LA and Salt Lake should be a fun battle to watch. (Getty Images)

So I went three for four in the semifinals with my picks. Real Salt Lake knocked out Seattle in what was a very entertaining series. The other three were good as well, but the conference finals should be very good to watch.

We're down to three more games this season the Conference finals on Sunday and the MLS Cup on November 20.

Boy things got a little out of hand after the LA-New York game on Sunday. LA for the most part dominated the opening leg of the series between the two sides but things got ugly in a hurry after the final whistle was blown.

Rafa Marquez tossed the game ball at Landon Donovan which quickly caused a couple other players like Juninho and Adam Cristman to get involved Stephen Keel also stepped in and probably paid for it in a way.

David Beckham and Thierry Henry will hope to lead their clubs to a playoff win this weekend. (Getty Images)

I already submitted some picks for the playoffs over at BigDSoccer.com, you can read them there but seeing how I was wrong on one of them already I figured I can get a pass and just focus on the final eight here.

Columbus hopes to knock off Colorado tonight. (Getty Images)

I hate being quick with playoff previews but this one will have to end up being the case. Time has not been on my side today.

Tonight is the second wild card game of the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs. Last night the New York Red Bulls upset FC Dallas on the road and tonight the Columbus Crew hope to do the same against the defending MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids.

New York and LA will have to deal with two cross country trips now. (Getty Images)

After last night's 2-0 win over FC Dallas, the New York Red Bulls did what some thought would happen set up a big time, blockbuster clash between them and the Los Angeles Galaxy in the playoffs. For the second time in league history the two big clubs meet when it matters most.

Dane Richards will have to step up tonight for New York. (Getty Images)

And so it begins, the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs kick off tonight with the league's first wild card game between FC Dallas and the New York Red Bulls.

With the new playoff format teams, players, media folks, fans, everyone really has no clue what the wild card round will really bring.

I meant to post this link on here yesterday about a story I did for SBnation.com on the New York Red Bulls' road play this season. I was a little busy yesterday afternoon with stuff I hope to be able to share with you all in the coming weeks. I'll have more on this playoff game (and the others) later on.

Interesting that only one playoff game is not on national TV in the US. Probably a wise pick by the league if you ask me.

Here they are (home team listed first):

• FC Dallas vs. New York Red Bulls – Wed., Oct. 26, 9 p.m. ET (FOX Soccer, TSN2)
• Colorado Rapids vs.

There may be no hotter team than the Houston Dynamo right now. (Getty Images)

The 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs are set. We have 10 clubs going for the big prize next month in Los Angeles and we start on Wednesday with the first wild card round in league history with FC Dallas hosting the New York Red Bulls.

Thirty-two weeks are in the books. Each team has played 34 regular season games and now we are down to ten teams competing for one prize the MLS Cup.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. L.A. Galaxy (19-5-10, 67 points)
2. Sounders FC (18-7-9, 63 points)
3. Real Salt Lake (15-11-8, 53 points)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1.

There are only three weeks left in the 2011 regular season campaign and 12 teams are still vying for seven remaining playoff spots. Two teams can clinch berths this weekend while two others could see their playoff dreams come to an end.

The LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders FC, and Real Salt Lake have booked their tickets to the postseason, while Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the New England Revolution, and Toronto FC are now resigned to the role of spoilers.

One more team can clinch a MLS Cup Playoff berth this week while a couple others are on the brink of elimination. The LA Galaxy are also on the verge of winning their second straight Supporter's Shield as well.

FC Dallas will qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

• FC Dallas defeat Colorado this week AND two of the following occur:

• Portland loses or ties vs.

This could be a fun week in Major League Soccer. Two clubs could clinch playoff tickets while three others could be eliminated all together.

Seattle Sounders FC will clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

• Seattle defeats or ties host Vancouver on Saturday OR
• Seattle loses to Vancouver AND
  • Two of the following occur: Houston ties or loses; Colorado loses, Portland loses

Real Salt Lake will clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

• RSL defeats host New York on Wednesday AND
  • Houston ties or loses OR Colorado loses
• OR RSL defeats host D.

We have one team in, the Los Angeles Galaxy but another can follow this coming week.

The Seattle Sounders will clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs if:

• They defeat D.C. United AND ...
• the Portland Timbers lose to the New England Revolution AND ...
• the Houston Dynamo lose to either theColumbus Crew OR the San Jose Earthquakes this week

The Sounders are the only team that can clinch a playoff berth this weekend.

Real Salt Lake could be a wild card team this post season. (Getty Images)

It seems as each season goes in Major League Soccer, the wild card positions in the playoffs seem to be the ones with the most to gain and the least to lose.

Just taking a gander at the teams who have won a MLS Cup over the last couple of seasons and it was easy to figure out why the wildcard spots are so valuable these days.

With the playoffs set for nearly two months away, Major League Soccer has revealed it's list of dates for each round in the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs.

The road to the League's 16th championship consists of 13 total games, with a break for FIFA fixture dates (Nov. 11 & 15) between the conference championships and MLS Cup.