OFFSIDE EXCLUSIVE: Jimmy Conrad Q and A

Jimmy Conrad has won a US Open Cup, has faced the World Champion Italians in World Cup competition, and has served as a vocal proponent of the MLS for what seems like an eternity.

Dubbed a “media darling” or the “King of all MLS Media,” Jimmy Conrad lives up to the moniker, with a lively, honest attitude and hilarious story telling fit for any form of media. He was gracious enough to sit down with us to discuss a little bit of everything, from the upcoming US friendlies against England, Spain and Argentina, to Kansas City and the MLS.

He is a funny, honest guy; the kind of guy that doesn’t take himself too seriously – even when he has every right to.  Have a good read with one of the brightest personalities in MLS today:

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Media, Don Garber and Poland

Hey everyone. We are here with Jimmy Conrad of the Kansas City Wizards . . .

Hello!

. . . And we are going to talk . . . well, a little bit about everything! The national team, Kansas City, the game against the Red Bells . . . but to start with, your accessibility has been a solid part of your reputation for years. In many circles, you’re known as the “media darling” of the MLS what with your work on radio, TV interviews and your different blogs and articles. What is your inspiration for all of that?

I guess the basis for it is that I don’t take myself as serious as it would appear? I mean, when I am on the field, its time to concentrate and do all of that good stuff, and Vie learned to find that balance of when to turn it on, and when to turn it off, and to make sure I have my parameters. But when I am not on the field, I can see things for what they are. I can see the big picture – I run around with other grown men in shorts, and that’s all it is. I am very passionate about what I do and what its about and I am going to continue to want to be a part of it before I am done . . .

. . . But when you’re done is a ways away . . .

Oh yea yea yea . . .

I mean, you do alot of trolling on the Internet, and you must see how people do clamor about you possibly being a color or play-by-play guy in the future . . .

Oh yea. Actually, Don Garber has talked to me and said he wants me to be involved, so . .. .

Man, that’s a guaranteed career!

Yea! The “Don” has anointed me the next color commentator of the MLS . . .

Awesome.

Yea. What if he remembers him saying that a few years ago? Who knows. I understand I’ve created a nice niche for myself and Ill probably be expected to fill some shoes in that regard. I know I was giving Wynalda a hard time about taking his spot, but now he is gone, and Harkes has taken it. Him and JP have been doing a great job and there will be a spot for me in the landscape of broadcasting, whether its on radio or TV. As long as I am allowed to be myself, I would entertain all possibilities. If I have to conform to a certain idea or a way of speaking, I am not sure how much that would excite me about being a part of it.

Just from your writings, you can tell that part of your work is an art for you . . .

Yea, it’s just being creative, having fun, towing the line between what is acceptable and what’s not. And you know, just making sure that people understand that if I am in a broadcast or on the radio, that I am enjoying myself. Like I don’t care whether people are listening or not! I am enjoying myself! I am enjoying the game. I am enjoying what I talk about and the people that are watching the show or that are listening are hopefully enjoying themselves as much as I am.

And this love of all media, bouncing around from blogs, to print, to TV and radio, its all rooted in Poland right?

Ya! I went on loan to a team in Poland, my second year in the league in 2000? And that is when the regular season ended, mid September, and we didn’t make the playoffs with San Jose. And I think we were clearly the worst team in the league that year. And that was tough to take. And for alot of us young players, to think we would be off from mid September to January before we get started again was disheartening.

So there was an opportunity in Poland. One of my teammates Wojtek Krakowiak was going over there. And he kind of asked if they needed to pick up other guys, and they said yes. So they took myself and Ian Russell. And we went over there, played in the FA Cup, helped them fight relegation – it was great! And to be immersed in there culture, even though its one of the hardest languages to understand or pick up was interesting.

Fortunately, we were in Poznan, which has alot of Universities there so there are alot of younger people that were learning and speaking English. So it wasn’t too hard to get acclimated. But we would go to the internet cafes, and that was in the time of really really bad dial up, and it would take like thirty minutes to write emails! So it got to a point after like two months where I just had it. I had it with – seriously, it would take usually take like fifteen minutes to write one email. So I wrote this scathing thing about Poland, and just this place is a nightmare, it’s in the Stone Age and all that stuff. And it wound up being like a thousand? Twelve hundred words? And I sent it to everybody, including my agent. And they started to pitch it around.

