The MLS Cup occurs each year in the American soccer calendar and sees the winning team of both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals go against one other in the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. It has existed since 1996 and since then has celebrated 15 different winners – here are the clubs that have won the most trophies.

LA Galaxy (5 wins)

Not only have LA Galaxy celebrated the most title wins, but they have also featured in the most finals (9). Despite reaching three finals without success (1996, 1999, and 2001), their first taste of glory came in 2002 with a 1-0 victory over New England Revolution. Another win in 2005 followed before the Galaxy began their so-called ‘dynasty’ categorized by their multiple high-profile players, such as Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, and David Beckham.

The Galaxy featured in four finals between 2009 and 2014, winning three of them. Keane scored in their most recent victory in 2014, while at the time his former side Liverpool came within two points of Premier League glory behind Manchester City. Jurgen Klopp’s side was among many bookmakers’ football betting tips to be up there again this season, however, a slow start to the campaign saw them enter the international break sixth in the league. The Reds could certainly do with Keane’s firepower up top, although his two years in Los Angeles beyond 2014 garnered no further trophies, as their last MLS Cup to date remains the 2014 edition.

D.C. United (4 wins)

While just below LA Galaxy in terms of title wins, D.C. United achieved that feat in just five finals. In fact, the inaugural MLS Cup actually featured a final between United and the Galaxy, the latter of whom threw away a two-nil lead before Eddie Pope eventually scored the golden goal to make it 3-2 and D.C. United is the tournament’s first-ever winner. This launched the beginning of a true dynasty in the late nineties and early noughties.

Under the management of American soccer legend Bruce Arena, United featured in each of the first four finals, losing only the 1998 edition. Three MLS Cups formed part of the eight major trophies won by Arena and co. before the turn of the millennium, marking the club’s most prolific period to date. Since then, United returned to celebrate their fourth MLS Cup in 2004, again by a 3-2 margin. The side from the capital has since struggled to replicate that form in the modern day, though, with their most recent major trophy coming in 2013.

Seattle Sounders (2 wins)

There are several teams that place third on this list with two wins to their name. Houston Dynamo, Sporting Kansas City, Colombus Crew, and San Jose Earthquakes all boast a duo of titles, however, Seattle Sounders have been the most recently prolific side. The Sounders were only founded in 2007 – some 11 years after the first MLS Cup was formed – and didn’t come close to glory until 2014. Then, they won their first Supporters Shield, two years later playing in their first MLS Cup final.

The Sounders duly won that match on penalties against Toronto, before playing in three more finals between then and the present day (2017, 2019, and 2020). Their second taste of success came in the 2019 edition in what was a rematch of 2016 final. This time, goals from Kelvin Leerdam, Victor Rodriguez, and Raul Ruidiaz helped the Sounders to a 3-1 victory over their Canadian counterparts in regulation time. However, they then fell to a 3-0 defeat the following year to Columbus Crew, which is their most recent MLS Cup final to date.

As American football continues to grow, the competitive nature of the MLS Cup is steadily increasing. This is reflected in the high number of diverse winners, which is seeing the dynasties of the early years coming to an end. The glory is now shared between a wide selection of impressive sides, the most recent being Gareth Bale’s Los Angeles FC in November 2022.

The Naismith Basketball released their preliminary nominees for the Class of 2023, which contains candidates from six different categories.  The Finalists will be released on NBA All-Star Weekend, on Friday, February 17.  The Class will be announced during the Final Four on April 1.

Here is the list of nominees: 

*Indicates first time nominee.

NORTH AMERICAN NOMINATIONS:

Ken Anderson (Coach)

John Beilein (Coach*)

Gene Bess (Coach)

Chauncey Billups (Player) Ranked #6 on Notinhalloffame.com

Tom Chambers (Player) Ranked #23 on Notinhalloffame.com

John Clougherty (Referee)

Michael Cooper (Player) Ranked #28 on Notinhalloffame.com

Joey Crawford (Referee)

Jack Curran (Coach)

Mark Eaton (Player) Ranked #32 on Notinhalloffame.com

Cliff Ellis (Coach)

Michael Finlay (Player) Ranked #59 on Notinhalloffame.com

Pau Gasol (Player*) Ranked #3 on Notinhalloffame.com

Leonard Hamilton (Coach)

Lou Henson (Coach)

Ed Hightower (Referee)

David Hixon (Coach)

Mark Jackson (Player) Ranked #67 on Notinhalloffame.com

Marques Johnson (Player) Ranked #14 on Notinhalloffame.com

Gene Keady (Coach)

Jim Larranaga (Coach*)

Maurice Lucas (Player) Ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com

Shawn Marion (Player) Ranked #18 on Notinhalloffame.com

Rollie Massimino (Coach)

Dick Motta (Coach)

Dirk Nowitzki (Player*) Ranked #1 on Notinhalloffame.com

Jake O’Donnell (Referee)

Tony Parker (Player*) Ranked #5 on Notinhalloffame.com

Jim Phelan (Coach)

Gregg Popovich (Coach*)

Bo Ryan (Coach)

Stan Spirou (Coach*)

Reggie Theus (Player) Ranked #70 on Notinhalloffame.com

Dwyane Wade (Player*) Ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com

Buck Williams (Player) Ranked #9 on Notinhalloffame.com

John Williamson (Player)

Paul Westphal (Coach)

