Real Salt Lake: 5 questions with Clint Mathis

Fresh off its first-ever playoff appearance in 2008, Real Salt Lake is set to kick off the 2009 campaign this Saturday with an away match at the expansion Seattle Sounders. Clint Mathis figures to be a key element throughout the year at both forward and midfield. Deseret News sports writer James Edward caught up with Mathis to get his opinion on the state of MLS and his reputation.

Question: You've seen both sides of the MLS spectrum. You were in the league back in 2002 when the Miami and Tampa franchises were contracted and when the future of the league was in question. Now, the league has teams in place for an 18-team league by 2011. Talk about the many changes you've seen since you've been in the league.

Answer: "The most important thing is you've seen stadiums be built. You look at the facility we have here in Salt Lake, every team in the league doesn't have it but eventually it will get to that point. I think that's the most important thing for the investors and owners to have their own home to play in. That's the biggest change not having revenue not going out to rent football stadiums. And now we're world recognized as a league, whereas before nobody gave two cents about the MLS. Since we've done well in the World Cup in 2002 it boosted the league a little bit and helped it grow. Now you see guys like Blanco and David Beckham coming to play in the league. You don't see as many as those guys coming, but the fact that those kind of caliber players are playing in this league speaks for itself."

Question: When you first joined RSL, the fans seemed to give you unconditional support for your accomplishments with the national team. Things obviously didn't go well that first year, and many were surprised and confused why RSL's coaching staff brought you back. Do you feel like you need to win them over again?

Answer: "I'm not worried about it. As long as you come out here and give it your all, you help produce to win ball games. There's going to be fans that are not going to like you always no matter where you go and how well you do, and there's going to be fans that like you know matter how bad you do. That's just the way the sport it, it's just the way it's going to be. I have nothing to prove. I'm just going to come out here and give 100 percent and try and help win a championship."

Question: Do you think the single-entity setup of Major League Soccer is still a good thing, or ever was a good thing?