Aren’t we all a bit too sensitive?
It is interesting to see everybody getting up in arms over Landon Donovan showing a bit of emotion in MLS recently.
He’s getting bashed on television by some that have made it their “mantra” and “schtick” to bash Donovan to unprofessional levels at any chance they get, not fair criticism but just going after the person.
He’s getting grabbed, clutched and then races into the near post and produces a diving header against the Dynamo and you expect him to walk to the halfway line quietly?
He scores against Chivas USA in a “Superclasico” and jumps up in front of the Chivas bench to celebrate towards his wife and family. And it turns into disrespect? Preki is mad? I think Preki got this one wrong.
Please, the last thing anybody should be worried about is Donovan’s goal celebration. In fact we should be excited about it and if in fact it is taunting which I don’t believe it is the players will take care of it .
If you want the truth then listen to what he said on the radio with me this past Monday……go to www.790thesportsanimal.com, click podcasts, click Glenn Davis and find out what he actually said about the incident.
Soccer happens to be an emotional game, I think we all know that .
These same people criticizing Donovan have skewered him in the past for being unemotional, not showing up and failing to live up to his talents, these same people now criticize him for being emotional.
Enough with the double standard.
The guy is bringing it in MLS, the guy is producing and putting people in the seats and providing excitement. Bob Bradley the U.S. National team coach must be ecstatic over the emotion that the man is showing and will hope it translates to the U.S National team.
These same people that have called MLS passionless are complaining that a bit of emotion is being brought now.
They are confused…..
Players show emotion in leagues around the world like the EPL, Italy and Spain and some of it is considered taunting. Enough with the slamming of Donovan, be thankful he is giving you something to talk about.
And on another note, he can retire today and he is probably the greatest player in MLS history. He can retire today at 26 years of age and he goes down in history as the greatest attacking player ever produced in the United States.
Don’t forget his contributions.
I for one am looking forward to more emotion from Donovan in MLS and with the U.S. National team.
As for those bashing Donovan, their has to be another reason. If you want to vent they bring that energy to a stadium near you when he comes to town………….
I was upset at the ill-timed goals that Donovan scored against the Dynamo, but I didn’t mind the incident with Ianni. He didn’t go over the line because a defender’s job is to disrupt forwards. Donovan was just upset over getting knocked down by the body check during the prior play and not getting a call.
I have high expectations for Donovan so I expect the past two weeks to be his regular performance all of the time… and especially during World Cups.
Comment by Yossarin — April 30, 2008 @ 9:39 pm
Why so sensitive, Glenn? Criticism of Donovan has been going of for years; particularly after he returned from Europe and joined the Galaxy. As you say, Donovan is bringing some controversy to the league and is generating talk. The top players in any league of any sport will generate attention, and that attention will be negative (bashing) from opponents and detractors, and positive from teammates and supporters. Opponents will say he was the one who was unprofessional and making things personal by getting in Ianni’s face when the goal itself was enough to make a point — why not celebrate your achievement instead of berating an opponent? Supporters will say Donovan is merely showing healthy passion.
Supporters and detractors have a difference of opinion, and “vive la difference” I say. The words mean nothing anyway. What matters is what happens on the field.
Unlike so many activities and professions in life, sport is a meritocracy. If you perform and get results, you succeed. Donovan is succeeding. Furthermore, many of his detractors (if they’re US supporters) will be praising Donovan when — or should I say if — he brings the same level of performance to the international level. That’s sports: perform and you are rewarded.
I certainly hope one of the top professionals of our preferred sport can handle conflict, whether it ranges from “fair criticism” to “bashing.” If not, then our sport and our sporting heroes are shadows of those in other major US sports, and of those who play soccer in countries where soccer receives more scrutiny. I, for one, hope our sport isn’t that fragile anymore.
Don’t fret about Donovan, Glenn. He can take care of himself or, better yet, can let his performance be his retort. If he can’t, then he’s too delicate to survive even when protected by his admirers in the Fourth Estate. In fact, stifling dialog is not only wasted energy, but it will just make the cries of “pampering” and “Landy Cakes” all the stronger.
Journalists can continue helping the sport thrive by letting the fans do what they do best: supporting and bantering, cheering and criticizing. That’s half the fun in between games, anyway.
Comment by M@ — April 30, 2008 @ 10:40 pm
Please. He should be used to the criticism as should you. He has an arrogant way about him that doesn’t rub people the right way. I think it is unfortunate that Landon Donovan appears to be U.S.A.’s best player. I admit he doesn’t bother me as much when wearing Red, White, and Blue but the guy’s rep as the golden boy of the league allows him to much freedom. Shouting down at Ianni was inappropriate and uncalled for, that was not just ‘passion’ or emotion that was bullyish and unnecessary. I would have been interested to see what would have happened if Robinson was on the pitch at the time.
