The ballots have been tallied and we now know the finalists for the various end-of-season awards for Major League Soccer.

Last year it was easy to find some fault in the various finalists but this year, every award was fairly open enough.

2011 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists (Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category) Rookie of the Year Finalists – Winner to be announced Nov.

Welcome to The Weekly Five. Each week I address a topic by presenting a list of five examples that support, oppose or simply relate to the subject.
Last month I ranked the best goals scored in April. Khari Stephenson ran out the winner with a long-range screamer for San Jose Earthquakes in their 2-2 draw against Seattle Sounders.

The MLS All-Star First XI have been selected and when you consider how the voting goes, there are few surprises. The LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls dominate the selections. There were certainly snubs and a few questionable choices but it's important to remember that this is not necessarily the starting XI.

Major League Soccer announced it's All-Star First XI on Sunday, and no Colorado Rapids made the cut.

A 12th All-Star, the winner of the AT&T Text Voting, was revealed on Sunday on MLSsoccer.com.

On July 27, at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J., the MLS All-Stars will face the defending English Premier League champions Manchester United in the 2011 AT&T MLS All-Star Game (live on ESPN2, Galavision, and TSN at 6:30 p.

What do Beckham, Ronaldo, Tevez and Messi all have in common? The hottest women by their sides? The top teams in the world fighting for not only their skills but also their brand? More money than the mere mortal can ever imagine? Tick, tick and triple tick.
While there are many footballers out there who are admired, some are still yet to shine.

Hans Backe has spoken.

Sean Franklin...but you knew this picture was going here...

Below is his game-day roster to match Manchester United in the MLS All-Star Game July 27 at Red Bull Arena. That last statement was contradictory I know.

As long as Brad Davis was on the roster, it was mostly acceptable.

Faryd Mondragon, captain and starting goalkeeper for the Eastern Conference leading Philadelphia Union, was named to the 2011 MLS All Star team by its head coach Hans Backe, also the head coach of the New York Red Bulls.

Mondragon is the sole member of the Union who will be making an All Star trip this season, after Sebastien Le Toux started for MLS last year against Manchester United.

Goalkeeper: Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Faryd Mondragón (Philadelphia Union)

Defenders: Corey Ashe (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Bobby Convey (San Jose Earthquakes), Sean Franklin (LA Galaxy), Jámison Olave (Real Salt Lake), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls).

New England Revolution captain Shalrie Joseph will be the team's lone representative at the 2011 MLS All-Star game after New York Red Bulls and MLS All-Stars head coach Hans Backe named the Grenadian to the game-day squad. The selection marks the eighth-consecutive time Joseph has been named an MLS All-Star.

Forgive me for being a tad late to this party. I've been away from the computer for most of the day and I'm starting to catch up here. The 2011 MLS All-Star Game roster was announced this afternoon and for the most part, the 20-man game roster from Hans Backe isn't too shocking.

Only a couple real shockers, first off is Houston keeper Tally Hall.

Goalkeeper:
Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo) 26 years old. Signed for Danish club Esbjerg when he was 22 years old and spent two years there, but didn't play in any competitive games. Scored a goal from his own half in a CONCACAF Champions League game against Isidro Metapán. He has a dog named Fifa and supports Spurs.

Goalkeeper:
Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo) 26 years old. Signed for Danish club Esbjerg when he was 22 years old and spent two years there, but didn't play in any competitive games. Scored a goal from his own half in a CONCACAF Champions League game against Isidro Metapán. He has a dog named Fifa and supports Spurs.

Eric Giardini takes a look at where some MLS players might fit in Serie A

Beckham, no surprise, leads the list...

With the end of the MLS playoffs and the beginning of the January transfer window upon us sooner than we realize, this seems as good a time as any to put together a list of current MLS players I think could play, and even flourish, with a move to Serie A.