The Mane Land MLS Power Rankings: Week 27

It's been a slow week in MLS. With the FIFA international break in effect, MLS had only five games scheduled this week. With that in mind, I've decided it's time to break out a couple of other MLS-related power rankings to help supplement this week's edition.

The Mane Land MLS MVP Power Rankings

1. Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto (second in goals at 17, fourth in assists at 13, shots leader)

2. Kei Kamara, Columbus (first in goals at 18, T-9th in assists at 7)

3. Robbie Keane, LA (third in goals at 15, T-9th in assists at 7)

4. Benny Feilhaber, SKC (second in assists at 13, 18th in goals at 8)

If you've read even one of these power rankings all year, you'll know just how much I love Giovinco. The guy is a one-man wrecking crew. For my money, if anyone besides Giovinco wins MVP it will be an empty award.

The Mane Land MLS Coach of the Year Power Rankings

1. Carl Robinson, Vancouver (45 points, second in SS Standings)

2. Jesse Marsch, NYRB (42 points, fifth in SS Standings)

3. Bruce Arena, LA (46 points, first in SS Standings)

Robinson and Marsch deserve to be Coach of the Year, but I wouldn't be surprised if MLS gave the award to Bruce Arena. Because MLS gonna MLS. Right, Don?

1. LA Galaxy (Last Week: 1)

This week in MLS Steven Gerrard Porn: Stevie G taking the time out of his busy schedule to tell the LA Academy kids that school is important. What a great guy that Gerrard is. What a class act. I hope he runs for president.

2. Vancouver Whitecaps (Last Week: 2)

3. New York Red Bulls (Last Week: 3)

4. FC Dallas (Last Week: 4)

Dallas exemplified the phrase "Play without the ball" on Sunday. Dallas only had possession for 32% of the game and somehow came away with a three-goal victory.

5. New England Revolution (Last Week: 6)

New England has won four straight and is undefeated in six.

6. Columbus Crew SC (Last Week: 5)

Remember when Jack McInerney was on fire to start the 2013 season? He scored 10 goals before the start of June, was named an All-Star and was called up to the USMNT for the Gold Cup, all at the age of 20. Since being dropped off the U.S. roster after the group stage that year, though, Jack Mac has been abysmal. He went on a 14-game, four-month goalless drought at the tail end of 2013, and has now been traded twice; most recently for a second-round pick.

This week the former seventh overall pick was one of the main reasons, for me, that Columbus failed to score despite having so much of the ball. McInerney blew his fair share of opportunities that Kei Kamara usually puts away.

7. Sporting Kansas City (Last Week: 8)

8. Portland Timbers (Last Week: 9)

9. San Jose Earthquakes (Last Week: 7)

Go away, San Jose. Your only goal this week came as the result of a hand ball in the box, and you lost to Philly.

10. Seattle Sounders (Last Week: 13)

With everyone back and healthy -- along with the addition of Nelson Valdez -- Sigi Schmid has decisions to make on the team sheet again. That's a luxury Seattle hasn't had since early June. Look for the Sounders to make a big push late for better seeding in the playoffs.

11. Houston Dynamo (Last Week: 10)

12. D.C. United (Last Week: 12)

13. Toronto FC (Last Week: 11)

You gotta feel for Greg Vanney, don't you? When TFC can finally get their full team together in time for the playoffs, look out Eastern Conference.

14. Colorado Rapids (Last Week: 14)

15. Real Salt Lake (Last Week: 15)

16. Montreal Impact (Last Week: 18)

I can't decide what Didier Drogba's hat trick means. On one hand I see a 6-foot-2, 200-pound physical specimen of a forward who has the physical strength and skill to manhandle opposing center backs throughout the league. On the other hand, I see a 37-year-old player who scored four goals in 28 appearances last year in England and made his professional debut when Harry Shipp was just in elementary school. I have no doubt that MLS detractors will look at this and say, "Can you believe that Drogba had a hat trick in his first start? Dude is 37. MLS is a joke."

Drogba, in his day, was an exceptional talent that starred on spectacular Chelsea teams. That talent doesn't go away. I'm reminded of the superb Grantland web documentary series on the NBA's Steve Nash called "The Finish Line" (which they subsequently did on Landon Donovan during his stretch run last season). Just because a player is old doesn't mean he loses his talent, it just means that he might not be able to bring it at the level he used to, day in and day out. Drogba always had the talent to drop a hat trick on Chicago whenever he wanted. The question is can he bring that kind of performance on a consistent basis?

As for the Impact, they may need Drogba to score three goals a game if they keep defending like they did against the Fire.

17. Orlando City (Last Week: 16)

Montreal is two points ahead of Orlando with four games in hand. If the Lions are to make the playoffs in their inaugural MLS campaign, they'll not only need to right the ship but also hope for some miraculous string of losses in Quebec.

18. Philadelphia Union (Last Week: 20)

I have no idea how Conor Casey is still a professional player. He looks more like an elementary school P.E. teacher than a professional athlete, which is fitting because his coach looks more like a creepy middle school social studies teacher than the coach of a professional soccer team.

19. New York City FC (Last Week: 17)

20. Chicago Fire (Last Week: 19)