I really miss the days when there were upwards of 70-75 regular posters on this forum. We had some very entertaining threads especially in the off-season when we were all bored. We used to have our annual pre-season "sheep" game, our post season awards, and the annual MLS Fantasy threads before Matt started killing us all. I'm stoked for the season to arrive! Looking forward to next week's kit release party and getting back over to Chester. I was thinking this morning on my drive to work about all of the "Mt. Rushmore" discusssions that take place on sports radio and the various podcasts. So, I'm going to put it out there for our discussion.... After 10 full seasons, who is on your Philadelphia Union Mt. Rushmore!? There are obviously no wrong answers, but hopefully for the sake of discussion, you will take the time to support your four players (or coaches, front office staff, etc.). I'll have at it with my picks. My Union Mt. Rushmore: 1. Sebastien LeToux: The obvious choice. All-time team leader in goals and assists. Member of 50/50 club. The team's spark plug and engine for his years here. Fan favorite and club ambassador. First member of club Ring of Honor. 2. Alejandro Bedoya: The team's first significant transfer. Team captain. Heart and soul of the club while he has been here. 3. Raymon Gaddis: The team's all-time leader in minutes played and games played. Fan favorite and goodwill ambassador. He has been a part of the Union umbrella for all ten years and has been on the team for the last eight seasons. Longest tenured Union player. #LetRayTakeIt 4. C. J. Sapong: The team's first "real" goal scorer. Second all-time in goals scored. Single season goal scoring record at 16. Honorable mention: Ilsinho... because he is Ilsinho and also due to the electricity his brings as a "super sub. Danny Califf.... the People's Elbow, the first captain and solid defensive stalwart on those first two putrid teams. Edit: after further thought and someone offering him on Facebook, Blake belongs here too.
LeToux and Carroll for me. There are others I would consider if they stick around long enough and/or we win a trophy ever.
Why Carroll? He was awesome before his time here and solid while he was here. Overall really good guy, for me not quite there though. How about you?
Personal Bias. I played mid so watching him play I appreciate how he quietly just put himself in the right position most of the time. There aren't a lot of players in general who can have the impact he did basically playing d mid alone in front of the d.
LeToux and Bedoya for sure. So many choices for the other two spots. I think I would go Blake for stabilizing a position with such a notorious history, and capo Corey to rep the original River End. On the back I would carve Danny Cruz - but it would probably crumble and fall, and have to be replaced at the end by Hoppenot.
That's easy: Le Toux, Carroll, Bedoya, Blake. Three of them are Union Ring of Honor guys and Carroll was the only constant during the Union Dark Ages of Mediocrity (2011-2017).
If you are going that route, well, Corey Furlan is a good choice, but you may as well go all the way with SOB, and place Bryan James there! LOL... so true!
If I were carving this Mount Rushmore, I would add in Roger Torres trying to muscle his way out between the two center people.
Having Carroll and Gaddis really puts the depression in perspective. Hell Dockal was more productive in a lone season.
Maybe we should just change the discussion from the Union Mount Rushmore to the Union Crazy Horse, stick Le2 on there and call it a thread.
There are more aspects than production by which a player can be judged. I was basing my choices on many different things.
You forced me to think hard about Bedoya. For a long time I didn’t think he had committed to being in Phila. despite the captain’s armband. This past season, though, he busted a gut for the team and won me over. So, yes, Bedoya in the ring of honor (and I guess Ray, too, due to longevity and all around good person?).
