Both Dwayne De Rosario and Juan Pablo Angel scored four times in the past week. But, in the end, the Player of the Week balloting wasn’t close. The Canadian beat the Colombian handily, taking 13 out of 16 first-place votes from the membership of the North American Soccer Reporters.

Aron Winter gambled, and rolled snake eyes. With a massive, must-win CONCACAF Champions League against Pumas UNAM coming up on Tuesday, and with Toronto FC all but eliminated from the MLS playoff race, the Reds’ technical director and coach decided to start his best available XI Saturday against Chivas.

Dwayne De Rosario has done a lot in his storied MLS career; four championships, MVP nominations, goals of the year. But he could do something this season that no other MLS player has done since the league kicked off in 1996; win the MVP award in a season in which the winner was traded.

Sixteen of the 19 players named to the roster were part of the team at the Gold Cup. The most surprising addition? Canadian player of the year Atiba Hutchinson, who is just coming back from meniscus surgery — and who Hart had indicated last month would likely not get the call for the first couple of World Cup qualifiers.

Sanna Nyassi was a role player on the Colorado Rapids just two weeks ago. Now, he’s the MLS Player of the Week.

When making trades, what is often lost in the business of the sports are the human stories behind the scenes that media and fans often never hear about. When a player is traded, there can be hostility towards the old club because a pre-existing situation (i.e. Dwayne De Rosario’s contract situation) or simply because they were traded and, as a result, felt unwanted. However, there are those rare instances where a player is thankful and happy to have been traded and still keep in touch with his former manager as a result.

This Friday night, FC Edmonton will try to do what no other NASL club has done so far this season. Stop Etienne Barbara. The Maltese striker has 12 goals in 10 games so far this season. He’s only been held off the scoresheet once so far this NASL campaign. And, in that game, he set up both Carolina goals.

Now, the key words are “tackle” and “attempt,” as it looked like, while late, Hassli actually made minimal contact with Zemanski. But, that could only be determined after looking at a couple of slow-motion replays. Salazar didn’t have that luxury, and should not be judged by them. In real time, Hassli came in very late, very fast, and looked to come through the player.

Heck, Philadelphia had two multiple-goal scorers in the same game in its 6-2 romp over Toronto FC. And, Justin Mapp got the nod after the votes from the North American Soccer Reporters were tallied. Union teammate Danny Mwanga also had two goals, and helped set up Mapp’s opening goal of the game.

Chivas USA sent a message to the rest of Major League Soccer on Sunday, beating the Red Bulls 3-2 in New Jersey. And, Justin Braun, who scored all three goals for the Goats, was named the MLS Player of the Week after all of the votes made by the North American Soccer Reporters were talled.