MLS Cup Playoffs 2016

We've discussed the benefits of an earlier start to the league season before, and doing it by playing games in warmer cities for 2-3 weeks. Someone (I forget who) rightly pointed out that the league would need more southern teams to make that work.

Basically, unless at least half the teams are in places where you can reliably play in February, you can't have full schedules that month. I think we are edging in that direction with the current expansion candidates, but we aren't quite there yet. I do think this is an excellent and appropriate thing for the league to do once it can.
 
We've discussed the benefits of an earlier start to the league season before, and doing it by playing games in warmer cities for 2-3 weeks. Someone (I forget who) rightly pointed out that the league would need more southern teams to make that work.

Basically, unless at least half the teams are in places where you can reliably play in February, you can't have full schedules that month. I think we are edging in that direction with the current expansion candidates, but we aren't quite there yet. I do think this is an excellent and appropriate thing for the league to do once it can.

Warm Cities
Atlanta
Dallas
Houston
Los Angeles (x2)
Miami
Orlando
San Jose

Cold Cities
Chicago
Colorado
Columbus
Kansas City
New England
New Jersey
New York
Philadelphia
Salt Lake City
Toronto
Vancouver

Borderline or Indoor

DC
Montreal
Portland
Seattle
 
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Warm Cities
Atlanta
Dallas
Houston
Los Angeles (x2)
Miami
Orlando
San Jose

Cold Cities
Chicago
Colorado
Columbus
Kansas City
New England
New Jersey
New York
Philadelphia
Salt Lake City
Toronto
Vancouver

Borderline or Indoor

DC
Montreal
Portland
Seattle

You're missing Minnesota but they have an indoor facility option in US Bank Stadium. Vancouver is indoor as well.
 
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Smart boy

In an interview with ESPN, David Villa picked Toronto FC to win the MLS Cup over the Seattle Sounders this Saturday.


"Well, of course, I think both teams deserve it and I think both are the best in the MLS this year. But of course if Toronto wins, we get a spot in the CONCACAF Champions [League] so we support Toronto, no?"

http://mlsmultiplex.com/2016/12/08/david-villa-picks-toronto-win-mls/
 
Smart boy

In an interview with ESPN, David Villa picked Toronto FC to win the MLS Cup over the Seattle Sounders this Saturday.


"Well, of course, I think both teams deserve it and I think both are the best in the MLS this year. But of course if Toronto wins, we get a spot in the CONCACAF Champions [League] so we support Toronto, no?"

http://mlsmultiplex.com/2016/12/08/david-villa-picks-toronto-win-mls/
Nice to see him upfront saying they want into CCL.
 
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Aaaand the 2016 Cup goes to a team who couldn't put a single shot on target over 120 minutes vs. a team which created a lot of chances and couldn't finish. Scintillating.
Ugh, yea... worst MLS cup game that I can remember... and of course it's the big opportunity for the league, featured on main Fox, and it's a 0-0 game. Blown opportunity. But, even though it's hard to gauge / measure, I feel like a lot of the shitty play is because of the frigid temperatures... the sport is just not meant to be played in that weather. It needs to be changed.

Toronto was "the better team" for most of the night, but they couldn't finish. If you can't score in 120 minutes at home, then sorry but you don't deserve the trophy. Did Seattle do anything offensively? No. But their defense was incredible, Alonso was great in midfield, and Frei was a beast in net. That stretch save he made on Altidore's header amazing.

Disappointed we won't be in CCL, and disappointed the eastern conference couldn't win the cup... but at least part of me thinks that Portland and Seattle have now both been paid their due for the passion that cascadia has brought to the league, and now we can move on.
 
The game did deserve better and I agree the cold was probably the main culprit. I blame the ref for allowing such physical play. Too many times guys were tripped or shoved off the ball with no call so, of course, there could be no build up.

Getting back to the cold, only 4 times has it gone to penalties and the last time it did was the RSL/SKC game (2013?) and that game was just as cold or colder.

We either need to have a neutral site again so we can schedule it in warmer areas or we need to adjust the schedule so it is played in the spring.
 
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I think too much is made of the cold. It was a physical game, and also well played on defense. The Seattle back four were solid and their goalie, excellent. Meanwhile, Bradley controlled his space and kept Seattle from having anything good going forward. He shut Lodiero down.
 
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Toronto definitely played better, but I didn't walk away really feeling like they should have won. Most of the chances they created weren't all that great.

And count me in the camp that thinks Frei had a nice game but not an MVP game. I would have given it to Roman Torres. Yeah the save Frei had on Jozy's header was amazing, but other than that, he really didn't have to work all that much. Most everything else was shot right at him.

I don't want to take away from what he did, because he had a nice game, but I thought Torres had a bigger impact on the game (and I thought this before PKs started).
 
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