- Ethan Gomberg

SANDY, UT – A night of counter attacks and penalty kicks, probably overshadowed by DC United forward Charlie Davies and a controversial decision, ended in Utah tonight 1-1. The announced attendance of 16, 841 were on hand for important match for both teams.

- Jason Davis

Charlie Davies took a dive last night, and the referee bought it. It wasn't pretty, but not everyone agrees that it wasn't right. Charlie either shamed himself or saved a point for this club, depending on one's view point. I bet you can guess which group of fans make up the majority of those ascribing to the latter.

MLSsoccer.com

- Jason Davis

The danger of waiting too long to react is that everything may have already been said by the time you get around to it yourself. I feel as though that's where I sit this morning.


Nevertheless, what took place at RFK Stadium on Saturday was a once-in-a-lifetime happening. Movie stuff. Emotional, soul-filling, love-of-the-game-justifying, holy-shit-there's-no-way-that-happened sports drama the likes of which just doesn't happen in the real world. Really. Think about it for a second - the coming together of those particular factors just doesn't happen anywhere but the land of make believe, and even then it comes off schmaltzy and saccharine.


We get plenty of redemption stories. Players return from injury all the time. In a few enthralling cases, their comebacks have an immediate impact on the fortunes of their teams. Every time it happens we waste words trying to capture the feelings it evokes in us, or we labor imbue said athlete with a heroic nature he doesn't actually possess. Healing is a natural process, and while rehabilitation requires effort and commitment, injured players are just people trying to back to work.

- Keith Hickey

There were a number of standout performers in this opening week of the 2011 Major League Soccer season, but no player's contributions will have been greeted with as much excitement from as many disparate sources as Charlie Davies's double against Columbus.

Charlie Davies hit the DC area radio airwaves today ahead of the United opener on Saturday at RFK. Davies joined The Sports Junkies of 106.7 The Fan, the most popular sports show in DC, to talk about his accident, recovery, and outlook.

- Jason Davis

Charlie Davies just made it a bit harder for D.C. United to say no to a loan deal. Davies scored and provided an assist to Joseph Ngwenya in United's 5-1 victory over the Canadian U-20s in Fort Lauderdale. Even considering the competition, United can't ask much more of Davies than to spark the offense when given the chance during his week-long evaluation period. The performance doesn't guarantee that United will keep Davies, but it does give fans legitimate reason to think consummating the loan is in the team's best interest.

- Jason Davis

The possibility that Charlie Davies could spend the year on loan to DC United is a natural marriage brought about by timing, the vagaries of the MLS allocation order system, and a shared need for both to find redemption in 2011.


Charlie Davies wants to play, DC United could do with some positive press. If the former meets his goal and returns to putting the ball in the back of the net in meaningful competition after sixteen months of recovery from terrible car accident that happened to take place in United's backyard, both sides win. Charlie proves he can play. United gets pulled along for the ride, with all the positive press and good feelings inherent therein. In that way, Charlie Davies is more than just another player for DC United, he's a calculated risk.

Never before has riding the bench meant so much.


Charlie Davies made Sochaux's 18-man roster for their game with Bordeaux today. He didn't play, and the two sides drew 1-1, but the American striker's presence alone made it a monumental day in his comeback from injuries suffered in a deadly auto accident last October. Charlie Davies, a man who required metal parts and facial surgery just to become whole again, is back as a top-flight professional soccer player.

Sochaux president Alexandre Lacombe told a French newspaper yesterday that it will be at least six months before it's clear whether Charlie Davies will be a top-flight player again.

"According to doctors, it will take at least 18 months from the date of the accident to hope for real progress and know more. It's a miracle he's still alive and doing well. Right now, Charlie isn't a Ligue 1-level player, that's for sure, but he continues to work hard ..."

If it wasn't Friday and work wasn't hell, I would have had this up earlier.  In fact, I debated whether to post it at all.  Alas, it's gone uber-wide at this point, so it's likely you've already heard, and there are some ramifications to consider.   Charlie Davies was caught going 125 mph (or whatever that is in kilometers) at some point this past weekend.

Let's be completely honest here: we got ahead of ourselves when it came to the recovery of Charlie Davies.  Charlie Davies got ahead of himself when it came to the recovery of Charlie Davies.  All the faith, belief, and hope in the world couldn't heal Charlie, and turn him back into the footballer he should be, faster than nature would allow.

I've called in Matt Acconciamessa of US Soccer Daily for a little for-and-against on the possibility of Charlie Davies making the US roster for the Brazil match next week; there are solid reasons for US Soccer to both bring Charlie home for the match and pass on his return for another day. Matt and I do our best to lay out each argument.

