But I want to talk about something different. I want to talk about his legacy on the greater American soccer landscape.

Eddie Gaven signed with the old Metrostars in 2003 at the age of 16. He was the original MLS prodigy. He was the first (but certainly not the last) attempt to generate buzz for MLS during its darker days. Freddy Adu would go on to become the youngest player to sign with and play for an MLS team, but Eddie Gaven was the original.

Gaven would go on to make 69 appearances for the Metrostars from 2003-2005 and then he signed with Columbus in 2006. He ultimately made 209 appearances for the Black And Gold and was an integral part in helping them earn two Supporters Shields (2004, 2008) and one MLS Cup (2008). His game didn’t necessarily reflect the flashy hype that surrounded his signing with the Metrostars. He was primarily used as a wide midfielder in Columbus where he tirelessly chased the game from box to box on the flanks without complaint. He scored a handful of goals each season and tallied a few assists as well. By all measures, he has been an above average MLS player ever since he came to Columbus in 2006.

So you can imagine the shock that is still being felt when he suddenly came to the Crew at the age of 27 and said he wanted to focus his attention on the next phase of his life. Professional athletes who retire at such a “young” age are few and far between. That burning desire to play at an elite level is what keeps them going. Although he is young by your typical professional soccer standards, Gaven seems to have lost that burning desire.

And that’s okay.

As the original teen phenom, Gaven got his first taste of professional soccer right around the same time he was preparing to get his drivers license. He started so much sooner than most professional athletes, regardless of the sport. Over the last year or two I’ve had to remind myself of this as I watched him jog up and down the field with that borderline sad basset hound look on his face. Even though he was still a few years away from hitting that “plateau” of 30 years old, he looked beaten beyond his years.

Many people out there (myself included) have criticized Landon Donovan for lacking that same burning desire and simply going through the motions. If the US is ever going to turn into a World Cup contender and a major player in the global market for soccer, it needs players willing to sweat and toil and earn a spot in the starting XI for great teams as early in their lives as possible. They need to be robots who simply want to know when the next game is. It sounds harsh, but look around the professional soccer landscape and you’ll see plenty of great players who started making regular first team appearances before the age of 21. Those players hit the “prime” of their careers right around the age of 26-27.

Eddie Gaven was not one of those players. And that’s OK!

His retirement, however, comes at a very interesting time. The New England Revolution have found their own teenage phenom in Diego Fagundez. At the age of 18 he is leading his team into the MLS playoffs and appears to have a bright future ahead of him. I would be stunned if he wound up retiring at the age of 27 like Gaven. He’ll go on to have a long and prosperous career, whether it’s in MLS or elsewhere. He’ll be one of those “robots” I mentioned.

With Gaven retiring right before New England takes on Kansas City in the Eastern Conference playoffs, it appears we have closed the book on one chapter in American soccer history and opened another. Eddie Gaven’s retirement signals the end of the “teenage phenom” era of MLS and American Soccer. With the arrival of Fagundez and other young players like Columbus’s Wil Trapp, Real Salt Lake’s Luis Gil, and even former DC United winger Andy Najar, we are no longer wowed by young players under the age of 21 starting regularly for MLS teams. Take a look over at Europe and you’ll see guys like 20 year old John Anthony Brooks playing regularly with Germany’s Hertha Berlin. 18 year old midfield sensation Julian Green has been tearing it up with Bayern Munich’s reserves and looks poised to receive his first US Men’s National team call up. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him make a couple appearances with Bayern’s first team in the next year or two. And that team is stacked!

Yes, other teenage phenoms from MLS’s dark past like Landon Donovan and Freddy Adu are still playing and won’t call it quits so soon. But the timing of Gaven’s retirement is still significant in terms of how far we’ve come in terms of expectations for player development in American soccer. There is still a ton of room to grow, but the first step is recognizing the need for players to get meaningful first team minutes early on.

As I mentioned above, Eddie Gaven lost the burning desire needed to succeed at such a high level much quicker than most players. And again: that’s OK! Landon Donovan has also lost that desire to a certain extent given his “sabbatical” last December and his decision to leave an impressive stint at Everton to return to MLS where he is less challenged as a player. However, Gaven will still be the last player we see retire at such a young age. He’s the last of the “old” teenage phenoms if you will; the ones who used up their passion a bit too quickly. Now we’ll start to see young Americans keep that passion kindled throughout long and prosperous professional careers.

Please don’t think of Eddie Gaven as a quitter though. He’s not. He’s simply the last of one generation of American soccer players. He can hold his head high walking away on his own terms.

And he can do so knowing he helped usher in a new generation of American soccer players.

Here in LA
We’re the greatest of all
We love women and beer
It’s the only way to live
In LARS

Club Founded: 1996

Record: 13 Wins- 10 Losses- 5 Draws (4^th Place in the Western Conference.)

Pedigree: 4-time MLS Cup Champions (2002, 2005, 2011, and 2012,) 4-time winner of the Supporter’s Shield (club that has the best record at the end of the MLS regular season- 1998, 2002, 2010, and 2011) 2-time U.S. Open Cup Champion (2001 and 2005,) winner of the 2000 CONCACAF Champions League

Rivals: San Jose Earthquakes (California Classico,) Chivas U.S.A, pretty much the rest of the league.

Coach:  Bruce Arena

Supporter Groups: The L.A. Riot Squad, the Angel City Brigade, the Galaxians

Key Returning Players: DEF Omar Gonzalez, MF Juninho, MF Landon Donovan. FWD Jack McBean, FWD Robbie Keane

Major Additions:  GK Carlo Cudicini (Tottenham Hotspur,) GK Jaime Penedo (C.S.D. Municipal-Honduras,) DEF Robbie Rogers (Leeds United-England,) MF Colin Clark (Houston Dynamo,) and MF Laurent Courtois (Chivas U.S.A.)

