2009 Third Degree Awards
October 27th, 2009 . 9:12 am . By: Buzz CarrickWelcome ladies and gentlemen to the Twelfth Annual 3rd Degree Awards. The 3rd Degree Awards were created in 1998, with the addition of the Spark award in 1999, and the Ember Award in 2006. The “Thirds” consist of two major categories, FC Dallas awards and League Wide awards, and are based on regular season play. You can take a look at previous winners in our Award History. 2009 FC Dallas AwardsNapalm Award (MVP)Dax McCarty McCarty wins this award for his season of excellence. That stats alone don’t tell the story, 27 starts in 28 games, most of them as a deep holding midfielder, 3 goals and 6 assists. Eight Man of the Match awards from 3rd Degree, that’s twice the next best. The improvement for FCD began when McCarty took the holding mid role and continued when he moved up into the linking spot. Overall a spectacular season, particularly when you consider how firmly he was in the dog house at the end of last year. Day in and day out he was FCD’s most consistent and best player. Band-Aid Award (best mid season addition)Ugo Ihemelu There was some serious competition for this one; Heath Pearce, Jair Benitez, Atiba Harris, and Daniel Hernandez all could be worthy winners. I’m going with Ihemelu for bringing much needed pace to the back line and a dominate presence when he moved inside. Plus he brought some leadership as a guy who buys into the Hyndman system. Phoenix Award (best emergence or rebirth)Jeff Cunningham 17 goals wins the Golden Boot, Cunningham’s second, but even more than the total is the manner, what with his second half explosion. First half of the season saw few starts at forward and few goals. Second half saw 16 goals in 14 games, that is a true rebirth. Those half a season 16 goals ties his two previous full season bests totals in 2006 and 2002. Spark Award (best rookie)George John Other than a recurring injury problem this year, this one is easy. Might have been a starter all year if not for the injuries. Big, strong, physical, and smart. Still learning the center back spot after playing mostly as a holding mid in college. First choice down the late winning stretch. Ember Award (Reserve MVP)Not Awarded With the end of the reserve league this award will go into hiatus until it’s return. 2009 MLS AwardsMVPShalrie Joseph, New England Revolution No player has meant more to their team this year than Joseph. 8 goals and 8 assist from a primarily defensive minded player. He’s even played some striker this year a time or two. Joseph almost single-handedly carried the Revs to the playoffs. Best PlayerLandon Donovan, LA Galaxy Let’s face it, he perhaps could have won this award every year. But this year Donovan was particularly strong. 12 goals and 6 assist only tell part of the story, and they still might win him league MVP. The burst is still there, the shot is still sick, he can and does play central, wide, and up top. When he’s angry and on form he can’t be stopped. Best DefenderOsvaldo Alonso, Seattle Sounders FC Yes, I know, he’s not a defender. Doesn’t matter, he’s for me the biggest reason Seattle has a great defense. He plugs the lanes, intimidates players, and generally makes it dang hard to do anything in the midfield against the Sounders. Best GoaltenderZach Thonrton, Chivas USA 0.87 GAA and 12 shutouts. if Zach hadn’t stood on his head all year where might Chivas USA’s season have gone. They were devastated by injuries all over the field and had a constantly shifting back line. The one constant has been Zach Thronton. What a year, he saved the Chivas bacon time after time. Rookie of the YearDarrius Barnes, New England Revolution This could have been a horrific year for the Revs and the loss of Michael Parkhurst was a big part of that. Step in Mr. Barnes. The only field player in MLS to play every minute of every game. He even did it in a manner similar to Parkhurst with just 18 fouls committed and 3 yellow cards. Best Mid Season pick upLeo Gonzalez, Seattle Sounders FC Gonzalez helped take an ok defense and make a it a really good one by fixing a need at left back. He can defend and get forward well. He was a late piece of the puzzle that makes Seattle a very dangerous team right now. Trade of the YearFC Dallas, Dave ven den Bergh for a Dominic Oduro and 2nd round pick (plus swap of 1st). Van den Bergh proceeded to play in all 30 games and finish second in the league in assists with 11. Oduro traded to Houston after playing in 3 games, the second round pick became Babajide Ogunbiyi, who played 0 games for NY. Pack Your Bags AwardTom Soehn, DC United Two straight seasons out of the playoffs is not going to cut if for a team that owns WeWinTrophies.com. 25 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
David F. is our MVP. I wouldn’t put Dax in our top 3. Sala, Cunningham, also are easily better. It gets complicated after that because there were so many changes and we only played truly good soccer the last 8 games or so. For the last 5 games I thought Pearce & Ihemelu were better. Jair is special in his role.
