While most fans were probably unaware of Findley’s talents, U.S. coach Bob Bradley was well aware of them. Bradley gave Findley the starting nod in three of the team’s matches.
Findley is once again stateside. His club, Real Salt Lake, is in the midst of its season. If Findley and his teammates can recreate the magic from last year, they will once again be hoisting the MLS Cup above their heads.
Robbie Findley
MUSTAFA SHAIKH: After you swap jerseys with someone following a game, do you have it washed or does it sit stewing in its sweat in your basement?
ROBBIE FINDLEY: [Laughs] Nah, I give it to someone to get it washed.
MS: Vice President Joe Biden popped into the U.S. locker room during the World Cup. Did anyone turn to the next guy and ask, “Who’s that?”
RF: [Laughs] No, we all knew who he was.
MS: That’s more than I can say for my friends.
RF: We actually met him at the White House and he gave us a tour of it.
MS: You said that when you first pulled up to your World Cup lodgings, you saw a couple elephants and at first, you thought they were fake. Do they have a lot of life-size fake elephants where you grew up?
RF: [Laughs] Yeah I see (fake elephants) every now and then.
MS: There’s always talk about how the MLS is far behind European soccer leagues. My friend hypothesizes that’s because in European games players are always affectionately touching each others’ faces. What do you think?
RF: [Laughs] Nah, I think it has to do more with playing the actual game than what your friend said about touching faces.
MS: Fill in the blank, if vuvuzelas make an appearance at Real Salt Lake games you will be…
RF: Happy. I really didn’t have a problem with them, to tell you the truth, and I think that’s what made the atmosphere so cool for me (at the World Cup). When you’re in the game, you’re focused; you don’t even realize it. I would have no problem with it.
MS: I’m guessing skiing and snowboarding are banned in your contract?
RF: Yeah I believe so.
MS: That’s a bummer. That must really put a damper on living in Salt Lake City.
RF: Definitely. I wanna try it. It’s definitely one of the big attractions here. When people come to visit, they come in winter for the snow. I hear it’s the perfect spot for it. It’s tough, but those are the rules.
MS: Do you prefer cucumbers or pickles?
RF: I hate pickles. I’ll take cucumbers; I eat them in salads. I shouldn’t say I hate pickles, I’d just rather have cucumbers.
MS: Before the interview, I watched highlights of last year’s MLS Cup finals, which has one of the best shootouts I’ve ever seen. How often do you watch them?
RF: I was actually watching them the other day. I hadn’t seen them in awhile, but I just watched them a couple times.
I get nervous watching them – butterflies and all. It feels good to watch. Not too many other people can say they won a championship.
MS: What does the average sports fan think when they see Real Salt Lake pop-up on SportsCenter’s BottomLine.
RF: “Who is that? What are they?” … Some people here ask us if we’re a choir. Just some weird stuff.
MS: If I pronounced Real (like it would be pronounced in Spanish) Salt Lake, Real (like it would be pronounced in English – bet you didn’t realize the team pronounces it differently) Salt Lake, would you correct me?
RF: I’d correct you. I’d let you know what it is. We need as much recognition as we can get.
MS: Before the interview, you were getting a haircut. Who do you go to, to get cleaned up?
RF: I go to this guy Nixon. He works out of Salon Lydia. A few of the (Utah) Jazz players go there too.
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