On behalf of a loyal Sounders supporter, thank you for a great season... so far. And yes, we're not done yet!

I'm not sure if you care, but as a devote fan of the game, and a fan of commonsense... is there anyway the MLS can wake up with how they bracket the playoffs? It is ludicrous how the #2 overall team has to play the #3 overall team due to a stupid flux in the rule. The fact that every team plays everyone equally means that the top 10 teams are as close to where they ought to be then you can get in all of USA sports. Seattle is #2 because they deserve it, not because they had an easier schedule then the others (and in many ways it was a more difficult schedule!) NO ONE has an easier schedule then the other. But it seems while the schedule for the regular season is commonsense based... the playoffs seemed to have been made up by a drunk monkey.

To have Seattle playing Real Salt Lake in the first round is an atrocity to the game and its supporters. It allows weaker teams a better chance to move forward while the stronger teams have to eliminate each other first. I'm sure you fully are aware of this. I just feel that as a fan of the best team in America, it is stupid that the MLS, who first and foremost are trying to sell their product to the average American sports fan, have created a path in the playoffs that doesn't reward the best teams... but hinders them. The Championship game of Colorado vs. Dallas in Toronto last year was about as exciting as me growing weeds in my back yard.

The MLS needs to reward the top seeded team in the finals with a home field championship game. All that would do is make the Supporters Shield much more than just hardware. It would create ANOTHER game within a game. You already have the MLS Cup and the Open Cup, by making the playoffs more commonsense based and giving the top seeded team home field advantage for the Championship game, would reward the team deservedly and create more competition throughout the season. Success flourishes when competition is consistent. If Seattle was given a home field MLS Cup Championship game, NO ONE could deny the spectacle that would come about with such an event. But with the way the MLS has their structure... they simply are bashing their heads against a brick wall... and wonder why they aren't getting anywhere.

To say the least, I'm very disappointed. I'm very disappointed that my Sounders have to play the 3rd best team in the MLS as a "reward" for being the 2nd best team. But nonetheless I stick by you and our boys! Good luck. I'll be there Wednesday with everyone else cheering our boys on! Go Sounders!

Just an FYI for you to know that the number one team plays the # four team and the # two team plays the #3 team. Just as most other leagues are played?? Not trying to step on your toes just trying to help out. Or am i misunderstanding this?

I believe Rayvensdad is referring to having a single table and not two conferences when it comes to a weaker team going through later rounds. If it was a single table the 1st seed would play the 8th, not 4th. 2nd play the 7th, not 3rd. Etc. A lot of it is because the West has the top four teams this season, while the top of the East is 5th overall.

I totally understand where you're coming from with this because yes that is how most other leagues are played. But the way the MLS brackets these playoffs aren't anywhere close to as logical as most other leagues. The MLS brackets are so stinking confusing, I still have no idea who is playing who and why... other than Seattle (#2 overall) is playing Real Salt Lake (#3 overall) in each of their first rounds while lesser teams are playing other lesser teams. Every team in the MLS plays each other equally, one home game, one away game, so conceivably you have the ultimate balanced playoff list of teams. Very simple... 8 teams with a simple bracket like most others. 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5. That is all I'm asking. Last year was a perfect example. 8 teams made the playoffs, and 6 were from the Western Conference. What did they do to balance the playoffs? Send the weakest two teams in the West to the Eastern Conference, which like this year had the Top 2 east teams being weaker than the top 4 West teams. So they actually rewarded the weakest West playoff teams with an easier schedule... end result: Colorado ends up winning the MLS cup. The top 4 teams last year in the entire MLS had to play each other, leaving the bottom feeders to dick around with themselves. If they took the top 4 from the West and top 4 from the East... then I can understand that. But they don't. They take the top 8 (this year 10) total... and then divi them up. Moronic! Absolutely moronic!