Zingers Aside, the Sport Could Learn From Show
Doing its bit to help educate the soccer-illiterate masses, the Galaxy is sending two of its finest to New York to be guest hosts on ESPN’s “2-Minute Drill” sports trivia quiz show.
Alexi Lalas and Cobi Jones believe they’re up to the challenge.
“I’ve always loved the show and watch it to see if I can answer some of the questions,” Jones said.
“Hopefully I’ll do better reading the questions instead of answering them.”
Lalas, meanwhile, has a hidden agenda.
“For me, it’s not about the MLB, NHL, NBA or the NFL,” he said. “It’s about three other letters: MLS. My goal is to stump the contestants and see if they actually know a thing or two about our league. But most of all [it’s to see] if they know who I am without the goatee.”
ESPN supposedly has staff members dredging U.S. Soccer and MLS archives trying to come up with American soccer-related questions. As a service to the show, here are some the producers can use free of charge (answers below):
* Which notorious White House intern of recent vintage is pictured in her biography dressed in her American Youth Soccer Organization uniform?
* How old is Mauricio Cienfuegos? No, really, how old is he?
* Trump Tower in Manhattan is home to which inept international soccer confederation?
* Before Don Garber, MLS had another commissioner. Now he’s part-owner of a circus. What’s his name?
* When a shot misses the net completely, it’s called 1) a free kick; 2) a corner kick; 3) a Chris Albright?
Razov’s Return
It turns out that onetime UCLA forward Ante Razov’s conquest of Europe took less time to accomplish than he thought possible. Only one year, in fact.
The former Fire forward has abandoned Racing de Ferrol in Spain’s second division and returned to Chicago, a little wiser and much richer.
MLS won’t reveal salaries, but Razov, 27, supposedly is earning somewhere around the league maximum of $270,000, much more than he was making when he left these shores.
“It’s almost like I wasn’t even gone,” said Razov, who replaces injured U.S. national team teammate Josh Wolff on the Fire roster.
“There were a couple of teams that I maybe could have signed for for a little more money, but I would have been competing with four or five other strikers.”
It wasn’t the competition, Razov said, but the realization that he needs to be here to help his chances of making the U.S. World Cup team in 2002.
“I didn’t want to put myself in the situation where I might be on a big team, but I might be the third or fourth striker and not get into too many games,” he said.
“I’ve seen a lot of guys who have taken a lot of big money, but also it hurt them in their international career.”
Quick Passes
Trinidad and Tobago national team midfielder Brent Rahim, who turned 23 Wednesday and who was drafted by the Galaxy in February, has joined Bulgarian champion Levski Sofia after failing to reach a contract agreement with MLS. That means he will be competing in the European Champions League this season. . . . Rookie midfielder Alex Bengard made his first start for the Galaxy on Tuesday night in Sacramento and assisted on goals by Luis Hernandez and Craig Waibel in a 2-2 tie with Necaxa of Mexico in front of more than 10,000 fans. . . . Brazilian midfielder/forward Gilmar, 31, will join the New York/New Jersey MetroStars this week as a replacement for injured Clint Mathis. Gilmar played for the Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1997 and 1998. . . . Quiz answers: 1). Monica Lewinsky. 2) Officially, 33. 3). CONCACAF. 4) Doug Logan. 5) None of the above.
