I love sports... And I fear that may be an understatement- sports are basically my life. I particularly follow Soccer, Basketball and Football. My favorite teams are The Lakers, The Galaxy, The US Men's National Soccer Team and West Virginia Football. I would love to write about sports "when I grow up", so I figured I'd get started here. I'll post about whatever I'm thinking sportwise, and see what works. Thanks for reading and commenting- it means alot.
When I woke up this morning, I wondered if it had all been a dream. A quick check of almost any internet site confirmed otherwise- Lebron James really had left the Cleveland Cavaliers. And he had done it in an hour long ESPN special that he produced.
It's not that I wanted it to be a dream, I guess. I'm not a Lebron fan, I'm not a Cav's fan. I just thought it couldn't have been real. As I laid there in bed this morning, imagining that it was a dream was easier than trying to convince myself it was real. While the night's sleep has added some perspective, it certainly hasn't made the decision and especially "The Decision" seem any less surreal.
"The Decision" was one of the most ill conceived ideas in sports history. It was corny, over the top, ridiculous, staged, contrived and ultimately sickening. At times it didn't even seem real. It felt like a parody. It was laugh out loud funny, while trying hard to be serious and impressive. The opening of the show featured a long and cringe worthy montage of highlights with self-important narration. Yes, we already knew this was "the most anticipated free agent of all time", we knew that this was an important decision- ESPN has been pushing it down our throats for days, weeks, even years.
If "The Decision" had been conceived and created by ESPN, it would be easier to understand. It was probably too much hype and spectacle for a player who really hasn't won anything yet, but ESPN have been doing this to us for years. Lebron has been hugely hyped as "The King", "The Chosen One" and a superstar since he was a high school junior. The media labels him the best player in the league seemingly every regular season, only to remember "that Kobe guy" late in the playoffs when he's winning titles as Lebron sits at home with the rest of us. One more media tribute to Lebron wouldn't have been too shocking.
But this was not the media's idea. This was not ESPN's idea. "The Decision" was Lebron's alone. It was Lebron and his handlers who created this whole spectacle, who pitched the idea to ESPN. It was Lebron who paid Jim Gray to provide the questioning, not ESPN. It was Lebron who seemingly set up all the details and signed off on the script. This was not another example of the media kissing Lebron's butt, this was the self-proclaimed King's tribute to himself.
And that makes it all the more troubling. I think we learned more about Lebron from that one hour special than we have in his entire career so far. Having the nerve to even think of creating such a production revealed Lebron to be a man with an incredibly inflated ego, a man completely out of touch with reality, a man far too comfortable being constantly celebrated by the media and the "friends" he surrounds himself with. Maybe his self-proclaimed royal nickname, lack of on-court sportsmanship, and the giant "Chosen One" tattoo across his back should have tipped us off sooner.
Because of "The Decision", Lebron has become one of the most hated people in Cleveland and one of the biggest sports villains of our era. It was clear that he realized this during the show- something finally clicked with him. He looked sick, grief-stricken and extremely stressed out. He was clearly not enjoying himself at all, and at several times stumbled with his words, often looking close to tears. When he finally announced that he was "bringing his talents to South Beach" the assembled audience was notably and poignantly silent. There was no massive applause or cheers on this night.
This could have been a happy moment for Lebron. This should have been celebrated as an exciting development by the media. Lebron was going to Miami to play with Chris Bosh and Dywane Wade! A super team was being assembled before our very eyes! How good can they be?! ... Of course, nobody in the media took that angle. No neutral fans seemed to see it that way either. Rather, because of the way he announced his decision, the focus was on his betrayal of Cleveland, not the exciting basketball implications. Instead of being happy with his choice, being able to revel in the excitement of a new team, it was clear the Lebron realized something was wrong. In a rare moment of clarity, "The King" finally sensed the backlash.
And that backlash was instant and deserved. It began when the the show- "The Decision" was first announced, and exploded when he revealed he was leaving Cleveland. Rumors had been swirling all day that Miami would be his pick, but it was almost unbelievable. Surely "the sources" weren't correct. Surely Lebron really wouldn't have created an hour long show to humiliate and betray his hometown. He must have more perspective than that, right? Apparently not.
Owner Dan Gilbert wrote a fiery and emotional "open letter" to Cav's fans later that evening, blasting the "cowardly self-proclaimed king". I’ve wavered back and forth multiple times on whether it was indeed a “cowardly” decision or not. On the one hand, Lebron left Cleveland at the time they needed him most. It was going to be hard to win a title there- harder than it will be in Miami- so he left for greener pastures. On the other hand, he made a decision that he truly felt (rightly or wrongly) would bring him closer to a title. He took less money, he risked his legacy and the reactions of Cleveland fans, to get closer to that ring. Some might even see it as a brave move. And perhaps it was. But it was the way Lebron made and announced that decision that led to everything blowing up in his face.
Had he met with Gilbert face to face, had he given him a chance, had he told him man-to-man that he was leaving, and explained why he was doing so, it would have been different. There would have been feelings of resentment, sadness, maybe even anger. But there would have been no fiery letters, no enormous backlash. That would have been the truly brave move, and the smart one. Instead, he left Gilbert and the Cavs (as well as all the fans) completely in the dark. At Jim Gray’s questioning during the interview, Lebron revealed that he hadn’t even spoken to Gilbert in over a week. When Gray asked Lebron whether the team he was about to announce knew, Lebron replied yes- they had just been informed a moment ago. Left unsaid was that the other teams had just found out too. One of Lebron’s handlers reportedly called or texted Gilbert during the beginning of “The Decision”. Lebron didn't have the guts to speak to his former boss himself. We can only assume the other four rejected teams didn’t even have the courtesy of a phone call. They likely found out the decision at the same time as the rest of us.
If televising "The Decision" was his only mistake, Lebron could have probably been forgiven. It's not his fault alone that he's disconnected with reality. It's not his fault alone he has such an inflated sense of self. Much of the blame needs to placed upon the 'yes men' surrounding him, the media, and our culture in general. Lebron never had a real father figure in his life. He has been a celebrity since his preteen days because of his unique combination of size, athleticism and basketball talent. He didn't go to college. He has never surrounded himself with people able to tell him no, or people that would stick up to him. And how would he know any better? He's been "the best" and "the greatest" for as long as he can remember.
Lebron's actual decision isn't what's causing all of the backlash either. While disappointing to many, it was perfectly within his rights to leave his hometown team. He has played hard for Cleveland for seven seasons. He's increased the value of the franchise by hundreds of millions of dollars. He did his best to bring a championship to Cleveland, even while the organization failed to surround him with a decent team, or even one other great player. A player should not be required to play their entire career for one team, even if they are from the area, and that area happens to be a long suffering sports city.
Of course, it would have been nice to see Lebron re-sign with the Cavs. As sports fans, we love to see players play their entire career in one city- especially if it's their hometown. I think staying in Cleveland would have been the best move for his legacy. Getting one championship for Cleveland would have meant more than even a handful of trophies in Miami ever will.