Now Garth Lagerway was writing for CNNSI.com and he just got knocked out of the league, he wasn’t part of the league anymore, so they were looking for somebody. So the timing just worked out. I just kind of stumbled on that, wrote for them for four years, and they were going to par down their soccer website, let Wall be their only voice. So then I started pitching it around again, and I joined ESPN and I’ve been there ever since. It’s been a good relationship. I think the best part about it is that those guys give me subjects to write on? And I don’t do that, I write my own stuff, they let me be me, and I think it works out best for everybody.

Yea it has to be pretty cool to be so unfiltered on such a huge media outlet like that . . .

It’s interesting. I’ve gotten into it a little bit with the desk about some editing stuff. I mean, they are owned by Disney, so there is a certain protocol that they follow. Actually, in my last piece, they took out something I thought was very funny and I was very disappointed they took it out, and we traded a few emails back and forth about this one line, which woulda gotten a big laugh, but . . .

What was the line?

Hmm. It was the one about raising my little girl, and things I am telling her. Something about, tell my little girls never to accept singles . . . twenties or higher! That’s the stuff I am teaching her, its not like Sesame Street or anything. So Disney didn’t think that was funny, and I went back to them and said, “Well, its my daughter, I don’t really care what you think.” So that didn’t fly. But fair enough. It was really only my first run in with the desk. I am hoping they are ok, and they let me be me, it works out best for everybody.

National Team Shtuff . . .

National Team Shtuff . . .

Well, we have three huge friendlies coming up, and your name was notably excluded from the 33-man roster. Any thoughts?

Um, no I think its clear. If you take a look at just the defenders – there is only one MLS based guy, Frankie Hejduk. I think this is an opportunity for Bob to get the guys who aren’t going to be playing now, all the European based guys to play. Keep sharp for qualifying. I think one of the benefits of having MLS now in season is that we will be sharper for these games coming up. So, I think there would be more of an argument if there were a ton of MLS guys and I wasn’t, but there is only one (defender) and its clear its a European based camp, and there really isn’t much to read into.

Ok, but you must have been disappointed not to get some revenge against Argentina . . .

Yea, I mean the Argentina game in Copa America was a great experience, on alot of levels. You learn about yourself in tough times. And obviously to have the opportunity to play against Messi, and Riquelme, and Crespo – you learn more in those games sometimes than you can in like 10 MLS games. Just the quality of play and speed of thought, and just the subtleties of their decision-making is something that I will always value and take something from.

And as far as your career with the US – two captaincies, a big goal against our main rival – what has been the highlight for you?

Well, being named to the World Cup team, 2006, was a big honor. The odds were probably against me. I was like Fulham trying to stay up, not get relegated, and the odds were pretty stacked against me. I had done everything I could to warrant consideration. For me, that was, like the ultimate goal that you would set for yourself. And to achieve that was something very special to me. Just being named to the team would probably outweigh any moment in any specific game. Scoring against Mexico is obviously a different kind of honor, because they are your rivals, but being picked for the World Cup team, and to validate people that did believe in me – that’s something very special to me.

Kansas City, the 08 Season, and Coach Onalfo

So Wikipedia says you have played 99 games with the Wizards, but who knows how true it may be. Even so, that’s alot of games already!

Well I am not catching Steve Ralston by any stretch, but yea, that’s alot of games. I’ve had nothing but fond memories of Kansas City, playing with them. ‘04 was like the best season we had – we won the Open Cup, we got to the MLS Final – it just ended bad because we lost to DC in the final. For me, personally, there is still alot of things I would like to achieve with this team. I like – actually, I love the new ownership group, the coaching staff – I think everything is heading in the right direction to make this club one of the premier clubs in the league, and I love being a part of it.

And its an exciting time being a Wizards fan, what with the new stadium being built – which reminds me, how is the new Ball Park treating you?

Ya, its interesting. The configurations, obviously in a baseball stadium, are a little different. I think people would be familiar with RFK if they were watching on TV. RFK goes over the mound, so the configuration looks pretty normal. But us in Community America in Kansas City, we don’t go over the mound, or first base, so its kind of the way it’s set up. There is one sideline with not alot of fans, and that can throw you because its sideline and then 30 yards of nothing, and then the stands. So you go to hit a long ball, your depth perception is off, because you cant tell, there is no signage, or boards. I mean there is no way getting around getting that figured out just because of the set up, but its more intimate, its a great fan experience, and I’d much rather play there than Arrowhead Stadium.

Oh definitely, that thing was cavernous.

