Landon Donovan one of the most recognizable US soccer play and captain of La Galaxy failed to make a penalty in the MLS final verses Salt Lake. Landon Donovan is not only on the US National team but is one of the penalty specialists for the team. This season Donovan was named the most valuable player in the MLS.
No one expects the League MVP to step up to a penalty kick and shank it right over the crossbar. Its one thing to have a penalty saved, but to miss badly over the crossbar is unacceptable. The hopes of the city and countless fans were on him to bring back the MLS title to LA. Donovan has no one but himself to blame and he has once again given the media a chance to critique him.
Donovan remains the face of American soccer. It’s a face that doesn’t want to go play oversees and one that has a tendency to choke under pressure. Soccer needs role models and stars for younger generations to look up to, so that interest starts and more future stars are raised, rite now soccer in the States isn’t going any ware.
Matthew Hivner Kin 332I tu/thur 9.30am
1 comment:
I think you make a big miss here Matt. It seems as if you are putting the entire weight of the success of Soccer in the U.S. on the shoulders of Landon Donovan. Yes, i agree that he is a major face for the MLS, but he's only one man out of 100s.
First of all, Landon is human and will not make every shot, and if you look at his history it shows, as it does for any other player in the MLS or the history of soccer for that matter. Even the great Pele missed. Because of the situation that he missed it was blown out of proportion. What happened during the rest of the game? why is it his fault that they lost? How many guys are on the field playing? More than one last time i checked. Soccer is a team sport. We can't forget about all the good things that he has done. Landon must have played well all season to get to the title game, and he must have had a great career to be the "face" of soccer. Why not talk about the good things he's done as well.
The fact that soccer in the U.S. has struggled for so many years is party due to the fact that when certain media outlets get an opportunity to down play soccer they do. So when they do that they pick out major players and exploit their faults, Landon Donovan for example. Yeah he may have choked a couple of times, but who hasn't? The media has the power, if they want to, to develop a negative image of both Donovan and Soccer in the U.S. Besides, it is going to take more than one player and one team to make soccer a major sport and business in the U.S.
Kurtis Goodin KIN 332I T/TH 9:30 am
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