OBETZ, Ohio — Adam Moffat's 52nd minute last weekend at FC Dallas was Columbus’ third goal of the season and the fourth in 22 games in the injury-plagued career of the Scotsman.
But what made the tally special -- besides tying the score at 1 in an eventual 2-2 draw -- was that the assist went to his new brother-in-law, Steven Lenhart, the always energetic and sometimes spastic SoCal kid with the billowing blonde hair.
Moffat married Jennifer Lenhart in a ceremony at the Lenhart home in Yorba Linda, Calif., in December. The Crew midfielder was cornered by MLSSoccer.com after a recent practice:
MLSsoccer.com: Was the pass that led to your goal a wedding
gift from Steven?
AM: It was part of it but he also gave us kitchen knives. The knives have been used for cooking purposes only.
MLSsoccer.com: What’s it like having him as a
brother-in-law?
AM: He’s always fun to hang around with. He’s always entertaining, always active and looking for something to do. He’s a really caring guy; loves his family.
MLSsoccer.com:
Where did you and Jennifer go for your honeymoon?
AM: We went to Hawaii. We went to Oahu for four nights; Kauai for five nights and the Big Island for five nights. Kauai was my favorite but they were all good.
MLSsoccer.com: You didn’t invite
Steven, right?
AM: [Laughing] What do you think?
MLSsoccer.com:
What’s there to know about your family?
AM: Mom and dad are in Scotland. My big sister [Jodie] is in Australia. She’s married and I’m going to have my first niece or nephew in September.
MLSsoccer.com:
Your dad is quite the athlete?
AM: My dad is an active guy, like Steve, a bit crazy. He’s doing a 54-mile marathon in a couple of weeks by himself. He does a lot by himself. He’s an action man.
MLSsoccer.com:
The men in the wedding party, including Steven, wore kilts. How many
times have you been asked about wearing one and what answer do you give
about what is worn underneath?
AM: I get asked that a lot. The most popular questions people ask me are, "Do you wear a kilt?" or "Do you play the bagpipes?" I don’t play the bagpipes. I wear the kilt on special occasions. When they ask me what I wear underneath I say I’m a true Scotsman. They can guess what that means.
MLSsoccer.com:
You have your perpetual 5 o’clock shadow and a mop of hair not unlike
Steven’s. If you had an 1980s hair band, what would it be called?
AM: Probably the Curly Tops.
MLSsoccer.com: It’s
noon. How many times have you shaved today?
AM: Twice -- before and after practice.
MLSsoccer.com: You have a
brogue that some find hard to decipher. Are there Scots that even you
don’t understand?
AM: There are. Way up north in Scotland. I met one before when we were teammates. When we first met I said, "Where are you from?" He said, "I’m Uptheroad." Up the road, which means two hours north. People say I’m pretty clear but if you go to Scotland you won’t understand a lot of people.
MLSsoccer.com:
We all know Braveheart is about William Wallace’s fight to
free Scotland from English rule. Have you ever sat down and watched the
movie with teammate Andy Iro, who’s from England?
AM: No, we haven’t. We definitely should at some point, maybe someday before Scotland plays England.
MLSsoccer.com: Have you ever
said “I am William Wallace”?
AM: The name tag in the locker room when I first joined, [equipment manager Rusty Wummel] instead of my name put my No. 22 and William Wallace so I probably looked at it and said, “I am William Wallace?”
MLSsoccer.com:
Since Scotland did not qualify for the World Cup, who will you cheer
for?
AM: I’m rooting for the U.S. but I hope England do all right. I’m a Manchester United fan. I hope Wayne Rooney does well, I should say, but to win it all I fancy Spain.”
