I swear, if I had a bigger house ... a better TV ... more food in the fridge ... a more understanding wife ... you'd all be invited over to my place on Saturday to watch the MLS playoffs.

But since I can't pull that one off, you're going to have to find someone with the MLS ESPN Shootout Package on DirecTV or DISH Network, or you can tune in for the MetroStars and Galaxy on ESPN2, then log onto your computers and follow the Fusion and Wizards and Fire and Burn on the game-tracker on MLSNET.com. Three Game 3s in one six-and-a-half-hour span makes this, arguably, the biggest day ever in MLS.

Of course, the league's "first-to-five points" format makes Game 3s the norm in MLS rather than the exception. And, in my humble opinion, the MetroStars and Fire, who lead their sets 4-1 heading into their series finales, should be preparing along with the San Jose Earthquakes for the semi-finals. But, no, "first to five" provides a lifeline for the Galaxy and the Burn, who could only muster draws on their home fields.

Ironically, a year ago, L.A. coach Sigi Schmid was upset that the Galaxy, after tying Kansas City at Arrowhead and defeating the Wizards at the Rose Bowl, had to return to KC for a third game. As you all know, the Galaxy lost Game 3, 1-0 -- which evened the series at four points apiece -- then lost in the "Series Overtime." Now, Schmid's team has a chance to pull a K.C. on the Metros, who need only another Rose Bowl tie to advance.

Let's take a closer look at the three matchups.

· MetroStars at Los Angeles (Metros lead 4-1)

Metro coach Octavio Zambrano is already talking up the fact that the Metros can "take a different approach" in this game. Obviously, he means they can play conservatively, knowing that the Galaxy needs to score to advance. At first glance, I'd say this is not a smart way to approach the game. Usually, teams that go in with that mentality pay for it (see: US at Costa Rica). But, this season, when the Metros have played with the idea that they would risk little in terms of sending numbers forward, and hope for counters, they've gotten some of their best results. The 3-0 victory over the Fusion at the Orange Bowl comes to mind as an example of a game where the Metros played an effective, patient game. It often seems, when the Metros play a team that has to (or wants to) do the attacking, it helps to open up the field for Adolfo Valencia, who often struggles to find any room in the tighter games. Of course, after all that analysis, everything changes if the Galaxy score first. Then, the whole thing becomes a crapshoot.

Boot Room Predicts: Metros earn the draw, 0-0, and advance 5-2.

· Wizards at Fusion (series tied 3-3)

This is high drama. The upstart Fusion, the best team in the league this season, against the defending champs, who've struggled all year to find their form. Winner take all, with a twist thrown into the equation, because the Fusion will be forced to play without Pablo Mastroeni and Diego Serna, who were both red-carded in Wednesday night's shocking 3-0 loss. The Fusion did show earlier this season, when they went to Chicago and defeated the Fire, 2-1, after Ray Hudson was hospitalized with chest pains, that they can respond to a challenge. When Serna has gone south on his teammates this season -- ticking them off by missing practice or playing lethargically -- they've all said they can without him. Now, we'll see if they can. As for the Wizards, expect them to defend the cup with pride. That means, they'll keep things tight in the midfield, organized in the back, and see if they can take the Fusion in the match's late moments, when nerves could become an issue. Miami veterans Ian Bishop and Preki are going to have to lead the way.

Boot Room Predicts: Fusion win 1-0 and advance by a 6-3 margin.

· Burn at Fire (Fire leads 4-1)

Playing at home, expect the Fire to come out flying and go for the Dallas jugular early. If they do not assume control of the match early, that's when things could get interesting. In their two regular season meetings at Soldier Field this season, the Burn played things close to the vest, trying to absorb pressure and counter. In both contests, they were able to keep the Fire off the board until the second half. Given the history of this rivalry (which is so much more than the rough-and-tumble garbage MLS ExtraTime showed in its late-season feature), it still is not a bad idea for Dallas to play with patience. Because, when the clock hits 75 minutes when Chicago and Dallas are playing, that's when things typically go crazy. This year alone, in five meetings, we've seen 11 goals scored after the 75th minute. If the Burn can keep it scoreless until the latter stages, it will be hard for the Fire to keep the past from entering their minds. The Fire have managed to keep Ariel Graziani, a Chicago-killer, off the scoreboard so far. How much longer can that continue?

Boot Room Predicts: Fire tie 2-2 and advance by a 5-2 margin.

In Tight Space

· October 7 and U.S. vs. Jamaica cannot get here soon enough for Landon Donovan, who sizzled in the Earthquakes' sweep of Columbus. Bruce Arena would like nothing more than to have one striker brimming with confidence when his squad hits the field in Foxboro for their first life-and-death match of qualifying.

· I take heat every time I plug a Chicago Fire player, but I don't care. Peter Nowak deserves to be the MLS MVP this year. With Nowak in the lineup, the Fire were 13-3-2. Without him, they were 3-3-3. In the past, last year, for example, the Fire were able to cope without their captain. This year, they could not. At 37, he still runs past defenders with ease and runs the show better than any midfielder in MLS. To think he was not voted to the All-Stars this season is laughable. He's been MLS's best player.

· If I could pick an MVP runner-up, I guess I'd have to go with Miami's Alex Pineda Chacon. I know the South Florida soccer writers picked Preki as the Fusion's MVP, but I'd go with Chacon. And I think the fact that it's so difficult to choose an MVP on the Fusion (Serna and Jim Rooney deserve recognition) adds to the Nowak campaign.

· Tim Howard is the Keeper of the Year and is the reason I think the Metros will advance.

· I hope next year MLS switches to a "first to four" format. That's right, I'm not asking for the "traditional" home and home, because that would mean the MLS regular season is not worth enough. As it's currently constructed, the MLS home season is all about earning your seed in the postseason. Home and home works well for blind draws, but not for seeded tournaments. "First to four" will make every Game 2 a potential clincher, which is more exciting than what we saw at Giants Stadium Wednesday, when the Metros and Galaxy were playing, basically, to see if one team could advance with a draw on Saturday. The Metros should have been celebrating a series victory.

Godspeed,
Michael Mejido.

Jeff Bradley is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at jeff.bradley@espnmag.com.