I am a Landon Donovan partisan. I’ve known him since he was 15, and he’s an extraordinarily decent guy, great with fans, polite to reporters, always ready to step up for club and country. To have spent any time with the U.S. midfielder/forward is to like him.
But, then, not everyone has spent any time with him. Particularly the bloggers who have never done anything but blog. Who have never stood in the mixed zone at a World Cup and seen Landon Donovan come out and talk honestly and thoughtfully, even after a defeat. The bloggers who ascribe a lack of any redeeming human qualities into anyone involved in a bad result.
I sometimes have been excoriated for defending Landon, when times have been tough. When he came back from Germany in 2005, for example, and the annoying Jen Chang of ESPN.com and I traded increasingly vitriolic e-mails on the topic of whether Any Self-Respecting Soccer Player could possibly succeed (or live with himself) without playing in Europe. (Jen says “no,” btw.)
And then there was the 2006 World Cup, a rough time for the U.S. that was, it seemed, about 99 percent to blame on Landon and Bruce Arena and probably both of them together. Landon was trashed by ESPN’s TV guys (Eric Wynalda, in particular), and his inability to escape the crosshairs of three team’s defenses was laid to some massive defect in character — or, to be charitable, to a lack of gumption.
So, three years later, the U.S. makes the championship match of the Confederations Cup … and lookie here: Landon is popular again!
Last night, a very positive story on Donovan was the centerpiece on ESPN.com’s home page. Big picture of Landon with a two-word headline: “World Class”. And that story is still prominently featured on the Web site’s U.S. soccer page.
As nice as the story is, there is a bit of a negative spin to it, applied by the headline writer who decided Landon finally “proves his talent on the world stage” … as if he hadn’t already. At, say, the 2002 World Cup where he scored two goals and was a key performer for the team that reached the quarterfinals. Or even at the 2006 World Cup where Arena decided to make Landon the pivot of the entire U.S. offense.
Also, this year’s ESPN commentary crew, John Harkes and Alexi Lalas, were glowing in their conclusions about Landon. Especially Harkes, who decided Landon was OK during the Egypt match and then was positively in love by the time the Brazil match rolled around.
When, of course, Landon Donovan has been the best distributor of the ball on the U.S. team — all along — since at least 2003. When he is the all-time U.S. scoring leader and lethal from the penalty spot. When he has played hard and worked as hard as anyone on the U.S. squad match after match, year after year.
But only now is it being acknowledged. And it took a victory over Spain and a close call vs. Brazil for the masses to notice.
Amazing.
After the Spain game, I sent Landon a brief note, congratulating the U.S. team and letting him know, if he didn’t already, that ESPN now loved him. As opposed to 2006, when he was a barking dog. He wrote back something brief, along the lines of “I learned long ago that the only thing I can control is my effort on the field.”
U.S. soccer may have issues. It may have shortcomings. But Landon Donovan is not one of them and never has been. And won’t be, until age or injury intervenes.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Nell // Jun 29, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Good work, Paul
I’ve been a Landon fan since I first learned of him back in 2002. Wish I’d have known of him sooner.
He doesn’t have to convince me of anything. I’ve always known. He’s simply the best the USA has ever had.
2 Dennis Pope // Jun 29, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Landon’s reaction after his goal on Sunday was interesting. It looked like he was saying: “Me! Me! Me!” as if to make the point that the goal was all his doing. Nevermind the pin-point pass from Davies, it still appears as though he’s trying to get his respect. Tell me if I’m completely off on this.
Regardless, I think it’s a shame he didn’t get the Bronze Ball. He played twice the tournament Dempsey did.
3 stephen // Jun 29, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Landon is greatness.
4 TK // Jun 29, 2009 at 6:34 PM
Great post.
I get so ticked off at all of the morons who have dogged him for years, who take their cue from an English prick who thinks saying “Landycakes” is comedy gold.
Landon has always been honest about his own performances, including when they haven’t met up to his own expectations. He’s been up front and honest about what he thinks, and as a fan, I appreciate that, especially considering how bland most athletes are.
5 Doug // Jun 29, 2009 at 9:08 PM
I think Landon has improved tremendously as a player since the 06 World Cup Finals debacle. He deserved criticism for his play there and even admitted afterward he just wasn’t mentally prepared. I still remember late in the crucial Ghana match when he had an open path to goal and instead of shooting passed laterally to Ben Olsen who botched it. That was the last real opportunity for the U.S. However, the Landon of 09 is more mature, more decisive and at the peak of his skills. I would agree with Dennis that Landon should have earned the Bronze Ball. Landon was far better in the tournament than Dempsey. It is also amazing that Dempsey and Bradley made the All Tournament First 11 and Landon did not. It just shows you how bizarre the rating system was.
6 bw // Jun 30, 2009 at 6:39 AM
Landon was the best us field player in the Confed Cup. No question. I agree with Doug about his development as a player. (Aside: development that has taken place in MLS.) He is the most talented American player of his era.
He has not always been so consistent though. One did not see him working hard both ways regularly. It was frustrating as a fan of the national team. In a way the criticism of Donovan over the years is actually a compliment: fans want him to be at his best more consistently. Let’s hope he can keep playing at or near this level over the next year. I also hope he gets to play in Europe, it that is what he wants.
Landon, thanks for the great tournament.
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