Galaxy v. San Jose is on ESPN2 (if the email I just received from MLS is to be believed).

After watching Donovan "Man-up" in 2010 and score 3 goals in the world cup, 20 goals in league play (MLS), and assist on 3 and score 2 on a short loan to Everton, how can ANYONE still call him Landycakes? Some people will always be haters.

Wasn't even listed in the local paper's "Soccer" TV listings for today. Daily Breeze sucks.

CJ, EXACTLY!! From watching the LA Heat at West High in 1989 to a 2012 Friday noon match between 3 great American players, in the FA Cup, in HD!!! Wow! I never thought this would ever be a possibility while watching Bobby Bruch (good player) fight to score against California Emperors with 300 people in attendance (including the great David Vanole)

When I started following USA soccer, 28 years ago, there were no conversations like this (maybe Wynalda v. Harkes at one point and I mean in skillz, not controversy). It delights me to no end that we can have this debate because I had catch semi-pro games at El Camino college in Torrance or stick a coat hanger in the back of my TV to catch the odd USA game broadcast on Spanish language TV just to see USA soccer at all back then. They are both great players. Totally different, but great players. I have both a Donovan and a Dempsey jersey and I wear them both with pride. I don't see why we have to choose, but I think it is awesome that we have the opportunity to. PS. I choose Donovan slightly ahead of Dempsey still at this point, but the margin is ever so slim.

Well deserved for a classy, talented player defender with great leadership skills.

I'm not getting the people who say it was a bad game. Yes, it was not the best game in the history of football, but it certainly was a good final and the Galaxy completely dominated possession with great passing and precision runs. They only finished one, but it was by no means boring. I was happy to see the HDC figure out a way to add "official" temporary capacity to the stadium. I think they need to have a way to get it to 35K for matches like this. That would mean extra seating in all 4 corners and a way to turn the "grass" into real seats. Let's hope Farmer's field will be able to host the REAL final Beckham MLS cup match in 2013=)

With Davis and Barrett this game ends 3-2 Galaxy.

Great idea.

+1. Yep. I like to see them mix it up a bit, much better than Marquez style purse fights and flops.

LA...GALAXY LA...GALAXY LA...GALAXY (at least I pretend we are at the HDC). Galaxy 2 NY 2 Is My prediction.

Affect (verb) To influence something without causing it to happen. Effect (noun) Is the result that was accomplished or to directly cause something. I think you can argue the use of either word in this case. It changes the meaning slightly, but it certainly is not patently wrong.

+1!!! Yes, you are correct, not one member of the Galaxy has said a word about this.

He's not so bad, but what's up with the selection of videos in the YouTube "up next" after it's complete?

While I too agree, I think the SBI guys need to spend some time just enjoying the games or they will get Blog-writer burn out. They also need to prepare for the very nice, exclusive, MLS coverage they do every weekend.

Thanks for doing this write-up everyday. I always look forward to it.

Agree 100%, Gary. The current crop of chosen pool members would be whittled down to the best by a new manager/coach combo. The coach (hopefully one with international pedigree and a world vision) would squeeze as much out of this talent as possible. He would then rely on the manager of USA Soccer to find the talent we are currently missing (to supplant those excised from the current pool) and make up real plan to increase the pools of future talent.

Good points. For me, the answer is some sort of real plan. Project 2010 (and also Project 40) may have not been outlandishly successful, but at least they set some goals and went for it. Right after the 2002 World Cup, Project 2010 didn't look so outlandish after all. We have seen a rocky national team since then though. I think the actual Coach is not the biggest problem. Yes, Bob is not a technical wizard, yes he plays favorites, and yes his line-ups and substitutions are very often questionable at best. BUT... he is still working with the same player pool that any other coach would. I agree that there are better tacticians and motivators out there so we should find a good one with international experience and hire him. But that won't solve the long-term problems. We need a full-time paid leader at he USSF whose job it is to make the nats better. That means someone like Klinsman who can help to turn around the entire game in this country, not just coach the current crop of chosen players. This person would be a real technical manager for the organization with a separate coach for the actual squad. Until there is a real plan with some real change, everything will remain pretty much as it is now. We'll unearth a few internationals whose fathers were in the military, we'll find at least one new Donovan, Adu, or Dempsey, and hell we might even find one real star. The problem is that with the current system we will never find them in the huge numbers we need. We'll find a lot of technically coached robots who all play pretty much the same game and maybe one or two semi-precious stones in the avalanche of tailings, but not the gold vain we are looking for.

I Love Dolo and I think you have a good point. Honestly though, the best team won. We need more players who can step into those back positions (I know Chandler will help). We just don't have the horses (some are injured and some don't exist yet). We were swarmed by wave after wave of attackers and the lack of composure and technical skill from some of our players was evident when Mexico applied ball pressure and closed space with multiple players.

This kind of makes me happy we don't need to go through Mexico to get into the 2014 World Cup. I have watched the USA play even with and sometimes dominate Mexico for 20 years and during that time I have never felt scared of any Mexico team. They were always beatable in some way. The current Mexico team scares me.

We lost to a better team with more talent. We played well, but we are too thin at many positions. Holden and Chandler would have helped, but we still would not have been able to contain the Mexico offense. They are an explosive bunch.

Hmm, big hmm. Donovan has been playing a little flat (OK, a lot flat actually). I'd rather see him out there instead of Sasha, but hey this line-up couldn't be worse than the others Bob has used. I think Sasha will be OK (I hope). Dempsey is going to have to concentrate on his finishing, but with that midfield, I am unsure who will get him the ball. I hope Bedoya and Dempsey can hook up well on the left.

Yep, it was the World Cup. I wanted to tie it into the current story, so I changed it for fun.

MC Pharaoh. That makes sense. So, if it was prescribed would it still have been a violation?

Why would an asthma medication be a banned substance? Didn't FIFA see Goal the Dream Begins? Santiago would never had made it at Newcastle, then Real Madrid, and finally the Gold Cup without his breather. He would not have been able date that cute nurse or cheat on her with the model in Madrid. Why would FIFA damage the best movie franchise since the Karate Kid? Seriously though, why ban medication needed to help players with asthma breathe better?