The 4 presidents were chosen to represent various aspects of American history: Lincoln - preservation of the Union Roosevelt - development Jefferson - growth Washington - birth With that in mind I'd choose: Bedoya for holding the team together these last few years and bridging old with new Richie Graham for his role in youth development Tanner for growing the team into something much greater than it was And LeToux as the original member and idealized leader who was always hustling and grinding it out and all around good citizen
Here's mine: LeToux: Longevity, First Goal, First Hat trick, first All Star, First game winner, etc.. Bedoya: Oh Captain, My Captain. Definition of a team first guy, works his tail off and gives 110% every single game Carroll: Anchored the midfield of the Union's first Playoff season, wore the arm band with dignity and pride through the dark times, gave his all every time he was on the field. Fought off supposedly can't miss DM prospect Okugo to earn and keep his starting place. He's a greatly under appreciated Union Stalwart. Jim Curtin: Been with the organization from nearly the beginning. Worked his way up from Academy coach, to assistant coach, and then was thrust into the role of Head Coach before he was ready, and has handled the role with candor, brutal honesty, & pride. He's grown and improved every season, and helped guide this team not only through the dark times, but also has worked under three different FO leaders. He's been a public face of the team as well, helping to promote the Union every chance he gets. He takes zero credit when the team wins, and accepts all of the blame when results don't go their way. And of course there's the opposite of the Union Mt. Rushmore: Mt. of Shame! Pitor Nowak: Went from unquestioned leader of a young and up and coming MLS expansion team.....to not being run out of town fast enough in less than 18 months! Completely dismantled the organization, and damn near destroyed the fan base. Nick Sakiewicz: Went from helping to bring MLS to Philly, and get a stadium built, to wearing out his welcome eventually. Meddled in player acquisitions, made highly questionable signings, and gave the team PR nightmares with combative and ignorant interviews in Print and Radio. Rais M'Bohli: Do I really need to explain?
Aztec21bas, I like this topic - though I really struggle to come up with 4 names. If I had to pick today, I would go with the 3 players put out by Jaykoz3 of: LeToux, Bedoya, Carroll. I really struggle with the 4th name. For the purposes of this discussion, I think that a certain amount of longevity should be required for players - say a minimum of 90 - 100 games as a Union player. However, longevity alone is not enough - thus I exclude the likes of Gaddis and Williams. Sapong is a tough decision for me but I would drop him in the end. Likewise, Medunjanin and Ilsinho also get honorable mentions. I might have considered a Califf or Nogueira but for the longevity issue. Actually, the idea of including an owner / administrator / coach is attractive to me. There are many positives in the list of Nowak, Sakiewicz and Sugarman however they are outweighed by the negatives. It's probably too soon to include Curtin on this list - but he's getting close. His is probably be the name I would use as a place holder at this time. (If I thought I could get away with somehow depicting a group in lieu of an individual, I would definitely put the SOBs as the 4th.)
I guess we haven't been around long enough or had enough special moments to really make a long list. I do think the team has never had as many potential candidates on it a the same time as they do now but players come and go. We have had some really good players pass thru but not stick around. I think you need both an impact and longevity. Anyway if we can maintain a consistent playoff making level of competitiveness going forward and considering our budget restrictions I think Ernst has to get on the list eventually.
Porfirio Lopez, Juan Diego Gonzalez, David Myrie, and Jorge Perlaza. Wait, I'm doing this wrong. Aren't I?
I thought long and hard and just couldn't get there with Gaddis or Carroll. Carroll is a great player first and foremost, but his best days were with Columbus, not Philly. Gaddis is a grinder and Ring of Honor guy but has never been the face of the team. He's like the guy you want building the scaffolding for the sculptor. Le Toux, Bedoya, Blake, Curtin
LeToux - For being pretty much the face of the franchise and giving the fan base their first truly known star Bedoya - As others have said is a team guy who pretty much gives everything in every game. One person that I would actually put on there is JP Dellacamera he's pretty much been the closest thing this franchise has to a Harry Kalas or a Merrill Reese. JP has been around American soccer for a LONG time and for the Union to get him as their play by play guy was a big get and honestly, I think of JP's voice when I think of Union broadcasts. The fourth one is tough for me and I'd have to really think about it for awhile.
Ascalz - good thought on JP... I hadn't thought of him. I would adjust my list to LeToux, Bedoya, Carroll and JP Dellacamera Mr Carroll - you are now on the bubble.