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Must-See Tweet: Mike Magee

MageeDonovan (Getty)

By IVES GALARCEP

There were thousands of tweets dedicated to Landon Donovan breaking the MLS goal-scoring record on Sunday, but none was quite as perfect as Mike Magee’s.

The reigning MLS MVP delivered a tweet that both supported his good friend and former teammate, and also served as the perfect parody of the infamous anti-Donovan tweet levied by Jon Klinsmann, son of U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, last Thursday after Donovan was left off the U.S. World Cup roster.

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The tweet is probably not going to earn Magee any future USMNT looks, but it certainly won him brownie points from all the USMNT still unhappy about Donovan’s World Cup exclusion.

What did you think of Magee’s tweet? Bad tweet, good tweet or best tweet ever?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Mike Magee can tweet and laugh all he wants but he will never represent the USMNT. He would be a cancer in the locker room. Maybe he knows this and he doesn’t care but either way, his tweet shows a total lack of class, respect, forethought and self-restraint. It’s like applying for a job at a company and mocking the hiring manager on Twitter ahead of the hiring decision. What a fool. Perhaps he thinks he is the American Mario Balotelli and can get away with committing random acts of sheer stupidity. The only difference being, of course, that Balotelli has talent at the international level.

    Reply
  2. It seems the tweet burned a lot more people other than Jonathan Klinsmann; the “omg so immature” crowd is so pathetic

    Which makes it more hilarious.

    Reply
    • And by calling us pathetic you kinda miss the point that insulting people and mocking them is rude…

      It was rude to Donovan and doing back doesn’t exactly show the kid that he was wrong. It just shows him that he chose the wrong target.

      Reply
      • JK fanboys holding it down here as always here on SBI. You can tell my the utter humorlessness in everything they post.

  3. A day late, a dollar short…totally trifle tweet. So, everyone has to get in on the action, eh? What is this? the Rikki Lake Show?

    Wow, this is truly amateur hour!

    Yeah, Jurgen and the 23 WC players are shaking in their boots over Landons goals against one of the worst of MLS. Sad but true. I cant believe the pedestal everyone puts landon on. he’s done well, great player…not the messiah!

    IMO, I prefer Michael Bradley’s approach… Yes, let’s “shut the door on this”, indeed and stop embarrassing yourselves!

    Reply
    • “So, everyone has to get in on the action, eh? What is this? the Rikki Lake Show?”

      Are you not familiar with how twitter works?

      Reply
  4. How about negative one and a positive one. I’ll be honest and say that I’ve never been so uncertain as to how we’ll do in a World Cup, so one of eah is appropriate:

    Positive:
    “HAHAHA Portugal HAHAHA I DIDNT EVEN NOTICE YOU FORGOT TO SCOUT the USA again UNTIL MY PHONE NOTIFIED ME HAHAHA”?

    Negative:
    “HAHAHA USA HAHAHA WE DIDNT EVEN NOTICE WE’RE STILL GHANA’S BITCH UNTIL OUR PHONES NOTIFIED US HAHAHA”?

    Reply
    • I’d like to say that the last time we went into a WC with this type of mindset was 2002. In 90 we were lucky enough to qualify, in 94 we were gifted a respectable performance, in 98 we had expectations that went totally unfulfilled. 2002 was an unknown and we carried some relatively unknown players who did quite well for themselves. After that, we went into the next two with high hopes and were crushed. Now, because of the “shocking” roster choices, we are going in with a similar mindset to the 2002 team.

      Reply
      • Brett,

        Another way to look at this is the Donovan factor.

        2002 Donovan great US great.
        2006 Donovan accused of disappearing US not so great.
        2010 Donovan on fire, US do well

        So if you believe this stuff Donovan was due for a bad one. More likely, it had to do not so much with LD as with the lack of US depth not allowing them to sustain consecutive good World Cup appearances.

        Everyone has been touting the increased US depth due mostly to the dual nationals and non US products like Howard, Guzan, Dempsey, Bradley, Bedoya, Cameron,etc. .

        So maybe this time it is different.

  5. It’s amazing how much importance is given a tweet. For Jonathan Klinsmann it’s juvenile foolishness, for Magee it’s maybe sour grapes. I hope the fans are going to applaud any great soccer action. There is really no place for more snide remarks. I am glad Donovan scored his two goals yesterday, and I hope that the USMNT does well in the World Cup. Other than that, I have to say that I don’t envy Klinsmann for having to make the kinds of difficult decisions it takes to make the US team as successful as they can be.

    Reply
    • That’s why he’s getting paid the big bucks.
      The jury is still out on JK, for sure. However, making decisions simply to placate the fanboys does not lead to growth.

      Reply
  6. Donovan took the man’s road by saying he wanted to put this behind him as soon as possible. Lame move on Mike’s part.

    Reply
  7. How utterly juvenile…it’s bad enough we have fans lauding this sort of thing, but to make it the subject of an actual article on an otherwise reputable soccer news site? Terrible decision Ives.

    Reply
  8. In other, positive news…

    Frankfurt and Suttgart are bidding for our potential right back.

    Another potential right/left/back or mid is slated to join BMG. Jozy has a real chance to get off the snide, or maybe even land at a new club.

    The BEASE is playing at a new position in his 4th World Cup. Go Beas!

