by Graig Carbino

GC: It seems like it’s been kind of a crazy career for you up to this point Santino. Can you give us a run down about how your time in MLS has been so far?

Quaranta: Obviously it was great to come into the league at 16 and be successful that first year and it all really came so easy for me I guess. Being from Baltimore, to get drafted by DC and do well that fist season it’s like you can’t do anything wrong. I kind of rode the talent train for a while and the soccer was never really the big issue. The issue was always doing the extra work, doing what you’re supposed to do, and I didn’t do those things you know. That’s why the injuries came along.

Then before the 2005 season I worked hard, came back, played games with the US team. Then with the Gold Cup and the qualifiers it felt like I hit a pinnacle in my career that I guess I never thought was going to happen.

GC: So after the Gold Cup things seemed to sort of go south and you eventually end up in New York. I have to admit that when I saw you play your first game with the Red Bulls I really didn’t recognize you.

Quaranta: I don’t even know how I made it that far. In the playing sense, I’m just going to be honest with you, I shouldn’t even have been out there. My time there was really just all basically like a blur. Once I got traded from DC I did ok with LA in the beginning, scored a couple goals. That was always the thing with me. Whenever I really needed to bring myself back up I would do something like that. I’d score goals and I would be back for a little bit. But it wouldn’t continue, you know.

I never really did the right things just in life, I couldn’t really deal with life in life’s terms you know what I mean? I was trying to juggle being a father, being a husband, being the guy that everybody looks at to go out and party. It was a lot of fear. I knew that things were going bad and I knew that everything was slipping away from me and that I couldn’t control that. It was out of my control, that was the best I could do at that point.

It just shows that when you don’t do the right thing, when you don’t take care of yourself, when you’re not grateful and not dedicated to something that you do it just naturally goes away. For me that was something that I didn’t think was ever going to happen.

GC: So could you tell us about the time between your last days in New York until you went into training camp with DC United?

Quaranta: Well the end of New York was tough because I got that injury to my foot. The doctors told me they didn’t think I was going to be able to come back from that and play. That was it, that was the bottom. I wasn’t even in New York the last two months. I was in a boot, not going in to training and I was just down in Baltimore not doing the right things.

Then in October I just realized that I wasn’t doing things the right way. My best thinking at that time wasn’t getting me anywhere. So that was basically the point where it all changed for me. That day is one that I’ll remember for a long time. I knew that I wasn’t going to have a paycheck January 1st, but that was really not the big issue. It wasn’t about money. I just wanted to live again. It wasn’t a good situation for anybody to be in. That’s where I was in my life at that time. It really is a miracle. An amazing story.

GC: So you’re back in DC now. Obviously you took a bit of a financial cut to sign with United. You seem to have worked really hard to get back to this point. Can you explain what your thought process was in trying to come back and play for DC?

Quaranta: In January DC really was not on my mind. I thought there was no way I was going to play in DC again. From what had gone on in the past, I thought they just didn’t want me to play there anymore. I was just hoping that I could play anywhere. I didn’t really have any guidance at that point. There was no one really saying “once you get fit you can come into our camp” or anything like that. I just really worked as hard as I could.

Throughout December and January I was talking to Benny (Olsen) and Jaime (Moreno), two people that care about me and that I consider two of my best friends and Jaime said he thought that I deserved to come into camp with them. I didn’t really think they owed it to me but Jaime talked to Tommy (Soehn) and it went from there. I’ve got a lot of respect for Kevin Payne, and Tommy, and Dave Kasper and those guys for giving me another chance to prove myself.

It was basically like a job interview. If I didn’t show up in shape, if I didn’t come with the right mentality there was no chance they were even going to keep me for a week. Once I stayed that made me feel good, like a turning point. I must have been doing something right. The amount of work that I was doing goes unseen. I worked hard and did a lot of running at the start of camp. Then I started actually playing about a week in and from there it’s all history and that’s kind of where I’m at right now.

GC: So were there other offers out on the table from different teams around the league?

Quaranta: There was another offer but it was really never going to be an option for me. My heart has always been in DC. If they were offering me 50K more I still wouldn’t have gone. I just wanted to prove to myself and a lot of other people that I am still a good player.

GC: Did you set any personal goals before this season started?

Quaranta: I want to be back at the top. I’m really grateful everyday that I’m allowed to train here again. I didn’t forget how to play this game and I know deep down that I can be the best. I don’t want to sound arrogant but I know that if I work hard I can get to that level. I want to play consistently in the first team. I want to win and be successful with the team. I think the other accolades and all that stuff will come.

I also want to play on the US team again. I want to represent my country obviously. I want to really appreciate it and do my best and know that I gave 100% in everything that I did.

GC: Word association time. First one up: DC United

Quaranta: Just a lot of respect and I’m grateful to be back there. When I think of DC I just think of a great club. It’s phenomenal.

GC: Ben Olsen

Quaranta: Respect. Just hard work and respect, a good professional. I think, you know what, friends really. He’s my friend. That’s it. I just think of him as someone I can count on as a friend. Not having to do with soccer or anything, he’s just my friend.

GC: Screaming Eagles and Barra Brava

Quaranta: As good as it gets. They’re as good as any fans in this league. I’ve been in LA, I’ve been in New York, it’s incomparable. They’re phenomenal.

GC: Santino Quaranta

Quaranta: Jeez, what do I think of me? That’s a great question. I’d have to say happy.

GC: So let’s get away from soccer for a few minutes. What do you do away from the field to relax?

Quaranta: I’m a daddy. I’m a husband. My life is pretty much consumed with family and that’s something that I really love. My wife and my daughter come first before soccer or anything else.

GC: What’s in your iPod right now?

Quaranta: I’m an 80’s guy. I like it all but more or less it’s 80’s right now. I’m into Led Zeppelin. I’m pretty much an 80’s guy.

GC: What do tattoo’s mean to you?

Quaranta: They represent me. They represent art to me. They represent life. To have your daughter’s name tattooed on you, which is what I have on my neck, represents who I am as a person. Some people don’t always like tattoos. My grandma and everybody, they don’t like them but it’s just who I am.

GC: What’s the best thing about being a pro soccer player?

Quaranta: To be able to wake up and do something that you love everyday and just enjoy every minute of it is great. I didn’t do that for a long time. To be able to wake up and do something that you love is something that people dream of and I get to do it everyday.

Graig Carbino can be reached at graiger11@yahoo.com