Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Noonan!!!! Wow, you Rev fans just won't bow to logic. The majority of the logical soccer community believes Ralph is more talented then Noonan. I tend to agree with them. You say Ralph has scored only once in over 2 months, but clearly you haven't been watching many Fire games. The Fire have been on a TEAR over those two months because of Ralph's unselfishness, he creates havok for the defense and has taken considerable pressure off of Razov. Plus Ralph's goals were just of better quality, period, how many GOW did he have? I think Ralph is a better player, but his stats are better then Noonan's anyways (despite the 3 goal game in what amounted to an exhibition), Ralph gets the award.
Noonan However, Damani Ralph was always Chicago's second striker. Noonan was, for a time, the Revs' fourth striker (behind Twellman, Moore, and Wolde Harris). Damani always had the playing time... Noonan wasn't able to show what he could do until late in the season. And as far as talent goes, I'll admit that Ralph is a good goalscorer, and that he's pretty damn good on the ball. Hell, there should probably be a co-RotY, but if I had to choose a rookie for my team to help me out over the next few years, it's Noonan (well, actually, it would be Joseph first - he's too underrated). Noonan has just as much dribbling skill as Ralph (ask Brian Dunseth), brilliant field vision (several assists on back-heels and through-balls into very tight spaces), he can score (and re: the Metros' argument: Michael Jordan always would drop 35 on the Knicks - does that discredit his ability to score points?), and finally, as he has proven from time to time, he comes back and plays defense too. He picked the team up when we were sans Twellman and helped lead us to our best season ever (again, more credit must be given to Shalrie - defensive mids get absolutely no love.)
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Noonan!!!! No teams fans should bow to "logic." That's part of being a fan. You are correct here. A very large portion of fans of all sports place too much emphasis on big plays (i.e. goals, points scored, big defensive stops, etc). Ralph has done as much, if not more, for the Fire when he isn't scoring goals. He is a tireless worker off the ball, and as far as being a forward goes; he defensive skills are underrated...if even looked at. Ralph is a dangerous player who went on a goal scoring run earlier in the season, but because he did it forced teams to respect his ability and this freed up other Fire players to put goals in the net. Beasley, Williams, Marsh and a couple others have become additional scoring threats because the defenses of opposing teams had to dedicate at least one man to Ralph, and sometimes two or three (which he wore like a shirt while maintaining possession most of the time). Couple of additional facts: -Ralph suffered 56 fouls (2nd on the team only to Beasley). Tends to indicate a defenses difficulty containing him. By drawing these fouls he gave the Fire 56 FK, some in dangerous territory (unsure if any directly contributed to goals, but some probably did). -Ralph took 91 shots and had 36 on goal (compared to Noonans 44 shots and 24 OG). I would much rather see a player pull the trigger more times than less. OK, Noonans % is better is this category, I admit that much, but Ralph propensity to take shots make him that much more dangerous. Which isn't to say that a sniper like Noonan isn't dangerous, but I believe (as a former defender) that you watch the guy who fires of a ton of shots just a little closer than the guy who shoots less often. In the end it is as close of a ROTY race as we have seen in some time, and both players should be fun as hell to watch over the next few seasons.
It isn't just the 3 goals Noonan scored in his last match vs the MetroSh1ts, I think 7 of the 10 goals Noonan scored have been against the MetroSh1ts this season. Damani Ralph is the rookie of the year.
Re: 'Ralph was always the 2nd striker' Wow! And I thought only Metros fans had selective memory. Anybody remember the Rodrigo Faria Era in Chicago? [Remember, the 'guy' Chicago got in exchange for Bob Bradley?] How about Dipsy Selolwane? [You know, that 'guy' from Bothswana?] These two strikers, atogether with Ante Razov entered the season ahead of Damani Ralph on the depth chart. [So lets see... (Adding Sesame Street-style) Faria is one, Selolwane is two, and Razov is three, so in Crewbasher's mind, that made Ralph #2 somehow.] Ralph's class showed as he put Faria and Selolwane behind him on the bench. Crewbasher, check your facts BEFORE posting. It will enable your position to actually hold some water in the future. Cheers!
I'm a Revs fan, and when you bring up "it", I do have to agree that Ralph has "it". I watch him, and I find myself thinking... 'If Noonan could have some of Ralph's speed, then there'd be no question.' Don't get me wrong... I think Noonan has "it" as well. It's a more methodical and "tighter" it in terms of execution, but seems to be an itty bitty bit smaller than Ralph's "it". Let's put it this way: I think Noonan's "it" makes one say "wow" for the last 25% of a given play. That last perfectly timed, intelligent cutback and exceedingly accurate shot into the goal. I think Ralph's "it" makes one say "wow" for 90-100% of a given play. Receiving the pass, muscling through a host of defenders, laying off the pass to a cutting teammate, getting the pass back, making the beautiful turn, firing, and goal! There's the difference. Both great players... just different. And if you're reading anything into my use of the word "it", shame on you. I have a wife and kids. I like the ladies. Kevin D.
