Amazing - But He Stole the Show (and that was my son)

 

Late morning on February 4, 2005, my cell phone told me that my son was calling me.  For those who have had the pleasure of having a college-aged son – you may have learned, like I have, that a college-aged son calling you late morning on a February 4^th is likely to disrupt part or most of your day.  I have three amazing sons – but they text me if they want to communicate and call me if they have an emergency.  Calls mean trouble that they want you to help solve.

That morning, my college-aged son – Chris Wondolowski – was calling to tell me that a friend of his just let him know that Chris was drafted by the San Jose Earthquakes in their Supplemental Draft.  So, to be fair, that phone call did disrupt my day, but not in a bad way.

This past Sunday – 16 years, 8 months, 3 days later – my (then) college-aged son is a little older and played in his final game for the San Jose Earthquakes.  Through 413 games 171 goals 37 yellow cards (none of them his fault he claims) and 2 red cards (really unfair decisions he tells me) – I probably sat in the stands for 300+ of those games and watched on television virtually every other one of those games.  “Virtually” because I had a few weddings to attend when a game was going on and Chris’ brothers would hand me their phones under the table to watch the games while the wedding festivities ensued.  I am such a bad dancer at weddings that Mrs. Wondo did not mind me watching the games.

I have had the unbelievable joy of watching dozens of games with my granddaughters in my lap. This past Sunday, when Chris scored, his oldest daughter Emersyn (on my lap) asked:  “Grandude are you crying?”.  (First of all Chris decided when his daughters were born that they would call me Grandude and second of all – yes I was crying). 

Full disclosure – my two other sons (Stephen and Matthew) were convinced that I would be a sobbing blubbering wet mess at Chris’ last game.  I think I did somewhat better than that prediction.

When I think about Chris’ career my mind tries to wrap around the fact that 45 percent of his life up until now has been a professional soccer player. 

He was not married when he started.  His rookie year at Spartan Stadium we loved tailgating in the grass parking lot and then going to the games.   Then the Earthquakes were relocated to Houston.  We spent soccer travel weekends going from the Bay Area to Houston – and Los Angeles – and Denver and Salt Lake City and Columbus and Chicago and New York and then Seattle – Portland  and … well … everywhere. 

Then he came home – my home and his home.  And all of a sudden he started putting balls into the back of the net.  His feet, his head, his shin, his thigh … they all just started going into the back of the net. 

Throughout it all – 16 years, 8 months, 3 days – I cannot imagine a father who would have had a more enjoyable ride.  I am so proud of him (maybe not the 2 red cards) – but if you have ever seen me at a game I am sure my pride is no secret.  Unabashedly, I love the soccer player he has been and the man he has become.

And – while in Houston he married the most wonderful wife in the world (college girlfriend – you knew there was going to be a Chico State part of this story) who moved back with him to San Jose.  For the last several years I have been able to have my granddaughters on my lap in the front row watching my son and their daddy.  Imagine how wonderful that is!  Except when they ask me to take them to the food trucks during the games.

A regular dad like me does not deserve this 17 year amazing rocket ride (but I would not give it back for anything).  I’ve had too many great moments as a sports dad to even summarize.  My youngest as a De La Salle football player and then a San Jose State Rugby player – my middle son as an All American Soccer Player in college and then a couple of years with the Houston Dynamo --- they are all more than I ever imagined.

Sunday evening at the end of the game – I asked Chris to exchange jerseys with me and he did.  The jerseys Sunday were made for Sunday’s game with the “Wondo Forever” emblem on their chest.  It was soaking with sweat (mine was pretty clean that I gave to him) but I loved it as a great end of this chapter.  I told him I would give it back to him and Lindsey (Mrs. Wondo washed it thank God). 

The Earthquake fans – especially those sitting in our section at the games – and the Ultras and Faultline – and everyone else are uniquely wonderful.  The Earthquakes management has been great.  The staff that works at the games have been amazing. 

I still have my season tickets for next year.  I was a San Jose Earthquakes fan long before Chris became one of their employees and I expect that I will be a San Jose Earthquakes fan long after. 

 

148th Goal Makes a Father Reflect on the Journey

One day you are taking your son to Spartan Stadium to watch the San Jose Clash play soccer and the next day that same son sets the career goals scoring record for the league that the Clash inaugurated. 

