Wondo Watch is on.
With Chris Wondolowski scoring his first goal of the season last week for the San Jose Earthquakes, putting him in sole possession of second place in the all-time MLS scoring chart, 10 goals behind Landon Donovan. The two will go-head-to-head in a friendly this Saturday when the Quakes host Liga MX's Club Leon, and after that, the record chase is back on.
With 32 games left in the San Jose Earthquakes' 2018 season, we asked Senior Editors Ben Couch and Nicholas Rosano, Senior Host and Producer Andrew Wiebe and Contributors Charles Boehm, Alicia Rodriguez, Sam Stejskal and Bobby Warshaw this question:
Will Chris Wondolowski tie or break the MLS all-time scoring record in 2018?
BOEHM: It's faaaaar from a sure thing that he hits the record this year, but I'm going to say yes to this one. Precious few in MLS history have done what Wondo has – he's reaped double-digit goal hauls in every season this decade. Whether those 35-year-old legs have lost a step or not doesn't matter much, because his scoring nous has always revolved around movement and instinct, and those are sharp as ever. And this Earthquakes squad appears to be an attack-minded bunch, so whether they're winning or losing, the chances will come.
WARSHAW: I don't know, but a) I've learned every time you think it's time to bet against Wondo, he gets it done and b) I don't want to cheer against Wondo. So for the sake of good juju, I'm saying he does it.
WIEBE: Two years ago, I was baited into predicting Wondo would fail to hit double-digit goals on ExtraTime Radio. I never heard the end of it. The Quakes legend hasn’t scored fewer than 11 goals in a single season since 2009. That doesn’t change this year and the record changes hands.
COUCH: Well, Wondo scores at least 10 goals every year, so we’re really deciding tie or break, eh? Early results aside, I think the Quakes’ offense registers on the Richter scale more often than not. Assuming old man health (and continued craftiness) it says here we end it with a new owner.
STEJSKAL: Yes. He'll have this wrapped by September.
RODRIGUEZ: I want Wondo to take this record. His story is one of the more remarkable in MLS history, and even with a decade of unprecedented consistency, he's still somehow considered an underdog outside of San Jose. But if I had to put money on it, I'd say he will have to wait until 2019.
ROSANO: For the sake of a good story (and because I think 11 goals on the season is a reasonable bet), let's say he ties the record this year, leaving us a whole 'nother offseason to ponder this question once again.
