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

  • trackandccrunner
    Laley I agree with all your post so far and hoops I like your list as well I had Owens and Miracle on Ice as 1a and 1b but thinking about it more Owens should have the #1 spot on his own. Him in those Olympics had a meaning that wasn't just for the US but also for the World as a whole.
  • Con_Alma
    To add to Phelps' 8 gold medal record in a single Olympic game he also has has the following:

    * Most Individual Olympic Gold Medals in a Career
    * Most Individual Olympic Gold Medals in a Single Games:
    * Most Olympic Gold Medals in a Career:
    * Most Olympic Medals in a Career for an American:

    I don't know the exact events he won the 8 Golds in in 2008. I'm not really a swimming follower. I am also not disputing that this event should be ranked higher or lower than Phelps' accomplishment. I am trying to better understand your explanation of why it does.

    I might also throw in Lance Armstrongs' 7 tour de France wins and Edwin Moses 10 year reign as undefeated on a world class level in the 400M hurdles.
  • BigAppleBuckeye
    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?

    It's similar to baseball: people still talk about the 1969 Miracle Mets, but rarely talk about the 1998 Yankees, who dominated from start to finish. Same principle ...
  • Con_Alma
    I agree that Jess Owens should be #1.

    Thanks for the clarification regarding "meaning" being a factor.

    I didn't get that from your opening post.

    I'm still not too sure what you mean by meaning but I am getting closer.
  • BigAppleBuckeye
    Here is my test: were people running down the street screaming and high-fiving strangers after Lance Armstong won those Tours de France, or when Phelps won his last medal? Nope, or at least I didn't notice. The scene today after thaht goal (at 11:52 on a Wednesday morning) was complete mahem here in NYC, and I am sure around the country ...
  • Terry_Tate
    You also have to consider, Soccer is the world's sport and the USA has had some great games on the world stage, but they needed to advance here to be taken seriously. Just the fact of how many people were following this and were gathered places and talking about it just shows the magnitude. I know people were talking about Phelps, but I don't know anyone who cared about that as much as some people I know(myself included) care about this World Cup. It's the worlds game at the biggest stage. This is definitely above Michael Phelps, no doubt about it IMO.
  • hoops23
    Exactly^
  • Con_Alma
    Glad people enjoyed it.

    Will it endure the test of time?

    We shall see.
  • DeyDurkie5
    Con_Alma;398711 wrote:Glad people enjoyed it.

    Will it endure the test of time?

    We shall see.

    debbie downer haha
  • Terry_Tate
    BigAppleBuckeye;398706 wrote:Here is my test: were people running down the street screaming and high-fiving strangers after Lance Armstong won those Tours de France, or when Phelps won his last medal? Nope, or at least I didn't notice. The scene today after thaht goal (at 11:52 on a Wednesday morning) was complete mahem here in NYC, and I am sure around the country ...

    I agree. I work in the office at a Skyline Chili and was down in our restaurant watching and when they scored there were multiple tables that just burst into cheers and high fives. It was unlike anything I've seen at a non-BW3's type of place.
  • Con_Alma
    DeyDurkie5;398716 wrote:debbie downer haha

    Downer??

    I think this is great.
  • georgemc80
    1. Miracle on Ice (near impossible to beat this moment. It had upset factor and political issues)
    2. Jesse Owens
    3. Kerri Strugg in the 96 Olympics (beats #4 and #5 one legged)
    4. Brandi Chastain....actually won a WC
    5. Landon Donovan. (might move up if US makes a deep run)
  • trackandccrunner
    Con_Alma;398704 wrote:I agree that Jess Owens should be #1.

    Thanks for the clarification regarding "meaning" being a factor.

    I didn't get that from your opening post.

    I'm still not too sure what you mean by meaning but I am getting closer.
    Sorry you didn't get that in my opening post but I know I mentioned it in my 2nd post(you may have missed that one haha).

    I wish I could give you a good explaination of what I mean by these certain accomplishments "meaning" more than what Phelps did but Im terrible with words so I won't try because Im sure it would just be confusing haha. Maybe someone else get what Im trying to say and have the same viewpoint and can explain it.
  • Laley23
    Con Alma, Im trying to explain it better, but Im having trouble doing so lol.

    I guess you just have to look at the large picture. The Yankess have 27 championships. They have DOMINATED many a seasons. We dont remember that. We remember the 69 Mets, the Marlins or Dbacks recently etc. NO ONE would say those teams are better than some of those Yankee teams, but they have more meaning behind them. This is I guess what I am trying to convey.

    USA in soccer is never expected to do great things (as of yet) and despite what people think, advancing to the round of 16 is HUGE in soccer (dont forget 205 teams entered the WC). The world takes notice when you do so. It is a huge accomplishment for this country, something that really havsnt happened often. Even in 2002 we got lucky. We lost our last game and still advanced. It was a blessing. The Owens and Miracle on Ice had such political importance that the whole nation got behind them (as well as the world in a sense). It is almost impossible to top that. Then you have other thing that are huge, but not political.

