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MLS Announces Award Finalists

Published on November 10, 2003 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


NEW YORK (Monday, November 10, 2003) - Major League Soccer unveiled today the finalists for four of the League's annual year-end awards. It marks the second in a series of announcements leading up to the honoring of the winners at the 2003 MLS Gala Awards Ceremony on the eve of MLS Cup 2003 on Saturday, November 22 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. The League's championship game, MLS Cup 2003, will be played on Sunday, November 23 at The Home Depot Center (3:30 p.m. ET - live on ABC Sports).

Five standout goal-scoring efforts are in contention for the 2003 Pepsi Goal of the Year award. The show-stopping strikes eligible for the honor were selected by fans via online voting on the multimedia section of the League's official website, www.MLSnet.com: rookie sensation Damani Ralph (Chicago Fire - Aug. 13), last year's Honda MVP Carlos Ruiz (Los Angeles Galaxy - Aug. 9), striker John Wolyniec (MetroStars - Sept. 20), Honda MVP finalist John Spencer (Colorado Rapids - July 9) and tenacious captain Joe Franchino (New England Revolution - Sept. 28). Online voting for the Pepsi Goal of the Year continues through midnight on Nov. 21 on MLSnet.com's multimedia section as the winner from the final group of five is determined.

Spencer will also contend for the ACE Comeback Player of the Year award, along with midfield stalwart Chris Armas (Chicago Fire) and Ben Olsen (D.C. United), all three having overcome serious injury and adversity to experience success during the 2003 campaign.

First-year head coach Dave Sarachan (Chicago Fire), accomplished veteran coach Bob Bradley (MetroStars) and former MLS player Frank Yallop (San Jose Earthquakes) vie for the MLS Coach of the Year award, while U.S. National Team defenders Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago Fire) and Eddie Pope (MetroStars) join New Zealand international Ryan Nelsen (D.C. United) as finalists for the ADT Defender of the Year award. Pope and Bocanegra will be looking to be the first to capture the honor for the second time in their career. Bocanegra will seek to be the first back-to-back winner while Pope will hope to add to the honor he first received in 1997.

Finalists for the remaining three year-end awards will be made public on Monday, Nov. 17. Finalists will not be named for the RadioShack Best XI, the Nickelodeon GAS Play of the Year and the recipients of the Commissioner's Award and the MLS Executive Awards. Instead, those award winners will be recognized at the Gala Awards Ceremony along with the winners of every other honor.

The Budweiser Scoring Champion (Preki - Kansas City Wizards), the MLS Supporters' Shield Winners (Chicago Fire) and the MLS Fair Play Team Award winners (New England Revolution) were based on regular season performance and were determined following the final match of the regular season campaign on Sunday, October 26. Unless otherwise noted, MLS coaches, general managers, players and members of the Professional Soccer Reporters Association voted for the awards in a process managed by J. Patton Sports Marketing Inc., as independent arbiter.

The MLS Gala Awards Ceremony at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood will be open to the public. Requests for complimentary event tickets can be made by sending a note to the following e-mail address: 03galatickets@mlsnet.com. All ticket inquiries should include the person's name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. Tickets are limited to a maximum of four per request and are based on availability with notification made via e-mail.

The MLS Cup Playoffs continue this weekend as the winners of the two-leg Conference Semifinals face off in the Eastern and Western Conference Championship games between Friday and Saturday, November 14-15. The Chicago Fire will attempt to continue their run to their third domestic trophy this season at home against the New England Revolution on Friday, Nov. 14 (8:30 ET), while the Kansas City Wizards travel to San Jose to battle the Earthquakes for the right to play in MLS Cup 2003 on Saturday, Nov. 15 (10:00 ET).

Following are the finalists for the 2003 Pepsi Goal of the Year, the MLS Coach of the Year, the ADT Defender of the Year and the ACE Comeback Player of the Year:

2003 MLS YEAR-END awards FINALISTS (Listed Alphabetically):

2003 Pepsi Goal of the Year

Player Pos. Team Note:

Joe Franchino D N.E. Revolution Franchino completed the Revolution's comeback from a two-goal deficit against the Columbus Crew on Sept. 28 with a set piece strike late in overtime. In the 97th minute, Franchino struck a left-footed free kick just outside the box that beat Columbus 'keeper Jon Busch to the top left corner of the goal for the dramatic golden goal and a 3-2 overtime victory.

Damani Ralph F Chicago Fire Ralph scored a stunning and dramatic equalizer in the 90th minute of an Aug. 13 road match against the Columbus Crew. The University of Connecticut product collected a centering cross from the right flank by Nate Jaqua, and with his back to goal, brought the ball down with his right foot before quickly spinning around and firing a searing left-footed drive under the crossbar to tie the match at 2-2.