    Tim Howard can cement his legend with a stellar showing.

    Geoff Cameron can prove he belongs among the top EPL defenders by shutting these teams down.

    If that works, we probably also see Belser courted by a few clubs over seas.

    The Deuce is lose and in form. Always fun.

    Congrats to Bedoya for an outstanding move to Nantes. Good player, great guy, so I’m happy for him.

    San Zusi is validated for his years of work.

    I could gush about Wondo for hours, and I think everyon knows his story by now, but… WONDO!!!
    Talk about a rags to riches type story everyone SHOULD be behind.

    And MICHAEL FREEKING BRADLEY… our general should acquit himself and our nation well on the world stage.

    With a good cup, AJ moves beyond AZ. I can’t wait to see him up top with either Deuce or Jozy.

    Brad Davis… great attitude man! Killer left foot too. Ok, ok. But seriously, good for him.

    Omar… keep smiling bud, but stay focused, because there is a 20-yo beast of a Bundesliga defender gunning for your spot.

    Reply
  9. I think one big reason that Klinsmann took Brooks, Green, Johannson, and Diskerud is to send a message to the US dual-national prospects out there that if he courts you, he will take you to the world cup. I think its a play to increase recruiting. It’ll help lock up Zelalem and others.

    Reply
  10. I don’t know what it say’s about my maturity level or Mike Magee’s but I just looked at the tweet again, it’s still funny!!!!! You guys may be overthinking this

    Reply
    • +1

      i really don’t think magee was trying to make a comment about klinsmann or the usmnt at all; just using a topical joke to praise donovan.

      Reply
  11. I think we’ve got us a fun World Cup meme now:

    HAHAHAHAHAHA BRAD DAVIS HAHAHAHAHA I DIDNT EVEN NOTICE HE WAS SUBBED IN BECAUSE WE’RE DOWN 2 AGAINST PORTUGAL UNTIL MY PHONE NOTIFIED ME 🙂 🙂 🙂 HAHA

    HAHAHAHAHAHA BRAD DAVIS HAHAHAHAHA MY PHONE NOTIFIED ME THAT MANUEL NEUER IS QUAKING IN HIS BOOTS AT THE THOUGHTS OF BRAD’S LEFT FOOT 🙂 🙂 🙂 HAHA

    Reply
    • What’s with all the negative nancy stuff? How about “HAHAHA JULIAN GREEN HAHAHA I DIDNT EVEN NOTICE HE SCORED AGAINST GHANA UNTIL MY PHONE NOTIFIED ME HAHAHA”?

      Reply
  12. Classless. I’ve said all that can be said about Jurgen’s decision, and this further proves I am correct.

    If you are happy for this, you are at the ripe mental age of 12, and I’m glad there is no one like you anywhere near our team. Grow up. Move on. Support our boys. USA!!!

    Reply
  13. Well, we certainly are showing a 17-year-old teenage boy how much more clever we all are, aren’t we?

    I mean, it (Magee’s tweet) is funny, but what’s being built up around it might be a bit much, don’t you think?

    Reply
    • Mr. Madsen,

      When I’m with my closest friends and family I say all sorts of awful and horrendous ( but true) things about the people I work with. Even the ones I like. A lot of that is just venting. I’m sure they could say just as many bad things about me. .

      So I suspect Jon Klinsmann probably does have some insight into SOME PART of his dad’s true feeling about LD but that is a long way from knowing exactly why JK fired LD.
      I’d love to know what gossip Jon Klinsmann can tell us about the rest of the team and the staff and Sunil but hopefully he has learned his lesson.

      But I still work with the people I vented about because its business; its not personal.

      Besides, I don’t expect my friends and family to broadcast my rants to the national media.

      Maybe you do the same thing. And maybe most of us do.
      And just maybe we don’t all have dumkopf kids.

      Reply
      • It’s no secret that Klinsmann challenged his players to play at higher levels. Only a simpleton failed to see the true target of that comment. Landon thought he had the power based on his history and profile among the fans, but Klinsmann has shown that no one is above the manager and that effort, fitness, and form will be rewarded.

        Donovan can stay at his level. The rest of our boys are moving up.

      • the simpleton takes what Jurgen says as gospel; if anything, we’ve learned he’ll say whatever he wants to say in the moment to the media and then do whatever he wants to do later

        that’s fine, he’s the coach, I mean that, but call a spade a spade.

        And if it’s effort, fitness and form then LD should be in…must be something else imo

      • Landon’s decline in fitness has been well established. His form was unremarkable except for his own reports of looking good in camp (I expect the other players looked good as well). His effort is ephemeral. I think other players are far more hungry than he is. They love the game, live and breathe it. They don’t lose interest in it when they get a little overwhelmed.

        When JK says he wants his players to play at the highest levels, why should I not believe him? It seems logical and in service of his ultimate goal. The best national teams have players who play in top leagues. MLS is substandard football, and so Landon’s skills are not sharpened against great competition but only practiced against easy opposition. He shreds up CONCACAF and teams like Slovenia, but what has he done against Ghana or Germany? When was the last time he impressed against a powerhouse?

      • so you haven’t been watching his form and fitness get better and better week after week, also well documented. Cherry picking your evidence…very effective

        and now bringing past performances in to discuss reasons he’s not included? it’s about today, remember? who is the simpleton?