Yea, it’s just too big. We had “break the record night” and we had like 38,000 people there and it still looked – well it is half empty. And I am a half full guy so . . .

Well look at us here in New York – Giants Stadium is also cavernous.

It’s just too big. I mean, I understand hosting a game there. Maybe Barcelona comes into town, or David Beckham shows up, then I understand hosting it in those big football stadiums, but I think its time we had our own, and its exciting to know that Kansas City is going to get one, Red Bull, and just everybody. Now if you want to buy into the league, you have to have one in place. So it’s just really exciting to be part of the league right now.

Well, this season, many experts seemed to have you guys pegged as the team to beat in the East. Your record stands at 3-3-1. What can you attribute to this slow start?

Well, the way our schedule is set up a little bit. We actually started off ok – 3-1-1 – I think all the pundits were picking us at the time, and then we went to Toronto, a better team this year in a tough environment. Amado scored two good goals, so we drop one there. Then we head into Columbus and kind of shoot our selves in the foot. We get a red card, give up a bad goal, and play down a man. Even at 10 guys, we were out playing Columbus who is the best team in the league at the moment, the hottest team. So there are alot of positives to take, we just ran into those two bad games. One where we probably got outplayed, the other where we just got unfortunate. And that’s where it stands, all of a sudden we are 3-3-1. But if you’ve been around the league long enough, we’ve got 23 more of these games, and I don’t think there is anybody out there that could say they know their exact 11. I think the reason Columbus is having as much success as they are is because they have played the same lineup game in and game out. That consistency is what you look for in this league and the teams that have it or understand how to find that in tough times, are the ones that will be successful in the end.

Well that kind of consistency would help KC out alot, starting with that young core of defenders. Harrington, Tyson Wahl came out of nowhere . . . by the way, nearly all interviews I read with these guys, they attribute alot of their growth to you.

They are both talented kids. I mean, Tyson Wahl, this is his third year. He might be a surprise to people but we have had him in training with us for a couple years now. They are very eager and open to advice. They have all the tools, its just a matter of them seeing games and then seeing the same situations and the same cues – like, I saw this happen 2 games ago and this is the position I need to be in. And that’s just part of becoming a pro. What’s nice with our guys in general, whether its with KC or the league, they seem to adopt very quickly. That transition has helped the league grow and become a better league.

And what role does a Curt Onalfo play? I mean, this is your second year with him, what is it that he brings to the table?

His biggest thing is that he is very positive. He’s got alot of belief in his young players and I think that allows them to have the freedom to make mistakes. I think its key for young players to know they can make mistakes, and that they are not going to be sitting on the bench after one bad play. He continues to go with them, believe in them. What he expects from us veterans is make sure we stay on top of them and make them accountable for their position. So it’s good. Alot of communication, its positive, and he creates a great environment for us to be successful.

Facing the Red Bulls

What are you expecting tonight in your game against the Red Bulls?

New York is 2-0-2 in their last four games. Juan Carlos Osorio? He has done a great job. I thought he was excellent as the coach of Chicago last year and his teams are very organized, they’re compact. Just their shape makes them very difficult to break down. We haven’t played them this year, but I expect this to be a real tight game. We are coming off a bye week, so I think it’s going to be a little harder for us coming out the gate. When you’re in your normal rhythm of the season, you miss a week, it kind of slows you down a bit. I would expect them to come out to a sharper start. We may have more energy, but mentally, in terms of the ball and the turf, I think they will be a bit sharper, so it’s just managing their storms. Its making Jozy and Juans game offensively very predictable. It makes it easier for everyone to react in positions . .

Do you see that being your job tonight?

Oh yea definitely my job. We know that Juan and Jozy play pretty well off each other. They look for Juan to flick balls on and Jozy to run on to them. That’s one key component to their attack. What’s good about New York, why I enjoy watching them play, is because they play with alot of purpose. They know what they want to do, and it’s just a matter of them executing it. Its up to us, as Wizards, to kind of figure out a way to stop that and make them play a different style, see if they can break us down doing something they aren’t as comfortable with.

YOUR QUESTIONS!

So one of the last things we are going to do is that I took 5 questions from readers and fans, so lets see what we have here . . .

#1 – Faux Fur & Soccer Shirts asks . . . have you ever seen this?! (picture to the left)

Ya I have seen this! Somebody sent it to me last year. Its classic. I am actually honored that they picked me! My mom wasn’t as happy seeing what they thought she looked like. Because that can be my grandma really. I have it saved on my computer. I wish they would do more of this stuff . . .