Or, if he is really commited to winning, as he says he is, a better move would have been to Chicago or the Clippers (really) both of which have solid cores of young players. If his main goal is to establish himself as a global superstar and play on the biggest stage, New York, or even Prokhorov's Nets would have been the best bet. The Miami choice actually makes the least sense of any of the six teams that pursued him. But that's my opinion, and it's neither here nor there. It was his choice and he had the right to make it. If Lebron truly felt it was the best move for him, his family, his career and legacy, we should respect that. But I can not, and will not, respect the way in which he announced it.
As poor of an idea as "The Decision" was, I think the secrecy shrouding Lebron's choice in the past few weeks was just as bad. It was totally unnecessary, and built up drama and suspense to a level that was only appropriate if he was indeed coming back to Cleveland. Even then, it was unfair to hopeful fans in Chicago and New York. It was selfish, immature and incredibly badly judged. He led multiple teams on, giving their organizations and fans hope that he was seriously considering their offers. Most GM's have said they believe he was only truly considering one or two cities all along. Many players, media and insiders have speculated that he made his decision long ago, and the entire process was all for dramatic effect. If that's really true, it's the biggest indictment of Lebron from this entire process.
He was going to let down his city no matter how he left- it was never going to be easy. But it certainly could have done in a better way. He should have come out much earlier and announced the decision before the media hoopla grew to a fever pitch. He should have been trying to attract as little attention and media as possible.
Did he really think the fans would enjoy that extra drama? Did he think the suspense of "The Decision" would be fun for the people that have supported him his whole life? Did he think it was fair to make the incredibly loyal Clevelanders suffer, worry and pray for weeks, just to pimp himself out for a bit more media coverage? If the drama truly was manufactured, then Lebron is not only egotistical and badly advised, but also cruel and heartless. Why give his fans hope, send mixed messages, create a program to remind them of how great he is, all in the buildup to completley blindsiding them on prime time TV?
Lebron made many mistakes in the handling of his free agency, some bigger than others, and all with lasting consequences. He should never have left Cleveland. He should not have been so secretive to build up drama and suspense only to reveal a heartbreaking choice for his biggest fans. He should have realized how egotistic "The Decision" made him look. He certainly should have foreseen that using "The Decision" as a way to leave the Cavs would make him look mindbogglingly, indescribably, unbelievably stupid and heartless.
I think Lebron will eventually come to regret his decision to leave Cleveland. I know he'll regret the way he handled and announced that decision.
Charlie Davies, Twitter, Belief, and a Dream Deferred
We should have seen this coming. All the signs pointed to Charlie being left off yesterday’s preliminary World Cup roster. The doctors and coaches at his club, FC Sochaux, were expressing doubt and hesitation. The Club president said he wasn’t yet ready to play. The French media also wrote that Charlie wasn’t ready. But we believed. They didn’t know what they were talking about. Charlie’s “tweets” said he was back.
United States National Team doctor Ivan Pierra met with Davies in France last week, and the results of their meeting were kept relatively quiet, rather than publicized. Head Coach Bob Bradley recently tried to temper expectations and issued caution regarding Davies recovery. All the signs were pointing towards the sad news. And yet, like Charlie, we still believed. The only source steadfastly proclaiming that Charlie would be ready was Davies himself, on twitter and in numerous interviews.
We had to believe. As fans, it’s what we do. With his numerous encouraging and inspiring tweets, and rumors of amazing progress, we started to convince ourselves that it was going to happen. He was going to do the impossible. He was unbreakable. He was going to make it back to the World Cup. Only 7 months ago we weren’t even sure he was alive. A few months before that, most of us weren’t even sure who he was.
It seemed like Charlie Davies came out of nowhere. Few soccer fans knew much about him when he was selected to the Confederations Cup roster last summer. But of course, he didn’t come from “nowhere”. Charlie was a star forward for Boston College for 3 years, before leaving early to take advantage of his soaring professional prospects. Rather than taking the MLS route (Charlie was offered a generation Adidas contract, and was expected to be a high draft pick) he signed with the Swedish Club Hammarby IF in late 2006. He had a quiet start in his first year for the club, but eventually worked hard enough to make himself a starter, and the goals began to come. He got a couple of USA caps during World Cup qualifying, even scoring a goal in the summer of 2008, but never made a major impact and didn’t leave a huge impression on me, personally. He had potential though- and looked like one for the future. Then he got off to a flying start in the 2009 Swedish Season, scoring goals left and right for Hammarby. National team coach Bob Bradley named him to the Confederations Cup squad in May of 2009- about one year ago.
The Confederations Cup was Charlie’s coming out party. After a tough loss to Italy in the first game, and a spanking by Brazil in the second, the Americans were on the ropes. They needed a miracle to advance to the next round. They’d have to beat Egypt (the African champions) by a wide margin, and they’d still need help from Brazil in their match as well. Facing the pressure, Coach Bradley shuffled his lineup and gave Charlie Davies, a week shy of his 23rd birthday, the start at forward. It was Charlie’s first time paired with rising star Jozy Altidore for significant minutes. Charlie had been used a substitute in the first two games, but it quickly became clear he wouldn’t be going back to the bench any time soon. He and Jozy complimented each other perfectly, and Charlie rose to the ground occasion. He opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, knocking the ball off the scrambling keeper and into the net. The Americans never looked back, winning the game 3-0 and advancing to the next round.
Charlie started again in the Americans historic 2-0 upset of Spain in the semi-final, and again in the final against Brazil. The US lost the final in heartbreaking fashion, 3-2, but Charlie was a bright spot throughout the tournament's final stages. He had played exceedingly well, and seemed born to combine with Jozy. Most American fans were penciling him into their predicted World Cup starting lineups.
Charlie’s good run of form didn’t stop there. He scored again for the Americans a little over a month later, on August 12th, and it was another hugely important goal. He scored the opening goal in the American’s qualifier in Mexico. With his quick run and cool finish, Charlie became only the 4th American to score in the “Hell on Earth” that is Azteca Stadium. Running to the corner flag, Charlie did his signature “stanky leg” celebration, and was pelted with beer, batteries, and God knows what else from the shocked Mexican fans. The Americans had their first ever lead in the Azteca. Though they would go on to lose 2-1, Charlie’s hot form continued. He left Hammarby and transferred to a bigger club- FC Sochaux in the French league. Still, the goals kept coming. He came off the bench and put two more in the net against the French Champions, Bordeaux, in only his second appearance- days after the Mexico game. He was on top of the World, and the fans couldn’t have been any more excited. Nothing could stop Charlie now, we thought…
The Accident
"The car was pretty much split in half," Schlosser said. The southbound lanes of the parkway, a major commuter artery, were closed until 8:15 a.m., with significant backups reported.
