"Quakes playoff loss would pale next to losing star Donovan" "MLS format puzzles Quakes" "Quakes' defensive stalwart Mulrooney to miss Game 1" GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Ironically, right when it seems that an ownership group (Amanpour's) will be taking over the Quakes and giving the franchise some stability and marketing muscle for the first time ever, they could be losing the only marketable player (barely tapped to this point) the franchise has ever had* - and they'll unlikely have another one anytime in the near-future. For a franchise that's trying to stabilize itself in a very young league, that could be downright dehabilitating. Assuming that Donovan is leaning more toward staying, the least MLS/Amanpour's group should be doing at this point is negotiating to extend Donovan's MLS-Leverkusen contract for about two years, at least until the franchise's stabilization is assured (along with a new stadium and such). GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G * Some may argue that Eric Wynalda was also marketable, but though he definitely had the skills when healthy, he was a cancer to the team in certain other ways. This is certianly not the case with Landon Donovan.
I hate to be negative, but the Amanpour group is looking less confident. It would be great for MLS and fans if they bought his contract, but I think his decision to stay will depend greatly on what happens with the Quakes.
Must be the distant view from Pennsylvania; I can't see it that way. What makes you think that? The guy just bought 4,000 tickets for friends, etc. He must be trying to tell them something.
Well, my read is that Leverkeusen is hell bent on getting LD back this time. Obiviously LD has a say in things, butif hes feeling the itch to play in one of the big 4, their really is nothing MLS can do about it. The allocation "value" at least should be the biggest the league has given though.
Losing Donovan will be terrible, but I think Lalas will look for a very talented player with a unique appeal to replace him. That can only make up about 1/4 of the difference, but without it, things could get very difficult.
Yeah, you got me there. I should have asked him. Maybe he was buying them all season tickets for next year.