    Phelps
    Donovans Goal
    USA Basketball (3X)
    Any Random Gold Medal
    ETC

    Of those types of events Im going with somehting the whole country is rallying behind. If Phelps losses, we are mildly disappointed and frankly say he choked (cause we are dicks about that kind of thing). When he won we were happy, but it was expected. No one was hugging random people (as Toledo was today downtown in the streets). Then look at it globally. USA winning in ANYTHING is expected, except really soccer. Even Hockey, it isnt a surprise...an upset sure, but not a total shock. In soccer, the WORLD stops and watches. We arent expected to do stuff in soccer, and so this goal elevates our stature so much. Im not sure if you follow soccer at all, so I am trying to help you. But for soccer followers, you know what I am getting at.


    EDIT: I just got a call from my buddies (one in Spain and one in Russia). They said that they are all going NUTS cause we topped the group over England. I mean, Spain who is favored to win the whole thing is going CRAZY in their streets cause of a Landon Donovan goal. Russia, who didnt QUALIFY, if going nuts in their streets cause of a Landon Donovan goal....
  • DeyDurkie5
    Con_Alma;398720 wrote:Downer??

    I think this is great.

    I'm just messing with you, you could do my mom and I would still be elated after this game lol
  • hoops23
    DeyDurkie5;398738 wrote:I'm just messing with you, you could do my mom and I would still be elated after this game lol

    #?
  • I Wear Pants
    georgemc80;398722 wrote:1. Miracle on Ice (near impossible to beat this moment. It had upset factor and political issues)
    2. Jesse Owens
    3. Kerri Strugg in the 96 Olympics (beats #4 and #5 one legged)
    4. Brandi Chastain....actually won a WC
    5. Landon Donovan. (might move up if US makes a deep run)
    I wouldn't include it. Women's WC doesn't even mean anything to countries that actually like soccer. Let alone the US. Iconic because of the bra, not because of the sports.

    The Kerri Strugg one can stay on there because it's iconic for her athletic performance and perseverance.
  • trackandccrunner
    Nicely said Laley, I'd say that is actually an awesome explanation. And thats awesome about your friend in Russia.
    Laley23;398735 wrote:Con Alma, Im trying to explain it better, but Im having trouble doing so lol.

    I guess you just have to look at the large picture. The Yankess have 27 championships. They have DOMINATED many a seasons. We dont remember that. We remember the 69 Mets, the Marlins or Dbacks recently etc. NO ONE would say those teams are better than some of those Yankee teams, but they have more meaning behind them. This is I guess what I am trying to convey.

    USA in soccer is never expected to do great things (as of yet) and despite what people think, advancing to the round of 16 is HUGE in soccer (dont forget 205 teams entered the WC). The world takes notice when you do so. It is a huge accomplishment for this country, something that really havsnt happened often. Even in 2002 we got lucky. We lost our last game and still advanced. It was a blessing. The Owens and Miracle on Ice had such political importance that the whole nation got behind them (as well as the world in a sense). It is almost impossible to top that. Then you have other thing that are huge, but not political.

    Phelps
    Donovans Goal
    USA Basketball (3X)
    Any Random Gold Medal
    ETC

    Of those types of events Im going with somehting the whole country is rallying behind. If Phelps losses, we are mildly disappointed and frankly say he choked (cause we are dicks about that kind of thing). When he won we were happy, but it was expected. No one was hugging random people (as Toledo was today downtown in the streets). Then look at it globally. USA winning in ANYTHING is expected, except really soccer. Even Hockey, it isnt a surprise...an upset sure, but not a total shock. In soccer, the WORLD stops and watches. We arent expected to do stuff in soccer, and so this goal elevates our stature so much. Im not sure if you follow soccer at all, so I am trying to help you. But for soccer followers, you know what I am getting at.


    EDIT: I just got a call from my buddies (one in Spain and one in Russia). They said that they are all going NUTS cause we topped the group over England. I mean, Spain who is favored to win the whole thing is going CRAZY in their streets cause of a Landon Donovan goal. Russia, who didnt QUALIFY, if going nuts in their streets cause of a Landon Donovan goal....
  • BigAppleBuckeye
    trackandccrunner;398764 wrote:Nicely said Laley, I'd say that is actually an awesome explanation. And thats awesome about your friend in Russia.

    Hey, I'm the one who wrote the '69 Mets baseball analogy several posts earlier! :P ...
  • Laley23
    BigAppleBuckeye;398769 wrote:Hey, I'm the one who wrote the '69 Mets baseball analogy several posts earlier! :P ...

    suck a dick :D:D
  • BigAppleBuckeye
    Laley23;398785 wrote:suck a dick :D:D

    haha, you know I'm just playing ... great minds think alike!
  • trackandccrunner
    Haha BAB that is true sorry didn't mean to take anything away from you! I just didn't see yours at first because I was making my post and Laley made an explanation that I pretty much was hoping someone would haha.
  • se-alum
    I wondered when Kerri Strug was gonna be mentioned....that was definitely a great moment for the US!
  • Ironman92
    I don't follow soccer much at all but do watch sports more than the vast majority of people I'd guess and while I recall the US winning a game back in 2002 (couldn't have told you the year).....I didn't recall who they beat (Portugal)
  • fan_from_texas
    It's a big moment. Here's what comes to mind for me:

    1) Miracle on Ice
    2) Keri Strug
    3) Jesse Owens
    4) Michael Phelps
    5) Donovan's goal