      • LD’s return to form must have been too little too late. Combine that with JK’s frequent harping on about mental toughness and drive and you have an explanation for why JK cut him.

      • Ad hominem attacks are always a constructive way of making a point. Can you tell me what is inaccurate about what I wrote?

      • I also mentioned it as AN explanation. Is it the one and only one that works for me? Apparently you think so. I’m glad you know me so well.
        It is actually possible for human beings to contemplate more than one idea/theory at a time without having a definitive answer, especially when so much is based on speculation and gossip.

  14. Somewhere, Klinsmann is stroking a cat and laughing maniacally. He’s incited exactly the reaction he wanted.

    Donovan included = almost no one talking about World Cup
    Donovan excluded = everyone talking about World Cup

    I love the edge this puts on the team, and at minimal cost. Donovan was a great player, our best to date, but let’s be totally honest—-two or three years ago, when Dempsey was balling in England and Bradley was getting settled in Italy, nearly every US Soccer fan was bashing Donovan for shrinking behind his MLS contract and taking his soul searching vacations to find the spiritual courage to kick a ball around.

    His form for club and country was spotty and age had robbed him of what made him the type of player who could actually play for a Bayern Munich level club and captain his national team. An aging Donovan is still a good player, but the sun was setting on his career and Klinsmann called him out on it. Donovan responded by helping the team qualify, not a null achievement, but if we’re going to win the tournament we can’t expect to rely on older players struggling to grip their “passion for the sport” as they disappear in big games.

    Donovan has had a very good World Cup career, but also a very mixed one. For every exciting goal there’s a 90 minute ghost act to follow it. He’s proven repeatedly incapable of being a threat against Ghana in particular.

    His one final saving grace was his versatility. As a forward/midfielder he provided an aggressive option to play out wide, centrally, or up top. But now he is, by his own admission, not fit enough to put in the work load of a midfielder or winger.

    In a forward, I want youth and technical ability in tight spaces over speed, and wingers need to be able to run for days. So when you have players like Johannsson (the guy who really took Landon’s playing spot) and Green (selected for upside) who match or exceed the player’s speed and provide superior ball control in the box, why not pull the trigger?

    Reply
    • The problem is no one really knows… I do think it was personal but more like Jurgen just doesnt like LD’s attitude. If he talks a lot like he does in that interview, its going to annoy any coach. I would want LD there but I dont consider it pure insanity that he isn’t.

      If you keep LD, you lose Wondo.I was happy for Wondo and he worked his ass off…so what now.

      If you say. Cut a midfielder you cut Davis. Here im okay with it but as we see with the Galaxy it isnt his place anymore. He just scored as a forward.

      This isnt as black and white as people act like it is…

      Reply
    • +1…. most fans commenting around social media still think of Donovan as the 2002/2010 (he sucked in 2006)… these fans probably dont know t he 2014 Donovan.

      Reply
      • He was downright excellent in 2002, but as you say 2006 was bad all around. I would even add that 2010 wasn’t great. He was all but invisible against England and Ghana. That goal against Slovenia was top shelf, but that was the weakest team in the group. The Algeria goal was obviously huge and emotional, but it was just a tap in. That game should have been in hand but for Dempsey’s bad luck.

        JK saw it right away. Dempsey is the man, even if Landon racks up the goals. Right from the start his plan was to sacrifice Landon at the altar to boost Dempsey’s role. Dempsey is the one with the true belief. Landon withered against every challenge in his career. He ran from Leverkusen, played with deference in his Munich stint, and I don’t believe for a second that he couldn’t have negotiated or forced his way out of MLS to play for Everton if he REALLY wanted it. He even said he felt he had “proven” himself at that point. I think Klinsmann disagreed.

        Donovan has always felt comfortable in the small pond, where he’s always one of the best players on the field. That will happen in CONCACAF, and maybe against some teams in the World Cup, but not the ones that matter—-and certainly none of the ones in our group.

    • oh thank god for klinsmann! sure, we might suck even worse without having donovan available on the bench. sure, we might end up having dempsey take our penalties. but hey, at least more people are talking about the world cup (maybe, who knows)!

      keep it up, klinsi, you’re doing a heckuva job!

      Reply
      • Assuming Donovan would “feel” like playing when he came on.

        He’s not doing anything against the level of competition we will face. Stop clinging to the past. Dempsey sucks at PKs, but I suspect Jurgen will bring that famous German PK training to Brazil. It’s not like Landon has never missed one.

      • “He’s not doing anything against the level of competition we will face.”

        is that a requirement now? so i guess we’re only taking howard, cameron, and…fabian, brooks, and chandler, maybe? sh!t, is that it?

        either way, i’m not sure what that has to do with the fact that more people (maybe!) are talking about the world cup now. i mean, that’s what klinsmann was hired for, right?

    • Very good post Brett, especially your first point about it generating more interest in the U.S. I hadn’t thought of that. But one correction, Landon proved in Munich that he was not the type of player that could play for Bayern Munich.

      At first I was surprised, but after I looked into it, reading Donovan’s statements, like those about himself and what he said about Julian Green for instance, I think the coaches made the right decision and the usmnt is now better because of it. And don’t forget, Klinsmann did not make the decisions on the 23 all by himself. He would have before if he had only Vasquez but that was changed.

