The Bent Musket roundtable: What Revs player deserves a statue?

Landon Donovan recently had a statue unveiled of himself at Dignity Health Sports Park and it got the fine folks here at The Bent Musket thinking what member of the New England Revolution is statue-worthy.

There are plenty of options with New England having some legends don the crayon flag but they also might just have some players currently on the roster that could be deserving of the honor.

So let’s not waste any time and get to who the staff thinks should get immortalized by the organization.

Sam - Carles Gil

This might be controversial but hear me out, everyone. Carles Gil is on the precipice of winning an MVP as well as leading the Revs to an MLS Cup. If that doesn’t deserve a statue I don’t know what does.

Gil has already been described as the best player to wear a Revolution uniform by Shalrie Joseph, who is one of the few people capable of saying such a thing. When you combine that with him possibly leading New England to their first championship he’s well deserving of the honor.

Now there are some factors outside of Gil’s control that could affect him getting a statue. The Revolution are bound to get their own soccer-specific stadium, so they won’t build that statue until they find their true home. Also what is in Gil’s control is just how long he plays, New England might put up a statue of a player such as Taylor Twellman or Joseph if Gil plays late into his 30’s.

So “Capi” is well-deserving of getting his own statue.

Seth - Taylor Twellman

Twellman was a prolific goalscorer who gave everything he had to the only MLS club he ever played for. This is why he should be the Revolution’s first honoree.

The five-time MLS All-Star and one-time league MVP (2005) became the youngest player to score 100 MLS goals at age 29. He was responsible for some of the most memorable strikes in Revs history, including the ones he scored in the 2007 and 200MLS Cups. His bicycle kick against the Chicago Fire in the 2007 Eastern Conference Final will be played in perpetuity.

Twellman constantly put his body on the line to score goals. This was seen on Aug. 30, 2008 when the striker collided with LA Galaxy goalkeeper Steve Cronin. Although the ball ended up in the back of the net, Twellman sustained a concussion that ultimately led to him retiring in 2010.

Jake - Matt Reis

Yes, the long time Revs goalkeeper with over 250 regular-season games with the club, as well as over 20 playoff games, and certainly New England’s and possibly MLS’ all-time leader in locker room jokes and shenanigans. The Blue Man Group drummer and Gibraltar international playmaker are remembered fondly on April 1st around these parts, but it’s a different April day that elevates Reis into statue-dom.

On April 15th, 2013 Matt Reis and his family were at the finish line of the Boston Marathon when an explosion rang out. Reis’ father-in-law John Odom suffered life-threatening injuries but some quick thinking and an improvised belt/tourniquet from Reis were enough to get Odom to the hospital where he recovered from a lengthy hospital stay in critical condition and numerous surgeries. A statue commemorating the marathon bombings as well as Reis heroics and the efforts of first responders and hospital staff on that day would be a welcome addition to the club.

Josh - Teal Bunbury

On the pitch, Bunbury has made 163 appearances for the Revs where he’s netted a total of 45 goals and 21 assists over 14,362 minutes. With his efforts on and off the pitch, Teal Bunbury has become a model for what it means to be a member of the Revolution.

Not only has Teal been impactful on the field for the Revs, but he’s also been impactful within the community. Most recently, Bunbury organized his annual “Back to School with the Revs” event, which raised $15,000 and allowed Bunbury to assist fifty families with back-to-school shopping. Teal also organizes a variety of events during the holidays to help local families. Teal’s efforts within the community helped him become the Revs Humanitarian of the Year award recipient in 2020.

Since joining the Revs, Bunbury has made a tremendous impact not only on the pitch but in the community as he’s worked to raise money for local families in need. Those two aspects have made Bunbury a fan favorite and a club legend, which is why I believe Teal Bunbury should have a statue.