MLS records to look out for

Jason Kreis hit 100, Andy Williams scored the 5,000th goal, and here are a few more milestones to look out for in the remainder of the season: 1) No team has finished a season undefeated at home. Six teams have finished with only 1 loss (APPG = Adjusted PPG, counting shootouts as draws): W L D Pts APPG GF GA GD 14 2002 San Jose 12 1 1 37 2.64 33 12 21 14 2002 Los Angeles 11 1 2 35 2.50 27 10 17 15 2003 Chicago 10 1 4 34 2.27 31 12 19 16 1998 DC United 9 1 6 33 2.06 40 26 14 13 2001 Columbus 7 1 5 26 2.00 29 15 14 15 2004 Colorado 7 1 7 28 1.87 16 8 8 This year, San Jose is has gone 11 games without a loss (6-0-5). They did lose at home in the Open Cup, and now have to face LA again tomorrow. If they can survive that, they play Chivas, Chicago, Dallas, and RSL in their remaining home schedule. 2) No team can match 2002 San Jose's home APPG record. But Chivas, RSL, and Columbus can become the worst road team ever. Who holds that record? It's not the 2003 Galaxy (0-9-6), who are the only team not to win on the road. It's the 1999 Kansas City Wizards (1-12-3), who also had 6 points but played one more game, for an average of 0.38 APPG. Ouch. Right now, the current averages: Columbus 0.33 Chivas USA 0.17 Real Salt Lake 0.09 All three are winless on the road. CLB neeeds 4 pts in 7 games to escape being the worst ever, CHV 5 pts in 4 games, and RSL 6 pts in 5 games. 3) The record for most seasons in a row with a decrease in average attendance is 3, shared by the 1997-99 Metrostars and the 1998-2000 Revolution. This year, the Colorado and New England (again) can join that undesirable club. The numbers: 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 (so far) Colorado 16,481 20,687 16,772 14,195 12,618 New England 15,654 16,927 14,641 12,226 11,945 4) Jeff Cunningham is poised to break the Rapids' single-season goalscoring record, which stands at a paltry 14, lowest in the league. John Spencer reached that number twice, in 2001 and 2003. Cunningham currently leads the league with 11 goals and should have no problem breaking it. 5) I mentioned this a few weeks ago, but no team has missed out on the playoffs with a positive goal differential. The Metros could be the first (+3 currently). 6) Finally, another Colorado record could be broken. They are the only team never to finish with a positive goal differential (+1 currently). That's a really bad record. Out of 9 seasons, they have three winning seasons and one at .500, but it's never happened. Two of their winning seasons (2002 and 2004) were only 2 and 1 game over .500. But the 1999 season deserves to be given special attention. They finished 20-12, and adjusted that figure is 14-9-9, five games over. After 20 games, that adjusted record stood at 12-2-6, and the GD at +14. They then just shut down and tanked the season. This was the same team that has the long scoreless streak I mentioned earlier, 562 minutes through the next season opener (742 including playoffs). They were +1 going into the final game of the season, and of course lost 2-0 to Miami to seal the deal. Hopefully better times are ahead for Rapids fans.