US Soccer Icon retires

[Robdog]

Hey, I want to give a shout out to a playa that helped transformed the game here in the US. Cobi Jones was a fore figure for long time before there was a Donovan or an Adu. He was the face that most people recognized as the US soccer player. He is calling it quits after this season. Adios hombre, you will be missed when the final whisle is blown.
http://www.geocities.com/jayrob6/jrob/cj.jpg

[cleansheetbsc]

Hey, I want to give a shout out to a playa that helped transformed the game here in the US. Cobi Jones was a fore figure for long time before there was a Donovan or an Adu. He was the face that most people recognized as the US soccer player. He is calling it quits after this season. Adios hombre, you will be missed when the final whisle is blown.
http://www.geocities.com/jayrob6/jrob/cj.jpg

Good thing we have a new crop of American players coming up the 'pike for Mexican players to hate on. But no one will ever be as hated as Mr Jones.

[Zathras]

The most recognizable face in US Soccer after Alexi Lalas.
165 caps and 14 goals.

Never had the greatest set of skills, but really made the most of what he had and never stopped running.

He is one of those guys who will forever in my mind be linked to the rebirth of American soccer.

[TimB4Last]

Here's a fairly detailed summary:

http://www.paddocktalk.com/news/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=50679

.... (A lot of quotes & career highlights, with this list at the very end)

U.S. National Team Highlights:

The USA’s all-time cap leader (164) and assist leader (22)

Played a key role as a substitute at the 2002 World Cup against Portugal and Mexico, and his veteran leadership helped the U.S. reach the Quarterfinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan, the USA’s best finish in a World Cup

Made his 150th appearance in the Gold Cup in 2002, becoming the first American to reach this mark

Jones reached a historic mark in 2000 surpassing Marcelo Balboa as the most capped man in U.S. history with 135 caps from 1992 to the 2000

Was the USA’s leading scorer with a personal-best six goals and nine assists for 21 points in 16 games played in 2000

Recorded points in each of the USA’s first five games and became the first U.S. player in 28 years to score in three consecutive matches in 2000

A member of the bronze medal-winning squad at the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup in Mexico

Named recipient of the 1998 Chevrolet/U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year award

One of only two USA players (Earnie Stewart) to have played every minute in both the 1994 and 1998 World Cups

Was the youngest men’s player in the world to reach 100 international appearances on February 10, 1998 against Brazil in the CONCACAF Gold Cup at the age of 27 years old

Scored the game-winning goal in the USA’s 2-1 win over Scotland on May 26, 1996

Scored the game-winning goal in a 3-2 win over Nigeria in the U.S. Cup on June 11, 1995

Represented his country at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, playing all three matches for the USA

Was a member of the gold medal winning U.S. team at the 1991 Pan American Games

[Bluecat82]

If there is anyone who deserves a testimonial match and one last appearance in the national team shirt, it's Cobi...

Better not have the match against Mexico, though...we want Cobi to be able to walk during his retirement...

[m vann]

Did you guys hear that Mexico's governemt has declared March 19th as Cobi Hate Date? Celebrations occrured all over Mexico City with the burning of Cobi's US jersey and the hanging of a smuggled Cobi bobble head doll. Rumor has it that the government is trying to ban his name from being spoken on the streets in fear of his name starting riots. :D

[Anthony]

I have a picture on my wall of me with Jones (and others) in a hotel restaurant after the US-Jamaica Kingston qualifier in 1997. During the game, the Jamaicans kept pointing at Jones and shouting “Look – they have a little Rasta man on their team!”

[MyHouse!]

For all of the talk on both this board and the AOL board through the years about his minimal talent and ability, no one has maximized his opportunities and talent the way this guy has.

No one.

[JeremyEritrea]

I hate him when he's wearing a Galaxy uniform, but he's one of my favorite players ever in a USA kit.

Even if he did draw us into the same group as Italy, Ghana and Czechnia. Stupid lottery balls.

:D

He'll be missed, and his career was vital for both the advancement of the USMNT and MLS.