Major Departures: GK Josh Saunders (Colorado Rapids) MF David Beckham (Paris St. Germain,) FWD Edson Buddle (Colorado Rapids,) and FWD Mike Magee

Outlook:

Full disclosure: I actually like watching the Galaxy play. Now before you paint me as a Laker-loving Dodger devotee, I still cannot stand most things about the city of Los Angeles. Perhaps it is watching too much of the Kardashians, or listening to comedian Adam Carolla’s rants on the Los Angeles County Public School system, but I have never wanted to go to Los Angeles. Unless it is to watch a Galaxy match.

Many things have changed since I watched the first MLS Cup final between the Los Angeles Galaxy and D.C. United. The Kansas City Wiz are now called the Wizards. Clocks move forward instead of backwards. Supporters have replaced soccer moms. But the one thing that has remained consistent through the league’s history is the quality of play that they have brought every season.

Since the league’s inception, the Galaxy has only missed the playoffs three times in their existence (2006-2008.) In addition, the club has made the MLS Cup 8 times, winning 4. Although it is easy to knock them for their success, and some of the questionable methods from which they have acquired their players, let’s give credit where credit is due: their success has been remarkable.

While I am sure AEG, the company that owns the Los Angeles Galaxy, would like to take full credit for their success I would like to commend their coach Bruce Arena. Having watched him coach since his days at the University of Virginia, one cannot be anything but impressed with his coaching success. He is someone who runs a tight ship, who is able to get players who have massive egos to work together, and plays a style that is aggressive and engaging. His imprint on this team can be seen with the younger players, as well as the veteran ones.

A team that always looks to make the big splash, the Los Angeles Galaxy were actually quite quiet this past offseason with their only major addition coming in the form of Carlo Cudicini, the Italian goalkeeper at the bottom of Tottenham’s depth chart. Although I am sure the club would have liked to have signed the likes of Frank Lampard, Kaka, or even Andrei Arshavin, the best moves that they made were promoting their younger players to more prominent roles. Players like Forward Gyasi Zardes, Forward Jack McBean, and Forward Jose Villareal have all played prominent roles with the team this season. The trio has logged a combined 2910 minutes this season and scored 6 goals.

Although their three young players have been exceptional this season, this is a team that rides and dies with its three designated players: Omar Gonzalez, Robbie Keane, and Landon Donovan. Before this season, it would have just been Keane and Donovan, but Gonzalez has come back so well from the torn ACL that he suffered last season that his work merits recognition. He is a tall, strong defender who always seemed to lack some of the judgment skills that are important in becoming a top defender.

You could see the improvement in the May U.S. World Cup Qualifying match between the United States and Mexico, he seemed to be more aware of his surroundings and was able to make crisper passes and clears to his teammates. He is paired up with some quality veteran defenders in Sean Franklin, Todd Dunavant, and A.J. DeLaGarza. DeLa Garza, in particular, has been a major asset for the Galaxy because he has exceptional dribbling abilities and has no problem driving the ball down the field, and tossing in a long cross to the likes of Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan.

With Robbie Keane, the thing that you first notice when you watch him play is his tenacity. He never stops on any play, and has no problem getting physical with defenders. Part of the problem that American forwards have is that they lack this skill. Sure, he is one of the best shooters in the league and can be extremely accurate on goal (13 goals, 24 shots on goal.) But what makes him so much better than everyone else is that he works on every play. The run and finish that he made against the Portland Timbers on August the 27^th to me is one of the best goals of the year because of the work that went in to making the goal.

Donovan, an MLS and United States Men’s National Team legend, has been critical to the development of soccer in this country. Earlier in the season, I wondered when he did come back from his self-imposed exile in Cambodia if he would still be interested in playing. I was not expecting him to be the same player that he was when he was 22, but I was concerned that he had just lost interest in the game. The man has had an immense amount of pressure on him for many years to be the face of American soccer.

That being said, I have been pleasantly surprised by his performance in recent weeks for the Galaxy. Although he does not have the speed that he once possessed, his passing and decision-making is as strong as ever. I have always liked the connection that Donovan and Keane have with one another. In the August 17^th match against Real Salt Lake, the Galaxy were able to pick apart a strong RSL defense mainly because Donovan was able to feed Keane balls in the box that on a top class player can get to. Donovan still has his shot as well: in only 17 matches this season he has 8 goals and 16 shots on goal.

The problems that Donovan has had, speaks of a larger problem that this team has. There seem to be two Galaxy teams: the one that plays when Donovan, Keane, and Gonzalez play and the one that plays when one or all three are out. Now you could say the same thing about any team if they were to lose their players due to injury or international duty. But, this seems to be a greater problem for the Galaxy. In the last two matches against the Colorado Rapids and D.C. United this team has looked flat. Without their three designated players for last Saturday’s match, and with all three coming back from international duty (and Landon Donovan out with an injury) they did not have the same sense of urgency or flair to take care of two winnable games. You look at teams like Portland, Real Salt Lake, and Seattle and you see squads that are 13 or 14 players deep.

You could also see the difference in the 5-0 drubbing the team took against the New England Revolution earlier this season. Though their younger players have played well when being second fiddle to the Big Three, they still need to step up when Keane, Donovan, and Gonzalez are not all available. In particular, I would like to see more out of Jose Villareal. A fast winger, he should have been able to pick apart a pourous D.C. United defense on Saturday. Instead, the club drew against an opponent that they should have demolished and lost points in the standings.