***

Against - Jason Davis

The US roster for the upcoming Brazil friendly at the New Meadowlands is tentatively scheduled to be released tomorrow per Goff the Insider. 52,000 tickets have been sold for the August 10th match, an odd transitional game expected to include most of the same American names we're used to seeing. Bob Bradley will coach the team despite an unresolved future status. Perhaps his chances of staying US coach even hinge on the game in some ridiculous way.


But the biggest potential news tomorrow would be a return to National Team duty for Charlie Davies. Rumors are swirling that it's possible, and with Davies participating fully with Sochaux in their pre-season preparations, there appears to be no prohibitions against Charlie suiting up for the US. It would certainly be an amazing moment if Charlie was able to get into the game against Brazil, his first competitive action for the United States since the terrible car accident last October.


Excuse me. I'm fighting the urge to throw a bucket of cold water on the idea.


Of course I want Charlie to come back and play for the National Team, and I suppose a meaningless friendly against Brazil is as good a place as any for it to happen. But shouldn't Charlie be giving everything he has to integrate himself into back the team at Sochaux? If Charlie's club career doesn't get restarted correctly, he'll be setting himself back much more than the 9 months or so he lost to injury. The future of Davies in a USA jersey won't be helped by a feel good moment in a game that means nothing.


There's no reason to rush this. Davies, provided he becomes the player we hope he can be post-accident, will get back into the team soon enough. The French season opens this weekend; Davies involvement, or lack thereof, in Sochaux's opener will give us an idea of where Charlie truly stands. If he's left out, he's clearly not ready to be playing for the National Team. If he's on the bench or starts, then perhaps calling him up won't do too much harm.


I suppose I could be convinced.


In the end it's a just a few days in Jersey and an opportunity to complete his international comeback. The risk is relatively low, beyond the ever-present chance of injury, and who doesn't want to see CD9 get an ovation from a large crowd of USA fans. I have no doubts the Brazil fans would join in as well.


It just feels too early. Is it wrong I want to see Charlie scoring in France before he makes a return to the National Team? He shouldn't be called in just because it would be nice to have him back.


You certainly don't call him in if there's no intention to play him. Of course, if Davies is in New Jersey next week and makes the field, I'll be pulling as hard for him as I ever have for any player. Right call or not, it would be a great thing to see.

***

For - Matt Acconciamessa

Three months later and we're having the same conversation all over again: should Charlie Davies get called into camp or not? Of course, this time around there is far less on the line; instead of a roster spot for international football's biggest tournament, we're talking about a call-up for a post-Cup friendly against an experimental side. But as was the case back in May, there's still some worthy arguments being made on both sides of the debate.


Jason has taken the no-call-up route and makes some good points as to why calling Charlie into camp just isn't necessary at this point in time. I'm not completely sold one way or another, but for the sake of debate, I'll play devil's advocate and make a case for bringing Chuck into camp for the first friendly of the 2014 cycle.


Back in May, the key issue for those opposed to bringing Chuck to Princeton was his health. Despite positive vibes on Twitter and the utterly mind-boggling progress he was able to make in the months following that tragic October accident, Charlie still wasn't at 100%, making his selection a risk on both a team and individual level. This time around, however, Charlie is healthy; he's participating in Sochaux's preseason friendlies and training normally, seemingly on track to get back to his starting role with the Ligue 1 side at some point this year.


But full health shouldn't be the basis of a call-up, as we all know; if being able-bodied was the only criteria, I'd be capped by now (or, more likely, complaining about repeated snubs). There's the matter of whether or not Charlie would actually deserve the spot, or if there might be someone else who is more deserving.


It's hard to say that there isn't space up front up for grabs. With Jozy Altidore seemingly on the brink of moving to a new club in the coming weeks, it might be in his best interests to miss out on international duty and instead focus on integrating himself into whatever team ends up bringing him aboard. Herculez Gomez might be in the same boat, as he is still trying to establish himself with Pachuca in the opening weeks of the new season. Bob Bradley, love him or hate him, is very conscience of players' club situations and is myopic enough to understand when it might be in a player's best interest to stay with their employer rather than take part in international duty (see the value he put on Sochaux's assessment last spring as evidence of that). Add in Robbie Findley's middling performance in South Africa and Real Salt Lake's August 11th match, and there seems to be a decent chance that there will be some holes in the World Cup 23 that will need to be filled.


So why not Chuck? Brazil are using this friendly to experiment with a lot of young players who missed the cut for South Africa; why not do the same, to a much smaller extent? If healthy, Charlie will almost certainly be on next summer's Gold Cup roster, so why not begin the process of reintegrating him in the national team picture as soon as possible?


