Sunday, July 20, 2008

PDL playoff system favors money over records

Disclaimer: I am not a member of the Tacoma Tide, just a fan.

Bummer. The SFV Quakes did their part and beat the Fresno Fuego Sunday night, but a monumental collapse by the San Francisco Seals gave the Fuego the last berth, and 'hosting rights,' anyway. The Seals went into the weekend with a chance to win the division and instead lost both matches to miss the playoffs entirely.

Now I remember why I HATE Fre$no.

The Fuego have finished with the WORST record of all the playoff teams out west, but because the Seals couldn't finish the job it means that even with the loss the Fuego wil host the playoffs again this year. The Fuego are owned by the Grizzlies baseball club and regularly draw crowds near 4,000 per match.

This is a flaw in the PDL system.

Another flaw? The Tide finished with the BEST record, but their reward is a trip to Fresno to play the HOME TEAM in the first round. Tacoma lost 4-1 to Fresno in overtime last year in the playoffs.

Friday July 25th
Match 1:
Vancouver Whitecaps v. San Fernando Valley Quakes

Match 2:
Tacoma Tide v. Fresno Fuego

Place: Fresno, CA.

Season records:

Tacoma Tide FC 11-4-1 (34 points)
Vancouver Whitecaps 11-4-1 (34 points)
SF Valley Quakes 8-2-6 (30 points)
Fresno Fuego 9-5-2 (29 points)

2 comments:

Jon said...

Hey, it's Jon from the SFV Quakes here. I honestly had no idea you disliked Fresno so much! I mean, I remember Ciaran O'Brien's red card in the playoffs last year, and that it all ended somewhat controversially... but yeah. Will you be coming down to support Tide next weekend?

GS-1 said...

Nope. I am hoping to get someone from the Tide to keep us updated on the internet somehow.

If the matches had been locally, then Tide fans would have been able to attend. Maybe next year.

Fresno is the 'Evil Empire' who outbids the rest and uses NAIA players to schedule matches against MLS clubs in the PDL offseason. In other words...things I wish the Tide were doing! ;)