When people with good intentions get things wrong

[Zitor]

U.S. soccer better off with Donovan in L.A. (http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_6105416)

"Sending Donovan to Venezuela doesn't help soccer in this country."

A soccer fan knows what is best for soccer in this country: competition in tournament that matters. Kids will look up more to players that do something for the country's name than for players who do something for any club in the league. MLS is a medium for soccer in this country, is not the finish line, is not the goal(perhaps it is AEG's goal so business is healthy) the goal should be making USMNT better, make it the best. Brazil doesn't go to compete if it's not to win. When the US MAN NATIONAL TEAM win something that matters then you will see a soccer's big bang, in the mean time the second best thing they should do is sending the best team they have.

[keeppah]

U.S. soccer better off with Donovan in L.A. (http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_6105416)

"Sending Donovan to Venezuela doesn't help soccer in this country."

A soccer fan knows what is best for soccer in this country: competition in tournament that matters. Kids will look up more to players that do something for the country's name than for players who do something for any club in the league. MLS is a medium for soccer in this country, is not the finish line, is not the goal(perhaps it is AEG's goal so business is healthy) the goal should be making USMNT better, make it the best. Brazil doesn't go to compete if it's not to win. When the US MAN NATIONAL TEAM win something that matters then you will see a soccer's big bang, in the mean time the second best thing they should do is sending the best team they have.

IMHO You vastly overestimate the value of Copa in the average AMERICAN soccer fans eyes. In fact, based on the proposed squads some of the SA teams will be fielding, I think you overvalue the tourney in the eyes of the teams that actually compete in it every year.

[MightyMouse]

It certainly doesn't help that people already think he is kind of a Poo C...

[Roehl Sybing]

Brazil doesn't go to compete if it's not to win.
Perhaps that's why they sent a youth squad to the 2003 Gold Cup. :rolleyes:

[Sandon Mibut]

I agree that Bradley has good intentions. I don't think he's wrong, there are just conflicting agendas. I don't think the Galaxy or Donovan are wrong either.

At the end of the day, I still blame MLS for this because they choose to not stop games during international dates. This would be far less an issue if MLS took FIFA dates off.

Yeah, the Copa isn't on a FIFA date, per se, but if MLS had scaled things down during GC, it wouldn't be such a big deal for Donovan to go to Copa.

[Roehl Sybing]

Yeah, the Copa isn't on a FIFA date, per se, but if MLS had scaled things down during GC,
He still would have played the GC and not go to Copa.

[Riotom9]

At the end of the day, I still blame MLS for this because they choose to not stop games during international dates. This would be far less an issue if MLS took FIFA dates off.


Sounds like something simple to do; but are you aware of the obstacles in place of skipping MLS fixture dates? Should the MLS season extend into December? What does that mean to ratings, income, conflicts w/ other events at the non-SSS? If they play through the World Cup, there's no way they are going to schedule around the GC.

Have a little faith that the topic has been discussed and someone has felt it is best for the league to keep playing. I'm sure it's not an ideal situation for anyone; but until the league is strong enough to play a Sept-May schedule, it is what it is.

[Zitor]

IMHO You vastly overestimate the value of Copa in the average AMERICAN soccer fans eyes. In fact, based on the proposed squads some of the SA teams will be fielding, I think you overvalue the tourney in the eyes of the teams that actually compete in it every year.

Argentina, Paraguay and Colombia are fielding with the best they have. Brazil can and maybe will win with what they have. Brazil's u23 was good enough to win it all wasn't it, it didn't but they didn't suck either. Brazil has the luxury to send an u23, US has not. I might overestimate the value of Copa America in the American Fan eyes or maybe I'd like to catch their attention and have them focus on it. In any ways, if the Latino population make 30% of the American Soccer Fan then at least 30% of my affirmation is right. Listen, I'd love to see the grow of American Soccer as many of you, and IMO raising the profile of the team and present it in a good old tournament will validate it in front of the general public, that's all.

[Cweedchop]

It's funny, Shep Messing swears up and down that the Galaxy are better off without Donovan.

Hey! I just saw a pig fly by my window!

[Roehl Sybing]

Brazil's u23 was good enough to win it all wasn't it, it didn't
This is all that matters. They weren't good enough to win it. Luxury my a**.

I love how all of you preach "players should play where they want" one day and "if they don't play for this team they're pathetic" the next day.

[aggiebird02]

Though I want Landon to go, the author makes some really good points and it really might be best to have him stay in LA....

[ussoccerFan12358]

Donovan not going gives some other players a chance to step it up in a tournament that we don't need* to win, but if we beat a team like Argentina we can say "Look at that!" Maybe it's not a bad thing for him to stay.

*We don't qualify for Confederations Cup by winning Copa like we can in Gold Cup

[Tonerl]

Perhaps that's why they sent a youth squad to the 2003 Gold Cup. :rolleyes:

And why Kaka and Ronaldinho won't be at Copa.

