Joseph Cannon (born January 1, 1975) is an American former professional soccer player. He spent the majority of his 16 professional seasons playing in Major League Soccer. His 86 MLS career shutouts ranks him fourth in league history. He won the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award twice (2002, 2004), and finished runner-up for the award three times (2000, 2001, 2005).

Joe Cannon
Cannon in October 2008
Personal information
Full name Joseph Cannon
Date of birth (1975-01-01) January 1, 1975 (age 49)
Place of birth Sun Valley, Idaho, U.S.
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Saint Francis High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 11 (0)
1995–1997 Santa Clara Broncos
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998 San Diego Flash 28 (0)
1999–2002 San Jose Earthquakes 101 (0)
2003 RC Lens 0 (0)
2003–2006 Colorado Rapids 86 (0)
2007 LA Galaxy 29 (0)
2008–2010 San Jose Earthquakes 70 (0)
2011–2013 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 56 (0)
Total 370 (0)
International career
2003–2005 United States 2 (0)
Managerial career
2017 Burlingame Dragons FC
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He also earned two caps in friendlies with the United States men's national soccer team.

Early life and education edit

Cannon was born January 1, 1975, in Sun Valley, Idaho, to Barbara and Joe Cannon.[1][2] As a child, he was raised in both Sun Valley, Idaho and Los Altos Hills, California.[3] He attended Hemingway Elementary School in Ketchum, Idaho, before moving permanently to California at age 12.[3] In California, he played high school soccer for Saint Francis High School.[4]

Cannon attended college at the University of California, Santa Barbara for his first year and was a student-athlete on the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos men's soccer team. He played in 11 games for the Gauchos in 1993 and recorded 3 shutouts.[5] He later transferred to Santa Clara University where he played for the Broncos from 1995 to 1997.[6] He graduated with a degree in political science.[3]

Club career edit

San Diego Flash and San Jose Earthquakes edit

Cannon was not drafted by a Major League Soccer team and instead signed with the San Diego Flash of the A-League in 1998. He appeared in 28 games, posting 11 shutouts, en route to being named the Flash's Most Valuable Player.[7][8]

After a season with the Flash, he was signed by Major League Soccer team San Jose Earthquakes.[8] After starting goalkeeper David Kramer tore the labrum in his shoulder, Cannon was promoted to the first team for the Quakes.[9] He remained as the starter until 2002, leading San Jose to victory in MLS Cup 2001 and winning his first MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award in 2002.[3]

French foray and return to MLS edit

Cannon's Major League Soccer contract expired following the 2002 season and he attempted to play for a European team.[10] After an unsuccessful trial with Feyenoord, he signed a six-month contract with RC Lens of France's Ligue 1.[11] He was behind Charles Itandje in the Lens side and was not able to break into the first team.[11]

Meanwhile, in MLS, the Earthquakes traded the rights to Cannon to the Colorado Rapids for three draft picks—a first round 2004 pick, and third and fourth round 2005 picks—and Cannon returned to play in America.[12]

I don't care whether they bring in Joe Cannon or Jeff Bazooka or Jim Tommygun ... I don't need anyone to push me.

I don't care if it's Scott Garlick, Scott Salt or Scott Pepper. I'm very confident in my abilities. I can compete for the job anywhere, and may the best man win.

— Joe Cannon, [13][14]

Cannon was initially behind incumbent goalkeeper Scott Garlick, but Rapids coach Tim Hankinson controversially promoted Cannon into the starting role for the 2003 playoffs.[15] Although Colorado did not advance, Garlick was traded to the Dallas Burn and Cannon kept his starting position.[16] The following season in 2004, Cannon won his second MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award in addition to being named to the MLS Best XI and as a finalist for the MLS Most Valuable Player Award.[3]

In December 2006, Cannon was traded to the Los Angeles Galaxy for Herculez Gomez and Ugo Ihemelu.[17][18] He made his Galaxy debut on April 8, 2007, in a 0–0 tie with the Houston Dynamo.[19] He spent one season with the club.

Later career edit

Cannon returned to the Earthquakes via trade with the Galaxy for allocation money in January 2008.[20] He spent three seasons with the club.

Cannon was selected by Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft.[21] He re-signed with Vancouver for the 2012 Major League Soccer season.[22] Cannon retired following the 2013 Major League Soccer season.

