UPDATE: Donovan to stay put

After nearly a month of speculation regarding his winter loan destination, Landon Donovan has ultimately decided to simply rest his weary bones and come into the 2011 MLS season with fresh legs.

The newly-crowned USSF Male Athlete of the Year, who was courted by Everton, Newcastle, and Fulham for three-month loans come the January 1 transfer window, has had virtually no rest since early 2009.  After going the distance that year between LA Galaxy reaching the MLS Cup and the USA national team's Confederations Cup run, Donovan had about a month to breath before a 10-week loan spell in England with Everton, a move that proved to increase his stock tremendously with his performance and popularity.  From there, he jumped right into the 2010 MLS season with LA, and while the league took time off for the World Cup in June, Donovan was busy saving American soccer.  Since LA's 2010 season ended, he's been resting and pondering another loan.

Apparently for Landon, it was either Everton or nothing.  He had way too much fun there to think about going anywhere else.  But, being the constantly selfless American that he is, he's putting LA Galaxy and USMNT first, and that is why he's the best.  Thank you sir, for putting the flag above all, including increased European fame.

Gold Cup venues announced, New England gets shaft?

I don't even know if Gillette Stadium was even in the running to host a Gold Cup match this summer, but it doesn't matter--they're not going to.

The venues were announced today, and for the first time since the tournament switched to odd-numbered years, New England will not see a Gold Cup match (2002 was the last time, and the USMNT has played in Foxborough every tournament since).

First Round
June 5 – Cowboys Stadium (Arlington, TX)
June 6 – The Home Depot Center (Carson, CA)
June 7 – Ford Field (Detroit)
June 9 – Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)
June 10 – FIU Stadium (Miami)
June 11 – Raymond James Stadium (Tampa)
June 12 – Soldier Field (Chicago)
June 13 – Red Bull Arena (Harrison, NJ)
June 14 – KC Soccer Stadium (Kansas City, KS)
Quarterfinals
June 18 – New Meadowlands Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
June 19 – Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (Washington, DC)
Semifinals
June 22 – Reliant Stadium (Houston)
Final
June 25 – Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA)

Another tournament oddity is that the Yanks have been "drawn" in Group B in five out of the last six editions (the US, Canada, and Mexico automatically qualify for the tournament).  So, if history repeats*, the USA group stage games will be in LA, Miami, and New Jersey (small road trip for Nutmeggers).

As pissed as I am about the absence of the Gold Cup in New England this summer, I'm pleased about the selection of venues overall.  They didn't stick exclusively to MLS markets.  Tampa, Charlotte, and Detroit all have lower-division clubs and the potential for growth that can only be aided by the arrival meaningful international games.  Kansas City, who will be among those hosting for the first time, is being further rewarded for their excellent fan-base and new stadium.

Miami, however, is a joke of a sports city and doesn't deserve the consideration they've gotten for a soccer franchise of any kind.  They couldn't keep their first MLS franchise, and not even Lebron James can initiate a guaranteed sellout in that fruitcake resort town.  FIU Stadium is not good enough for the cleats of the same squad that probably has more international appeal than Lebron himself right now.  Yeah, I went there.

The Gold Cup field won't even be complete until next month (Central American qualifying), and the draw isn't for awhile, but I'm excited.  It's about time the Yanks played some meaningful games.

*...and the group stage schedule is played in order (Groups A, B, C, alternating days)

BBC awards Clint Dempsey for Europa wundergoal

The stock of arguably the most popular American athlete in the UK has risen once again.

Fulham and USMNT favorite Clint Dempsey received BBC London's 2010 Sporting Moment of the Year award.  Like, I guess if the ESPYs were on the radio, that would be the equivalent.

The award is for an unbelievable chip-shot goal at home against Juventus in the Round of 16 of last year's Europa League.  Fulham had a 3-1 lead in the 82nd minute (4-4 on aggregate from being flattened in the away leg) when the genius move by Clint put the Cottagers through.  Fulham eventually went on to the tournament final.

Dempsey has become something of a cult figure at The Cottage, and the award further proves why Fulham should try to hang on to him, even despite John Henry's money.  Although I wouldn't hate if one of the most talented Yanks went to ply his trade with a so-called "European power" (I resent Liverpool's reputation purely for recent statistical reasons, but they still remain a large step up from Fulham).

