I think it's time for our first American-born, one-name player.

Clint, as in Mathis. But you knew that, of course, which is why I think it's time to refer to him sans surname. I mean, now that former D.C. defender Clint Peay has hung up his boots, is it safe to assume there is no other Clint playing professional soccer in the world?

Clint. I mean, does it get any more American than that? Of course, it helps that he's from Conyers, Ga., still says "y'all" and "how're YOU doin'?," and likes his long-neck Buds.

This could be the American soccer hero we've all been waiting for all these years. But not just for the reasons listed above. I think Clint's got a chance because, in my memory, he's the first U.S. player who I'd call ... and this is very American ... a home-run hitter.

Watching the U.S. defeat Honduras on Wednesday night, there were many times during the night when Mathis frustrated me with sloppy ball possession. If he wasn't losing the ball, he was giving it to teammates in such bad spots that all they could do was bomb it up field or kick it out of bounds.

But I never wanted him off the field. Because my feeling was, like a true home-run hitter, all Clint needed was one pitch he could handle, one mistake that he could turn into a goal. I don't remember ever feeling that way about an American attacking player before -- that no matter how a game plays out, no matter how little he does, there's going to come a moment when he creates a good scoring chance, either for himself or a teammate.

Do you feel that way about Claudio Reyna? Sure, Reyna's going to be smoother with the ball, turn it over less than Clint, and spray some pretty passes around the midfield.

But how often does Reyna deliver the dagger? Mathis has delivered in three consecutive qualifiers now. A goal at Barbados, an assist vs. Mexico and his game-winning free-kick Wednesday night in Honduras -- which was accurately described by Seamus Malin as "David Beckham-like." Bruce Arena's got to keep running him out there.

He's Clint.

Landon by the Bay

We've been speculating here for a while that wonder boy Landon Donovan was headed to the San Jose Earthquakes, and it became official today. The deal will be, according to the league, something that's not quite a transfer and not quite a loan. Translated: Donovan will play for the Quakes, then return to Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the MLS season and, so long as he's not a first-team starter for BL, be back in San Jose in time for the start up of the next MLS season. Aren't you glad I could make sense of that for you?

Pretty cool, I think, that now four of World Soccer magazine's Best 100 Players Under 21 now work in MLS. Donovan, D.C.'s Bobby Convey, Chicago's DaMarcus Beasley and Dallas' Joselito Vaca.

Boot Room Regrets

You're all tired of hearing about it by now, but I was lucky to even get in front of the television to see the U.S.-Honduras match Wednesday night. Hopefully, we can get back to more frequent (and more informative) columns here soon, but until The Magazine (translated: not soccer) work subsides, it might be tough. Good news is, we've got two pages of MLS and WUSA previews coming up in the April 16 issue. 'Til next time.

Jeff Bradley is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail jeff.bradley@espnmag.com.