By Christopher S. Allen

Based on helpful corrections, the following are believed to be the correct A-League results and tables. Until today (Wednesday) several of the various sources for this data (Soccer America, a-league.com, USA Today, and even the USISL itself) were all publishing different versions of last week's results and tables.

If soccer is to be taken seriously as a professional sport, the basic results and tables MUST be correct. Clearly, most of the problem is recording the shootouts (phantom goals) and even determining whether the game ended in normal time, or was resolved by the shootout.

This is a problem that simply WON'T go away as long as US pro soccer persists in retaining the shootout and failing to just "let ties be ties."

Until shootouts are ditched, at least use the "double entry" bookkeeping format listed below that include a games played column in which the total is the sum of the wins, shootout wins, shootout losses, and losses. It will insure some needed internal consistency.

2. A-League (FIFA 3/1/0) 1997

(Hypothetical FIFA-standard table WITH draws and WITHOUT conferences)

Table...................................Pd....W....D.....L....GD....G+....G-...P+.....
1. California Jaguars...............2.....2.....0.....0.....+4.....5..... -1.....6.....
2. Charleston Battery..............2.....2.....0.....0.....+3.....6..... -3.....6.....
3. Seattle Sounders................4.....2.....0.....2......+0.....4..... -4.....6.....
4. Vancouver 86ers................4.....2.....0.....2......-1......4..... -5.....6.....
5. Jacksonville Cyclones.........3.....1.....1.....1......+1......3..... -2.....4.....
6. Hershey Wildcats...............2.....1.....1.....0......+1......2.....-1......4.....
7. Richmond Kickers..............2.....1.....1.....0.....+1......1..... -0.....4.....
8. Milwaukee Rampage..........2.....1.....1.....0.....+1......1.....-0..... 4......
9. Minnesota Thunder.............2.....1.....1.....0.....+1......1.....-0......4......
10. LI Rough Riders...............3......1.....1.....1.....+0......2.....-2......4.....
11. Raleigh Flyers...................4......1......1.....2.....-1......2.....-3......4.....
12. Nashville Metros...............3......1......1.....1.....-1......1.....-2......4.....
13. Ruckus Atlanta..................2......1.....0.....1.....+2......3.....-1......3.....
14. Connecticut Wolves..........1......1.....0.....0.....+2......2.....-0......3.....
15. Colorado Foxes................2......1.....0.....1......+0......3.....-3......3.....
16. Worcester Wildfire............2......1.....0.....1......+0......2.....-2......3.....
17. Orange County Zodiac......2.......1.....0.....1......+0......2.....-2......3.....
18. El Paso Patriots.................4.......1.....0.....3......-4......2......-6......3.....
19. Carolina Dynamo..............2.......0.....1......1......-1......2.....-3......1.....
20. New Orleans Gamblers.....2.......0.....1......1......-1......0.....-1......1.....
21. Impact de Montreal...........0.......0.....0......0.....+0......0.....-0......0.....
22. Rochester Rhinos..............0.......0.....0......0......+0......0.....-0......0.....
23. Orlando Sundogs..............2.......0.....0......2......-3......0......-3......0.....
24. Toronto Lynx..................2.......0.....0......2......-4......3......-7......0.....

Cheers, Chris

|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Christopher S. Allen | "Let's do it right this time!" |
| Political Science Dept.|-----------------------------------------|
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