While players like Defender Todd Dunavant, Midfielder Marcelo Sarvas, and Midfielder Collin Clarke are quality role players they cannot run a team by themselves. Although the Galaxy almost always makes good player moves, I think that they regret trading Mike Magee to the Chicago Fire for Robbie Rogers earlier this season. Magee is a player that may not be a regular in the U.S. National Team, but he is an exceptional striker (20 goals this season) and he can provide leadership to the younger players when their main players are out. You can certainly see his mark on a young Fire squad as they are making their way to the playoffs.  Although they play different positions, the addition of Defender Pablo Mastroeni seems to be an acknowledgment that this team needs a stronger veteran presence on the team.

They also have to figure out what they are going to do at goalkeeper. To say that the Carlo Cudicini signing has been a disappointment would be an understatement. Although the club has only given up 36 goals this season (which ties them for 10^th in the league) Cudicini has a Goals Against Average of 1.29 which is sixth highest among starting goalkeepers. While at first I thought it was just rust (he had not played in a match for Tottenham in at least 3 years,) it seems like his confidence is just shot. In their August 24^th match against F.C. Dallas, Cudicini was not able to make simple stops on both goals by Dallas and was bailed out on numerous other shots by the Los Angeles Galaxy defense.

Although he has been benched, their other two goalkeepers, Brian Rowe and Jaime Penedo have also not looked suspect. I think Penedo will eventually settle into the role fine. Having watched him closely during the 2013 Gold Cup, he is someone that will take control of this team when necessary, and improve their movement from the back. However, it is very late in the season to be making a change like this. A team’s success largely depends on chemistry and consistency. There is no position greater that requires this skill than the goalkeeper position. Although I think the trade is an upgrade for the position, I am just not sure if now is the time to be adding a goalkeeper from outside the organization and making them your starter.

If the Galaxy are to repeat they are going to have to improve their work on the road. During the 2013 season, the Galaxy have allowed 27 goals on the road and 3 have wins, 8 losses, and 3 draws. And while the Galaxy have been very good at home, they have shown that they can be beaten at the Home Depot Center by the likes of the Colorado Rapids. In a Western Conference that is loaded with exceptionally strong teams like the Rapids, Real Salt Lake, and the Seattle Sounders the Galaxy are going to have to show the temerity on the road that they have shown at home.

If the Galaxy are going to do what no Major League Soccer team has ever done and win three consecutive MLS Cups, they are going to have to learn how to play better on the road, to get better performances out of their role players, and find an answer at goalkeeper. The good news is that the club features three of the best players in Major League Soccer in Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, and Omar Gonzalez. The bad news is that if any of the three players receives an injury, or if they have a poor performance then this team may have some difficulties in making back to the finals.

Beer of Choice: Firestone Double Barrel Ale, Firestone Brewing Company. To watch a Galaxy match, you need a drink that has a bit of a smooth taste to it, but a good kick. With a high scoring offense, and a defense that is renowned for either being great or terrible, the Double Barrel Ale can either go well with a five goal drubbing or a 5-4 slugfest.

3:40PM: After having wandered around the stadium for a little bit, I have finally found my way into the press box. Having spent most of my soccer watching life going to RFK Stadium (home of the raccoons, feral cats, and D.C. United,) it was nice being in a stadium that had functional toilets, clean seats, and pleasant ushers. Also it is reassuring to know that when the fans are going crazy that the stadium will not crumble.

As I was walking through the stadium, I noticed just how many Honduran and El Salvadorean fans were there. Being on the inside of the stadium and looking at all of the fans coming in through the gates, at least 85 percent of the fans are wearing a blue jersey (either El Salvador or Honduras,) and the rest are smattering of U.S., Costa Rica, and non-affiliated jerseys. Although I love seeing people supporting their favorite team, wear a jersey for one of the teams that are playing!

The other thing that struck me while going through the stadium was how loud the music was in the background. Although I hate piped-in music during sporting events (it kills the crowd and supports Queen,) hearing Peter Frampton’s “Do You Feel Like I Do” over the loud speakers was stirring. It gave me goosebumps, and pumped me up for the match. I could see why Baltimore Ravens fans get so excited for their game before kickoff. The in-game experience at M&T is electric.

The press box itself is interesting because there is always something going. Different writers are mingling with one another, talking about the game, talking about other games, and just having general small talk.

At first I did not know where to sit so I kind of wandered around. Having an awful four o’clock shadow, sun burnt, and having sweat a ton I am sure I was probably the most haggard looking journalist. But luckily, I did receive some assistance in finding my seat. Front row, next to writers from ESPN Deportes and the Bundesliga. More on this later.

While I expected just a chair and some pens, I was surprised to see my name on a placard with the Global Football Today logo. Just that alone would have made my day. But I also received a composition book emblazoned with the Gold Cup logo and statistic sheets for the game. Even at my day job I do not have my name with my title and that pays much more than my soccer work. Having just started writing 7 months ago, it was pretty cool to see how far everything has come.

I gave my parents a call and told them that I was sitting in the press box and that I had received a Gold Cup book. I am not sure what made them more excited: the fact that I was sitting in the Press Box of a major international tournament or that I would be in an air-conditioned building. I think the latter.

3:58PM: There is nothing better than hearing the National Anthem. On both sides, you could hear the fans singing their national team’s respective songs. What was interesting was seeing some of the fans of the other team’s singing along to the American national anthem. One of the things that I have always noticed when talking to immigrants is that they do still have high regard for where they were born, they love living in and being American. They just happen to root for a different team.

