I got an unexpected delivery today. The 2007 MLS Fact and Record Book was dropped off at my door this afternoon along with an all-stadiums credential. Nice. I haven't been able to put it down much.
Among the different interesting things I've come across:
- I don't really remember the first player in the all-time player registry (it's in alphabetic order). Apparently, Ubusuku Abukusumo played 11 games from 1997-1999 with Columbus. I heard of number two (Jose Manuel Abundis) but not number three (Kevin Adams) or four (Joe Addo) but I've heard of the next three (Freddy Adu, Junior Agogo, Jeff Agoos).
- On the other end of the ABC chart, I've heard of the last player (Martin Zuniga) but not the second-to-last (Fabio Zuniga, 33 minutes for New England in 2000). Alex Zotinca is there but who is Jacek Ziober? Three starts for Tampa Bay in 1998 is all the time the Polish player saw. Also, there is Zico (don't remember; dude looks like Fabio), Craig Ziadie (who was drafted by but never played with Chivas USA) and Walter Zenga.
- Brian Ching and Eddie Johnson led MLS in goals with 12 apiece in 2004, the lowest ever total for goal scoring leader(s). The most-ever goals scored in one year was 27 set by Roy Lassiter in 1996.
- Only four goal-scoring champs have hit the 20-goal mark. The last player to do that was Carlos Ruiz in 2002 when he scored 24 for the eventual-champion Galaxy. (Taylor Twellman also had 23 goals that year)
- Carlos Valderrama is the only player to record 20 or more assists in one season (unless someone else had 20 in 2000). El Pibe had 26 assists in 2000 with Tampa Bay in 2000.
- Three coaches have had a winning percentage of under .300 - Bora Milutinovic (.242 with the MetroStars) Hans Westerhof (.238 with Chivas USA) and Perry Van Der Beck (.138 with Tampa Bay).
- The coach with the best winning percentage in MLS history? Bruce Arena is the only coach with a winning percentage of better than .600 (.616). Actually, two have a perfect 1.000 but they coached a combined three games so that doesn't really count.
- They have a list of old logos. Some are cool. Some are hideous. This taxi cab the MetroStars used to use looks awful. So is a scorpion the Clash used from 96-99 and one of the Mutiny's logos looks disgusting. I can't even tell what it is supposed to be.
- Answer: Chris Dunsheath. Question: Name the player taken right before Jonathan Bornstein in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft?
- Answer: Isiais Bardales. Question: Name the player taken right before Jose Burciaga in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft?
- Answer: Hemir Niebles. Question: Name the player taken right before Shalrie Joseph in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft?
- The sad part is the Galaxy drafted Niebles, Bardales and Dunsheath. Imagine if they'd have taken Joseph, Burciaga and Bornstein instead. Yes, I know, hindsight is 20-20. Thanks for pointing that out.
Okay, I gotta put that down. I'll be here all day.
7 comments:
What's happened to Craig Ziadie? He's seemingly fallen off the map after being cut by Chivas.
Did he retire? Hard to believe a guy with 20 caps for Jamaica would retire so young.
He did seem to be going in the right direction until he hit a wall or something. Chivas drafted him in the expansion draft but he never signed with them. I had heard he had trial offers in some lesser European leagues and I think he went there. Russia maybe? Don't know if he latched on to a club or not.
Sniff! I didn't get my Factbook yet. I even ran outside to check the mail after reading your post.
Joe Addo played for the metros for a couple of years and is also mentioned in the book "The Miracle of Castle di Sangro". It's a great soccer book if you've never read it.
I'm almost positive Bardales was on the Galaxy before 2003. I think he was drafted in 2001.
Joe Addo's career stats: 83 games played, 74 starts; 6.694 minutes played, 2 goals, 3 assists. Born in Accra, went to George Mason. Played with Tampa from 99-01, Metros 02-03 after that.
As far as Bardales, you are right Mr/Mrs Anonymous. Bardales did indeed go in the 2001 draft. In the 2003 draft, the Galaxy selected Guillermo Gonzalez...
...right ahead of Pat Noonan.
Good stuff L.B. Joe Addo was a very good defender for Tampa, and a very mediocre one (at best) with the Metrostars. Not sure if the change of scenery doomed him or if his career was plummeting regardless, but its strange how playing on NY seems to make players a little worse...
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