Part 1: 'Crash and Burn'

The last three home games brought great results for RSL (two wins and a tie) and three very distinct and memorable experiences on the job. Like the team it self I feel that I am improving with each time out. Still the biggest weakness to my game is interviewing, but that is slowly getting better with each attempt. Each of the events described below usually involves a specific player, but I will group them by game incase others make cameos in the stories. The titles are more connected with the memory itself and don't necessarily describe the game. We'll first start with my blunder.

1. "Crash and Burn" - San Jose Earthquakes. 30 April 2005 (Day 2 on the job).

The Earthquakes tied the game late on a goal from Alejandro Moreno. After the final whistle I joined up with the Quakes PR director who had Brian Ching and Moreno set for TV interviews on the field. Since Alejandro was with the TV crew when I arrived I first talked to Ching. I stumbled through a few questions and ran out of things to say. The Quakes PR then asked Ching a few more questions. It was then that I realized my questions sucked and needed a lot of work real quick.

When Moreno became available it was suggested we conduct the interview while walking to the locker room. To paint the picture in your mind, we started at the north end line and the locker rooms were behind the south end line. The interview with Moreno started as the one with Ching ended, I continued to stumble through questions and then the worst happened. My mind went blank. Nothing, not a single thought entered my brain as to what to say next. I even vaguely remember muttering something about having a brain fart. That comment received an odd look. Finally I asked something about whether it was his first trip to Salt Lake. By this point we're at the half way line and this is how the conversation went:

Moreno: I've been here (to Salt Lake) before for a youth tournament.
cvmacboy: cool.....um........yeah......... that's probably about it.
Moreno: That's it? You don't have anymore? Come on man? (with a big grin) You can do better than that?!
cvmacboy: well, you know, it's only my second day...
Moreno: oh, there you go. (still with a big grin).

I then rambled on about the learning process and how great MLS players were to interview. At that moment I wanted to die. I felt completely incompetent and wished that I was by the locker room rather than having to walk an awkward fifty yards with a guy that was thinking I was a complete moron. To be honest though, I think that was a turning point in my interviewing. I mean, how much lower can you go when a player makes fun of you to your face!