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It’s Lagerweek at The Striker. We spent the first two days focusing on his MLS career and his time with the Latham & Watkins law firm. Today, a quick look at a quick stop on Garth Lagerwey’s soccer arc to becoming Atlanta United’s new club president.
Once Garth Lagerwey left life as an MLS goalkeeper, he headed to Georgetown University to earn his law degree. Eventually, he joined Latham & Watkins, the second-largest law firm in the world, and took a job as an associate in their D.C. office.
But practicing law seems to have acted as a means to an end. Lagerwey planned to take the skills he learned as a lawyer and apply them to a long-term role within soccer. Until he found that role though, he needed a way to stay plugged in.
He found it moonlighting as a broadcaster, mostly working as a fill-in, color commentator alongside D.C. United’s longtime play-by-play man Dave Johnson.
Lagerwey’s guest appearances went about how you’d expect from a one-time completer of a “100-beer weekend” at Duke who became the league’s most successful front office executive: With Lagerwey showcasing immediate aptitude. Lagerwey thriving thanks to a strong work ethic. And Lagerwey finding a way to plug in the absolute goofiest reaction call to a sporting moment you’ll ever hear in your life.
“If it was just a great play he would say something,” Johnson said. “I do remember ‘Sweet creamery butter!’ I don't remember specifically, but he also had some other plays on words that he would use. I don't think he used those as much, but I do remember ‘Sweet creamery butter!’”
Fortunately (maybe, unfortunately?), Lagerwey didn’t just rely on catchphrases. His knowledge of the game as a former player combined with the preparation and speaking skills of a current lawyer made him a relative natural.
“I mean, everyone thinks if they know the game, they can be a broadcaster. Until they actually try it and then realize you don't have time to really reflect and think, you've got to make the call, as it's happening. As a color analyst, you have to explain what's going on as it's happening. You're trying to talk to the viewer and bring it across. It's not a chance for you to look at a tape and review it and get some thoughts together and then give a speech,” Johnson said.
“It's on your feet. And that's obviously something in a legal profession where it's important to be able to think quickly and think on your feet. I don't remember there being a transition period. He just got it and did it. He would fill in and roll with us. So it would be like maybe two or three games in a row. And then maybe you don't do another for a couple of months. And that's not easy. But every time he was ready to broadcast.”
Well, almost every time. Perhaps the one time he didn’t show up camera ready came during his interview process to become Real Salt Lake’s general manager. Lagerwey, understandably a bit distracted, showed up to the booth needing a quick shave.
The broadcast’s stage manager went down to the team locker room and somehow found a razor and shaving cream. The stage manager headed back to the elevator where they were greeted by a second unknown person also holding a razor and shaving cream for reasons still unknown. Who knows what that means in the grand scheme of the universe, but it felt important to acknowledge the probable first and only time there have ever been two separate people in an MLS stadium elevator holding a razor and shaving cream for two separate reasons. We don’t know what happened with the other razor, but in Lagerwey’s case, we could choose to see it as a butterfly effect moment that led to him finding his way to Atlanta.
“Well, you know, somebody's gonna be watching. Whether it’s [RSL owner] Dave Checketts or whoever else. This is still part of your audition. I mean the way you talk about the game will have an impact,” Johnson said. “Long story short, he got the job. So I always tell him, ‘You’ve got to give me credit for you getting that job. Just make sure you're clean-shaven and focused on selling Major League Soccer.”
In part thanks to his time as a lawyer and broadcaster, Lagerwey had no problem selling the sport or himself. But even before he took over as a front office executive for the first time, he always seemed to be showing the skills that would lead to him making a name for himself within the league. Now, we get to see how those skills translate in Atlanta. Odds are, things go pretty well.
“I wasn’t surprised with his success because of his attention to detail and his work ethic. When you aspire to be a lawyer and become one and you pass the bar, you go through all that drive and determination to reach that point. That's a lot of hours of studying and work and you can't take a shortcut. When I would talk to him during the offseason with RSL he would talk about the hours of videotape he would go through on players,” Johnson said.
“If you put somebody smile like that at the helm, and give them more resources, he's going to have success like he did in Seattle. So success and Garth Lagerwey don't surprise me because of his tremendous work ethic. He’s not only smart. And not only does he have a good sense about people. But he’s willing to work harder than anyone else.”