University of Denver defender Kris Banghart, from Fort Collins, was chosen by Real Salt Lake with the 64th pick of Thursday’s Major League Soccer draft.

University of Denver central defender Kris Banghart Kris Banghart is among the initial list of 62 college seniors from 44 Division I schools who have been invited to participate in the 2010 adidas MLS player combine, January 8-12 at Central Broward Regional Park in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
(photo by George Tanner/ ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Former University of Denver and Colorado Rapids defender and Colorado Soccer Now favorite Nat Borchers will be playing in MLS Cup 2009 today in Seattle as his Real Salt Lake squad takes on the Los Angeles Galaxy. Borchers was the only member of Real Salt Lake to start all 30 games this season, playing 2,679 of the team’s 2,700 minutes. He scored one goal and was named the team’s MVP. (photo courtesy of Major League Soccer)

Major League Soccer released the finalists for the league’s 2009 awards today, and Galaxy striker Landon Donovan certainly was among them. Inside, I list all the finalists and whom I voted for in the process. Donovan, left, was among the finalists for the league’s Most Valuable Player award, and I think he’s the likely winner. All of the award finalists earned the most votes in polling of MLS players, general managers, coaches, referees and members of the media, including yours truly. Check out all of the finalists inside.
(photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber has fined D.C. United President Kevin Payne $5,000 for public comments about the Colorado Rapids, Real Salt Lake and New England Revolution.

Random thoughts and ideas from the 2009 MLS All-Star Game, which finished tied 1-1 and saw Everton win on penalty kicks, thanks to Tim Howard. Read all about Conor Casey, John Spencer, the best hairdo since El Pibe, and more. …

Salt Lake midfielder Will Johnson and Chicago defender Bakary Soumare have been added to the MLS All-Star roster as replacements for Houston forward Brian Ching and New England midfielder Shalrie Joseph.

Rapids striker Conor Casey has been chosen as one of the 2009 MLS All-Star Game’s first 11 players.

We open the books and look at my votes in the media balloting for the 2009 Major League Soccer All-Star team. I picked Conor Casey, right, at striker, but the balloting at the position is limited to two. Who, in a strong year for forwards, could be the No. 2 choice? Omar Cummings? Landon Donovan? Kenny Cooper? Freddy Montero? Eduardo Lillingston? Robbie Findley? Ryan Johnson? Brian McBride? (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

In the interests of openness, here’s how I voted in the North American Soccer Reporters’ balloting for Major League Soccer’s player of the week … (photo by Tom Auclair/ ColoradoSoccerNow.com)