Kickin' Back with Pro Soccer Player Alexi Lalas

There is a saying that every athlete wants to be a rock star and every rock star wants to be an athlete. Well, this athlete, with his trademark red shaggy hair and goatee, certainly has the look of a rock star and some say even has the sound. He is United States National Soccer Team Member and NY/NJ MetroStars defender, Alexi Lalas, and just last month, he released his third CD in four years. Not bad for an athlete who has represented his country at the last two World Cups and plays professional soccer full time.

"I think I am a workaholic, I complain that I never get a break and then, when I am home, it takes me about ten minutes before I get bored. I have to do something to get going again," explained Lalas. "I would never do a CD if I did not think I could give it my full focus and attention."

How do his teammates feel about this devotion to music? "Most of the guys know this is a big part of my life and they accept it," said Lalas. "For me, music has the same intensity as athletics. It's relaxing in the sense that if I am not on the soccer field, I feel more productive if I am involved with my other passion-music."

Lalas considers his new CD, "Ginger", his best-produced and best-written work to date. "I am really happy with the whole CD. I wanted to make a rock n' roll album that I would want to listen to, you know, the drive-real-fast and put-your-windows-down type album."

Some of his earlier music reflected on his passion for soccer in songs like, "Kickin' Balls" which appeared on his 1994 CD "Woodland". Not so with his new CD "Ginger".

"None of the songs have a special meaning except they are all my babies and were all written at different places," Lalas said.

When I asked Lalas if he had written any music about this past summer's World Cup in Paris, France he jested, "That music will be on my future blues album."

Lalas then reflected on coping with the blow of the U.S. National Soccer Team being eliminated in the first round of the 1998 World Cup. "I was really down for awhile. I was disappointed that we let the world down, in letting the world know we had improved since the last World Cup. But, I am very optimistic about the future of soccer and the future of the U. S. National Team. I have put last summer out of my mind."

As an American attending the World Cup in France, I realized that the French never considered us a real threat. I shared this with Lalas. "In France, they have been playing soccer for hundreds of years. We have accomplished more in the short time the U.S. has been playing international soccer than they have accomplished in the hundreds of years they have been playing," he responded sounding like a true competitor.

"I am proud of what we have accomplished since the 1980's when we got serious. In the past seven or eight years, you can see that the U.S. kids who have grown up with soccer have much more funding, better coaching and more influence in the sport."

Speaking of coaching, Lalas told me he is impressed with the coaching staffs of Major League Soccer (MLS) Teams -Chicago Fire and D.C. United. "I think DC will go to the finals. Chicago has proved that to succeed in the MLS, you have to have good coaching, quality foreign allocation, and a good team concept. They have done very well," said Lalas.

Although he would prefer to be playing in the MLS Championships with his team the NY/NJ Metrostars in Los Angeles (Sunday, October 25th), Lalas looks forward to playing songs from his new CD at the "House of Blues" (co-owned by Dan Akroyd) in West Hollywood. He will perform Friday, October 23rd as part of the festivities surrounding the MLS championships.

Lalas has also been booked as the opening act for the popular rock n'roll band and avid sports fans, "Hootie and the Blowfish". Concert dates begin this November in Europe, where Lalas still has a large fan following from his days playing for Italy's Series A team.

After playing these concert dates, he will return to his first passion-soccer. Lalas also looks forward to another season with the NY/NJ Metrostars.

"I need soccer in my life and as long as I am motivated and my legs are healthy, I will play soccer," he said. "As for music, I'd like to continue writing, try different types of music, and gain a level of acceptance and credibility. It's a challenge I' m excited about."

Now, if this columnist was a betting person, I would gamble Lalas will make this happen. After all, this is a guy who will always be remembered for helping the U. S. National Soccer Team gain acceptance on an international level at the 1994 World Cup. And that was no easy feat.