The Facts
Born: May 24, 1982, in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Hometown: Fort Wayne, Ind.
Pro clubs: Los Angeles Galaxy (1999), Chicago Fire (2000-present).
USA: 7 caps, 1 goal. Gold Cup: 2002. U-20 World Cup: 2001. U-17 World Cup: 1999.
DaMarcus' Favorites
Musical artist: Nas.
Actor: Chris Tucker.
Actress: Halle Berry.
Film: "Last of the Mohicans."
Book: "Dead in the Water" by Stuart Woods.
Food: Seafood and Mexican.
Drink: Lemonade.
Soccer player: Ryan Giggs.
Vacation spot: Canary Islands.
Place to live: Chicago.
Hobbies: Basketball, Internet, reading.
Four historical people you'd invite to dinner: Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King Jr., Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln.
Pregame activity: Listening to music.
Postgame activity: Relaxing.
My View On …
Chicago: A great city with great people. There is always something to do. Since I live downtown, that's good for me. It has to be one of best cities in the United States. I love hanging out there and chilling out.
Money: It's not that important. Happiness comes first. At the same time, it can help you do what you want to do.
Injury: It sucks. It's unfortunate, but it's part of the game. When it happens, all you can do is your best to recover fast.
Qualifiers: Those games are tough. There is a lot of pride when you are playing for country. No games are easy, home or away.
World Cup 2002: It's going to be unbelievable, whether I'm a part of it or not. Being able to see the stars and live the experience of being in a World Cup is going to be exciting. It'll be a lot of fun, but serious at the same time.
Future: It's an exciting time. A lot of young kids have bright futures. Hopefully, I do, too. There is a lot I want to accomplish. I'm looking forward to it and living one day at a time.
My First …
Job: Baby-sitting my cousins.
Car: A white '98 Chevy Cavalier.
Cap: In 2001 against China in Oakland. It was good to get that first cap. I had been trying for awhile, but I kept getting injured. It was a fun experience. Also, it was great that we won the game.
People In My Life
Family: They've been behind me 100 percent. My mom, my dad and my brother have always been there for me.
Friends: They don't let me get the big head. When I go home, I don't have to worry about soccer. I can be myself and have fun with them.
Teammates: They're my "homies"! From Chicago to the national team, they are my friends on and off the field.
Referees: I have a lot of respect for refs. They do a hard job.
Fans: The Barnburners are the best fans in MLS. They don't just jump on bandwagon. Even if I have a bad game, they still cheer.
Bob Bradley: He let's you be yourself. A great guy, a great coach and a great friend.
Bruce Arena: Another great coach. Bruce has a good sense of humor. He knows what he wants. He knows what to do with his players.
Heroes: Muhammad Ali is my hero. He was confident in what he wanted to do and be. His cockiness was good for the people.
by Soccer America Assistant Editor Bryan Alvarez
# # #