Experience counts

I wrote this story for SI.com and it was published earlier today. I'm just now getting around to linking to it though. I ran eight miles today and my legs are still trying to recover, but at least I didn't have a game to officiate.

Anyway, when I talked to Hejduk about US-Mexico, things weren't quite clear on his chance to make the roster. Now, Steve Cherundolo seems to be on the outs with a hip injury so Hejduk could play an important role in the game.

Fun with Frankie

I went out to US camp on Sunday and was the only reporter out there. I'm sure everyone else had last-minute Super Bowl preparations to get ready but I was going to be in that area anyway so I figured why not go and talk to some of the US players while there.

One of the players I had the chance to talk to was Frankie Hejduk. I hadn't really planned on talking to him but the more I thought about it the more I figured it would be good to get his thoughts on US-Mexico. After all, he played many games against Mexico when the US didn't have the kind of success they now enjoy against El Tri.

I wanted to ask him about the game in Columbus, about the cold weather and what sort of affect it would have on the players and on the game but I couldn't recall instantly whether he had played in the game (he didn't, incidentally).

So I asked him if he had indeed played in that match.

"I can't remember '07 let alone '01. That's a good question."

You so totally rock!

Dude!

Frankie Hejduk is a surfer through and through. Surfing and soccer are his two passions outside his family life of course. Now, Hejduk's reputation as a soccer-playing surfer carries over into the surfing world. Hejduk's accomplishment of winning MLS Cup has landed a mention on the front page of this surfing site.

That's Hejduk, spreading the good word of soccer into the world of surfing.