4.1.13
ASN Morning Read: Americans on the Mend
Injuries can't keep various members of the Stars and Stripes down for long as the gang gets back on the field. Elsewhere, Landon Donovan talks about mental health and a former phenom tries to rise again.
BY
Noah Davis
Posted
April 01, 2013
8:45 AM
Check it: The United States national team is getting healthy. Tim Howard, Timmy Chandler, Fabian Johnson, Danny Williams, Jose Torres, and Edgar Castillo all returned to the field over the weekend. Even Carlos Bocanegra got some PT. Too bad there aren't any World Cup qualifiers for you know like 10 weeks. By that time, everyone can get hurt again. Good stuff.
Speaking of Tim Howard, ASN buddy Steve Davis wonders if an injury to the No. 1 was actually a blessing in disguise since Brad Guzan filled in capably. I'm not so sure. While I'm glad to see that Guzan can stand the pressure of a must-win World Cup match, a goalkeeper controversy is the last thing this team needs. It will all be fine for now, but dark clouds on the horizon perhaps. (That said, we know the U.S. has two capable goalies, which is better than having zero.)
Landon Donovan says injuries to mental health should be treated like injuries to the physical body. Maybe he and Royce White should go on a speaking tour together.
Juan Agudelo gets a little love on ESPN.com. Jason Davis with the words: "If we've learned anything from the impressive improvement and maturation of Jozy Altidore over the course of the last few seasons after a rocky start to his European career, it should be that young players don't always handle 'phenom' status well, and that giving up on them before they prove themselves completely incapable of meeting some of the hype is foolish."
One of the craziest streaks in soccer is over as the Portland Timbers finally take a penalty kick. This has nothing to do with the United States national team, but we find it fun.