They have actually, but none this classic.

Yea it’s awesome. And of course he scores two goals. We give Juan one chance and somehow he scores two goals. I don’t know how that works but . . .

Well that’s the way he plays – he waits for that moment to strike and takes it.

Ya. He is definitely the best forward in the league, hands down.

#2 – This next email comes from Melissa, a big San Jose fan – she asks – “How about some funny anecdotes from the players and/or coaches currently with the Quakes he worked with back in the day? Or at least a good Nick Garcia story . . . “

Oh man. Well, Ill have to think about a Nick one. But the first thing that jumps to mind is the head trainer of San Jose when I was there was Bruce Morgan and he left when they moved to Houston to Houston, and now he is back. He is from the area, and he is so anal about his stuff, like his training room. Like, we would turn over all the coolers, and he couldn’t do anything until he turned them back. I mean, he is “that guy.”

So my favorite thing about him was that in the media guide, they would always skip his bio and at the end, say “Bruce is currently single and living in San Jose.” And it drove him crazy. To this day, I still call him and say “Hey Bruce, are you still currently single and living in San Jose?” If you ever see Bruce Morgan, that’s what I would encourage you to say. Jimmy Says “Bruce is currently single and living in San Jose.” If you knew Bruce and how anal he is about every little thing, you would understand why this would drive him so crazy. It’s very near and dear to my heart to give him a hard time.

I hear that. And nothing on Nick?

Not for print!

Ha, fair enough. Ian Rose comes in with the third question – “Who’s he supporting in the Euros? He’s got that Poland connection, so is he going for Boruc and the boys, or what?”

Ha, no. I don’t know. I would like to see Spain win something. I think they have alot of quality. I think La Liga is one of the best leagues in the world. It’s underrated in the world spectrum. I don’t understand why it gets bypassed for a number of reasons . . .

It’s probably the language barrier. English is so much more media accessible .. .

Ya but even Serie A gets alot of love, and I think Serie A, I would consider it a tough league to get results, but there is something about La Liga. They go beyond like a top 4 teams in the league. I think they have a good 10-12 which are really quality teams that can play with any other team in the world. If I had a chance to play in another league, that would be one. But I would say Spain. If they can win the Euro that will hopefully help give La Liga the recognition it deserves.

I just got into a discussion with a guy saying that La Liga was horrible, and laden with divers. I wanted to choke him . . .
He clearly hasn’t watched La Liga!

Ok, well here is #4 – Wade asks – “Tell us the “line” you used to convince your stunningly beautiful wife to actually hook up with you.”

Ha. Yea, that’s a good one! Ya, I don’t know how I lucked into all that. But um, how I kind of won her over was, we met in UCLA and I tutored her in Math. I was a Math Major, and we had a mutual friend. So I tutored her in math, and she didn’t really need it as it turns out. But I didn’t know that! So we kind of got a connection there. There wasn’t really any lines other than me being stupid. You sit down with me for any significant amount of time, you will realize I never say anything of consequence.

Math Major?!

Ya Math Major.

Why Math?!

Ya it just came natural to me. I skipped a grade when I was younger because of my math prowess. But somehow, I am into this writing thing, which is like the polar opposite.

That’s what I was thinking. It’s the exact opposite of math completely.

Anyhow, the last one is from one of my readers, Goonie!, who says “Ask em if he likes his new Argentine teammates and if they introduced him to Mate yet!”

Of course! I know what Mate is! Hard not to when they are drinking it every day. I thought it was a drug at first and said “hey, I don’t know if this is legal here,” its kind of crazy. But no, the guys are doing great. They are good guys to have around, good in the locker room, always laughing and having a good time. For as much as people would expect them to do their own thing and hang out with each other, they try to incorporate other guys into their jokes and have fun, and it’s been great.

Having their perspective on the game makes players on the team better. When you have somebody of Claudio Lopez caliber, it automatically makes Carlos Marinelli better, it makes Scott Sealy better, they make everybody better. They have an understanding of the game that they grew up that I think Americans in general still kind of lack. And to have their sensibility about the subtitles, which is something I always preach about the game. Especially the younger players, it makes them better shows them things they have never seen before.

The guy lives up to his rep. Very down to Earth, excellent soccer mind and a true American Ambassador for the league.You can catch Jimmy Conrad writing over at Soccernet.com, listen to him on his weekly radio show, or catch him on a TV near you.

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