Check out Dempsey's floater here.

Also, USMNT leading scorer and only remaining domestic-based American superstar Landon Donovan has been courted by Everton, Fulham and Newcastle for a winter loan spell.  Donovan spent ten weeks at Everton last off-season where he was met with open arms and immediate success.

I'm actually surprised there haven't been more potential suitors for the runaway USSF Player of the Year nominee.  Despite the fact that his club isn't an international superpower, it can't be questioned that he's as good as anyone on the field right now.  LA Galaxy and MLS will be asking for a ton of cash for the loan, but I find it a bit odd that no more clubs have been willing to empty their pockets for an available superstar as the highest European leagues approach midseason.  The transfer window opens January 1.  Expect an update on our boy, in between my Fiesta Bowl pints.

USA robbed of World Cup 2022

You'd think they won it already.

The State of Qatar, a small Arab country the size of Connecticut but with half the population, with plans to host the world's largest sporting event within a 40-mile radius in 120-degree summer heat, handily beat out the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Australia to host the '22 World Cup, by what turned out to be a landslide.

It took them until the final round of voting to obtain an absolute majority over the US, but they pulled it off.  The 22 ExComm members decided to risk it for the sake of international growth, Middle Eastern exposure, what have you.  Qatar kicked everyone's ass in all rounds of voting.  We didn't stand a chance.

I'm not sure it's right (yet) to question the cleanliness and legality of what happens behind closed doors before the voting.  Nigeria and Tahiti both saw important executives banned from the sport a few weeks ago over voting bribes, and the BBC has told us this week that this is not a new phenomenon.  However, I would love to learn in the coming days the reasons why the Qatari walked away with the bid so easily.

I assumed Japan and Korea wouldn't get it, seeing as there would have been a mere 20-year gap between tournaments in either nation.  Australia, while the sport has grown wildly since their new league started five years ago and boasting a dangerously talented national team, probably couldn't show the money, infrastructure, or support required to beat out some heavy hitters.

Voting-wise, it was the US vs. four Asian federations.  Of the 22 ExComm members who haven't been denounced as human beings, three come from CONCACAF, four from the AFC.  The US and Qatar were both represented.  The other 15 bodies have no genuine interest, because their nations or confederations aren't competing for the bid. At least ten of the 22 voted for Qatar in all four rounds.  Blows my fucking mind.  I'm missing something.

Desecration of the trophy.

I understand that the tiny little shit of a country has a ton of money.  Financially, they will have zero problem paying for what they need to pull this thing off 12 years from now.  I just don't know if it's physically possible.  They have little room to work with, and plan to play in 12 different stadiums (seven of which don't exist yet, the rest need to be renovated).  I can't imagine the event actually fitting there.  Drinking alcohol outside of closed doors is nationally forbidden (although they promise reserved spaces to do so).  They have a typical Arab stance on women (which obviously is a matter of religion and such, but can you imagine Burqas being ripped off in the midst of a mob of wasted Dutchmen?).  And their national team?  Currently ranked 113th in the world, 16th in Asia (a confederation recently given just 4 1/2 spots to the World Cup).  And you thought North Korea was bad.

It's a shame.  The growth potential in the US is definitely the largest.  We have the money and the political backing.  When you think about the unbelievable things it could do for the state of the sport here, it's pure torture to lose out on that chance.  It's different now then it was in 1994.  The pros of winning the bid would far outweigh those that came to fruition 16 years ago.

And now we sit, hoping for another shot at the best thing that could happen to American soccer, short of winning it all.

Congrats to the Russians for bagging 2018.  I thought Spain/Portugal had it for sure, but today's been full of surprises, I guess.

I'm off to Bertucci's to drown my sorrows.

CONCACAF Gold Cup

After surviving the final group stage and reaching the semifinals of the Caribbean Championship--Cuba, Grenada, Jamaica, and non-FIFA Guadeloupe will all be joining the Yanks in next summer's Gold Cup.  However, Cuba failed to field a team last year, so if it happens again, Trinidad might have a shot at escaping their current embarrassment.