It is that time again, as we “Get in the Box” with another one of your favorite Doxa stars. This time we get up close and personal with left back, Joe Cartlidge. Known for his easy going approach to life and his heading ability (some actually say he leaps higher than an Alaskan Salmon, others think he could easily out jump Blake Griffin) Joe is a team player who is always willing to step up and take on a task for a teammate! Currently sporting a wilderness style beard, we caught up with Joe and here is what he had to say.
Name: Joseph Cartlidge
Occupation: Beer Specialist, Whole Foods Market
Position: Defender, primarily used on the left.
Tell us about your career before Doxa:
After losing the National Championship match my Senior year at CSUDH, I stayed as far away from competitive soccer as I could. I couldn’t get the defeat out of my head for the longest time, and it wasn’t until I was introduced to beach soccer (thank you Austin Roman!) that I realized soccer was more than a final score.
Soccer career highlight:
2000 – National Championship match my Junior year at CSUDH (we won 2-1 in the 4th OT!!)
2010 – Traveling to Portugal with the US National Beach Soccer team to compete in the Mundialito tournament against Brazil, Portugal and Argentina.
Favorite player to play with:
The first player that popped into my head was Juan Carlos (JC) Bolanos. Incredible scoring machine and terrifically smooth on the ball.
Favorite moment outside of soccer:
Cliffs of Moher trail run with my brother.
Most embarrassing story you have on another player:
I’ll embarrass the hell out of myself before I would a friend. Sorry man, no stories here.
Most Likely on the team to:
- Score an own goal: Me, because my passing is atrocious.
- Get sent off: Nate Reeves, because he loves yelling.
- Get goal of the season: Bryan Byrne, because he’s the fricking Energizer bunny and can’t be stopped.
- Show up to a game with no gear: David Adams, because he stayed out all night and thought he was showing up to “party and party and party”.
- Have to go to rehab: Again, David Adams.
As a beer connoisseur, give us your insight on the following:
Best Beer of all time: My all-time favorite, that can be enjoyed year-round, is Kern River Brewing Company’s Just Outstanding IPA. It’s a West Coast-style IPA that blends Simcoe and Amarillo hops to give the beer a fantastic grapefruit and apricot essence, which combine perfectly with its caramel malt backbone. The beer isn’t overly bitter like some IPAs, but in order to get the most out of it, please drink it out of a glass! Utilizing your sense of smell is crucial in beer tasting.
A beer worth paying big money for: There are so many fantastic beers out there that are priced to sell, but if you have a couple extra bucks to burn, you gotta try Uinta Brewing Company’s Labyrinth ($14.99 for 25.4 ounces). Labeled a “Black Ale,” it’s technically a rye whiskey, barrel-aged, double imperial stout. If you’re unfamiliar with Imperial Stouts, they can be hit or miss. Some are overly sweet, due to the fact that they involve large amounts of sugar (which is what the yeast feeds on in order to create alcohol). Some are reminiscent of a Japanese spin-the-bottle session and taste like soy sauce. Labyrinth is everything you want in an Imperial Stout – bittersweet chocolate, roasted coffee, medium alcohol flavor, and a hint of licorice root. At 13.2% ABV, it’s a beer that will put hair on your chest and tell you it’s okay to drunk dial your old baby sitter to let her know she will always be “the one.”
Number one Beer to avoid: Similar to human beings, there are plenty of lame beers out there. But like us, all beers serve a purpose. Just enjoy what’s in front of you and thank the Egyptians, Inca, Germans, Belgians, whoever it was that first let bacteria build on grain and combine with water, hops and yeast to become the libation we all enjoy to this day…in front of the television, in a boat, on a bench, on a beach, in a buddy’s backyard, in bed, bored, baked, buzzed, bewildered, beguiled. It’s all good.
Best liquor on the market: After visiting Scotland, I am a big fan of Scotch, but my family is from Kentucky and Bourbon is in my blood, so I gotta go with Maker’s Mark.
Tell us how your recent trip to Scotland went: Glasgow, Brew Dog, Loch Lomond, Kilchurn Castle, Skye, Talisker, Inverness, Cardhu, Edinburgh, Glen Kinchie, Haggis, Neeps, Tatties, Steak and Ale Pies, Tenants, a perfect partner, and the kindest people on the planet. Not a bad trip.
Other sports you play/have played? I’m a big golfer, but love playing baseball, basketball, surfing, beer pong, and basically anything and everything and if we can mix in a beer or ten, even better!
