East vs West: Which MLS Conference Has Been the Best Each Year?

EDIT: 2008 results now included. The East has now won for the fourth consecutive year. Taking into account only inter-conference matches (and counting shootouts as draws from 1996-99), here's the answer. The central division is included for 2000-01. Interconference Results 1996 W L D PPG 1 East 33 31 16 1.44 2 West 31 33 16 1.36 1997 W L D PPG 1 East 30 28 22 1.40 2 West 28 30 22 1.33 1998 W L D PPG 1 West 36 27 9 1.63 2 East 27 36 9 1.25 1999 W L D PPG 1 West 35 19 18 1.71 2 East 19 35 18 1.04 2000 W L D PPG 1 Central 37 30 13 1.55 2 West 32 31 17 1.41 3 East 29 37 14 1.26 2001 W L D PPG 1 West 26 23 14 1.46 2 East 26 27 10 1.40 3 Central 24 26 12 1.35 2002 W L D PPG 1 West 33 19 8 1.78 2 East 19 33 8 1.08 2003 W L D PPG 1 East 29 20 21 1.54 2 West 20 29 21 1.16 2004 W L D PPG 1 West 27 24 19 1.43 2 East 24 27 19 1.30 2005 W L D PPG 1 East 37 19 16 1.76 2 West 19 37 16 1.01 2006 W L D PPG 1 East 26 25 21 1.38 2 West 25 26 21 1.33 2007 W L D PPG 1 East 30 28 26 1.38 2 West 28 30 26 1.31 2008 W L D PPG 1 East 42 36 20 1.49 2 West 36 42 20 1.31 So to summarize, the yearly winners are: 1996 East 1997 East 1998 West 1999 West 2000 Central 2001 West 2002 West 2003 East 2004 West 2005 East 2006 East 2007 East 2008 East The biggest mismatch was 2005, where both expansion teams were in the West, followed by 2002 and 1999. The East is currently on a three year winning streak, although the last two years have been virtually even. With the expansion team this year going to the West, that probably will continue (EDIT: ...and it did). Breakdown of Teams East 1996-97: CLB-DC-NE-NY-TB East 1998-99: CLB-DC-MIA-NE-NY-TB East 2000-01: DC-MIA-NE-NY East 2002-04: CHI-CLB-DC-NE-NY East 2005-06: CHI-CLB-DC-KC-NE-NY East 2007-08: CHI-CLB-DC-KC-NE-NY-TOR West 1996-97: COL-DAL-KC-LA-SJ West 1998-99: CHI-COL-DAL-KC-LA-SJ West 2000-01: COL-KC-LA-SJ West 2002-04: COL-DAL-KC-LA-SJ West 2005: CHV-COL-DAL-LA-RSL-SJ West 2006-07: CHV-COL-DAL-HOU-LA-RSL West 2008: CHV-COL-DAL-HOU-LA-RSL-SJ Central 2000-01: CHI-CLB-DAL-TB