Posted by Chris McClintick

My name is Chris McClintick, Assistant Producer, and the latest addition to the World Football Daily family.

Soccer (football) has always been an important part of my life. I began playing the game in my small hometown of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania as part of small youth leagues, thanks to my soccer-savvy father. I continued to play throughout my Elementary, middle, and later high school, but I didn't truly fall in love with the game until High School (where I had plenty of time to study the game from the bench).

During the summer of 2006 I had the opportunity to travel to Austria and Germany as a part of an exchange program with a school in Worms, Germany. It just so happened the World Cup, or Weltmeisterschaft, was about to take place a week or two after our arrival in the Central-European nation. We watched the opening match, Germany vs. Costa Rica,in Salzburg, Austria among a large crowd in the town center (most of the Austrians were rooting for Costa Rica). That gave me a small taste of the passion so many people around the world share for the game, however, the most influential night, was the match between Germany and Poland.

After what was a fairly even match in the first minute of stoppage time, Oliver Neuville slid across the goalmouth to finish a cross, handing Germany the late victory over their neighboring rivals. The moment the ball crossed the line, Germany exploded. After the match, and a few drinks at the Biergarten (at the age of sixteen), we walked through the small city only to witness traffic jams, horns sounding throughout the city, German flags as far as the eye could see, and cars overloaded with people, beer in hand. After being a part of that spectacle, I felt the sheer power and importance of Football, and have loved it ever since.

Upon my return to the states, a close family friend, and now fellow premium subscriber, introduced me to a free podcast called World Soccer Daily. I adopted Everton FC as my club, and like so many other listeners, my knowledge of, and love, for football expanded with every episode, becoming a daily staple to everyday life. It was through the musical taste of Adam, the producer at the time, that I developed a second passion in life, music. I recall hearing the beginning of "Rebellion (lies)" by the Arcade Fire during a show, and thinking to myself, what is this music? I've never heard anything like it, and it's absolutely incredible. I fell into the habit of exploring music played on the show anytime I heard something I remotely enjoyed, until my love for music coupled my affinity for football.

After completing high school at the Mercersburg Academy, I continued my studies at the University of Richmond in hopes of pursuing a career in the world of football by majoring in International Studies: Modern Europe with a minor in Journalism. I began hosting my own music-focused radio program at the University's Independent Radio station, WDCE. I still host every Friday afternoon during the school year (the show can be streamed live through iTunes at www.wdce.org should you wish to listen to some new indie/alternative music). At school I watch football whenever possible (occasionally in class) regardless of what league or country out of pure enjoyment and in an effort to learn as much as possible about the game we all know and love.

While attempting to plan my summer in January, I felt the need for a new challenge and something different in my life, so naturally the first people I got in touch with were the boys at WFD. Five months later, I find myself writing this in an apartment outside of UCLA where I'm living with extremely generous and welcoming fraternity brothers. Although I've only been here for a little over two and a half weeks, my time so far with Steven, Kenny, Rafa, James, and Casey have been life-changing. Perhaps the greatest aspect of being a part of the WFD team is coming to the realization that the guys I've listened to for years now, really are the incredible people you think they are as a listener. Already I've learned so much dealing with the show, football journalism, and their place in a globalizing Unites States. As a journalism student, I've looked at the effect the Internet has had on journalism as we know it. The ever-increasing amount of information, news, and forms of communication the Internet provides, serves as the perfect platform for World Football Daily to thrive in, and it surely will.

I couldn't be more excited about the upcoming World Cup in South Africa. As an Everton fan, I've found some special interest in the role Steven Pienaar who will be playing as a key member of the South African squad. However, this interest includes not only his play-making ability on the pitch, but also the connection he has with his home country and its past. In an interview with The Daily Mail (google Steven Pienaar interview daily mail if you want to read the entire interview, I recommend doing so at some point before the WC), Pienaar talks about growing up in a township with a single mother during Apartheid. This recent dark history and the developments South Africa has made since Apartheid are going to be showcased during this summer's tournament. The global audience being witnesses to this can attest to the power football possesses, and what it will mean to the country and people of South Africa.

Of course I will be supporting Bob Bradley's men in this summer's tournament and I believe we have great potential to do well (yes, I was part of the 2% of voters in our recent poll who said the US will go all the way). I look forward to what the rest of my short time at WFD has in store for not only myself, but the entire WFD community as we approach this historic tournament. (U! S! A! U! S! A!)