      You can see it in his interviews. Before that it was always I, now in his interviews he is saying, I and the other coaches, we coaches.

      Reply
    • Excellent comment – well presented. I cringed when I saw that interview where Donovan says he can’t train for 12 days anymore – 12 days won’t even take hi through the first round of the WC. Not to mention the heat and humidity. His cut from the roster was a ticking bomb when I heard that.

      Reply
      • Yup. And his performance in the Mexico friendly was the nail in the coffin for me. He WAS trying in that game, an it still wasn’t good enough. Rafa Marquez and El Tri’s B team midfield silenced a fresh LD off the bench.

      • As I’ve said, I would not have brought Davis. I would have taken Corona over Davis, as Corona is faster, younger, and more versatile than either Davis or (wait for it…) Donovan.

        But, if attitude is the determining factor, then yes, Davis over Donovan. Almost anyone over Donovan.

      • Brad Davis and Landon were not competing for the same position. Davis is there to provide left footed service from the midfield if we have a tactical advantage in the air. When I saw him in the 30 I knew he would make it. I think JK hoped that Fabian and Beasley would work out on the left but I think that experiment has run its course.

        Donovan was competing for a shadow forward spot, presumably with Johannsson, and Green. He “lost” his spot to those two, not Brad Davis. If you’re wondering why, just look at what those two players offer in comparison to Donovan.

      • I think Brad Davis has just failed to show anything with the chances he’s got. South Korea were running circles around him.

      • It was definitely a bit sobering. Him not starting was shocking enough, but we scored without him. I thought for sure he was gonna score when he came on.

      • The fact that CR7 “probably never even saw the tweet” makes it that much better. This is a 3-4th choice right back telling the best player in the world that he got off easy by not playing against him. Its called sarcasm. And it was spot-on amazing. Magee’s tweet was piling on a stupid teenager, low hanging fruit. Its like hearing a comedian make fun of the Backstreet Boys.

  15. Great. Just friggin great. Turns out the Mike Magee model now has a clever sense of humor, too.

    You know I… I uh… I just…the thing is… I CAN’T BELIEVE WE BOUGHT THE ROBBIE ROGERS!!!!

    Maybe we can get store credit or something?

    Reply
    • Who cares? It was a funny tweet meant to support his good friend. It’d be just as relevant if I said your comment was stupid because Mike Magee has had a better career than you have.

      Reply
    • And Klinsmann has been fired from every coaching job he’s ever had. This one is pending. We’ll see how brilliant he is in the third scrimmage against Nigeria.

      BTW… I truly home the fans give JK a resounding BOO when he shows up on the field

      Reply
      • Jose Morinho has been fired a few times too but I don’t think that takes away from his greatness and you’re suggesting we boo our own guys? Thats the most ridiculous B.S I’ve ever heard, I’d understand if we Booed them for playing bad but booing the coach for not including your favorite player is just stupid. its the national team not the Donovan team.

      • Duke,

        You are wrong.

        JK was fired only by Bayern Munich.

        He left Germany even though they wanted him to stay

        Go down the list of managers that Bayern Munich have fired in the last 10-15 years. JK has some pretty elite company.

  16. Magee’s rage is just the tip of the iceberg. Getting hot for Jurgen now. People are going to start talking with the full story of what players have had to deal with during three years of Klinsmann gibberish and incomptence. This is going to make the Brian Straus story seem like a puff piece.

    Reply
    • Goodson, coming out saying Jurgan refused to say why he was cut, Parkhurst saying he knew his 23 before they walked in, Brad Evans saying he played center back while in camp.

      Reply
      • You guys are all so much smarter than the man who is literally a world cup legend. Stop being so butt hurt its a good thing that the USMNT talant pool is Noe deep enough to leave off a declining legend.

      • Sorry damn,…something is wrong here. I have been an unwavering supporter of Klinsman up now,…but can’t help conclude that “something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

        Bruce Arena summed it up beautifully when he said,…”if we have 23 players better than Landon Donovan,…then we can win the World Cup.”

      • Everyone keeps using this “better than 23 statement” because it sounds more dramatic.
        Last time I checked,
        3 Keepers, 8 defenders, 4 center mids..
        At least make it a valid “best 8 attacking options” statement.. or is that not dramatic enough…

      • Arena has always been a pompous @ss.

        it’s not 23! he cannot play goalkeeper, center back, outside back or box-to-box center midfield. He might play 10 behind the 9, but definitely the wings or maybe striker. There are 4 positions he can play. So essentially, are there 8 players better than him (2 per position for cover) is the question. Depending how you want those positions to be played (maybe/maybe not).

        Given all this, I would have taken him, but he does not need a hold up play to play forward and has lost the speed to cover (defensively) on the flanks. I would have brought him on as a forward sub in the last 20 to change the game, but that has not been his game (and actually Wondo has looked good at that – even he said so).

        Skill-wise he belongs, but fit-wise, I could see leaving him off. This is coming from a BIG Donovan supporter. I can’t stand it when people call him landycakes.

      • LD has lost his speed to cover? straight up BS. Fitness? are you watching him play? I don’t think so if you’re holding on to the ‘he’s not fit’ lie

      • No.. I was saying Ditto to the part about “don’t use the best 23” phrase, because I’d just gotten finished saying it…
        Nothing more.. it was a joke..
        Like I said above, be accurate in the assessment and say “one of the best 8 attacking options”

      • 1990 was 24 years ago.

