This is Part 18 in a series of articles on the players that make up the 2010 Los Angeles Galaxy.


Alan "Flash" Gordon is a local product made for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

A native of nearby Long Beach, California (which, coincidentally, is where the author also calls home), Gordon has appeared 92 times for the G's (as of May 5, 2010) playing the forward position.

Standing at a tall 1.91 meters, Gordon's imposing presence up front has been crucial in the clutch many times for the blue and gold of LA, culminating in an MLS Cup in 2005. Gordon will now look to add a second championship to his winning resume.

Alan Gordon was born on born October 16, 1981 in Long Beach. The 36th-largest city in the USA and fifth-largest in California, Long Beach is home to the Port of Long Beach, one of the world's largest shipping ports. It is home to a burgeoning oil industry and corporations such as Epson America, Molina Healthcare, and SCAN Health Plan.

Attractions in the International City include the Queen Mary, Cal State Long Beach's iconic Walter Pyramid, the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Pike, Shoreline Village, Belmont Shore, and Bixby Knolls.

Long Beach also has a rich sporting tradition. The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is part of the Indy Racing League and is a significant revenue generator for the city. Belmont Shore Rugby Football Club are a dominating force in USA Rugby's Super League.

A high school sports powerhouse, Long Beach's major high school sports programs include Millikan, Wilson, and the most famous of all, Long Beach Polytechnic. And to top it all off, there is Long Beach State and its athletics programs, as well as the teams from Long Beach City College.

And speaking of community colleges...just like striking sensation and U.S. National Team member Edson Buddle, Gordon's career passed through the junior college ranks.

During and 2000 and 2001 seasons, Gordon scored 39 goals for the Roughriders of Yavapai College, a small community college of under 4,000 in Prescott, Arizona.

He would go on to transfer to Oregon State, where he scored 26 goals and seven assists in 40 games with the Beavers.

Gordon's 15 goals in 2002 were the second most in school history, while his 11 in 2003 stand as the fourth most in a single season. For his efforts, he went on to earn All-Pac-10 first team honors during his time at OSU.

After graduating, Gordon was drafted 53rd overall by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. However, he would not be an instant splash in LA just yet, as he was loaned off to the Portland Timbers that year.

During his time with the Timbers, Gordon scored 17 goals in 32 appearances. He was named Rookie of the Year in the USL A-League (now USL First Division), and was a finalist for league MVP.

Gordon proved to be a player with potential, and after the 2004 league season, he was loaned back to the Galaxy.

The 2005 campaign saw Gordon hampered by a groin injury early on, but he did earn time playing with the reserve side. He would eventually start the last two games that season for then-manager Steve Sampson en route to Los Angeles's second MLS Cup.

During the 2006 season, Gordon helped contribute to the Galaxy's late season run. At the 2006 U.S. Open Cup, he tallied three goals in four appearances, including one in their Final defeat to the Chicago Fire, and added another four during the MLS regular season.

Like the 2005 season, the 2007 campaign was hindered early by injuries. This time it was preseason foot surgery that kept Gordon out until July. Nonetheless, he started 11 of his 14 appearances, scoring three goals.

Gordon's scoring touch proved to be crucial to the Galaxy's success in the 2007 SuperLiga, scoring three goals during that tournament to finish in a tie for second place.

The 2008 campaign was a landmark year for Alan Gordon. In 26 appearances, Gordon scored five goals and added seven assists to go with induction to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Soccer Hall of Fame.

During the 2009 season, Gordon achieved another personal milestone: scoring a goal against 2009-10 UEFA Champions League winners Inter Milan on July 19. "This is something I can take to my grave," Gordon said after the match.

What Gordon can also take to the grave is the fact that he became the 14th player in Galaxy history to score 15 goals for Los Angeles. He did so on June 6, in the fifth minute against Toronto FC, which also was the first-ever victory for the G's at BMO Field.

So far in his 92 appearances, Flash Gordon has struck like lightning with 16 goals. And the No. 21 will look to add more scoring electricity and power to the Los Angeles Galaxy's cup runs in 2010.

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