Benny Feilhaber's Goal in the 2007 Gold Cup Final easily took home the Best MNT Goal last year. © John Dorton / isiphotos.com Photo Gallery

CHICAGO (Nov. 5, 2008) – The 2008 Best of U.S. Soccer Awards, presented by Soccer America, have kicked off with a nomination period for five of the awards that will be handed out in mid-December. Now in its seventh year, the annual series provides fans the opportunity to submit their nominees for the five categories until Friday, Nov. 14 on ussoccer.com.

The full list of awards will be announced on Nov. 17 and winners will be decided by a period of fan voting in which soccer fans around the country can review nominees, watch video and decide which entrant they deem most worthy of the prize.

While the finalists for the non-nomination categories are pre-determined, ussoccer.com is calling on national team supporters to make their voices heard during the nomination process. The five nomination categories are the most ever in the history of the annual series and include Best all_access Video, Best Soccer Bar, Best Soccer Blog, Best Soccer Specialty Store and Best Fan Photo, where fans are asked to send in personal photos that have the chance to be chosen as a nominee.

Fans who want to participate can e-mail their nominations to centercircle@ussoccer.org. Additionally, participants can follow along with the 2008 Best of Blog, where voters can leave comments and follow the latest news as it relates to the nominations and awards.

Following the conclusion of the nomination period and the opening of general voting on Nov. 17, fans will have more than two weeks to vote for their favorites. The conclusion of voting will occur on Dec. 9, with the winners announced Dec. 15-19 on ussoccer.com.

Voting for U.S. Soccer’s Athletes of the Year will also begin on Nov. 17, allowing fans to vote for the most deserving player for more than two weeks. As in years past, online votes registered at ussoccer.com will be tallied and equivalent to 50 percent of the votes, while the other 50 percent will be represented by votes compiled from members of the media and U.S. Soccer representatives. Last year, Clint Dempsey and Abby Wambach won the 2007 U.S. Soccer Male and Female Athletes of the Year, respectively.

2008 U.S. Soccer Best of Awards
Nomination Categories

1. Best Soccer Bar
This award goes to the best soccer-focused or soccer-friendly bar in the United States. Fans go here not only because it opens it beer-swilling doors at 7 a.m. on a Saturday to catch European games, but also because it has the MLS package and turns the bar red, white and blue when any U.S. National Team is playing.

2. Best Soccer Specialty Store
This award honors the best all-around store to buy all things soccer, from the latest Nike cleats for your weekend league to that Carlos Bocanegra national team jersey.

3. Best Soccer Blog
Countless soccer blogs are on the information superhighway, but which is the one you click first when you get into the office in the morning?

4. Best all_access Video
In this category, fans are selecting the best behind-the-scenes all_access video segment that appeared on ussoccer.conm in 2008.

5. Best Fan Photo
Have you traveled far and wide, camera in tow, trying to get the best shot of a U.S. team at a game? Well we want you to show us. Send us your best snapshot of one of the many memorable events from this year.

Nomination and Voting Schedule
Date           Information
Nov. 5         Fan nomination period begins
Nov. 14       Fan nomination period ends
Nov. 17       Voting Begins
Dec. 9         Voting Ends
Dec. 15-19  Best of U.S. Soccer Awards and AOTY winners announced on ussoccer.com