Well deserved, both in terms of impact to his team and in terms of bang for the buck.

This guy is for real! Hope he's back next year.

I'd rather them win the MLS Cup than personal awards. They need to get their priorities straight.

Well done. Let's hope that helps keep him here.

What's your source, man?

Lets hope we see more of the same from him next year! Goff, did he have incentives in his contract tied to being the league MVP? just curious.

You forgot 2004, when Moreno won but they gave his award to a diving midget.

Congrats to Emilio and yourself breaking the news!!! I am more than happy for him since he is with United. More pride we can carry on. DCU could bring two more Emilio, we can really trash the rest of the MLS league and crown champions and we will have the best fans like Bundesliga or Urawa Reds in J-League.
Glory Glory United!!

Is Emilio still in the running for the newcomer award, or has that been decided already?

Poopy Face-

It is completely erroneous and absurd to think that DC decided to trade an MLS Cup title for a league MVP award. What are we supposed to do, not have the league's best player on our team? Do you honestly think anyone associated with DC United, including Emilio, wouldn't trade his MVP award for a spot in Sunday's game?

For a good laugh . . . check out some of Ray Hudson's color commentary . . . Can he replace Wynalda?

http://hudsonia.blogspot.com/

good job Emilio. Too bad you were non-existent in the playoffs.

Congrats to the team and the individual players.

We as supporters, despite our idealistic goggles, need to recognize the achievement irregardless of the fact that we didn't lift the Cup this year or other years. Having 3 players take an MVP award from one club (25% of all MVPs) is still a remarkable testament to Kevin Payne and the various coaching staffs that have been through the club. They continue to find the talent and production at levels that other MLS Clubs (ahem, Galaxy and Red Bull) are envious of. It's got to be the MLS equivalent of the Yankees and Red Sox watching Billy Beane and the A's explode their world.

The team does have an orientation toward championships. This is the only market where I feel like there is HONEST pressure to succeed in all competitions. When our lads lose in CCC, SuperLiga, SudAmericana, MLS Playoffs - You can see the pain in their face, you can feel that not only is it a let down to them, but disappoint dealt to the supporters and casaul fans alike. This market treats them like a real team and every achievement should be celebrated, and every struggle seen as the opportunity to improve.

The next time, Poopy Face, that you get a raise, please give it back to your boss or spread it amongst your employees until your firm is #1 in whatever it does.

Don't worry about finding my upcoming posts in a BS thread. I guess this is where I officially congratulate him.

He didn't speak English before this season?

my life is brilliant, my love is pure

something, something
something, something

Emilio, you're beautiful
you're beautiful, you're beautiful
it's true

well put Chest and UVA United.

poopy face -- don't be a dolt and force me to use the Lalas moniker on you.

Parabens, Luciano! :-)

in the immortal words of "night at the roxbury's" butabe brothers:
EMILIO! EMILIO!

Well deserved Emilio!!! It somewhat makes up for the fact that we are not playing on Saturday.

it's amazing that a season can turn on one decision. Having Emilio start (and subsequently get hurt) essentially eliminated 75% of the scoring threat during the playoffs. Here's a question to consider (and one I have not heard raised), why start Emilio against Columbus? He had already wrapped up the league's scoring title and no matter what DC did against Columbus it would not affect their playoff schedule. Instead of getting a win and a psychological 'boost' getting into the playoffs DC lost its most consistent (health) player and far and away its preeminent scoring threat.

I really hope Emilio comes back for next, because as Bad Brains (and I hope they play MLS Cup 2007 along with Chuck Brown) say:

D.C yeah we up in the stands
from SE to NW we your number 1 fans
this is DC up in the RFK
because this typa s*** don't happen everyday

it's like bustin' with the dealio Luciano Emilio
golden goal, hat trick Jaime Moren
we in this game to set the pitch on fire
and in the MLS there is none higher

(actually, has anyone noticed, that if the Houston Dynamo wins this weekend their franchise (Quakes/Dyanmo) will have won four championships. We're lucky, because there is an expansion Quakes that will lay claim to those other championships. But we should watch it, the rest of the MLS is closing in on us quickly.

MVP! It's in the bag! It's in the bag!

Many have brought up Emilio starting v Columbus. Poo happens. Second guessing is forever...

Congrats Emilio! Well deserved!

Well deserved Emilio!!! It somewhat makes up for the fact that we are not playing on Saturday.

Posted by: DC United Fan | November 15, 2007 04:25 PM
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Umm...does DC United play college football? Did I miss something here?!!

Of course, DC United could STILL probably defeat either Notre Dame or Duke in 'American Football'!

Maybe not the rest of MLS.....but certainly a quality franchise in Houston. They seem to have the same high expectations, sound judgement and top-notch leadership as DCU.

Well deserved award for Mr. Emilio. I am ver happy for him and pleased that Mr Payne and co continue to find these high quality players.
Can't wait to see who is next.

