Where does today's Landon Donovan goal rank in ALL-TIME U.S. Sports moments?

• BigAppleBuckeye

  

  Granted, this literally JUST happened, so it's fresh in my skull ... but where does this moment rank in All-Time U.S. Sports moments?
  
  I would wedge it somewhere below the Miracle on Ice, but somewhere above the last U.S. basketball gold medal. Thoughts???
  
  PS ... what a MATCH holy shit!!!
• gorocks99

  

  I was thinking about it, and, unfortunately, it doesn't rank too high. If the U.S. goes out and screws the pooch in their round of 16 game, this goal will not be widely remembered.
• hoops23

  

  Getting out of Group play is HUGE for the USA, it doesn't matter if we were favored or not, because of past failures this is HUGE!
  
  With that said, with EVERYTHING on the line, I think it definitely ranks right up near the top. I can't put it above the gold medal of the USA mens basketball team because they achieved glory.
  
  It is right below that and the Miracle on Ice though. It's an amazing goal during an amazing game.
• cbus4life

  Not even close to Miracle on Ice, but can't think of too many other moments beside that one that would top it.
  
  Sadly, i don't see anything topping Miracle on Ice for a long, long time, unless the US can go on a run and make it to the finals/win the whole damn thing.
• trackandccrunner

  It will be very hard for anything to top the Miracle on Ice. I kinda agree with hoops that I'd also place it just after the last Basketball gold medal. Its something like this though that will spark a lot of interest for soccer in the US especially with how the game was.
• I Wear Pants

  I don't care where it ranks. It was glorious.
• BigAppleBuckeye

  

  Bigger than all those Michael Phelps gold medals?
  
  For me personally, yes, but others would disagree. I feel like the country really got behind this team, one of those "special" teams that words can't often give justice to, if that makes sense.
• KR1245

  

  I Wear Pants;398608 wrote:I don't care where it ranks. It was glorious.

  
  Exactly. My boss and I flipped out.....luckily were getting ready to go to lunch and didnt have any patients.
• Laley23

  

  BigAppleBuckeye;398613 wrote:Bigger than all those Michael Phelps gold medals?
  
  For me personally, yes, but others would disagree. I feel like the country really got behind this team, one of those "special" teams that words can't often give justice to, if that makes sense.

  
  Honestly yes, although people will disagree. People bash soccer and I get it, but no way is SWIMMING more enjoyable to those folks than soccer lol.
• cbus4life

  BigAppleBuckeye;398613 wrote:Bigger than all those Michael Phelps gold medals?
  
  For me personally, yes, but others would disagree. I feel like the country really got behind this team, one of those "special" teams that words can't often give justice to, if that makes sense.

  
  I noticed the same thing.
• Laley23

  

  Nothing tops Miracle on Ice unless the USA makes a HUGE run here at the WC.
  
  BUT, I really dont see anything else ahead of it. Maybe the McBride goal versus Mexico (but we won 2-0) and it wasnt so late and the game wasnt on the line. Really, Landon has easily scored the greatest goal in US Soccer history. The fact that it was in the 91st minute in an elimination game at the World Cup......Miracle on Ice is the only thing that tops it. But thats me personally, because I love soccer.
  
  Im sure people will give the Owens and Phelps Olympics, but that really is only big in America. The World Cup is so far and away a bigger event worldwide than the Olympics that this HAS to be wayyyyyy up at the top.
• Automatik

  

  All time I don't think its up there. But for US soccer....#1 definitely.
• trackandccrunner

  BigAppleBuckeye;398613 wrote:Bigger than all those Michael Phelps gold medals?
  
  For me personally, yes, but others would disagree. I feel like the country really got behind this team, one of those "special" teams that words can't often give justice to, if that makes sense.

  Yes I would rank this in front those. Although there is something now that you mentioned Phelps goals there is one thing that I might rank right up there with the Miracle on Ice and that is Jesse Owen's 4 Golds at the 1936 Olympics. When I think of great things US Sports moments I think of stuff that had a bigger meaning then just an athlete or team for USA winning. I think with Phelps is a lot of people thought he would get those 8 golds and Im not trying to say it was a great accomplishment or didn't have bigger meaning behind it I just feel us expecting it to happens takes away some of the greatness.
• hoops23

  

  This goal definitely tops Michael Phelps gold medals, no question.
  
