As Steve Goff reported Sunday night, D.C. United are close to signing Nigel de Jong, a man who needs little by way of introduction in most soccer circles. His accomplishments are really rivaled only by the baggage he carries.
World Cup finalist with the Netherlands. Leg-breaker. UEFA Champions League. Dirty player. Among the best defensive midfielders on both sides of the ball in the last decade. Career-ender.
Like a lot of United fans, I instinctively recoiled when I read the news linking the club to de Jong. He broke Stu Holden’s leg!