After news broke that Charlie Davies was in critical condition at a Washington, D.C. hospital following a horrific car crash back in early October, the thought of him kicking a soccer ball seemed like an after thought. And while it is far too early to tell when Davies might return to competitive soccer, reports are indicating that Davies is making "fantastic" progress while rehabbing his injuries in Delaware.

As a blogger, I am able to write the type of crap that any legitimate journalist would most likely never publish and the lines that follow would fall under that category. I'm hoping Davies makes a miracle return in time for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa to not only help the U.S. national team on the field but to also provide an emotional lift. Think about the lift that the improbable return of Davies would bring to this team, which has at times felt like a group void of emotion. Davies could provide a spark which could ultimately help lead the American side deeper into the World Cup than they have ever been in the modern era.

In fact, I think that if Davies was to return in time for the World Cup then his story would get a huge amount of airtime and could potentially increase the exposure level for soccer in America. Not that we need to put any more pressure on this young man's shoulders than we already have but, Charlie, the fate of American soccer is resting on shoulders. Just keep doing what you're doing and hopefully we'll be saved.