I’ll remember that Tuesday morning forever. October 13th, 2009. It will be exactly seven months ago tomorrow. I didn’t have class until the afternoon, but I still woke up early, I don’t know why. It was a dark and rainy morning, fitting for the news that we were about to get. The United States had just clinched a World Cup spot days before, and the fans and players were on cloud nine. I had finished breakfast, and was on my computer, drinking coffee, going through my morning routine of websites- I checked some emails, checked Facebook, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and Big Soccer. But it was twitter, where the news was first broken to me. Just as I got there, someone had re-tweeted a link only seconds ago.
Davies in Serious Accident
Along with that horrible headline was a link to a story from a local DC news website. Surely this was some sort of mistake or typo. Another “Davies”, maybe. But no, it clearly said “U.S. forward Charlie Davies”. I clicked the link. I read closer. The words “fatal” and “career-threatening” stood out like they were in red ink. I felt numb. Suddenly, thanks to the nature of twitter, it exploded. Rumors spread widely. “Charlie is dead?” “RIP Charlie Davies” “Did you see the car- it was split in half! Nobody could survive an accident like that” “He was driving- and he was drunk” “He was out way past curfew” “Jozy is hurt too!” and more.
Fellow USMNT players began to tweet their support. I was still pretty shocked, and in disbelief. There must have been some sort of mistake. It couldn’t have been Charlie. I still didn’t quite believe it. And then a tweet from Jozy, his strike partner, and closest friend on the team.
JozyAltidore17 11:13AM Oct 13th, 2009 via UberTwitter: “ :( :( :( :( :( :( :(
I'm not tweeting anymore yall just not feeling well. Bye for now”
It was suddenly all too real; it was confirmed. I felt sick. I suffered through a horrible, nerve-wracking, grief-stricken afternoon. I missed my first class, because I was so busy trying to figure out the details of what had happened. I tried to go to my second class of the day, but it was no good. It just didn’t seem to matter. It was surreal listening to my teacher lecture on the Stamp Act, with all that had happened that morning. I left halfway through and went back home. It was probably unhealthy to spend so much of the day following rumors, looking for articles, and grieving with fellow fans online and via text, but doing anything else felt wrong. I was close to breaking down in tears several times that day.
The following day was almost as emotional. Everything was finally settling down, and we knew as many details as we ever would. Charlie had not been the driver. He was going to live- his injuries were “career threatening”, but not life threatening. One of the passengers, an acquaintance of Charlie’s, Ashley Roberta, was not so lucky. Ashley was not a soccer star, and as such, many seemed to be forgetting about her in their stories and grief. I couldn’t. It didn’t seem right to be happy about Davies survival when someone else had died. Ms. Roberta wasn’t famous like Charlie, but had many family members, friends, and loved ones that cared about her as much and more than we cared about Charlie, and their lives would never be the same. Neither would Charlie’s.
Davies was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition. He had suffered a litany of injuries, including a broken right femur and tibia, a broken left elbow, facial fractures and a lacerated bladder. Doctors were already making prognoses, saying he would be in the hospital for weeks, and putting a potential rehab target at 6-12 months. The badly fractured tibia and femur were devastating injures. The World Cup was certainly out of the question for Charlie. It hurt, but at the time, that didn’t really seem to mater. He was lucky to be alive.
Amongst everything going on, the United States still had one more qualifying game to play- that night- the day after Charlie’s accident. On the surface, it didn’t really matter. We’d already clinched the World Cup spot, and there was no chance of being a top-seeded team. The difference between first and second place in CONCACAF would decide nothing more than pride. But for the American fans and players, there was something very important to play for. Charlie.
Charlie was extremely popular with the other players. He was young, confident, and quick humored. He seemed to get along with everyone. He was also very popular with the fans. He was a young player, and a striker, the sexiest position in soccer. He was plying his trade in Europe, and seemed to be on the fastrack to superstardom. His enthusiastic embrace of twitter endeared him even more to American supporters.
CharlieDavies9 3:20PM Oct 9th, 2009 via web: “Bout to go to Training. Love training the day before a game. That weird stomach feeling starts to set in. Gotta love it. That's why I play”
He used this new medium to show us a behind the scenes look at life with the national team. He showed us how close he was to his teammates (especially Jozy), constantly bantering and joking with them. He challenged us, the fans, to play him in FIFA online, he responded to fans often, and answered our questions. He made us laugh, and most importantly, he made us feel like we were part of the team- something every fan wants.
CharlieDavies9 9:43PM Oct 9th, 2009 via web: “GOOD NIGHT!!! Getting rest for the big game tomorrow. WE QUALIFYING FOR THE WORLD CUP TOMORROW NIGHT! MAKE SURE TO WATCH IT AT A BAR”
Sometimes supporting the United States National Team (especially during non-World Cup years) makes one feel like they’re part of an unusually large family. A camaraderie exists among the players and supporters because we all deal with the consequences of building our lives around a sport that most Americans neither understand nor care about. And with Charlie’s use of twitter, his private life and thoughts were broadcast to all of us. It felt like we personally knew him, he felt like a friend; he felt like family. I know I wasn’t the only fan who felt like a member of my family was involved in that horrible accident on October 13th.
The Game October 14th, 2009, RFK Stadium, Washington DC.
The players were still reeling from the shock of the accident, but they had a game to play. Wanting a result to dedicate to Davies, the Americans were facing a Costa Rica team that still had everything to play for. Only a win would be enough for the “Ticos” to make the World Cup, and they were desperate to get it.
The spirit of the fans and players that evening was spectacular. Jozy in particular, played like a man possessed, wanting so badly to score a goal for his friend. He wore an undershirt with “Davies 9” emblazoned across his heart that was just visible through his jersey. In the 9th minute, thanks to some brilliant organization by supporters groups, a huge contingent of the stadium held up “9” posters in a salute to Charlie.
Everything about the night was amazing and very emotional, except Costa Rica wasn’t cooperating. They scored two early goals, to put the host Americans in a hole at halftime. Jozy became increasingly frustrated, wanting nothing more than to tear off his jersey and reveal his tribute. In the 72nd minute, Michael Bradley pulled one back, bringing the US within a goal of a brave draw. The fans did everything they could to spurn the team on, but it just wasn’t happening. Finally, in the 5th minute of stoppage time, the Americans earned one last corner. It was surely the last chance of the game. The last chance to salvage a result for Charlie. As Robbie Rogers got set to take the kick, the fans were absolutely roaring.
I’ve watched the video dozens of times, and laugh at the suggestion that it was a “meaningless’ goal. Sure, the goal technically didn’t help the Americans qualify for the World Cup, and the result didn’t really mean anything, but judging by the players’ reactions, it certainly meant something. It was heartbreak for the Costa Ricans, who now faced a tough playoff to make the World Cup, but it was pure joy for the Americans, who were playing for something much more important than a World Cup berth. They were playing for Charlie.