Like most memories of a father with a grown son, those two days are separated by many years and a healthy amount of haze and blur.  But regardless of the lack of precision in the memory-fabric between those two days, those two days are as clear to me as if they were yesterday and today.

Chris and his brothers where already far too cool and far too interested in the game to sit with me in the cheap seats at Spartan Stadium that evening.  Like some of those summer nights at Spartan it was warm, and we could make it through a game with shorts and no jackets.  The three boys traded positions between the bench I was sitting on, the snack stand, and wherever they might see Crazy George.  The one thing that they wanted on this (I think visor night) was to get those visors autographed at the end of the game.  It was a Clash 1-goal loss as I recall as my three sons lined up at the front row of Spartan Stadium to get the prize they were hoping for … some Clash player to sign their new visor. 

We drove home over the Sunol Grade (the hill between the East Bay and the Silicon Valley) back to Danville that night and the last thing I would have ever thought was that 12 or so years later I would begin a virtual ritual of driving back over that Sunol Grade on Saturday nights from March through October after watching the next generations of the San Jose Clash play – with my son in one of their uniforms.  (Yes generations … first Earthquakes at Spartan Stadium then reincarnated Earthquakes at Buck Shaw then Earthquakes at Avaya Stadium). 

Well … writing that it was ‘the last thing I would have ever thought’ … is probably amazingly inaccurate.  To be truthful, the last thing I would have ever thought was that the boy asleep in the passenger seat (with an autographed visor) as we drove up Interstate 680 through Pleasanton that night would one day score more goals than any other player for the team that we had just watched in the league we had just watched. 

I think after these past 16 years I would have learned to stop being amazed by my son’s successes.  But that is a lesson I have never been able to learn.  I make Mrs. Wondo get to the games at Avaya early just so I can walk around and catch a glimpse of the occasional “8” Jersey on a fan with a familiar surname on its back, and simply enjoy the fact that my son is playing professional soccer.

It has been such a long and rewarding career for Chris, Lindsey, their girls, and all of our family and friends.  But keeping with my son’s traditional script, just when you think he can’t amaze you – he amazes you. 

Every athlete dreams of breaking a record.  Every athlete also dreams of breaking a record in grand style – and a four-goal game that includes the game winning goal can fit into that grand style category. 

Every dad dreams of his son breaking a record (in grand style).  This dad’s heart was filled with the sight of something much more important than that however.  When Chris came out in the 90^th minute he gave his captain’s armband to Anibal before leaving the field.  At the end of the game Anibal came up to Chris and took the captain’s armband and put it back on Chris’ arm and gave him a hug.  Soon thereafter the Quakes players hoisted Chris up and threw him in the air in celebration --- a team celebration for a team accomplishment. 

That evening 25 or so years ago – taking my sons to the Clash game on a warm summer evening and driving home with them all asleep in the car …. And this past Saturday afternoon in the cool rain at Avaya when my son drove himself to the Quakes game and then drove his oldest daughter home with him over the Sunol Grade … those two points in time are so different yet so memorable. 

I could not be prouder of Chris nor happier for the three people who rank up there with me in terms of his fans:  Lindsey, Emersyn, and Brynlee.

Disclosure – this is simply personal thoughts that I open to my family and friends and anyone else who has interest. 

Some years ago my son, Chris Wondolowski, scored his 100^th goal in Major League Soccer regular season play.  The goal itself was unremarkable as it was a penalty kick and the field was Levi Stadium in Santa Clara.  Nonetheless, surprising to me, it moved me to tears. 

We are now 44 goals later in Chris’ career and the next goal (if it comes) would tie him with Landon Donovan.  I never believed that Chris would score 100 goals and I never believed that he would score 144 goals and I never believed that he would be mentioned in comparisons to the best American Soccer Player of this generation – probably all time.

Let me qualify “I never believed” … I actually always believed.  In fact, I always knew.  I just put up my guards against what I believed and knew and real life.  Chris took real life and bent it into a reality that matched his skills, passion, desire, and attitude.  As a father, witnessing this for the past dozen-plus years is something that I am thankful for every day. Actually thankful may not be the right word – more accurately I am amazingly impressed by him every day.   Real life meets my son and my son tells real life: "try to stay up with me". 

