Jeff Cunningham of RSL has won the MLS Player of the Week Award for week 7. As far as I've researched, this is the first such award for an RSL player, although I have no actual facts to back up this claim. Googling this is of no use and the MLS doesn't really do a good job of keeping track of things like this. I could go through month by month in their news section, but I'm pretty sure I'd pull my eyes out. So for right now, we're going on the assumption that this was RSL's first POW. I mean, this is their first road win, so it's not like it would be that big of a shock.
Anyway, while I feel like tangenting, what's up with the MLS and history keeping? How can they not have an easily accessible list of MLS Player of the Weeks? Am I just not looking in the right spot? I think they do an OK job of statistical record keeping. Nothing over spectacular, but it's solid. I guess maybe we've all just been spoiled by the brilliance that is baseball reference and the like. I mean, I know that soccer isn't an overly statistical game, but it'd be nice to have some sort of relatively easily searchable database. As far as I can tell, the MLS takes down the previous year's play-by-play once the new year begins. That sucks, because I'm sure there are valuable trend data we could get from each match if only we could even get the sparsest play-by-play (such as the time fouls were committed, by whom, a team's likelihood of conceding corners in the first 25 minutes…). Sure, a lot of these things are dynamic, but this data is better to have than not to have.
I've ranted non-sensically long enough. My last rant falls with the West Wing. Seriously, that was a pretty boring, crappy last episode. It just kind of ended. I mean, I'm not sure what I wanted them to do, but still.
Anyway, a new power poll thingy. Completely unofficial and barely researched, but accept it as the Bible of MLS that it is:
1. DC United – Awesome headgear and the best goals to allowed ratio
2. New England Revolution – I still contend the most talented, rounding into form
3. Houston Dynamo – Rico Clark will be a star in 4 years
4. KC Wizards – This team hasn't excited me, but will get worn down without their forwards
5. FC Dallas – I don't really see a lot of talent, but the Texas heat should keep them in games
6. Chicago Fire – They haven't lost since week one, but you can't always tie
7. Columbus Crew – Grabavoy move looks to be a good one
8. Colorado Rapids – Losing to Columbus looks as good as "White House Intern" on a resume
9. Chivas USA – Wouldn't be liked nearly as much if their name were Stalingrad CCCP
10. New York – Will only be referred to as city or Red Bull until someone other than Djorkaeff looks interested
11. Real Salt Lake – Points for winning a game… now for the next 17 games
12. LA Galaxy – Lost to Real… Sampson must have revealing photos of someone.