(Jozy celebrating the late equalizing goal)
The Rehab
The next few months were pretty quiet. Things seemed to go back to normal soccerwise. With the US not playing in any games, Charlie Davies faded into the back of our minds, temporarily. He was released from the hospital on November 10th, nearly a month after the accident. We got out first glimpse of Charlie in a short ESPN interview just after Thanksgiving. He wasn’t the same Charlie we remembered; no longer joking or quick with a smile. This ‘new’ Charlie was quiet, and very introspective. He even looked different- the accident had changed him. And yet, he was confident from the beginning. In the interview, he determinedly proclaimed he would be back, back for the World Cup. And so the journey began. But surely it wasn’t realistic, right? The media was skeptical. Most had already ruled him out. He just didn’t have enough time. But we believed. We had to believe him.
Charlie made his first tweet since the accident on December 3rd, almost two months after that fateful Tuesday morning. It was short, and didn’t reveal too much, but was full of hope. We were glad he was back.
CharlieDavies9 4:25PM Dec 3rd, 2009 via web: “I would like to thank everyone for all their prayers and best wishes. I'm on the road to recovery!”
He tweeted sparingly over the next couple of months, as he underwent more surgeries and intensive rehab. Everything was very quiet. We didn’t know how he was doing. It was hard to separate the rumors from the real facts. “Charlie visited national team camp today… and he was walking”, “Charlie was running on a treadmill”, “He’s back in France”, “His last surgery didn’t go according to plan”, “He’ll be back soon!”, “He has no chance of making it back for the World Cup”. We didn’t know exactly who or what to believe, but we believed.
CharlieDavies9 6:20AM Feb 2nd 2010 via Echofon: “Heading into surgery for my elbow. Really tired since it's 6am. Can't wait to be able to bend my arm again! Here we go”
February was a good month. We started to get facts. Ives Galarcep wrote an extensive profile of Charlie’s “remarkable” recovery on February 2nd. Charlie returned to his club in France, after finishing his rehab in America. He appeared in numerous interviews and press conferences, looking and sounding more like the “old” Charlie. He talked about his goals, especially those for the World Cup. It was clear very early on that the World Cup was the major goal. It seemed to be what was inspiring the long hours of work and pain for Charlie. It was his motivation.
CharlieDavies9 4:02 AM Feb 17th via web: “Your Boy is back in Europe, Finally!! Thanks for all your words of encouragement and support! Still a little ways to go but HERE WE GO....”
March and early April continued in the same vein. Something special was unmistakably happening here. Everything was ahead of schedule. Charlie finished his rehab at specialty program in Southern France, and was back with his club by late March. He started tweeting more and more. We got to know more about him. We saw how much he valued every day. We learned how important his girlfriend was to his life. He often tweeted pictures of meals she cooked for him. We heard how many miles he was running and how hard he was working. We could see how much he wanted it, and how far he had come.
(Charlie tweeted this photo in mid-April, he has the fan made poster on the wall of his apartment)
On April 22nd, the President of Sochaux announced that Charlie wasn’t progressing quite as much as rumored, and ruled him out for any of their games the remainder of that season. It was definitely a blow, but few made much of it. We’d learned not to doubt Charlie Davies. He'd proven people wrong too many times. We wrote off the Sochaux president as just another doubter, more motivation. Apparently Charlie did as well- tweeting that he was doing just fine, and would work harder than ever. That evening, especially moved by Charlie's recovery, and wanting to prove something to the doubters, I sharpied “CD9” onto my wrist, and dedicated my intramural soccer game to Charlie, even getting on the scoresheet in the process. Even if nobody else believed in him, we fans were always by his side.
Finally on April 26th, all our faith seemed to pay off. Charlie announced that he had resumed full training with Sochaux. He was back. We didn’t just believe, we knew.
CharlieDavies9 5:09AM Apr 28th via web: “What a day!!!!! Scored that goal I been waiting for! My first goal in training!!! It's been 6 months, man I miss that feeling. Here we go!!”
Charlie was quickly becoming a hero for American Soccer fans. Many ordered a “Davies” and “9” on the back of their new World Cup jerseys. It was an easy choice. Charlie was special. Nobody gave him a chance; he should have died. And look where he was now. His hard work, constant confidence and never-ending drive were nothing sort of inspirational. And we had believed all along. We believed, against all odds, against the advice of all the experts who had doubted. We believed in Charlie, we believed in miracles. And as he recovered more and more, we didn’t just believe, we dreamed. I would often stay up into the early hours of the morning, playing FIFA World Cup on my Playstation, making extra sure to score goals with Charlie. We made emotional Youtube videos about his comeback. We debated whether we’d cry or not when he first returned to the pitch, or when he scored his first goal in the World Cup.
While we were starting to look ahead, it went somewhat unnoticed that there was very little official word about Charlie in the build up to the roster release. Most people assumed he would be on the roster, though it wasn’t a given. There were a few voices of concern- some on Sochaux’s staff of coaches and doctors gently expressed their belief that Charlie still wasn’t quite ready. Even though he was indeed in full training, he still wasn’t close to 100%, they intimated. Bob Bradley didn’t directly answer the questions in interviews, choosing general and non-committal responses instead. His evasive answers should have concerned us. But we’d believed in Charlie all along, why would we stop now, when the dream was so close to coming to fruition?
The Death of a Dream
And then, Monday of this week, the night before the roster would be released, everything changed with a harmless looking tweet from Jozy Altidore.
JozyAltidore17 8:51PM May 10th via UberTwitter: “ :( ”
It was simple, yet terrifying. I was immediately concerned. That sadface looked familiar, but I wasn’t quite sure where I’d seen it before. I was worried, but the answer didn’t occur to me at once. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew exactly what Jozy was referring to, and wouldn’t allow anyone to convince me otherwise- though some on online soccer forums tried. I wanted to believe it was something insignificant, something related to Hull- Jozy’s club team. Maybe he’d just lost his car keys… But deep down, I knew… It was too obvious. With the closeness between Jozy and Charlie, and Jozy’s refusal to respond to any of the dozens of tweets begging for an explanation, it seemed too clear. I knew what had happened. The players had been informed of the roster, the night before the rest of us would find out, and Jozy couldn’t hide his heartbreak.
The US preliminary roster was released via a special presentation on ESPN, at 11:00AM, Tuesday May 11th. Each position was announced separately. The goalies were first, with no real surprise. But everyone was waiting for the forwards. When it finally came time for the forwards to be unveiled, I felt a big lump in my throat. My heart was hammering. This was it. But while I was excited, I feared the worst. After believing all along, I had finally given up. I stopped believing when it mattered most; I gave up on Charlie, even though he never gave up on himself. But I just knew his name wouldn’t be called. I didn’t want to get my hopes up; I didn’t want my heart to be broken. The strikers were listed, and Charlie’s name was not on the list.
