MLS Awards finalists announced

Major League Soccer announced the finalist for its regular season awards on Monday and while most of the nominees were easy enough to call, some were pretty surprising.

Here is the list of finalists for some of the awards:

MVP- Juan Pablo Angel, Luciano Emilo, Cuauhtemoc Blanco

Newcomer of the Year- Juan Pablo Angel, Luciano Emilo, Cuauhtemoc Blanco

Defender of the Year- Michael Parkhurst, Claudio Suarez, Eddie Robinson

Rookie of the Year- Dane Richards, Maurice Edu and Adam Cristman

Goalkeeper of the Year- Brad Guzan, Pat Onstad, Matt Reis

So which were the surprises? Here are some:

Blanco was the most shocking choice for me. Yes, he has been a revelation for the Fire and a key reason for their turnaround, but he is not the SOLE reason for their turnaround. I have a feeling some voters gave Blanco all the credit and forgot other key factors such as the arrival of new coach Juan Carlos Osorio, defender Wilman Conde, forward Paulo Wanchope as well as the return of Chris Rolfe.

Then there is the small fact that Blanco played just 14 games for the Fire. His half-season was great, but not more valuable than what a full season of Ante Razov meant for Chivas USA or Shalrie Joseph for New England. Blanco is one of the league's best players, but not the league MVP.

Then you have the rookie of the year finalists. How Cristman was chosen as a finalist ahead of Robbie Findley is beyond me. Findley finished the season with eight goals in 25 games for LA and RSL, earning a U.S. national team call-up in the process. Cristman finished with four goals and four assists in 28 games for New England.

Goalkeeper of the year was a bit surprising to me as well. Reis is one of the league's best goalkeepers. There is no doubting that, but to say he had one of the three best seasons among goalkeepers is a stretch. Joe Cannon and Troy Perkins had better seasons. Cannon's top-notch form is what kept the Galaxy's playoff hopes alive until the end of the season while Perkins bailed out a D.C. defense that was shaky at several points in the season.

There were other award finalists names, including referee of the year (yes, Brian Hall and Jair Marrufo are finalists). You can find them here.

What did you think of the finalists chosen? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

[Ben]

Brian Hall should not win Referee of the year simply because he instigates more confrontations than any other referee. Is he that bad? no but, in no way should he be referee of the year.

[Craig]

I thought for sure Beckham would be added somewhere. Like a new award for most time on camera while barely stepping foot on the pitch.

[inkedAG]

With the horrid officiating in MLS, the bar to win Referee of the Year must not be that high!

[Joe in ND]

What about Beckham?

;)

[nutmegger]

Beckham will be on the list for newcomer of the year next year.

[KingSnake]

That's the first positive mention I've seen of Wanchope's contribution to the Fire, and Rolfe was already with them when they were sucking, so despite being half decent, he did not make difference in their season either.

[Ives]

Snake, Rolfe was great early on (as was Chicago) but then he got hurt and missed a bunch of games (around the time Chicago fell apart) and he has definitely been a factor since coming back.

As for Wanchope, I'll give you that he's been disappointing but he did score the game-winning goal against Columbus in a 1-0 game. If the Crew had won that game it would be Columbus in the playoffs and not Chicago.

[Joamiq]

Yeah, I'm not sure if it makes sense to list Wanchope as a positive contributor to the Fire's turnaround. The fact that Blanco only played half a season is the stronger argument as to why he shouldn't be considered for MVP. A player hardly has to be the SOLE reason for his team's success in order to be the MVP. In any case, we all know that award is between Angel and Emilio anyway.

I agree that Cristman over Findley is downright confounding. But again that shouldn't factor in the end result, as this one should be all Edu's. There have been too many games this season where Richards has been ineffective.

The existence of a Referee of the Year award is downright insulting. It's like choosing which rotten egg you like the most in a box full of them.

[jason]

Perkins and Cannon are the two best goalkeepers in MLS, hands down (and no pun intended). They are not only the two most technically sound goalkeepers in the league, but also the most consistent.

Both Guzan and Ries are capable of heroics, but they are also both capable of letting their concentration slip and allowing some pretty aimless goals. They are both good goalkeepers, but not deserving of these nominations.

[Jon G]

Ives, you're smoking something if you think that Wanchope had a lot to do with Chicago's turnaround.

[Tim]

Findley should have definitely been on the Rookie of the Year shotlist. I hope Juan Pablo (MVP) and Dane (Rookie) win awards!

[kpugs]

Blanco's inclusion in the finalist list after playing 14 matches shows just how far this league still has to go. What a joke.

[Fire_Juve10]

I'm a Fire fan and I appreciate everything Blanco has done for us, but he really shouldn't be on the MVP ballot. Newcomer of the Year ballot, yes, but not the MVP ballot.

And if I had a vote, I'd make a write in vote for Jesse Marsch as MVP.

