Grilling with the Fire: Matt Watson

Like Frank Yallop, Matt Watson is an English footballer whose chose to come Stateside to seek his fortune - or, in Watson's case, an education. Watson came to the USA as a soccer recruit for the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and played a couple of years for the Retrievers before going pro.

Watson kicked around indoor soccer (Baltimore Blast) and smaller clubs (Richmond Kickers, Carolina RailHawks) before sticking with Vancouver (and his former Railhawks coach Martin Rennie) in 2012. The Fire acquired him during preseason, trading an international roster slot for his rights on March 5.

But this bare recitation hardly scratches the surface, of course. Let's meet Matt Watson over here at the grill ...

Hot Time: Favorite Chicago neighborhood?

Matt Watson: Lincoln Park.

HT: Favorite Chicago cultural institution?

MW: Adler planetarium.

HT: Favorite Chicago restaurant?

MW: I've Ja; Grill. [Ed.: I don't know if this is an actual place, or a typo, but either way it's so strange and interesting that I'm leaving it.]

HT: Favorite Chicago sports team besides the Fire?

MW: Chicago Bulls.

HT: Favorite vacation spot?

MW: Jamaica.

HT: Top 3 bands on your IPod?

MW: Kendrick Lamar, Bob Marley, Lauryn Hill.

HT: Favorite movie?

MW: V For Vendetta.

HT: Favorite word?

MW: Logic.

HT: Least favorite word?

MW: Festering.

HT: Favorite food to cook?

MW: Sausage Sandwich.

HT: If you had to have dinner with 3 people past or present who would it be?

MW: Charles Darwin, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens.

HT: Favorite sport besides soccer?

MW: Basketball.

HT: If you play FIFA, favorite team to play with?

MW: Arsenal.

HT: If you weren't playing for the Fire, is there another team that you would love to play for?

MW: Arsenal.

HT: In your soccer career, what has been the best on field moment for you?

MW: Beating Seattle 4-1 in Vancouver.

HT: Most embarrassing moment on the field?

MW: Hitting the crossbar on open goal in Sunday league.

HT: Biggest joker on the team?

MW: Quincy Amarikwa.

HT: Who is your roommate for away games?

MW: Kyle Reynish.

HT: Teammate with the best fashion sense?

MW: Marco Franco.

HT: Teammate with the worst fashion sense?

MW: Chris Ritter

HT: Teammate with the worst taste in music?

MW: Greg Cochrane.

HT: Hardest working teammate?

MW: Jeff Larentowicz.

HT: Best city to play in other than Chicago?

MW: Vancouver.

HT: Worst city to play in?

MW: No Comment.

HT: What do you do to unwind after training or after a game?

MW: Spend time with my family.

HT: Favorite former Fire player?

MW: CJ Brown.

HT: What goes on your hot veggie dog?

MW: Onions, ketchup, mustard.