It's 45 minutes before kickoff and Cobi Jones is fully immersed in his pregame preparation.
But it's not quite the same as he's used to. Instead of being in a locker room, he's seated in a press box above the field. His uniform is a suit and he's got a media guide open, trying to get in some last-minute cramming.
Three days removed from playing his final Major League Soccer game, Jones was at Belson Stadium in Queens, N.Y., preparing to do color commentary for the St. John's-Rutgers Big East game for ESPNU.
"It's a very different pregame feeling," Jones said. "It's more about memorization and learning about players and preparing in a matter of a few days as you know which game you're doing."
Jones has made television appearances before and is a natural in front of a camera, so it's a somewhat seamless transition.
"I've been critical of broadcasters in the past in the soccer world as far as the actual knowledge of the game," he said. "I always figured this was one of the many avenues that could be improved upon by having former players come go in."
But Jones isn't ready to call it a new career. Right now, it just a nice distraction from the MLS Cup Playoffs.
"It helps keep your mind off of things, let's put it that way," he said.
His first broadcast got off to an inauspicious start, though, as ESPNU lost the feed for nearly 30 minutes in the first half when the broadcast truck lost power.
"You can't blame that one on me. I wish you could because that would mean I'd have some mighty amazing powers," Jones said. "Even with the hiccups and everything, I thought it went all right. It's just about learning all the ins and outs about it."
Jones was in Chicago on Sunday, hoping to extend his final MLS season. But the Los Angeles Galaxy failed to make the playoffs, after suffering a 1-0 loss at Toyota Park. After spending his entire 12-year MLS career with the Galaxy, Jones is still stunned that it's come to an end after the Galaxy's second-half comeback fell just short.
"It doesn't matter what kind of run you have," Jones said. "The run doesn't cover up the fact that we didn't make the playoffs, it doesn't cover up the fact that we didn't play well at the beginning of the year to get ourselves in the playoffs. It's all about making the playoffs and giving yourself that shot at winning the championship."
Although he's played his final MLS game, there are still friendlies to be played with the Galaxy in Australia and New Zealand in the coming months.
"It's a few final last hurrahs with my teammates," he said.
But after Dec. 31, his playing career is officially over. Perhaps that's when his broadcasting career kicks into gear.
And if that happens, he can always say he got his start on a rainy Wednesday night at St. John's University.
"I thought it was a good game," Jones said. "I could see the strategies that were going on out there, how they were trying to combat each other. I thought it was a good game, a good derby."
Spoken like a true commentator.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