 
Cannon with Vancouver Whitecaps FC

International edit

Cannon earned two caps with the United States men's national soccer team. His first cap came against New Zealand in 2003 where he played the first half of a 2–1 win. In 2004 he was called into several U.S. camps without gaining any game time. In 2005 he won his second cap, playing the first half of a friendly against Honduras.[23][24]

Cannon's grandfather and father are Canadian, which made him eligible for the Canada men's national soccer team.[25]

Post-playing career edit

In March 2014, Cannon was announced as a color commentator for San Jose Earthquakes radio broadcasts on KLIV.[26]

Personal life edit

Cannon has a twin brother, Jon, who was a minor league baseball pitcher.[1] He has two other brothers, Cody and Colt.[1] His father, Joe Cannon Sr., was a country-western singer.[1]

Career statistics edit

Club Season League Cup Other Total
League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Colorado Rapids 2003 MLS 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2004 MLS 32 0 0 0 0 0 32 0
2005 MLS 30 0 0 0 0 0 30 0
2006 MLS 30 0 0 0 0 0 30 0
Total 94 0 0 0 0 0 94 0
LA Galaxy 2007 MLS 34 0 0 0 0 0 34 0
Total 34 0 0 0 0 0 34 0
San Jose Earthquakes 2008 MLS 30 0 0 0 0 0 30 0
2009 MLS 28 0 0 0 0 0 28 0
2010 MLS 12 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
Total 70 0 0 0 0 0 70 0
Vancouver Whitecaps 2011 MLS 20 0 0 0 0 0 20 0
2012 MLS 26 0 0 0 0 0 26 0
2013 MLS 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Total 56 0 0 0 0 0 56 0
Career total 254 0 0 0 0 0 254 0

Honors edit

Club edit

San Jose Earthquakes

Individual edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Rosewater, Amy (September 3, 2002). "Cannon brothers take different shots". USA Today. Tysons Corner, Virginia. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  2. ^ "Joe Cannon Player Profile – ESPN FC". ESPN FC. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e Zarkos, Jody (November 19, 2004). "Gimme Five – This Cannon had a booming year". Idaho Mountain Express. Ketchum, Idaho. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  4. ^ Schwab, Matt (April 4, 2012). "Goalkeeper Joe Cannon revitalizes career with Vancouver Whitecaps". San Jose Mercury News. San Jose, California. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  5. ^ "UCSB Men's Soccer Record Book: ALL-TIME GOALKEEPER STATISTICS (5+ GP)" (PDF). UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. August 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  6. ^ "Santa Clara Men's Soccer: All-Time Roster" (PDF). Santa Clara Broncos. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  7. ^ Litterer, David. "The Year in American Soccer, 1998: USISL A-League (Division 2)". homepages.sover.net/~spectrum. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "MLS: Goalkeeper Joe Cannon Headed to San Jose". Soccer America. Oakland, California. January 26, 1999. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  9. ^ "MLS: Injury Update (April 22)". Soccer America. Oakland, California. April 22, 1999. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  10. ^ Mahoney, Ridge (December 3, 2008). "What's a good keeper worth?". Soccer America. Oakland, California. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  11. ^ a b "The SBI Questions: Joe Cannon Answers (Part 1)". SBISoccer.com. April 8, 2009. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  12. ^ "Rapids Acquire 2002 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Joe Cannon". Colorado Rapids. August 19, 2003. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  13. ^ a b Lepper, Geoff (April 7, 2010). "Quakes' keeper Cannon ends media blackout". San Jose Earthquakes. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  14. ^ a b Dure, Beau (2010). Long-Range Goals: The Success Story of Major League Soccer. Potomac Books, Inc. p. 153. ISBN 9781597975094.
  15. ^ Pearce, Alan (November 4, 2003). "Demotion shocks angry Garlick". Rocky Mountain News. Denver. Archived from the original on December 17, 2003. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  16. ^ "MLS: Burn acquires Garlick from Colorado". Soccer America. Oakland, California. December 17, 2003. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  17. ^ Forbes, Brian (December 1, 2006). "Rapids trade Joe Cannon". The Denver Post. Denver. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  18. ^ "Galaxy acquire goalkeeper Cannon in trade with Rapids". USA Today. Tysons Corner, Virginia. December 1, 2006. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  19. ^ "DRAWING WITH DYNAMO". LASoccerNews.com. April 8, 2007. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  20. ^ "LA Galaxy trades goalkeeper Joe Cannon to San Jose". ESPN FC. January 10, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  21. ^ "2010 Expansion Draft: pick by pick". Major League Soccer. November 24, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  22. ^ "'Caps re-sign two". Vancouver Whitecaps FC. December 5, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  23. ^ "Cannon Earns First U.S. National Team Appearance". Santa Clara Broncos. June 8, 2003. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  24. ^ "Joe Cannon – USMNT". April 2, 2008.
  25. ^ "The SBI Questions: Joe Cannon Answers (Part Two)". SBISoccer.com. April 9, 2009. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  26. ^ Curran, Olivia (March 27, 2014). "Cannon, Ramey join the Earthquakes broadcast on KLIV". San Jose Earthquakes. Retrieved March 25, 2016.

External links edit