Can De Rosario win MVP if his team misses playoffs?
by Steve Davis on Sep 20, 2010 10:39 AM EDT
Email
Print
Major League Soccer just completed Round 25 of 30. So, it looks like a swell time to track the important awards that will soon be decided. And there’s a “new” threat to win the MVP.
Some people believed Dwayne De Rosario was a candidate before. Personally, I saw three candidates who were more deserving. And as De Ro’s team, Toronto FC, seemed less and less likely to make playoffs, I just didn’t know if he was a viable candidate.
Well, two wicked free kicks later, I’m declaring the man solidly back in the race. (De Rosario singularly kept his team in the playoff chase with two late free kick strikes in TFC’s 2-1 win at
So the question becomes: would voters recognize a league MVP whose team doesn’t make the playoffs? It’s never happened before. (I write a little more about this on my weekly Monday piece at SI.com.) Can De Ro be the first?
So, here are my current picks for MVP and other league awards.
MLS MVP
1. Fredy Montero, Seattle
2. David Ferreira, FC Dallas
3. Dwayne De Rosario,
Defender of the Year:
1. Jamison Olave,
2.
3. Omar Gonzalez,
Goalkeeper of the Year
1. Nick Rimando,
2. Donovan Ricketts,
3.
Coach of the Year:
1. Schellas Hyndman, FC Dallas
2.
3. Jason Kreis,
Rookie of the Year:
1.
2.
3. Danny Mwanga,
Newcomer of the Year
1. Alvaro Saborio,
2.
3.
Comeback Player of the Year
1. Sebastien Le Toux,
2. Bobby Convey,
3.
19 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Green card is far short of being citizen
However, what’s his marriage situation like?
All that aside, the only way he would be on the US team is as one of those players in the early rounds of WCQ. Or early round Gold Cup.
Overall, I’d say the odds are pretty slim. But he’s young enough, so I guess it’s possible.
I thought green card made you eligible for that country?
by chrisperry1983 on Sep 20, 2010 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions
nope.
Citizenship makes you eligible. Look up an article about Andy Najar as an example. He has (or is very close to) a green card, but is 3 years away from eligibility.
Green card does make you count as a domestic player by MLS standards, that’s the main soccer impact.
Ahh gotcha
I do know that Le Toux has declared several times he is wanting to play for the US, but I suppose without the citizenship, that’s not gonna happen.
by chrisperry1983 on Sep 20, 2010 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions
He might still have a chance...
if he started his citizenship efforts when he first said he’d like to play for the US. Then he might be eligible in the next year or two.
But as good as he’s been this year, he’d have to progress before he’d scare a national team opponent. But if he’s still playing well and eligible by by the b-team gold cup in 2013, he should called into camp to see how he does in that setting.
Yeah
I’m not expecting a callup for him or expecting a stellar performance if he gets to that level. He’s certainly good in MLS right now, but I don’t know if it will translate to national success. It certainly has it for some obvious people who were on the WC team, they looked like fish out of water.
by chrisperry1983 on Sep 21, 2010 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions
Pretty Good list
Tough for me to disagree with any of the picks, except maybe rookie of the year which is really tight and changes from week to week.
Win or lose, we will always be here for you.
by johnjahafanclub on Sep 20, 2010 11:11 AM EDT reply actions
Honorable mentions...
Nice list…
I’d like to suggest Omar Cummings as an honorable mention for the MVP race. That is not to say I think he can win it, but the man is on fire. He’s at least worth noting.
Speaking of the Rapids, how about the Gary Smith getting his team to play some exciting and fun-to-watch football? Perhaps worth another honorable mention?
Absolutely!
We’ve gone from one of the boringest teams to watch, to thrilling every week. Hats off to you Gary Smith.
"It's like an owl without a graduation cap; Heartbreaking!!" -Tracy Jordan
you know what ...
i was about to write him in … then i saw that he just had one assist. One! i swear i had seen more from him this year. but unless that’s an error, i just don’t see his stats passing the first test for most voters. but i’m on the record as saying he’s one of the league’s most underrated players for sure.
just a though
So I get that most of the time we only give the MVP award to a guy leading a successful team, but if the award is truly for the Most Valuable Player, are we talking the most valuable to the league?
If so then I have to give it to Donovan who lead soccer both USMNT and MLS into the main stream by his on field actions.
If not, then do we give it to the player who means the most to his team? Which is the definition I like as it is a team sport and I think there is only one player who was a clear cut difference maker for his team, a team that would have likely struggled to get a single win this year. That players is Sebastien Le Toux for the Union, he has been involved in 21 of his teams 27 goals with 11 goals and 10 assists. How can a player who made that much of an impact, not be considered the most valuable player or at least a candidate?
Big Games favor LD
At this point in the season, we’re often talking about guys for the MVP race who aren’t in the playoffs. Problem is, the last few weeks will see the big games that will factor prominently in everybody’s vote, and a guy like DeRo is probably not going to get the chance to play in them.
TFC hosts good but under-rated San Jose this week who, if they get a point from BMO (not unlikely, either, given how they’re playing) they largely put an end to the playoff quest. Meanwhile, LA plays NY this weekend in the matchup everyone’s anticipating. If LA is to score, chances are Donovan’s involved. TFC doesn’t have a game that big left in its schedule, unless it wins that one and a couple after that.
The other one is the last week of the season, TFC plays DCU in a game no one will care about, while LA is playing Dallas for a playoff preview and possibly with the Shield on the line.
(Also, Beckham is back for longer and longer periods. This doesn’t mean he’s having a huge impact on whole games, but it does put Donovan closer to the goal, which was key in his two against DC.)
'Gentlemen' he said,
'I don't need your organization,
I've shined your shoes,
moved your mountains and marked your cards,
but Eden is burning.
Either get ready for elimination,
or else your heart must have the courage,
for the changing of the guards.'
The Dynamo’s decline started when DeRo left. He puts the team on his shoulder and makes stuff happen. He has carried them in the international tournaments and and this latest win against Houston just exemplifies it. If you are voting for an individual award, it shouldn’t matter as much what the team’s overall record is. This last game worked well for DeRO as they got the win, but how many other games has he carried the team and TFC not gotten the points? DeRO for MVP.
No way DeRo for MVP
Landon Donovan scored 20 goals in 2008 but didn’t win MPV for one reason and one reason only: his Galaxy team did not make the playoffs.
Why didn’t they make the playoffs? They let in goals by the buckets full. Not LD’s fault, but even his 20 goals and I don’t know how many assists could not et the Galaxy into the playoffs.
So if DeRo can’t get his team into the playoffs, no way is he league MVP.
Particularly because there are players with better numbers
On playoff teams
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