[dsp87260]

Here's a fairly detailed summary:

http://www.paddocktalk.com/news/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=50679

.... (A lot of quotes & career highlights, with this list at the very end)

U.S. National Team Highlights:

The USA’s all-time cap leader (164) and assist leader (22)

Played a key role as a substitute at the 2002 World Cup against Portugal and Mexico, and his veteran leadership helped the U.S. reach the Quarterfinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan, the USA’s best finish in a World Cup

Made his 150th appearance in the Gold Cup in 2002, becoming the first American to reach this mark

Jones reached a historic mark in 2000 surpassing Marcelo Balboa as the most capped man in U.S. history with 135 caps from 1992 to the 2000

Was the USA’s leading scorer with a personal-best six goals and nine assists for 21 points in 16 games played in 2000

Recorded points in each of the USA’s first five games and became the first U.S. player in 28 years to score in three consecutive matches in 2000

A member of the bronze medal-winning squad at the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup in Mexico

Named recipient of the 1998 Chevrolet/U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year award

One of only two USA players (Earnie Stewart) to have played every minute in both the 1994 and 1998 World Cups

Was the youngest men’s player in the world to reach 100 international appearances on February 10, 1998 against Brazil in the CONCACAF Gold Cup at the age of 27 years old

Scored the game-winning goal in the USA’s 2-1 win over Scotland on May 26, 1996

Scored the game-winning goal in a 3-2 win over Nigeria in the U.S. Cup on June 11, 1995

Represented his country at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, playing all three matches for the USA

Was a member of the gold medal winning U.S. team at the 1991 Pan American Games

Props to Cobi.

I don't want to take away from any of his achievements, but they got some of that list wrong...

LD has surpassed him on the all-time assists list...

Also, neither he nor Earnie Stewart played every minute in the 1994 WC....
June 18, 1994 Switzerland 1-1 T Detroit, MI 73,425 Bora Milutinovic Meola, Balboa, Caligiuri, Kooiman, Lalas, Harkes, Dooley, Ramos, Sorber, Wynalda-1 (Wegerle), Stewart (Jones)

June 22, 1994 Colombia 2-1 W Pasadena, CA 93,194 Bora Milutinovic Colombia own goal - Meola, Clavijo, Balboa, Caligiuri, Lalas, Ramos, Harkes, Dooley, Sorber, Wynalda (Wegerle), Stewart-1 (Jones)

June 26, 1994 Romania 0-1 L Pasadena, CA 93,869 Bora Milutinovic Meola, Dooley, Balboa, Caligiuri, Clavijo, Lalas, Harkes, Ramos (Jones), Sorber (Wegerle), Stewart, Wynalda

July 4, 1994 Brazil 0-1 L Palo Alto, CA 84,177 Bora Milutinovic Meola, Dooley, Balboa, Caligiuri, Clavijo, Lalas, Perez (Wegerle), Ramos (Wynalda), Sorber, Jones, Stewart

....and while Jones did play every minute in the 1998 WC, Stewart came on for Ramos in the game vs Iran in 1998.
June 21, 1998 Iran 1-2 L Lyon, France 44,000 Steve Sampson Keller, Dooley (Maisonneuve), Regis, Pope, Moore, Hejduk, Reyna, Ramos (Stewart), Jones, Wegerle (Preki), McBride-1

As for the hate from the Mexicans.....I think they already hate LD more.....and they hated Wynalda at least as much as Cobi. The difference was, they displayed their dislike for Cobi at the 2002 WC in front of everyone so it sticks out more for most people.

[Bruce S]

Great player, great guy!!

[Davids26]

Landon Donovan is likely the only US player that has a chance at catching Cobi's caps record, at 86 he's halfway there. If he continues to dodge Europe, he'll likely get there. I'm curious to know how many caps Cobi received at 25 years old?

Anyways, glad that he'll play another year and proud to say that he was at least born in Detroit, even if he's SoCal through and through.

[Zathras]

Landon Donovan is likely the only US player that has a chance at catching Cobi's caps record, at 86 he's halfway there. If he continues to dodge Europe, he'll likely get there. I'm curious to know how many caps Cobi received at 25 years old?

Anyways, glad that he'll play another year and proud to say that he was at least born in Detroit, even if he's SoCal through and through.

Cobi turned 25 on June 16, 1995 - five days after scoring the winnner against Nigeria in US Cup '95 and just before the US beat Mexico 4-0. The Nigeria match was his 60th appearance. On his 26th birthday, he played against Mexico again (2-2 in US cup '96) getting his 76th cap.

He also celebrated his 24th birthday by making his World Cup Debut against Switzerland. I wan that for my next birthday present!

