[Knave]

Did you see that game? Were you one of the lucky few?

No, not the CD Chivas USA triumph over New England. No, not Freddy Adu’s stoppage time golazo to break the Galaxy’s unbeaten streak at home. And, no, not Real Salt Lake’s win over Dallas or Colorado’s trouncing of Chicago. Those various friendlies? No. The Gold Cup final? Are you kidding? That dull affair droned on for 120 sleep inducing minutes before finally going to penalty kicks.

No, no, no …

Did you see the most important game of the week? Did you see who’s back in a MetroStars uniform and playing again in his native Jersey swampland? That’s right folks. Tony Meola is back! Of course he hooked with his old team a couple weeks ago, and he played 90 minutes against the Crew last week and again against the Earthquakes over the weekend. But on Wednesday night Fat Tony finally returned to the Meadowlands. That, folks, was the game of the week. Did you see it? We didn’t. It wasn’t on DirectKick.

Tony, Tony, Tony … We missed you Tony. It wasn’t the same when you were playing for the Wizards. Nobody cares about Kansas City. Ask an MLS fan to rattle off the names of all the teams in the league and that’s the one they forget. But now that you’re back in New Jersey … it’s all good now.

Yo, Tony! We first met you back in 1989. Was it the game against Trinidad and Tobago? Oh, who can remember such things so many years later? Today it’s just a blur of mullets and doughnuts. But you really came to life for us in all your ponytailed glory in 1994 when the World Cup arrived on our American shores. Those were the innocent years, weren’t they Tony. When did it all go so horribly wrong?

It might have been when you tried out as a place kicker for the Jets. Or maybe it was that off-broadway acting gig - “Tony and Tina’s Wedding,” wasn’t it? Didn’t you know, Tony? You were an inspiration to fat children everywhere. Then, poof, it all went to hell.

By time you joined the MetroStars it was already too late. The transformation from hero to sideshow was complete. And, yet, it finally felt right. You had found your place in Jersey alongside Tab Ramos and Eddie Firmani. It might have been the fact that you were captain. Or maybe it was that silly rat-tail hairdo. Whatever the reason you came to epitomize the running joke that was (and remains) the MetroStars.

But then you moved on to Kansas City. To be sure, you had your moments there. Who can forget that magical night when Chris Albright launched a midfield bomb into your net while you were busy scratching your ass and watching the jumbotron. It was a moment worthy of a true MetroStar. But, sadly, you weren’t a true MetroStar any longer.

Now you have returned. Welcome home, Tony. Welcome home.

And, no, you didn’t make the AAXI.

---

The Week 17 AAXI: a 3-5-2

• DJ Countess, Real Salt Lake (2)
  Made some great reflex saves, but really earned the nod with an absolute jaw-dropping stop against a Gbandi free kick destined for the upper 90. DJ really can be an amazing shot stopper when he's at his best.
  
  
• Ritchie Kotschau, Colorado Rapids (2)
  Partnered with Eric Denton to dominate the left side of the field against Chicago. Aside from his assist on Denton's goal, it was a quiet but solid game for Little Richard.
  
  
• Brian Dunseth, Real Salt Lake (4)
  Dunseth had a great game with his solid defending, his contagious "I'll be damned if you get past me attitude" and that great goal that all by itself unraveled Dallas.
  
  
• Chris Wingert, Columbus Crew (1)
  One of Warzycha's moves was to put Wingert in the middle, and Fraser and Marshall out wide. It seems to have worked very well, as that back-line had a second match in a row where they limited any real opportunities on goal for KC. Wingert organizes the back well and is amazingly confident on the ball.
  
  
• Ricardo Clark, San Jose Earthquakes (3)
  Rico owned the central midfield against the Metros. The own goal against him was a fluke deflection, and the only blemish in an outstanding performance. He's a physical beast on defensive challenges, but it was his near flawless decision making going forward that really impressed us. He sent his teammates through nicely on a few occasions, he moved the ball around quickly, and he ran hard to be exactly where he needed to be.
  
  
• Kerry Zavagnin, Kansas City Wizards (1)
  On Wednesday Zavagnin was Man of the Match. His thru balls and diagonal passes behind DC's defense were of a higher quality than his teammates finishing.
  He was simply awesome: winning balls, cutting off passing lanes, and surging forward.
  