I always enjoy being in Baltimore and hearing the fans emphasize the “O” during the third stanza. As someone who has been to many Orioles games, it comes as second nature to this Marylander when singing the National Anthem.

4:00: Game On!

4:09: El Salvador has definitely come out of the gate with more energy. You can tell that they want to score quick and gain the advantage on the United States. The crowd is completely behind the Salvadoreans, cheering them on at every possession and booing the bejesus out of every American play. If the United States can weather the first few minutes then they should be fine. Experienced squads take their time, assess their opponent, and go forward. So far, mostly the U.S.  is trying to set up their game plan in the midfield.

4:14 The U.S. is giving El Salvador  fits on the left and ride sides of the pitch. In the midfield, Mixx Diskerud looks incredibly comfortable as the facilitator in the midfielder. The U.S. is running a very simple square strategy in the midfield, where three players are moving the ball North and South of the field, slowly gaining advantage in position pass-by-pass. It is a basic program that every Parks and Recreation league team runs, but it is a highly effective tool.

4:16: The Salvadorean fans are very angry that a handball that was not called on by Michael Parkhurst. It did not look intentional, but the fans are very pissed about it. From my vantage point, it looked like a good call. But El Salvador is pressing the United States. Their finishing is kind of suspect though.

4:18: A crazy scissor kick stop by El Salvador. The U.S. has had many more opportunities than El Salvador, but El Salvador has shown themselves to have some attacking ability. More and more, the U.S. is imposing their will on El Salvador and I would bet that it is only time before they score a goal.

4:26: Goal USA! Michael Parkhurst finishes off a corner kick with a splendid header to the right corner. Landon Donovan looked to be offside, but got the benefit of the call. This was Parkhurst’s second goal of the Gold Cup.

4:31: A fantastic chest trap from El Salvador leads to an amazing shot and two excellent saves from Nick Rimando. Not to toot my own horn, but if you want to learn more about Mr. Rimando check out my article on his club Real Salt Lake. He is one of the best Goalkeepers in Major League Soccer history and one of the more undervalued keepers in U.S. Soccer today.  

4:34: Goal U.S.A.! Joe Corona scores a fantastic goal, with a crisp assist from Landon Donovan. Having had the opportunity to watch Joe Corona play for Tijuana in Liga MX, he seems to be growing with every appearance and will be a fixture in the U.S. National Team for years.

One of the really interesting things while sitting in the press box is the response to journalists after a big event like a goal or foul. While I expected everyone to be silent and judging each individual aspect of the play, people were getting excited and clapping. I am not sure if it is a partisan thing because you hear as much cheering from the Latin American press members as you do from the American press corps. There is also a lot of Monday Morning Quarterbacking. Press members are calling out plays. I am doing what I always do when reviewing tape for a match. I have yelled out “trap” (which means hold possession,) and “box” (which means passing it back) at least five times.

There is also some good back and forth between the different journalists. As a newcomer, I am still kind of awestruck by the situation. My first thought is to just focus on the match. My second thought is to do some networking. Perhaps it was the heat, but I am kind of at a loss for words. I have been on the go for a few hours and now that I am here, I just want to make sure that I am focusing on the match and getting as many details as possible.

4:37: What is killing El Salvador is their inability to cope with the United States midfield. The U.S. is running north and south in the midfield, with four players using a very simple scheme that requires three players passing to one another in a box shape. The box is created by the one player who is not involved in the pass and receiving connection moving to an open spot of equal distance from the other two. Gains from this style are small, but over the game they are significant. El Salvador has severe disadvantages in speed and physical strength. If the U.S.A can build off of these possessions, then this game may be over quickly.

My fellow journalists from Germany are not really sure why the Americans are doing this. I explain to them that this is something that all American players are taught at a very young level. The intention of the play is to wear down the defense by forcing them to run the length of the pitch. It feels kind of cool to explain to someone the American style. I sometimes feel like people from assume that the American style is just a simple rehash of English, German, Italian, Mexican, and Argentinian styles of play. Sometimes the world powers can be wrong.

4:42:  El Salvador Goalkeeper Portillo Gamero makes an absolutely tremendous save, keeping this game within striking distance. The goalkeeping in this game and in this tournament has been tremendous. I hope that some of these keepers are getting some looks in the transfer market.

4:44: A very poor elbow in the box by Michael Parkhurst leads to a penalty and a goal for Rodolfo Zelaya and El Salvador. There is no excuse for the United States on this goal. It was completely irrational and could have been avoided.

The roar after the goal in the stands is unlike anything I have ever heard. There is so much excitement in the crowd right now. You see friends and family members giving each other high fives, grown men crying, beers being cheered. There is some dread on the faces of the American players. It seems like this was unexpected. Part of the problem of bringing in a “C” side is that they are not used to playing in games like this. But this is part of the maturation process for this group of players. To win in soccer, you must be able to win in difficult circumstances.

4:47: Halftime! So far the man of the match is the Goalkeeper Portillo for El Salvador he has made some amazing saves and has kept this game from being a rout. The United States is definitely in control of this game. However, El Salvador has shown enough to keep themselves in this match.

As I head back to my seat from having a serviceable CONCACAF-provided meal, I run into the President of CONCACAF Jeffery Webb. I try to avoid asking him about the massive corruption in FIFA and instead just say hello. He has some very large, intimidating security people and I do not feel like going to Baltimore jail.