The biggest thing against my nature is to write about an accomplishment that has not yet occurred.  So I will try to not do that.  Actually I don’t have to because there are 144 other goals, championships, and awards that Chris has earned and countless friendships that individually Chris and I have been able to build over those years. 

Chris’ accomplishments have allowed me to spend a couple of amazing weeks in Brazil rooming with his brother Stephen and watching World Cup Games in person.  His accomplishments have allowed me to travel to virtually every city that MLS plays in and watch those games in person.  I’m thinking of writing a MLS Travel Guide.

One of my favorite stories (that can probably be told now) is when Chris (with Houston) was playing in Denver.  We went to dinner on 16^th Street at a Sports Bar and the Hockey Playoffs were going on so the place was all about the Avalanche.  They had a sports trivia contest and Chris and I won a huge Coors-Avalanche Mirror (don’t mess with us on sports trivia).  We decided to carry it back to his team’s hotel (the mirror was huge) and put it in the room that Chris was sharing with Brad Davis.  All statute of limitations have expired by now so this is the first time this news has come out (I’m guessing Dominic never found out) … I miss that mirror.

Chris has been blessed to be able to spend most of his career with San Jose.  The fans are amazing, Avaya Stadium is great, while the results have been up and down – the ride has been wonderful.  Selfishly I have been blessed to be able to drive 45 minutes to watch my son play soccer (like many of you I’ve driven a lot longer than that early Saturday mornings over the years).  I have also been blessed to fly halfway around the world to watch him play soccer and all the way across the country (and all points in between). 

While his soccer career has been amazing – it may be hard for outsiders to see that it has always been and is – a family thing first.  His wife and daughters watch (sometimes his daughters take an ice cream break during the game) and cheer for him, his extended family is in the stands, friends from his childhood come to home games, high school teammates and college teammates are at every game.  We’ve been incredibly lucky to attach our family to the San Jose Earthquakes family.  We’ve been incredibly lucky to be able to witness Chris chasing this milestone. 

If 145 happens – and you happen to be by me …. I hope you can handle some tears.  If 145 never happens ... the other 144 are pretty awesome. 

Top Five Signs That Now You Are a Grand Dude

I think that one day, all of a sudden, I was a Grand Dude.  I suspect that (like everything else in my life) that it was a deliberate and obvious process).  However I have no evidence to prove that it was a deliberate and obvious process and only my seriously-faulty memory to claim that “all of a sudden” I was a Grand Dude.

Top Five Signs that Now – Your Life is Being a Grand Dude

5.  This one is easy and obvious – one day your Grand Daughters introduce you to strangers, teachers, stray dogs, zookeepers and Baristas as “this is my Grand Dude”. 

4.  Without trying (and you would like to say despite not trying) you now know all the words to the movies Frozen and Moana. 

3.  Even though you know better and see the transparency – when any one of those little girls says “Grand Dude I love You” – you immediately reach for your wallet and start throwing out money.  You know you are being played but somehow you don’t resist.

2.  Despite a life time of playing “go fish” – you let your Grand Daughter adopt a brand new set of rules (dynamic rules) that seem to favor her hand.

1.        Even though you know that being within 6 meters of any of them guarantees that you will be sick for the next 7 days … you do it anyway.

Top Ten Signs that Your Life is Cool

This past Friday night (January 26) was a bit humbling, but it was also tremendously fun and rewarding.  When you are just a guy (like me) -the spotlight is something that you see shining on other people.  Thanks to my son, for a short period of time, I found myself on the other side of the spotlight.  And after 24 hours I decided to reflect on some signs that maybe your life has turned out okay.

TOP TEN SIGNS IN ONE NIGHT THAT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN PRETTY GOOD:

10.  You go to an event where your sons are wearing suits and ties.

9.  Your sons and daughters-in-law share a pre-ceremony drink with you in the lobby bar at the Fairmont Hotel (you pick up the tab – your sons have learned alligator arms).

8.  You look at your daughters-in-law and realize that they are two of the most beautiful women on earth (right up there with your step-daughters).

7.  When you look at your three sons – you see men.  Men that you would want to be friends with.

6.  You get to be part of an amazing organization’s awards night like Coaching Corps.

5.  Coaching Corps and NBC Sports Bay Area give you your own handler – I’ve never had a handler and that was pretty cool …no – wait – that was way cool.