  
• Eric Denton, Columbus Crew (2)
  The guy was damned good this week as a left mid/back/whatever in Colorado's schizophrenic formation. More than just the goal that Thornton gifted him, he got open and made things happen on the left side for the Rapids.
  
  
• Clint Mathis, Real Salt Lake (2)
  Clint showed flashes of the genius that made him famous. Nice free kick to Dunseth to start the scoring, and then a wicked shot to get a goal of his own. Led the team to set RSL's tone in one of the week's big upsets.
  
  
• Mark Chung, Colorado Rapids (1)
  A goal and assist for the former MetroStar (Wizard & Rapid). Chung made sure San Jose didn't miss Brad Davis too much. His assist to DeRosario was perfectly paced and placed.
  
  
• Freddy Adu, DC United (3)
  That was a superb goal. This kid just put Ugo on the ground, froze Tyrone Marshall dead, and blazed a shot past Hartman in the same play. Also nearly set up the just-an-inch-off-form-but-dangerous Jamil Walker for the winner twice before taking matters into his own hands.
  
  
• Jeff Cunningham, Colorado Rapids (3)
  Nobody else in this league scares defenders like Jeffro does. He had a nice, well-timed setup on Nkong's beautiful goal, and then got one of his own in true goal-scorers' fashion. Had the 2nd best goal celebration of the night (more on this later)!

Plus One

• The Rapids Creative Goal Celebrations
  
  Eric Denton can be forgiven for not having a great goal celebration--it was first ever career MLS goal. But teammates Jeff Cunningham and Alain Nkong more than took up the slack.
  
  Nkong, after his second goal of the night, ran to the sideline, pulled off his right shoe, dialed a number, put the shore to his ear, and started telling his family in Cameroon of his good fortune before he was engulfed in the obligatory mob of teammates.
  
  But Jeff Cunninghame had the piece de resistance. After scoring his league-leading 10th goal of the season, he ran over to a fan banner and did his best Vanna White impression. What did the banner say?
  
  "What do you have to do to become an MLS all-star? Lead the league in scoring?"
  
  In an unrelated story, Cunningham was named an all-star earlier this week.

__________________

• This week’s Contributors are andrewt14, Casper, Chicago1871, fidlerre, Knave, Nutmeg, ur_land, voros, and zcgf02
• Header by Knave
• List compiled and edited by andrewt14 (with input from all the AAXI contributors).

[djwalker]

Quality, as usual.

I gave the AAXI a mention on Footballs Are Round, which means my thousa . . . err, hundr. . . uh, my five or so readers will be flocking here to read it.

[andrewt14]

Originally Posted by Knave

[*]Mark Chung, Colorado Rapids (1)
A goal and assist for the former MetroStar (Wizard & Rapid). Chung made sure San Jose didn't miss Brad Davis too much. His assist to DeRosario was perfectly paced and placed.

Whoops, my bad. Chung plays for San Jose.

[Bill Archer]

Originally Posted by andrewt14

Whoops, my bad. Chung plays for San Jose.

And Denton plays for....oh nevermind.

[Chicago1871]

I take back all those nice things I just said about you andrew.

[JayJay4Pres]

"The Gold Cup final? Are you kidding? That dull affair droned on for 120 sleep inducing minutes before finally going to penalty kicks. "


How sad, but true. I slept through the 2nd half, extra time and penalty's, woke up, switched it to ESPN2 for the Womens friendly against Iceland, and slept some more.

Freddy's goal had me running around my house screaming. It was great.....

[andrewt14]

Originally Posted by Chicago1871

I take back all those nice things I just said about you andrew.

That's ok. I hate you anyway.

Somebody needs to fire our fact-checker.

[Chicago1871]

Originally Posted by andrewt14

Somebody needs to fire our fact-checker.

Isn't that you?

[Lanky134]

Originally Posted by Knave

Plus One[list][*]The Rapids Creative Goal Celebrations

Eric Denton can be forgiven for not having a great goal celebration--it was first ever career MLS goal.

No, it wasn't. He scored on May 12, 2001 against San Jose, a rocket from about 25 yards out.

[Flyer Fan]

Originally Posted by Lanky134

No, it wasn't. He scored on May 12, 2001 against San Jose, a rocket from about 25 yards out.

And he scored for Columbus at New England. I think.