Some of the AAXI staff had the chance to catch ESPN2’s broadcast of Once In A Lifetime, the well received documentary of the heyday of the New York Cosmos. It was a fun way to spend the evening - more fun, some would argue, than the Revs-Red Bulls game which preceded it - but there were some things in Once In A Lifetime that we found ourselves wishing had only happened that one time. We speak specifically of a scene that features people talking about Pele’s first game at the stadium on Randalls Island - his feet were green at the end, with what he thought was a fungus. Turns out they had spray painted the field green to give the appearance of a nice grass field.

And that’s the kind of field “improvement” that we wish was a one-time thing, unnecessary thirty years after the spray paint incident for Pele’s first game. But we have more than our fair share of attempts to manipulate less than ideal field conditions. Some of these even happen on the bane of many players and fans, where fields of Field Turf have been installed in place of grass. In stadiums where MLS shares occupancy with NCAA or NFL teams, this leads to the periodic “erasing” of the football lines and logos - which are never quite gone, and put a disappointing stamp of sorts on the field even before the late season re-painting of “UTES” and “GIANTS” and the like. But painting isn’t the only problem, as the sand on some of the fields has to be watered, and the rubber pellets on others have to be “ploughed” to get them up near the service. Watering and ploughing artificial turf? Seriously?

As bad as the Field Turf stadiums are, and odd the manipulations are, it often pains us as fans to see the grass Soccer Specific Stadiums [SSS] in need of something reminiscent of the Cosmos’ long ago spray paint job. Of course, this stems from the stadiums not being truly SSS, but that’s a topic for another AAXI. What results is fields in need of quick improvement. Torn up grass and vast swatches of bare grass, muddy fields and fields that are too dry. Heroic efforts are needed to get these things looking even quasi-presentable for television broadcasts, and the result is many of us cringing when we see the games on TV or in person.

They may not be the best looking fields week in and week out, but how does one improve a field that just hosted the X-Games, Major League Baseball (and its associated dirt infield), or an R&B concert? Green spray paint, anyone?
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And on to the list for Week 25. After a season of odd formations, we toss a new one at you this time around: the ever popular 2-2-4, with 3 goalkeepers. Is it our fault if three of the best eleven Yank performances were from netminders? Hardly. The “G” Goalies Three are presented in alphabetical order for your reading pleasure.

Scott Garlick – (1)

Scotty “Pepper” really kept Salt Lake in the game as the second half opened with his team down a goal to Dallas and down a man as well. He made four strong saves - and gave up no rebounds - to keep the deficit at a goal and pave the way for RSL’s remarkable comeback win. Without the stellar play of Garlick, the rest of the team’s effort would have come to naught.

Bill Gaudette – (2)

Gaudette kept the Crew in the game against the Red Bulls almost single handedly as an anemic offense was accompanied by two very soft ejections, leaving Gaudette to bail out Columbus time and again. He even saved a penalty kick, and with five minutes left it appeared likely that he would earn Columbus an unlikely point. Josmer Altidore’s bomb may have been saveable, but you can hardly fault Wild Bill on the night.

El Guzano – (2)

Brad Guzan had a pair of good performances last week. El Guzano was probably the best player on Sunday night in the Chivas-Houston game. He completely controlled his box and left Houston’s predictable, crossing and long ball offense helpless. He just ate up everything that Houston put in the air in the box and, well, Houston likes to put everything in the air in the box. He also had a couple of very nice reaction saves. Midweek he made one of the best saves of the year late in the game, robbing Carlos Ruiz like a Gringo in Tijuana. Ruiz hit a snap header from 8 yards out, head high and moving to Guzan’s right. The kid had no business saving it, but he made a beautiful diving save anyway.

Craig Waibel – (4)

Waibel began the game as the right outside back and then moved to central defense after Ryan Cochrane left the game injured. Ante Razov will get his chances, but Waibel kept him out of the game for most of the night. Interestingly, the Houston offense usually started from Waibel’s position at right back when he was there. Regardless of where Houston recovered the ball, the backs or Clark would get it to Waibel who would then set up newcomer Paul Dalglish, DeRo, or Brian Ching from the wing. Waibel - yes, that Waibel - actually helped make up for the loss of Brian Mullan on the right until he had to move over centrally.

C.J. Brown – (2)

This veteran sometimes seems like the kindest enforcer in the league. Other times, he brings the scowling hammer, but against DC he was the former - whack you with a kindly smile seemed to be his MO. Brown shut down every attack that came at him - mostly through a pedestrian Jaime Moreno but when others threatened as well. It ended up something of a drab affair, and it’s fair that a defender take the player of the match honors for the game.

Ricardo Clark – (6)

Clark may have had one of his most effective games ever. He let nothing move through the center of the park. Clark absolutely terrorized the Chivas midfield, which is otherwise perfectly capable of quick, smart ball movement. He made Chivas’ usually sharp midfield look like the fifth choice midfield for the Crew (which, unfortunately enough for Crew fans, is the one that has taken the field most often this year). He also connected fairly well in attack with Dwayne DeRosario, Ching, and Kenny Dalglish’s kid.

Chris Klein – (3)

Klein was a force down the right side of the field for Real Salt Lake. He scored one of the more ludicrous goals you’ll see, beating five Dallas defenders and slotting the ball through Dario Sala’s legs and into the far side netting from a ridiculous angle to tie the game. His hard crosses from the right were also difficult to deal with all night, and he dropped back effectively in helping lead RSL to an unlikely 10-man win after trailing 2-1. Too bad more of you couldn’t see the game; it was one of the best MLS games this year.

Jonathan Bornstein – (6)

This AAXI favorite again looked dangerous for Chivas USA. I don’t think he had any idea that Juan Pablo Garcia was charging forward when his touch ended up in Garcia’s path, but the presence that Bornstein had to get in the position in the first place, and then stymie Dario Sala with the pullback - great stuff.

Abe Thompson – (1)

Thompson was part of an attack that really clicked in the first half in Salt Lake City. Thompson had assists on both the goals that Carlos Ruiz scored, and played a fine game overall. This isn’t his first good game in the Wasatch, either, as he scored his first professional goal there last year. We may see more of Mr. Thompson in future Dallas games - he looked to be one of the only Dallas players who really cared for 90 minutes.

Jason Kreis – (4)

Old Man Kreis has received his fair share of criticism from Salt Lake fans this year - much of it a bit on the unfair side. Coach John Ellinger has moved him around a good bit to plug whatever hole needed plugging, often multiple times in the same game, and Kreis has done so uncomplainingly. But since he has been expected to score goals, and has only seven, folks have been frustrated. Saturday night he did it all. He started up top with Attiba Harris, then dropped back as defensive mid when Carey Talley was red carded about half an hour in. A tactical substitution saw him back up top in half two, a position from which he scored a sweet winning goal - at which time he dropped deep again. A true veteran performance.

Josmer Altidore – (1)

The rookie made his first MLS goal count - in a big way. His game-winning goal advanced the Red Bulls’ halfhearted playoff “charge” a critical step. Yes, we noticed that Columbus decided not to defend him, and Gaudette could have done more than just try a fingertip save, but Altidore showed a great leg, killer instinct, confidence and athleticism in one dazzling moment. Notably, he did not earn a Sierra Mist endorsement for his trouble, though he did become the youngest non-Adu to score in league history.
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• Header by ismitje. (All other AAXI contributors appear like midgets next to ismitje.)
• List compiled and edited by ismitje with input from a bunch of veritable midgets.
• All typos and errors should be blamed on Max “I was sure the Galaxy would make the playoffs” Bretos.