The on-field battles between the Los Angeles Galaxy and New York Red Bulls include some of MLS' marquee names, but the off-field war of words between Landon Donovan and Luke Rodgers is arguably just as entertaining.
After their regular-season meeting in May, Donovan was criticized by Rodgers for complaining to officials too much and failing to shake Thierry Henry's hand after the game. Donovan responded to those remarks with a subtle "I'm confused, who is Luke Rogers?" tweet.
Following a chippy Western Conference semifinal first leg that ended with Rafa Marquez throwing the ball at Donovan after the final whistle and a postgame skirmish breaking out, Donovan told reporters, "In all my years in this league I've never played against a cheaper team, and they've been doing it all year."
A couple of days later, Rodgers has his response.
"We're not a cheap team," Rodgers said on a conference call with reporters on Wednesday. "If calling a team cheap is the will to win and tackling and putting everything into the game, I don't call it a cheap team."
After defending his side, Rodgers made sure to include a little dig at the Galaxy, as well.
"People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones," Rodgers said. "A lot of their players were doing the same things."
Rodgers referred to hard tackling throughout the match and he specifically mentioned a gash on New York left back Roy Miller's leg that was the result of a challenge from David Beckham. Nevertheless, Rodgers did not make excuses one way or another, instead just calling the physical style and trash talking part of playoff soccer.
"No one's moaning here," Rodgers said. "I don't understand why everyone's complaining. I personally just think it's part of the game. I don't think anyone expects two big teams with players that really want to win just have it be a really pretty game and shake hands after the game. Certain things will get said. In my eyes, it's part of football."
The two teams meet Thursday night at the Home Depot Center with the Galaxy nursing a 1-0 aggregate lead.
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What do you make of Rodgers' comments? How do you see Thursday night's match playing out?
Share your thoughts below.
Guru your own A$S.
I just can’t top that.
Rugby is not garbage. You should have watched the world cup this past month.
Diving???? Seriously? Franklin clearly clipped Rodgers’ leg. Albeit accidentally it was a breakaway opportunity and should have been a yellow.
LA are a bunch of whiners and are always “poor us” all the time.
NY likes to hit you when you’re not looking. Ghetto style almost.
I think we’re about even when it comes to dirty play.
Loving the passion for which both sides are fighting.
Thursday is going to be intense. This is what playoff soccer is all about.
Let’s go Red Bulls!
Again, if you don’t see the difference between yelling on the field, during the competition, in the faces of opposing players, and airing your grievances post-game to the media, you’re hopeless.
BTW this whole thing started when Rodgers criticized Donovan for complaining to officials (in a post-game interview). Now we see that he does the exact same thing.
New York is cheap! (please see Rafa Marquez for more info) If Donovan wants to call them out post-game so be it…let NY step up in the game and shut him up with thier play (they won’t). You criticize Donovan for what Henry and Rodgers do just as much. Maybe not to the media, but they yell and cry to the refs (and anyone who will listen) just as much as Donovan and Beckham do.
Be it on the field or post game, whining is bitching when a call or situation doesn’t go your way.
Your definition is very narrow minded.
If you think that a player yelling angrily on the field is the same as another guy whining to the media post-game about a team being “cheap”, then no amount of explanation can enlighten you.
please define it for me, oh enlightened one.
Amen
the interesting thing here that both sides complaints seem perfectly valid.
Henry and Marquez are dirty, (sort of in different ways) Donavan is a whiny little girl, Becks is – well no need to go on really right?
But to suggest that we should stop honoring Landon – probably the best US soccer talent ever- is just silly.
now if you want to keep score, i think MArquez is really trashy, and Henry is the worst kind of dirty(taking shots when your back is turned, then actsLuke on the othedr hand is what you might call the “good kind” of dirty- hard tackles, playing all out, maybe going a bit too far at times but nothing sneaky about him.
if you had to say who was dirtier, no contest- NY by far.
Thanks for your contribution
Thank you for demonstrating that you don’t know what the word “whine” means. Everyone can now safely ignore your comments.
Donovan does complain too much, but Red Bulls are a bunch of idiots, from Backe and Soler down to Marquez, Henry, Ro(d)gers, Rost… they are a disgrace to the league.
the comments in here are as entertaining as this whole LA vs. NY thing!
To put some of New York’s players’ gamesmanship on the same level of the thuggery of other MLS teams is rich. Landon, you seem like a good guy and I love your contributions for USA, but you are a whiny little man.