WOMEN’S NOMINATIONS:

Leta Andrews (Coach)

Jennifer Azzi (Player)

Gary Blair (Coach)

Doug Bruno (Coach*)

Becky Hammon (Player)

Becky Martin (Coach)

Debbie Miller-Palmore (Player)

Kim Mulkey (Player)

Valerie Still (Player)

Marian Washington (Coach)

INTERNATIONAL DIRECT-ELECT NOMINATIONS:

Jackie Chazalon

Mirza Delibasic

Dusan Ivkovic

Semen Khalipski

Vladimir Kondrashin

Eduardo Lamas

Marcos Leite

Shimon Mirrabi

Amaury Pasos

Manuel Sainz

Togo Soares

Ranko Zerzvica

WOMEN’S VETERANS DIRECT-ELECT NOMINATIONS:

1976 U.S. Olympic Team (Team*)

1982 Cheyney University NCAA Final Four Team (Team*)

Alline Banks Sprouse (Player)

Edmonton Commercial Grads (Team)

John Head (Coach)

Yolanda Laney (Player*)

Nashville Business College (Team)

Lorneta Odom (Player)

Hanley Redin (Coach)

Hazel Walker (Player)

Valerie Walker (Player*)

Dean Weese (Coach*)

CONTRIBUTOR DIRECT-ELECT NOMINATIONS:

Pete Babcock

Dick Baumgartner

Henry Bibby

Marty Blake

Vic Bubas

Doug Collins

Wayne Duke

Bill Foster

Bob Gibbons

Simon Gourdine

Tim Grgurich

Junius Kellogg

Johnny “Red” Kerr

Tom Konchalski

Bobby Lewis

Fred McCall

Jack McCloskey

Jon McGlocklin

Speedy Morris

Dennis Murphy

Curly Neal

Jack Powers

Will Robinson

Gene Shue

Jim Valvano

Donnie Walsh

VETERANS DIRECT-ELECT NOMINATIONS:

1936 U.S. Olympic Team (Team)

1972 U.S. Olympic Team (Team)

Dick Barnett (Player) Ranked #61 on Notinhalloffame.com

Tom Blackburn (Coach)

Sid Borgia (Referee)

Charles Brown (Player)

Freddie Brown (Player*) Ranked #63 on Notinhalloffame.com

Jack Coleman (Player)

Charles Eckman (Referee)

Leroy Edwards (Player)

Lou Ferris (Contributor)

Hy Gotkin (Player)

Travis Grant (Player)

Jack Hartman (Coach)

Cam Henderson (Coach)

Robert Hopkins (Player)

Charles Keinath (Player)

Greg Kelser (Player*)

Kentucky Wesleyan 1966, 1968 & 1969 (Team)

Bob Love (Player) Ranked #52 on Notinhalloffame.com

Loyola of Chicago (Team)

Billy Markward (Contributor)

Ed McCluskey (Coach)

Jack McKinney (Contributor)

Bill Melchionni (Player*)

Francis Meehan (Player)

Lucias Mitchell (Coach)

Donald “Dudley” Moore (Coach)

Joe Mulaney (Coach)

Willie Naulls (Player) Ranked #45 on Notinhalloffame.com

North Catholic High School Junior Varsity (Philadelphia) (Team)

Don Otten (Player*)

Philadelphia SPHAS (Team)

Kevin Porter (Player*)

Glenn Roberts (Player)

Lennie Rosenbluth (Player)

Kenny Sailors (Player)

Fred Schaus (Contributor)

Sam Schulman (Contributor)

Paul Silas (Player) Ranked #26 on Notinhalloffame.com

Dick Van Arsdale (Player)

Tom Van Arsdale (Player)

Lambert Will (Cobtributor)

Max Zaslofsky (Player) Ranked #4 on Notinhalloffame.com

One of the greatest Running Backs of all-time, Franco Harris, passed away at the age of 72.

Harris debuted in the professional ranks in 1972 for the Steelers, a team he didn’t have to travel far from as he was a star at Penn State.  The Running Back won the Offensive Rookie of the Year, going to the Pro Bowl and rushing for 1,055 Yards and 10 Touchdowns.  This was the year where Harris was the beneficiary of the "Immaculate Reception," as a still-debated play that saw the Steelers beat the Raiders in the playoffs.  Pittsburgh didn't win it all that year, but they had a Running Back in tow that could help them in the future.

Harris was one of the best Running Backs of the decade, going to Pro Bowl every season from 1972 to 1980.  Harris was a First Team All-Pro in 1977 (1,162 Rushing Yards and 11 TDs), but he arguably was better the season before with a league-leading 14 TDs and 1,128 Rushing Yards.  Harris helped propel the Steelers to four Super Bowl wins, earning MVP honors in the first title.  Over 19 Playoff Games, Harris had 2,060 Yards From Scrimmage with 17 Touchdowns, an incredible number over intense situations.

Harris was with the Steelers until 1983, playing one final year in Seattle before retiring.  Overall, Harris would accumulate 14,407 Yards From Scrimmage with an even 100 Touchdowns.  The Pro Football Hall of Fame came calling in 1990 and was a member of the first Steelers' Hall of Honor in 2017.  In addition, the Steelers retired his number 32, giving Harris the distinction of being the third player in franchise history to earn that accolade.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, family and friends of Franco Harris.