BTW, Houston is 1-0 with KC at the half but they’re a man down with Cam Weaver being ejected.

One question – did not see this box score in the TNT, but I think a Sounder picked up a yellow card. Just after the missed PK, you could hear a stadium PA announcement about a yellow card – just as Sigi was caught on film yelling at Riley. ESPN’s game report has Marshall getting a late yellow at the 85th min, which would put him out of the KC match. Any clarification on this?

Was impressed with the Crew – can see why they are the best team in the league – good skill, ball movement, and creativity – with two exceptions. Their flopping was out of control and their goalie was not good – in addition to bobbling several shots, he got caught out of position often too. I can see them being in Seattle for the MLS cup – hope the Sounders are their opponent!

Those three points really help our playoff chances. NE is realistically the only club outside the current playoff 8 that could make it in – thereby knocking one of the top 8 (such as the Sounders) out. As long as we can keep them behind us, we are in. Then it becomes a question of improving our positioning so we get a West slot.

Also want to give a shout out to Don and the TNT. Thanks again for asking us which city to attend. You brought a lot of good inside info to the table on this trip, given all of the stories around this game (the club’s roadtrip routines, Sigi’s return to Columb, opposing fans’ views, leading MLS club, etc, etc.).

Sounders are now 2-0-1 in blue … and that’s against three of the best clubs in the league: Los Angeles, Houston and Columbus.

Looking closer at the play-off math-

At 41 points, Seattle is now five points ahead of #9 D.C., six points ahead of #10 Toronto, and seven points ahead of #11 Salt Lake. Two games left for D.C., three for Toronto and Salt Lake.

For D.C or Salt Lake to overtake us, we have to lose both of our remaining games, and they have to win all of their remaining games.

Toronto could overtake us with two wins and a draw, or three wins, if we lose both. We own the tiebreakers with D.C. and Toronto, so they have to overtake us, not tie us, in points. It could be a little trickier with Salt Lake because the tiebreaker is goal differential (we currently lead 7 to 4).

Two Salt Lake wins and a draw, and two Seattle losses, would be a tie at 41 points and goal differential would decide.

Bottom line- a single draw in our last two games probably clinches a play-off spot- but it takes a win to definitely clinch a play-off spot (absent other teams losses).

I’ve been on record as wanting to overtake Colorado to stay in the West, not worried about the East- and I hate D.C for some reason (Wicks gets what he deserves, and an own goal by their sub goalkeeper is just so much fun)- so I’m cool with the results so far this weekend. With two games in hand I’m not going to get my hopes up for overtaking Chivas, so I’ll be satisfied with fourth in the West- beter if we get lucky and someone in addition to Colorado fades (Houston seems most likely now, so I’ll pull for K.C. tomorrow.

And hope New England beats Colorado. A Colorado loss drops them to 8th- leading D.C. for fourth in the East by 3 points- and comes close to gelling the eight teams going to the play-offs.