up in the eastern bracket, which may be for the best given that the western teams have been so much better this year.

Personally, I don't care who they play. I figure the only way to a championship runs through the best teams. Though I can see where I'd rather face them at a neutral site (Toronto) than in either a home-and-home series (first round) or on the road (second round).

For those who are concerned it might be interesting to look back at how Seattle fared against their possible opponents. LA beat the Sounders twice this season. The loss at home was so bad that the front office gave back our money. Seattle did get some revenge by putting LA's second unit out of the Open Cup. Seattle tied both games with both RSL and Dallas. Though it took an egregious PK call to save a draw for Dallas. Seattle split the season series with New York, with both teams taking 1-0 wins on the road. Where LA "owned" the Sounders, Columbus was our bitch. Seattle only had a 1-1 draw at home, but humiliated the Crew in Columbus 4-0, then took the Open Cup championship against them as well.

Theoretically then, it might be better for Seattle to lose in Houston this weekend. Either San Jose (who has two games) or Colorado could then leapfrog the Sounders and thus move Seattle to the weaker Eastern conference. Seattle does play before any of the other games kickoff so Sigi won't know for sure how much a win/loss would impact the seeding. I am not, for one second, suggesting that Sigi would throw a game (nor would I endorse it), but he could decide to rest some starters and thus give Seattle a less-than normal opportunity to win.

I would much rather see Seattle steam-roll the Dynamo and take as much momentum as possible into the playoffs. I think they've been playing well enough lately that they shouldn't fear any matchup.