The easiest counter to that is that it may lead to a step back or stagnancy at the club level; playing in a meaningless post-World Cup friendly is hardly as important as reestablishing himself with Sochaux in the week leading up to their second league match. This is the big caveat to my whole argument: it should only be done if Sochaux deem it acceptable. If Charlie would be missing something material during the international break, it's in his best interests to just stick around and keep plugging along with Les Lionceaux. Once again, this is something that Bob will almost certainly have in mind when making his roster decisions.


But if Sochaux gives him their blessing, what risk is there to doing this? The benefits, meanwhile, can extend beyond the actual on-field stuff and into US Soccer's coffers.


Think about it: the triumphant return of the US World Cup squad, playing in front of their now-adoring public (okay, perhaps a stretch) for the first time since their memorable run in South Africa. That's definitely something that ESPN will pay attention to. But alas, it's just a friendly, and there's only so much attention a match without much meaning can get. But what if that homecoming was compounded by the remarkable and emotional return of Charlie Davies, the man who nearly died less than a year ago? That's a story begging to be written by every sports journalist across the country and something that the folks in Bristol would surely have a field day with.


That extra attention in the media might lead to increased ticket sales, increased viewership, or simply a higher, sustained level of interest in the USMNT from sports fans across the country. Increased attention eventually translates into added dollars at some point down the road, so it can only be a good thing if media outlets across the country are dedicating some more pieces to the Yanks.


Is that a stretch? Perhaps. It's hard to say how big of an impact that added attention would have in terms of dollars and cents. But the potential for such a benefit is there, whereas the risks of such a call-up would be slim to none (assuming Sochaux gives the go-ahead).


I'm still not completely sold on one argument or another and will probably just wait until the actual announcement to impart my 20/20 hindsight wisdom. As I was writing this, I even found myself questioning it over and over again, waffling so much that it'd make Brett Favre blush. But perhaps these are some of the things being thrown back and forth at US Soccer HQ as Bob Bradley tries to assemble what could very well be his last roster as USMNT head coach. After making the tough decisions back in May, I doubt this one will really keep him up at night.

I guess we'll know soon enough which side of the argument he is on.

***

There you have it, both sides of the question of whether CD9 should be in the squad for the Brazil match. I'm not sure either of us are entirely convinced of our own arguments (Matt admits as much), which only serves to illustrate how difficult the situation is even now. Healthy and playing, there's still a long way for Davies to go before he can be termed fully "back." We should find out tomorrow which of these viewpoints carries more weight in the minds of Bob Bradley and US Soccer.

I'm a big Charlie Davies fan. Like the rest of you, I watched his meteoric rise from "Charlie Davies, Striker - Hammarby (Sweden)" to "Charlie 'stanky leg' Davies." Like the rest of you, I watched, as almost overnight, this unknown player from New Hampshire went from just another name on a list to the vanguard of a new wave of American talent. Like some of you, I stood on the rickety RFK seats lighting off smoke bombs and holding up a paper number nine. During his long battle for fitness, I ran through a thesaurus's worth of superlatives to describe his determination. To be a bigger Charlie Davies fan, you've pretty much gotta be named Nina or Stu.


So yeah, I was ticked when Bobby Sweatpants didn't even include CD9 in the 30-man squad. I may have said something along the lines of "I'd rather have Charlie Davies's reconstructed bladder than Conor Casey." And while Ives Galarcep's list was wrong, and Conor Casey didn't make the cut, I'd have said the same about Robbie Findley, who did. My logic was that gambling on Davies was worth missing out on a striker who will do no more than enjoy the free vacation to South Africa.


But after listening to Charlie on French radio this morning, I kinda see why Bob made the choice he did. I still don't agree with it, but I think I understand his reasoning. I know Robbie Findley isn't making the 23 man squad. You know Robbie Findley isn't making the 23 man squad. Robbie Findley's mother knows Robbie Findley isn't making the 23 man squad. But with Charlie, this training camp goes from being World Cup preparation to being the Charlie Davies show. And if you think the fallout from leaving him off of the provisional roster was overkill, what happens if he makes the 30, but gets cut from the 23? Bob did what he thought he needed to do, but stopping the train before it got out of the station.


I think Michael's daddy may have, in the back of his mind, wanted an excuse, so that he could leave the media circus behind a bit, and focus on getting his players ready for the World Cup. And when this letter from Sochaux came, saying that they weren't going to release Charlie, Bradley just accepted it, in order to keep the distractions out.


