Did Peter Vermes have an MLS career good enough to get him into the Hall of Fame? I say no, what about yu?
This will be a tough call. Based solely on his MLS career, no, Vermes was not a HOFer. He had a GREAT year in 2000 but the rest of his seasons were basically good or medicore and that don't get you to the HOF. However, he did earn 67 caps, score 11 goals for the US, which was damn near prolific for his era, help the US qualify for its first WC in 40 years, play in said World Cup, play in an Olympics and was a pioneer for US players in Europe, playing in Spain, Holland and an Eastern European country, I think Hungry, after being a great college player. One thing in Vermes' favor, IMO, is that he was a forward when he played for the nats, moved to MF for his first few years in MLS then was Defender of the Year with KC in 90. Hell, if he had played a little longer, he could have ended up in goal! The versatility should be remembered when he is considered for the HOF. Having said all that, for all he did, was he ever a great player? He accomplished a lot but not too much more than a lot of people who aren't or won't be in the HOF. And, aside from the great year with KC in 2000, he didn't win anything else in MLS. I know he made the MLS finals with Colorado in 97 and and the Open Cup finals in 99 but he lifted a trophy only in 2000. Of course, he made the playoffs all seven years he played in MLS but that just sort of symbolizes his career - good with a splash of great but not long term greatness. He was a good player who had a solid career but he's on the fence for the Hall and it will be interesting to see what happens as this one could, literally, go either way.
Vermes, Peter Regular Season GP GS MIN G A PTS 1996 MetroStars 30 30 2,700 1 1 3 1997 Colorado 26 25 2,206 6 4 16 1998 Colorado 31 31 2,675 2 5 9 1999 Colorado 32 32 2,880 0 2 2 2000 Kansas City 32 32 2,916 2 3 7 2001 Kansas City 20 20 1,826 0 2 2 2002 Kansas City 13 13 1,181 0 0 0 Seven-year Totals 184 183 16,384 11 17 39 MLS Cup Playoffs GP GS MIN G A PTS 1996 MetroStars 3 3 270 0 0 0 1997 Colorado 5 5 450 0 0 0 1998 Colorado 2 2 180 0 0 0 1999 Colorado 2 2 150 0 0 0 2000 Kansas City 7 7 659 0 0 0 2001 Kansas City 3 3 270 0 1 1 2002 Kansas City 3 3 255 0 1 1 Seven-year Totals 25 25 2,234 0 2 2 2000 Defender of the Year, 2000 Best XI, 2000 All-star, 2000 Champion; come to think of it he wasn't that great in any other years besides 2000.
There's not much you could do to convince me that Vermes belongs in the Hall of Fame. Sure he had one great season, but other than that he was just a solid player. If a player such as Vermes gets into the Hall of Fame, then we would have an incredibly watered-down HOF because there are many players who had "solid" careers with one season that stood out above the rest. The Hall of Fame should be a hallowed ground for the absolute best of the best of the best.
From what I've seen, our HOF already IS pretty watered-down. Seems to be more of an exercise in taking the best from each era rather than truly elite players--which is understandable given that if it were the latter, there would be about six members, five of them women. I wonder what will happen when the US becomes a global power and starts inducting players of Zidane-type resumes--perhaps the creation of an independent "pioneers" wing or some such. Not sure Vermes makes the cut even by current standards.
I don't really know much about the current Hall of Fame or its members, but a watered-down Hall would be very worthless. Getting rid of current members would be disrespectful, but perhaps a creation of a "Hall of Champions" or something similar would be a good idea to truly recognize the greats in soccer in America's history. Making the Hall as exclusive as possible is important, regardless if it means that very few people will qualify. I'm sure the hope is that in the future we will have many qualified candidates, and the debate will be whether or not Superstar A or B should get in rather than if Peter Vermes or Wade Barrett (two polls I've seen on BigSoccer) should be in.
hmmm. is this an MLS hall of Fame, or the US Soccer Hall of Fame? If its US soccer, then we need to look more seriously at his National team experience as a Forward and Defender along with his non-mls career. if its just MLS... its a much more difficult call.
Man, I love Peter Vermes. He was a great captain for the Wizards, and he's made his home in Kansas City. He's always been a nice guy when I 've talked to him, and I've never heard anyone say a bad word about him. No way does he belong in the US Soccer Hall of Fame. He falls short. Sorry. He was one of the better players of his generation, certainly, but no one would think to call him one of the best. Compare Peter to his contemporaries. Roughly speaking, that means Ramos, Keller, Meola, Wynalda, Harkes (whoops, I've just named five significantly better players). Okay, so Peter was better than Bruce Murray. You'd have a hard time convincing me he was a lot better than Mark Chung, or even John Doyle. Sorry, Peter. I don't want Frank White in the Hall of Fame, either.
I don't know about Vermes. I missed alot of his so called "dominant" year, but from the years I attended regularly, I'd say no. Frank White on the other hand is one of the top 3 middle infield defenders of all time. That's shortstop or second base IMO. He was truly dominant for his entire career on one side of the game. He also was at the very least an above average offensive player on a championship team. He batted cleanup for us in the World Series. If the Maz is a hall of famer, Frank White is IMO.
What crap. Frank gets in on defense alone. The fifth gold glove should be like the 500th homer - automatic ticket in. Frank had what, 9? At bat, he certainly had the ability to hit a mistake 311 ft. around either fair pole. Defense is a tool, sir, as are you. As for Vermes: I bellieve the Hall is for US accomplishments. Certainly his resume shouldn't be limited to just MLS. Including MLS you should consider Defender of the year, an MLS Cup medal, and "Blocks" would be roughly the only defensive stat kept. Also worth menting is that one of the most memorable and improtant moments in MLS playoff history is directly attributable to him. This moment unquestionably shaped our leauge. In '96 during the first round MET v dc series Vermes, badly hobbled through injury, was forced to take a shootout for attempt Met, a man down, as the score was tied after 9 shooters each. Vermes limped up, scored the winner with a very unlike-a-defender move and was summarilly mobbed by teammates to his obvious great pain. I have it on tape. The money shot was Vermes lmping around in the background with fat Bruce still grousing to the fourth ref about a technicality. The postscript is that of course dc went on to win the series and eventually claim the title having gone 16-16 during the regular season. More importantly, the cornerstone of their ire for the shootout was laid as the dc masses to pin their misfortune on the mere existence of the shootout and here we are today. It's there things in addition to his simply being a Nat stalwart for a decade or so that should warrant his inclusion.
I think he was referring to the question about Vermes, not Frank. I'm not old enough to remember the glory days of the Royals, but Frank White was one of the first players who I really admired. Part of the reason why I enjoyed playing second base so much as a kid was because of Frank. He should be in the Hall.
Yes. He was the first YA to play and START on first division league teams in Europe, in Spain and Hungary, before Harkes or Wynaldo. I don't think you can give enough credit to guys who pioneered playing in Europe as far as impacting the US NT. And he's like the founding father of successful european YA's. US HOF? Definately. MLS HOF? Probably not.
He'll get some votes, but under the revamped system that debuted this season, I don't see him getting in on the main ballot. Now what the "veterans committee" does down the road, that's their choice.
Interview with Peter Vermes on HungarianFootball.com ... Really interesting http://hungarianfootball.com/2012/07/hungarian-football-interview-with-peter-vermes-of-sporting-kc/
Same here... actually, now it kinda seems fun to go get controversial threads where WC was involved that have generic subject lines and necrobump them...