Your comment is outrageous. He grabbed him by the throat. The video shows that along with the “freeze frame” aka screenshot.
You’re a turd, leave the Internet….
so he just whines louder and with more profantity…got it…now it makes total sense.
Pull your head out of your rectum, dude.
You need to take your meds.
I’m rubber, you’re glue! Na, Na, na boo-boo.
Galaxy fans are soar losers.
Sincerely, next door neighbor.
So by what you are telling us, LD should not be honored for what he has done for the US and The MLS. Because…he whines…and he let you down for not competing for a spot in europe. Is that about the size of it?
Theres quite a bit of hate going on in your post Guru. No one is perfect. I am sure that everyone has something going on with them personality-wise that just rubs people the wrong way. However, doesnt mean we shouldnt acknowledge their accomplishments.
LD may rub people the wrong way…however, you can’t take away what he has accomplished throughout his career. He may have not chased european success like others however, he certainly has cemented his place Domestically. What wrong with that?
Don’t hate…it just never ends well.
Yelling does not equal whining. Sorry. Seriously, in what universe is telling someone to “ef” off whining?
I have love for both Us and Mexican national teams…I have seen quite a bit of games from Rafa and I think we can be just a little bit honest with ourselves and admit that…Marquez is always one tumble, header, elbow and 50-50 ball away from a cheap-shot.
You said it for me. Thanks.
+1
It was a ridiculous dive. Anyone with eyes could see that
Did you watch the game? You think Rodgers doesn’t whine out there? He’s constantly – constantly – yelling and bitching to the ref. How many times did he yell at the ref to “ef” off? Should have been carded. He’s a thug in a soccer uniform.
everyone associated with NYRB can run their mouths once they win a cup of any significance. so until then shut it. you have punks up and down the roster. Henry, Marquez, Rodgers to name a few. The most tolerable guys are the ones that never see the field. cant wait to see your team pissing and moaning back to new york after the game tomorrow night
Fair. I wouldn’t use “we” though. These comment sections are rife with Galaxy fans claiming Juninho didn’t do anything.
I personally am not a fan of post-game red cards at all, but whatever happened happened.
Look at Luke’s career, his honors, awards, trophies, England appearances, wait,
don’t look.
You are absolutely ridiculous.
Of course he doesn’t get in Marquez’s face. He’s not going to instigate something; he’s keeping a cool head out there. Before Marquez threw the ball at him, Donovan was ALREADY walking to the ref to shake hands, as he does after every game. Marquez hits him with the ball, he still continues his walk to the ref, to shake hands. Of course he didn’t want confrontation – he doesn’t want red-carded out of the next leg. It’s called being a captain and being smart.
Landon, after you saw Rodgers take Saunders into the goal net, you must know that Luke is a hockey player without a stick, and you’re lucky Henry and Luke don’t carry.
I’m a Galaxy fan and Juninho deserves the red card. Cristman deserves one too for shoving Marquez in the back. We don’t refuse to admit anything.
Uh… that’s exactly what I was saying.
Wait… did you actually not get that that comment was sarcastic? Really? Wow.
kpugs, I think you just described Marquez. As he was the one that took the dive when nobody actually hit him.
I have no idea what you’re even trying to say
Uh, OK. OJ. Right.
Yeah, Rodgers was whining all over the place in those comments.
Moron.
that doesn’t even make sense, a loss is a loss if you weren’t so bias, lol
Guru my @ss
Henry does take cheap shots, I am first to admit it as a NY fan. He clearly has a chip on his shoulder and red carding him and embarassing him is the best way to get him to stop.
Rodgers is a physical player but the guy can score. Talking him down doesn’t help your point.
Marquez isn’t a cheap shot artist. He is a very good player who has his low moments, but those are mostly dives.
Donovan’s attitude is annoying, as is his way of handling these situations. Which is, to play aloof even when he didn’t really contribute all that much to the game.
for the effn joke hold, or is that what your into? 🙂
don’t forget about Keels theatrical performance too, lol
and OJ didn’t do it.
Delusional.
I think you mean band of winners, since the Galaxy are gonna control things back at the HDC. The real whiners are Rodgers, Marquez, and Henry.
David Beckham is as guilty as anyone of nasty play and he almost always gets away with it.
I despise NYRB as much as anyone but LA is just as bad, worse because they whine when they get their own medicine.
That last comment was totally classy. You come across as “whiny little punk” after that post.
Galaxy win 3-0 on aggregate and shut New York up.
+1