        And I do not find his third place finish as a coach (on home soil) to be impressive as the rest of yous people.

        Then again everything will be fine for Klinsmann and the USMNT if WONDO STARTS.

      • It’s hysterical when people use the phrase “butt hurt” as is it shows their pre-occupation with the anus. It speaks for itself about your psyche, fear and judgement. We look forward to you using the phrase again and again showing exactly where you’re at psychologically.

      • Goodson says he wasn’t told why he was cut
        Parkie says he thought JKs mind was made up
        Evans said he only played Center Back…
        Donovan cut as a forward but the midfielder discussion still unanswered from everyone…

        Is it too myopic to think that just maybe these decisions have something to do with tactical/formation decisions based on our opponents and JK wanted it kept in house till he had his 23?
        Or his he just the Devil….

      • LD doesn’t fit into tactical/formational things we want to do? What are you talking about? He’s probably the most versatile player in the pool up top both formationally and positionally

        come on people

      • For more info (just not talkin outta my butt) go to the thread Cameron Coy on his position and go to the bottom…
        Once again, just raising the possibility…

      • I’m glad you’re here Bac whether we agree or not. Fun to discuss these things with you

        and no, not the Devil, just a man evidently

      • yeah…he would have been the 4th choice CB, who almost never plays: (in order) Besler, Cameron, Gonzalez, Brooks.

      • Right now, he’s better than Brooks, and Cameron should be at RB, so really Goodson could have been a starter.

      • No he’s not get this right. Brooks plays at a higher level than Goodson. In Goodson 32 years of life he’s never player a game in the top 3 leagues in the world. Brooks has! Goodson is also older and on the decline. At his best in 2010 he couldn’t beat out an injured Gooch.

      • Goodson looks great on the Quakes, because he posts up in the box and Big Vic runs up.

        Goodson is a greater liability on the run… giraffe on stilts. Brooks might not be MUCH better, but… how do you say “upside” in German?

      • Why would anyone be surprised that JK already had his 23? He gave an opportunity for a few guys to quickly change his mind and they couldn’t. jK and his staff know these guys better than anyone and are in the best position to evaluate who should and should not make the team. I think they have known for the last month or so who they wanted, except for injuries , it was going to take a lot for someone like Landon to change their minds.

      • I’m sure all three are really hurt and disappointed. Their comments have to be taken with a grain of salt.

        They are all older and probably never going to play for the US again and could be seen as having an axe to grind, what did you expect them to say?

      • would be really interested in re-reading the comments from cut players from past world cups. i mean, from your reasoning, it would make sense to see this every cup, right?

        can’t remember it happening, but i could be wrong.

      • Well, I doubt twitter was available even for the 2010 guys.

        But didn’t Charlie Davies run a campaign to get himself put on the 2010 team?

        Soccer is whole lot more newsworthy now so you may have trouble digging up anything .

      • Curious: Did we hire him to make ingeniously smooth PR decisions, or did we hire him to employ the gritty determination and efficiency of a successful nation in order to turn our own soccer culture around?

      • first, i’m not sure why you think those are mutually exclusive.

        second, i don’t consider bob bradley to be a PR genius, but he seems to have klinsmann beat.

        third, when you said “gritty determination and efficiency”, i immediately thought of past usmnt teams, not germany. i was assuming they brought klinsmann in to win, not make us “gritty”. if he helps us win, then we’re all good. we’ll see.

      • Mr. Dollars,

        “i was assuming they brought klinsmann in to win, not make us “gritty”

        They only tournament they have been in so far, the Gold Cup, they won easily.

        In WC Qualifying they finished first and qualified with games to spare.

        The overall record has been very good.

        So on the winning business JK has done about as well as he can.

      • yes, on the easy stuff, he’s done well. as i said, we’ll see if he can win when we get to the difficult games.

    • Magee’s rage doesn’t really matter to me. He’s never played for the national team and he’s had 1 productive season as a striker in MLS at 29 years old. I don’t even understand what he tried to gain from this. Is he trying to use LD’s exclusion to explain why he’s never played for the NT or what? Klinsmann’s goal total at Stuttgart alone is what Magee has for his whole career. I personally feel like this guy is making a fool of him himself.

      Reply
      • Well to be fair,you are an expert at making a fool.of yourself given that ridiculous post.

        Magee is simply backing up his buddy LD, and doing it in a damn classy way if you ask me. They played.together for years and this is just a lesson of how a teammate has your back (likely an entielry foreign concept to you).

        Get yours Mikey, we miss you out here

      • This post mimics Freddy Adu’s career. If you know anything about being a professional you’d know you shouldn’t do things like this on social media. He’s going down to the level of Jurgens teenage son. Keep it classy. Take notes from Brad Evans

      • Magee is backing up his buddy, and you may like his tweet, but nothing about it is classy. There’s simply no way to argue that stooping to Jonathan Klinsmann’s level is classy.

      • he didn’t stoop, he responded with something so true people are still laughing

        there is a difference

      • well said… Magee is nothing… Areana, Bradley passed him countless of times… Mike needs to lick Jurgen boots for having pity on him, at least JK called him up, too bad he got a stomach virus and couldnt play that day….

