"...You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it..." - Bane, comic book super villain, probable soccer fan, unintentional sports philosopher.
It's not easy trying to find the positve(s) right now. The team is searching for answers by way of different formations, lineups, starters, but the results have remained the same. What struck me after this most recent loss to Chicago was the demeanor of the younger guys on the team, and it made me ruminate on the (painful reality) that Chris Wondolowski won't play forever. Wondo has been the unquestioned leader of this team for quite some time now, and will go down as the greatest San Jose Earthquake of all time. He has led by example, by performance, and by being the most visibly reactive player on the field at all times. No one gets fired up for someone else's goal like number eight does. No one has the ability to impact a game like Wondo does, especially in the attacking third, when you need someone who is calm above all else. Wondo was calm as could be, and of course set up Hoesen for his seventh goal of the season, to give San Jose a chance in Saturday's loss. But what about life after Wondolowski? I don't think he's going anywhere anytime soon, but a day will come when he decides to hang 'em up. That's why I took note of Nick Lima's demeanor after the "L" in Chicago. I've seen every second Nick Lima has played as a professional, and he's never been one to be lacking in the visible emotion category. He shows it when he's fired up, ticked off, euphoric, dissenting, approving, digging deep, etc. The way he looked after he loss to the Fire was different though. He looked like he seemed to take it personally, like it was his fault. You can view this as martyrdom or leadership, and it is indeed a fine line, but it made me think of other Bay Area champions like Steph Curry, Joe Montana, Tim Lincecum, who all had to endure through tough times. They were enveloped in the darkness of losing and it's culture, but eventually they were (a huge, huge part of) the reason the team began to win, and their performances never faltered from one end of the spectrum, losing, to the other, dynasty. I am not trying to put Lima on some ladder of ascension, as Ronnie Lott was just as important a leader as Joe Montana, or Draymond Green as important as Steph Curry, and an offensive player is more typically what a franchise and a fan base focus on, but the hard times, and the adversity they provide, are what form the mentalities of tomorrow's champions. Losing will make or break you. The champion Houston Astros were born of losses. The Sacramento Kings are currently defined by their losses, just like the Warriors were - until they weren't. I am looking at Lima, and Wehan, and Ockford, Quintana, Yueill, Thompson to all turn into the leaders of tomorrow, as it is never just one man that turns the tide. It is a team effort, highlighted by the performances of those that man the vanguard.
That is that:
Danny Hoesen was predicted by Chris Wondolowski to be a guy that would firmly be in contention for the Golden Boot race, and there his, tied for fifth most goals scored this season with seven put in the back of the net. He's scoring goals at a rate of greater than 50% of his appearances this year, and remains a bright spot.
Florian Jungwirth continues to be whatever the team needs him to be, and this past week it was at left back again. With Shea Salinas going down to injury in the early goings of the match (get well soon, Shea), Flo moved over, Alashe came in, and the team put their heads down and battled on.
It was fun finally being able to broadcast Bastian Schweinsteiger. When Chicago came to town last year, Schweini was out with an injury. Father Time's clock keeps ticking on the German legend, but he still has something left in the tank, some bad passes aside.
LAFC brings their show to town this weekend, and I am excited for it. One, it will be the first chapter in a new SoCal rivalry, and two, while they have been off to a very good start, I have primarily been waiting for their lack of depth to come to light. The calendar has given way to June, and I have been waiting to see what happens to this LAFC squad as the bumps, bruises, and minutes add up. I don't question their talent, as they are without a doubt talented, well organized, and well structured, but the grind of the Major League Soccer season has just begun.
The LAFC match is also "Pride Night" at Avaya Stadium. As a man born and raised in the Bay Area and its inherent diversity, I love seeing every aspect of that culture on display on Pride Night, and every other match at Avaya. #WeAreSanJose is more than a hashtag to me, and speaks to what we represent as a culture, fan base and franchise.
Go Quakes!
