Sacramento Republic’s Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu wins “MLS Idle” prize

Sacramento Republic FC have won an MLS title, before they’ve even played a game in the league, in a manner of speaking.

Republic FC midfielder Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu won the second week of MLS’s new talent show “MLS Idle,” in which four players showcase hidden talents and fans vote for the winner.

Wheeler-Omiunu played the keyboard and sang, very well, his previous Tiny Apartment concerts during the coronavirus shutdown giving him plenty of practice for the big moment.

He wins bragging rights and will have $1,000 donated in his name on behalf of MLS Works to Sacramento non-profit Department of Sound.

Wheeler-Omiunu was one of two contestants, alongside former Sac Republic player Tommy Thompson, to play the keys and sing (well, TomThom rapped Biz Markie), and AWO blew away the judges. Guest judge Bobby Boswell, a former teammate of Wheeler-Omiunu’s at Atlanta United, shared the anecdote he used to hang out in the shower a little longer when his teammate sang, and acknowledged that was a pretty creepy thing to do.

The judges unanimously picked AWO as the Week 2 winner, and then the fans turned out in full force to actually hand him the prize, which again, gives Sac Republic, who will enter MLS on the field in 2022, their first MLS title. He edged Thompson 40 percent to 36 percent in the vote. Feels good, doesn’t it?

Many congrats to Andrew! “MLS Idle” is a super-fun show and I hope you keep watching it because I love it, it’s great family entertainment while stuck at home.

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