It's ok to live in the past for a few moments, every now and then, isn't it? With the LD news now official, I would like to use this time and space to briefly relive some favorite moments of the last four seasons. Please respond with some of your favorites. (Girls, I expect this to be soccer related.) A couple that come to mind for me: When he stepped onto the field for the first time at Spartan, he was a late game sub. He immediately took a ball near midfield along the East sideline, changed directions on the dribble, then lofted a perfect 35-yard diagonal pass that settled onto the foot of (I believe) Ronald Cerritos at the 18 yard line. I'm not sure if this was his very first touch in a Quakes uniform, but it might have been. It was breathtaking, big-time, unexpected, and you just knew this was only the beginning of something special. Next, a few games later, I'll always remember the goal he volleyed into the net against the Galaxy, from about the 18, off an incredible heel-flick from Cerritos, to seal a 3-1 win. I think we knew at that point we were in for a wild ride.
Apart from the obvious moments...I'll throw out the night he came back and played after WC2002. That showed me a lot...just how committed he was to this club's success -- that he rushed back to the club when he didn't have to, and wracked with fatigue still imposed himself on the game, even though it was only 5 minutes or so. And the reception he got from the crowd was amazing.
There are too many. However, I think for me it was the lofted chip to Manny Lagos to make it 2-1 against Tampa Bay in 2001. That showed the remarkable vision os a 18 year old kid. -Richard
The sudden death game winner vs KC in the 2003 playoffs......he made a run that any other player would have given up on and Ekelund put it where only Donovan could get it. Also, the insurance goal that Bajoro mentioned vs LA....Spartan was rockin. I think the television call was something like....."DONOVAN.....CAN END IT....GOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!"......as the announcer was drowned out by the crowd.
the flick to Lagos for sure... the left footed bomb from the 18 vs Columbus in the playoffs... coming on vs Metros and tying it right after Clint put them ahead... the turn and shot vs LA in the Final 2001... his brace vs Chicago in MLS Cup 2003... his breakaway speed, how he seems to get faster when he is on the ball... his hat-trick vs KC... the drunken commerical for FSW... so many things....
One of my favorite moments. My son now towers over Landon, but this is the kind of stuff that will stick with us forever....Landon comin' out to play with the kids. Shucks, Landon. You're breaking our hearts by going away but we wish you the BEST!
My favorite is the above goal against the Galaxy, but another great one was his first ever goal versus the MetroStars. If I recall correctly, he scored it late in the game to seal a 2-0 win (Wade Barrett got goal number 1, I think). The game was broadcast on Telemundo, and when I watched it at home, after the Andres Cantor goooooooal call, Cantor said, "Bienvienidos al futuro" which roughly means "Welcome to the future." How true that was.....
I can't believe you listed that! It's the same one for me, for the reasons you give and an extra, personal one. I took my mother to that game when she was visting from New York. Her father had been a professional soccer player in Ireland but left in 1914 to avoid being drafted into the British Army for WWI. (He later served in the American army.) Emigrating ended his soccer career but he remained a fan an took my mother to a few professional matches in the late 30s early 40. But she never went to another pro game until that day. In the drive down I told her all about this kid Donovan and how excited I was to have him on the team and told her to keep an eye on him. When he made that wonderful chip, she nearly came out of her seat. It made her a soccer fan, a Quakes fan, and a Landon Donovan fan. And made her think her son actually knew what he was talking about.
Well, y'all have covered nearly every possible moment on the pitch--each of which I will also treasure...so, I'll have to recall one from off the field. One year, the "Shake with the Quakes" featured an open house of sorts when we were allowed to tour the locker room and much more. The players were all under canopies in the North field signing autographs and meeting fans. It was an especially long session for the then-rising star, Landon. He had gone to the clubhouse to take a break. With a Quakes' staff escort, he was returning across the area known as "Autograph Alley" after his break to continue under the canopy. With no one else but the staffer around, Landon stopped to talk with my daughter (then 8) and her cousin (age 12.) They presented him with a bag of Jelly Belly jelly beans, which we had learned were his favorite snacks. He was SO wonderful and kind to them. They were speechless as girls with huge crushes are when confronted with the object of their affection. My cousin Jerry (batfam) and I told Landon that the girls talked endlessly about all they would say to him and how they were so excited about meeting him. He just smiled and said, "Aw, it's alright...this happens all the time." Then, he signed for them, spent a couple of minutes asking them if they were having fun (to which they only nodded from their zombie states) and then he wished us all a good day and said he'd see us at the games. Sure, he's pure gold on the field. We all know that. I'm also going to miss Landon Donovan, the phenominal individual who represented us so proudly. Think of it... ...passes opportunities galore overseas to stay here and "grow American soccer" and to stay with his family and an organization he loves. ...never whines about money or playing time or scoring enough or his role on the team. ...helped bring us two championships and change this team's image from a "perpetual loser" to a "perennial challenger for the title." I will miss him terribly on game days but I wish him the best and I'm even more proud of all those pictures I have of him in a Quakes uniform now. How wonderful it'll be when he soon becomes a huge, international star and we can look at those pictures and say we knew him when!
