Because (1) he is quicker (to avoid, and anticipate) challenges than Convey or Beasley were when they first started (2) Once upon a time, we had another phenom.....named....oh, yeah "Landon Donovan" (remember him?)...anyway, he wasn't the biggest of kids...far from it (Freddy about same size NOW..maybe bigger)....Landon was a marked man....Fusion pounded him when they played......Landon came out of it fine (with a few bruises). Freddy is actually BIGGER than Beasley, Convey were....Freddy has BETTER balance.....and Freddy has put up with years of hacking (and to my knowledge, never really a serious injury). So he does have some experience in getting hacked. And before you say, "but those were just 16,17 year old kids"...if you've been to Dallas Cup, or any of his other tourneys....those kids (defenders) are no longer small.....many of them 5'11' or 6'0' and 150/160....granted, that's still less force than a typical MLS defender, but its not small either. Let's do remember Freddy will also be 1/2 year older by next MLS season (or thereabouts)....he'll get a good introduction in spring training, etc to the big boys.. In fact, I only see the possibility for "add'l risk" (every player has Ben Olsen risk- on some small scale).....because Freddy is so good with ball, he will be dribbling more than most MLS players...and of course, that could lead to something. Also, if some(one) really has vendetta, well, yeah...they could get him. But it didn't happen to hyped-Landon, and I doubt the new golden child will have someone out to get him unless he gets nasty/insulting with someone, which would be totally out of Freddy's character... So let's chill out on the "will Freddy be able to hack (physically). I dare say he is better prepared than Beasley and Convey were (in every way, including physically) and on par with Landon when he started...
Yeah but figure "The Jordan Rules" will be in full effect when Adu's on the field. He'll be fouled as much as Donadoni was back in '96 but the Kovalenkos, Franchinos and Kooimans(remember him- I'm diggin in the crates) of MLS'll be shown cards quicker than compulsive gambler in Vegas. At most, players will only be able to tug at his jersey without hearing the whistle. That's if they can even catch him!
I doubt any MLS team will hack him as much as Sierra Leone did in the U-17 WC. Some of those 17-year-olds are pretty big and strong. And the hacks of the league know that an angry lynch mob of BigSoccer members will hubt them down if they hurt Freddy
I think this will hurt him. If Dema took out O'Brien with Adu on the pitch, if I were the Burn manager I would tell my players to reciprocate on DCs best player - Adu. Either Dema will rein in his over the top play or Adu will be the beneficiary of the retribution.
In the AFL, there were unspoken rules among defensive linemen about hitting (or more accurately, not hitting) Joe Namath, simply because they realized he was helping pay their salaries. Perhaps the same thing will take place here.
I'm pretty sure that if some defender thugs Adu he would not only hear it from the ref and the other players but also the fans, his own coach and the league. Plus he'd surely be a big man for taking out a 15 year old that just schooled his azz. Even at home i'm sure he'd get booed.