Photo: Earl Gardner

The season is over. Much has been said about what a disappointment it was; I won’t disagree with any of that. This team should have been able to rack up more than 42 points in 34 games, and the frustrating ways that many of those points were dropped will linger long in the memory of Philadelphia Union fans.

But, for just a few moments, I don’t want to dwell on what might have been.

I want to think about the moments and the people from this season that, through the long dark of winter without soccer, will remind me why I love this team, and why we persevere as fans despite our patience being rewarded by failure.

So, in no particular order, here are my seven favorite things about the 2014 Philadelphia Union…

Brian Brown’s salutes

Half the fun of a goal scored is a good goal celebration — full of passion and enthusiasm for team and fans — and this incarnation of the Union has been largely bereft of good celebrators. Conor Casey and Vincent Nogueira are more of the stoic and/or angry type of scorer, while the usually excitable Sebastien Le Toux — who can forget his classic “flash mob” celebration — was more subdued than years past (save one glorious ascent into the River End). Leave it to the Jamaican rookie to pull off the most memorable celebrations of the year, a salute after each of his goals. The first, directed at Jim Curtin, in recognition of the faith of his manager; the second, directed at the fans, in recognition of their passion even though the team was eliminated. Brown may not be a great striker yet, but he sure knows how to celebrate — and Sporting will never, ever want to see him again.

Chaco and Nogs

No one knew much about the Union’s foreign imports entering the year; after a full season of football, we know plenty about their quality. Cristian Maidana battled injury, fitness, and bad positional fits to still finish in the top five in MLS in assists, and in the top five of posting cute pictures of his kids on Instagram. And there aren’t enough words to describe the immense qualities of the diminutive Nogueira, who brought composure and ball skills like no Union player before him — and scored perhaps the goal of the year via a supersonic blast against New England.

Zac MacMath, penalty hero

Lost in the goalkeeping controversies at the end of the season was Zac MacMath’s tremendous start to the campaign. Never known as a great penalty-stopper, MacMath came up with three huge saves early in the season, including one against reigning MVP Mike Magee to preserve a draw against Chicago. None, though, were bigger than the two shootout saves against FC Dallas, which sent the Union to their first-ever US Open Cup final. Wherever MacMath plays next year, I’ll remember the sight of the lime-green goalkeeper being swarmed by his teammates, celebrating that most famous win of the year.

Three in ten against Vancouver

At halftime at PPL Park, trailing 2-0 to the Whitecaps after a wretched shift, I remarked to my seatmates that we were about to witness the last half of the John Hackworth era. I was right — but the Union made it interesting nonetheless. Down 2-0, the boys in blue pulled together three goals in ten minutes, including a full-field counter-attack finished by Le Toux, to set PPL Park rocking. The less said about the 81st minute penalty allowed, the better, but those ten minutes were a shot of energy in an otherwise moribund stretch.

Mo Edu, the coolest guy on the field

I’ll admit, I didn’t know what to expect from the U.S. international when he joined the Union from Stoke in the offseason. Not only did Edu prove to be a great representative of the team off the field — and the most stylish gentleman on Instagram — but he also was the smoothest player on it. At both centerback and defensive midfield, Mo made even the most complicated plays seem effortless, occasionally making opponents look downright foolish as they tried and failed to win the ball off him.

Andrew Wenger discovers his purpose

For the entirety of his career, Andrew Wenger has been followed by one nagging criticism — no one knew what his best position would be. And after a bumpy start to his time with the Union, Wenger found a home on the left wing. His game isn’t entirely polished yet, but Wenger grew into his strength, speed, and technical ability and became nearly impossible to defend at times. Wenger put in a shift of utter destruction in the San Jose game, picking up two goals and generally terrorizing the Earthquakes backline. Like the rest of the team, the Lancaster native cooled down at the end of the season, but there’s something to build on here. At the very least, Wenger will no longer be known as “that guy who we traded Jack McInerney for.”

The Sons of Ben at the Open Cup Final

It didn’t end the way the 15,000 in attendance would have liked, but the atmosphere surrounding the U.S. Open Cup Final was truly incredible. The Philly faithful sung their hearts out for one hundred and twenty solid minutes, even when the result turned toward the usurpers from the Pacific Northwest. I am of the belief that, in fandom, suffering builds character. I think it’s a very Philadelphia theory; the other teams in the region have had many opportunities to break our hearts, while the Union are just getting warmed up. The memories of moments like the cup final — and the pain that accompanies it — only serve to strengthen our connection to our team and our fellow fans, continuing to fuel the passions that surround this club. Even when the play on the field lets us down.