Busch Fire in Chicago

 

By Luke James

Veteran goalkeeper Jon Busch is going back to Chicago, somewhat ironically to be coached by the man who led him to a 2012 Supporters’ Shield with the Quakes, Frank Yallop.

Busch returns to Chicago for his second stint with the Fire. Back in 2007, Busch made 63 regular season appearances for the Chicago side. In 2008, he recorded a league-best save percentage of 78.2%, saving 122 of 156 shots faced, and made a league-high 10 shutouts en route to a MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award.

By contrast, the end of his last season at San Jose must have been  particularly tough for Busch. The veteran goalkeeper found himself in 2 short years going from Supporters Shield winner to standing at the back of a team that had its worst season in franchise history, he was out of contract, and at least for a while out of a job. Life off the field can sometimes be just as cruel as between the sticks.

We all know how important goalkeepers are. Think back four years to when David de Gea came to Manchester United and was vilified for being a waste of cash; witness him now lauded as the savior of many a labored performance by the current United team. (Side note: David de Gea just supposedly turned down Real Madrid to sign a new 5 year deal at United)

But why do we always blame the goalkeeper? Even when the commentator says “there was nothing the keeper could do about that one” as the ball hits the back of the net, if we’re honest don’t we still blame the last man on the field of play side of the goal line? We say the defense was a shambles but, at the moment the defense was running around like a bunch of headless, one-legged chickens, the ball was still not yet in the net.

Only once the flying dive, that would put many a lesser mortal in hospital for a week, is over and the keeper is rolling over to stare with all the pain of a rejected lover at the traitorous ball lying on the other side of the line has the game really changed. The ref is running past the often idiotic striker goal celebrations and pointing to the spot, while the man in the uniquely colored jersey puts on the universal brave face and then has the added humiliation of having to retrieve the ball from the net. This he must do to the accompaniment of thousands of fans either baying for his blood or jeering at his abilities.

So what of the keeper who is all but impeccable in his positional sense, his timing, his death defying bravery when going down (or up) for the ball who finds himself at the back of a team that are playing like lame heffers full of pudding?

And another thing, why do MLS game commentators have to go on and on about the fact that Jon Busch isn’t the tallest goalkeeper in the league; it’s beyond comprehension. Are these microphone jockeys really so lacking in imagination they had to keep pointing this out, even as the man dived here and there frustrating striker after striker with classy performances? The answer would seem to be: yes, they are!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jon Busch signed with the Earthquakes in 2010 and in his first season was voted Quakes Defensive MVP, making 81 saves and in 18 appearances and posting 7 shut outs.

In 2011 Busch led the league with 113 saves, played in the most games and most minutes in a single season of any player in club history with 33 games and 2,970 minutes, and recorded 6 shut outs.

In 2012 Busch was twice nominated for MLS Save of the Week, posted 6 clean sheets, became just the second player after Ramiro Corrales in club history to make 200 MLS appearances, and won the Supporters Shield.

In 2013 Busch matched his career high with 33 starts for the Earthquakes, hit the 100 save mark in a season for the sixth time in his professional career with 101, recorded nine shutouts, including five in his last six games, and became the seventh goalkeeper in MLS history to record 100 career wins.

Jon Busch leaves a big hole between the fancy new goal posts at Avaya Stadium, one that now #1 goalie David Bingham, will have to work hard to fill. The fans will get behind Bingham (sic) as well as new GK acquisitions Andy Gruenebaum and Bryan Meredith but it’s going to be a good long while before things look right at Quakes games without the fearless abilities of one of the league’s great goalkeepers between the sticks. The San Jose players, fans, front office, and pundits join in wishing Jon Busch continued success at Chicago.