I have been voting for the Honda Award for a long time now. Maybe from the start, which was 1991.
The Honda Award is the biggest award in U.S. soccer that has nothing to do with the federation. It is run by Football de Primera, based in San Francisco, and sponsored by Honda, the auto maker.
Upwards of 200 voters make up the electorate that, each year, decides the most valuable player for the U.S. national soccer team.
Each voter picks three players, with points weighted toward the No. 1 pick.
The three players on my ballot, which I turned in today, from third to first:
3. Oguchi Onyewu. The big defender was a tower of strength for the U.S. during the Confederations Cup, and he has been the anchor of the U.S. defense throughout the qualifying process. He was so good in the Confederations Cup, actually, that he caught the attention of AC Milan, which signed him — making him only the second American player to get a contract with a Seria A club. The other being Alexi Lalas, 14 years ago.
2. Tim Howard. The veteran goalkeeper, who plays every week for Everton of the English Premier League, is probably the best-known American footballer in the world, right now. A case could be made that he should have gotten my No. 1 vote, and I might have done that if the award were about calendar-year excellence no matter the place. But the Honda is about what you have done for the U.S. national team, and I believe one guy has been more valuable than Howard.
1. And that one guy would be … yes, Landon Donovan. No surprise here, I’m sure. Donovan has won the award an astonishing five times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008). Only Kasey Keller and Eric Wynalda won it even twice. As good as Donovan was in those other years, he has been even better this year. He is both the brain and the engine that drives the national team. If he’s not scoring goals, he’s setting them up. And his move to outside midfield has given him a chance to show everyone his amazing work rate; his willingness to track back on defense is phenomenal, and it’s not just his effort; he’s good at it. Had a fine game against Spain in the monster upset, scored the second goal in the 3-2 loss to Brazil, set up both goals in the 2-1 victory over El Salvador and the one goal in the victory at Trinidad & Tobago, critical recent victories in the World Cup push. He has four goals, and only Jozy Altidore (six) has more this year, and his nine assists are six more than anyone else on the U.S. team has accrued. It may seem monotonous to have the same guy win the award time and again, but if Donovan ever deserved to win, this is the year.
2 responses so far ↓
1 quexion // Sep 16, 2009 at 8:03 AM
Think LD will still be in MLS come February?
2 Joseph D'Hippolito // Sep 21, 2009 at 8:54 PM
Paul, I’ve voted on the Honda Awards for the past several years (though not as long as you have). I enjoy doing it but it has become a big joke. First, the voters (like most sportswriters, unfortunately), are attracted to big names for their own sake. Voters don’t bother doing any research or putting any thought into their nominations. Second, the award has effectively become the Landon Donovan Popularity Contest. I agree with you that, this year, Donovan deserves to win but I don’t think he’s been the best player on the national team when he’s won it in the past (and I’m not a “Landycakes” basher).
I have to disagree with you on your other selections. Charlie Davies has turned into a consistently good player on the international level, and Jozy Altidore has turned a corner in his national-team career. I voted Davies second and Altidore third.
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