March 15, 1998.  Ben Olsen's first game with DC United.

November 24, 2009.  That's the day that Ben Olsen said he's hanging up his boots.

That's 12 seasons of soccer, though unfortunately due to injuries, Ben didn't play in all of them.  But it's probably safe to say that he competed in each of them.

222 games 29 goals 49 assists those are just stats that are obviously up at the top of United's All Time Stats, but they don't scratch the surface of what he's meant….

He was United's first developmental allocation lured from UVA via Nike's Project 40 later to become Generation Adidas.  Ben's only condition was that he went to DC United this was back when MLS played real fast and loose with 'rules'.  (OK, they play fast and loose with rules now, but in the first years of the league, it was like the Wild West.)

Obviously, he was one of the last two on field connections to those early teams that just walked all over the rest of the league, along with Jamie Moreno.  Though we saw Ben Olsen develop and mature in front of our eyes through the years, while Jamie's development period was behind him when he arrived in DC.  Ben has gone from an energetic and tireless winger, to gritty defensive midfielder, to wiley veteran winger, and back to gritty defensive midfielder.  All the while, maturing and taking on more and more of a leadership role with the club.  He's always had fire and determination, he wasn't going to beat players one-on-one on a consistent basis, but he was almost always going to win a 50/50 ball….or even 20/80.  He was on those dominant teams that swaggered through the 1990's he was one of the few bright spots of the dark years of 2000-2003, he was a major part of the resurgence beginning in 2004. 

Despite having his international hopes dashed by a severe ankle injury while on loan at Nottingham Forest, where fans STILL talk about him and ask about him, Ben came back determined and committed after an 18 month injury spell.  He's undergone countless ankle treatments and surgeries over the years as a result, which caused him to miss most of the 2008 season, too (His quality of his character and leadership is such that the team brought him on roadtrips in 2008 as an assistant trainer, just to have him on the bench.).  As a result he's one of the few professional players to be considered for a Comeback Player award multiple times.  Those injuries also robbed him in his prime.  He made it to the 2000 Olympics, but missed out on the 2002 World Cup.  He did make the 2006 team, though, and proved to be a bright spot on an underperforming squad.

Ben is also one of the first DC United players, and rare DC pro-sports player that really embraced the DC area and life in DC.  He's regularly out and about in his neighborhood, and even a regular at Washington Wizards games (enough so that they're having a Ben Olsen night special … see www.behindthebadge.com).

Lot's of games and lot's of highlights in Ben Olsen's career.  Everyone has a favorite….from his hattrick over New York, to his MLS Cup 1999 goal (set up beautifully by Kevin Hartman), a favorite at Nest Liner Headquarters is the Chicago game in 2000.  In the cold rain Ben Olsen willed a victory for United by assisting on the tying goal on a corner kick, and then ripping a shot into the side netting…..both in extra time.

It's hard to find athletes that transcend and represent their sport and team so completely, they can be once in a lifetime type of thing.  Hopefully, we've all appreciated what Ben has brought.  Surely, we'll even appreciate it more as time continues to pass.