All that being said, Donovan is in amazing form and is goal machine. That’s great for him and his team (although their offensive weapons seem rather limited still). There is no denying his skill and his nose for goals of late but that doesn’t mean I have to like him or his antics.
Comment by coop — May 1, 2008 @ 1:54 am
Glenn, I tend to agree with you halfway. Landon’s celebration in front of the Chivas USA bench really wasn’t all that uncalled for. I didn’t see too much wrong with that. Didier Drogba similarly celebrated in front of the Liverpool bench after scoring his opening goal for Chelsea, likely thanks to receiving criticism from Reds boss Rafa Benitez before the game. Honestly, I don’t see much wrong with either.
But I have an issue with screaming in Ianni’s face after scoring against us. I’m taking off my orange-tinted shades for this one, because I’d be a little disgusted by the outcome of that regardless of who it was against - it just was coincidence that it was against the Dynamo. Anyways, Ianni executed a perfectly legal shoulder-to-shoulder block earlier in the second half, to which Landon apparently took some serious offense despite it being a perfectly legal and very common play. But taunting a player like that by bending over him and screaming in his face? That’s bordering on a lack of class to me. Granted, none of the Dynamo players really took issue with that so maybe I’m missing something here, but taunting players used to earn you bookings, not praise. And believe me, I’d have the same issue with it even if it was a goal he scored for the US national team. It just is poor sportsmanship to me - and against a player who is a part of his very same US national team program.
So, we can agree halfway and agree to disagree on the rest.
Comment by Jason Z — May 1, 2008 @ 1:57 am
Coulnd’t have said it better, Glenn, and it’s about time somebody said it.
The double standard is disgusting. People who criticize Donovan in his current form are just looking for something to complain about. It says more about them than it does Landon Donovan.
I say to those people: He came back from Germany and spoiled your vicarious lifestyle. Get over it.
Comment by Nell — May 1, 2008 @ 6:49 am
I’m a Donovan defender. He has been unfairly criticised for not being more than he is. Criticised for not living up to unrealistic and frankly stupid expectations formed in 2002. He has been one of our best attacking players in the US. I am not, and have never been, a Donovan basher.
“He’s getting grabbed, clutched and then races into the near post and produces a diving header against the Dynamo and you expect him to walk to the halfway line quietly? ”
But that is rediculous writing my friend. Utter nonsense. Like being grabbed and clutched is unique or particularly offensive? Like grabbing does not happen on EVERY play in pro soccer? Like that even mattered? (Wasn’t it the tumble a few minutes before that caused this?) Like the only two options are to stand over the defender and insult him or to walk quietly back to midfield?
Berating a defensive player you just scored on is never acceptable from anyone. It would have been immediately yellow carded in any of the leagues you speak of: EPL, Seria A, La Liga. You can have emotion and celebration without going over the top insulting your opponent.
You are a good leader for our game. A slightly more sophisticated analysis is called on here. One that understands that emotion and passion does not require over-the-top insults or showing up an opponent after a goal.
For the record, I have no criticism of LD for the Preki incident.
Comment by Donjuego — May 1, 2008 @ 8:07 am
Don,
This is just my opinion but we have seen far worse than this in MLS and in Europe. Do you want me to write a scathing report criticizing Donovan for 3 seconds of emotion over Patrick Ianni?
We have seen worse and more important things to be concerned about in MLS like. Like players intentionally trying to injure an opponent, going over the top on a tackle, smashing somebody with an elbow while he’s not looking coming in horribly late on tackles….Like I said in the blog, I believe many have over-reacted here .
Is this the first ever incident like this in MLS when a team has scored and tries to taunt an opponent? Or is it just magnified because it is Landon Donovan?
Whom by the way annoited Donovan the Golden Boy of the league?
The league itself ……Not sensitive at all, just amazed at how much reation he gets out of people , then again the reaction is great for the game.
Would agreeing with you Don be more sophisticated analysis? The guy yelled after scoring. You call it taunting and I say its not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.
We can agree to disagree…….By the way , all of your opinions are respected and appreciated, these are good posts!
Comment by Glenn Davis — May 1, 2008 @ 8:43 am
Nell,
Some might say that the double standard doesn’t come from Landon’s critics, but from his apologists. They’re the ones who splash his picture everywhere and hail him as the best American player. (And they may be right.) They push him into the spotlight, then complain that people focus on him too much. They discuss his deeds (proclaiming his accomplishments), but are horrified when others discuss his deeds (declaiming his failings).