Agree with Saban David F for MVP. then DVB; Jeff easily better then Dax. I would put Benitez just a little higher than Ugo for the band-aid. I love watching that guy play. I totally agree with Joseph. If we could have had one guy like that for years and years.
Sorry Buzz, but you’re nuts to not give Ferreira the MVP award.
And I think you’re all nuts for not agreeing with Buzz. Ferreira was spectacular in the second half of the season, but Dax stood out all season long as consistently one of the best on the team.
I’m with Buzz. Dax isn’t flashy, but he consistently does things the right way. Ferreira took awhile to catch on at the beginning of the year. Dario was out too long. Cunningham took too long to catch on.
Sala? Sala?? Sure, he had a few good games but the guy played 14 games and his GAA and save percentage weren’t really any better than Ray’s. Mind boggling.
Agreed with Rex and Buzz here. Nobody was “easily” better than McCarty this season, the ENTIRE season. I could understand saying it’s a tough call and close between a few guys (JC, VDB, and Ferreira are all clearly front runners with McCarty), but to say he’s not even in the mix….do you guys even watch these games? I’m almost resigned to just letting you bask in your obvious lack of football accumen but I just can’t let this one go.
So, you Dax fans are saying he should be MVP because he was playing realtively well when the team was losing & playing badly!?
Gives a whole new meaning to MVP.
Saban, I know you like to pick a fight, but I will this one more retort and leave it at that.
In my opinion, contributions during the bad times are relevant. Cunningham, Sala, and Ferreira were mostly benched, hurt, and out of form, respectively, when things were at their worst. To me that makes them less valuable than Dax, who held this team together through good times and bad.
I’m not saying it’s absolutely clear-cut and beyond debate, but that is the way I see it.
Completely agree with Dax getting the nod. Farreira and Cunny would come after.
Sala? Please. Really? Geez.
I don’t like to pick a fight ‘per se’. I like to state my opinion and discuss it, even if it’s unpopular. I don’t hurl insults around like “you’re nuts” (Moose) or slight people with “…do you guys even watch these games? I’m almost resigned to just letting you bask in your obvious lack of football accumen” (El Andy).
And as far as Sala goes the last 5 games he had a defense in front of him and his GAA was 0.80.
look guys, its obvious to me that saban clearly has something against dax. most of his posts are incredibly negative towards him and usually try to give everyone else on the team credit before dax. that said, looking at the ENTIRE season, buzz is spot on with the awards. where were jeff and david in the first half of the season? whoever thinks sala is the mvp after being injured half the year is delusional. sure, jeff and david were on fire in the second half of the season, but guess what? dax was right there with them in terms of consistency and overall quality play. its all a matter of opinion of course, so to each his own. but to say dax is undeserving is comical.
I think you need to check your facts El Andy.
Sala had 4 shoutouts in 14 games as opposed to 1 for RayJ in 16
Sala’s GAA was 1.51 vs. RayJ’s 1.62
The difference is substantial and factor in Sala’s leadership. Our turnaround began after Dario returned from injury and our run began with Dario as captain.
That said I think David F was our MVP with Dax a close second followed by Dario and Jeffy..
I think I take Omar G from LAG over Barnes for MVP. He really helped solidify LAGs defense this season.
I have tio go with Buzz. Mc Carty gets it for simple fact that other than DVB none of the other contributed all season. The contributtions were a big help in the end f the season but the Team MVP should go to who was most valuble through out the season. That was either Dax or DVB.
I never said Sala was deserving of our MVP, I don’t think anyone here has done so. Some people just read a line and run with it.
james b. is close to the truth, in that I view Dax as an average MLS midfielder. But I don’t have anything against him. I’m glad he’s on our team. I wouldn’t mind seeing him leave, to me he’s in the Drew Moor category.
I hope we find somebody better than Dax to take his spot next year. But if we don’t I’ll root for FCD & Dax. I’m against what I view as ‘Dax can do no wrong’ and is the next great USA midfielder and an MLS star mentality that prevails here.
