Charlie Davies Is Feeling Like His Old Self

Charlie Davies nabbed the insurance tally in Saturday's 2-0 win over the Chicago Fire, but the major storyline for him streches outside of his team leading sixth goal. The New England Revolution forward played 90 minutes.

For any other play that feat is hardly something to write home about, but then again Davies isn't your average player. In October of 2009 the Manchester, N.H. native was in a horrific car accident that induced a litany of life-threatening injuries. It simply is a miracle that the striker is walking, never mind sprinting all over the field and harassing opposition defenders for an hour and a half.

When speaking to the media in the locker room on Saturday evening, Davies was not lamenting his physical state after a grueling shift on the field. Instead, the exact opposite was true - he felt like he could have kept going.

"This is the best I’ve felt since my accident," Davies said. "I’m able to play 90 minutes and today I felt great in the 90th minute. I felt like I had so much more energy, which is a great positive. I think it’s the first time I can actually remember playing 90 minutes and feeling like ‘Oh, I can keep going’."

A big part of that is he is many years removed from the moment that almost took his life, but a lot of the credit should go to Davies and the Revs' training staff as well.

Rather than taking a quick shower after the game, getting dressed, and rushing back home, Davies took the time to get the necessary treatment to prepare him for the team's upcoming games. In fact, he gave his interview moments after coming out of an ice bath, which is a normal part of his post-game routine now.

"I think I’ve really gotten it down to know my body, how to recover properly, coming in for ice baths," Davies said. "At the moment I’m playing confident. I feel strong, I feel fast."

With all of those things in mind, Davies is actively cementing himself as one of the most dangerous players at Jay Heaps' disposal. He may not score a goal every single time he is out on the field, but he serves as a constant physical presence that gives the team a lot more than statistical contributions.

Whether it be that he is now fully fit, taking care of his body more, or brimming with confidence, the fact of the matter is Charlie Davies is back and here to stay.

"I finally feel like every time I’m on the field I can make a difference," Davies said. "When you’re a player with confidence you’re always dangerous."