4.  Your sons and daughters-in-law spend part of the night with you at the Tonga Room in the Fairmont and you watch your daughter-in-law dance with your wife to a cover of Earth Wind and Fire. (#onlytwodancing)

3.  You remember the last time you danced with your wife to Earth Wind and Fire and you realize it was “Reasons” last Thursday.

2.  You have 3 sons, 2 step-daughters, 2 daughters-in-law, 2 sons-in-law, 5 granddaughters and 1 grandson.

1.  You’ve been able to be a volunteer coach for 43 years and the last 22 years have been at a high school in town where each and every year you fall in love with your players and remember why this is important. 

Street Soccer USA - Wondo Celebrity Soccer Game Player Ratings

The Street Soccer USA Cup Series completed its third and final 2016 leg this past weekend with a wonderful weekend of soccer at San Francisco’s Union Square.  Street Soccer USA (SSUSA) is an amazing national organization (with International affiliations) that provides a real-world framework of solutions for Homeless and At Risk Youth.  The San Francisco SSUSA has been performing fantastic work for the local community for many years.  In 2010 Chris Wondolowski connected with SSUSA and became their National Spokesman as an outreach based on sports and soccer resonated with Chris. 

This year we worked with SSUSA and the San Jose Earthquakes (among others) to put on a Celebrity Soccer Match in the middle of Sunday’s Tournament Finals.  The venue was on top of Union Square – where two Street Soccer fields were set against grandstands and the beautiful backdrop of the St. Francis Hotel and the rest of the great landmarks.

SSUSA, through its key pillars known as the 8 Street Soccer Skills (Show Up, Play with Heart, Look Up, Take the Space, Build Your Triangle, Praise Great Play, Play the Plan, Adjust the Plan), has built an impressive record of successes in helping Homeless and positively developing at risk youth.  The Celebrity Players demonstrated each of those key pillars on Sunday afternoon.

Before we get into the actual Player Ratings for the Celebrity Match, here are the wonderful people who donated their time and their passion to play in the game:

·         Chris Wondolowski Celebrity Soccer Match – Playing for Social Change

o   Joe Cannon – Former Professional Goalkeeper

o   Chris Dangerfield – Former Professional Forward

o   Todd Dunivant – Former Professional Defender

o   Phil Ginsburg – Current Professional General Manager of S.F. Recreation and Parks

o   Jeremy Gunn – Stanford University Head Soccer Coach

o   Owen Nolan – Former Professional Hockey Player – Captain San Jose Sharks

o   Ted Ramey – KNBR On Air Personality

o   Kate Scott – KNBR, Pac-12 Networks, Comcast Sports, On Air Personality

o   Danielle Slaton – US Women’s National Team Player – World Cup and Olympics

o   Tommy Thompson – San Jose Earthquakes Midfielder

o   Tim Hanley – Professional Soccer Coach

o   David Bingham – San Jose Earthquakes and US National Team Goalkeeper

o   Billy Knutsen – Former Professional Goalkeeper

o   Q – San Jose Earthquakes Mascot

The game was tied at halftime but then Team Wondo pulled ahead in the second half and Team SSUSA could not claw their way back successfully as Team Wondo won 12-9.  Here are the objective Player Ratings for the game (players rated on 1 to 10 scale with 10 being best)  {It’s not the first time these people have been subjected to these journalistic evil ratings so they are used to it}

Chris Wondolowski:  [5.5] – he started out in goal and that was a positional mistake as he didn’t use his hands in the first several minutes.  He was good at getting David Bingham’s shots out of the back of the net.  His field work in the second half elevated his player rating – he and Tim Hanley waged a serious battle.

Joe Cannon:  [8.0] – Joe displayed his field skills and stayed away from goalkeeper (a common theme you will see here) and he was busy filling up the net with his shots from the beginning.  His great first half was impressive.

Chris Dangerfield:  [9.0] – There are two reasons why Danger gets the high rating … (1) He is the television commentator for the Earthquakes games and I’d love it if he just said nice things about my son and (2) His absolute BOMB to begin the second half – {a rocket from his own half of the field that Tim Hanley had no chance on} started Team Wondo on their huge second half run. 

