Its mid-August and that means that it is not only hot out side but the MLS playoff race is heating up with every game. Most clubs have 11 games left on the menu so each team is starting to figure out where exactly that line is that they need to get to here to make the playoffs.

In a year with more draws than anything else (70 in total so far and up 27% from last year), it shouldn’t take nearly as many points as it normally does to make the playoffs. In years past the magic number for those final two or sometimes three clubs is to reach the 40 point line. Some are saying that this year it could be as low as 37 or 38 points for those final spots.

So what does your club have to do to make sure they reach that mark and more importantly pass that mark? Right now with all the parity in the league and with the jam packed standings (2 points separate 4th and 10th place) things are wide open here. I figure its a good time to break down those final 11 or 12 games to see what each club has left to do and if they have a realistic shot at hitting that 38 point line, or even that 40 point line.

Feel free to comment on your club’s schedule or which one’s you think are the toughest or the weakest.

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While fishing around on a site that I normally stay away from I across this thread on BigSoccer. The poster (Onionsack) brought up a very, very interesting point about the top domestic titles in the US.

Onionsack brings the point:

Since MLS started in 1996 there has NEVER been a season in which one of Chicago, DC, or LA has NOT won a major domestic trophy.

1996 – DC (MLS Cup, US Open Cup)
1997 – DC (MLS Cup)
1998 – Chicago (MLS Cup, US Open Cup) LA – (SS)
1999 – DC (MLS Cup, SS)
2000 – Chicago (US Open Cup)
2001 – LA (US Open Cup)
2002 – LA (MLS Cup, SS)
2003 – Chicago (US Open Cup)
2004 – DC (MLS Cup)
2005 – LA (MLS Cup, US Open Cup)
2006 – DC (SS), Chicago (US Open Cup)
2007 – DC (SS)

2008- ?

Of course it helps that all three have been in MLS Cups for the most part of the league’s history and that the Fire have been a pretty dominate side in the US Open Cup since their first season back in 1998.

Is this the year it ends though? DC moved on last night to keep the US Open Cup bid alive, all are somewhat still in the mix for both the Supporter’s Shield and MLS Cup at this point.

I always find points and stats like these to be very interesting. I am going to try to spend part of the day if I can coming up with some other stats to throw out your way, particularly how clubs have ended up each year at the midway point and put it into context for this year’s season.

Surprised by these stats? Its not saying these are the league’s ’super clubs’ or anything like that but they certainly have the biggest trophy cases of any clubs in the league!