Lead Major League Soccer in goals. Check.
Lead the Galaxy to an 11-2-3 record, good for first in the West. Check.
Earn a spot on the USMNT’s 23-man roster for the World Cup. Check. Make two appearances at the World Cup in South Africa. Check.
Undergo a battery of tests that included an air displacement chamber, the MOXUS Metabolic Cart System, and cognitive function speed tests. Check.
The last item seems to be out of place, but it is actually quite a match for Edson Buddle, one of the “new” stars in MLS. Buddle had frequent muscle cramps during matches and needed a solution. Enter the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) and the Gatorade G Series.
You might call the GSSI testing process rigorous, but it wasn’t overwhelming for the L.A. striker. Surprising stuff, considering all of the high-tech equipment involved in the process. Cycling for 30 minutes and breathing into a mask, no problem. Climbing into the “Bod Pod” to get an estimate of body composition, no worries. Actually Buddle would say that it was a good way to spend a few hours of his time. “It was a good learning experience,” the two-time MLS All-Star suggested after learning the science behind the G Series.
2010 has indeed been a whirlwind for Buddle, who has enjoyed a resurgence of sorts in the new year. Buddle came into this MLS season as a player with untapped potential, but has become quite an enigma over the years. Everyone knew that Buddle had the ability to become the best pure striker ever to grace MLS. A pure scorer of his caliber has not been seen since Roy Lassiter of the Tampa Bay Mutiny, who still holds the record for most goals in a season with 27. He is on pace to challenge that record and will certainly surpass his personal career best of 15 goals scored in 2008.
Buddle has been near unstoppable in MLS and is the league leader in goals despite missing time with the national team. He provided Bob Bradley with another attacking option in South Africa: a player with speed, energy, and superior fitness.
Observers believe he may be in the best form of his career, but Buddle said that may be the case on paper. In reality, he went on to say that he was younger and sharper during his tenure with the Crew, but maturity and experience have made a difference. He also talked about the importance of team chemistry. “Having the same guys around me makes my job easier,” Buddle commented. Being a striker means depending on the play of others, which is a good thing if you are paired up with a megastar like Landon Donovan.
He is determined to show that L.A.’s great start will continue and that the club will not peak too early. It is safe to say that the second half of the MLS season is going to be incredibly exciting for fans of the Galaxy, especially with Buddle on the attack. Maybe Gatorade will prove to be the difference maker for the fan favorite named after the one and only Pelé.
