Clearly, I need a better sense of humor. You folks laughed at this weasel, whereas I just got angry. So I wrote him a love note. Then I edited it, deleting at least two parts anger and one part invective. It's not nearly as funny as what I've seen here. You folks all rule!! Thanks for the laughs. Hopkins really does have an amazing amount of gall to say that SissyBoy should be in Lost Angesleaze because it's more stable than San Jose. Duh! Who's fault is that? Weasel! GO QUAKES!! - Mark
he just doesn't get it its funny... like 90% of fans *minus LA* get the situation and why he got that homecoming *shrugs*
My contribution: "I obviously have strong feelings and ties to NoCal" The feeling is not mutual. Sincerely, SJtotalfootball
My contribution to Mr. Allen: Re: Your article on the mlsnet, Galaxy site I would have hoped that soccer journalism in the US has come along to a point of at least understanding the passion for the game, but apprently I am wrong; it is still about very ill informed egotistical writers pandering to a local audience. It amazes me that you failed to see the relevance of Saturday night's game in San Jose, only choosing to take the narrow minded approach of asssaulting the San Jose fans. Other, more astute commentators and journalists recognized the passion and contibution to the overall good of soccer in the United States by this phenomenal crowd. Your article never once mentioned just how poorly the Galaxy played, Steve Sampson's patethic tacics (for the millionth time), Landon's total meltdown, the incredible resurigence of ex-Galaxy Danny Calliff, or the two dreadful own goals scored by Earthquakes heroes Umana and Marshall. You would rather rant and whine about how unfair it was for the most impassioned crowd in the history of MLS to send a message to Landon, AEG and MLS. In their disappoval of Landon Donavan, a player who desserted them, the San Jose fans showed that they take this game seriously and are here to be counted. You obviously have no feeling for the passion of football ( check out BigSoccer.com message boards at the San Jose Earthquakes page where you can see specifics). It is really awful to watch a "journalist" pander to his local media, without any inkling as to what is really going on. To say that San Jose fans were unjustified in booing their once hero is one thing, to back it up with anything other than useless rhetoric is another. Landon Donavan himself at least got it, and his comments after the game showed that at least he knows what this sport is all about; you look like someone who is clinging to a job by a thread, and certainly a job you are unqualified to have based on your lack of ability to see one of the truly inspirational nights in MLS history. By the way, what have you ever done in the world of soccer to justify being a color commentator? I have never heard of you, do you maybe play in, or coach in the A-League perhaps? Are you a capped player for the US? Maybe some other country? Please excuse my ignorance, I just am a supporter of the humble Quakes, Manchester Utd., the Irish national team, I'm sure I just missed your name in the gazillions of articles posted about journalists who had contributed to the game. And to make a cheap shot about how we would be without a team is way beyond the bounds of professional journalism. I expect emotion in the Big Soccer message boards for sure, or in any forum where football fans post their opinions, but in the world of journalism one expects that at least an editor will hop in there and prevent a publication such as yours (so that it just two raps on MLS/Galaxy tonight). Do the Galaxy actually pay you? I hope that in the next few years you will learn something about the wonderful sport of football (check out Sol Cambell's return to Spurs please); maybe try conferencing with the likes of Eric Wynalda, Ray Hudson etc. for some tips on what soccer commentators should really be doing! Regards, FAS
Allen Hopkins only has two brain cells. I'm shocked he has a wife--who could tolerate him for even 5 minutes. He's must have headed the ball a few too many times when he was player. I have to say I'd dearly love to see him try to take on Ann on Nick and Steven's radio show. She'd wipe the floor with that cretin.
The other thing here...about his comments about Alexi. I'd bet a quarter Lalas is impressed as 'ell about the Quakes stadium atmosphere and wishes he had even a sniff of it in NY. I'll bet Lalas things Hopkins and his article are a complete joke.
What a piece of garbage. I printed this article out just so I could wipe my a$$ with it. When local ownership is found thanks to the efforts of these "unknowledgeable fans" rather than the efforts of "Mr. Class" Alexi Lalas (since when is class defined by towing the party line/keeping the status quo, then jumping ship in the middle of the season?) and AEG we will make sure that Mr. Hopkins taunting us is not forgotten. P.S. If you really had deep ties to the Bay Area you would not call it NOCal you idiot. That is like trying to sound like a local by saying "Frisco" when referring to San Francisco. Idiot.
Good start. But, in my opinion, you all have a ways to go before you reach the levels of what happened at RFK when Raul Diaz Arce was traded away in the early years.
