Welcome to the Landon Donovan send-off. I’m your host Sam Klomhaus. I’m joined by my good friend Samuel Adams. It’s gonna be a good night.
4:55pm: I turn the game on. They’re showing his header against Mexico. Then his goal against Cuba. What a boss.
4:56pm: Landon walks out with the rest of the team. He gets two children to hold hands with. Everybody else gets one.
4:57pm: Landon waves at the crowd, gets a ceremony. Ecuador gives him something, a jersey collage I think.
4:58pm: Nope here’s the jersey collage. It’s from the U.S. It has a piece of every jersey he has worn for the U.S. and the name of all his teammates throughout his U.S. career on it.
4:59pm: Ecuador anthem. It sounds OK.
5:01pm: The Star Spangled Banner. Goosebumps. I love when the entire stadium sings, and they’re belting this one. You can barely hear whoever is actually singing it on the field. Landon might be the only one not singing. Stoic. He looks like he’s lost in reflection. Wonder what he could be reflecting on.
5:05pm: Apparently a camera will follow Landon’s every move.
5:05pm: And they’re off.
1’: Donovan’s first touch, a backheel to DeAndre Yedlin, who “was in short trousers when Landon Donovan first appeared for the national team” according to Ian Darke.
3’: Donovan takes a free-kick, headed out safely
5’: GOAL! Mix Diskerud! Donovan took it up the left side, crossed it to Altidore, to Yedlin, to Diskerud, one-timer, bang. Into the back of the net.
6’: Ian Darke: U.S. are unbeaten in last 17 home games.
7’: Donovan plays a ball to Altidore, with whom he has played over 30 times.
9’: Donovan nearly heads a Joseph-Claude Gyau cross into the corner of the net. Just wide. Alas.
10’: Donovan takes a corner. Cleared after it bounces off Altidore.
11’: Almost another goal, this time by left back Greg Garza, who made a good run to get behind the defense. Pass didn’t get through.
11’: Injured player for Ecuador. Donovan helps him up. Sportsmanship.
16’: Gyau hurt. Not good. He has a chance to be really good for the U.S. Startlingly fast, like he’s in fast-forward and everyone else is at regular speed. Reminds me of a young DaMarcus Beasley.
17’: Altidore with a chance. Just missed.
20’: Landon steals it! Landon loses it.
20’: Crowd is cheering: “Landon Donovan.”
22’: Landon Cam!
24’: Donovan has it poked out of bounds. Donovan throws it in, ball goes to Altidore, Donovan makes a good run through the middle.
25’: Donovan off the post! Pokes it free from the keeper. Cleared safely. Nice back-heel from Altidore to set up the play.
26’: Landon tries a through ball to Altidore. Blocked
28’: That Guzan fella is pretty good. Three very nice saves in a very short span.
29’: Landon kicked it.
30’: Passes. Supposedly Landon would only play 30. Could come off any minute now.
36’: “Thank you Landon” chants.
37’: Darke says Klinsmann wants Landon to get a goal. I agree. Klinsmann can’t stand still. He keeps fidgeting. He wants this for Donovan.
38’: Klinsmann almost gets his wish. Good ball from Altidore trying to feed Landon. Ball goes wide. Altidore looking for Donovan every time he touches the ball.
Darke: “It just won’t happen for him will it”
41’: And this is it. Donovan comes off to a standing ovation. Darke gushes about him, says Landon made the U.S. want to be something bigger. Donovan shakes hands with Klinsmann. Goosebumps again.
42’: Darke: “Thanks for the memories Landon. And the game moves on.” Interesting double-meaning there Sir Ian.
Halfitime. Darke calls the post hit agonizing.
Donovan comes over to the halftime show’s table.
Bob Ley: You did everything but score
Donovan: Story of my career
Alexi Lalas asks Donovan a stupid cliché question about the moment.
Donovan: We all wish we could experience this all the time. . . We all deserve a night like this.
Donovan on retirement: I’m there. I’m ready.
Donovan said he’s proudest of soccer’s growth in the U.S.
Donovan: The future is bright for U.S. soccer
Donovan on post-retirement plans: “You’ll probably see a lot more of me than you want to in the future.”
And I hope we do, because I thoroughly enjoyed his past. All the goals, all the assists, all the flag-waving and patriotism. It’s a hard thing to be the first person in the U.S. to truly be a star at something, and Donovan handled it with class all the way. The rare athlete who actually let his personality show to the outside world, Donovan let the fans in on the whole Landon Donovan experience. He never was the “soccer-is-the-be-all-end-all” competitive lunatic we wanted him to be, but I think the lunatic would have wilted under the pressure Donovan was under during his career.
Bob Ley, for my money one of the best interviewers out there, finds a soft spot of Donovan’s and goes for it. Landon has never been particularly adept at hiding his emotions.
"You gonna make me cry Bob?"
I’m gonna cry, Landon.
Follow Sam Klomhaus on Twitter @SamKlomhaus
