The TRUE Coach of the Year

Throughout the years, MLS's absurdity in giving out season-ending awards has known no bounds. It all started back in the inaugural season, where a monster season from Tony Meola was judged to be trumped by a pedestrian one from Mark Dodd. Remember Mark Dodd? No? Well, he was MLS's first Goalkeeper of the Year. Exactly.

We usually don't complain about such injustices; after all, we're biased here. But this year, something has been said. For even neutral observers agree: Metro deserves more than the big zero they got in the MLS award department this year.

There were four awards where a Metro player made the final three, but ended up losing out. Tim Ream lost Rookie of the Year to Andy Najar. Joel Lindpere was up for Newcomer of the Year, but Alvaro Saborio won (Thierry Henry was a finalist as well, but that's pretty absurd, so we won't even discuss that). Chris Albright's comeback was judged to be lesser to that of Bobby Convey. And to trump it all, "Clever" Hans Backe lost out Coach of the Year to Schellas Hyndman.

Bullfeces.

Total, total bullfeces.

Now, the Newcomer award, fine. Lindpere has been terrific and should be Metro's MVP (he's MetroFanatic's Player of the Year already). But Saborio scored 12 goals for RSL, and voters like statistics. Fine. We'll give you that one.

But not the other three.

Tim Ream played every minute in defense for what ended up the eighth stingiest defense in LEAGUE HISTORY. He committed a total of 13 fouls, an amazingly low number for a central defender. He has been touted by every pundit as a future fixture on the US national team. Najar scored five goals for a beyond-fecal DC team. Idiotic.

Convey has a better season than Albright. Fine. But this is the Comeback Player of the Year award. What exactly did Convey come back from? In 2009, he sure played like feces, but at least he played! Albright barely saw the field; his career was thought over due to injury. Convey's selection makes a mockery of the award.

And now, Backe. Oh, sure, Hyndman improved a Dallas team. Sure. But Backe coached Metro, coming off one one the worst seasons in league history, to first in the East and a 30-point improvement. Let's say that again: THIRTY. POINT. IMPROVEMENT. Dallas' improvement? 11 points. As. If.

Total, total bullfeces.