And this might not be the end for Charlie's World Cup dream. The 30 man squad isn't set in stone, and if Charlie does enough to prove to Bob that he's ready in time for the 23 to be named, he could make a shock return. Which would be a hell of a morale boost to both the team and the fanbase. And perhaps, the perfect twist to the Charlie Davies saga.


So yeah, while I may not agree with what Bradley has done, I kinda get it. And at least he didn't take Conor Casey. That would have just been insulting.

Thanks to @MikeyDamage on Twitter, I was tipped off to an interview Charlie Davies did on French radio; the important parts are in English (obviously Charlie answers in English, and the questions are translated for him), and it's definitely worth a listen.


Charlie expresses frustration with Sochaux over his treatment there; he's clearly upset about Sochaux having a hand in his exclusion from the US preliminary roster. Most telling is Charlie's revelation that the president of the club has had no contact with him since the accident; remember, this is the same man who created a firestorm when he gave an interview stating that Davies would not step on the field in a Ligue 1 match this season. Back when Charlie was still pushing for a shot at the World Cup, that was a very big deal.


Davies is clearly crushed by the end of his dream. But the likelihood is that this will push him harder to make a full return for both Sochaux (where he'll be no matter his disappointment) and the US National Team.


The highlight moment of the interview:

"I'm very hurt, I'm very sad, but I'm very angry, because I feel FC Sochaux has denied me a chance at playing in the World Cup."


This will only add fuel to the fire of people questioning the decision to leave Charlie out. Focus has been on Bob Bradley, who ultimately made the decision; but Bradley and US Soccer colored their choice as being influenced heavily by Sochaux refusal to medically clear Davis. The bottom line is that US Soccer chose not to challenge the French club on releasing Davies. While it will appear clear that they should have, perhaps on simple principle, the question remains if the fight over a player whose comeback from serious injury might have been too much to ask was ultimately worth it.


Despite his anger with the club and the situation, Davies said he's not going anywhere, that he "owes something to his teammates" and has "unfinished business" in France.


Bob called Davies the on Monday night, explaining the situation. I imagine it was an extremely difficult call for Bradley to make.


We now also know that Charlie doesn't plan on being in South Africa to cheer on his teammates. Hard to blame him.

Yes, another reaction to the news that Charlie Davies won't be part of the 2010 World Cup, even in the run up. The visceral response to the news, expressed as both anger and frustration by many fans, is striking.


Still, it would have been much more surprising if a passionate fan base had reacted instead with grudging acceptance.


But that's not to say everyone doesn't need to take a deep breath, review the situation and all of the factors involved, and pull back on the rampant criticism for Bob Bradley and US Soccer officials (okay, so mostly just Bob). The complexity of the decision, one involving a player whose return from injury goes far beyond the usual, makes it difficult for me to join in the outrage.

Despite all the progress made, the stories of small steps and large improvements, there's still a very real chance that Charlie Davies won't be sufficiently healthy enough to play in the World Cup next month.


But until you hear that Charlie's comeback has come up short from US Soccer or Charlie himself, don't believe anything you read.


That's today's lesson, painfully taught by a short with an inflammatory headline. The story appeared at FIFA.com (which also posted what Jozy Altidore says was a faked interview) and is the work of AFP (a French news agency).


A story today also appeared on the website of French sports daily L'Equipe, though that particular item does not say Davies has been "ruled out" of the World Cup. It merely states (I think; the French is rusty) that Charlie's progress is a little bumpy. Even if that represents a "setback" (which is arguable), it's not completely unexpected. Davies was never going to go through this struggle without any complicating developments.


So is this a calculated move on the part of Sochaux to send a message to Bradley and US Soccer that they'd prefer their investment not be risked too soon? Perhaps, but the club is refuting the L'Equipe report according to the Shin Guardian, leaving open the question of just who the unnamed sources might be. US Soccer has also denied the report according to Grant Wahl on Twitter, so this telephone game of a story appears to have absolutely no legs.


I would expect Charlie himself to respond via Twitter at any moment, which will put this whole thing to rest once and for all.


Who knows how these things start. Just remember to view every new story with a skeptical eye.


It's a good thing we won't have to wait much longer until the 30-man roster is named, the camp roster is announced, and we have confirmation either way that Davies as least has a shot at the World Cup team.

Multiple topics, one post. What can I say, it's Friday.

***

Jersey Hate


I'm not a jerseyphile, shirt collector, kit freak or whatever the term is for someone who breathlessly analyzes the newest looks pumped out by Nike, Adidas, Puma, or whomever is responsible for them. The modern approach to these things is distasteful enough, with massive companies that hardly need the money changing things dramatically every few years in an effort to sell more merchandise.