My heart was still broken. I had believed, in spite myself. I tried to tell myself he wouldn’t make it, but deep down, I still believed. But now the roster was right in front of me, and Charlie wasn’t on it. The dream was finally over. The dream- Charlie’s dream, our dream, had died.
It was another surreal Tuesday morning, nearly seven months to the day later. Very quickly, American fans began to debate the absence of Charlie. Emotions were flaring. Everyone wanted someone to blame. We were all hurting; surely there was someone against whom we could direct our pain. Head Coach Bob Bradley was turned on first. He had been largely unpopular throughout his tenure, with many fans disliking his preferred playing style, his penchant for sweatpants, his player selection, and most disturbingly, his American-ness. He was an easy whipping boy. After all, he was the one that picked the roster. Others thought a bit deeper, and blamed Sochaux, Charlie’s club for not medically clearing him. People were angry, and venting. It was crazy and irrational to try to find blame, yet at the same time totally understandable. It’s not in our culture to accept a defeat like this. It was hard to believe that the dream had died so early, without an obvious reason; surely someone must have been at fault.
Of course, in reality, nobody was truly to blame. Sochaux was extremely supportive of Charlie throughout his entire rehab. They gave him every resource and every chance to get back to full fitness. They were with him the entire way. To assert, as many did that morning, that they were intentionally keeping him from the World Cup, to “protect their investment”, is ridiculous. It’s paranoid reasoning. People made it seem as if there was some grand conspiracy theory. Of course, like any good conspiracy, they had no real proof. The only source that had been telling us Charlie was fully healthy was Charlie himself. And we believed him, of course we did. We had to. We wanted to. He wasn’t lying, he just believed in himself. But Charlie isn’t a doctor. Nearly everyone else involved, from the beginning to the end, expressed skepticism. If Sochaux felt Charlie would be able to contribute to the World Cup team, and do so at 100%, or even at 80% without risk of re-injury or setback, they would have released him. They refused to fully clear him, and listed him as unable to play in the tournament.
Coach Bradley could have still overruled them and brought in Charlie anyways. It would have been ugly, and caused a riff between club and country, but it was fully in his rights as national team coach. Teams have to release their players for the World Cup. But Bradley had his own doctor meet with Charlie. He had his own observers at Sochaux’s training. He surely had a close dialogue with Sochaux’s staff. He made his own decision. His decision was helped and seconded by the decision of Sochaux’s medical staff and coaches. If Bradley felt Charlie was healthy enough to play without the risk of a setback, to contribute and to have a realistic shot of making the 23-man roster, he would have selected him. It’s as simple as that. To believe anything else is to believe in a conspiracy, even if it’s less likely, because the more likely scenario doesn’t feel right. It isn’t the ending we want.
We wanted a classic happy ending, like the ending of a sports movie. That’s what we are used to. Charlie was going to make the World Cup, come off the bench late in the first game, and score the winning goal against England. Because of Charlie’s tweets and the media’s ever hopeful (if unreliable) stories, we really believed that.
The reality is, Charlie just could not do it. And if he couldn’t have done it, nobody could have. He did everything in his power to make it back, and more. That’s why it’s so heart breaking that he fell short. But it was unrealistic from the beginning to expect him to make it back. He just didn’t have time. It was probably impossible to begin with. But we got caught up in the fairytale. We believed. We had to believe.
I wasn’t overly emotional or angry when the names were released. I was hurt, and I was heartbroken, but since Jozy’s tweet the previous night, I’d been somewhat resigned to the grim reality. As the TV personalities began to talk about the absence of Charlie, and the soccer forums delved further and further into an ugly blame game, everything slowly became a blur. I felt dizzy, and depressed. I didn’t want to hear it. It was too much. I needed some time to think, to reflect. I went back to twitter. First I saw a tweet from Jozy.
JozyAltidore17 2:13PM May 11th via UberTwitter: “@CharlieDavies9 Your a champion and a warrior no matter what anyone says and I'll always have your back kid. Keep that head up!”
I love Jozy, and this tweet reminded me of all the reasons why. It was amazing to see him expressing his love and respect for his friend, no, his brother, even before celebrating his own selection.
And then there were three tweets from Charlie in quick succession. I hadn’t expected to hear from him for a few days- I figured he’d stay away from twitter. I thought the heartbreak would be too much for him. He put everything he had for the last seven months into making the World Cup, against incredible odds, and fell just short at the end. It was an emotional day. Surely he’d be bitter. Surely he’d be angry. We could forgive him for that, after everything he’d been through. But his first tweet really surprised me. As I said, I was depressed when Charlie’s name wasn’t on the roster, but I didn’t cry. When I saw his tweets, an hour or so after the announcement, I could no longer hold in the tears.
CharlieDavies9 1hr ago via web: “Congrats to the guys who have made the WC Squad. I wish them nothing but the best! They have my full support!!! I'm rooting them on!!!!”
CharlieDavies9 1hr ago via web: “Thank you all for your continued support and words of encouragement. It was a very sad day for me as well but now focused for next season!”
CharlieDavies9 1hr ago via web: “I will be back stronger then ever! The hard work will not stop! Believe for the rest of 2010 and the future! Thanks again! God Bless”
It was the first tweet that really got to me. How he had the strength to congratulate his teammates and make a classy statement, rather than feel sorry for himself, complain or call out others, I’ll never know. He’s a stronger man than most of us, that’s for sure. But we already knew that. He’s a great person as well as a great athlete. He admitted he was sad in the second tweet, but didn’t blame anyone or express anger or disbelief. In the third tweet, we were reminded once more of what an inspiration Charlie truly is. Only hours after what was seemingly the death of his dream, he continues to work. He always believes in himself, and for that, I’ll always believe in him as well. He won’t let anything stop him from reaching his goals. I know he’ll be back. He wants it too much. Yes, he fell just short of the World Cup, the ultimate goal. But he’ll be back, and I believe him when he says he’ll be stronger than ever. He’s still very young, and he has a long career ahead of him. Yesterday was a heartbreaking day, but the future is still bright for Charlie Davies, and for the American soccer fans he he’s inspired. The dream didn’t die. It has just been deferred.
After reading Jozy and Charlie’s most recent tweets, it was my turn to post something on twitter. My tweet was short and simple, but that’s the beauty of twitter- its brevity. It took only four words to express all my emotions and feelings.
GabeDahl 12:23 PM May 11th via web “@charliedavies9 is my hero”
Kobe, it really is time. It's finally come to this; it's time to sit down. We all know the injuries have been accumulating as the season drags on. First there was the injured pinky you famously played with through the Olympics and all of last season, eschewing surgery in your steadfast desire to avoid sitting out. Then you injured another finger this year, this time your right index finger, forcing you to adjust your shot, and even your handshake with the President. We've watched as you have continued to play through pain this year with the elbow injury, the back spasms and now the sprained ankle.
