Dax-uality: McCarty plays 10,000th minute for New York Red Bulls

In the 79th minute of the New York Red Bulls' 1-0 win over Houston Dynamo in week 30 of MLS's 2014 season, Dax McCarty hit the 10,000-minute mark for RBNY.

It is a significant landmark: only 11 other players have reached the milestone of 10,000 minutes in all competitions for this team (thanks, as always, to MetroFanatic.com for the best statistical archive a fan could want). The achievement is not diminished by the fact that two of those players - Thierry Henry and Roy Miller - have booked their places in the 10K club already this season.

If anything, it is impressive that McCarty has managed to clock 10,000 minutes in the same season as Henry and Miller, since both have been with the club significantly longer.

Miller made his competitive debut for RBNY on March 27, 2010; Henry made his first competitive appearance for the club on July 31, 2010. McCarty didn't get his first start in a Red Bulls jersey until July 2, 2011. But he has made just eight fewer career appearances for RBNY in all competitions (120) than the captain and the Costa Rican (128).

The most memorable moments of McCarty's time as a Red Bull to date are doubtless his last-minute winner against Real Salt Lake in 2013, and his extraordinary equalizer against New England Revolution this season:

But the highlight of his most recent match was a fitting summation of his true value to this team.

It was the 67th minute of the game, RBNY was hanging on to a 1-0 lead, struggling to turn possession into goals, needing a win. Armando was shoved near the halfway line, and hit the deck hoping to draw the foul. The call never came, but with a defender out of position and out of the game, Houston took the opportunity to counter-attack.

Giles Barnes ran toward goal with the ball at his feet. As he brought his leg back to shoot or pass - there was McCarty to put in the block, having chased back to cover for the absent Armando and kill the threat to RBNY's narrow lead.

He's the guy who does the team's dirty work: shielding the defense, covering for mistakes at the back, getting the ball out of the defensive half and to the feet of the players who are leading the attack.

And he is just the twelfth player in the history of this star-crossed club to play 10,000 competitive minutes in its colors.

Congrats, Dax! Please stick around for 10,000 more.