      • Tuna fish? Why these guys eat anything vaguely questionable before their last shot at the USMNT is beyond me.

    • I hope you are right.

      I always felt JK paid Strauss to put a little buzz in the locker room and shake things up. It got the team into an “us against the world” thing did it not?

      And they played really well in Denver and went on a Qualifying tear after the article came out.

      This should give them a huge chip on their shoulder. They will want to prove that people like you who think they are crap don’t know their nether regions from their elbows.

      Awesome. It is Mike Magee’s contribution to the US WC effort.

      Reply
      • I think there’s something to this.
        The U.S. has always played better with a chip on its shoulder. As soon as it gets sentimental or feels too good about itself, it loses that underdog edge. That’s why 2002 was so special, after the dreadful 1998 performance.
        The 1998 team, aside from the whole Harkes saga, felt very good about its chances going into its first match vs. Germany.
        2006 was a major letdown, and I think the U.S. being ranked as high as fourth in the world just months prior played a large role in making the team overconfident.
        2010 was another rebound, with some gutsy performances and a 2nd round appearance.
        Removing LD from the equation is highly controversial, no doubt, but it’s a gamble that could galvanize the team into playing like it did during qualifying (LD only played in 5 out of 16 qualifiers). It is also taking the spotlight off of the 23 right now. Everyone is busy discussing LD while the 23 Brazil-bound guys are preparing for Ghana.
        It’s just another theory to throw into the fire.

    • wow what xenophobe, do you realize refreshing your national program by bringing in foreign coaches only makes the program better? Yes, its a hard pill to take, but we have to be honest with ourselves, we are no where near 1st tier in the soccer world. We have to be humble enough to realize our shortcomings and be willing to improve even if it means hiring foreign coaches. If anything foreign coaches can accelerate our development, by actualizing our program with fresh ideas and self assessment (having someone outside the bubble gives us better perspective). Take Portugal for example, they brought in a Brazilian (Scolari) to revamp the team, and they became a power house during his term. Mexico brought in La Volpe (Argentinian) and they were perhaps the most competitive under his lead. Look at Colombia recently, they brought in Pekerman (Argentinian) and now people know there is even a Colombia to talk about. The list goes on and on, to limit our US program by restricting ourselves to American coaches is a disservice to our players. We have huge potential, we just need to harness it wisely. Look at Mexico, with their domestic coaches that feed into the media hype of the so called “golden generation” (it seems like every cycle they have this messianic “golden generation”), they have remained stagnant and barely qualified for the WC. The same could be said about England, they believe their 1 WC win makes them a powerhouse, last time anyone checked, no one considers them a contender in big tournaments, its another case of living inside your own bubble, unable to accept the status quo.

      Reply
      • its not that he didn’t call up Donovan alone. its the way he did it.
        I have been an ardent supporter of klinsmann till this. I like the shake up and the infusion of foreign talent. But don’t wait till the last second to make all your decisions. chandler no games since 2013. no trial, no auditions, nothing. Green – wait till the last second and then let him play for a few minutes. davis – little playing time.same thing.
        landon – cut him even though he has lots of playing time with deuce, jones, Bradley and howard.

        it just doesn’t make any sense. For a team to do well they have to play together. that’s why most teams don’t start playing well day 1 of the season and then by the end of the season they start meshing. So by adding people who have never even played together and cutting someone who has is a bit perplexing.

        If he would use the same yardstick to measure chandler that he does landon then chandler shouldn’t be on the team as well.

        its just not logical what he did. There has to be some human bias wrapped up in there somewhere.

      • I really hated listening to that…. I really cant tell whats going on. LD has been like that for months. The man wants to retire so much… but yet….

        I personally want LD there… but I will say… if he is walking around talking like this outside of interviews it would drive me crazy.

      • To quote Twellman from the podcast a few days ago, “Part of this is on Landon too, he didn’t help himself with all his statements. I wanted to reach through the TV and grab him and say YOU’RE LANDON DONOVAN, THE BEST EVER, START ACTING LIKE IT”

        And once again for the record, I also wanted him to make it, and don’t like Twellman..but that’s his boy..and that’s his words

      • Exactly. This move just doesn’t make sense, for all the reasons you point out, and I don’t doubt that “bad blood” between Klinsmann and Donovan played a role in this.

      • What about all the reasons you guys refuse to even look at?

        And cut the crap with all this “the way he did it” and “should have after the sabbatical.”

        Total crap. First off, the fanboys would have been upset at any time.

        Second, believe it or not folks, the timing cuts against your conspiracy theories. JK kept LD in camp, because LD HAD BEEN and CAN BE a solid player. Even though LD was not performing to par in MLS or in friendlies, JK needed to see which Landon would show up to camp. The wrong Landon showed up, so here we are… ^*$&^$^%&^% Kids.

      • Reports of the right Donovan showing up at camps is what has been going around the soccer community. In fact many USMNT players had penned Landon on the team. It came as much shock to Deuce, Howard, and Bradley as it did to us all.

        Hell even Twellman states that Klinsy told him after the Italy game that Dinovan had burnt the bridge to him.

      • No, he did not. If you watched the games he played in and heard his own brutally honest interviews leading up to camp, then you know the right guy did not show up. The “right guy” was Wondo — in top shape, in goal scoring form, and hungry for more at the START of camp, not one week in. Donovan said it himself.

