MLS: Offense & Defense Ranks by Year

Here's a nice way to see the yearly rankings all in one place (now updated through 2010). I think this provides an interesting look at team performance historically by looking at each category separately. Red = top half for that year, while blue = bottom half. In 2007 & 2009, teams without a color mean they were ranked exactly in the middle. Bold = ties. There are more teams in the top halves than in the bottom halves overall because of ties. For example, in 1997 four teams are tied for third on offense. So for that year, six teams are counted in the top half with only four in the bottom half. I've chosen to do that rather than to count them as being in both halves. Offense 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 CHI XXX XXX 4 3 1 4 6 2 8 7 6 10 5 6 9 CHV XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 11 3 4 9 12 15 CLB 4 9 3 6 6 3 3 5 6 10 12 7 2 5 5 COL 9 7 4 9 11 9 6 6 10 9 11 12 5 4 2 DAL 6 3 12 2 4 5 3 9 9 5 2 9 3 1 4 DC 2 1 2 1 10 7 10 8 2 1 1 1 7 2 16 HOU XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 5 6 3 6 5 KC 3 2 11 11 7 11 9 3 7 5 6 5 12 13 10 LA 4 3 1 5 7 2 3 9 3 8 10 8 1 10 2 MIA XXX XXX 9 8 4 1 XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX NE 10 10 7 9 7 10 1 1 3 2 9 2 9 13 14 NY 8 8 6 12 2 8 8 6 1 3 8 3 8 15 8 PHI XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 11 RSL XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 12 3 10 9 2 1 SEA XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 8 7 SJ 6 3 8 6 12 6 2 4 5 3 XXX XXX 14 10 12 TB 1 3 9 3 3 12 XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX TOR XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 13 13 9 13 Defense 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 CHI XXX XXX 2 3 6 1 3 5 8 10 5 5 2 6 10 CHV XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 12 7 2 7 3 12 CLB 9 1 5 4 10 4 5 6 2 7 7 7 3 3 7 COL 8 8 12 4 11 7 9 8 2 2 11 3 11 9 5 DAL 2 3 7 2 7 7 5 10 9 5 9 7 7 13 3 DC 6 5 3 6 12 9 4 3 6 2 3 3 13 11 13 HOU XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 4 1 1 1 14 KC 10 4 4 9 1 11 7 6 1 5 10 9 5 10 8 LA 3 2 1 1 2 4 1 1 5 7 2 12 14 3 2 MIA XXX XXX 11 11 8 4 XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX NE 6 5 10 9 3 10 10 9 7 2 1 6 9 8 16 NY 1 5 9 12 8 3 8 4 10 9 5 9 12 13 4 PHI XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 14 RSL XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 11 11 9 5 7 1 SEA XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 1 8 SJ 4 8 8 7 4 2 2 1 4 1 XXX XXX 4 15 6 TB 5 10 6 8 4 12 XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX TOR XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 13 9 12 11 Years in Top & Bottom Half - Offense Top Bottom PCT CHI 8 5 61.5% CHV 2 4 33.3% CLB 10.5 4.5 70.0% COL 4 11 26.7% DAL 10 5 66.7% DC 10 5 66.7% HOU 5 0 100.0% KC 6 9 40.0% LA 9 6 60.0% NE 5 10 33.3% NY 6 9 40.0% PHI 0 1 0.0% RSL 3 3 50.0% SEA 1.5 0.5 75.0% SJ 7 6 53.8% TOR 0 4 0.0% MIA 2 2 50.0% TB 4 2 66.7% Years in Top & Bottom Half - Defense Top Bottom PCT CHI 10 3 76.9% CHV 3 3 50.0% CLB 9.5 5.5 63.3% COL 5 10 33.3% DAL 7.5 7.5 50.0% DC 8 7 53.3% HOU 4 1 80.0% KC 7 8 46.7% LA 12 3 80.0% NE 5.5 9.5 36.7% NY 6 9 40.0% PHI 0 1 0.0% RSL 3 3 50.0% SEA 2 0 100.0% SJ 9 4 69.2% TOR 0 4 0.0% MIA 1 3 25.0% TB 3 3 50.0% Longest Streak in Top Half - Offense Columbus 1998-03 6 DC United 2004-09 6 Houston 2006-10 5 San Jose 2001-05 5 Chicago 1998-01 4 Dallas 1999-02 4 DC United 1996-99 4 Los Angeles 1996-99 4 New England 2002-05 4 Columbus 2008-10 3 Colorado 2008-10 3 Dallas 2008-10 3 Kansas City 2005-07 3 Longest Streak in Bottom Half - Offense Colorado 1999-07 9 New England 1996-01 6 Kansas City 1998-02 5 DC United 2000-03 4 Toronto 2007-10 4 Chivas USA 2008-10 3 Columbus 2004-06 3 Kansas City 2008-10 3 Los Angeles 2005-07 3 New England 2008-10 3 New York 2001-03 3 Longest Streaks in Top Half - Defense Los Angeles 1996-04 9 Chicago 1998-03 6 San Jose 2000-05 6 Chicago 2006-09 4 Houston 2006-09 4 Chivas USA 2007-09 3 Columbus 1997-99 3 Columbus 2008-10 3 DC United 1997-99 3 DC United 2005-07 3 New England 2005-07 3 Real Salt Lake 2008-10 3 Longest Streak in Bottom Half - Defense Colorado 2000-03 4 New England 2001-04 4 Toronto 2007-10 4 Colorado 1996-98 3 DC United 2008-10 3 Kansas City 2001-03 3 Miami 1998-00 3 New York 1998-00 3 New York 2007-09 3 Real Salt Lake 2005-07 3 San Jose 1997-99 3 Ranks of MLS Cup Winners OFF DEF 1996 DC United 2 6 1997 DC United 1 5 1998 Chicago 4 2 1999 DC United 1 6 2000 Kansas City 7 1 2001 San Jose 6 2 2002 Los Angeles 3 1 2003 San Jose 4 1 2004 DC United 2 6 2005 Los Angeles 8 7 2006 Houston 5 4 2007 Houston 6 1 2008 Columbus 2 3 2009 Real Salt Lake 2 7 2010 Colorado 2 5 Ranks of Supporters Shield Winners OFF DEF 1996 Tampa Bay 1 5 1997 DC United 1 5 1998 Los Angeles 1 1 1999 DC United 1 6 2000 Kansas City 7 1 2001 Miami 1 4 2002 Los Angeles 3 1 2003 Chicago 2 5 2004 Columbus 6 2 2005 San Jose 3 1 2006 DC United 1 3 2007 DC United 1 3 2008 Columbus 2 3 2009 Columbus 5 3 2010 Los Angeles 2 2