A few comments on the stupid MLS shootout
In case you can't figure out how to calculate points, it's probably because
of the stupid system MLS uses. The teams play 90 minutes. If a team wins within
this period, they get 3 points. Ok, so far like every other country. But
if it's equal after 90', the league feels obliged to break draws feeling that
Americans don't understand the concept or something ridiculous like that. So,
the two teams go into a shootout. It's not a penalty kick shootout, like you
might see in a World Cup or continental finals, but a unique North American
style shootout where the players dribble the ball in from 35 yards out and
go one on one with the keeper (having 5 seconds to get a shot off). This, in
and of itself, is actually a pretty good way to break draws, much preferable
than the coin-flip, er um, penalty kick shootout. But this shootout should
only in something like
the playoffs where, by the nature of the beast, you must have a winner. But
they insist on doing it in regulation. Anyways, the winner of the shootout
gets one point and the loser nothing.
However, this is complicated by the way the results are published. First, a
match that ends scoreless, say between DC United and New England, but is won
by DCU in a shootout is listed... DCU-New England: 1-0 (SO). And even then,
some places fail list the all-important qualifier (SO). What they should do
is something more along the lins of... DCU-New England 0-0 (SO: 5-3) or maybe
DCU-New England: 0-0 (DCU wins in SO).
Second, and even more annoying, complication, is the way the standings are listed.
If you look at the official MLS web site or most newspapers, you'll see a record
listed something like this:
New England Revolution 3 (1)-3 or
New England Revolution 3-3-1 and a few
New England Revolution 2-3-1
So how many games have the Revs played? How many points do they have? How
many matches do they have left in the season? Who knows? Most include shootout
wins in the total wins column, which makes it even more annoying when the
have a separate SO wins column, as in example #2 above. In this case, you
simple have to subtract the shootout wins from the total wins to get regulation
wins, then multiply by 3 and add the shootout wins in order to get the total
points. Not excessively difficult, but needlessly annoying. If everyone listed
standings as in example #3 above (regulation wins-losses-shootout wins), it
would be a lot easier.... much like NHL hockey standings are listed.
Of course, this whole point would be made moot if the MLS simply ditched the
shootout for regular season and let draws (or ties, if you prefer) be draws.
I actually prefer the MLS style shootout over penalty kicks as a more fair
and interesting way to settle draws in, say, the playoffs, but not in the
regular season. If Americans can accept draws in hockey and, occassionally,
NFL football, why not soccer?
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Page last updated: 20 July '98, 2045 EDT
Email: saabrian@capital.net