While sitting at my desk waiting for the game to begin, I see that D.C. United runs a short promotional video on the big screen at the stadium. Considering that Baltimore has been wooing D.C. United for years, I find this funny that they take this opportunity; to get Baltimoreans to go to their games. What other teams would show highlights to a city that is looking for a franchise and is only 40 miles away. To steal line from Bill Simmons, Ladies and Gentleman Your 2013 D.C. United!

5:12: The match has just begun and El Salvador is pressing the U.S. They did this in the first half as well, but it seems like they are just missing that last bit of creativity to create consistent scoring chances. As the game is going on, the U.S. midfield is building off of their dominant midfield, slowly choking out El Salvadorean possession’s in the center of the field.

I have always been impressed with the chemistry between DeMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan. I explain to one of the Spanish press members from ESPN Deportes that these guys have been playing with one another since they were teenagers and that they are able to read what one another wants to do. One of the local reporters hears me and says, “Yeah! They are like Trent Dilfer and Qadry Ismail [former players of the Baltimore Ravens.]” I am not sure if this is supposed to be a compliment; both players were pretty terrible outside of the 2000 season where they won the Super Bowl.

5:34: I start talking more directly with the gentleman from ESPN Deportes about player motivation and scoring chances. When one of the players for El Salvador breaks through the midfield and is on a 3-2 with the U.S., he opts for a shot that is kind of off-balance. When I mention that he should have passed the ball to the right my colleague to the right of me says that there is no way that he should have done this. “You don’t understand. He made that opportunity, he has to take that shot. If he passes the ball, he will be seen as a weak player in his teammates eyes,” the reporter says to me. This blew my mind. I had always assumed that players did have an ego, but I thought that this would be overcome by the ultimate goal of scoring a goal.  I had never really thought that a simple shot would be such an issue between teammates. Especially in a game against a team that is much more experienced.

5:49: After two additional goals by Landon Donovan and Eddie Johnson, this game is very clearly done. The United States has taken over all aspects of this game, and the Salvadoreans have resorted to hacking and fouling.

While the game is getting quite ugly, the stands are getting much worse. Most of the Honduran fans are starting to toss beer and trash at the Salvadoreans. Also, the Salvadoreans are beginning to get upset. In the past ten minutes, I have seen five fights and at least 6-7 beers being tossed from the top of the stands. While the American Outlaws seem to be more than prepared for whatever the stands might bring, the casual American fans seem a little scared. There is an older couple in front of me who are very clearly unaligned who are frightened by the fighting and the drinking. Throughout the match they have been constantly defending their seats from people who are trying to move in their area.

My friends ESPN Deportes tell me that the United States do not know how good of a player Brek Shea really is. They say that he is a really nice guy, and that he just needs to get the right opportunity. They wanted to more about the relationship between Landon Donovan and DeMarcus Beasley and the U.S. Midfield strategy. While I had been listening all throughout the match to these guys telling me what they know, it was kind of cool to provide some insight. I felt like a reporter.

5:59: After the United States beats El Salvador 5-1,most of the reporters start heading down to the Press Conference room to hear both coaches speak. I need a cup of coffee and some time to snag all of my Gold Cup stuff.

Overall, I found the other journalists to be very friendly, kind, engaging people. They helped me point out where I needed to go and were open to discussion about anything going on in professional soccer. I learned more about the psyche of footballers than I thought I would ever know.

6:05: Downstairs in the Press Room, I am sitting next some of the best soccer journalists in the country. I am sitting next to Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl, The Washington Post Steve Goff, and Soccer By Ives writer Ives Galarcep. There is something about sitting in a room with some of the best writers in the game that makes me very nervous. Not going to lie, I never thought I would be here 7 months ago.

The manager of El Salvador comes out first. Most of the questions come from the Spanish media and so I am trying to follow what they are saying as much as possible. The Salvadorean manager seems to be very humbled by the outpouring of respect by the fans in this game. He seemed to be very hopeful about his team’s future.

6:15: As I am waiting for Jurgen Klinsmann to come in, FIFA Executive Sunil Gulati walks by me with his son. I thought it was funny that his son is wearing a jersey with the last name “Gulati” on it. I guess since his dad runs the entire operation he cannot be partial to any one player. Though judging by the way he favored his left side as he pushed through people, I am willing to bet that he is a Clint Dempsey fan.

I have never seen a room stop like it did when Mr. Gulati entered the room. Cameras stopped, people turned off of their phones, and jovial conversations between colleagues ceased.

6:16: Klinsmann enters the room and immediately everyone focuses their attention at the podium.

He spoke quite eloquently about the team’s performance, and stressed that this is only a step in the larger goal of qualifying for the World Cup. He spent some considerable time praising the work of DIskerud, Corona, and Rimando.

I did try and ask a question. Most of the time it seems just trying to get the attention of the press official. My mind was racing as I was raising my hand. I had a few questions to ask, but in this moment they seemed to have been lost to me. I resolved to ask a question about the crowd, and how he thought this players would react going into the match to a difficult environment and what his final assessment was. Unfortunately, I did not get chosen.  It seems to me that the most senior members of the media get the first questions in, and if there is any time the rest of the bullpen will get their shot.

6:30:  As I walk out of the press room, I notice a large contingent of the press corps surrounding one player. It is Landon Donovan. Although I need to head out soon, I don’t think I could live with myself if I do not go over there and at least listen in. He is a very quiet person, who seems unfazed by all of the bright lights and questions. It is pretty amazing to be around this guy. Though we are only about 4 years apart, I have a great deal of admiration for his character and for what he has done as a member of the U.S. National Team. It cannot be understated the influence he has on the American game.

