Meet the 2014 B&RU All-Reader XI

Another calendar year has come and gone. The year 2014 will go down as possibly the most important year in D.C. United history, and it was a fantastic year here at the virtual soccer pub that is Black and Red United. Like a sports bar is really only as good as its patrons, we depend on you readers to make this site the kick ass community I like to think it is. And you don't disappoint. So, since SB Nation has given us some numbers on our most prolific commenters and FanPost/FanShot contributors, I'd like to take the opportunity to recognize some of our regulars.

And so, I present the 2014 Black and Red United All-Reader XI.

• In goal, we have Bill Hamid, who is not a regular reader of B&RU (so far as we know), but we're going to claim the editor's prerogative and name the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year to our squad. Because we can.
• Our back three - best believe we're running a back three around here - are Brendanukkah, Will Nelson and fischy, who led the commenter leaderboard.
• At wingback, we have DCUniverse, who ran an outstanding MLS Match Prediction Game last year, and itwasi, who joined him atop the FanPost table.
• In central midfield, say hello to the engine room duo of beardyblue, who contributed more FanShots than any reader, and DCU_Exile, who not only holds a high spot on the comments list but who has also agreed to take over the Match Prediction Game for the upcoming season.
• Up front in this pretend 3-4-3, we have the three-headed monster of DavidRusk, DBU and dccal, who collaborated on so many FanPosts supporting the stadium effort while still adding to the more general conversation in comment threads, you'd think there was more than one three of them. These guys are finishers, and they clearly belong in front of goal.

The first players off the bench will be UnitedDemon1 and Croftonpost, who fell just short of making the First XI based on their commenting numbers. Kabbaj and Bavarian Football Works editor Phillip Quinn join them on the gameday roster by virtue of their FanShot contributions, along with sometime FanPost authors dcsoccer7 and taylor.silver. Like last year, Stunned Duck rounds out the squad with his comprehensive Field Guide and player spotter, which he's contributed for the last few seasons.

Thank you to all our readers and commenters, whether name checked here or not. It really is the lot of you that make this such a fun and rewarding place to hang out in cyberspace. I hope you'll stick around some more in 2015.

Vamos, y'all.