Top Stories

Twellman set to announce retirement

Taylor Twellman (ISIphotos.com) 

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

New England Revolution striker Taylor Twellman has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday at 1:30pm where he will announce his retirement.

Twellman has struggled with brain injuries that have forced him to miss the entire 2010 season, injuries that will cut short one of the best careers of any forward in MLS history.

Twellman, 30, helped guide the Revolution to four MLS Cup Final appearances, and finishes his career with 101 career MLS goals, as well as ten career playoff goals. The five-time MLS All-Star also made 30 appearances for the U.S. national team, scoring six goals.

What did you think of Twellman as a player? What was your favorite moment of his career?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. As a Revs fan, this is both good news and bad news. Bad news in that we’re losing the best player the Revs have ever had, and IMHO the best pure goal scorer the league has ever seen. The good news … he can now move on, and have no reason to suffer an 8th concussion.

    Good luck TT … thanks for the wonderful memories.

    Reply
  2. I’m still very bummed that TT didn’t make the 2006WC squad. He was our leading scorer in the campaign to the Cup and always stepped it up in big games. Our one goal for the tournament says we probably should have had a true goal scorer on the team.

    Reply
  3. I fell in love with MLS watching the Revs and Twellman. Great player, who sadly could have been even greater. I’d say I’ll miss him, but I think we already have for the last 2 years.

    Reply
  4. Who will my wife try to insult now with the yell, “Twinkle Toes don’t like hoes?”

    I dont really know what it meant either; perhaps a homosexual innuendo?

    As a Dallas fan we liked him and disliked him at the same time.

    Reply
  5. I always liked Twellman. He was a smart player who moved well (although not fast) and was a clinical finisher from anywhere in the box. He was never gonna be a star for the Nat’s, as I’m not sure he was physically equipped to play at the top level, but he was a terrific player who I hope will get into coaching

    Reply
  6. Nope. It’s the contact of head-to-head. Or knee to head (Eskandarian’s worst concussion). Or fist to head. And then once you become susceptible, a tossed ball that hits the back of the head (Gros) or jogging (Namoff) can set it off again.

    I’m not aware of any original concussion caused by heading. It’s usually something else much more traumatic. But once it’s happened (and not handled well), all sorts of things can trigger a concussion syndrome.

    Reply
  7. Read about what he’s going through. Twellman says that his eyes sometimes “lie” (he gives an example of watching the NBA finals and he “saw” the two opposing coaches on the same side of the court despite that they were actually seated on opposite sides. Headaches just from walking or going up stairs. This isn’t about a guy who’s pulling something melodramatic and might tease us and then come back if he’s bored. This is about a guy who may not qualify for a driver’s license. A guy who can sometimes be in danger just walking up or down stairs. A guy who has trouble seeing straight. He can’t even get cleared to practice with the Revs, let alone make the subs bench.

    Reply
  8. To me, that’s the one stain (if you could call it that) on his MLS career. This is a guy who was a true competitor–not the dirtbag that Ruiz was. He got results, he played hard, everyone respected him for his (as Nowak would say) “honest effort.” A heckuva a teammate. And, oh yeah, a heckuva goal scorer. He originally played for a pittance and never dogged it or did stuff like DeRo did at the end of this season or half-stepped in an effort to get pay increases. And when he had a chance to go overseas, the Revs killed it–which is a shame.

    To hate to see any athlete leave the game under such circumstances (not just injury but one that has long-term quality of life implications).

    Reply
  9. My girlfriend and I gave Twellman and Ralston a ride to Wendy’s one night after the bar in Salt Lake. They couldn’t get a taxi and Wendy’s was about to close. He was a total class act! Bought me a spicey chicken combo and when I brought up the fact that Arenas screwed him by picking Ching for the 06′ World Cup squad (it had just been announced), he didn’t have a bad word to say.

    Reply
  10. As a DCU fan, I loved to hate him, but that has a lot to do with how effective he could be against us, and how timely some of his goals were (2006 playoffs, for instance). Much respect to TT, and best wishes for where life takes him.

    Reply
  11. I assume it was an obscure ode to one of Twellman’s commentating stints this season where he kept referring to things as “awesome” and Ives playfully chided him about it on Twitter.

    Reply
  12. One of the best players to never win an MLS Cup. He deserved one.

    He was the first player I learned about when I first started watching soccer in 2006, and has since become my favorite. A great player, and a great person. I hope to see him in a booth or on a sideline next season.

    A career that ended much too soon…

    Reply
  13. yeah, there was a good article on him and soccer concussions in general by Grant Wahl last week. Mentions a few players who’ve agreed to give up their brains for that purpose. It also said that he knew he had a concussion right after getting hit in the head, but played another 8 games. Doesn’t say if he ever told the training staff, perhaps he did, perhaps he didn’t.

    Reply
  14. No way. Simply heading a soccer ball is not necessarily dangerous. The forehead is the hardest bone in the body. But getting cheap elbows to the head when going for a ball in flight can be lethal.

    Headbanging is worse for your brain than playing soccer.

    Reply
  15. he was a player that i looked up to and that i studied because he was so smart. Him and Pat Noonan back in the day were by far my favorites.

    Reply
  16. Taylor was just a classy professional who always gave his all every game. You NEVER had to worry about him bringing his lunch pail. He was snake bit throughout his career but always took the high road. His getting sick during the WC qualifying, his injury that he has dealt with now for 2 years…etc. I wish him all the best for a full recovery and a healthy life.

    Reply
  17. Taylor Twellman’s story serves to remind us all that concussions are a very real concern for all sports, soccer included.

    I hope to see him continue to serve American soccer, whether it be through broadcasting or coaching.

    Reply
  18. I’ve been a fan of Twellman since he stepped foot on the University Of Maryland campus. I have seen a lot of talent come through Maryland and the ACC and he was one of the all-time greats. Twellman and his teams of the late 90’s helped Maryland become the national powerhouse it is today. As a DC fan, I have always followed his career with the Revs and hated that he struggled to return from his injuries. Good luck in retirement Twellman, you will be missed!

    Reply

Leave a Comment