Season-Ending Madness

NSC regular guests Chrös McDougall arrives to take a look at the four games that will decide the final three participants in the 2008 MLS playoffs. This is totally my bad for it going up so late, but the NY v CHI game has yet to start, so let's just all pretend it's been up for four hours or so...

The final week of MLS sees five teams fighting for three playoff spots, and in typical MLS fashion, it could go in just about any direction. New York, Kansas City and D.C. United all play on the road at teams already qualified for the playoffs, while Real Salt Lake plays at Colorado in a winner-take-all Rocky Mountain Cup final for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.

New York at Chicago
Thursday 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2

Scenario: New York and Kansas City are tied at 39 points, but Kansas City holds the first wildcard seed based on head-to-head results. A win for the Red Bulls guarantees a wildcard; whether first or second wildcard is dependent on Kansas City's result. Either way it doesn't look pretty. First wildcard plays Columbus, second plays Houston. Oy.

What Don Garber Wants: The league came down hard on Red Bulls goalie Jon Conway and defender Jeff Parke, giving each a 10-game suspension for doping. Still, you can't help but think the head honchos want the biggest market to make a splash and create some buzz for next season's opening of Red Bull Arena and the looming signing of Thierry Henry...

What Joe the Plumber Wants: New York has proven to be a pretty terrible place to watch a game. The leg in Giants Stadium will be quiet and have football lines, but the other game will feature Juan Pablo Angel, Dave Van Den Bergh and new goalie Danny "I score from 80-yards on my debut" Cepero.

What No Short Corners Says: It's hard to see New York not in the playoffs. Really, the only way we wont see a game at the beautiful Giants Stadium is if the Red Bulls lay an egg at Chicago and D.C. United pulls an upset against the league's best team in Columbus. One could very well happen, but it's unlikely they both will. Brian Ching and Dwayne De Rosario are licking their respective chops at this one.

Kansas City at New England
Saturday 7:30 p.m. ET

Scenario: Kansas City is tied with New York on points, 39, but holds the coveted honor of the first wildcard and opening the playoffs against the Columbus. A loss combined with D.C. United winning at Columbus knocks the Wizards out of the playoffs.

What Don Wants: If Kansas City loses, the MLS playoffs would include the biggest market in the nation, New York City, and the true trademark franchise of the league, D.C. United. As they say, "We Report, You Decide" on this one.

What Joe the Plumber Wants: Being from Toledo, Ohio, Joe the Plumber wants the best match-up possible here. While the television matchup between Kansas City and Columbus sounds titillating, Columbus and New York or Columbus and D.C. United sounds more exciting. It also sounds like an easier passage to the next round.

What No Short Corners Says: Kansas City would almost have to try to mess this up. New England was one of the league's best teams this year, but it is also a team that is 1-4-4 in its last nine games. Bring on the Small Market Bowl!

Real Salt Lake at Colorado
Saturday 9:30 p.m. ET HDNet

Scenario: Winner takes all, meaning the third seed in the Western Conference. RSL also gets in with the draw. Based on tiebreakers, the wildcard spots appear to both be heading to the Eastern Conference so a matchup with Chivas USA awaits.

What Don Wants: An up-and-coming team with a surprisingly steady fan-base could clinch its first ever playoff berth in this game, and here's the kicker: it just got a brand new, state of the art stadium. Real Salt Lake just has to win or tie to make Don's dream come true.

What Joe the Plumber Wants: I think it's hard to make the argument that people in Colorado even want to see the Rapids play anymore. It's too bad, because on TV that stadium doesn't look half bad.

What No Short Corners Says: Real Salt Lake used to be horrible on the road, now they are okay. It should theoretically be a good matchup, and very heated if you believe the hype, but with practically the whole world rooting for another game in Rio Tinto Stadium, Javier Morales & Co. get the nod.

D.C. United at Columbus
Sunday 5 p.m. ET

Scenario: D.C. United is the only team left that doesn't control its own destiny. The Capitols need a win and either a Kansas City or New York loss to make up the two points and earn a wildcard spot. After a season like this, does D.C. really want to meet Columbus or Houston in the first round of the playoffs?

What Don Wants: Hard to say with NYRB in direct competition for the playoff berth.

What Joe the Plumber Wants: Haven't we all seen enough of D.C. United? And this year's version isn't even good.

What No Short Corners Says: It's always fun to watch a playoff game with the dedicated fans in RFK Stadium, but this year's team just doesn't cut it. A late-season run is probably too little too late now, and while all three Eastern teams have tough games this weekend, there is no doubt that D.C. has the biggest challenge. Really, the players should be relieved.

- Chrös McDougall