Carlos Ruiz F Los Angeles Galaxy "El Pescadito" netted one of soccer's rare goals when he scored on a spectacular bicycle kick in a 3-1 home win against the Columbus Crew on Aug. 9 at The Home Depot Center. The Guatemalan international forward went airborne to connect on a Cobi Jones cross from the right side of the box, blasting a full bicycle kick past the goalkeeper for his second goal of the game and a 2-1 lead.

John Spencer F Colorado Rapids The Rapids' captain used a juggling act of rare skill when he received a pass near the top of the box with his back to goal in the 77th minute at The Home Depot Center on July 9. Spencer used a classy, no-look, first-time chip to flick the ball over the shoulder of defender Ricky Lewis before breaking free into the box and firing home.

John Wolyniec F MetroStars Wolyniec broke a scoreless tie with a sudden golden goal against Columbus in stoppage time of the second overtime on Sept. 20 at Giants Stadium. Teammate Amado Guevara served a ball off a restart from the center circle to the left side of the box. Wolyniec followed the launch step for step and with perfect coordination he lashed home a left-footed volley which found the opposite right corner of the goal.

MLS Coach of the Year

Name Team Note:

Bob Bradley MetroStars In his first year as MetroStars Head Coach, Bob Bradley led the team's return to the MLS Cup Playoffs as he molded an overhauled roster and helped the team advance to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final, the club's first ever title game appearance. The all-time winningest coach in MLS history (93 victories) and the 1998 MLS Coach of the Year has led every MLS team he has coached to the postseason in his six-year career.

Dave Sarachan Chicago Fire In Sarachan's first year as a head coach, the Fire registered its best season in club history. Along with registering the best record in MLS and capturing the Supporters' Shield, Chicago also won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in October. After the loss of several key players during the offseason, Sarachan incorporated new elements into the team and led Chicago to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.

Frank Yallop S.J. Earthquakes The 2001 MLS Coach of the Year led his team to its first regular season Western Conference crown in 2003. A string of injuries and national team call-ups forced Yallop to continually shuffle his lineup but the club was still the first to secure a playoff berth in 2003, continuing its perfect streak under Yallop.

ADT Defender of the Year

Player Pos. Team Note:

Carlos Bocanegra D Chicago Fire The 2002 ADT Defender of the Year continued his strong play in 2003, showcasing his speed, athleticism and ball-winning skills to lead the Fire to the Supporters' Shield and a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title. Also a finalist for the U.S. National Team's Honda Player of the Year honor, Bocanegra helped the Fire to clean sheets in seven of his 19 starts.

Ryan Nelsen D D.C. United The D.C. United back line, led by Nelsen, was the club's strongest asset. The regular call-up to the New Zealand National Team was a fixture in central defense for a squad which conceded just 36 goals in 30 matches, the second lowest total in MLS. Nelsen, who is recognized for his aerial abilities and keen positional sense, was eventually handed the captain's armband midway through the season for his strong leadership abilities.

Eddie Pope D MetroStars Pope stepped up early in the 2003 season, becoming the undisputed leader and captain of the new-look MetroStars. In his first year with the Metros after his offseason transfer from D.C. United, Pope's performances in the opening stretch of matches set the tone for his club. The eight-year veteran consistently displayed his trademark sleek and efficient defensive style over his 20 starts in central defense.

ACE Comeback Player of the Year

Player Pos. Team Note:

Chris Armas M Chicago Fire Armas nursed his way back from a right ACL tear which cost him most of the 2002 season and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Upon his return he assumed team captain duties on a permanent basis for the first time in his career and became the team's 2003 Honda MVP. Armas' distribution and strong defensive skills led Chicago to its third Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and its first Supporters' Shield.

Ben Olsen D D.C. United After missing all of the 2001 season and 20 matches in the 2002 campaign due to an ankle injury, Olsen this season regained the form that helped him earn MLS Cup MVP honors in 1999. Despite going down again with a left MCL sprain on Sept. 28 of this year, Olsen finished second in scoring for United with 15 points on four goals and seven assists. All of his tallies went for game-winners and United is an amazing 14-0-0 all-time in games in which Olsen scores.

John Spencer F Colorado Rapids Spencer returned to form this season after missing more than half of the 2002 season after knee surgery. During the 2003 campaign, Spencer set a new Rapids mark by scoring a goal in six consecutive games and his 14 goals were one shy of the League high. After the team's rough start, Spencer's leadership was instrumental in helping turn the season around for the Rapids.

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