With the Eastern and Western Conference Championships upon us, the MLSnet.com staff takes a moment to size up each matchup.
Record Chicago: 13-10-7 (2nd in East); Columbus: 17-7-6 (1st in East)
Home Record CHI: 7-4-3; CLB: 11-2-2
Road Record CHI: 6-5-4 (0-0-1 at Crew Stadium); CLB: 6-5-4
Vs. Opponent TIE: 0-0-2 -- July 5: CLB 2, CHI 2 ( watch) | Oct. 12: CHI 2, CLB 2 ( watch)
Season Goal Diff CHI: +11 CLB: +14
Semifinals CHI: 3-0 aggregate over New England; CLB: 3-1 aggregate over Kansas City
Chicago: Jon Busch was as good as any 'keeper in MLS this season, playing every minute of every match while either leading the league or finishing second in nearly every major goalkeeping category. Busch proved that his lack of height (5-10) was not a major hindrance, earning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year honors. He was also the beneficiary of perhaps MLS's best backline.

Columbus: William Hesmer took an enormous step forward in his second year as the Crew's starting goalkeeper, emerging as finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year honors before being edged out by Busch. His 1.14 GAA was good for third-best in the league and his 10 shutouts were tied with Busch and Kansas City's Kevin Hartman for tops in MLS. His 17-6-6 record topped the charts.

Edge:
Chicago: Defender of the Year nominee Bakary Soumare and Wilman Conde anchor the center of a backline that allowed the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference this season against a Crew attack that scored the most in the East. Soumare and Conde will look to play a physical game against Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Alejandro Moreno, while Gonzalo Segares and veteran Brandon Prideaux will be tested against the speed of Robbie Rogers and Eddie Gaven on the outside.

Columbus: Chicago's backline has received more attention, but the Crew defense was nearly as good, allowing just 36 goals compared to Chicago's 33. Chad Marshall edged out Soumare for Defender of the Year honors, while MLS veteran Frankie Hejduk's ability on the right flank is well-touted. Danny O'Rourke's successful move to the backline brought versatility to the unit, while the standout second-half play Gino Padula at left back make the line very deep. Andy Iro also provides rare depth from a rookie. The aerial battle between Marshall and Brian McBride could be central to the outcome of the game.

Edge:
Chicago: Logan Pause has quietly become one of the better defensive midfielders in MLS, Justin Mapp and John Thorrington are both capable attackers from a central position or from the wings and Marco Pappa brought new energy in three midseason starts. But, the success of the Fire midfield begins and ends with Cuauhtemoc Blanco. The Crew will need to limit the former Mexican international's touches in order to slow the Fire attack.

Columbus: The glue of the unit is holding midfielder Brian Carroll, whose consistency enables the rest of midfield to routinely push forward in attack. Gaven and Rogers bring daunting speed from the edges, while Brad Evans, who scored what amounted to the series winner against the Wizards, routinely crashes into the box from the middle. Late-season addition Pat Noonan and Olympic silver medalist Emmanuel Ekpo bring great depth at the position as well.

Edge:
Chicago: It took McBride a while to get on the same page as the rest of the Fire attack after arriving in Chicago in August. However, Blanco and the rest of the midfield have learned how to use McBride as a target up front, and nobody has benefitted more than Chris Rolfe, whose resurgence following a late-season benching has been a nightmare to opposing backlines, attacking mainly from a wide midfield position. The Crew struggled to contain McBride in an Oct. 12 draw in Chicago, in which McBride scored twice for the Fire.

Columbus: What more can one say that hasn't already been said about Guillermo Barros Schelotto? The MLS assist leader and MVP frontrunner seems to have a hand in nearly every big goal for the Crew. The winner of the battle between Schelotto and the Fire backline could well win the game. Alejandro Moreno put home a career-high nine goals this season next to Schelotto, while Steven Lenhart, who saved the Crew in their first leg against Kansas City with a stoppage time goal, and Jason Garey have both shown a knack for finding the net as well when given a chance off the bench.

Edge:
Chicago: Denis Hamlett did a commendable job as a rookie MLS head coach after a decade as an assistant in Chicago, guiding the Fire a three-win improvement from their 10-10-10 mark a season ago under Juan Carlos Osorio. Hamlett's side had a tendency to fall into ruts at times though late in the year, most recently in a 4-1 home loss to FC Dallas on Sept. 21 and 3-2 loss in Toronto on Oct. 18. To Hamlett's credit, the Fire generally rebounded, losing consecutive league matches just twice.

Columbus: Sigi Schmid has seemed to have his finger on the pulse of his team all season long, making tremendous use of his depth to bring young players like Iro, Ekpo and Lenhart along. Schmid's 16 career playoff victories are the most in league history, and after winning a slew of trophies -- including the 2002 MLS Cup -- in a six-year stint with the LA Galaxy, Schmid is in excellent position to capture his first trophy in Columbus.

Edge:
Chicago: The Fire were relatively successful away from Toyota Park, posting a 6-5-4 mark on the road. When the teams played to a 2-2 draw on July 5 at Crew Stadium, it was the Fire who jumped out to a 2-0 lead behind goals from Rolfe and Calen Carr, with the Crew salvaging the draw on a goal from Lenhart in the 87th minute.

Columbus: The Crew collected more points (35) at home this season than any other team in the league and did not lose at Crew Stadium after a June 7 defeat to San Jose. Their fans are routinely among the most boisterous in all of MLS, and when the goals start pouring in early, Columbus can be a very tough place for a visiting team to mount a rally.

Edge:
Chicago: After moving past an injury-depleted New England side with relative ease, the Fire take a step up in competition in the Eastern Conference Championship. It is the definition of an even battle, with the two sides having played to a pair of 2-2 draws in the regular season. Perhaps more than any other team in the league, the Fire have proven themselves capable of going blow-for-blow with Columbus, beating the Crew in U.S. Open Cup qualifying and boasting their own MVP candidate in Blanco to battle with Schelotto.

Columbus: The Crew won the 2008 Supporters' Shield for a reason. Front-to-back, they are the most well-rounded team in MLS. They possess quality depth at all three lines of play and top-notch goalkeeping to boot. Furthermore, they're showing no signs of a potential letdown, having lost just once in their final 11 matches. Recent history could perhaps be working against Columbus though, as no Supporters' Shield holder has won an MLS Cup title since the 2002 LA Galaxy. That team's coach though? Sigi Schmid.

Edge: