So we've already seen the appearance of Toronto FC's schedule which has the Portland Timbers playing them, away, on May 12th. This also means that the full MLS schedule should be released very soon. All my surces and tips are telling me that it will be released tomorrow at 2:00PM EST. Regardless of time, if true, it would be a marked improvement over the schedule's release last year which was delayed well into February, if memory serves me right.

This week's MLSsoccer column:
Climbing the Ladder: Who scores the most important goals?
I've seen several people do this for other leagues (for example, Soccermetrics), but I've yet to see it for MLS. Using the data below, I determined how many points each goal was worth by comparing the PPG from teams in each situation in each minute.

I made mention of it in a tweet and the news actually broke earlier this week, but I feel like we should pay our respects to former FC Dallas striker Bobby Rhine who died suddenly at the age of 35. Joining the league in 1999, Rhine was amongst the very first crop of MLS players to help solidify this league during it's most turbulent times.

Seattle Sounders fans are going to get hammered with trialists and rumors over the next month. The lead up to this Summer's window is going to be fast, furious and ideally fortunate. Adrian Hanauer has some cap room to play with, a DP slot available, and MLS has slightly higher respect than it did four years ago.

Not for us, mind you, but another grand MLS stadium is opening up today! I know it might seem a little odd to be reading about another team's stadium, but really, this is great for the league. Sporting Kansas City has long been though of as an under-performing club in both attendance and general ambition.

A few days ago, I wrote about patterns in referee decisions in Major League Soccer, with a focus on fouls and yellow cards. In international comparison, MLS referees have called fewer fouls than other leagues, suggesting either more fair play or less involved referees (for whatever reason). Since that analysis, we have had a rough weekend in MLS, with Seattle's Steve Zakuani breaking two bones in his leg and 2010 MVP David Ferreira of FC Dallas sustaining two fractures in his ankle.

A few days ago, I wrote about patterns in referee decisions in Major League Soccer, with a focus on fouls and yellow cards. In international comparison, MLS referees have called fewer fouls than other leagues, suggesting either more fair play or less involved referees (for whatever reason). Since that analysis, we have had a rough weekend in MLS, with Seattle's Steve Zakuani breaking two bones in his leg and 2010 MVP David Ferreira of FC Dallas sustaining two fractures in his ankle.

This week's column:
Climbing the Ladder: How bad a red card hurts
How many goals per 90 will it cost your team to go down a man?
And I already realized that I missed the RSL-Columbus series for the article's second point, about drawing the away leg of the CCL first. Doh.

This week's column:
Climbing the Ladder: How MLS teams rank by age
Features a list of the team ages so far this season. Interesting to see that the most foreign and most domestic teams, NY & SJ, are the two oldest so far this season.
Previous Columns

• March 9 - Champs usually start hot
• March 16 - Home-field advantage
• March 23 - Hidden milestones of Week 1
• April 1 - Playing percentages by nationality
• April 6 - Dixon and the Name Game
• April 13 - Winning PK shootouts

This week's column:
Climbing the Ladder: Winning PK shootouts
If the CCL final goes to one, everything is pointing to RSL having a great chance (knock on wood).
Previous Columns

• March 9 - Champs usually start hot
• March 16 - Home-field advantage
• March 23 - Hidden milestones of Week 1
• April 1 - Playing percentages by nationality
• April 6 - Dixon and the Name Game
  

Link:
Climbing the Ladder: Dixon and The Name Game
This week, I looked at the significance of Houston Dynamo academy signing Alex Dixon's debut, as well as a few more notes on the Champions League and the Rapids' excellent start. Check it out!
Previous Columns

• March 9 - Champs usually start hot
• March 16 - Home-field advantage
• March 23 - Hidden milestones of Week 1
• April 1 - Playing percentages by nationality
  

New MLSsoccer.com column. Didn't get published on the normal day this week, so you might have missed it:
Climbing the Ladder: Playing percentages by nationality
I'll probably go back and figure out the rest of the years in the near future, though it can be tricky as certain players have changed nationalities (like Jeff Cunningham, domestic since 2002 but foreign before).

Climbing the Ladder: Home-field advantage
Something I've discussed before in years past. For the person who left the comment about whether or not I'd be able to count shootouts as draws, here's your answer. However, that doesn't mean I'm going to just act like my records are official and the league's aren't.

Climbing the Ladder: Champs usually start hot
First column, which will appear weekly. Pretty cool, huh?

With the United States government issuing a travel warning, and even planning to help Americans leave Egypt, it is highly unlikely that the two national teams face off in Cairo on February 9th. While the level of violence in this revolution is relatively low for a nation with such a large population, there is still violence.