MLS Fortunetelling, Apologies for Sporting Tops

I've been able to find all of ten different honest to goodness predictions on how Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference will fall in 2012.

Interesting how each writer likes to apologize before making them. Conditioned by the domestic sports scene? Rightly so. MLS is set up to be a roll of the 10 sided die. Everybody has a chance, right?

Well, everybody except for Montreal. SO. THEY. SAY.

This is how we are looking so far (taking the average position of each pick).

THE TOP 3
1.5 : Sporting KC
3.1 : NY
3.2 : Houston

MIDDLE OF THE PACK
5.2 : Chicago
5.9 : Columbus
6.0 : Philadelphia
6.1 : DC United
6.6 : Toronto

THE BOTTOM
8.3 : New England
9.1 : Montreal

Looking solely at the Crew we see a high of 3rd and low of 9th. Four picks above 5th and Six picks have them lower than 5th.

I prefer at least 20 picks but started finding less than reputable sites and plenty of blocked viruses... where was I? ... anyhow, simple trends forming.

As it is right now it appears the standard deviation between picks is locking a few in place (teams that most agree on):

1st: Sporting KC -- 3rd: Houston -- 7th: DC United -- 9th: New England -- 10th: Montreal

Role the dice! Wild Cards below, according to the bold prediction makers:

Toronto (crowd has no clue, could be 1st... maybe blow apart on the way to - some Canadian joke. ha.ha.) -- Philadelphia (3rd... or last) -- Columbus (not 1 or 2, but not last) -- Chicago (probably in the middle -- NY (probably 3rd, but could go 1st)

Personally, pulling for the Crew and DC to have good, solid years. (zzzzzz.)

The Crew? Will be fighting for a playoff spot. DC? All or nothing. I like that. They have a real chance at something special this year, methinks.

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Here's who I've got so far: Kyle McCarthy (Goal.com), Graham Parker (Guardian), Simulation (FIFA 12), Alicia Ratterree (Goat Parade), Rachna Kapur (Goat Parade), Justin Hein (Colorado Rapids Fan), Kip Lawton (Off The Laces), Orrin Schwarz (Daily Herald), Steve Davis (Pro Soccer Talk), Tyler Jacobs (Soccer Fan Base)

Here are the picks in spreadsheet form, you can add your own if you like.