Todd Dunivant: The Galaxy's Unsung Hero

For those that don't follow the Galaxy very closely, they might question my title and ask "Todd Dunivant? Really?" Well, other LAG fans and I believe he is the most underrated player on the Galaxy.  He is easily one of the most consistent players on the Galaxy and has been the past two and a half seasons. Todd Dunivant seems to quietly fall under the radar and just enjoy his team's success without the hoopla of press and hardly any acknowledgement; nevertheless he sure does deserve some praise.

Todd was traded to the Galaxy in 2009 from Toronto FC. Since then he has been a constant figure on the Galaxy's roster. Throughout the past two seasons he had a few minor injuries, but still played in 57 games out of 60. He has played in 21 regular season games out of 22 thus far this season. In his career with the Galaxy, he has scored two goals and has six assists. His time and effort are shown in these stats and highlight his consistency.

While the Galaxy's defense garners a significant amount of praise, the names we always hear in the press are Omar Gonzalez, A.J. DeLaGarza, Sean Franklin, and Donovan Ricketts. Don't get me wrong, these players deserve all of their praise, but where is the love for Todd Dunivant? Why isn't Dunivant on the All-Star team with Gonzalez and Franklin? As one of the key figures on this great defense, it seems odd that Dunivant is mostly left out of this group. And although Dunivant is a well-known name in MLS due in part to his long tenure in the league, I know I hear Greg Berhalter's name in the press more than Dunivant, and Berhalter has been out most of the season.

When Dunivant wore the captain's armband during the Colorado Rapids game, it felt like he was finally receiving some recognition. Yes, Beckham and Donovan were not playing in this game, but it says a lot for Dunivant amongst this team of all-star players. And perhaps he does receive recognition from his team and coaches; we just don't hear about it. But he deserves more praise both in the press and from fans. Dedication and consistency are invaluable qualities in a soccer player and deserve to be recognized; just because you are not a goal scorer or an up and coming youngster does not mean one should be ignored. So the next time you see Todd Dunivant's name pop-up on the jumbo-tron at the HDC, cheer just a little louder for the guy. Our team would not be as great without him.