KICKIN' BACK with Darrius Barnes

Revolution defender was lone field player to play every minute of MLS season in '09

MLSnet.com

L-R: Darrius Barnes and his brother, the person he looks up to most, hanging out. (Darrius Barnes)

Darrius Barnes was drafted by the New England Revolution in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft after playing four successful seasons for Duke University. He has had a successful rookie campaign, starting all 30 games during the regular season and playing the full 90 minutes in each. Barnes recently sat down for a Q&A with MLSnet.com. He also created his own photo gallery. Enjoy kickin' back with Darrius Barnes ...

Darrius Barnes
New England Revolution #25
Defender
Born: December 24, 1986
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

Fun Facts
• Barnes' favorite athletes of all-time are Michael Jordan and Eddie Pope
• Played soccer at Duke from 2005 - 2008
• Barnes' favorite sports teams are Duke Basketball and the Dallas Cowboys
• Barnes' all-time favorite song is anything off Jay-Z's "Reasonable Doubt" album

1. Only a year ago you were finishing up your senior season at Duke, what do you miss most about school?
The things I miss most about school would have to be going to Duke basketball games, free food and my teammates.

2. What would most people be surprised to learn about you?
Probably that I have a shoe fetish and that I love buying new shoes whenever I can. All types.

3. What is the best vacation you have ever taken and why?
The best vacation I have taken would have to be spring break in Miami my junior year of college, or World Cup '06 in Germany with all of my Duke teammates ... classic times.

4. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
My superpower would be to manipulate people's minds and get them to think what I'm thinking, and therefore hopefully get my way more often.

5. Your 23rd birthday isn't too far away ... how would you like to celebrate?
I have never been too big on birthdays but I imagine I will just spend it at home with some friends and family. Nothing exciting really happens after your 21st birthday. 23 just sounds old ...

6. What is your favorite dessert?
My favorite dessert would have to be Momma's lemon pie or Momma's carrot cake. You can't really go wrong with either one.

7. What's playing in your iPod right now?
Bed Rock -- Lil Wayne ft. Young Money

8. What celebrity would you choose to play the role of Darrius Barnes in your biopic?
Definitely Denzel Washington (younger Denzel), because he is a well-rounded actor and could epitomize who I am as a person.

9. What is the best prank someone has ever pulled on you?
When I was little, the night before Christmas the local news channel said that Santa Claus had gotten lost, wasn't going to be able to make his rounds for the night and that there wasn't going to be a Christmas. Obviously, I believed it and was devastated for a few hours until I woke up in the morning. I was super gullible as a kid ...

10. Share the best piece of advice you have received.
From a training standpoint, the best advice I got from the conditioning coach at Duke was, "Nobody ever got fast training slow." As far as general advice, it would have to be, "Anything worth having is worth working for." I follow that advice to try and reach all of my aspirations.