[flyingoose]

at some point, mls really needs to give more credit to shalrie joseph. i thought it was ridiculous how he did not win MVP in 2005 over twellman, despite winning team MVP. i am so tired of joseph not receiving the credit he deserves. but, that said, angel is most deserving of the three finalists this year because he has helped lead a turn around for the red bulls.

[SoccerTex]

So, the MLS MVP could be a player that participated in only 14 matches??? What does that say about the quality of the league.... Honestly though, I just think it is a crock and says more about the sheer lack of knowledge of the group that came up with the finalist (I didn't catch who it was, some clown "soccer" writers I'm sure -- Ives and Goff excluded)

[Jeff]

As a Fire fan I have to say Blanco is the sole reason for the Fires turn around. Without him they would not be in the playoffs. Wanchope is not even any good with many fans actually prefering Barrett if you can imagine. Conde has been great at times but he has only played 7 games and in some of them he was not so great.
I think you give Osorio way too much credit. Without Blanco he wouldn't have been able to do anything either. Without Blanco their hope was gone, Blanco brought hope.

[Bob]

I have to chime in that Wanchope wasn't a big help even with that Columbus goal. Although I'm not a big fan of Barrett or Carr I still think with all the chances Wanchope misses law of averages mean one of those two would make a few.

[jkr]

I am a Fire fan and have tix. After Rolfe went down, our team played and looked no better than a high school team. Osorio has the team playing like a team and covering for eachother on the field. The off the ball movement is much improved.
Blanco is phenomenal and has instilled confidence on our side, and Barrett has been making quality runs (yet needs to work on his touch and finishing).
Wanchope has been terrible and is no threat.
Conde is a stud in on the backline and the defense is much improved with him on the team.
With all that said, the team MVP has to be Pickens. He has kept us in more games than he has cost us, and the goals given up, are usually from a break down on the back line.
Just think how scary the Fire will be next year...Mapp healthy and assuming Rolfe moves back up front.

[Douglas]

i like the blanco inclusion. i agree with the posters that said he was the main reason, probably not the sole reason, for chicago's surge in the last half of the season. the award is for the most valuable player, not the player that appeared in the most games. he brought a team back to life, thats tough. i don't think he should win, but i do think he belongs among those recognized, as does razov and joseph.

[scubie albie]

hey.Ives just a buzz about your piece in todays herald.you know what you should be a coach.I was a coach in jamaica for many years, and there is no way a team can survive withough midfield,who is going to distribute the ball,and you can not depend on defenders to do that, the ball has to move from one area to another smoothly,the red bulls was winning matches all this time with a make shift team, that the coach take for granted,you know what angel would be a better player if he comes out of midfield.players must understand,even though goals win matches, first you have to have the ball and keep posession of it then do what ever you want with it,like you said he get payed to score goals,but he is playing a team game and therefore everone one on the team can score goals or should score .

[Byron H]

I can't figure out why noone is mentioning Pat Onstad for goalkeeper of the year. Houston set a record for the least number of goals surrender in mls history and there isn't a single sportswriter that placed him above Guzan. Don't get me wrong, I like to descriminate against Canadians as much as the next guy but this isn't even subtle.

[Ives]

OK, I get it, Wanchope has been a disappointment, but to say he provided nothing in his first matches is a bit much, no? And say what you want about the goal he score against the Crew, it won a game that wound up being HUGE for their making the playoffs.

And again, the point was that there were other contributing factors to the team's turnaround along with Blanco. The whole "Blanco carried us on his back" notion is created by the same hype machine that helped him get the MVP votes that pushed him into the top three.

And I'm not saying Blanco wasn't valuable, but top three in the league? Ahead of Shalrie Joseph and Ante Razov?

I actually think you could make a better argument for Guillermo Barros Schelotto than Blanco because while Blanco had help from a stronger supporting cast, Schelotto single-handedly joined the Crew and gave them a chance.

Ultimately it won't matter as long as Blanco doesn't win but given that he had enough votes to be in the top three, and there are enough fans of his with votes, I shudder to think of the possibility of him actually winning.

[Frank]

Good point Douglas! I agree that Blanco should be included and probably should win. It does matter how many games you play in. It matters that he carried his team without much help into the playoffs. Look at the talent that Emilio and Angel have around them. Imagine if they had Blanco passing them the ball. In baseball if Arod missed the first half of the season because of injury and the Yankees stunk then came back to lead them in the postseason he would be included in the MVP talks.

[Frank]

Which supporting cast Ives? Barret? Wolfe? Wanchope? Have you seen all the bad finishing down the stretch from these guys. Wolfe did good towards the end but had his problems when he first came back. You also have to measure the confidence and energy that Blanco brought, it was not all just physical. What other player in the MLS can you say would not have made the playoffs if he never played all year?

[Frank]

I meant to say it does not matter how many games he played in.