Umm...does DC United play college football? Did I miss something here?!!

What??? Huh???

It should have been Shalrie.

If United had come out and smacked Columbus around in that match, nobody would be saying a word right now. Well, actually, we'd probably have carried that momentum through Chicago and New England, and we'd be looking forward to playing in the Cup at RFK this Sunday against Houston... which is precisely what Tom Soehn was trying to do.

Wow.

Beckham??????????

Apropos of nada, MLS has added lyrics (in Latin, naturally) to its anthem. Note the accompanying photo which shows Houston enterin the field to play a team that received 11 red cards prior to the introduction.

http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/events/mls_cup/2007/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071114&content_id=129337&vkey=mlscup2007&fext=.jsp

BS, a guy that plays five less games, has only one less goal and more assists should have won this award today. If Angel had half the talent around him that Emilio played with this season he'd have scored 30. DC would have found a way to make it to the conference finals and lose just like they do every year with or without this guy. Angel carried New York almost by himself.

Initiating scathing response from DC fans... starting now

>>>>>>>>If United had come out and smacked Columbus around in that match, nobody would be saying a word right now. Well, actually, we'd probably have carried that momentum through Chicago and New England, and we'd be looking forward to playing in the Cup at RFK this Sunday against Houston... which is precisely what Tom Soehn was trying to do.

Phooey on that.

You've got to have an ace in the hole. If he's gold, he's gold. Give him the day off and let him be good & ready & hungry vs. Chicago. Same for Moreno. That shows a lot more confidence and resolve than playing your #1 front line in an exhibition match to "get in tune" at the end of a long season.

Emilio is the shiazzle. Now can we get a real coach?

>>>Angel carried New York almost by himself.

And Altidore? What's he, chopped liver???

I am very happy for Luci gol but tears are in my eyes after watching the pictures of the fan support in the team's Thank You video.

Jaime wuz robbed in '04!

Congrats Emilio! Well done!

Great stuff, Emilio! Congratulations.

You heard it here first: Marc Burch for MVP in 2008!

Well deserved recognition for Emilio.

Let's not forget that he also put 4 goals in the net before the regular season even started. 4 goals in the Concacaf Champions Cup against Olimpia and Guadalajara. So MLS teams knew they'd be facing a dangerous striker and still couldn't figure out how to stop him.

Graig -- You make a point, but can you truly find fault with Emilio winning it? If you do, then take off your NYRB blinders. Both were deserving of it, and I would not have found fault if either won it. Angel is a great player, Emilio is a great player. Angel had fewer games, but I believe 5 PK goals. Emilio had no PKs. We could go back and forth all day. Emilio won it, deal with it.

Spike, I'm going to guess you've never played or coached soccer before have you?

Right, GM. You really do love to be the victim, don't you, between your televised near-stroke after a rightfully disallowed Gomez goal, "Cheating Bob" who broke no rules, and your three year campaign to have a meaningless individual award taken from a deserving player.

Moreno: 7 goals 14 assists; Guevara 10 goals 10 assists. It's not an outrage that Guevara was the MVP. That was a close won that Guevara won; this was a close one that Emilio won. Congratulations to Emilio, who is a wonderful player and a great find for DC.

Re: Angel playing fewer games.

He also took the PKs for RBNY. If Emilio took United's PKs instead of Moreno, he'd have over 25 goals.

He's also making about 15-20% what Angel is, meaning he's providing more value for the dollar.

Can't have MVP withough VALUE. :-D

In case anyone is wondering about the reference to the thank you video from DC United to us fans...it's here: http://ww2.mlsnet.com/t103/fans/2007/thanks/

The Emilio vs. Angel debate boils down to how you define MVP. If you go by the literal meaning of the words, you vote for the player that is most valuable to his team; in that case, I don't think anyone can argue against Angel. However, many voters across the US sporting spectrum use their MVP vote to crown who they think is the best player for that season. With the lack of amazing seasons put up by MLS's midfielders (lots of really good ones, one amazing half-season, but nothing worth MVP consideration), I feel Emilio deserves this one in that regard.

As for Joseph's non-candidacy, I've got to say the same thing about him that I did against Parkhurst: both were worse this year than last year. This year's MLS was stronger, for me, than last year's...so how could a worse body of work get MVP in a tougher environment? I believe Joseph had a better shout last year, though he deserved a nomination more than Blanco, who only played half a season. Even so, this was deservedly a two-horse race.

Graig-

Some committee member might also have had in their mind that in the month before Angel came NYRB were actually top of the east, winning and people thought they might be best in the league. And then after Angel came had a much worse win loss record. Though it might not have had much to do with him the cognitive dissonance of giving the award to a player whose team played better when he wasn't there than when he was probably influenced a few judges toward Emilio.

Spike, I'm going to guess you've never played or coached soccer before have you?

