Red Cards

With there being no game this weekend for the Wizards, I figured I'd use this time to throw a few stats out on red cards this season.

If it seems like there have been more red cards in Wizards games than in previous seasons, that's because it's true. Combined, the Wizards and their opponents have received 13 red cards in games in all competitions this season. That's a new record for combined red cards for a season. The previous record had been 12 set in 1998 and equalized in 2001 and 2002. For the Wizards part in this, they've received 6 red cards in all competitions this season, the most since the team received 8 in 2002, the highest total in team history. The 7 red cards that Wizards opponents have received this season ties the record for the most red cards Wizards opponents have seen in a season. That record was set in 2001. With all the time left in the season, this record seems likely to fall.

Almost 40% of those red cards have occurred outside of league play, with the Wizards receiving 2 in SuperLiga and 1 in the Open Cup, while Wizards opponents in SuperLiga picked up 2. The other 8 red cards occurred in league play. The 8 red cards in league play, though, is tied for 5th in Wizards league history with the 2004 season. The highest total in league play was in the 1998 season when 12 red cards were issued in league games. The Wizards will have trouble setting a team record for league red cards as the record is 7, set in 2002. Wizards' opponents, though, could set a new record, as they've already had 5 league red cards, tied for third place with 1999, 2000, and 2005. The record is 6 set in 1997 and tied in 1998.

In matches where a red card has been issued, the Wizards are 3-3-5 (W-L-D) in those games (two games saw 2 red cards issued). In league play, the Wizards are 3-1-3 when a red card is issued, the only loss coming in a 2-0 loss to the Crew. When it's the Wizards receiving a red card, the team is 0-2-3 in all competitions, going 0-0-2 in league play when they receive a red card. When the Wizards are up a man, they are 3-2-2, going 3-1-1 in league.