Voting opened on June 8th for the All-Star game. Here are the D.C. United nominees: Bill Hamid Dwayne DeRosario Perry Kitchen Nick DeLeon Chris Pontius Maicon Santos It probably isn't particularly surprising that it is DC's attacking talent that has attracted most of the attention. I don't particularly feel like rehashing the pros and cons of an All-Star game. Suffice it to say, I'm am less interested than many others; just not my thing. I would like to see all six of those guys be awarded with a spot on the team, but also to be excused from attending the game. Those into this sort of thing can vote for their favorite DC United players by texting a players name to 22442 or by Twitter (although voting there opens later). Those interested in putting all the nominated NYRB players on the team, just to piss off Backe, can do the same. I suppose I could post a link to the list of all the nominees, but I'm partisan and I also assume your google-fu is competent to the task. I would like to now open the floor to comments and/or jokes about whether Nowak can lose the All-Star lockerroom by the half.
I would say that though all six have been good, DeRo's the only real All-Star material. Santos might be close. Remember, these guys have incentives in their contracts, so even if you don't believe in the actual game, vote for the guys you think deserve a bonus.
Covered for those interested MLS ALL-STAR FORWARD CANDIDATES (29):CHICAGO FIRE (1): Dominic Oduro CHIVAS USA (2): Juan Pablo Ángel, Alejandro Moreno COLORADO RAPIDS (1): Omar Cummings COLUMBUS CREW (1): Emilio Rentería D.C. UNITED (1): Maicon Santos FC DALLAS (1): Blas Pérez HOUSTON DYNAMO (1): Will Bruin SPORTING KANSAS CITY (2): Kei Kamara, C.J. Sapong LA GALAXY (1): Robbie Keane MONTREAL IMPACT (1): Bernardo Corradi NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (1): Saer Sene NEW YORK RED BULLS (2): Thierry Henry, Kenny Cooper PHILADELPHIA UNION (1): Lionard Pajoy PORTLAND TIMBERS (2): Kris Boyd, Darlington Nagbe REAL SALT LAKE (2): Álvaro Saborío, Fabian Espindola SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (2): Chris Wondolowski, Steven Lenhart SEATTLE SOUNDERS (2): Fredy Montero, David Estrada TORONTO FC (3): Danny Koevermans, Ryan Johnson, Joao Plata VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (2): Camilo Sanvezzo, Sébastien Le Toux MLS ALL-STAR MIDFIELD CANDIDATES (40): CHICAGO FIRE (3): Sebastián Grazzini, Marco Pappa, Pável Pardo CHIVAS USA (2): Nick LaBrocca, Oswaldo Minda COLORADO RAPIDS (3): Jaime Castrillón, Jeff Larentowicz, Martín Rivero COLUMBUS CREW (2): Eddie Gaven, Milovan Mirosevic D.C. UNITED (4): Dwayne De Rosario, Nick DeLeon, Perry Kitchen, Chris Pontius FC DALLAS (2): Brek Shea, Daniel Hernandez HOUSTON DYNAMO (1): Brad Davis SPORTING KANSAS CITY (2): Roger Espinoza, Graham Zusi LA GALAXY (3): David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Juninho MONTREAL IMPACT (2): Davy Arnaud, Felipe Martins NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (3): Benny Feilhaber, Shalrie Joseph, Lee Nguyen NEW YORK RED BULLS (2): Joel Lindpere, Dane Richards PHILADELPHIA UNION (2): Freddy Adu, Gabriel Gómez PORTLAND TIMBERS (2): Diego Chara, Jack Jewsbury REAL SALT LAKE (1): Kyle Beckerman SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (2): Marvin Chávez, Rafael Baca SEATTLE SOUNDERS (2): Osvaldo Alonso, Mauro Rosales TORONTO FC (1): Torsten Frings VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (1): Davide Chiumiento MLS ALL-STAR DEFENDER CANDIDATES (26):CHICAGO FIRE (1): Gonzalo Segares CHIVAS USA (1): James Riley COLUMBUS CREW (2): Chad Marshall, Sebastián Miranda COLORADO RAPIDS (1): Drew Moor FC DALLAS (2): George John, Ugo Ihemelu HOUSTON DYNAMO (3): Bobby Boswell, Geoff Cameron, Andre Hainault LA GALAXY (1): Todd Dunivant MONTREAL IMPACT (2): Matteo Ferrari, Nelson Rivas NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (1): A.J. Soares NEW YORK RED BULLS (1): Heath Pearce PHILADELPHIA UNION (2): Carlos Valdés, Sheanon Williams PORTLAND TIMBERS (1): Eric Brunner REAL SALT LAKE (2): Nat Borchers, Jámison Olave SEATTLE SOUNDERS (1): Jeff Parke SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (1): Steven Beitashour SPORTING KANSAS CITY (1): Aurélien Collin TORONTO FC (1): Ashtone Morgan VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (2): Jay DeMerit, Young-Pyo Lee MLS ALL-STAR GOALKEEPER CANDIDATES (19): CHICAGO FIRE: Sean Johnson CHIVAS USA: Dan Kennedy COLUMBUS CREW: Andy Gruenebaum COLORADO RAPIDS: Matt Pickens D.C. UNITED: Bill Hamid FC DALLAS: Kevin Hartman HOUSTON DYNAMO: Tally Hall LA GALAXY: Josh Saunders MONTREAL IMPACT: Donovan Ricketts NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION: Matt Reis NEW YORK RED BULLS: Ryan Meara PHILADELPHIA UNION: Zac MacMath PORTLAND TIMBERS: Troy Perkins REAL SALT LAKE: Nick Rimando SEATTLE SOUNDERS: Michael Gspurning SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES: Jon Busch SPORTING KANSAS CITY: Jimmy Nielsen TORONTO FC: Milos Kocic VANCOUVER WHITECAPS: Joe Cannon
I think we have until July 8th to vote. Still a lot of soccer to be played before then. I'll wait and see if anyone breaks out before then. I'd like to see Salihi score like 6 goals in the next 3 games and have everyone wonder why they can't vote for him ...
God, I hate the All-Star Game. Is Nowak really coaching? What, Aron Winter was busy? Where's Boskovic? God, I hate the All-Star Game.
Agreed, I'd be much happier with a simple "Best XI" awarded at end of the season. Someone could go on a tear right now and be the hands down MVP, but not an "All-Star".
I know this is an old post and most of it sill applies, but it probably deserves a mention in this thread that Olsen is the coach.
Just as long as Ben gives DeRo small minutes and plays SKC, Chi and the NYRB players into the dirt all is well.
