“This Is Your D.C. United” is a new DCist feature, in which we’ll talk to the people that help make the Black-and-Red one of the premier clubs in the North American soccer world. Keep checking back on Saturdays and Sundays for more discussions throughout the season.
Chris Pontius is a finisher. One look at his collegiate career puts that into perspective: 25 goals in 43 games over his junior and senior seasons at UC-Santa Barbara and numerous All-American honors earned him a reputation as one of the best forwards available in last January’s MLS Superdraft. After netting two in six matches so far this year — including the dramatic game-winner last week in a 3-2 win at New York — who wouldn’t want to claim him as one of D.C.’s own? Luckily for us, he wants to embrace D.C. just as much. In our first installment of This Is Your D.C. United, we talk to Pontius about his recent form, what it’s like to play at RFK, what he likes about living in the District, and his big reveal as one of Cosmo Girl‘s “hottest soccer guys.”
Chris, first of all — how good did it feel to score the game winner last Saturday against New York?
It was an amazing feeling. It was a good team win, over the full ninety minutes. Things weren’t going our way, really — it was hot, the turf was burning our feet and to come out with a win, it was huge for us.
Where does that one rank in terms of your personal list of memorable goals? That’s got to be right up there, right?
Oh, definitely. You know, being a rookie in MLS, any goal I score is going to be something that I’m going to remember for a long time. Just being out there, being able to play is something that I look forward to everyday.
You mentioned how hot it was – I had read that it was 120 degrees on the field last weekend at Giants Stadium. I know you’re a West Coast guy, but how does playing in that kind of heat affect what you’re doing on the field?
Well, I don’t really mind the heat, as long as you’re playing on grass. But when you’re playing on turf, it really reflects off the rubber and it gets even hotter and it burns your feet. It really changes the game and affects both teams. I came off at halftime, and had to get taped up for blisters that I had. So, it’s not so much the heat that kills me, but the heat combined with the turf that makes for an ugly game of soccer.
Sounds awful, I bet you guys are glad you don’t have to go back up to Giants Stadium later this summer.
Yeah, let’s hope not. [laughs]
