December 5th, 2008 . 11:47 am . By: Buzz Carrick

I was updating the Year by Year Page, and I noticed a few fun things I thought I might point out.  Let’s call them “Did You Know?”s or “Fun Facts.”  There are some things that are surprising about both this season and the team’s history.

- The 2008 season is the second WORST season in FCD history in Wins with 8 and is tied for second worst in Point Per Game with 2004, Clarke’s first year, at 1.20.

- 2008 was the BEST season in franchise history in one category: Ties with 12.

- Statistically speaking, one of the problems in 2008 was NOT the defense as the 41 goals against was the second BEST in franchise history with 41. (but not in reality as late goals at home turned wins into ties)

- Every year since Hitchcock took over as GM the points have gotten WORSE.  2006 – 52 points, 2007 – 44 points, and now 2008 – 36 points.

- Or maybe you could say every year since Clarke was fired as Clarke was up in points every year.  He finished the horrible 2003 when he took over for Jeffries with 23 points.  Then went 36, 48, and finally to 52 over the next three years.  (2006 second BEST year in team history with 52 points.)

- 1999 remains the BEST season in franchise history with 16 wins, only 7 losses, 57 points, 1.78 PPG, 54 goals for, 35 goals against, and a +19 Goals differential.

- 2003 remains the WORST season with 6 wins, 19 losses, only 23 points, for a 0.77 PPG, 35 goals scored, 64 goals against, and a dismal -29 goal differential.

 - As good as 1999 was, you get the statistical oddity of it having the Worst playoff goals against with 14 and the second WORST playoff goal differential with -5.  Obviously the former is due to the number of games played, but how does a team advance that far with a horrible goal differential?

- FCD has played 398 games in MLS regular season play.  That means the second game of 2009 will be their 400th league game.

- And bizarrely FCD has scored exactly 599 goals in MLS regular season play.  So the opening goal of 2009 will be the 600th.  Kind of a fun mark to look for to start 2009.

- The 1997 US Open Cup run was clearly the team’s best, as if winning the USOC didn’t tell you that.  But the 2005 run to the Cup Final was just as good statistically speaking with the exact same 4 wins and 12 points.  There was one more round of play for MLS teams that year, so what what the Cup in 97 only gets runner up in 05.

- Middle of the road remains the state of FCD as they have won 5 less games than they have lost.  It sure would be nice to see that the other way around.

- The franchise history goals against remains a disappointing -18, although it did go up 4 point this year.

Anything else?

Categories: 120 Fahrenheit.

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