Who's ready for a mega MLS day? Ready or not, here it comes. With 19 teams and at least one getting a bye each weekend, the most matches that can be scheduled in a weekend is nine and this weekend we get that ... on one day. This Saturday, from 2 p.m. ET until 12:30 a.m. ET Sunday morning there will be nine MLS matches with just one short gap breaking them up. With the exception of that window from the end of match two to the start of match three it is match on match on match.
So cheers, schedule makers. This is a treat. Or maybe a curse? Let's go treat, for now.
Montreal Impact vs. Portland Timbers
Saturday, 2:00 p.m. ET, MLS Live
Olympic Stadium was supposed to be a cool opportunity for the Impact to play in front of a bagillion people and it was, for one match. Now it just looks sad, as Expos fans everywhere can sympathize with, and the hard turf makes for awful soccer. Saputo Stadium, y u no ready yet?
Pick: Draw, 1-1.
New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
The Red Bulls were starting to look good, but then they ran out of players. With no healthy central defenders that could even make a Peter Nowak team, they're still behind the eight ball and ruining what could have been a fun match-up against a Revolution team that has sneakily gone from embarrassing to less than embarrassing.
Pick: New England, 3-2.
Philadelphia Union vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Saturday, 7:00 p.m. ET, MLS LIve
The Union have been Nowak-ed ... and the Quakes are good.
Pick: San Jose, 100-0.
D.C. United vs. Houston Dynamo
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Live
The clock that the Dynamo assumedly carries around with them counting down to having a stadium and a real, actual home match is nearing its death. Expect Houston to take a sledgehammer to it.
Pick: D.C., 2-1.
Columbus Crew vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Live
At some point the Whitecaps are going to have to start scoring goals. They have just six this year despite having ALL OF THE STRIKERS.
Pick: Vancouver, 3-1.
Chicago Fire vs. Seattle Sounders
Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Live
The Sounders are good because we thought they would be good and the Fire are bad because we thought they would be bad. The problem is that the Fire have been quietly been picking up some points and the Sounders have been dropping them. Let's find out if we're wrong or if the table is wrong.
Pick: Sounders, 2-1.
Real Salt Lake vs. Toronto FC
Saturday, 9:00 p.m. ET, MLS LIve
The list of things an awful team off to an awful start does not want: A match at Rio Tinto Stadium. Congratulations, Toronto, you lose!
Pick: Salt Lake, 3-0.
Colorado Rapids vs. Chivas USA
Saturday, 9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Live
The Chivas USA Road Warrior Goats have their spears in hand for their trip to Colorado, but can you stab a rapid? Shoot it? Nuke it?
Pick: Draw, 1-1.
LA Galaxy vs. FC Dallas
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Live
Remember when everyone gave the Galaxy a lot of slack early in the year because they were the Galaxy? They eventually used up all of that slack and now they're facing the task of regaining strength. Even two straight wins hasn't really done it and honestly, a third against Dallas won't either. They are without David Ferreira, who created the midfield problems that gave LA so many problems in the past, are winless on the road and just played midweek. Beat Seattle on Wednesday and we'll considering being impressed again.
Pick: LA, 3-1.