Given the overnight to mull this over, I have come to my decisions on this massive honor. In knowing or having known some of the candidates, I must separate the personal from the professional, although often times, they are entwined. Below by group I have listed both those I would like to see and of course, those I would vote for.
Players: DeRosario, Heath, O'Reilly, Valeri, Wondolowski
Veterans: Beckham, Borja, Sanneh, Tatu, Wagner
Builders/Refs:Gino
Given just 3 players, 2 vets and one builder are to be inducted here is my breakdown and why:
DeRosario: Still giving back to the game through his work with the youth players and things with TFC. A pair of his sons are playing at a high level, one just scored a goal and did his father's celebration. A champion a few times four, with different teams, DeRo was tabbed as one of the top 25 of 25 by MLS. A top player for the Canadian National Team, with 22 goals in 81 games, he also made his mark at that level. I must be transparent as I shadowed him around NYC when he was on his book tour a few years ago.
Heath: Her successes and abilities on the ball are no secret as she has garnered oh so many honors for being a cog in the machine known as the USWNT. Sadly, her career was impacted and cut short by injury. Try these numbers from the NJ native, NC 93 games with 19 goals, USWNT 181 caps 36 goals as a pro 141 games and 30 goals. Great on the ball as well she was a force to be reckoned with.
Wondolowski: How do you not vote him in, leading goal getter in MLS, his time with the USMNT marred by a near miss in a key World Cup game but the goals in the highest league of the land, should make him all but an automatic.
Tatu: HIs prowess on the field be it indoor or out is legendary. How may yellow cards would he have collected, if it was a violation of the Laws of the Game to remove your top, he would have been red carded in a number of games. Far more heralded for his time between the boards, he was an outdoor standout first. The indoor game is not given a fair shake by the Hall as it was this league, the MISL that kept the game going here between the NASL floundering, then going under and before the MLS brought the outdoor game back in a big way at the pro level. I have interviewed him, great chat. His 762 pro games netting 895 goals, muito legal. from 1984-2003 with his Dallas Sidekicks he played 557 games with 736 goals! I must ask, why is he not already in? This also has me convinced there is a bias against the indoor game.
Sanneh: As much for his tremendous philanthropic work as he playing, he should be enshrined. While a Panther, playing college ball for Milwaukee he struck for 53 goals, combined on 32 with assists. A pro from 1994-2009 this man put away 97 chances over 333 appearances. He featured for teams in the US & Germany, both indoor and outdoor soccer. Highlights including a pair of goals over the first two MLS Cup Title games, won by his DC United. His Sanneh Foundation has done this in 2003-2004, 4,500 hours of educational Support, 2.23 million pounds of food distributed, 81 free community camps and 3,500 individuals served, source: thesannehfoundation.com
Gino: I am far more aware of him for his indoor work, but he did a large number of big games and regular games in the outdoor game as well. NASL and big club as well as international games. Highlights I am sure include the first and last of the NY Cosmos games for Pele. Respected by players and referees alike, he was a top ref in the states when our game was not well received world wide. From the cover of the game book of the MISL, Missle to his own trading card, I have seen him all over the place.
Member: Society for American Soccer History (SASH) & North American Soccer Reporters