This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Six nominees for the 2014 U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year were announced late Sunday night. Real Salt Lake captain Kyle Beckerman is on the list. The 32-year-old midfielder, who in his first-ever trip to a World Cup started three group-stage matches, is nominated alongside Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, Fabian Johnson, Jermaine Jones and Alejandro Bedoya.

Through Nov. 14, Beckerman had eight caps and seven starts in 2014, logging 637 minutes while with the U.S. men's national team this year. Obviously, the three caps and starts came in Brazil, where Beckerman drew rave reviews of his international play as a holding midfielder. Twice in 2014 Beckerman was named the Budweiser Man of the Match, in the 1-0 loss to eventual World Cup champion Germany on June 26 and again last week in the U.S.'s 2-1 loss to Colombia in London on Nov. 10.

Dempsey had two goals in Brazil, most notably the stunner in the opening minute against Ghana in the World Cup opener. Howard started all four World Cup matches and turned in one of the more memorable goalkeeping performances in recent history with his 15-save outing in a 2-1 loss to Belgium in the Round of 16.

"Whenever he comes into our group, he's 100 percent focused," U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said of Beckerman in London in this feature by SI.com's Brian Straus . "He's all about business and he seems that he's only getting younger. He's playing on an extremely high level. He can outrun even young players. He always has another gear in him … It's great for us as a coaching staff to have a player like him."

Along with RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando, Beckerman has zipped around the globe in 2014. In preparation for the World Cup, around Major League Soccer, around Brazil, eventually around MLS again and now into the post-World Cup international friendlies.

Disclaimer: These numbers aren't accurate and don't claim to be. They're simply (hopefully) in the ballpark of Beckerman's earned sky miles in 2014. Website used: www.webflyer.com/travel/mileage_calculator.

An estimated look at Kyle Beckerman's flight totals

» USMNT January Camp, SLC to L.A.: 589

» USMNT dry run in Brazil, Round trip : L.A. to Sao Paulo: 12,320

» To Arizona for RSL training camp: 369

» To SLC from training camp: 508

» RSL at L.A., March 8: 1,178

» RSL at San Jose, March 15: 1,166

» USMNT friendly vs. Mexico in Phoenix, April 2: 1,016

» RSL at SKC, April 5: 1,836

» RSL at Philadelphia, April 12: 3,840

» RSL at Chicago, May 3: 2,500

» RSL at Houston, May 11: 2,380

» USMNT World Cup camp in Bay, May 15: 598

» USMNT World Cup warm-up vs. Turkey, June 1 in N.J.: 2,580

» USMNT World Cup warm-up vs. Nigeria, June 7 in Jacksonville: 829

» USMNT World Cup Florida to Sao Paulo, June 9: 4,390

» USMNT World Cup vs. Ghana in Natal, June 16: 2,860

» USMNT World Cup vs. Portugal in Manaus, June 22: 3,360

» USMNT World Cup vs. Germany in Recife, June 26: 2,640

» USMNT World Cup vs. Belgium in Salvador, July 1: 1,828

» Return from World Cup: Salvador-Sao Paulo-Atlanta-SLC: 914+4,660+1,589= 7,163

» RSL at L.A., July 12: 1,178

» RSL at Colorado, Aug. 2: 780

» MLS All-Star game in Portland, Aug. 6: 1,256

» RSL at FC Dallas, Aug. 22: 1,972

» RSL at San Jose, Aug. 30: 1,166

» RSL at Seattle, Sept. 12: 1,374

» RSL at Vancouver, Sept. 27: 1,592

» RSL at Chivas USA, Oct. 5: 1,178

» RSL at Portland, Oct. 19: 1,256

» RSL at L.A., Nov. 9: 589

» USMNT vs. Colombia in London, Nov. 10: 5,440

» USMNT vs. Ireland in Dublin, Nov. 15: 279

» Trip back: Assuming Dublin to London to JFK to SLC: 279+3,440+1,980= 5,699

———————

» Grand estimated total = 76,795

***

Here is the rough estimate on Rimando's 2014 year of sky miles, which eclipses Beckermans.:

» USMNT January Camp, SLC to L.A.: 589

» USMNT dry run in Brazil, L.A. to Sao Paulo: 12,320

» To Arizona for RSL training camp: 369

» To SLC from training camp: 508

» RSL at L.A., March 8: 1,178

» RSL at San Jose, March 15: 1,166

» USMNT friendly vs. Mexico in Phoenix, April 2: 1,016

» RSL at Chicago, May 3: 2,500

» RSL at Houston, May 11: 2,380

» USMNT World Cup camp in Bay, May 15: 598

» USMNT World Cup warm-up vs. Turkey, June 1 in N.J.: 2,580

» USMNT World Cup warm-up vs. Nigeria, June 7 in Jacksonville: 829

» USMNT World Cup Florida to Sao Paulo, June 9: 4,390

» USMNT World Cup vs. Ghana in Natal, June 16: 2,860

» USMNT World Cup vs. Portugal in Manaus, June 22: 3,360

» USMNT World Cup vs. Germany in Recife, June 26: 2,640

» USMNT World Cup vs. Belgium in Salvador, July 1: 1,828

» Return from World Cup: Salvador-Sao Paulo-Atlanta-SLC: 914+4,660+1,589= 7,163

» RSL at L.A., July 12: 1,178

» RSL at Colorado, Aug. 2: 780

» MLS All-Star game in Portland, Aug. 6: 1,256

» RSL at FC Dallas, Aug. 22: 1,972

» RSL at San Jose, Aug. 30: 1,166

» USMNT friendly at Czech Republic: SFO to JFK to Prague: 13,300

» RSL at Seattle, Sept. 12: 1,374

» RSL at Chivas USA, Oct. 5: 1,178

» RSL at Portland, Oct. 19: 1,256

» RSL at L.A., Nov. 9: 589

» USMNT vs. Colombia in London, Nov. 10: 5,440

» USMNT vs. Ireland in Dublin, Nov. 15: 279

» Trip back: Assuming Dublin to London to JFK to SLC: 279+3,440+1,980= 5,699

———————

» Grand estimated total = 82,827

***

The Earth's equatorial diameter (according to www.space.com) is 7,926 miles. Rimando's estimated total mileage flown since January indicates that figure is as many as 10 full trips around Earth's equatorial diameter in 11 months. Beckerman's estimated mileage results in only nine full trips. These number totals could be fairly off, but it was a journey just trying to piece this various trips around the world in 2014 together. Who manages to snag more sleep on these flights? Another day of math for another time.

-Chris Kamrani

Twitter: @chriskamrani