As if there were any doubt. ATLANTA'S MARIBEL DOMINGUEZ NAMED MET-Rx® PLAYER OF THE WEEK ATLANTA (Monday, April 14, 2003) - Atlanta's Maribel Dominguez has been selected as the league's MET-Rx Player of the Week for the week ending April 13, 2003. The Mexican national team captain tied a WUSA record for most points in a game (7) when she scored three goals and added one assist in the Beat's 6-0 victory over the Boston Breakers on April 12. The Mexico City native's first goal was a world-class free kick from 22 yards in the 36th minute where the ball banged off the underside of the crossbar. Her second goal was another free kick that snuck through the player wall in the 51st, and she beat Boston's Kate Sobrero one-on-one for her final goal. After scoring three goals, Dominguez finished the day with an assist on the Beat's sixth goal to close out the scoring barrage. Dominguez, who joined the Beat during the offseason, now has four goals and two assists on the season. "Maribel's individual flair and her ability to bring everybody else into the attack just made it too much for Boston on the day," Atlanta Head Coach Tom Stone said after the game. "Maribel just thinks it's like this every week in the WUSA, five (goals) one week, six one week. I try to tell her it's not normal." The 24-year-old Dominguez captured 33 points in the voting (15 first place, 3 second place) to outdistance Washington's Jacqui Little (18 pts.) and Beat teammate Homare Sawa (3 pts.). The MET-Rx Player of the Week is selected every Monday throughout the regular season by a panel of journalists from the Professional Soccer Reporters Association.
She made it hard for them to overlook her! However, if they could have... they probably would have. I was looking at the Beat media guide today and was reviewing stats form 2001. The Beat dominated in almost every category and had very little recognition. It brought back a lot of frustration concerning how they were shafted. The Beat have to be as awesome as they now are to get the props they deserve (from the powers that be)... of course, we fans have always known how great they are and recognize their contributions.
Don't tell her any different - ignorance is bliss (just ask the SD fans ) Now that the rest of the league has toughened up, physical play is no longer frowned upon, unlike in year 1. I was shocked to read that only two other times were Beat players honored POTW, (and it wasn't Scurry nor Hooper). But then again Atlanta has always been the TEAM TO BEAT.
Re: Re: Potw I remember watching games during year #1 and thinking that, by soccer standards, the players were very polite to one another. If there was a throw in or a free kick and an opponent was the closest person to the ball, more often than not, the opponent would kick it to the other team. Now, in year three, the players have had plenty of time to build grudges. They definitely aren't as polite as they used to be. The games are alot better for it. Soccer is a contact sport no matter how much Julie Foudy wants to whine about it.
more Maribel Dominguez Celebrates Another Victory By Jon Cooper http://wusa.com/press_room/353811.html
Re: Met-Rx Connection? Yup that is the one. Met-Rx apparently became a league sponsor this season. Funny...the league didn't mention anything about it. They made sure to mention Coke and Mickey D's reupping their sponsorship but not a word on this one.
Re: Met-Rx Connection? met-rx is not a canadian company ... and hooops has been sponsored by them for awhile already... elaine
I just finished rewatching the game and will say that the greatest thing about Dominguez's performance was, on top of her offensive production, her defensive presence. In the last 10 mins she, at least twice, tracked back 60 to 70 yards to break up, or help break up, a Boston attack. Her assist was directly the result of that defensive effort. She was still showing speed and skill in the 90th min just like she was in the 1st. However I do have a concern: If the Beat are up by a goal or two late in a game and Burt gets put in with Dominguez the two of them could create a time warp due to the "Two bodies exceeding reasonable velocity in close proximity" effect. This could cause time to expand giving the other team more chances to get goals back. Since time runs slower at the end of games you are leading anyway (A well known law of nature) this effect could be more than just a mild one. It would not be much of a surprise to have a 7:30 start end at 10:30 if the Beat are leading.