Caught in Possession

What a career it's been for Santino Quaranta -- and he's only 23!

Earlier today I finished an MLSnet piece about Quaranta's emotional weekend -- it should be up on the site later today -- and working on it got me thinking about Tino's journey, the last four years of which I have been around for.

Drafted by DC United at the then-record age of 16 back in 2001...showing so much alluring potential and so many mouth-watering attributes, only to have injuries and attitude problems -- and as it turns out, so much more -- derail him...yet still helping the US win the 2005 Gold Cup and qualify for World Cup 2006...and now, a true veteran and leader, despite his age, for this year's United squad.

Back in 2004, my first year on the United beat, I was hanging around RFK Stadium as part of MLSnet's coverage of the leadup to the All-Star game, held on a very hot Saturday afternoon at the old concrete bowl that July. A couple of MLSnet's full-timers were down from New York City for most of the week and as we were talking, Quaranta walked by gingerly, grimacing as he held an ice pack to his hip following a workout.

He'd been dealing with a rash of injuries that season, something he'd by then acquired a reputation for (in addition to his rap as kind of a punk in general), and after he passed us, one MLSnet colleague who had worked in and around the league for several years turned to the group and said, "He's finished," with a tone that held equal parts certainty and contempt. And at the time, there was not much of a argument to be made to the contrary.

So it's heartening to see that there's hope for early-blooming phenoms like Tino, many of whom are exalted and then quickly eviscerated by a hopeful yet demanding U.S. soccer community. I wrote up a piece on Quaranta's return a few months ago, when he was tiptoeing around the real reason that New York and L.A. gave up on him so quickly, sending him to what he called "rock bottom." It's good to see that he's finally opened up: as one who has addicts in his own family, I know is a difficult but important step in the healing process.

Saturday's win over New York provided was in many ways "just another day at the office" for Quaranta and his teammates, but that in and of itself is further proof that there's a new Tino in town. He shows up, works diligently, fights as hard as anyone for the club colors, and does what is asked of him. Tino Quaranta, a coach's dream -- who'd a thunk it?!?!?