Welcome to Quakes on a Plane! In this series we take you behind the scenes on Quakes road trips with your favorite players in black & blue! You'll find out what they like and dislike about traveling the country playing for an MLS club, get the scoop on the best and worst players to travel with & even find out if they feel confident landing the Quakes' plane in an emergency. Today, we chatted with midfielder Simon Dawkins on the short flight north to Portland as the Quakes get set to take on the defending champion Timbers.
SJEarthquakes.com: Join the line at the Gate or wait until final call?
Simon Dawkins: Wait until final call, always. Don’t understand it when you see people walk down there. The best that can happen is that you’re stood there for 10 minutes waiting. And everyone has a seat unless it’s unassigned, it’s not like you’re missing out.
SJEQ: Window or Aisle?
SD:
Short trips – aisle, long trips – window, so I can rest my head against it and sleep.
SJEQ: Movie, iPod or book?
SD:
Movie. I watched Concussion on the last one which was good.
SJEQ: Airplane drink?
SD:
On a road trip? Cranapple. On vacation, champagne.
SJEQ: Peanuts, pretzels or cookies?
SD:
Cookies, always cookies. Don’t know why anyone would choose anything else.
SJEQ: Best person to sit next to?
SD:
Anyone apart from Victor Bernardez.
SJEQ:
Worst?
SD:
Victor. He’s big and he’s moving around all the time, I’ve seen him, he’d be a nightmare to sit next to.
SJEQ:
Best road trip?
SD:
Toronto. One, I have family there; two, I love the city. Great restaurants. Really like the place.
SJEQ:
Worst?
SD:
Boston. New England. There’s nothing near to the hotel we stay at and the weather’s always bad.
SJEQ:
Funniest thing that ever happened on a road trip?
SD:
No comment.
SJEQ:
Best road trip stadium?
SD:
Seattle. Great atmosphere. I don’t like the turf but the stadium is great. Outside the US it’s the Emirates, Arsenal. Lovely place.
SJEQ:
Worst?
SD:
LA Galaxy, for obvious reasons. Outside the US, Nicaragua was pretty hostile. The fans were on top of you.
SJEQ:
Favorite part of a trip?
SD:
If it’s somewhere I’ve not been, seeing the city. Sometimes we get time to go out and explore.
SJEQ:
Worst part?
SD:
The wait until the game, especially if it’s at night. You spend all day sitting around.
SJEQ:
In the event of an emergency, could you fly the plane?
SD:
If it was an emergency, I would work it out!
SJEQ:
If you could change one thing about road trips what would it be?
SD: I know this will never happen, but I would travel the day of the game and come straight back.
