Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Lets kick this off with some good news. Alvaro Saborio has been named Major League Soccer's Newcomer of the Year. Saborio was a finalist along with two Red Bull players Joel Lindpere from Estonia and French star Thierry Henry. For me that was an easy pick but, what could of put this in Saborio's favor to win besides his 12 goals and 6 more in the Champions League was he had more impact on his individual team then the other two. Lindpere was great but he wasn't a major factor on his team till about July were as "Sabo" was an impact all season long.
This is the second post season award for Real Salt Lake as Jamison Olave was named Defender of the Year last week. Tomorrow we learn who the Coach of the Year will be and I do predict that Schellas Hyndman (FC Dallas) will get this award.
It didn't set in until maybe a few minutes after the game on Saturday that Real Salt Lake would not be playing the rest of the season. It was a magical season, one that might of given the fan's and others the idea that some how this team would tie the game at 2-2 and push the contest to an overtime situation. But, it didn't and as the final 3 whistles were blown it was kind of a shock that that was all we would get from the best season in the franchises history and don't forget in the leagues as well.
Being a defending champ comes with baggage. Baggage that from some is too much. Head Coach Jason Kreis stated it as plain as can be, "I really feel like in the Colorado match and both of these Dallas matches — well, only the first half in this Dallas match — but the entire game down there we were playing with this angst — what if we lose?" said Kreis. "What if we lose this series and don't repeat as champions? We've had this great season, we're the Cup holders, and we expected more of ourselves. And that's different than it ever has been here, and I don't think ultimately that we dealt with that the greatest." Maybe they have more to prove next season, the coach sure does.
