Cunningham Wins Golden Boot
October 25th, 2009 . 8:26 pm . By: Buzz CarrickIt’s official, here’s the final goal scoring table. While FCD didn’t make the playoffs, there is still something to celebrate with the franchise’s third Golden Boot in club history. Eddie John in 2004 and Jason Kreis in 1999 both tied for the scoring title.
FCD’s Cunningham wins ‘09 Budweiser Golden BootCareer-high 17 goals, 16 in last 15 games, earns second goal-scoring title NEW YORK — FC Dallas forward Jeff Cunningham claimed the 2009 Budweiser Golden Boot awarded to the League’s top goal scorer at the end of the regular season. After scoring a career-high 17 goals in 2009, Cunningham joins Taylor Twellman, Carlos Ruiz, Stern John and Roy Lassiter as two-time Golden Boot winners. Cunningham edged Colorado Rapids forward Conor Casey (16 goals) for the title. His 17- goal total surpassed his previous career-high of 16 goals, which he accomplished twice – with Real Salt Lake in 2006 and the Columbus Crew in 2002. Cunningham’s 16-goal campaign in 2006 earned him the Golden Boot. Cunningham is second all-time on the career goal-scoring list with 121 regular season goals, just 10 behind D.C. United forward Jaime Moreno. Cunningham played in 28 of FC Dallas’ 30 games and played a vital role in his club’s remarkable run in the second-half of the season. Cunningham led the League with seven game-winning goals and he also contributed seven assists. Dallas won five of its last seven games and narrowly missed the MLS Cup playoffs, finishing one point behind the last wild card spot. Cunningham finished the season with four multi-goal games, including his four-goal performance in a 6-0 victory over the Kansas City Wizards on Aug. 1. From Sept. 5 to Oct. 7, Cunningham scored in six straight games. He took home MLS Player of the Week honors four times this season (Weeks 16, 20, 26, 30) and MLS Player of the Month honors for the month of September. The Columbus Crew selected Cunningham ninth overall in the 1998 MLS College Draft out of the University of South Florida. In his 11-year career he has scored 121 goals in 316 regular season games. After seven seasons with the Crew and one with the Colorado Rapids, he played one season for Real Salt Lake before being traded to Toronto FC mid-way through the 2007 campaign. Cunningham was traded from Toronto FC to FC Dallas before the 2009 season for a third-round draft pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. TOP GOAL SCORERS IN EACH SEASON2009: 17 goals – Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas) 7 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
Hooray, Jeff! Hooray, Beer!
So what are the stats on someone getting the Golden Boot and their team NOT making the playoffs?
I think LD won it last season and LAG did not even sniff the playoffs.
COngratulations Jeffy!
WAY TO go JC9!
do this well all yeard and in 2010 we’re on our way to the MLS Cup final!!!
GO FCD!!!
IT IS OFFICIAL!!!
http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls...&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp
we need to aim for this next year:
1. win golden boot
2. win MLS Cup Final
3. win USOC
4. win Supporters Shield
Set your goals and go for it!!
Who cooled off Cunningham in the last two games? One factor that cannot be overlooked was Hyndman getting in his head by closing practices the week leading into the Colorado game. Cunningham missed several “gimmes” in that game, and followed that up with an uninspired performance in Seattle.
Cunnningham has mentioned in various interviews that he plays best when he is playing by instinct. The minute he starts thinking, he looses his goal scoring touch.
Granted that other factors come into play such as Cunningham’s touch not being refined enough to handle the artificial surface in Seattle, and Cunningham’s personal battle with Casey; but by then the initial damage had already been done by Hyndman.