For all his great offense, I also liked his "in-your-face" defense work. There were several "big name" people who he managed to stuff as they were leasurely trying to send balls up the field, Lubos Kubik and Lionel Alverez are a couple names that come to mind.
The best goal I saw him score in person was against Miami in the 2nd game of the 2001 playoffs when he gathered the ball at the top of the box, turned and unleashed a scorcher that hit the back of the net. A hell of a goal. I've seen many great goals and other plays from him since, but that one stands out because it was so unexpected. Of course, he also got a yellow later that same game for diving in the box )
For me, a stretch of eight days last November will always stand out in my memories of Landon, and Earthquakes soccer. After choosing not to attend the "Miracle at Spartan" game, I was surely not going to miss the Western Conference Final match. The Quakes fought back twice in that game and tied it late on Mullan's goal. When it looked like the game would be decided in PKs, Landon answered the call and somehow beat, what seemed like, the entire Wizards team and beat Meola for the conference championship. After the game, my friend (mlsfan20) and I went outside the locker room to congradulate and shake the players hands. When Landon came out last, we had him sign our ticket stubs and we talked for a minute. Since we had tickets for MLS Cup, we were obviously excited that the Quakes had advanced. The Gala Awards / Supporters Summit were an added bonus to the weekend. When gameday rolled around, we couldn't wait to get to the HDC. We were rewarded with Ekelund's early goal five minutes in, then Landon took over the game. An MVP performance called for two goals and an Alan I. Rothenberg trophy, plus a wonderful six hour drive home up the 5. Thanks, Landon, for eveything!
The greatest team moment has to be that return from the WC and stepping on the field to play, as Spartacus said. I also liked the way he dealt with the fans, always taking time. I remember when a couple of girls on our team asked me to get his autograph on the posters that were handed out. The woman from the office who was acting as Landon's handler said that he could only autograph one. Donovan grabbed them both and said, "No problem. The funniest has to be with that woman standing next to me who took her bra off and had him sign it. There was enough space for the autograph, no problem. The expression on Landon's face was priceless.
I'll take that one too, especially since I had a good look at it from the stands. That play exemplified what I feel is his greatest asset among many, his acceleration. He just flew by people to get to the ball in a very small space.
my favorite's already been listed, but it was the volley he drilled into the net to tie up the final game 1-1 against LA. Absolutely incredible and the shot hit directly into the upper-90. I'll never forget that one.
Favorite Landon moment? Wow -- so many to choose from. The first time Landon really made an impression on me was at a scrimmage against Cal, shortly after he joined the Quakes. He received a pass on the touch line, glanced to his left for a moment to glimpse someone making an overlapping run, then looked to his right for a second or two. Without looking back to his left, he then slid a pass through to the player making the run that met him perfectly in stride. Even after seeing him for just a split second, Donovan knew exactly where he would be two seconds later. "Oh," I thought. "He's got the brain for the game, too." The next moment that comes to mind was his appearance at the Club Quake tailgate, shortly after he signed with the team -- maybe before he got his first start, even. A lot of us had already purchased Donovan jerseys and he seemed a bit surprised at that. I guess his experience in Germany had been so tough that he may have forgotten a bit about how talented he was, but we all knew. It was written all over him. Plus, I always sensed that extra element in his demeanor, that depth that makes someone excel in the most critical situations. Joe Montana had it; Wayne Gretzky had it; Landon has it and he's shown it in the playoffs for the Quakes and in the World Cup. After that, the moments are mainly on the field. The first home match against the Galaxy in 2001 (two Donovan goals including the clincher off the flying Cerritos back heel) was really the first time he and the team put everybody on notice that no, San Jose wouldn't always be the Clash. He tore it up in the playoffs that year against Columbus and again rose to the occasion against Miami, getting the first goal in the crucial home game of that series. The first-time strike to the upper 90 off the cross from Mulrooney in MLS Cup 2001 was absolutely priceless (and credit Cerritos with making a fantastic dummy run on that play). I could go on and on. It's been such a pleasure to watch him play and to see him start to see in himself those things that everyone at that first tailgate already knew. He's accomplished great things already and I have to think there's a lot more in store. Thanks and best wishes to Landon. I'll look forward to seeing him in Earthquakes blue again someday. (He's under contract to Bayer through the middle of 2007? Maybe we can get him back when our new stadium opens...)