Todd Dunivant:  [8.5] – Todd brought the colorful shoes and the left foot that just scores Street Soccer Goals.  He was a goal-scoring machine on Sunday afternoon and quickly learned the ins and outs of Street Soccer Strategy.

Phil Ginsburg: [9.5] – He scored goals, he helped provide support from The City to SSUSA and he was there in person to show the support of The City.  And, as mentioned, he scored.

Jeremy Gunn: [8.0] – An effective game from the Stanford Coach, brought the cerebral dimension to his team on the pitch.  Unlike just about every other player on the field – he passed the ball frequently which stood out as unique.

Owen Nolan: [9.5] – Man of the Match – Owen Nolan quickly fell into a comfort zone of staying on the offensive half of the field and cherry picking the outlet passes to build up an impressive collection of goals.  Even though his profession included knocking around large men on ice skates – it was clearly not the first time he ever dribbled a soccer ball.

Ted Ramey: [7.5] – Not just a good afternoon from the man with the microphone but also a good week with his on-air support for the event.  During the game he contributed with great insights and context, perhaps going a bit too light on his on-air partner.   

Kate Scott: [8.5] – Kate put in a solid shift and covered more ground than all of the former (and current) goalkeepers combined.  She played on both sides of the ball (a novel approach in the game) and passed unselfishly (an even more novel approach in the game).  She was a bit thrown off at half-time when she didn’t have a microphone chasing one of the players for an interview – but she adjusted well.

Danielle Slaton: [9.0] – Danielle showcased a magic left foot married to an attitude that realized that the score was being tracked.  Her competitive fire combined with some of the best soccer skills on the pitch to put on a clinic for both teams.  She also was a bit lost at halftime without a microphone.

Tommy Thompson [7.5] – Tommy mixed in tremendous ball skills and dribbling displays with an impressive array of errant shots that would qualify him to be one of the Empire’s Soldiers in Star Wars.  For those watching from the 7^th Floor of the St. Francis (I think room 732) – would you mind returning the ball that Tommy shot at the final buzzer?

Tim Hanley [8.0] – Coach Hanley put in a full shift – he had Joe Cannon and David Bingham on his team but the line of those who wanted to play Goalkeeper did not exist.  Tim got a great view of some good shots as well as equally great views of some not very good shots that went by him.  But – he did win first, second, and third place in “Saves of the Game”.  Those who play Goalkeeper in Street Soccer always live to regret it.

David Bingham [8.5] – Once David realized that he could shoot the ball at a goal that was being guarded by Chris Wondolowski … it was like he was dropping water balloons from the roof of the school administration building --- one after another after another.  I did have a bit of a paternal instinct to go out there and save my son from further embarrassment … but that feeling went away pretty quickly. 

Billy Knutsen [9.0] – Put simply – Billy saved his team and gave it the victory.  He stepped into goal in the second half to relieve Wondo (who had become exhausted retrieving the ball out of his own net).  Billy made some big saves that helped Team Wondo get out to their second half lead and preserve it – and he was great on distribution.

Q [6.5] – The South Bay Blue Mascot had some great moments – but dealing some of the San Francisco canines (specifically one German Shepard) got the better of him a couple of times.  High points for showing up – next time bring a couple of dog treats though.

Stephen Wondolowski [DNP] – Stephen didn’t get into the game but showed up as a ready-reserve in case some of celebrity players were not able to make it.  Thanks for the support of SSUSA.

Rob Cann and Lawrence Cann [10.0] – The two brothers who started Street Soccer USA and have made it their passion and mission are two of the most inspiring young men you could ever meet. Seeing Union Square transformed into a Street Soccer USA Showcase and seeing the organization’s results makes us all proud.

When Love and Loyalty Intersect

When Love and Loyalty Intersect

At the risk of getting too dramatic, the announcement yesterday about Chris’ new contract with the Earthquakes is a fantastic testament to love, loyalty, and doing business the way it should be done (in my opinion).  The arc(s) of Chris’ career are, in many ways, amazingly symmetrically balanced and, in all ways, improbably contrived story book plots.

