Thank you Todd, for your years of service, you've been a warrior! http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...nivant-announces-plans-retire-end-2015-season
Saw that Landon video in Facebook, good tribute, and it would be sweet for those two to have 6 rings.
One of the crucial guys who stabilized our defense again after the Ruud years. One of the most intelligent soccer players I've ever watched, and I loved his skill on the ball and long throw-ins too. Good luck, Todd, can't wait to see what you do in 2016, and I hope it's with the Galaxy.
Graceful departure by a classy guy, who faced the truth. He obviously has a lot of options, and could do many things, but given his activity in the collective bargaining process, I see his best spot as with the players' union, maybe even president of the union eventually.
He's a first class guy and I really like him. I would classify him as steady, nothing spectacular, but steady and dependable and a top teammate. Glad he was on our team. I wish him well.
Ditto the comments above. You can tell from the videos his teammates loved him, and he's an intelligent individual. I hope he sticks around with the sport. We need more Todd Dunivants.
I was at a USMNT friendly game v. Japan a number of years ago at PacBell Park in SF (just looked it up - 2006. 9 years?! Holy crap I'm getting old). Todd played left back that evening, and looked great. Had a number of well placed long diagonal crosses into the box, and more than held his own in the back. I thought he would have a chance to get a lot more looks from the Nats, but it turns out that was his last cap.
Good luck to him, I hope he stays around the Galaxy. I liked his description in his video, that if he was doing his job you wouldn't be talking about him OR the guy he's marking, "addition by subtraction". That describes pretty well the value he's brought to the club over the years. Well done, Todd.
I can easily say that Omar, AJ and even Rogers would NOT be the defenders and solid unit they are today without Todd Dunivant's mentorship. He was easily one of the most important and critical early pieces of the Arena era and even prior to that in 2005 as we all know. The guy is a born winner who played well beyond the level his technical and physical abilities permitted him - his brain was always top notch and on point. I hope the Galaxy take care of him and give him a job somewhere in the organization. I raise my glass!
He says in an article today that he wants to stick around in a business capacity with the club. Hope that comes true.
This is really true. The draft was very good to us that year, but it was bringing in Dunivant that really firmed up the line. So much youth back there (remember when it was Franklin, Omar, and AJ, and Franklin was the "experienced" player?) and we really needed stable leadership, and that was Todd. Surprising how little I cared when he was acquired. I remember things like "another Arena retread, great....." and in restrospect it is kind of odd that he moved so much in the middle of his career. He really should have been a franchise building block. Never made a ton of money either. Kinda of an interesting career arc. That all said---definitely time to hang them up and head upstairs to the business or coaching department.
I believe trading away Dunivant was another one of those Genius Yallop Moves, and he brought in Ante Jazic instead, who was not up to par. Then there were a couple of other terrible left backs - don't remember who - until Arena brought Dunivant back. I was at those first several games when Todd returned, and watched him closely, and his performances were fantastic. He controlled everything on his side perfectly, and the quality shone. He was huge for us.
Gawd, I can already imagine the FNG (F**king New Guy/Gal) treatment on the first day at work: After MLS Cup 2015-16: El Presidente Klein: "Alright Todd, as you know we now have the Holy Divine Trinity of....too many signings...you know them: sober Irish guy, that English dude with the accent, and Johnny 2 Saints, with of course the big swinging brass balls of Gonzalez further back." Dunivant: "Oh yeah, don't I know it. We got this dynasty shit on LOCK. DOWN." Klein: "Now that you got 5 rings, I also know your pimp hand is quite strong with the Dark side. Master Arena is quite proud." Dunivant: "Each of my fingers got more rings than entire teams in the league! Especially those weird blue guys up north. I'm glad we were able to rescue Gordon - good call Mr. President." Klein: "Todd, I need your strength once more. This entire organization must look to you again." Dunivant: "What is it sir?" Klein: "I want you to go to the copy room and make about a million photo copies of each DP star we now have. May your hand be swift and strong. Oh, and welcome to the front office - your corner office is on the left. Have Donovan show you around." Dunivant: "Goddamnit."