I just love meeting our sports partners when they visit my stores for autograph sessions with our guests. I met up with LA Galaxy midfielder Romain Alessandrini and Galaxy legends Clint Mathis and Edson Buddle during the grand openings of my six new stores in Los Angeles in February of 2018. We talked about our favorite rooms and sense of style. I also spoke with Alessandrini about the new season and chatted with Mathis and Buddle about life after soccer.
What is Your Favorite Room?
Romain: Living Room. It’s a fun area. I can spend more time with my girlfriend and my daughter.
Clint: I’d have to say the living room, that way I can get on the couch, turn on the TV, kick up my feet and just melt right into it.
Edson: Living Room.
What is Your Decorating Style?
Romain: I like modern things and kind of white, red, maybe brown but not like extravagant. Something simple and easy.
Clint: I’m going to have to give all the credit to my wife. As far as style, I think it’s going to be more of a beachy style, I live down in San Clemente which is a beach town so when you go in it’s more of a beachy theme as far as the pictures, white couch, a little bit of wood here and there so I’d have to say we stick to that little beach/cabin kind of theme.
Edson: Modern/contemporary.
Catching up with Romain Alessandrini
What Was it Like Transitioning to the MLS?
Last year was good for me. It was a big change. I changed my life, my country, culture, everything was different for me and for my family. I tried to get used to playing in the MLS and I think I did a good job for my team, but this year, obviously will be better for us.
You were named LA Galaxy Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. What do you attribute your success to?
It was a good moment for me, but obviously it wasn’t the season we expected for the LA Galaxy. But personally, it was good for me. I gave everything on the pitch. Every training, every game. It was good for me, but this year I prepare myself to be better and obviously I want to be better, so we’ll see what’s going to happen.
What are Your Team Goals for this Year?
I think there is a lot of new faces this year and we have to get used to playing together. I think this year the team is stronger and we have a lot of good players. We have to get to the playoffs. We have to be better together as a team and for the fans so we’ll see.
What are Your Personal Goals for this Year?
Last year I scored 13 goals and gave 12 assists I think, so at least the same season for me and we’ll see. I want to be better. I want to give more assists, I want to score more goals.
Catching up with Clint Mathis
What is Your Favorite DIY Project You’ve Done?
I’m actually a big do it yourself kind of a guy. I know I’m back here in California, but when we lived in Chicago we had a nice little balcony and I actually got a bunch of wood crates and made a sectional couch out of wood crates with a coffee table. So, I do like doing some woodwork you know I’m kind of a handyman around the house when stuff needs to get fixed, but I’d have to say one of my proudest moments was making that sectional couch out of wood pallets.
What is Your Favorite Memory as a Soccer Player?
I think as a soccer player it has to be the World Cup. You know I was fortunate enough to play on the 2002 World Cup and then when I scored that goal against South Korea, that was something that I’ll never forget. I’m able to tell my kids about it. Till this day I still have people come up even though it’s been almost 16 years ago, but people still coming and talking to me about it so it’s just an amazing experience to be able to score that goal in the World Cup.
What is Your Favorite Memory with the Galaxy?
I think it’s sad to say, but the last day of my Galaxy career. I was fortunate enough to talk with Bruce Arena when he was coach here. We knew that my knee was giving me issues, so we were able to plan out my last game and that was against Real Madrid in the Rose Bowl. And the reason that was so special because my very first game with the Galaxy was in the Rose Bowl back when we played in the Rose Bowl, back in 1998. For me to be able to play an entire career, start with one team – the LA Galaxy – play my first game in the Rose Bowl and then end my career with the Galaxy and my last game in the Rose Bowl – around 94,000 people I believe – was at the game against Real Madrid, was probably one of my most memorable moments as a Galaxy player.
Tell Us about the 5 Goal Game on August 26, 2000 against Dallas as a Member of the Metro Stars
The five-goal game, knock on wood, doesn’t ever get broken but you know, records are meant to be broken. I know it comes close a couple of times, there’s been a few guys that have scored 4 goals in a game. So, you know I hope somebody does it eventually one day but the fact that I still hold that record means true to me to the heart. I remember all five goals. The funny story is, the very first shot I took was a shank and probably knocked down the cotton candy guy in the stands because it was nowhere close, but the next five shots I took were all goals. So that was a proud moment in my career and something I’ll always remember as well.
What is Life Like as a Retired Player?
So, to stay in soccer – my son plays soccer – I go to his games on the weekend. As far as the Galaxy, I try to stay involved with them, do appearances like we’re doing here at Bob’s Discount Furniture in Huntington off of Beach Boulevard but also do the TV for Spectrum SportsNet. I do the pregame, halftime and postgame show for the Galaxy games that are on there. Myself and another alumni, Dan Kennedy who works with the Galaxy. That’s the main thing that I’m doing as far as staying in soccer. My day to day activity is working with a software company called DealerSocket, we specialize in the software for automotive dealerships, car dealerships. When you go into buy the cars, the technology that they use in their dealerships is what I work with now.
What was Your First Impression of Bob’s?
The store is amazing. I know there are a few Bob’s Discount Furniture’s that just recently opened here in the LA area, but I’m here at Beach Boulevard in Huntington Beach. It’s an amazing, amazing store. When I walked in I was actually in awe to see how nice this store was. Not only how nice it was, but how organized it was as far as the furniture layout, how big the store is. I mean if you look behind me you can see that there are two levels to this store. I’m not sure if there’s another Bob’s Discount Furniture store in the area here that has two stories. But it’s an amazing furniture store. The people that have approached me, whether they knew that I was a part of the grand opening or not, have been very, very nice. I welcome everyone to come out and enjoy and just take a look at what Bob’s Discount Furniture is trying to do out here on the West Coast.
Catching up with Edson Buddle
What is Life Like as a Retired Player?
It’s a lot more relaxing. Relaxing meaning, less straining but I feel like I’m a little bit busier, just trying to figure out things to do. So many options, so many things you can do in life that I feel like things are a bit busier.
What is Your Favorite Memory with the Galaxy?
My favorite memory as a Galaxy player is winning a championship 2012.
Do You Have Any Advice to Young Players?
My advice to young soccer players would be to stay consistent, keep working hard, believe in yourself and fundamentals will get your further.