He made his debut in 1992--age 22.

http://www.sporting-heroes.net/files_footballworldcup/JONES_Cobi_19940220_GH_L.jpg

[SgtSchultz]

Cobi was not the best to ever don the US Jersey. He can, however, be identified as one of the very few players recognized for the rebirth of soccer in the USA.

My most enduring and endearing memory of Cobi was the 2002 WC match against Mexico. It was not the mauling at the hands of the Mexican lowlifes . It was his move. You know, the move(for those of you on BigSoccer I dont need to say anymore). Not only did he try the move but he got past the Mexican defender. Still brings a smile to my face.

Viva Cobi.

[Scotty]

Scored the game-winning goal in the USA’s 2-1 win over Scotland on May 26, 1996


Anyone remember this one? Damn! An honest to goodness golazo.

Cobi gave everything he had when he put on a US uniform.

He'll be missed.

[Atouk]

Was the USA’s leading scorer with a personal-best six goals and nine assists for 21 points in 16 games played in 2000

Recorded points in each of the USA’s first five games and became the first U.S. player in 28 years to score in three consecutive matches in 2000 Looking at his numbers from 2000 reminds me of my second US game in person:

June 3, 2000
Nike US Cup
RFK Stadium

US 4, South Africa 0
United States - Jones (Armas) 36.
United States - Jones (Reyna) 43.
United States - Reyna (Jones) 65.
United States - Stewart (Jones) 68.

Heck of a game and heck of a career. Thanks for what you did for the US, Cobi.

[babytiger2001]

Cobi was not the best to ever don the US Jersey. He can, however, be identified as one of the very few players recognized for the rebirth of soccer in the USA.

My most enduring and endearing memory of Cobi was the 2002 WC match against Mexico. It was not the mauling at the hands of the Mexican lowlifes . It was his move. You know, the move(for those of you on BigSoccer I dont need to say anymore). Not only did he try the move but he got past the Mexican defender. Still brings a smile to my face.

Viva Cobi.
Everyone remembers that from '02, but my favorite Cobi moment came from the Portugal match -- and yes, it was another appearance by him in a defensive super-sub role.

Late in the game, while helping to protect that 3-2 lead, he could have created another chance that seemed quite unlikely to produce anything for the USA. So instead, he ran straight into the corner with the ball -- thereby taking seconds off the clock, making Portugal look more desperate, and winning a corner in the process as well.

We over here, watching the game and most of the World Cup on SBS, we were getting the commentary from either the BBC, SkySports, or ITV, and the PbP caller said, quite vividly, "I do not like that strategy, but I agree with it!"

To me, Cobi Jones (especially late in his international career) knew all the nuances of the game of international soccer, and used them to his advantage, particularly to get into the heads of his opponents.

[luftmensch]

For all of the talk on both this board and the AOL board through the years about his minimal talent and ability, no one has maximized his opportunities and talent the way this guy has.

No one.

My cousin played club soccer with him as a kid, and when he made the national team was surprised because Cobi had been a good but not great player (he also played with Wynalda, who was already the kickass star). And it seems like Cobi stayed that player no matter what level he played at. He was never the star, but always a good solid player. I never would have guessed a dozen years ago that Cobi would be the guy we'd be talking about retiring this many years later. But there it is. He's pretty badass to have made it this long and this far.

Another thing my cousin & uncle mentioned is that Cobi was one of the nicest guys in the world. Always seemed funny that he would be the one the Mexicans hated on. (Oh, and they said Wynalda was a stuck-up asshole even then:D )

[El Chuma]

Cobi was not the best to ever don the US Jersey. He can, however, be identified as one of the very few players recognized for the rebirth of soccer in the USA.

My most enduring and endearing memory of Cobi was the 2002 WC match against Mexico. It was not the mauling at the hands of the Mexican lowlifes . It was his move. You know, the move(for those of you on BigSoccer I dont need to say anymore). Not only did he try the move but he got past the Mexican defender. Still brings a smile to my face.

Viva Cobi.


What move, I have the game on DVD, which one...

[nancyb]

What move, I have the game on DVD, which one...


That would be the 'speed' move. Was that a Jack Edwards coinage?

My best memory of Cobi was when he was subbed on the field at the WC Qualifier against Guatemala at RFK (building is shaking game). It wasn't anything particular he did, but on a hot, steamy day, when the US seemed be going through the motions, he stepped on the field and it seemed like the team and the stadium became electrified. He had the assist on McBride's goal.