6:45 At this point, I have to head back to the Greyhound station so that I can get home at a decent hour. Given that soccer journalism does not pay, and I do have a day job I have to make sure I get some sleep and collect my thoughts. As I am walking back to the station, my parents call me and ask how everything is going. I explain to them everything that has gone on and they seem generally stunned. We have a laugh about the uneasy American fans, but I cut them off because the Greyhound station is confusing and I want to make sure that I get on the right bus and not Grand Rapids, MI.

When I started writing about the beautiful game 7 months, I never thought I would have one person read my work. So the thought of being in a press box with people that I consider to be some of the best writers in the game was amazing. To be considered an equal in conversation with them is truly humbling. This was a heck of en experience and hopefully I can do it again soon.

“Landon proved today how well he plays and how he can make a difference,” Jurgen Klinsmann said.

With the win over El Salvador, the stars and stripes are now in the Gold Cup semis for the 11^th time, the most of any other country. The victory extends the teams winning streak to nine wins and 31 goals, the longest in U.S. team history.

“We strive to be the best team. It doesn’t matter if it’s a world cup qualifier or not. You always want to be one step ahead of them,” DaMarcus Beasley said.

“This is a process. We are trying to catch-up with the big teams in the world and raise the bar,” said Klinsmann. “It’s all about speed. I’m talking about mental speed and passing speed. You’ll see players trying to keep the tempo high and create changes”.

It was this newfound speed that Landon Donovan credited as being the key to the win for the U.S. “El Salvador played well and defended well, but the key was to continue with a fast pace, “ said Donovan.

Veteran players like Rimando, Clarence Goodson, and Donovan laid the groundwork for younger players like Joe Corona to come in and finish plays.

“The younger players are getting better with each game. They’re showing they belong on the national team, Donovan said.”

The players and coaches also credited their collectiveness on the field as a key factor in the team’s victory.

“We have been together for three weeks, but it feels like we have been together for years. You can see that on the field,” said Jose Torres.

USMNT fans at M&T Stadium in Baltimore where overshadowed by a sea of El Salvador fans decked in blue, but that didn’t stop Klinsmann’s team from finding the back of the net.

“For every opportunity we made, the U.S. made two or three”, El Salvador’s coach said. “The U.S. was very consistent, we haven’t seen this type of level of play in this tournament”.

Coach Agustín Castillo said the U.S. team’s collectiveness challenged the team. “The U.S. almost play by memory. They can find their spaces and make the ball appear,” Castillo said. “Players like Beckerman in the midfield made it challenging for us.

The U.S.’s tempo changed in the second half. The second half brought in goals from both Eddie Johnson and Mix Diskerud. In the 60^th minute, Eddie Johnson scored off a header just 14 seconds after being subbed into the game.

“We knew that with Eddie Johnson’s goal the game was over,” said Klinsmann.

The team is one step closer to capturing the title. The last time the team won was in 2007. The U.S. will try to extend their nine game winning streak to ten when they take on Honduras in Dallas on Wednesday in the Gold Cup semifinals.

“They are the best team I’ve seen in this tournament and strong candidates to win the Gold Cup,” El Salvador’s coach said.

A GlobalFootballToday.com special podcast on the “State of the USMNT” with Letty Salamanca (@LettyAS), Adam Uthe (@AUtheGFT), and Vincent La Rosa (@VinceLikesStuff).

Back in 2009 in the team’s World Cup qualifying game against Honduras, Conor Casey was the star of the game. Casey’s goal helped clench the U.S. a spot at the 2010 World Cup. The last time both teams faced each was in 2011 in a friendly that ended in a 1-0 victory for the USMNT marking the first win for the team under Jurgen Klinsmann.

 This time around the team will be facing an even stronger Honduran-side, but will see the team operate in a similar formation to the one two years ago. Los Catrachos have included several MLS players on their roster, which means U.S. fans will be seeing familiar faces on the other side of the field. The large influence MLS has on the Honduran-side meant that the team’s roster selections did not come as a surprise. This will also serve as an advantage in Klinsmann’s team preparation for the break down of the opponent team’s operational tactics.

 “You have strikers up front in Bengtson who can always harm an opponent, and you have Espinoza in midfield who has a lot of creativity and a wonderful touch. They have a very strong defense physically so that’s why we respect them. That’s why we’ve done our homework,” Klinsmann told press on Monday.

Honduras comes into the game with a strong defensive midfield. The U.S. will have to work through the midfield to score. The earlier the USMNT scores the better chances they will have in holding the lead during the game.

The game will mark the first time in several years the stars and stripes have played a qualifying match without Landon Donovan on the squad. Although his omission did not come as a surprise to most, U.S. fans will have start getting used to not seeing Donovan in the starting XI and the Dempsey/Donovan combo. Back in December after the 2012 MLS Cup, Donovan still was not sure on whether he wanted to continue playing.

U.S. fans will have one thing to look forward to. Today’s game will mark Chandler’s return to the U.S. men’s national team and will officially cap-tie him to the U.S. An official competitive match with the USMNT will finally end all worries of the 23-year-old’s commitment to the team. Chandler will help fill the role Steve Cherundolo plays on the team, after Cherundolo’s omission from the roster because of a knee injury.

“It’s a huge opportunity for Timmy and I think he’s simply just maturing. He’s growing into his role as a fulltime professional and that’s why we were very patient with Timmy to mature,” Klinsmann said.

