Brad Davis was once a formidable opponent with Western Conference rival Houston Dynamo, but earlier this month the former USMNT player signed with Sporting KC. And good news — he’s a surprisingly cool dude for an ex-Houstonian. We tracked down the camo-clad midfielder to find out a little more about his habits off the field and how he feels about coming back home to Missouri.
Are you relieved to be playing alongside any of the Sporting players rather than against them?
The whole group has been an extremely tough group to play against over the years. You know, obviously every team has got dangerous players attacking and defending, but I just think as a whole, this group has been attractive to me. Obviously we’ve had some heated games, but one of the things I said at the beginning of this — especially when people were like “Oh, you’re going there? — is that you want to go to a team that you know is going to fight and you know is going to compete, and this is a team that fights and competes. I know it first hand. So there was never any question about that.
I knew I was coming into a team that was a good, tight-knit group and good guys away from soccer. That was important to me. I’m a family guy. I have three kids, and the away from soccer can be just as important as the on the field stuff. So for me it was important to just come into a group that was just a good group of guys off the field, away from the game, but also a group that could come together and fight and compete. And I feel like that is definitely in this group’s makeup.
How are you feeling about moving to Kansas City?
I am closer to home, so my family will coming to basically every game and things like that. It’s something that, without a doubt, has been in the back of my head since joining the league. When you leave at 20 years old to go play professionally and you leave home at a young age, there’s a lot of stuff that I still missed — friends and family and birthday parties and nieces and nephews and cousins. I wanted to be able to play and enjoy having those people come and watch on a regular basis.
I’m not moving into my family’s backyard, but it’s still close enough that they can come and visit. It’s actually a good buffer! laughing I’m definitely not right next door but it’s a place where they can pick up the phone and say, “Do you mind if we drive up for the weekend?”
What do you think will be the biggest adjustment in coming to play with Sporting KC?
I know who I am and I know what I’m gonna do when I come here. I’m gonna to try to do the same things that I’ve done over the past 15 years, which is to push my teammates, hold myself accountable and hold myself to a high level. I think we have an amazing group of guys with a ton of depth this year, so it’ll be interesting. But in terms of big adjustments, let’s just say I have yet to come across one.
Everyone raves about your left foot. Are you also left handed?
I’m ambidextrous. I’m goofy, man. I’m left footed. I eat left handed. I write right handed. I’m all over the place, I’m telling you. I’m left handed throwing the ball. I played some baseball and was a hockey goalie when I was younger and in baseball I would catch right and in hockey I would catch left. So I am kind of all over the shop.
So if you could play any other sport besides soccer….
Hockey, for sure.
Do you have a favorite team?
The Blues.
So you’re big into hunting. How did you get started with that?
When I was growing up my mom’s parents had a farm, and when I was tiny up at the farm I was helping build houses, running through creeks and hunting with my dad and my uncles. I used to spend summers up at my grandparents’ farm and just being outside all the time made me really love the outdoors.
How do you feel about camo?
I love it. You should tell people what I was wearing in this interview (camo sweatshirt, camo beanie).
If Sporting announced it was coming out with all-camo kits, how would you feel?
It would be amazing. I think it would be great. I mean look at football and the NFL — it’s even just a good way to market and sell stuff. I think it would be awesome. We could do it for military appreciation night! It would be ridiculous. We could set a trend. No one else has done that! Be the first. Be the leaders.
What’s your favorite camo item you own?
That’s a tough question. There’s a lot to choose from. I would have to say my Polaris Ranger. If you don’t know what that is, it’s basically a souped up golf cart.
What is your biggest guilty pleasure?
Peanut M&M’s. Absolutely.
What’s the last movie that made you cry?
I’ve been watching that Netflix series, Making a Murderer, and it’s gotten me a little emotional. That thing has me going back and forth so bad. It’s ridiculous. I’ve yelled at my computer a couple times. It’s been frustrating me big time. I don’t know if I’ve cried but I’ve gotten seriously mad and sad and upset with the whole situation.
Have you finished it?
I have two episodes left.
Do you watch a lot of Netflix?
I do, especially since we’re on the road quite a bit. I recently started… Oh what’s the one with the lady who’s all tattooed up? I’m blanking. Oh! Blind Spot! Love that show.
What’s the most random thing you’ve ever watched on Netflix?
laughs So I have kids, and they watch all these kids’ shows. So that’s the last thing that played and it comes up on the screen, and I’ll just hit play. I’ll find myself 20 minutes later like “What am I doing right now?”
If your life was being made into a movie or TV show, what actor would play you?
Oh man. What’s his name? People say I look a lot like him… I’m totally blanking right now. This is terrible. Sherlock Holmes! Not Robert Downey. The other guy.
Jude Law!
Yes! That’s it. Jude Law would definitely play me.
