Landon Donovan leads the Galaxy against rivals Chivas. (Getty Images)

One more weekend of action and we will be in the conference finals here. One club is already in and three others will move on this weekend. After last weekend's play the pressure is on a couple home teams to rebound while one just has to keep on doing what they do best in front of their fans.

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If the Chicago Fire were hoping for reinforcements to bolster their chances against New England in Saturday's second leg playoff match, they'll have to look beyond Gonzalo Segares. The defender is currently listed as out for the upcoming do-or-die encounter set for Saturday at Toyota Park.

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The first round of MLS playoffs (aka MLS Conference Semi-finals)Â always spurs heated discussion about its playoff format as well as the League's two conference structure.

Let's take an overview of various playoff format options and League structures for Major League Soccer. There should be three objectives to a playoff format and League Structure:

1) Crown a worthy champion

2) Entertain the fans

3) Maximize revenue for the teams and League

No matter what playoff format is used or what tweaks are made to improve it, a percentage of fans will criticize it and offer other imperfect solutions.

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The Fire and the Revs have met in the playoffs 8 times. 8 TIMES! It's getting way too predictable, like Lakers v. Celtics in the Reagan-era NBA Finals. A handful of Chicago players and coach Denis Hamlet took a minute to talk about the most consistent post-season pairing since the Buffalo Bills and "choking". Click to continue reading...

The playoff version of the SuperClasico got off to a bang with a 2-2 draw. (Getty Images)

Some could say the results we saw in the first week of the playoffs were fairly expected. The SuperClasico ended in a draw that I think most folks expected to get; Real Salt Lake found a way to get a win over the Crew at home; Seattle and Houston battled it out to a scoreless draw; and maybe the only real shocker of the weekend was the Revs beating Chicago 2-1.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

Home teams went unbeaten on the first weekend of the MLS Playoffs, setting up a quartet of nail-biters for the second legs of all four series.

The New England Revolution and Real Salt Lake held serve at home, posting key victories, while the Houston Dynamo and Los Angeles Galaxy were able to take draws in their visits to Seattle and, well, Los Angeles.

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In-stadium rivals Chivas USA and the L.A. Galaxy played to an exciting 2-2 draw Sunday night, setting the stage for what will be the most important MLS "Super Clasico" to date next Sunday.

Chivas USA got off to a hot start in the match and they took the lead in just the 4th minute when Maicon Santos drilled a right footed shot past L.

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Catching these four match-ups in the middle, so each will be half analysis/half prediction...
Seattle Sounders FC v. Houston Dynamo (0-0 aggregate)
After tying 0-0 in Seattle for the first leg, the finale will take place Sunday. The story of the first game was 90 minutes of physical brawling, I think the second leg will be the opposite: some entertaining soccer. Click to continue reading...

I did not know that the MLS was a giant holding area for players seeking addiction counseling.

Through the Revs vs Fire match, Sullivan and Bretos in their verbiage sprinkled the word "intervention". Even in their word salad, that word stuck out. Whereas Bretos usage was confined to the more physical aspect of the game when a defender cut off a pass or cleared a corner, Sullivan's was a bit more cognitive when he said that Jeff Larontewicz's "intervention" pushed Shalrie Joseph to play better.

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The MLS playoffs have been engrossing and so far the upstarts have given the finger to the favourites.

This time it was the Revs taking it to the Fire who had all their big named players while the Revs have been without Twellman and Ralston. But the Revs African contingent stepped up admirably as Sainey Nyassi, Emmanuel Osei, and Kenny Mensally had a huge game.

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_________________Photo by ISIphotos.com

If familiarity breeds contempt, then the Chicago Fire and New England Revolution hate each other on a level no two teams in MLS can match.

The Eastern Conference foes have made meeting in the playoffs a rite of passage, having done so for five of the past six years.

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_________________Photo by ISIphotos.com

If familiarity breeds contempt, then the Chicago Fire and New England Revolution hate each other on a level no two teams in MLS can match.

The Eastern Conference foes have made meeting in the playoffs a rite of passage, having done so for five of the past six years.

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Apparently, there are six other playoff teams out there fighting for second place. And, get this, they actually all will play their entire ties BEFORE Dynamo run the Greens on Nov. 8. (Homer? Me? What ya talkin' about?)
So now I turn my prediction energies to the postseason, and just to help myself out I will only predict the first legs (The more games I predict, the better my chance to finish with something approaching respectable. Click to continue reading...

After three consecutive years suffering playoff heartbreak against the Revolution, the Fire will try to extend their playoff winning streak against the Revs to two series this Sunday, when the two sides meet at Gillette Stadium for Game 1 (1 p.m. on FSC) of their two game Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup.

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Seriously, I've been so busy this fall that I think I've watched maybe one MLS match in the last two months. So take this look at the playoff picture for what it's worth, unless I get something right, in which case, yay me.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
#1 Columbus v. #4 Real Salt Lake
This, of course, completes the trade that saw New York compete in (and win) the Western Conference bracket a year ago.

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When the Fire played the New England Revolution on Oct. 17, many saw the match as a possible playoff preview.

Now that the MLS regular season has come to a close those predictions of a Fire-Revolution postseason battle have come true. The sides will begin their two-leg Eastern Conference semifinal series at 3 p.

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Jeff Larentowicz scored his first goal of 2009 in the last game of the regular season as the New England Revolution beat the team with the most points in the league, Columbus, on Sunday, eliminating the Colorado Rapids from Major League Soccer's playoffs.

The Rapids lost 3-0 on Saturday at Real Salt Lake.