Klinsmann included seven MLS players from January camp to his roster for the match. Similar to Honduras, the stars and stripes go into the match with a strong defensive midfield and a solid backline. The U.S. will have to place its efforts on attacking and getting the ball to Dempsey and Gomez in the front from the outer flanks to avoid a standoff in the Honduran defensive midfield.

USMNT Roster:

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire)

Defenders: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Carlos Bocanegra (Racing Santander), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Timmy Chandler (Nuremberg), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim ), Michael Parkhurst (Augsburg – 3/0)

Midfielders: Michael Bradley (Roma), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Maurice Edu (Bursaspor), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Jose Torres (Tigres), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Clint Dempsey (Tottenham Hotspur), Herculez Gomez (Santos), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders)

Honduras Roster:

Goalkeepers: Donis Escobar (Olimpia), José Mendoza (Marathón), Noel Valladares (Olimpia)

Defenders: Brayan Beckeles (Olimpia), Víctor Bernárdez (San Jose Earthquakes), Osman Chávez (Wisla Krakow), Maynor Figueroa (Wigan), Juan Carlos García (Olimpia), Juan Pablo Montes (Platense), Arnold Peralta (Vida), Orlin Peralta (Vida)

Midfielders: Jorge Claros (Hibernian), Roger Espinoza (Wigan), Oscar Boniek García (Houston Dynamo), Luis Garrido (Red Star Belgrade), Alex López (Olimpia), Mario Martínez (Seattle Sounders), Aldo Oviedo (Real España)

Forwards: Christian Altamirano (Marathon), Jerry Bengtson (New England Revolution), Carlo Costly (Veria), Roger Rojas (Olimpia), Georgie Welcome (Motagua)

My starting XI: Howard, Chandler, Cameron, Bocanegra, Johnson, Edu, Bradley, Jones, Torres, Dempsey, and Gomez.

My prediction: 2 (USMNT)- 1 (Honduras)

What are your predictions?

The better question is how long do  you think it will take before Jermaine Jones receives a yellow card?

I was going to Columbus Crew games long before David Beckham joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007. I would have continued going to said Crew games regardless of whether or not “Becks” was playing in the US.

During his time in MLS, Beckham often put his own personal desires ahead of his responsibilities to his employer. He routinely sat out games because he didn’t feel like travelling or because his ankle was a little sore. He missed more games in Columbus than he showed up for and the same could be said for America’s smaller markets that are home to MLS teams. He even missed time in MLS because he thought he could make his way back into the English national team by playing for AC Milan. Ultimately he got himself injured during his time spent on loan in Italy. Between injuries and European loans Beckham average just 17 games played each season. Shocking when you consider an MLS regular season is usually right around 32-34 games (depending on how many teams were in the league at the time).

But there is one thing David Beckham did accomplish during his in time in MLS: he got people out to the games.

I managed to bring my college roommate (who hails from Pittsburgh) out to Beckham’s only match in Columbus. Said roommate joined me again for the following season’s opening game against Toronto. I believe it’s merely a coincidence that the Pacific Northwest clubs (Seattle, Portland, Vancouver) came into the league during Beckham’s tenure. What is NOT coincidence is the rise in MLS attendance numbers (on average) since Beckham’s arrival. Before David Beckham people had no reason to try soccer. There was no motivation for them to go out and see what it’s like to attend a soccer match. But Beckham gave them a reason to get in the car and drive to the stadium. And once they were there, many of those first time fans realized how much fun a soccer match is. And after that they started coming back.

Beckham was never necessary for the aforementioned Pacific Northwest clubs. He wasn’t even necessary for Toronto FC; the club that ultimately introduced MLS fans to the “Supporters Culture”. But he was necessary for teams like Columbus as well as Colorado, Kansas City, Dallas, New England. I spent a quarter of the 2012 MLS season working in ticket sales for FC Dallas. Los Angeles was the only game where I was an order taker instead of a sales rep. People actually called in asking for tickets to the game against the Galaxy; and it was to see Landon Donovan or Juninho. They wanted to see Beckham. While that job never really worked out for me, Dallas saw an increase in attendance during the second half of the season. Consider it a small scale example of what happened to the league as a whole from 2007-2012.

So maybe David Beckham never really cared all that much about MLS or the Los Angeles Galaxy; although to his credit he had a fantastic 2011 season en route to an MLS Cup title. He flew around the world at will, regardless of what LA’s schedule looked like. He hurt himself trying to make a comeback in Italy. He didn’t care, but sports fans in America did. All they needed was a little nudge out the door and Beckham gave them just that. Granted, there will always be those fans who only came out to see “Becks”. But those fans were never going to put a dent in the attendance figures long term.

But for fans like my college roommate, Beckham got them in the door. After that they were hooked, whether he was there or not. Whether Beckham wins another MLS Cup title or not (and whether or not he cares) he can ride off into the sunset knowing he did make at least one lasting contribution to the league he always seemed so nonchalant towards.

The Procession:

It’s been over two weeks since the Galaxy last played an MLS match, but coming in unbeaten in their last four and 7-2-1 in their last 10, LA returned to league play still just three points behind Real Salt Lake for the West’s 3rd spot.

Galaxy Head Coach Bruce Arena welcomed the newcomer, Wilhelmsson, by handing him the start just 10 days after signing with the club. While David Beckham, who suffered an ankle injury in training, did not dress for the match, the Galaxy’s captain, Landon Donovan, returned after missing the team’s last three matches and national team duty to nurse an ailing hamstring. Also returning, Robbie Keane, who played during the international break with Ireland in World Cup qualifiers.

On the Rapids side of the ball, Colorado Head Coach Oscar Pareja opted to stick with the squad that defeated the Portland Timbers 3-0 at home a little over a week ago.