Look, we get it. You consider yourself a 'warrior' and take immense pride in playing all 82 games every season. You are a warrior. You haven't missed a game because of injury since 2006! That is an astounding stat, and I'm surprised the media doesn't give you more recognition for it. You're one of the toughest players in the NBA- you've proven that beyond a doubt.
As a fan, we love to see players who will die for the team; we love guys who play through pain because they'll do anything to help the team to win. You've embodied these qualities throughout your career, and we respect you immensely for it. But the reason we've loved seeing you play through injuries in the past is because it gave the team the best chance to win. Now, I'm not so sure.
You started off the season at an amazing pace, shooting your highest percentage of your career. You've hit three amazing buzzer beaters, as well as many other clutch shots. You're scoring 28 points per game. But the injuries have been catching up to you. Let's be honest- you're hurting, and it's affecting your game. Your shot has been flat, you've tried adjusting in countless different ways, utilizing many different braces, sprints and pads on the finger, even shooting left handed- but something is still not right. At times you've been a step off too- not elevating quite as high, not moving quite as quick. Some say it's just part of aging, but it's deeper than that, the injuries are affecting you.
Many writers and commentators have said this is why you should take some time off- you're hurting the team now, not helping. I steadfastly disagree, and take issue with anyone saying you're 'hurting the team'. As long as you're on the court, you'll always help the team. It even hurts us watching from our couches, especially with sprained ankle last night. You try to put on a brave face, but sometimes you let a grimace escape- we can see you hurting. I could never call your value into question, and tell you that you're hurting the team. You've earned the right to an off night, you've earned the right to force a bad jumper because your ankle hurts too much to drive, because your back hurts too much to elevate. Don't listen to the doubters- you're the best player in the league, and even with the injuries you are better than any other player we have- and it's not even close. Plus, your experience, in-game coaching and will to win rubs off on the rest of the team. So ignore those saying you're hurting the team- they're dead wrong.
Yet, I still think you need to sit out, but for a deeper reason. The competition is getting stronger and stronger, and as the playoffs roll around, you will face some serious challengers in the quest to repeat. You need to be 100% healthy. It's as simple as that. If you're banged up, and judging by the pace you're going, it'll keep getting worse, it will be much harder to go through the grind of the playoffs. And it really is a grind. You can't make it through a seven game series like this. There is no rest until June, and frankly, I don't think you can make it. Anything could happen too- Pau could get hurt, Andrew could go down again. Unless you are at full strength, it will be extremely difficult to repeat.
And honestly, what do these February games even mean anyway? Nothing really, beyond home-court in the playoffs. You haven't been completely healthy in almost two years. If you take the rest, and get to full strength- it won't matter whether you have homecourt in the playoffs or not. Just take a couple weeks now to rest and fully recuperate from all of injuries. Avoid the meaningless All-Star game like Tiger has been avoiding the media. Wait till you're fully healthy and not just a bit rested. Then, and only then, come back for the last month or so of the regular season. This will also give your teammates a chance to get better and gain confidence. The Lakers are one of the deepest teams in the league, and the rest of the guys will be just fine without you.
Kobe, we know you'll do anything to win. That's what makes you so much like Jordan, that's what makes you one of the greatest players of all time. It's not easy to see, or understand, but the best way to win when it counts is to rest now. You've made so many sacrifices to win throughout your career, playing through injury after injury, and we love you for it. But now, if you really want to win another title in June, you have to make yet another big sacrifice. This is a sacrifice of a very different kind, and probably the hardest you've had to make in your career- you have to sit out. You have to sit out, even though you know you can keep playing through the pain. You have to come to the games in a suit, and watch from the bench as your teammates play without you. It won't be easy, especially for someone as competitive as you, but if you want to win the title this year, it's a sacrifice you need to make. You need to sit.
I’m sorry, Bruce.I should have known better.I should never have doubted you.There, I said it.I was wrong.It wasn’t the first time, and certainly won’t be the last.While it’s embarrassing how wrong I was, I’ve never been so happy to be in error.
You see, I’m talking of course, about my immediate dismissal of Bruce Arena.After Ruud Gullit ‘resigned’ midway through last season, the Galaxy head honchos turned to Bruce Arena.“The Bruce” is a well-known figure in the soccer community, perhaps best known as the former head coach of the United States National Team from 1998-2006.
Arena was certainly a big name, which the Galaxy seemed to consider a major factor, and definitely carried an impressive resume. He had been extremely successful at the NCAA level, with the University of Virginia in the 80’s and early 90’s.He later took DC United to three consecutive MLS Cup Finals, winning in both ‘96 and ‘97.And of course, there was the national team.After the United States dismal performance in France ‘98, Arena replaced coach Steve Sampson.He turned the team around over the next four years, culminating with an amazing World Cup run in 2002, leading the “Nats” all the way to the quarterfinals.
But did he still have it?After the success of the 2002 World Cup, the US flamed out in the group stage in 2006.Arena was left with egg on his face after some controversial decisions and an overly defensive style.The US Soccer federation chose not to renew his contract, and Arena returned to the MLS, this time with the New York Red Bulls.He found little success in a season and half at the helm of New York.His decision to bring in over-the-hill Claudio Reyna as his ‘designated player’ seemed to cement to many that he had lost his marbles.Once again, Bruce was out of a job.
But not for long.After a chaotic 9 months under the eccentric Ruud Gullit, the Galaxy cleared house.Arena was named coach and general manager, relieving Alexi Lalas of the latter duty.
I, along with most Galaxy fans, was less than impressed.Yes, Ruud had to go.He was simply not cut out for the MLS.He considered himself above simple duties like scouting players, preparing game plans, practicing set pieces and curtailing locker room squabbles.In fact, what he did consider his job is unclear.The Galaxy under Gullit was exciting, but in the worst sense of the word.They played attractive, attacking soccer at times, but leaked goals at a rate that would embarrass intramural teams.
However, the Bruce Arena signing seemed rushed.He was hired less than a week after Gullit’s departure.Not only had he struggled in recent years, but also, his natural style was extremely defensive.I joked to my brother that he’d have Landon Donovan playing rightback in no time.He wasn’t able to do much with the mess Ruud left, and didn’t get his first win for over a month after taking the reigns.The Galaxy ended the 2008 season tied for last place in the entire league, and fell well short of the playoffs for the third consecutive season.
Bruce began to put his own stamp on the team early in the preseason of 2009.He started bringing in ‘his’ guys- players he was familiar with, either from the national team, DC United or the Red Bulls- regardless of their age or remaining ability.In came Eddie Lewis, Tony Sanneh, Greg Berhalter, and Jovan Kirovski.All were in their mid to late 30’s, and all had played for Bruce during his time as National team coach.With the exception of Eddie Lewis, most of these moves were met with disgust from the Galaxy faithful.These players were over the hill, and had little left to offer.In came Mike Magee, Dema Kovalenko and Stefani Miglioranzi- mediocre and unexciting MLS players, I felt at the time.