On Love – Chris was an Earthquakes fan long before he became an Earthquakes player.  Playing for the Earthquakes affords him the opportunity of playing in front of friends and family – and in addition he has shown that his definition of “friends and family” extend to everyone who steps into the beautiful Avaya Stadium (especially those who sing for the entire game).  Being with the Earthquakes allows his little Emersyn to waddle-run out at the end of the game and jump into his arms while his wonderful wife and youngest daughter watch (Lindsey doesn’t waddle-run she sprints and Brynlee doesn’t waddle, run, sprint, walk, crawl, or do much at games other than bundle up).  But the first thought I had when I knew the new contract was a done-deal was that in a couple of years Emersyn and Brynlee will both be sprinting out on the field trying to beat each other to their dad’s arms.  That is cool for a Grand-dude and cool for all family and friends.

On Loyalty – One of the things about Chris that I am most proud is that he has approached professional soccer with the mindset that he will do as well as he possibly can, put the team first, passionately support the team and the community … and the loyalty will be reciprocal.  I realize that is more of an ideal than a realistic strategy in today’s world – but with the Quakes Ownership and the Quakes Management … it has been the best strategy.  The Quakes Management and Ownership has been as fair to Chris as any player could wish for or expect. And, as dad, I have to mention how proud I was yesterday when the Quakes did the announcement about the new contract and Chris found out that he had made the USMNT roster for the Copa next month … after all that he simply got in his car and drove up to San Francisco to make two appearances for Street Soccer USA in San Francisco.  (more about Street Soccer USA in a bit).

On Business – I would like to believe that you get paid/rewarded for the value you create for an organization.  You don’t live more than a half-century without realizing that this belief is not consistently fulfilled in the real world.  But I still cling to the belief that good business is win-win and appreciation of the value that each side is able to offer (and has offered).  In my view Chris’ business dealings in his professional soccer life have always reinforced my idealistic belief.  Maybe an agent could have crafted “better deals” … but I don’t think so.

On Career Arcs – the unlikely chance that Chris ever got to break into the MLS was given to him by John Doyle (then Assistant Coach for San Jose) and Dominic Kinnear (then Head Coach for San Jose).  Somehow, improbably, they offered Chris a professional contract as a rookie.  Then – more than 10 years later – after relocation for Dominic, Chris, Quakes to Houston – and after the return of Dominic, Chris, Quakes, John Doyle to San Jose – Chris is fulfilling a professional dream and his father is living a soccer-loving-father’s fantasy. 

(WARNING – A LITTLE BIT OF ADVERTISING HERE)

Finally – on Street Soccer USA.  (www.streetsoccerusa.org).  About 8 years ago Mrs. Wondo read an article in the San Francisco Chronicle (sorry Elliott but it was not in the Merc) about this organization that was using soccer as an outreach to homeless.  This group had a remarkable success rate and an amazing force of two brothers driving the organization.  I reached out to the reporter who wrote the story who put me in touch with Rob Cann (brother of Lawrence Cann – the other amazing brother).  We connected Chris and SSUSA and the partnership has been great.  There were years where Chris and Lindsey donated $100 for each goal he scored and Soccer Silicon Valley matched the contributions (along with other fans).  And each year Chris will find his way up to San Francisco a few evenings and meet with the soon-to-be-not-homeless-people in the SSUSA program and play with them at their Street Soccer Training. SSUSA believes “sports can be a primary tool in building safe, healthy communities, where everyone has a place to call home”.  I think we can all agree that there is not one cure-all for homeless and anything that works is a thing that should be treasured and nurtured.  SSUSA works.

I can tell you from personal experience that three years ago at the SSUSA Cup in San Francisco Mrs. Wondo put together a corporate team from her company and yours truly put together a corporate team from his company.  We both played in the SSUSA Corporate Cup and had tremendous fun.  But we also enjoyed watching the SSUSA players who were just inspirational – the entire organization is honestly – the most inspirational team that I have ever seen. 

Please consider visiting www.streetsoccerusa.org and put together your own team to compete at their Cup in Union Square on July 16^th and July 17^th.  If you can come by on Sunday July 17^th – the Earthquakes are teaming with Chris to put together a celebrity Street Soccer Game at 2pm in Union Square.  Even if you go to watch – I promise you will leave with a smile on your face and happy you went.  But go to play and watch – and maybe your team will win the championship of their bracket (like my team did by beating Mrs. Wondo’s team in the final).