The Action:

You wouldn’t have known it by the way Colorado came out in the first 15 minutes, but they’re a team harboring slim hopes at a playoff spot. But whatever urgency you might have expected eluded the Rapids in much of this match.

In just the 3rd minute, Galaxy fullback Sean Franklin worked a nifty 1-2 with Keane at the edge of the area, springing the defender clean on goal. Fortunately for the Rapids, Franklin’s resolve in front of goal mirrored his position and he could only manage to hit the outside of the net with his golden chance.

With all the pressure early in the match, the Galaxy would find their opener and once again Keane was involved. Only this time, the Irishman took the finishing upon himself. In a sequence displaying an array of slick passing and intelligent movement off the ball, Marcelo Sarvas squared a pass in Keane’s direct just outside the Colorado penalty area. The forward feigned a touch and opted to let the ball continue to his strike partner Donovan while Keane sprinted into the area. Donovan’s first time ball found Keane in stride and after his first touch to collect, the forward expertly finished his shot left-footed into the far corner in the 15th minute.

“It was a great goal,” said Donovan after the match about Keane’s finish. “I thought we started the game really well and we had a few good chances early. It was really important to get a goal early against a team that really came here with no intention of winning the game.”

The goal is Keane’s 9th in the last 14 games and surprisingly Marcelo Sarvas’ first assist of the season in MLS.

After taking the lead just 15 minutes in, LA had few quality opportunities to close the half. For Colorado, they ended with a bit of a flourish but with not so much as a shot on goal to show for their troubles. Both sides entered the break looking fairly content with the scoreline on a unusually hot night.

“It was an inconsistent half after we scored. I think we took our foot off the pedal a little bit and got sloppy,” said Arena of the first half after the match.

The Business End:

While the Colorado never seemed to much of a threat for the Galaxy back line that has three clean sheets in their last four matches, the new boy, Wilhelmsson, put extinguished any Rapids’ hope in the 58th minute when Sarvas found the winger behind the Colorado defense. Fending off the challenge of two defenders, the Swede’s left-footed shot from 20 yards appeared harmless until goalkeeper Matt Pickens got ahold of it. The Rapids’ man made a mess of it and the ball trickled in to cap a perfect start to Wilhelmsson’s time in a Galaxy shirt.

Pareja’s choices to go with Conor Casey and Cummings on the bench to start might have been his attempt to play the hot hand, but when the Rapids resorted to attempting to beat LA via balls into the box, without the strength of Casey, the Rapids had little chance. The combination of Sarvas and Juninho in LA’s midfield has been uncanny as of late, and once again the Brazilians put on a textbook display through the middle with numerous interceptions, clockwork passing and two assists from Sarvas. Add the addition of another quality playmaker the the Galaxy line-up in Wilhelmsson on the wing and LA had little trouble in the match despite a bit of rust from the layoff.

Fulltime:

The win is LA’s 3rd in 4 matches. Level with RSL, Donovan has reiterated the Galaxy’s intention to climb as high as they can before the end of the season. With matches still remaining against the teams just ahead of them (Seattle and San Jose) and the way the team is clicking on both sides of the field, it looks like this team could be a nightmare come playoff time.

LA will now head to Puerto Rico for a CONCACAF Champions League clash on Wednesday before returning home to take on Toronto FC on Saturday.

Without David Beckham on Sunday, the LA Galaxy cruised past Chivas USA with a 4-0 victory. But how will the Galaxy fare sans the Englishman and the creator of all four goals from their last match?

Landon Donovan celebrates one of his four assists against Chivas USA

The Galaxy travel to Columbus to take on the Crew Wednesday in a midweek match falling on a FIFA date, one of the many MLS does not stop play for. With forward, and recently named MLS Player of the Week, Landon Donovan called into action for the US men’s side in Mexico the same day, the Galaxy will have to live without their captain fresh off his career-high four assist performance against the rojiblancos of Chivas USA, in addition to Beckham, who is just returning from his duties as Olympic ambassador.

On the bright side, Galaxy Head Coach Bruce Arena had the luxury of reuniting his stellar back four from last season’s championship team against Chivas USA for the first time this campaign.

With defender Omar Gonzalez fully fit, Arena dropped David Junior Lopes in favor of pairing AJ De La Garza with his former Maryland teammate against their Home Depot Center mates, while Sean Franklin returned from midfield to right back and Todd Dunivant returned from injury to his usual spot on the left side of the backline. The result? The Galaxy’s 5th shutout of the season and easily the most comfortable the team has looked at the back in quite some time. Without Beckham and Donovan and away from home, the backline will likely be called up once again for a stellar performance, as the Crew boast the stingiest defense in the league. With Robbie Keane being hot and cold at best all season, LA may have trouble mustering a multi-goal performance – although the Irishman did find the net in the Superclásico.

For the Crew, they are coming off trading a win and a loss apiece with the East’s DC United and Sporting KC. They’ve shown to be staunch in defense of their own goal, but characterizing them as languid in attack is not too much of a stretch. And although he is the lesser known Higuain, Columbus could have really used Federico Higuain in attack against the Galaxy but due to passport issues their newest designated player will have to wait for his debut until the weekend.

The Galaxy are clinging on to the West’s final playoff spot, but with so many teams having games in hand, it goes without saying that every point is vital. The last MLS Cup champion to not make the playoffs the following year was the Galaxy back in 2006. This year’s team will be hoping to avoid that legacy at all costs. Expect a tight affair in Columbus, with LA hoping Keane packed his shooting boots.