Then Bruce announced the preseason cuts.This was the last straw for me.He waived Brandon McDonald, a highly promising center midfielder, young and full of potential.Brandon had it all- size, strength, touch and a powerful outside shot.He was capable of playing nearly any position.And most importantly, he was my favorite Galaxy player.I was devastated.It seemed senseless.Couldn’t we at least trade him, rather than give him away for nothing?
I was done with Bruce Arena.I didn’t see any chance of him saving the team.He had brought in his crappy and ancient favorites, he’d released some of our most promising young guys, and worst of all, he coached extremely defensive and boring soccer.I was very pessimistic about the 2009 season.I predicted another highly disappointing season for my Galaxy, and fully expected Bruce to be fired at the end of it.
The season started off somewhat as expected.The Galaxy looked mediocre.They didn’t get their first win until a month into the season, and after two months had a bizarre 9 draws, to go along with one win and two losses.The calls for Bruce’s head intensified.Not only was the Galaxy not winning, but ‘BruceBall’ was almost unwatchable.I began to remember the 5-4 losses under Gullit a little too fondly.At least they were more exciting than losing 1-0, or drawing 0-0.I was so fed up I began asking for Arena to be canned, in the middle of the season.
And then a funny thing happened.The Galaxy started winning.It began slowly, a win here, a draw there, and then the inevitable setback loss.But there was no question the team was getting better.They had an identity; they had a permanent shape.They were committed to playing solidly in defense.
Three Bruce signings were having huge roles in this defensive renaissance.Rookie defenders AJ Delagarza and Omar Gonzalez (who was yesterday named Rookie of the Year) were exceeding any rational expectations.The signing of Jamaican goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts appeared to be a masterstroke- for the first time since Joe Cannon we had a great goalie between the posts.
By late June, the early calls for Bruce Arena’s head were beginning to look like embarrassing memories.The Galaxy didn’t lose a league game for nearly two months- from June to August- and even had respectable performances against two of the biggest clubs in the world: AC Milan (D 2-2) and Barcelona (L 1-2).They were near the top of the table in the West, and the playoffs looked like a realistic possibility.Perhaps Bruce was the right coach after all.
While it took almost a year for the fans to start believing in Arena, he had the respect of his players from the beginning.When I met Eddie Johnson last spring, I jokingly mentioned how unexcited I was to have Bruce Arena as head coach of my favorite team.Eddie quickly defended Bruce, calling him the best manager he’d ever played for.And the Galaxy players seemed to agree.Bruce was constantly praised for his professionalism and work ethic, and the results were showing on the field.
At the end of the regular season, Los Angeles sat in first place in the West.They had not only clinched the playoffs, but had locked up home field throughout the playoffs.The turnaround from previous seasons was astounding, as were the stats.The 2008 Galaxy only recorded two shutouts, and gave up three or more goals eight times.By contrast, the 2009 Galaxy, under Arena, recorded 15 shutouts, and gave up three goals only twice.5-4 losses were replaced by 0-0 draws, and 2-0 wins.It wasn’t always the most exciting style of play, but it got results.I began to enjoy the 1-0 wins, and cringed at the embarrassing defensive performances of previous years.We looked like a real professional team.Nobody was going to be calling L.A. a “pub team” again anytime soon.
Perhaps most importantly, Bruce was able to control his players.David Beckham came back from AC Milan halfway through the season, and many fans and players were justifiably less than thrilled.Landon Donovan, the Galaxy’s best player and captain, unleashed a media firestorm when he publicly criticized his English teammate in Grant Wahl’s tell-all book, The Beckham Experiment.Under a lesser manager, the team may have imploded.Bruce Arena, however, was able to keep the team’s private business just that- private.He got Landon and David to respect each other off the field, and form a dynamic partnership on it, bringing the best out of both of them.
After beating local rivals Chivas USA in the opening round of the playoffs, the Galaxy now sit only two wins away from lifting the MLS Cup, with a semi final matchup against the Houston Dynamo tonight.For doubters like me, this amount of success was unfathomable at the beginning of the season.But Bruce has proved us all wrong.With a shift in team mentality, some key acquisitions, and a total commitment from all the players, Arena has turned the Galaxy from the laughingstock of the league into legitimate championship contenders.
Earlier this week Bruce Arena was named coach of the year, to widespread agreement from fans and pundits. I can’t say that I was behind him the whole time, (unless you count those first few months I followed behind him with an axe) but I am now.The turnaround he has orchastrated in a salary cap league like the MLS is remarkable, and he has proven once again that he is a top manager. "Bruce Almighty" indeed.After the dramatic turnaround he achieved with the Galaxy, his next miracle (water to wine? walking on water? Helping San Jose make the playoffs?) should be easy.
One of my best friends, Greg, is a huge Stanford fan. As we don’t have a team here at UC Santa Cruz, every sports fan has their own reasons for the college football team they root for: their parents’ alma matter, proximity to their hometown, a school their friends go to, etc. Greg’s favorite college team is Stanford. Even though Palo Alto is about an hour drive from Santa Cruz, he’d never been there to see a game before. This year, as seniors, he decided it was the last chance. I love college football, and was more than happy to join.
So early Saturday morning, Greg and I, along with a few other friends made the drive up to Palo Alto. None of us were feeling particularly great, after staying up late the night before, celebrating a friends birthday. And as the game started at 12:30, we had to get a very early start. But excitement soon overshadowed fatigue, as Greg spent nearly the entire drive bragging about how good Stanford was, and how easily they would blow out Oregon.
I was also going to be rooting for Stanford, as they were huge underdogs and more local, but Greg’s continual ‘smack-talk’ was growing insufferable. We all knew Stanford had no chance. Oregon was ranked #7 in the country and riding a 7 game win streak, including a huge win against USC only a week earlier. They were a legitimate national championship contender, if they could win the rest of their games. Greg eventually admitted he was only talking so much smack because he knew it wasn’t looking good for his team. Stanford was unranked, with 5 wins and 3 losses. Though they were undefeated at home.
We got to Palo Alto at around 11:30. We drove through some of the campus, which I’d never seen before. It was beautiful. We parked (for free!) in a shady eucalyptus grove. There were tons of tailgates going on, some with Oregon fans, some with Stanford fans, and some with a friendly mix. It was a perfect day for football- sunny and just under 70 degrees. The atmosphere was amazing, everyone was decked out in their team colors, talking excitedly about the upcoming match. We could feel the excitement as we walked through tailgate after tailgate on the way to the stadium.
(Outside the stadium)
From the distance, and when walking around the outer concourse, the stadium looks old and earthen; somewhat like the Rosebowl. However, the interior of the stadium was completely remodeled in 2005, and looks brand new. Upon emerging from the tunnel, I was greeted by views of a stadium completely different than what I expected.
