Our favorite forward/midfielder, Landon Donovan, is this year's MLS MVP! It's actually the first time he has won the award, but after the smokin' season he has had it should come as no surprise.

With all the awards he has been receiving this year, I'm continually reminded of that scene in Forrest Gump.

And those words are: Western Conference Champions!

In another step in the worst-to-first journey that MLS Coach of the Year Bruce Arena has taken the team on, the Los Angeles Galaxy turned away a stiff challenge from the Houston Dynamo in 30 minutes of extra time with a 2-0 scoreline.

Wow, wow, wow. What a game!

Like commenter Diane, I LOVE me some AJ Delagarza! Magee was fairly worthless with a horrible first touch for most of the match. Kirovski was brought in, why? Beckham did very well, but boy he was soooo tanked in overtime. I really felt for him and the others.

This match promises to be a dogfight. The season series between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Houston Dynamo featured exactly one goal and a lot of physical defending. If that sounds a lot like what Chivas and the Galaxy went through for the bulk of their five games this season, its not coincidence.

And boy does he deserve it! The man is a miracle worker.

Good on ya, Bruce. Keep Klein in the line up for Friday and let's kick some Houston ass!

More on the story from Nick Green.

And those words are: Meeting the challenge.

Right. So before the first playoff leg I predicted a series score of 2-1. Then before the second playoff leg, seeing the kind of chaos the two teams were creating and the resulting goals, I predicted 2-1 for the game on Sunday.

So, looking at a 3-2 aggregate and a 1-0 second leg scoreline, you can see that I bloody well can't predict anything when it comes to these two teams.

First off, I apologize to everyone for not being able to get a post-game analysis together for last week. It was one of those times when life bitch-slapped my futbol blogging time. In the future, I will, at a minimum, create posts where you all can share your own reactions and analyses, even if I can't start your comments off with a comprehensive review from my perspective.

Eskandarian, Landon, and Eddie Lewis are each nominated for Goal of the Year.

Ricketts and Josh Saunders are each nominated for Save of the Year.

Take a look and rock the vote on this election day.

You can vote for Goal of the Year here.

You can vote for Save of the Year here.

Welcome back to the playoffs!

It has been three long and, to be blunt, disastrous years since the last time the Galaxy played post-season futbol. That year they peaked at the right time after basically backing in to the playoffs and ended up taking the MLS Cup from New England on Pando Ramirez's only goal of the season.

I think we have the edge in today's match. But don't count Chivas out. When it's a derby match, each team can play their best soccer of the season. Today it should be the Galaxy. If Buddle is on his game today, we will be unstoppable.

I'm so nervous/excited that I can't think of anything else intelligent to say.

And those words are: Western Conference champions!

In a fitting display on their home turf, the Los Angeles Galaxy put the finishing touches on a worst-to-first regular season for 2009. After a horrific 2008, the culmination of years of front-office incompetence and on-field underachievement accomplished under the glare of international media, the Galaxy put together a season that culminated in a first-in the West finish and a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2005.

If the Galaxy wins tonight we will own first place in the Western Conference, regardless of the outcome of the Chivas vs. Houston match being played tomorrow. How awesome would that be?! I still can't believe the turnaround we've had this year. If only we can be in top form for the playoffs .

But only if you vote for him to win!

I'm still miffed that he was left off the All-Star team at least the one that suited up. I seem to recall that he made the All-Star roster that counts for salary incentives. Yet one more bit of byzantine MLS rules and regulation implementation for you there.

Today they, the ubiquitous they who say many things and say them often, have awarded the Galaxy's own Landon Donovan the 2009 Honda Player of the Year award. This is given away annually (hence the "of the year" part) to the best player for the year on the US Men's National Team.

And that word is: Punchless.

Or it could be seven words: This team is nothing without Landon Donovan.

So let's start with the positive: shutting out Houston at home in front of a sell-out crowd and forcing Pat Onstad to actually make some saves. Once again Donovan Ricketts proves his worth making a busload of saves and the backline bends but doesn't break.