WASHINGTON, DC -- Charlie Davies was offered a tryout by D.C. United because the club was atop Major League Soccer's allocation priority list.The expansion franchises in Portland (Kenny Cooper) and Vancouver (Jay DeMerit) had made their choices, and United was next in line thanks to its wooden spoon performance in 2010.
On the surface, it's that simple. It's in the rules.
But Davies, who credits religion for some of the strength required to overcome the horrific litany of injuries suffered in that 2009 car accident, might argue that greater forces are at play.
It was in the Washington area, of course, where the crash occurred -- two nights before the national team's World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica and about four miles from RFK Stadium, where Davies was introduced as United's newest player on Wednesday.
It was in Washington where he made the choices that would change his life -- breaking curfew and getting into an SUV with a drunk driver. It was in Washington where he nearly lost it all, and where the questions began about whether Davies had the temperament and commitment to match his considerable talent.
He wants to rebuild his career and his life. "It's not just to get back to where I was," he said at his unveiling. "The goal is to be better than what I was before, and achieve all the goals I had before as a player."
To get there, he'll have to start from the beginning. Davies will have to go back to the place where the road forked sixteen months ago, and build a new foundation. Both on the field and off.
According to his new coach, Ben Olsen, he's off to an excellent start.
"When we started to look into the possibility of Charlie, those boxes were checked for me. Character, all those intangibles that we want at this club from our players, I knew were there," Olsen said.
"We didn't know where he was on the playing side. That we had to look at. Bringing in Charlie in preseason, he proved to us he's on his way back to being the Charlie of old ... There's still some rust. (from) being off that long and going through some of the things that he went through. So, now our job -- it's a job we're looking forward to -- is kind of dusting that rust off and getting him back to the form that we saw several years ago."
And there's no reason to doubt him. United wouldn't waste its allocation advantage or its money (about $180,000 plus incentives, according to The Washington Post's Steven Goff) on a role player. (D.C.'s one-year loan deal with Sochaux includes an option to purchase Davies' contract outright at the end of the season. United GM Dave Kasper told FanHouse that Davies would be a designated player in 2012).
"Of course I was prepared to say 'no'. This is a big piece for us. If it's not a good piece, it's not going to look good on me. We feel very very comfortable with where Charlie's at," Olsen told FanHouse.
The remaining questions about Davies can be answered only through his commitment and behavior over time. And to his significant credit, he is eager to answer them and excited to do it in Washington. He shied away from nothing on Wednesday, discussing the responsibility he bears for what happened and promising that there's far more to his recovery than what he'll show on the field.
"Every day I wake up I'm reminded of the accident as far as the scars all over my body," he said (see photo below). "I think my work ethic, my frame of mind, have really helped me overcome all obstacles I've had to get through. Playing in D.C. is going to be special for me. But it's also going to be the place I get back on my feet and show the world I'm back."
He understands that being "back" is about more than scoring goals. There was an undercurrent throughout much of Wednesday's event that was unspoken yet unmistakable. (Well, unspoken by all but the Associated Press, which asked Davies flat out if he planned on breaking any more curfews). Davies' questionable judgment was not limited to that fateful night in the fall of 2009. He tangled publicly with both Sochaux and national team coach Bob Bradley and had a run-in with French traffic cops last fall.
He understands that fans might be monitoring his growth as a person -- "If you go through what I did, you learn a lot about yourself," he said -- as well as his recovery and potential as a player.
"You can do as much as you can. That means a lot to me," he told FanHouse about the public's perception of Davies the man.
"You score goals, you create goals, people think you're god, you know? But for me, being here, I want to do more. I want to help people. I want to help kids. I want to really do a lot for the community, especially being here. I think I can help out a lot of kids, sharing my story. I think it'll move a lot of people and hopefully change a lot of lives."
Olsen, who's a legend with the United faithful thanks to his passion, humility and commitment, offered a heartfelt endorsement of Davies. He's convinced Davies possesses the qualities that will help United rebound from the worst season in club history.
"I know Charlie. I've been his teammate (with the national team). I've had a lot of experience with him as of late and I think he's a kid that yeah, made some mistakes. But so have I. So has everybody, and for anybody to judge him right now is a little unfair," the coach told FanHouse.
"I think he's a great kid and we're lucky to have him. I think he's a good teammate as far as being a guy who represents the team well. The guys love him already. He fits in with every guy on the team. He's not a guy who sits at one table. He goes to each table in the lunch room at a different time. He's a team guy in every way and it's something that think is very important for our group right now."
Davies may love to blend in. He may long to feel connected with his teammates, to be one of the guys and "be friends with everyone." But this season, he will stand out. He'll be treated differently. Every performance will be scrutinized, and he'll deal with the pressure from those impatient for him to succeed and those who may be looking for a sign that he won't.
"I'm definitely ready for games to be closely watched and my performance, especially under a microscope," he said. "Yes there were other opportunities for me in Europe, but like I said from the beginning, I need to be in the best situation. The best environment for me is here with D.C. United."
A strange twist, that the best environment may be in the city where it all went wrong. But Davies appears to grasp and embrace the notion that recovery and redemption can only be complete if you're willing to retrace your steps. He now has that opportunity, and like a loose ball in the penalty area, the once and future speedster intends to pounce on it.
Source: http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2011/02/18/charlie-davies-ready-to-finish-his-recovery-in/
attitude pictures baseball games baseball history baseball pictures
No comments:
Post a Comment