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It's one against one, and the glory or blame is yours to claim. The result - witnessed by the world - reveals a great deal. That's the premise behind Center Circle's latest feature, 12 Yards Out. We'll take current or former U.S. National Team players and put them on the spot, ask provocative questions and let the chips fall where they may. Their answers promise to be funny, personal, and just like a PK ... unexpected.
12 YARDS OUT WITH OGUCHI ONYEWU
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THE GOOCH FILE
Birthdate:
May 13, 1982
Birthplace:
Washington, D.C.
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 210
Current Club:
Standard de Liege
(Belgian First Division)
2006-07 record:
5-2-3 (League)
0-1-1 (Champions League qualifying - eliminated)
0-2-0 (UEFA Cup - eliminated)
1-0-0 (Belgian Cup)
Previous Clubs:
FC Metz (France)
Louviere (Belgium)
U.S. National Team:
2004-present
Caps: 17
Goals: 1
Achievements:
FIFA World Cup roster (2006), CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI (2005), FIFA World Youth Championship roster (2001), FIFA U-17 World Cup roster (1999), Belgian League Foreign Player of the Year (2005)
Etc.:
One of four U.S. players featured on the cover of /sports Illustrated /prior to 2006 FIFA World Cup ... His given name, Oguchialu, means "God fights for me"
Photo ©John Todd/ International Sports Images</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
1) You lost the trademark cornrows before the season started. Por que?
OO: Because I didn’t want my cornrows to be the trademark of me. Now I’m keeping it short and tight. I definitely surprised some people when I got back here.
2) Who butchers your name more – Americans or Europeans?
OO: I’m going to have to go with Americans. The Europeans don’t even try to announce my full name. The worst mispronunciation I’ve heard was ‘Agu Anu.’ That was pretty bad.
3) It’s 1-1 against Ghana, seconds away from halftime and the U.S. team in good position at the break. What goes through your mind when Markus Merk blows the whistle for the penalty?
OO: First of all, I couldn’t believe he blew the whistle because I knew I didn’t do anything. Second of all, at that point of the game I was thinking: ‘this isn’t happening. Why did this have to happen to me?’
4) Why do you get so many cards?
OO: Actually, I don’t, if you look up the statistics. I go through stages. Last year was a real bad stage. Right now I’ve gotten three yellow cards [Editor’s note: he’s played in six games.] I’m not a dirty player, I’m just physically imposing. Referees seem to mistake the two.<
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=middle></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top height=6></TD></TR><TR><TD class=bodytext vAlign=top>It's one against one, and the glory or blame is yours to claim. The result - witnessed by the world - reveals a great deal. That's the premise behind Center Circle's latest feature, 12 Yards Out. We'll take current or former U.S. National Team players and put them on the spot, ask provocative questions and let the chips fall where they may. Their answers promise to be funny, personal, and just like a PK ... unexpected.
12 YARDS OUT WITH OGUCHI ONYEWU
<TABLE borderColor=#999999 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width=183 align=right bgColor=#ffffcc border=1><TBODY><TR><TD>
THE GOOCH FILE
Birthdate:
May 13, 1982
Birthplace:
Washington, D.C.
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 210
Current Club:
Standard de Liege
(Belgian First Division)
2006-07 record:
5-2-3 (League)
0-1-1 (Champions League qualifying - eliminated)
0-2-0 (UEFA Cup - eliminated)
1-0-0 (Belgian Cup)
Previous Clubs:
FC Metz (France)
Louviere (Belgium)
U.S. National Team:
2004-present
Caps: 17
Goals: 1
Achievements:
FIFA World Cup roster (2006), CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI (2005), FIFA World Youth Championship roster (2001), FIFA U-17 World Cup roster (1999), Belgian League Foreign Player of the Year (2005)
Etc.:
One of four U.S. players featured on the cover of /sports Illustrated /prior to 2006 FIFA World Cup ... His given name, Oguchialu, means "God fights for me"
Photo ©John Todd/ International Sports Images</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
1) You lost the trademark cornrows before the season started. Por que?
OO: Because I didn’t want my cornrows to be the trademark of me. Now I’m keeping it short and tight. I definitely surprised some people when I got back here.
2) Who butchers your name more – Americans or Europeans?
OO: I’m going to have to go with Americans. The Europeans don’t even try to announce my full name. The worst mispronunciation I’ve heard was ‘Agu Anu.’ That was pretty bad.
3) It’s 1-1 against Ghana, seconds away from halftime and the U.S. team in good position at the break. What goes through your mind when Markus Merk blows the whistle for the penalty?
OO: First of all, I couldn’t believe he blew the whistle because I knew I didn’t do anything. Second of all, at that point of the game I was thinking: ‘this isn’t happening. Why did this have to happen to me?’
4) Why do you get so many cards?
OO: Actually, I don’t, if you look up the statistics. I go through stages. Last year was a real bad stage. Right now I’ve gotten three yellow cards [Editor’s note: he’s played in six games.] I’m not a dirty player, I’m just physically imposing. Referees seem to mistake the two.<