        And as to the media statements made by veteran players answering questions meant only to stir the pot BEFORE the cuts… You are naive.

      • And so what if LD burned a bridge? Is Klinsmann’s reasoning wrong? Certainly no to me. Landon is a decent but mentally week player with an inflated sense of celebrity.

        And JK’s whole reason for being here is to turn the entitled, pay-to-play, good ol’boy system on its ear. Isn’t this what you all wanted when you were busy chanting “Fire BB!”?!?!?!

        I’m glad he’s doing it.

      • @Quaker
        at least you’re honest about your feelings on why. you like that Jurgen is taking it to what you perceive as spoiled kids getting what they deserve

        funny how you dismiss accounts from players and fitness reports when they don’t fit what you want tho use the quote you like.

        on form and fitness, anyone with any amount of soccer savvy can see LD is fine. to quote you, LD said it himself.

      • castroviejo,

        People on SBI, especially the Americans, seem to assume that managing a team is an orderly, exact quantifiable science, one where every decision can be logically explained.
        That is true but only up to a certain point. Many decisions are not always logical and explainable.

        How do you explain to someone else that you “just had a feeling about a player”?

        Manages are hired for their ability to manage not necessarily for their ability to explain their decisions to the fans. JK’s main flaw is he talks too much. He should have taken a page from BB and just not ever have said anything about anything.

        In the last few days we’ve seen all kinds of speculation and rumors and what not but the fact remains that the only person (as far as I know) who has the total picture on the LD decision is JK himself and he’ll never tell. But he has been here before:

        http://www.espnfc.com/news/story?id=360568&cc=5901

        Now that is pressure.

        All managers are always making decisions that if they work will make them look like geniuses and if they don’t make them look mentally deficient.

        Before this LD business I wrote that the USMNT could play the three best games any US team has ever played and still lose all three games. If that happens JK is probably safe.

        Or they could look awful and get smoked in all 3 games and then JK could get fired, extension be dammed. If that were to occur then it is unlikely that LD would have made a difference.
        LD is a hero and was deservedly lauded for that Algeria goal.

        But he’s not a hero if every other US player on that team did not work their butt off so that LD could tap in the winner.

        Ultimately, especially in soccer, it is the other 10 who set you up to be the hero. And if you think that is going to be easy in this group, well you are most likely wrong.

        Reading the posts the last few days you’d think the 23 who are going are a bunch of semi-pros. Got to love USMNT “fans”. And here I was thinking the inclusion of Beckerman would draw the most ire.

      • I’m with you on this and I’m also not the biggest Beckerman fan. I preferred Edu . But I can’t understand how everyone on SBI indirectly insults the 23 players on the team because LD isn’t on the team. LD isn’t on the team but the WC must go on anyways. LD is a good player but the sun doesn’t rise and set at his feet. If an accomplished player/coach feels a certain way about a player and team lets go with it. Stop buying into the Alexi Lalas bit.

      • Well said Little Puppet. + 10 for Pele!.
        Never forget the great Bora Milutinovic,
        got us out of the dark ages of American Soccer.

      • Hmmmm does Portugal and Mexico spend all their time trying to sign foreign players that technically qualify to play for the USA?

        We need a coach that believes in the USA and the players we produce here

      • “We need a coach that believes in the USA and the players we produce here”

        Isn’t that the reason they hired JK? Remember he didn’t take the job the first time as he wanted the ability to to work throughout all of US soccer. Can’t think of his official title but he’s essentially in charge of all US soccer to help develop US players along the lines of how home grown player are developed in Germany, England, etc.

      • “We need a coach that believes in the USA and the players we produce here”

        Klinsmann believes in USA and the players we produce you just prefer another player we produced over the one he chose. 17 player (Mix played for the U-20) on the WC roster were produced here. Thats 73.91%

      • Both Mexico and Portugal have been represented by a number of foreign born players. Portugal gives citizenship to citizens of former colonies— Deco is a recent example.

        Mexico has had several Argentinians dress — Cristian Jimenez lately.

      • Duke,

        What do you call Beckerman, Davis, Wondo, Yedlin , Rimando and those dual nationals, Dempsey and Bradley? Late for breakfast?

        Isn’t that the most MLS’ers a WC roster has had?

      • Hey Duke.. Since today is Memorial Day, why don’t you go repeat that to the fathers of these guys who served our country…

      • Well lets see, didn’t Mexico try to nationalize Argentinians and Brazilians (Chaco Gimenez, Lucas Lobos, Zinha, etc.). Oh lets not forget Portugal, Deco, oh and does Pepe ring a bell? Producing talent takes time, the USA has not nationalized players, only tapped into dual nationals, the sons of servicemen (who in my opinion are more American than any of us for serving our country). Klinsmann cannot out of nowhere tap into homegrown talent, its not up to par yet. He was brought in to take our program to the next level, for now we need the dual nationals, its part of the bigger picture. All progress starts at the bottom, we need patience and pragmatism. In a couple of cycles, after the Klinsmann, we will see better homegrown prospects.

      • I’m starting to feel dumb for responding to these people. We’re dealing with kids and trolls guys, kids and trolls.

