Highs and lows of the 2006 season

The 2006 MLS season is finally over, and if you're like me, you can't decide if you're ready for more, or if a stint in MLS detox is in order. Such is the way of America's domestic league, where it seems that for every highlight-reel goal, there are games in which the final whistle can't come soon enough. So what follows is a list of those performances that stuck in the memory, whether I wanted them to or not.

Tony Quinn/WireImage

Alecko Eskandarian's return this season from serious injury was a welcome sight.

Five best moments

1. Houston's MLS Cup victory

The Dynamo's win over New England was by no means a classic, but given the difficulties created by their offseason move from San Jose, you have to hand it to Dominic Kinnear's club. They overcame obstacles that no other MLS team has ever had to face. That they celebrated in front of thousands of orange-clad fans made their victory all the sweeter.

2. Esky's return

With apologies to Richard Mulrooney, Alecko Eskandarian's goal on opening day might qualify as the feel-good story of the season. Sidelined for the better part of nine months with post-concussion syndrome, there was some concern that the Virginia product might not make it back. But Eskandarian celebrated his return to the field with a bang, delivering a thumping volley against the New York Red Bulls that helped his team salvage a 2-2 draw after they had trailed 2-0.

3. All-Star triumph

With the MLS All-Stars taking on Chelsea this year, the fear was that the match would be a blowout for the visitors. But the league's best domestic players did themselves proud, delivering a 1-0 victory courtesy of Dwayne De Rosario's brilliant strike, and turning a few heads in the process.

4. Christian Gomez's brilliance

OK, I'm cheating here, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the season-long excellence of D.C. United's Argentine playmaker. Even when United were struggling, Gomez continued to play at a high level, and at times, he was the only thing keeping his team's ship afloat.

5. Rocky Mountain Cup Fever

Don't get me wrong, I am not in favor of players directing obscene gestures toward fans, as Colorado's Pablo Mastroeni did to Real Salt Lake supporters on Sept. 2. But what this league needs is passion, and it was good to see some raw emotion in evidence during a regular-season game. If only MLS could replicate that fire on a weekly basis.

Five biggest disappointments

1. Los Angeles Galaxy

The stunning death of Los Angeles GM Doug Hamilton deserves a category all its own, so the discussion here is limited to the Galaxy's on-field struggles. Let's face it, this team stunk, becoming the second league champion in MLS history to miss the playoffs the following season. Just how bad were the Galaxy? Landon Donovan actually played pretty well, but he got little help from anyone else. A 1-0 loss to Real Salt Lake on Aug. 30, in which goalkeeper Kevin Hartman allowed Jeff Cunningham's slow roller to slip through his legs for the game's only goal, typified L.A.'s season. Don't expect it to last, however. With Frank Yallop now on board, the Galaxy should be back next season.

2. Eddie Johnson

When the Kansas City Wizards acquired the mercurial forward from Dallas in the preseason, they thought they were getting the lethal offensive threat that would propel them back to the playoffs. But Johnson proved to be more deadly to his own team. Not only was his on-field production of two goals woefully short of expectations, but his petulant attitude saw him suspended for the Wizards' "play-in" game with New York that saw Kansas City eliminated from the playoff race.

3. D.C. United

How could a team that won the Supporters' Shield be a disappointment? By having the league's worst record over the last 11 games of the season, and performing in the playoffs as if they were on valium. Peter Nowak, who did everything right over the season's first four months, never did figure out how to compensate for his back line's tendency to succumb to high pressure.

4. Youri Djorkaeff

In 2005, the Frenchman appeared to have proven the naysayers wrong, delivering a stellar season in the Big Apple. But in 2006, New York's worst fears were realized as Djorkaeff did his best to fulfill all of the aging foreigner stereotypes: slow, fragile and disinterested.

5. FC Dallas

Like United in the East, the Hoops couldn't replicate their regular-season success in the playoffs, falling to lower-seeded Colorado for the second year in a row. Dallas' failure to hold a two-goal lead against the Rapids, as well as blowing an opportunity to play the MLS Cup final on their home field, made the team's latest playoff disappointment even more maddening.

Five most pleasant surprises

1. Ante Razov

Opinions varied prior to this season about how much Razov had left in the tank. Being reunited with head coach Bob Bradley was a plus, but even the most optimistic forecasts wouldn't have predicted the former U.S. international's stellar season. Razov's 14 goals saw him contend for the league lead all year long, and he was a major reason for Chivas USA's transformation from league laughingstock into a solid playoff team.

2. Kenny Cooper

Many an American has returned to the United States from Europe in the hope of tearing up MLS, but few have delivered on those expectations like Cooper did this season for FC Dallas. Whether he lined up on the flank or up front, the former Manchester United attacker was a consistent threat to score, tallying 11 goals, and his upbeat personality made him an asset in the locker room as well.

3. Chivas USA's turnaround

If you think transforming a team from league doormat into a playoff contender is easy, try telling that to Columbus, Kansas City and Salt Lake City. Each of those teams missed out on the playoffs for the second year in a row, so give Bradley and his players their due. Not only did the Goats qualify for the playoffs with room to spare, but they played some attractive soccer along the way.

4. Josmer Altidore

There were plenty of splendid rookie performances, especially from the likes of Chivas USA's Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan, as well as Chicago defender Dasan Robinson. But the sight of the 16-year-old Altidore repeatedly delivering down the stretch for the New York Red Bulls was a stunner, and definitely makes him a player to watch for next season.

5. Andy Dorman

There were numerous players who emerged this year and delivered memorable seasons, but the New England midfielder is often overlooked. When injuries and World Cup absences looked set to decimate New England's midfield, the Boston University product assumed the attacking midfield role, and kept the Rev's offense in gear during a critical part of the season. With the likes of Clint Dempsey set to depart for Europe, Dorman's development should ease the Revs' pain.

Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPNsoccernet. He can be reached at eljefe1@yahoo.com.