I just can't work myself up enough to waste emotional energy on something that matters little to the fortunes of my team (or any other for that matter).


Yet, I can appreciate the mindset and passion that leads to commentary like Keith Hickey let fly in the previous post. He criticized the new USMNT kit because he cares. I may see it as misplaced enthusiasm, but that doesn't mean it isn't valid in the most inconsequential of ways.


For the record, I don't mind either the away or home US jerseys for the World Cup. It appears that makes me the exception rather than the rule. So be it.


When the United States takes the field in South Africa against England on June 12th, I doubt seriously that anyone will care that their shirts have a beauty queen sash, that the shirt is "cluttered" with a number added, or that there are pointless stripes of red or white on the sleeves. If the Americans manage to shock everyone with a win, or scrap their way to a hard fought draw, the jersey they're wearing will immediately become iconic in the history of American soccer (provided the take care of business against Algeria and/or Slovenia; no one will care if they crash out in the first round). If they don't, or if this World Cup ends up like the last World Cup, the shirt will fade away into history, taking its place along the terrible looks the US has sported throughout the years.


If you don't like the jersey, don't buy one. I'm not sure there's much more to say, although I would advise you to wait to see it on the players on the field before you make your final judgement. Some times these things look different in "real life".


Me, I'll be getting mine as soon as I can find a spare $75. I just hope that happens before the World Cup. Nike, if your reading, drop me a line...


Whoa, that was pretty shameless. Never mind.

***

Charlie's Chances


Bob Bradley made some comments on the World Cup hopes of Charlie Davies at the jersey unveiling in New York yesterday. Most outlets are characterizing those comments as "not hopeful" or a sign that Davies is still a long shot to make the 30-man roster or warm up camp next month. While on the face of it Bradley wasn't too positive, I tend to see his comments as careful and calculated rather than any real indication that Charlie will or won't be included in camp. He certainly can't say that Davies is guaranteed a spot, not at this point.


My bet is he's there, with a real shot to make the team, come May 15th. Now, it would help a lot if he could get a game before the end of the Ligue 1 season, and who knows it that will happen. Let's cross our fingers.


Bradley is right to downplay expectations, let the situation play out without tipping his hand, and minimize pressure on Charlie. What he says at a jersey launch in New York isn't necessarily going to be the most enlightening information, especially from a guy that like to play things close to the vest.


Charlie has work to do yet, and he may not end up in South Africa; but for the time being, I have no reason to believe he doesn't have a very real shot.

***

Supporters and Songs


It's not my habit to throw out links, but there's a quality bit of writing that popped up this week that needs some more attention.


It's a lament on American supporters and our songs from Nutmeg Radio (I'm in full agreement with this sentiment, by the way).


Go read it, it's worth a thought or two.


Back later perhaps, either in the usual one topic format (if inspiration hits) or in this more casual round up thing.

Courtesy of and heads up by Greg Seltzer of No Short Corners comes word from Sochaux president Alexandre Lacombe that Charlie Davies will not play in Ligue 1 this season.


This is a definite blow to Charlie's World Cup chances, if only because the lack of first team playing time in a competitive situation leaves Bob Bradley with plenty of work to do in May. Davies, provided he's called into US camp, will not have played in a match since October; if he was returning from a knee injury (ala Oguchi Onyewu) or another run-of-the-mill soccer ailment, that might not be a problem. But because Charlie's comeback has been so difficult, Bradley needs as much evidence that he's at adequate capabilities as possible.


I've stated before that as long as Davies can run and kick a ball, Bradley has to call him into camp at the very least, partly because public sentiment will demand it. That's not to say that Bradley is beholden to the fan base, just that a camp spot for Davies is the least needed to see where Charlie stands and if he's capable of contributing at the World Cup. This setback now makes that camp spot a must, because there will be no other opportunity to assess Davies progress.


But what about the 23-man roster? This news doesn't help, but it doesn't mean it can't happen either; it just means we'll have to wait to see how Davies performs in camp before having any sense of his chances.


When expectations, and recovery timetables, are set aggressively, there's always a chance for setbacks and disappointment. It looks like Charlie has had one of his first (allowing for the possibility that something is lost in translation, or that there's someone else at Sochaux who may decide Charlie will play); next is how he responds and how Bradley views the news.


It isn't over for Davies' World Cup chances, but this isn't good news for them.


*UPDATE*

Apologies for not getting this up sooner. Greg Seltzer did some digging, and determined that Lacombe's comments are not reflective of anything other than his own opinion. There is no club mandate that Charlie be held out, so there is still hope he could show up in a season-closing match for Sochaux. Check out No Short Corners for more.