  17. Two goals und one game? Imagine what he would do against Azerbaijan!!
    Dis is why I could not waitenzee any longer.

    Reply
    • Magees tweet is about as mature as Jonathan K’s tweet. I still don’t get the connection to Jurgen..why people think that Jonathan’s tweet represented Jurgens view on Landon.

      Reply
      • Ummm, really….really you can’t see the connection?? Then why do you think Jonathan tweeted that? Did Landon not sign an autograph for the poor kid and this is his way of revenge?? Remove head from sand.

      • My kids and I disagree on a lot of things, if they tweet something it is their view not mind. If Jurgen does not believe Landon should be on the team then that is his position, if Jonathan wants to send out a tweet with his views than they are his.

        Jurgen has always been professional with the media and I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that Jonathan acted independently of him.

      • You’re kidding, right don? You did hear Klinsmann’s bald face lie as he backtracked on his son’s behalf. “My son LOVES Landon Donovan. He has Donovan’s shirt hanging in his room.” Which is why the kid didn’t know how to spell Donovan’s name. And you’re gonna accuse Magee of being immature? Sheesh. If you haven’t figured out that Klinsmann is looking you, Don, personally in the eye and lying to your face, you’re among the last. Julien Green is on the roster because that’s how Klinsmann got him to switch passports. “You sign wis zee US, you go to Brasil.” done.

      • You don’t get the connection? It’s a little concept called “family dinner table conversation”.

      • So you are saying that Jurgen consulted with Jonathan at the dinner table and the when Jurgen cut him Jonathan made a knee jerk decision to put out that tweet? Thanks for helping me understand

      • I agree wholeheartedly. Why don’t we all stop assuming things that none of us can possibly know until someone comes out and makes a statement about it. Someone writes a comment on the very first post about Jurgen’s son’s tweet and says that this, ‘must be Klinsmann’s view being echoed by his son from things said around the dinner table’ and then tons of Jurgen haters go off and repeat this statement like parrots without any factual basis.

      • They already did. It was Klinsmanns son. I’ve yet to hear a good explanation why he put up the tweet.

      • And maybe we’ll never get one. Is that a reason to continue making assumptions? What does creating a purely speculative narrative accomplish? Do you win the internet smugness award if you’re right? Does it do any good for LD? for the 23 guys who are heading to Brazil?
        All you’re doing is making yourself angry over something you can’t change, by making up a story you can’t prove.

      • If only my shorts got all scrunchy. That would be an interesting sensation.
        Questioning is useful if it actually can lead to something constructive. In this case, I’m not sure it really makes a difference whether Jonathan Klinsmann has his own opinion of LD, or whether the Klinsmanns sit around the dinner table with a Landon voodoo doll.

      • it’s unfortunate that it happened, but now that’ it’s out there, the ostrich approach doesn’t help and is much worse than questioning, my opinion

        the whole situation is very short scrunching unfortunately 🙂

      • How many more times can downintexas reference metaphorical beverage consumption in this thread? My guess: 4.

      • You might not get the connection, but the tweet (and its reception) suggests that American soccer players think there’s a connection. And that suggests that this decision might be more divisive than the anti-Landon crowd thinks.

    • We all learned a valuable lesson yesterday. If you cut LD from the WC squad he will absolutely take it out on the second worst team in MLS. Bold statement Landon.

      Reply
      • You act like this is over. Donovan’s probably going to go on a tear.

        If it’s a knock on the competition, I believe Brad Davis, Mix Diskeruud, Graham Zusi, Kyle Beckerman, and Julian Green aren’t playing harder competition.

      • His scoring two goals yesterday is water under the bridge. Any future aspirant to the national team should take note. There were reasons why Klinsmann passed on Landon Donovan.

      • The reason was that Landon was brought up in the firing session Klinnsman had to attend when he was let go from Bayern Munich. JK has been angry w/Capt. America ever since

      • I don’t get people. Most people wanted Jurgen to be the coach, and to come in and fix US Soccer. He beats Mexico at Azteca, a few big name Euro teams in Europe, wins the Gold Cup, and finishes 1st in HEX (most of which were without Landon). Then he drops Landon who spends most of Jurgen tenure lazy and unmotivated. And acts like Jurgen ran over their puppy. You either want change or you don’t. If you don’t want the players to be held accountable for their club form, start a petition to re-hire Bruce Arena.

        Also, Mike Magee trolling a 17 year old kid on the internet is pathetic. Its sad that not enough people here understand that.

      • It would be funny to stage a match between Bayern’s reserves and the Galaxy to see which one is a higher level.

      • This is perfect. Klinsmann’s record has been outstanding so far but the fact that he leaves an entitled Donovan off the squad and people want to get him deported. Magee’s tweet reminds me of when all people could do was make fun of that girl with that Friday song. Yes, it was terrible, but yes she is a teenage girl.

      • I’m growing more and more suspect of people these days who throw around any word with root “entitle” in it.

        They always seem to be some of the most ignorantly entitled people on the planet.

      • He’s just doing what he’s done throughout his career. He has always beaten up on inferior competition in North America, and then gone and shown in World Cups that he can get it done against top international competition too. To discount this is to discount his entire career.

      • no less bold than the one Klinsmann will make tomorrow against the 85th ranked Azerbaijan side. Everyone knows Julian Green OWNS the Azeris.

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