Defensively, the Metros were better than the Fire this year. In the top half of the league, actually. And, obviously, if you start examining Ralph's goals, you'll see the same sort of scoring against weakened opponents.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Noonan!!!! I wasn't one of those Metro fans saying Noonan would be shut down by Pope in the offseason. I've never had anything but good things to say about Noonan, but he needs to have goals against more than one team (Not to be a good player. but to beat Ralph). The Metro defense in that last game of the year was a joke. Say that the regular starters were in for that game- I'd say Noonan still probably gets a goal. That would leave him 4 behind Ralph. I just don't see how Noonan beat out Ralph this season. He's been good, but Ralph has been good against all the teams. Rookie order: Ralph (in a class by himself) Tier 2 (in order): Noonan Dunivant Clark Tier 3: Magee Gaven Borchers etc
Re: Re: 'Ralph was always the 2nd striker' Dipsey Selolwane? Are you serious? Ralph came off the bench his first few games and was a regular starter after 5 games or so. Did Dipsey play even a single minute in that time? Check your own facts before you start preaching. Noonan started the season as a backup wide midfielder, subbing in for Ralston and Kamler. Due to injuries, he was moved to striker, and was extremely successful. He's played striker for a total of about 13 games worth of time, and in that time he's got 10 goals and 5 assists. Aside from leading the league in scoring the last 2 months, and being player of the month, he leads all of the goalscoring leaders in goals per shot and goals per shot on goal. While Chicago1871 may prefer someone who shoots a lot to someone who scores when he shoots, Noonan had a goal and hit the crossbar in a few chances, while Ralph blew a couple of headers on his chances this weekend.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Noonan!!!! Still think that after he annilated Pope (supposidly the Metro's best defender, and who everyone said who shut Noonan down)? Who cares who he scored all his goals against or with who else up there with him...he still scored them and he's still amazing.
I think that Ralph has playd better the Noonan for most of the season. But both players really got a chance because of other players missing or being injured. Ralph got a chance because Faria was out of the country and Noonan because Twellman, Brown and Moore were injured. I think that they are both good players with bright futures, but I give the edge to Ralph.
Re: Re: Re: 'Ralph was always the 2nd striker' Actually, Ralph was our 4th string forward coming into the year as well. He was behind Razov, Faria, and Jaqua. But Ralph's early season suspension and then Faria's extended absence Ralph the chance to establish himself and thats exactly what he did. By the by, I think something is said for the importance of goals, and the haven't got more important this season then Ralph's winner in the USOC final.
One reason so many of Noonan's goals are against the Metros is that so many of the games he has played at forward have been against the Metros.
Too bad they aren't going to be rookies next year. Stats don't tell the story. Razov consistently scored more goals for the Fire than anyone else, but until recently I never considered him our number one. He was the recepient of a lot of great plays from teammates like Nowak. Give Noonan a few more goals against a few more teams and I still say Ralph is better. Beasley had fewer points than Ralph, but I say DaMarcus better than both Noonan and Ralph.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: 'Ralph was always the 2nd striker' He's talking about rookie of the year. Keep up.
look... We still don't know what's going to happen, but it is likely that Revs will play at Chicago. How about we hold our opnions till Revs meet Fire. We can see both Ralph and Noon play in one game (we also have to consider that Revs are away).
I doubt if either would want to. Or, is your point that both Ralph and Noonan would have rotted at the end of Hudson's bench if they had been on Dc this year? Hard to argue against that...
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: 'Ralph was always the 2nd striker' Funny, you didn't pipe up when someone mentioned next year....
Ralph should get it for the hair dew, let alone his skills. The Fab 5 would be telling Noonan to use some better product in his hair. =-)
I don't know what anniliated means, so I couldn't say if he did it to Pope. I know Noonan didn't annihilate Pope. Pope gifted him a goal thanks to a miscommunication with Clark. It was one of his few mistakes all season. He IS the best Metro defender (and I reiterate, I was never one of the folks saying that with Pope in, Noonan would be shut down). Some of you Rev fans are hurting your own cause. It's Mark Lisi syndrome all over again. Noonan, like Lisi before him, is a good player having an above average rookie year. Unfortunately for Noonan, his teams fans are already enshrining his ball sweat, and they can't accept that he's just not as good as you all want everyone else to believe. Again, don't get me wrong, he's VERY good. I just believe that Ralph is better. I've posted why I feel that way, and I've been attacked for it. Out of all the non-Rev fans, I've probably been one of the most outspoken folks to recognize Noonan's play this season. People have listed lots of reasons and stats showing why Ralph is the better choice, but the most telling stat I think is that I don't think ONE non-Rev fan has piped up saying Noonan should win RoY. This is just a case of homerism.
I don't know if you're referring to me, but I said that many Metros fans said Pope would shut Noonan down, not that you said it. And, as I've stated in more than a few threads, I don't think that Noonan or Ralph should be ROY. Shalrie Joseph, who many Rev fans see as the Revs MVP this your, would be my choice. Also, even if I was saying that Noonan should be ROY, that's not the same thing as saying that he's a better player than Ralph. The same way, when I felt that Twellman should have been considered for MVP last year, I wasn't saying that he was a better player than, say, Landon Donovan. Different discussion completely.