Landon is an excellent player. And I'm grateful for what he brings to the team. But when we were lacking on defenders, do you honestly think Landon could have stepped in? I don't. But Richie did. Richie is a very flexible, hard working player that is just as crucial (if not more so) to the team's success as Landon. He works his butt off more than any other player on the team and, possibly, in the league. Honestly, can anyone name a player that is as crucial to any team's success as Richie has been to the Quakes this season? It's not about how many goals he scores. I'm basing this on his overall contribution to the team.
Sorry, MVP this year won't be a player who was gone for one month, unless he breaks some kind of record during the season... Richie's a damn good choice from the Quakes. As is Joe (8 clean sheets so far). And Graz (12 g).
For someone who has stated that Landon sucks, you're sure making a big deal outta promoting him for MVP. I can pretty much assure you that it won't be Landon. It's not about the number of fans you bring to the game. It's about your contributions on the field.
I think it will be Graziani, Kreis, or Ruiz. If you don't put up big goals/assists numbers, or you are not a completely dominant goalkeeper, you won't get noticed by the media voters. Cannon could win it if he gives up no more goals for the rest of the season.
RM should get MVP simply for using both feet to mule kick Mike Burns....hell, induct him into the MLS hall of Fame for that one....
Quakes MVP: Mulrooney, Graziani or Cannon. I would say that Cannon is the least likely as it is right now. Graziani has 6 game winning goals right now, and needs just one more for the season record I believe. Noah is correct on what the media notices. Stats, stats, and more stats with a little abstract.
Mulrooney is ok, and Barrett has been really good. But neither have Landon's abz, so it is clear that they do not deserve to win.
Most definately if it were about the abs, Landon would get MVP! But the truth is that he was gone for more than a month and during his absence players like Mulrooney, Graziani, and Barret are the ones on my list for the MVP title this year. I do think that Graziani will get it though!!
Good argument to see "Crazy 8" RM for MVP... he does the quiet things that don't get reported on a stats sheet, like shutting down the other team's offense and versatility in the back. He also has the knack for moving the ball up as well. However, in a team that is overshadowed by Graziani, who has the goal scoring numbers, a superstar in Donovan, and a goalie in Joe Cannon, it's easy for Mulrooney to get lost in the shuffle. Had he played for another team where the keeper isn't doing a monster job and the goal scoring is evenly divided, he would be a lock for MVP. The MVP is usually given to a top notch goal scorer (Graziani and looks like Ruiz as competition), maybe a playmaker (Etcheverry or Valderrama), and to a lesser extent a goalie (maybe Meola at one point). Hockey fans will see this point. A defender will have to have a very very exceptional year to get the MVP award (re: Christine Pronger). There's nothing to take away from Mulrooney. Obviously when he's on the pitch he makes a valuable contribution and has an impact, and when he isn't playing, the team looks a bit lost. If I remember about Pronger, he won the award despite not having a goalie, and the forwards scored their goals evenly. The thinking here is that defenders don't get that much consideration unless they do something very extraordinary. If RM doesn't get MVP, even though he's a midfielder, maybe give him the defender of the year award. His impact is felt there. 99.9 percent of the time, it all boils down to statistics. Because of that, a forward or attacking midfielder who can light the lamp will receive the award. And they will get the first look. Cheers!
I'm surprised that a thread about an underrated candidate for MVP, someone whose superb contributions to a winning squad are largely unnoticed because the guy plays midfield and doesn't total up a lot of goals and assists ... this thread has, far as I can tell, up until this moment lacked a single mention of Ronnie Ekelund.
I think that if it is one of the earthquakes it would be great, they all do a great job. Richie, Landon, Ronnie, Ariel, and Wade would all be great candidates
Yep! Ronnie and Richard are so ideal together in midfield because all of those things said about RM are also true of Ronnie. Sadly, I doubt that either will get a sniff from the media for MVP because what they do doesn't appear in the form of big, fat, gaudy numbers. No question, they are invaluable to our team. If you are strictly talking about an MVP on our team, I'd have a hard time chosing...Barrett, Graziani, Cannon, Ekelund, Mulrooney...all make solid cases. If you are talking about the whole of MLS, it's my belief that only Graz or SuperJoe have a chance, as of this moment. What Noah says about Joe is also true--our uninitiated media will not acknowledge a goalie unless he doesn't allow a goal for the next two months. With seven left to play, there is still time for someone to rise up but I'm betting Graziani is our best league MVP candidate right now. Unfortunately, it'll probably go to A-holito Ruiz with LA or Twellman but then, that's our media...only reporting on what's in the nets, not taking into account what happens between them.