Worst Teams In MLS History

[Rover]

OK, so the playoffs are a long shot and a winning season impossible. Anyone else curious if we’re in danger of rivaling the worst teams in league history? Not to be defeatist, but this would be a group we would rather not join. So where does RSL of 2005 stack up?

Method. First, let me say that there are a number of ways for quantifying performance, and I’ve by no means chosen the only plausible method. But this is what I’ve chosen to do, and if someone else wants to tabulate the data another way, well than have it. And if my math is wrong anywhere, hey, I majored in PE.

I’ve calculated futility based on four factors that are not independent but are different ways of looking at won-loss records and scores:

--Points earned divided by points possible.
--Wins divided by games played
--Point differential overall
--Average game score.

The whole thing is complicated by the fact that from 1996-1999, MLS used the shootout to break ties, and although a Shootout Win (SOW) counted in the win column, a team only picked up a point for their trouble. Yes, we’re all glad we don’t do this anymore. But it skews the win totals for the early teams, so that’s why I don’t even bother to calculate a “partial win” number for ties.

OK, so that’s the method. Here are the worst teams in league history, in reverse order:

8. 2001 DC United, 8-16-2, 26 points, 42-50, proof that the dynasty was over.
Points: 26/78 = 0.333
Wins: 8/26 = 0.308
Pdiff: -8
Score: 1.6-1.9

7. 1996 CRapids, 11-21 (2 SOW), 29 points, establishing the tradition.
Points: 29/96 = 0.302
Wins: 11/32 = 0.344 (but without SOWs, 0.281)
Pdiff: -15
Score: 1.4-1.8

6. 1998 Revs, 11-21 (2 SOW), 29 points, take your pick between these guys and the 1996 Crapids.
Points: 29/96 = 0.302
Wins: 11/32 = 0.344 (but without SOWs, 0.281)
Pdiff: -13
Score: 1.7-2.1

5. 2000 San Jose Earthquakes, 7-17-8, 29 points. Still a year away from the Cup.
Points: 29/96 = 0.302
Wins: 7/32 = 0.219
Pdiff: -15
Score: 1.1-1.6

4. 1999 Kansas City Wizards, 8-24 (2 SOW), 20 points. Still a year away from the Cup.
Points: 20/96 = 0.208
Wins: 8/32 = 0.250 (but without SOWs, 0.188)
Pdiff: -20
Score: 1.0-1.6

3. 2003 FC Dallas (Dallas Burn) , 6-19-5, 23 points. Kreis has been through this before.
Points: 23/90 = 0.256
Wins: 6/30 = 0.200
Pdiff: -29
Score: 1.2-2.1

2. 1999 Metro, 7-25 (3 SOW), 15 points. Metro has been through this before.
Points: 15/96 = 0.156
Wins: 7/32 = 0.219 (but without SOWs, 0.125)
Pdiff: -32
Score: 1.0-2.0

1. 2001 Tampa Bay Mutiny, 4-21-2, 14 points. It’s close, but this team gets my vote as the worst.
Points: 14/81 = 0.173
Wins: 4/27 = 0.148
Pdiff: -36
Score: 1.2-2.5

So there are the losers. Anyone want to know where RSL stands at the moment?

2005 RSL (after 23 games), 5-14-4, 19 points.
Points: 19/69 = 0.275
Wins: 5/23 = 0.217
Pdiff: -22
Score: 1.0-2.0

Not good, but even if we lost the rest of our games it’s mathematically impossible to end up worse than the 2001 Mutiny. And if we get on a winning streak, we could finish almost at 0.500. I vote for the winning streak option.

[Jose Luis Luviano]

This is, of course, impossible.

But I would love to see salaries factored into this.

The 2001 Mutiny, being a league-owned team, may have had a lower payroll than some A League teams.

The 1999 Metrostars were supposed to have Lothar Matthaeus show up. (But he did not until 2000).

Meanwhile, we have Eddie & Clint making big money & we're a Thomas Rongen away from being the worst team in the league.

[clarette]

It might just be wishful thinking, but considering how much better the league as a whole has gotten since the early days, I can't help but think there's no conceivable way that we're as bad as some of the late '90s teams (the Metros-Revs contest I saw at Giants Stadium in '99 comes to mind).

[prk166]

I still would say the 96 Rapids were the worst ever. They really sucked it up that year and had the worst record in the league. At that, the league was brand new. Everyone started out equally sucky. They should've been able to at least finish close to the other teams. But they had a full 4 less wins (over 32 games played) than the 2nd worst team that year. And that's 4 less including shoot out wins!

[Rover]

Originally Posted by prk166

I still would say the 96 Rapids were the worst ever. They really sucked it up that year and had the worst record in the league. At that, the league was brand new. Everyone started out equally sucky. They should've been able to at least finish close to the other teams. But they had a full 4 less wins (over 32 games played) than the 2nd worst team that year. And that's 4 less including shoot out wins!

Yes, I suppose another way to evaluate the worst teams goes beyond their record and gets more into how awful they were to watch. I think the 1999 Wizards would give the 1996 CRapids a battle for that prize.

[DadOf8]

Why hasn't anyone mentioned 2005 CD Chivas USA. I would have to say they're the worst team I've ever seen.

[Rover]

Originally Posted by DadOf8

Why hasn't anyone mentioned 2005 CD Chivas USA. I would have to say they're the worst team I've ever seen.

They are an unfinished work, if you will. They will join the list, but it's all a question of where.

[prk166]

Good point on CHivas USA. For all the talk of "watch out" for them, it really boils down to "Be careful, they're not leaking 6 goals a game as often."

[SoccerPrime]

Rover, just for curiousity sake, is there a winning MLS coach that is no longer a MLS coach (besides Arena)?

[Rover]

Originally Posted by SoccerPrime

Rover, just for curiousity sake, is there a winning MLS coach that is no longer a MLS coach (besides Arena)?

I'm going to have to do some number crunching to confirm this, but if we're talking regular season stuff (playoffs can skew it) and ignore the SOW issue, I'd guess Sigi Schmid, Dave Dir, Glenn Myernick, and Frank Yallop for sure. Maybes would be Greg Andrulis, Octavio Zambrano, and Ray Hudson.

I'll check and post what I find.