  I agree with others about the backing of this US team, it is very special right now. The crowd in SA alone outnumbers just about every other nation. The support I'm seeing in bars and general discussion at work is great to see.
  
  This goal (that I can think of right now) is definitely right at the top. It's not near the Miracle of Ice and doesn't surpass the gold medal win of the Mens bball team yet, but if the US keeps this up, who knows?
  
  This goal was elevated in greatness because of the timing and the circumstances. It was definitely one of the greatest sporting moments in US history.
• Laley23

  

  Ok, re-thinking and going off of everything in the world:
  
  1. Miracle on Ice
  2. Jesse Owens Olympics
  3. Landon Donovan Goal
  4. Im seriously drawing a blank. The USA has been successful in global events, but not a lot of STUNNING moments. IE, the Dream Team wasnt challenged, Phelps was expected, etc.
• hoops23

  

  Jesse Owens has to be #1 IMO.
  
  Miracle on Ice #2
  
  Donovan goal may be climbing to #3 just because of the magnitude of this goal.
  
  The USA bball team should never lose anyway.
• BigAppleBuckeye

  

  I too am having a lot of trouble trying to isolate great US moments bigger than this Donovan goal. I thought about it, and besides the ones already mentioned, I think this is really a Top 3 moment EVER ... pretty awesome stuff right there.
  
  What else can compare, really? Even if the U.S. hockey team beat Canada a few months ago for the gold, I still think this Donovan goal is bigger, based strictly on using my eyes and seeing how much more support there has been for this World Cup than for the Winter Olympics.
• Con_Alma

  Making it to the final 16 of an event vs being the best in the world is really a strange comparison.
  
  Being the Gold medalist multiple times in multiple event in swimming may not be enjoyable to some but being the best in the world should be "ranked" higher than being in the top 16.
• Laley23

  

  I also think this goal is going to just glow if the USA is able to win a game....and, gasp......possibly 2 games in the knockout rounds.
  
  BTW, that puts us in the Semifinals.
• Laley23

  

  Con_Alma;398662 wrote:Making it to the final 16 of an event vs being the best in the world is really a strange comparison.
  
  Being the Gold medalist multiple times in multiple event in swimming may not be enjoyable to some but being the best in the world should be "ranked" higher than being in the top 16.

  
  We arent saying Phelps isnt better than the US Team vs the competition. But if Phelps wins only 6 of the 8 we dont even talk about the dude. THATS how favored he was. American soccer was supposed to advance, but really for us it is never a surprise when we fail. This goal, based on when it was scored is bigger than being the best ala dream team, Phelps, other random USA Gold medals, etc. You have too look at it in a different light than best versus top 16. You have too look at what it means in terms of meaning for the country and what was expected.
• darbypitcher22

  

  if they go on and do something great and end up in the semis or finals it will be remembered.
  
  But, like others have said if we go out and shit the bed against Germany or Ghana then people will forget
• Con_Alma

  If I understand you correctly because Phelps was so good coming in his accomplishments are "ranked" lower. Is that correct?
  
  An overachiever should then be ranked higher than someone who puts himself in a dominant position on the world stage?
• Laley23

  

  darbypitcher22;398676 wrote:if they go on and do something great and end up in the semis or finals it will be remembered.
  
  But, like others have said if we go out and shit the bed against Germany or Ghana then people will forget

  
  Eh, not so sure. People remember us beating Portugal in game ONE of the 2002 World Cup. This goal has unmeasured meaning, and we wont know the true meaning until the tourney is over. Its true the farther we go the bigger the goal....but to say it wont be remembered is simply not true. Maybe by people we dont care a shit about soccer, but even those who do a little will remember. I know those who care a lot will never forget it.
  
  
  BTW, what 8 events did Phelps win his medals in? I followed those Olympics more than any in my life, I could tell you for shit what he even competed in. It would be a complete guess.
• Laley23

  

  Con_Alma;398679 wrote:If I understand you correctly because Phelps was so good coming in his accomplishments are "ranked" lower. Is that correct?
  
  An overachiever should then be ranked higher than someone who puts himself in a dominant position on the world stage?

  
  To answer your first question. Yes. To an extent yes, although not THAT clear cut.
  
  To answer the second, we arent RANKING them higher on an individual basis. We are RANKING them higher on importance, and meaning, and story, etc, etc, etc.
• hoops23

  

  Michael Phelps doesn't compare to any US mens national team, sorry.