(First view of the stadium's interior)
We were sitting in general admission, so we got there pretty early to grab the best possible seats. We sat just to the right of the goalposts, in the endzone, about 10 rows up. It was an amazing view, considering the tickets were only $12. I enjoyed my $5 hot dog and $5 soda while watching the players warm up. The stadium slowly filled up, and by kickoff was about 80% full. It wasn’t completely full until midway through the first quarter, and we wondered if perhaps the Stanford students were doing some last minute midterm studying.
(Oregon players warming up)
(The famous Stanford band doing a rendition of the "Oregon Trail")
(The Cardinal charge onto the field)
(A quick pregame prayer)
It soon became obvious that we’d picked an amazing game to go to. Stanford returned the opening kick 80 yards, and never looked back. They exploded for 10 points in the first 5 minutes, and led 31-14 at the half. It was surreal. They were dominating Oregon in every facet of the game, led by senior running back Toby Gerhardt who was having a career day. I couldn't believe it. Greg only said "I told you so!" a couple dozen times. I think he was in shock.
(One of Toby Gerhardt's 38 rushing attempts)
(The Duck tries to get the Oregon fans involved)
(Stanford's early lead)
(The quarterback, #12 getting hit as he throws to the corner of the endzone, looking for #83)
(The pass was caught, spectacularly, for a touchdown)
Stanford continued putting the pressure on Oregon in the second half, and seemed to put the game out of reach several times. Oregon was always a step behind though, keeping the game just close enough to remain interesting. They scored two consecutive touchdowns late in the fourth, to cut Stanford’s lead to 6, 48-42. This caused panic from Greg, who appeared to have several heart attacks in the final few minutes.
(Getting a little too close for comfort, at least for Stanford fans)
The biggest play of the game, was the onside kick that came next. Oregon had all the momentum, and if they were able to recover, they would have just over two minutes to march down the field and win the game. Fortunately (for those of us wearing red) Stanford recovered the kickoff. They ran the clock down with three more Gerhardt runs, before kicking a clinching field goal with 15 seconds left.
As time expired, the Stanford student section on the other end of the stadium spilled out on the to the field, meeting the players in a giant crush at centerfield. Greg and I looked at each other. “Should we do it?” It was an easy choice. We scrambled down to the front of our section, and through a gate onto the field. Once on the grass, we sprinted out towards the mass celebration at the center of the pitch.
(The student section spills onto the field)
(Taken while running towards the middle of the field)
It was a surreal moment. I’m not really a Stanford fan, but I had been cheering passionately for them throughout the last 4 hours. I had just witnessed a huge upset. The decision to charge the field was completely natural. Greg, our friend Adi, and myself made our way to the center of the field, and joined in the celebrations. Players were mingling with fans, the band was playing, and everyone was cheering and celebrating. We congratulated and shook hands with some of the players and high-fived fellow incredulous fans. We walked over to celebrate with the band for a while. We spent the next 45 minutes just taking it all in. It’s special enough to be able to go on the field at a major sporting event, but 1000 times cooler when surrounded by hundreds of other jubilant fans and victorious players.
(Greg, bottom left, shakes hands with one of the players, as Adi looks on)
(Adi, myself and Greg)
People starting tossing footballs around; kids were playing tag. Everyone had cameras out, snapping pictures. Players were being carried off on fan’s shoulders. Fans and cheerleaders were dancing to loud and upbeat songs from the jubilant band. We walked around, checking out all parts of the stadium, and soaking in the carnival like atmosphere. Greg was hoping to tear down the goalposts, but there were around 20 police officers and security staff in each endzone to prevent Greg and like-minded individuals from doing just that.
(Greg's adversaries)
(View back towards the endzone we were sitting in)
We reluctantly left the field after almost an hour, to start the drive home. It was an amazing experience. It was a perfect day, the game was amazing with almost 100 points scored, we saw a huge upset, and we got to storm the field. Happily running onto that turf was an almost out of body experience. It was a great day. I want to go back and see another game already...
I’m sitting at my desk, books cracked, Microsoft Word open, and my ‘study/reading’ playlist cranking out calming tunes. Everything is set up perfectly for me to begin my paper due tomorrow; except there is one problem- I just can’t focus, no matter how hard I try. My mind is somewhere else entirely.
As any college student knows, this is far from unusual. Yet, this is not typical procrastination- this is something much more serious. This is 'anticipation'. For tonight is no ordinary night, it is the eve of the NBA season, and the eve of my beloved Lakers quest for their 16th title.
Anticipation- the NBA’s tagline for its season opening week- is not simply a state of mind, it is a feeling that grasps you entirely, rendering you unable to complete even the most basic tasks. It strikes obsessive sports fans often- sometimes worse than others. We can feel it before every game. We feel it more before big games, or at the beginning of the post-season. It is on opening day however, that we feel anticipation most strongly.
It may not be flu-season yet, but it is certainly anticipation season. Tonight, on the eve of the season opener, no basketball fan is immune from anticipation. By the time the playoffs begins, most teams will be out of contention, and many of the NBA’s 30 teams can count few ‘big games’ on their schedule. Yet even the fans of the most hopeless teams can’t help but feel the symptoms on opening day.
Tomorrow morning, rather than giving our alarm clocks looks normally reserved for those who’ve insulted our mothers, we’ll jump out of bed with a spring to our step. ‘Today’s the day’ we’ll be thinking as we eat breakfast, and ‘this is our year’ as we brush our teeth. We’ll dress in as much team gear as we can, matching or style be damned. And a countdown will be in our heads the entire day. Twelve hours till tipoff… eight hours… three hours… 45 minutes…
The beauty of opening day is that every team has a chance. Sure, the fans of the Clippers, Kings and Grizzlies are unlikely to be anticipating a title, yet they still hold hope; they are optimistic it can be a good year.
For Lakers fans, such as myself, the anticipation is twofold. Not only do we get to begin the regular season with a glorified ‘bye’ against the Clippers, it’s also ring night. The night where we celebrate the glory of last year, and begin this campaign’s title defense. I’m excited to raise another banner into Staples Center’s rafters, but the prospect of a whole new season is what I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.
Even for fans who were lucky enough to follow their teams late into May and June, the off season is just too long. We need the games to start again, we miss the feeling of normalcy we have when our team is playing 4 nights a week. The off-season is even longer for those 29 teams that fell short. As I learned following the Lakers’ tough 2008 loss to the Celtics, anticipation is much stronger when you’ve been left with a bitter taste in your mouth.
They say anticipation is half the pleasure, and perhaps ‘they’ are right, but I know I prefer the other half. Sure, I love the anticipation we feel just before the season kicks off, but after months of uncertainties, unknowns and question marks, I am ready for answers. And by this time tomorrow, I’ll have some. I can’t wait, I really can’t. Now excuse me while I go read some more season previews, browse Youtube highlights, and watch my favorite DVD: Los Angeles Lakers 2008-2009 NBA CHAMPIONS for the 26th time. I’ll worry about that essay later.
