Lewis: Hall gives defenders day in sun

ST. LOUIS -- Defenders usually are a forgotten and ignored lot until they make a mistake or somehow score a goal.

Like it or not, there is more negative than positive that comes with the territory, especially in soccer.

But there are exceptions to the rule.

On Thursday, a pair of talented U.S. international defenders found their way into the spotlight for the best reasons possible and were justifiably awarded for their long and successful careers when Jeff Agoos and Joy Fawcett were elected into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

After nearly two decades of hard work by each player, their day in the sun will come on Sunday, Aug. 2, when they will be inducted into the Hall in Oneonta, N.Y.

No one should begrudge Agoos and Fawcett of this high honor. Out of the last 15 players elected into the Hall, only five were defenders. And this is the first class that is dominated by defense.

"It's good that defenders are finally getting recognized," Agoos said. "Those attackers."

"You don't get much recognition," Fawcett added. "Technically, everyone plays defense, but everyone likes goalscorers."

Both defenders took different paths to U.S. soccer immortality, although they each had to endure some obstacles along the way.

Agoos was a four-time All-American under current L.A. Galaxy coach Bruce Arena at the University of Virginia. And he became a vital part of D.C. United's first three MLS Cup championships -- he is the only player to boast five MLS championship rings -- and eventually a member of the MLS All-Time Best XI.

During an interview four years ago, Agoos talked about his soccer philosophy. He was straight to the point.

"My goals are simple. Win championships. Win rings," he said. "That's why you play."

Internationally, Agoos endured a bumpy ride en route to his 134 caps, second best in U.S. soccer history. He worked his tail off to earn a roster spot on the 1994 World Cup team, only to become the last player cut by coach Bora Milutinovic. Agoos burned and buried his national team uniform.

"That was one of the worst and best parts of my career," he said. "It was very difficult obviously at the time. You never know what direction you're going from there. It taught me that I wasn't going to allow that one person was going to dictate what my career was going to be. That was one of the important lessons of that. Training twice a day, going through basically boot camp in California taught me about myself."

Agoos learned he could be a tough dude who would not say no. He made the 1998 U.S. World Cup team, but did not play a minute in what termed into a disappointing and rather forgettable performance in France.

Four years later, he not only earned a roster spot, but was a starter. He struggled in the group round, giving up a penalty kicka and scoring an own goal before leaving the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan with a leg injury and could not enjoy the USA's ride into the quarterfinals.

Agoos, who could play on the left side or in the middle, started his MLS career with United, playing in the first four MLS Cups and winning three -- 1996, 1997 and 1999. He was dealt to the San Jose Earthquakes and was instrumental in two more MLS Cup crowns -- 2001 and 2003.

He could not work his Cup magic on the MetroStars in 2005 after a trade as he called it a career after that season -- at least not as a player.

He almost did as the sporting director of the Red Bulls (formerly the MetroStars), but they fell short to the Columbus Crew, 3-1, in their first MLS Cup appearance barely two months ago.

Fawcett forged her reputation as a classy defender ("She just picks your pocket as she goes by," former women's national coach Tony DiCicco once said), forming a partnership in the middle of the U.S. backline with Carla Overbeck -- Hall of Fame Class of 2006. So, when opponents scored a goal on the U.S., they knew they had earned it.

She was a member of the 1991 and 1999 Women's World Cup championship teams and played an important role in gold-medal winning sides at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics.

Fawcett also forged a reputation as a Soccer Mom, a woman who came back from pregnancy not once, not twice, but three times and play at a high level internationally.

"I couldn't have done it without the support of my teammates," she said of many members of the team, which turned into babysitters and nannies on many trips. "I wanted to have kids. That's the greatest thing."

By 2004, Fawcett was on her last soccer legs as she and Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy were planning to call it a career after the Athens Olympics. She was forced to battle more than just the likes of Brazilian star Marta five years ago. She had to come rheumatoid arthritis and a herniated disk.

"The biggest concern was keeping the numbness away from my legs," she once said. "The numbness comes back and I couldn't sprint. The pain I could live with (laughs). The pain was fine.

"I have a pretty high threshold. It was painful. It was a pain in the back, but not enough to keep me off the field. Right before the Olympics, I re-herniated. It was bad enough that I couldn't play. So I had to get a shot, which concerned me a lot. In the Olympics, it was livable. It was fine. It was painful, but not enough."

After the 2003 Women's World Cup, Fawcett was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

"My fingers were like sausages," she said. "It got to the point where it was painful. We had those games after the World Cup. At halftime I had to ice them and stick them into an ice bucket it was so painful. Then I knew it wasn't a soccer injury. I wasn't using my hands.

"I'm lucky because I have access to doctors. I was lucky that I caught it early and got treatment early so it didn't really damage any of the joints."

On Thursday, Fawcett had no problems joining Agoos at the podium in Room 120 at the St. Louis Convention Center and then on the Fox Soccer Channel. They both received Hall of Fame scarves -- they will get the traditional red jackets on Aug. 2 -- and had an opportunity to give their thanks to people who helped them and talked about their careers.

Couldn't happen to a better pair of defenders who wound up in the spotlight for the right reasons.