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Things took a wild turn in the MLS playoff race last night as the team with the least amount of points heading into the day, Real Salt Lake, was the only team to end the night with a playoff spot clinched.
Real Salt Lake got into the 2009 edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs in the same exact way they got into the 2008 postseason -- by defeating the Colorado Rapids in the last game. Click to continue reading...

Better late then never, right? Enjoy some TV...Let's begin an overstuffed edition with Harkesy and JPD breaking down the MLS awards races. As usual, I skip all such clips and articles for several weeks ahead of the voting. Right or wrong, I'm gonna go with my brain's output on that ballot.Sticking with ESPN, Revs coach and Liverpool man Steve Nicol offers no quarter in laying the current "crisis" Click to continue reading...

The Columbus Crew owes The Chicago Fire a favor. Actually, the Crew owes Eduardo Lillingston a favor. Maybe a beer next time Chivas comes to town.

Lillingston chalked up an own goal tonight when the Fire took on Chivas at Toyota Park. Chicago held on to win the affair, and in the process handed the MLS Supporters' Shield to Columbus for a second straight year.

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I'm not going to lie, I've given up on trying to figure out how the different scenarios for this weekend's matches need to play out for Toronto to make the playoffs. The numbers are too much for me, so I'm going to just sit back and hope for a TFC win against New York and everyone else to lose. I guess that's not entirely possible, but at least we know that if Toronto wins, they have a much better chance of making it in than if they lose!

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Week 32 (10/21)

Last Week's Ranking in Parenthesis...

1. Columbus (1): They will still likely win the Shield despite their rocky loss @ DCU.Â
2. Chivas USA (2): The Goats are the only team who can pass CMB, so they sit @ #2.

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The playoffs are a week away but seven MLS clubs still remain in the running for three open spots, including one automatic birth from the eastern conference. This week's rankings saw a few shifts including FC Dallas' on-going run up the boards and possibly into the playoffs.

Elsewhere on the board we saw Toronto gain a little grown while Colorado and Chicago continue to slip.

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Could Preki be on the move after this season? (Getty Images)

I must say today has been full of good stuff. From MLS playoff scenarios to U-17 World Cup rosters to other items it has been a full day. Needless to say if you have missed some of these items you are in luck as I have saved some of the best links of the day to discuss here tonight.

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Major League Soccer lost one of its most respected assistant coaches to Europe this past weekend with Paul Mariner's departure from the New England Revolution to join English side Plymouth. As tough as that departure is on the Revs, it is also a big blow for MLS, which is facing an off-season where several head coaching jobs are expected to open up.

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Major League Soccer lost one of its most respected assistant coaches to Europe this past weekend with Paul Mariner's departure from the New England Revolution to join English side Plymouth. As tough as that departure is on the Revs, it is also a big blow for MLS, which is facing an off-season where several head coaching jobs are expected to open up.

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One week to go, and this is where we stand:

As the table stands now, this would be the playoff matchup –

WESTÂ

Los Angeles vs Seattle

Houston vs Chivas

EAST

Columbus vs  Colorado

Chicago vs Toronto

Remember, the first tie-breaker is head to head competition, not goal difference.

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                                                                                Photo by ISIphotos.com

The MLS playoff race was supposed to clear up after the past weekend's matches, but three teams won vital games to stay alive and keep the race as packed as ever.

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Just in case you needed any help getting fired up for Sunday. And if you're looking for further inspiration there's this:
But before we get to Sunday, we'll spend some time on the weekend undercard:
Last week: 1-3
Year to date: 84-116 (.420 or 17 games over blind chance)
REAL SALT LAKE at TORONTO FC. Click to continue reading...

Week 31 (10/13)

Last Week's Ranking in Parenthesis...

1. Columbus (1): The Crew knocked off the Revs on the road, so they stay at #1.
2. Chivas USA (2): The Goats held strong @ home so they will also be staying put.

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Darrius Barnes is currently leading the way for the rookies. (Getty Images)

Its finally Friday, though I will admit this week has flown by for me due to it being a four-day work week and things being fairly steady on both the regular job front and this place. I had planned to do more than what had been posted today but I blame the weird rainy weather here in Dallas for me not getting around to some of it.

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(I know that picture has nothing to do with this post, but thought it was great!)
Wow, is MLS actually taking (gasp!) an international break this weekend? Not really, but only three games are scheduled after Dallas' completely undeserved win courtesy of that clear offsides from both Dax McCarty and Jeff Cunningham in San Jose the other day. Click to continue reading...

New England Revolution assistant coach Paul Mariner will depart his longtime role alongside Steve Nicol to become the assistant head coach at Plymouth Argyle, according to reports out of the U.K. The Daily Mail reported early Oct. 9 that the 56-year old Mariner had been in talks with the Football League club, with his appointment to be rubber-stamped next week. Click to continue reading...

OK, quartered is an overstatement, but we didn't do our chances much good with only 1 point in our final home game. The Rapids once again went down early only to get bailed out by a PK to get a 1-1 draw.
The first half was pretty quiet. The first of two notable events happened very early as Ballouchy was lining up for a free kick. Click to continue reading...

The games are getting tight in MLS. Chivas USA was the only team to score two goals last week.
MLS also has hit a lull in the schedule thanks to World Cup qualifying. Just one game Wednesday, three on Saturday and one the next Wednesday. Several teams will be watching at 4 p.m. ET Saturday hoping to see Toronto lose at home to San Jose, which would all but clinch playoff spots for the three teams on 41 points. Click to continue reading...