I suppose there’s a different prism through which to see the Charlie Davies situation. But given my personal spot in life, I can only see it through the prism of the mother of a young adult male. A parent who is constantly trying to get her child to understand the consequences of his occasionally reckless behavior.
My son has never suffered a consequence as big as the one Davies, 23, has been dealt. The bright, rising young star of American soccer was left off the 2010 World Cup roster Tuesday, because he’s not expected to be healthy enough to contribute. He is still recovering from horrible injuries suffered in a car crash in Washington DC last October. One of those past-curfew, what -the -hell-were-you-thinking mistakes that can change a young person’s life.
Davies didn’t pay the ultimate consequence. A passenger in the car, a young woman named Ashley Roberta, did. She was killed instantly. And the crash put the ups and downs of professional soccer in perspective. Davies’ mother said, a few days after the crash, that the World Cup drama didn’t seem so important. Her son was just lucky to be alive.
But, now, months after Davies has worked to recover, struggled to get to the point where he could be considered for the team, it does seem important. And heartbreaking. And a huge, dire consequence for a stupid night out on the town.
Davies burst onto the international stage last summer in South Africa, as the U.S. team put on a surprising performance at the Confederations Cup. He played with confidence and grace through World Cup qualifying. And 48 hours after the U.S. qualified, Davies did something that ultimately ended his dreams of playing in the World Cup. For this year. Possibly forever, in a sport where the biggest moment comes once every four years.
I can’t really blame coach Bob Bradley. We’re only 30 days out. Davies still hasn’t received full medical clearance to play. It’s just too much of a risk to use a precious spot on someone who might not be effective.
Davies, sadly, has learned that he can only blame himself. He told the New York Times last month, “Why did I put myself in that situation? Why did I let things get out of hand in the sense of thinking I could go out and enjoy myself and break curfew and think that everything was going to be okay?”
It wasn’t okay. Not for Davies. Not for the young woman who was killed. Not for the U.S. team which will be missing one of its most promising and dynamic players.
It’s a tough lesson. A teachable moment. As the parent of a young adult, I have more of those than I want.
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