[Metrogo]

U.S. soccer better off with Donovan in L.A. (http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_6105416)

"Sending Donovan to Venezuela doesn't help soccer in this country."

A soccer fan knows what is best for soccer in this country: competition in tournament that matters. Kids will look up more to players that do something for the country's name than for players who do something for any club in the league. MLS is a medium for soccer in this country, is not the finish line, is not the goal(perhaps it is AEG's goal so business is healthy) the goal should be making USMNT better, make it the best. Brazil doesn't go to compete if it's not to win. When the US MAN NATIONAL TEAM win something that matters then you will see a soccer's big bang, in the mean time the second best thing they should do is sending the best team they have.

While I would have liked to see us send our best team to the Copa, the rest ofyour post is wrong, wrong, wrong. USMNT is not the holy grail.

[Non-dairy Creamer]

the US Soccer federation has been consistent all along with how they would deal with this situation and the rosters for both tourneys.

Are there not schuduling confilicts with Copa and many of our Euro based players?

I think it's great some of the younger guys will be getting some experience in Copa but to win the gold cup is most important. I'm not sold on a good showing at Copa to increase the profile of soccer in the US, the casual fan doesn't even know it exists.

Heck, I'm just glad we're taking the open invitation this time and playing, something we should be doing every time we're invited. We all know that US soccer needs to play more games in CA and SA and in Europe in front of hostile crowds, we're moving in the right direction with some friendlies in Europe and I understand we're often outnumbered in our own stadia but it's still nothing like playing in CA or SA with 80K screaming against us.

[Metrogo]

I think it's great some of the younger guys will be getting some experience in Copa but to win the gold cup is most important. I'm not sold on a good showing at Copa to increase the profile of soccer in the US, the casual fan doesn't even know it exists.


Did someone say a good Copa showing would increase the profile of US soccer with the casual fan. Who cares about the casual fan? What about us, those of us who want to see our national team earn some respect. We don't earn that by winning the Gold Cup, we earn some by a good showing at the Copa, just like '95.

Maybe you just don't know. But this tournament means an awful lot to the 8 other South american teams. You should have seen some of the celebrations here n NYC when Colombia won last time. I would like to see us treat the tournament the way those 8 teams do.

[USA2010?]

It's funny, Shep Messing swears up and down that the Galaxy are better off without Donovan.

Goalies, ugh!!!

[USA2010?]

And why Kaka and Ronaldinho won't be at Copa.

Totally differenct with those two. LD does get time off in the off season, while the Copa is their off season.

The problem here is that if MLS took 3 weeks off during the GC, our tournament, then missing a few games during the Copa would not be a big deal. I don't blame LD for not wanting to play in both tournaments, but he does get an off season, so he'd be playing during this time anyway. Again, the big issue is with MLS playing during FIFA tournaments.

The really funny thing is how MLS/LA Galaxy are whining about Beckham playing for England and how his playing in qualifying games would hurt the Galaxy. Well, MLS wanted international quality players.....

If you want to be a league taken seriously with international quality players, then don't schedule games on international dates. Every other league faces that issue.

Now, if you want to discuss Barcelona and Marquez, you need to remember that Barcelona has a little more clout than the Galaxy.

[United20]

Though I want Landon to go, the author makes some really good points and it really might be best to have him stay in LA....

I disagree about the author making good points. In fact, I think he lacked them.

First, to use the pity party of Donovan being a "mule wanting a sugar cube" is a poor analogy. Donovan is more like a thoroughbred of US soccer. So if the author wanted to support the lad, he needs to get it right from the start.

Second, it's Bradley's job to get this team going quickly, and as we could see in WC 2006 there is a lot of work ahead. Also, Donovan is playing more wing in Gold Cup which has been tried before, but now he is finding some real form (against some mediocre teams). Now it is time for Donovan to give his shot against some real teams, with real thoroughbreds.

Finally, to compare Donovan to Ronaldinho and Kaka is because of being called up for the same tournament is laughable. How many games did those two Brazilians each play in Europe ALONE this year...how long is their season? You can not even, nor even try to compare Milan's & Barca's season to the Galaxy's, to compare those stats. Also, the author forgot to mention how deep Brasil is and how many Brasilian fans believe there are better players waiting in the wings. Of course, at last - what about the Argentine, and rest of South American teams coming - the quality is superior to the Gold Cup. Albeit our hemisphere tourney, but the challenge is what it is all about.

The author needs to stop making excuses. It's time for Donovan to earn his strips if the author wants to compare him to Ronaldinho and Kaka and prove it on the field against the best - not second or third tier competition.

[Bruce S]

for the development of USA soccer, the only thing that really matters is MLS. Virtually everyting else is a side-show. It is an interesting side-show, but the USA will be world class when MLS is world class. Period. So the question is, does Donovan staying in MLS help or hurt MLS? Everything else is relatively meaningless.