Buzz naming him MVP adds amunition to Dax’ supporters vs my contrary view. I disagree with Buzz on this, I’ve agreed with him on other things. So what?
My facts are good: .11 difference isn’t much, also about 1% off on the save percentage. I didn’t say Sala wasn’t better than Burse (I agree that he brings much more poise and leadership), just stating that the stats aren’t THAT much better, especially as somebody mentioned when Sala had “the defense” in front of him. Multiple people, including Saban, mentioned Sala in their MVP contenders.
We’ve had this before, sounds like a broken record. Saban is entitled to his opinion, and I’m entitled to say his opinion resembles someone who doesn’t know what they are talking about.
I don’t I think he’s the end all be all for US soccer, but I think he has been very good this year and thus should be in the MVP discussion. I’m glad some people recognize that he is deserving of a lot of credit. The good news for people like Saban and the bad news for the rest of us is he likely won’t be in Dallas next year. Curious who the collective anti-McCarty group think woulld replace him (not to be interpreted as he is irreplaceable, just curious more than anything, is it a diamond 4-4-2 with hernandez? Or is there another person to brought in)?
El Andy,
The main thing I ask is, don’t call names & don’t quote me wrong; disagreeing with me is fine.
Here’s the quote: “David F. is our MVP. I wouldn’t put Dax in our top 3. Sala, Cunningham, also are easily better.”
What’s so hard to understand?
saban, for you to say david f. is our mvp after the first half of the season he had really puts your credibility into question. second half of the season only, no question about it. i really want to try and see where your coming from here, but some of your statements make it hard to take you serious. as was previously posted, the only player who comes close to daxs consistency throughout the entire year is DVDB. he would be in the running above david f. and jeff in my humble opinion.
Saban, relax my man.
I didn’t actually even quote you and I didn’t call you a name. I did criticize your opinions (no names though) and I interpreted a statement you made as “mentioning Sala as an MVP contender.”
What about the phrase, in a discussion of MVP candidates, “I wouldn’t put Dax in our top 3. Sala, Cunningham also are easily better” shouldn’t be interpreted as you mentioning Sala as an MVP contender? If that’s not what you meant, then you should be clearer about what you are actually saying.
Ok I’m done… thanks guys and girls (esp. Buzz)
Good with the award winners listed. Interesting to see how many good players we brought in over the course of the season. Ugo is much better centrally, and wins by a nose over Benitez whose offensive forays really changed the complexion of this team. If we can recreate the VdB/Benitez productivity on the right side, we will be deadly.
David was crap until Dax moved into the playmaker role.
Buzz- for the first time in the history of your fcd/burn awards I agree 100%.
Thank god saban isn’t a soccer coach.
The stunning logic of your collective arguments has won me over. I see the error of my ways. Dax is the best player FCD has and his past season ranks with the all-time great FCD player’s seasons.
More Dax all the time. I hope he’s back next year. But, he’ll probably spend a lot of time in South Africa, bummer. Of course that means David & Jeff will struggle imensely while he’s gone. C’est la vie.
And to you guys that like to cast stones (tater et al.). I’ve played soccer at the collegiate level, I’ve refereed soccer, I’ve coached soccer, and I have a US Soccer Coaching License. Can you say the same? I know I’m not perfect, but who is?
Wow, heated views all round. I’m not going to abuse anyone as everyone’s opinion is valid, that’s why we’re football fans after all. I am giong to say though that my choice for MVP is Daveeeed Ferreira. Granted, he was only sensational from the mid season point, but don’t let that cloud the fact that we was consistently good in every game prior to that. He may not have started scoring a whole bunch of goals until the halfway stage but he was still consistently one of the top 3 performers every game.
Now i like Dax, he turned me from someone who thought he was strictly Joe Average for the first part of the season into someone who thinks he’s a very good player and worthy of his place in the heart of the FCD midfield but Ferreira was consistently a level above him, and totally outshone him from the half way point onwards. Hey, but at least we’re arguing over two great players, could be worse.
Ok, bring on the abuse soccermoms!
Comment by saban- “Can you say the same?”
Yep. Done all that and more in soccer. Never ref’d, never wanted too.
A real player would never admit that he refereed would he?