It's been a good year for Landon Donovan. MLS MVP, brand new big time contract, glorious loan stint at Everton, continued National Team stardom, and a new level of respect from his peers and fans around the world. From a purely professional standpoint, it's difficult to come up with more that could have gone right for the American.
Off the field, however, Donovan's life hasn't been so rosy. His three year marriage to actress Bianca Kalich ended, and while the low level of media attention given American players kept the details mostly out of the spotlight, there was a public element to the breakup. It wouldn't have been surprising if Donovan had shrunk on the field for a time, allowing the personal emotional issues to affect his level of play.
Instead, he seemed to increase his focus, and results followed. The Everton stay was a rousing success, and while the sample size still allows room for debate on where Donovan falls in the hierarchy of star players, there's no doubting his quality. Considering the label Donovan carried before heading to Merseyside, that he was a soft player who came up short on the big stage, beating back the demons must have been a self-satisfying experience. That he's continued his strong play in a much different role with the LA Galaxy is another bit of evidence that Donovan may have turned a corner professionally.
As Donovan readies himself for the World Cup, he's welcoming questions about how his personal turmoil has positively affected his play on the field. He's explaining the process of maturing as a player and how looking inward while shutting out the criticism has allowed him to improve. He's not the first athlete to say such things, and he certainly won't be the last. The words, though, will only matter if the performances back them up. So far, so good.
Yes, camp is for the most part uneventful in its initial days, and writers must find angles to cover during the buildup to matches next week. But the explosion of stories focusing on Donovan's growth, his willingness to discuss his personal life, and the quiet confidence he projects as one of the leaders on a youngish team is still notable.
After disappointment of 2006, American star Landon Donovan feels prepared for World Cup - New Jersey Star-Ledger
Divorce helped Donovan reconcile differences - Yahoo! Sports
Entering World Cup, Landon Donovan finds himself in a good place for U.S. men - The Washington Post
Landon Donovan sees greater opportunity with U.S. National team at World Cup in 2010 than in past - New York Daily News
Donovan ready to lead the U.S. - Philadelphia Inquirer
Donovan Pushes Ahead, Looking Inside - The New York Times
Straight shooter - New York Post
Donovan maturing before our very eyes - Ives for Fox Soccer
None of it will matter if he doesn't step up at the World Cup, of course. A taste of success in England is nice. Continued dominance in MLS, as expected, is all well and good. But if Donovan's new found understanding of himself doesn't translate to a star performance in South Africa, all of it will just be words.
He certainly seems ready.
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