Okay Quakes fans, We need some new topics here and I'd like to start the discussion of the 2004 season -- San Jose's 30th year in professional soccer -- with a simple question: What are the 5 biggest goals in franchise history? Was it the first Earthquakes goal in the spring of 1974? Eric Wynalda's first MLS goal in 1996? DeRo's overtime winner in the 2001 cup? George Best's run through the defense in a classic NASL game? Faria's winner against LA? How about the Blackhawks days? C'mon oldtimers... we need some perspective on the current successes. Thoughts? Discuss...
Onstad. (Just kidding.) Those are some good suggestions. I'd have to go with Wynalda's goal in the MLS opener. American soccer needed one goal so badly (kinda like Cali's goal against T&T, or Waldo's against the Swiss) and said byoot sent everyone home smiling about the prospect of MLS.
1) Whoever scored the winner for the Seals against the Clash. 2) Tayt Ianni. Enough said. 3) Doyle magnicificent run circa '97 4) Donovan strike after Cerritos back flick against LA 5) Any Jorge Rodas goal
I saw George Best weave past a whole defense. I was about ten years old. Best goal skill wise I've ever seen in person or on TV. The biggest goal in Eathquakes history has to be Faria's goal against the Galaxy. It was the single best sporting event I've ever attended. The goal brought feelings of deep joy and also relief from the players as well as the fans in the stadium. The tension had been building as never in their history. It served as a springboard for their next two games and hopefully for our attendence problems.
      George Best's famous goal back in 1981 was probably the best San Jose goal ever in terms of sheer individual brilliance . Like jussen1, I too was about ten years old (well, a few months shy of ten, but still...). Oddly enough, though, that goal actually meant little for the Earthquakes that season.       The two most significant San Jose goals I was witness to live were, of course, Faria's final goal against LA and Donovan's golden-goal against KC (both in the 2003 playoffs).       The goal that very likely still has meant the most to San Jose pro soccer, though, was DeRo's golden-goal in MLS Cup 2001. That's the goal that changed everything about the franchise and its perception from others... it was very much like the 49ers' "The Catch" back in the 1981 NFC Championship... it literally transformed the franchise (although a good argument could be made instead for Dayak's double-overtime golden-goal header against Miami in the 2001 playoffs as being that transformatory goal).       Waldo's goal in the MLS inaugural game was pretty memorable too, only if to keep the initial MLS critics at bay for a week.       And there were several of important Blackhawks goals as well (including the game-winner of their 1991 APSL Championship triumph over the Albany Capitals) as well.       There have also been other great San Jose goals, but most of these ones were true turning-points for the franchise.       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
There are lots of goals I like better, but the first Wynalda goal is the biggest. Think about it - for one brief moment in time, the San Jose Clash was the winningest team in MLS history.
      You're welcome!       22 years later, and watching that goal still sends shivers down my spine (in a good way)!       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Yes folks, he'll be here all week. Drive safely and don't forget to tip your waitress. I nominate Dayak's 2001 opening night header in LA. If we are going to talk about turning the franchise around, I think that was the watershed goal. Also, I still kinda feel Mulrooney to Roner was bigger than the Faria goal because we were down to the 90th minute. The Faria goal was not under time pressure. Plus that goofy shot of Mulrooney running down the sidelines pulling his hair is one for the ages.
There have been a lot of great goals, especially over the last four years I've been a fan.... My personnel favourite is the one Manny scored in the last minute against Tampa to win the game right at the end in 2001. The pass and vision from Landon was amazing. I think that was the first time I "really" believed we could go all the way that year. However, I would venture to suggest the most important were Dayaks golden gol winner vs Miami in 2001 and DeRo's in the final that year. The reason I say that is they arguably saved the franchise from contraction. The most emotional goal I would say would be Roner/Faria vs the Scum this year. -Richard
I agree with a lot of the choices put up here, many which were fantastic in their own right...but I really cannot choose what I thought was the most important goal... there are of course the three goals in 2001 that saved San Jose from contraction...and defined the Yallop era, but then I think we got a true sense of who and what this team was all about this season against KC...the LA game while amazing and absolutely magnificent in terms of football stories, wasn't as intense as that KC game... think about it...the Quakes, who at this point were emotionally drained after one huge victory over the team we loathe the most have to suck it up and produce the EXACT same result one week later still not even fully recovered from the LA game.... Now, you can site Mullan's equalizer as the most important OR Donovan's winner.... However, I don't think there was any doubt in Spartan that after Mullan scored we were going to win...everyone knew we would not be denied.... So I nominate Mullan's equalizer against KC as the most important goal in SJ history.