Posted by: AlecW81 | November 15, 2007 05:28 PM
-----------------------------------------

Suppose you were to substitute "Soehn" for "Spike"?

It concerns me that our league's MVP was bypassed and continued to draw no interest from his own country's teams... let alone other major leagues around the world.

What does it say about the quality of our league?

Except for the fact that Tommy Soehn has indeed played soccer at the professional level.

Playing Jaime and Emilio in the match against Columbus was the right call.

If United had won a few matches leading up to that one, maybe not, but since they were winless in their last few, a momentum builder was necessary.

well we aren't in the cup but we did take the regular season title..which at the minimum puts us in the CCC next year (which we will hopefully win and qualify for that elusive fifa club world cup). So the year isn't a total loss. are we going to have emilio and gomez next year? anyone going to the cup??

I think Blanco was most valuable to his team, followed by Angel then Emilio.

However, Blanco and Angel were expected to be 'the man' in their clubs and were compensated as such. They had very good years.

However, Emilio's salary:production ratio is through the roof and sparked a DC attack that had question marks before the season. (Moreno's health, Gomez and the questions of his contract and where his head would be at)

You can make arguments for all 3 but it's a well earned reward for Emilio but I would have said it for any of the 3. They were clearly the most influential players on their teams. (though Toja should get a nod too)

Stade de RFK!

Sorry if I'm slow on this but they put back all the endline seating at RFK!!!

Please Goff say that they are going to leave them in for next season!

Southeasterner: How did you learn about the endline seating? And is it actually the old seating, or portable bleachers that they trucked in from somewhere, or what?

Southeasterner: How did you learn about the endline seating? And is it actually the old seating, or portable bleachers that they trucked in from somewhere, or what?

Posted by: 22201 | November 15, 2007 08:03 PM

The picture on Mlsnet.com shows Houston and New England warming up at RFK with seats on the endline. I'm pretty sure its current because you can see an MLS Cup banner. It also looks like they are real seats and not just crappy benches.

Goff, please say its true!

That's an old picture.
The old goals give it away.

It sure looks what southeasterner says on the mlsnet. Atleast behind one goal post. I would imagine they will keep it since there will be no stinking baseball games there.

that has to be an old picture. why would they be warming up under the lights this week? makes no sense, it's a daytime game.

Actually Revs have not left Boston yet so sadly it's got to be the old. Oh well

>>>Spike, I'm going to guess you've never played or coached soccer before have you?

Nor did I put Kpene up top in a 4-5-1.

I wish next DCU home jersey is red shirt, black short and red socks! It's too dark and I like something mixed specially when you watch on tv.

No blinders on here, Emilio deserves what he got. I think Angel had a stronger case, but it certainly could have gone either way. Just wanted to stir up a little debate from the other side, thats all.

Like I said, it was an old picture. United installed international goals a few weeks ago, the goals pictured are the old portables.

Re: Kpene in a 4-5-1

Did he have any other option?
You play for a draw on the road in the first leg of a home/away series. Especially when your 2 starting forwards are hurt.

IT'S IN THE NET

Repeat 20 times.

Congratulations Luciano!

Water under the bridge, I suppose. Just a shame to squander talent & opportunity.

Anyhoo, congrats Luciano.

The rest of y'all can go wash Tommy's car for him, eh.

Homers...

"IT'S IN THE NET"

That jackass. The only good thing about the end of the MLS season is that I don't have to hear Dave and his dimwitted goal call. I remember a game where someone-- might have been Gros, actually-- took a great, low shot that carommed back out and was rolling towards the corner of the six yard box, and Droolin' Dave is still barking "IT'S IN THE NET."

Small-time stuff.

"IT'S IN THE NET"

That jackass. The only good thing about the end of the MLS season is that I don't have to hear Dave and his dimwitted goal call. I remember a game where someone-- might have been Gros, actually-- took a great, low shot that carommed back out and was rolling towards the corner of the six yard box, and Droolin' Dave is still barking "IT'S IN THE NET."

Small-time stuff.

Posted by: Mastodon Juan
------------------------------------------

Wow, your actions make ironic your comments attempting to flame me several posts above! Didums have trouble with nap time yesterday?

Yeah, DJ is so small-time that Fox Soccer Channel picked him up this year. :rolleyes: 8-)

Extinct Elephant, you can go hibernate now unless Jersey signs the Great One (which would put "paid" to his reputation). I'm not sure you can drain a swamp that quickly.

I am reconciled to the fact that we will suck forever. Hell yeah, I'm jealous of DC, and GM, to be honest, our fans are so used to losing that no one would be able to muster the anger that all of you did at the end of the Chicago game. I shouldn't have directed that comment at you personally, but really, DC has had played excellent soccer for two years, and while I know you lot want to win everything, please get over the legal Gaven substitution and the fact that a deserving Guevara beat out a deserving Moreno for the nearly meaningless MVP trophy several years ago. You have enough to be proud of, don't you?