If Allen Hopkins ever had a true thought it would die a premature birth What did you people expect from this brown-noser, a San Jose love letter? Listen to the drivel he vomits on the galaxative broadcasts, look up the word homer in the dictionary and you'll see his picture. No mention of the scoreline, the galaxy meltdown or steve sampson's suckage. Oh yeah, that's great journalism
Yeah, I was going to link this up yesterday evening, along with some responses to the juicier fanboy statements (I mean, has Hopkins cleaned up the stains on his pants and the drool off his shirt after visiting the shrine of his dreams - Landon's agent's office? ), but my web browser froze just as I was submitting it, then I had to go off to work. So bleh. But it was an asinine article, really kind of hilarious in its stupidity. Or did he write it that way on purpose to elicit a response? For instance, a "Michael Jordan" would have single-handedly put two goals in just to make the loss respectable. (And Michael Jordan didn't retire from NBA basketball during the height of his career - say, in 1989 - then a few months later mysteriously rejoin the leage as a member of the Detroit Pistons. His Washington Wizards stint didn't start until he was 38 or something! Who cares what startup team in Milwaukee or wherever Landon joins when he's 35?) Plus, you have to think that when he says he thinks that's the way things SHOULD be. He seems perfectly obvlivious to the fact that it's exactly that state of affairs that has people upset in the first place. I should also say that, while I didn't follow MLS soccer until a year or so ago so I can't comment on what impact Landon had when he first came to the Quakes, by 2004 I wouldn't say he was in any way the heart and soul, or even most distinctive or representative member, of the team. Despite really only having heard of him before I went to my first game, by the end of the season when I thought of the Quakes, Landon Donovan wasn't necessarily the first player that came to mind. I'd probably think of Ching, Mulrooney, Mullan, De Rosario, Dayak, Waibel, Onstad, and maybe Agoos and even Corrales first. And neither their on field performance nor their attendance seems much different this year without him than last year with him, so I'm wondering how he is a player that I mean, there is no way Landon Donovan is so good the Earthquakes won their two championships all because of him, and he never seemed to have much effect on attendance either. And of course, we're going to have the last laugh, because the San Jose Earthquakes are going to win another MLS Cup - without Landon Donovan, of course - before the LA Galaxy will, with him. I can't say when, but I'm sure they won't win it before us.
I really hope we win the Championship this season (long shot with New England and Dallas really strong this year but---- I STILL BELIEVE!!!), so we can have a placard that says: "This championship is dedicated to Allen Hopkins!". Gawd, what an article! This guy doesn't get it. That frustrates me. Seeing what other fans from other teams i.e. Galaxatives, are saying about how childish it was for us to be doing a pinata thing, why the Landon-hatin', blah, blah, blah and listen to this, one of them span it around and said that the loss on Saturday was AEG's way of getting people at Spartan to go home happy that their team won! Jaysus! Agh! Why can't people accept the fact that they lost, spectacularly, with those comical blunders? And why they didn't put one in during that mad scramble in the box I will never be able to explain. How on earth can you script something like that? Ah, just venting....
A new cheer for Allen Hopkins. I don't get it clap, clap, clap clap clap, I don't get it clap, clap, clap clap clap
I couldn't even finish reading. Sent him an e-mail letting him know what I thought of 1/2 the crap he wrote, though.
That article was the biggest load of crap!!!!!!! What a naive, uninformed idiot! Everything about it was stupid. Only idiots think the SJ Earthquakes have been all about Landon and that he saved the team with his presence and that we owe him. Geez. Even his reference to NoCal and Frisco irritated me. As one writer said...nobody uses those terms.
Well, Mr Hopkins really understands our game!!! If any one is interested here is a copy of the e-mail I just sent him:- Allen, I am confused by your article on Landon's return to San Jose. I am an English football fan who has moved to the US and become a fan of MLS. Saturday night was one of the greatest things that could happen to the league. A true passion of fans for the team, a true "hatred", for lack of a better expression, of a rival This sir, is what the sport is about. Landon himself in some of the post-match comments I read gets it. You, obviously don't!!! If I can go back to my experience of my home country players going back to old clubs always get a reception. It will vary depending on who they play for. The best they will get will be "reject" the worst can't be repeated!! I guarantee that if Beckham, to use your example, goes back to Old Trafford in Real Madrid's colours he will NOT get a warm reception. Look at the reaction of Spurs fans to Sol Campbell, Leeds fans to Rio, Darlington fans to Gabbiadini after he moved to Hartlepool and there are hundreds and hundreds of more examples. Its exactly what we saw on Saturday. Moving to the main rival will worldwide get this reaction. True fan loyalty is to the team NOT the player. San Jose fans appreciate the four years that he played. Now he went over to the enemy and therefore got exactly what he deserved, again to steal your phrase. That in itself is the major mark of respect to Landon and says more than any written words could say of his impact on San Jose. The fact that it happened in MLS like I said right at the beginning shows the league is on the way and going forward. Passion is what makes this sport different to all others. San Jose fans had that Saturday, the others fans in the league need to get up and follow. Then this country will start to pay attention. If you really believe in this league and the sport in this country you should be excited by what happened not negative. I think true lovers and students of the sport even in LA should be able to see this. When San Jose go back to the Home Depot Centre those fans will have a chance to show what they are made off, thus, a great rivalry would be trully born. Richard Coull, Raleigh, NC -Richard
In reference to what Nap wrote way earlier, I'm not sure I'd ever want to see Jovan Kirovsky in Quakes colors. How many times did he touch the ball on Saturday night? How many goals? How many times have we watched him with the Nats and pulled our hair out. Grabavoy (sp?) I'd take. Tony
Well done. I am wondering if we could publish any of our responses as a full blown article at the MLS site in response to the Allen Hopkins cheap shot to the SJ fans? Will MLS allow this?
That goes for articles much more lucid than the one in question. I think that we need to aggravate Messr. Hopkins beyond his apparent state of grief, and bombard AEG and MLS mit e-mails quoting "no team next year" and asking whether we should withdraw our Quakes and MLS support immediately, since Mr. Hopkins knows something that we do not.
I would think they would allow that. If they allowed him to post that pile of trash, they should allow someone to write a response on the Quakes' website...
Still, there's no way that we would have won either of the two without him, either. That's the only reason he gets as much hate as he does, now - the facts that: 1. He really was that important, and 2. We really did consider him a true-blue Quake. Honestly, if Ramiro Corralles did the same thing, and said the same things, would we even care? Landon Donovan is unique. Still, though, Hopkins is a tool, but he's writing for the LA Galaxy website, for Christsake. What do we expect?