I will remember Landon for his class. Sheer Class His determination. We are 2-0 up on the road and he is back defending and clearing balls, inside our box, fighting like a man possessed. How many stars do you see doing this? The goal against the “smog” in the miracle game, from the tightest of angles. The goal against KC in overtime. Sooooo cool under pressure The 2003 cup. What a performance His performance in the World Cup. “Hello world, the Yanks are here and we are afraid of nobody” He is, by far, the best player the US has ever produced. Thanks LD and all the best to you, we will be watching and cheering you on. P.S. When you come back to MLS have the balls to tell them that it is on one condition, you will only return to the club that gave you the chance to prove yourself. You have that power, use it. The Earthquakes fans deserve nothing less.
For the Quakes -- I've been in Boston for the entire time Donovan's been with the Quakes. Fortunately, I've caught the Quakes most every time they play the Revs, and also went to MLS Cup 2003. For me, that entire 2003 playoff run was special, culminating with the great goal off of DeRosario's cross. A very subtle run takes Gray out of the play, and Donovan was all alone in the box to strike home the goal that sealed the game off. For the US -- a few moments stick out: 1) Winning the PK at Foxoboro against Jamaica that sent us to WC 2002 -- easily the most emotional sporting event of my life. 2) Being consoled by Earnie Stewart after the Germany match 3) His debut as captain of the US team this year. In a way, his MLS and US career have run parallel -- an extremely talented youngster bursts on to the stage, almost hesitant to display all his skill. The gamesmanship and on-field attitude that accompanied this competitive edge eventually yielded to a more mature, wiser player, one who was a captain and leader for both club and country. The Clash were the originals, and we love them, but Landon Donovan defined the Earthquakes. I have a feeling we still haven't seen the best from him either.
I am a DC United fan, but one of my favorite moments was when they were playing againist us I don't remember exactly how the game was going but I believe in the 2nd half, Landon came and scored two goals on us in a matter minutes right in front of us. We (La Norte) kept egging him on and after he scored two he held up his fingers to indicate that he scored two goals (I think we telling him he couldn't score)...we all looked at each other and said "oh $hit we better stop because he is going to get another one" and we never egged him for the rest of the game. Another one was the RFK World Cup qualifier in 01. My daughter and I were at the top of RFK (like 5-6 stories) and I told my daughter to yell "landon" all the way up there...she wouldn't do it. I told her he could not hear us...sure enough I yelled it and he actually looked up I was shocked I yelled "good job man you rock"...he held up a thumbs up and clapped. Glad I have his autograph and few pics of him with my daughter and husband. He will be missed. Good luck!
That's the non-Quakes moment that sticks in my head. A moment awaiting redemption. Reading the posts here really sparks so many memories. Like this year's Shake With The Quakes..he stayed so long signing autographs and he was so nice when my son gave him his Sport Illustrated Landon Donovan cover to sign. He's just a good guy.
A lot of moments but my bests are 3: First, when I saw him for the first time and I say "ohhhh damn, a so good looking guy with these bleached hair, he looks as an alien" Second, in WC 2002 against Portugal when he came in the field and changed my life. Third, when I met him in France last year (concacaf ) I loved landon because of his looks but then I started to love him as an awesome player when I saw him playing! I hope to meet you again in Germany! (I live in Europe) Good luck man!
More of a memory than a favorite moment... After the MLS Cup 2001, they had the Club Quake Party at the Brit. It was weekday night (Friday ?) and it was difficult to get out from work. However, my wife and I picked up our three kids and headed down to the Brit. There wasn't many people there, but we were able to take photos with the MLS Cup and then some of the players showed up, Specifically, Landon and Joe. Landon and Joe spent several minutes talking with us. I couldn't help but think that this wouldn't happen in any other sport in the US...