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Today on Twitter, MLS accidentally released what appears to be their Best XI — the team of the year — and while we remain hopeful that it was a mistake, you'll never guess who wasn't on it.
Or maybe you will, because we're so used to this happening. The one I speak of, of course? Nick Rimando. Instead, the goalkeeper listed is Bill Hamid.
Looks like #MLS prematurely posted Best XI: Hamid, Marshall, Boswell, Gonzalez, Valeri, Nguyen, Donovan, Martins, Keane, Henry, BWP
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) December 2, 2014
Now, obviously, this isn't confirmed. There's no saying that this is actually what they meant to tweet. And we don't know that this means Rimando won't win Goalkeeper of the Year, but if Bill Hamid makes the vote, then, well, it's a pretty good indicator that he won't.
And we don't have anything positive to say about that.
Bill Hamid was good this year. Sure. Nick Rimando was unreal. He's popularly regarded as the pinnacle of goalkeeping in MLS. Most regular MLS writers recognize that fact publicly.
It's not about Rimando having the best average, or being the best over his career, or holding the shutouts record, or making the most spectacular saves. It's not about him winning more weekly awards. It's not about him being great in the air, great on corners, or the best goalkeeper in the league with his feet. It's not even about him deserving the award several times before now and simply never being given it. It's not even about RSL fans have a perennial chip on our shoulders, even though we clearly do.
It's about Nick Rimando being consistently the best goalkeeper in MLS. And if those voting in the MLS end-of-year awards continually ignore that, I guess we'll just have to give him his own award.