Oct 26, 2007

Jon Conway Is NYRB 'Unsung Player Of The Year'

No, I'm not making this up. Just got an official RB statement on the matter, which was previously reported by Ives as well. My question is, if Jon Conway is the team's "unsung player of the year," does that preclude him from winning the Least Valuable Player award? Unfortunately, the team's statement does not divulge how the decision was reached. I do remember filling out a questionnaire in the Giants Stadium press box recently, which queried some of the awards the team handed out today, but there is no indication how, if at all, the team took these into account. To summarize the winners, Juan Pablo Angel brought home the Red Bulls Honda MVP, Budweiser Golden Boot, and Red Bulls newcomer of the year awards (a hat trick, if you will). Jeff Parke won defender of the year, Jozy Altidore the young player of the year and Seth Stammler the USSF Humanitarian of the year. I can't really argue with any of those, but Conway? Unsung player of the year? Okay, so it's certainly appropriate if they were looking for a guy who hasn't received much credit for his contributions. Of course, maybe his play just wasn't that valuable in the first place? For me, Conway's season is--fairly or not--defined by that famous mistake at Foxboro. For all his other contributions and "added value" (to throw a useless marketing term at you. Sorry about that) this is what he is remembered for. Which, unfortunately, is the nature of goalkeeping. Warren Buffett famously said it takes 20 years to build a reputation and 20 minutes to destroy it. Goalkeepers' reps can be brought down in 20 seconds--or actually a lot less (that play at New England took less than two seconds, though it seemed like an eternity to Red Bull fans). Is that fair? Apparently the guys who gave Conway the award don't think so. Me? I cast my vote (if that's even what it was) for Jeff Parke.

2 comments:

  1. err...umm...i don't think JPA got the Golden Boot, man. he was still one goal behind Emilio.

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  2. these are team awards. he scored more goals than anybody on the team, so...

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