In truth, the attention — both the postive and the negative — on your hero is a good thing. It’s proof that LD has reached the big time and it may even be a sign that the MLS really is a major league. All major sports have polarizing figures, both heroes and villains — and sometimes a player is viewed as both.
Comment by M@ — May 1, 2008 @ 9:33 am
When you are the poster child for your sport in your country you need to show more class then not only the next best person to you but the next best player as well. You need to impress on and off the field and everything will but under the limelight. Donovan gets paided big money therefore he accepts this responsibility. So either score like a man and show emotion or be a childish idiot in a high school game and talk smack to your opponent after you score.
I will gladly be the bigger man for his paycheck. No other reasoning is needed to solve this issue.
Comment by Jeremy D — May 1, 2008 @ 9:36 am
Ianni deserved what he got. He would have been called for holding in the NFL for what he was doing before that second goal. And then Donovan beat him for a second time. Anyway, its character building for Ianni. That kid needs to be toughened up.
Comment by Jason — May 1, 2008 @ 10:42 am
Glenn,
Who cares! Let’s talk about something better than Donovan and that is the greatest football team in the world, Chelsea! They went through a 7 day period with two games against those scousers, Liverpool, and a game against Man United and did not lose. Advancing to the Champions League Final is huge and all the credit goes to Avram Grant. This guy makes subs that makes me question his sanity, and they pay off. Yesterday, Anelka for Joe Cole pays off for the third goal. Sunday, Shevchenko makes the save of the year off of the line. All the creidt to Grant because up until this past week, he hadn’t gotten any credit for the job he has done. Mr. Abramovich, bring back Avram Grant.
Now, as for Donovan. You and I have debated this perviously, and I am glad that he is showing passion and emotion, which is something we have begging for. I will compare Landycakes to the New York Yankees or Dallas Cowboys. You either love him or hate him. There is just no middle ground there. I hope that LA has someone to come to his aid when Preki sends out a goon to shatter his legs. Come to think of it, LA is alright with Franchino and Xavier there. Hope they can protect Donovan all year. I don’t have a problem with the celebration against Chivas, but I have one for the way he got in Ianni’s face in LA. To me, that is intentionally showing up an opponent, and I have a problem with it.
I love creative celebrations. I love Drogba’s dive and then slide in front of Benitez. I love Escadarian sipping then spitting out Red Bull last year. I even love DeRo’s attempt at a Hula Dance (Stu’s was much worse though). We need emotion and character in soccer.
Glenn, I have to say this, but I want to give big props to Frank Lampard of Chelsea. The guy is all class and to see him go out on the pitch less than a week after his mum died and bury that PK last night brought tears to my eyes. Why can’t there be more guys like him in the world of football?
Also, what will it take to sign Michael Essien here in Houston. I would let that guys play against Toronto or San Jose all by himself and watch him dominate. If this guy isn’t one of the best players in the world, it is a shame. The guy is a bull, and probably the most underrated player in the world.
You think the radio and MLS will pay to send out to Moscow for the Chamions League Final? I will be glad to be your assistant!
ЧЕЛСИ, ЧЕМПИОНЫ ЕВРОПЫ!
Comment by Coach H — May 1, 2008 @ 12:14 pm
Coach H,
Greatest team in the world is Chelsea, we will see but lets face it , for a guy as maligned as Avram Grant it is amazing to see them still in the hunt for the EPL title and the Champions League with Man U, just amazing……LA is not alright with Franchino and Xavier, they may have been for one night against Chivas USA, the way people are talking about Franchino it is the next coming of Michael Essien.
As for Xavier he has had his problems in MLS, watch the Dynamo Soccer Report this Friday and you will be reminded why…Channel 55 at 9:30 pm
Comment by glenndavis — May 1, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
Great posts all around..this blog is getting better and better everyday..
I would love to comment on the Donovan/Ianni issue..but I had already done so when he first got on Ianni’s face…I think it was just passion…showing up your opponent might not be the classiest of emotions but it’s everywhere…NBA mainly, EPL, surely Serie A…MLB (yeah right, those guys fall asleep during the game)…
but anyway…looking at the picture above I can see why Preki was upset…but Donovan made it clear that he was celebrating with his friends and family…and it’s true…he always celebrates right there…I’ve watched previous games and he always goes to that section…so to me this new incident was just a misunderstanding…that’s it…
Comment by MoisesV — May 1, 2008 @ 2:47 pm