Waldo - 1st MLS goal ... long gap .... Dayak OT series winner - 2001 Playoff Semifinal against Miami DeRo's game winner - 2001 MLS Cup Roner against LA 91st min. to tie up series - 2003 2nd leg 1st round playoffs Faria against LA OT game winner - 2003 2nd leg 1st round playoffs LD against KC 03 OT winner - 2003 Conference Final LD 2 goals in 03 MLS Cup
Goodsie, you were only 10 for George's goal...I was 20!!! (Spartacus and I will enter the old folks home together) I became a Quakes fan in 1980...some nominees off the top of my head (by the way, I think the Blackhawks won the APSL title in 1991 on penalties) 1981....Bestie/Ft. Lauderdale 1983...Terlecki in 1st minute vs League leading Vancouver (14th win at home on the trot and they ended up 15-0 at home) 1988...Chris Dangerfield Quakes vs. Morelia, an awesome half volley in a 4-3 loss (nominated just 'cause it was cool) 1990...Eric Wynalda 20 yard half volley...Blackhawks vs L.A. Heat, 1990 playoffs, one of his best ever, sent them to the final vs Maryland Bays 1992...Any of the goals for the Blackhawks vs Club America in Champions Cup 1996...Wynalda 1st goal 2001...Dayak vs. Miami, and Spartacus Drinking Miami's champagne at the Brit 2001...D-Ro, but don't forget Landon's earlier 2003...LA leveler and winner, 2003...KC winner, 2003...Ekelund free kick vs. Chicago, but how can you not choose any of them?
      The Earthquakes weren't going to be contracted regardless, as Ken Horowitz wanted out of being the Investor/Operator of the Fusion one way or the other, and the Glazer family for some reason didn't want to take over the league-run Mutiny (yet Mr. Glazer later had no problem investing in Manchester United ). Anschutz may have also taken over the Fusion and/or Mutiny at that point, but he and Horowitz got into a fight (behind the scenes) and the Fusion was just allowed to die out (and with Miami out, Tampa Bay was viewed as the other logical choice for contraction as the league wanted to keep an even number of teams).       But this is a whole different discussion, so I won't continue it here.       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
      That means that you and Spartacus have more Earthquakes stories to tell than even I do.       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
That game was kinda like a mini USA-Portugal, except our domination was more complete. I'd say that whole game was our watershed event. It was our debut as a club. But I think from the second we started moving and moving the ball around, it was apparent this was a new and dangerous SJ team. The goals were like intermittent pinches verifying it was really happening.
I think we probably need to define "biggest". Is it most spectacular? Most important to the franchise? Most clutch? Some combination of all of those? If it's some combination of important for the franchise, clutch, and spectacular, I agree with dred that the "biggest" goal this year was the Roner/Mulrooney goal in the LA playoff. The miracle comeback was a few minutes away (figuring stoppage time) from being just a footnote. And maybe the miracle comeback ultimately will save the franchise again, giving it a critical boost of momentum. So I'd say it was big for the franchise and also clutch. Somewhat spectacular also in the way that Mulrooney struggled to get off the cross, juking the defender to go outside and nearly falling down as he sent off a great ball, and then Roner going high over two defenders to get the ball and hit it at a good angle. The Faria goal was also big for the franchise for the same reason. But maybe not quite as clutch because it wasn't quite "score a goal in the next few minutes or you're out", and I'd say it was less spectacular. "Just" a nice pass from LD, some suspect defending on Faria, and a good solid finish by Faria.
Cool thread... glad I got people thinking. By "biggest," I'm thinking less about spectacle and more about goals that have "defined" San Jose soccer for the past 30 years (NASL, APSL, MLS, etc). Goals that really put Bay Area (mens) soccer on the map, both literally and figuratively. The old supporters club brain keeps working and I have some ideas for next season...
Mike, this is a great topic! I scanned through the thread real quick, but I'm gonna go back and read it in more detail. I just wanted to say that this reminds me of something Liverpool did. They had the 100 best premiership goals and unveiled one a day with video clips and whatnot. They also did "100 days that shook the Kop" which were like 100 important moments in club history. This was all on the club's official website. That would be something cool to see the Quakes do.
Dayak's against Miami in 2001 playoffs,Faria's to beat L.A. this year,Ianni to beat L.A. 1-0 few years back,De Ro M.L.S. Cup 2001 among a few, there's too many to name,but the greatest goal I saw was W.C. 86 Diego Maradona dribble against pretty much against the whole English team to score a brilliant goal,nonetheless he was the best soccer player in the 80's no doubt!
Pwamme's in Cup 2001 Has to be the Pwamme goal for the game winner in MLS Cup 2001. That symbolized the large full-stop for the end of the old San Jose franchise and showed the world (not just SJ fans) this was not the Clash any more.
Two of my personal favorites. Number "1" exposed everything that was wrong about the Doyle era. Number "4" gave us a hint that the high expectations of the Yallop-Donovan era maybe weren't quite high enough. Another personal favorite: In 2001, Lagos holds off and dribbles through about four Metros defenders in the NW corner of Spartan, dribbles back out of the pack towards the 18 yard-line, then back-passes to (I believe) Russell who smokes one into the far side of the net. Pure beauty that highlighted the best of individual skill and teamwork.
      D'oh! You're right, they did the defeat the Albany Capitals on penalties!       As it turns out, the Blackhawks had lost the APSL title game the year before to the Maryland Bays... also on penalties.       GO EARTHQUAKES!!! -G