Rhinos 1 v 1-Jonathan Greenfield
By: Thad Brown
Updated: June 30, 2010
While Jonathan Greenfield plays midseason games for the Rhinos, his home country of South Africa hosts the World Cup. How bad does he wish he was there?
"On a scale of 1-10, 10," Greenfield said. "It's huge for the country of South Africa in general and the African continent for the first time hosting it. It's a little something different. It just makes me feel a little special about it."
Greenfield is nervous about his country pulling off such a mega event. He especially would like to debunk the notion that South Africa is crime infested. He hopes sees his homeland for the wonderous place it is.
"It has the stigma that it's Africa, but it's not. It's so beautiful," Greenfield said. "It's a beautiful country with so many resources and people just don't realize that."
Now 28, Greenfield came of age as Nelson Mandela came to power in South Africa. Greenfield lived his nation's racial growth.
"I grew up in a school where the majority were all white kids. Slowly, but surely, it started to change and started to get color in it. I think it's great. Now we call it the rainbow nation because it's such a melting pot."
Greenfield came to America in 2005.
"I thought, well... yeah, I'll try a new adventure."
Leaving behind the rock star status a soccer player has in South Africa.
"Everyone knows who you are... you get free things... you walk into a store... people are giving you free shoes just to wear their shoes."
But he enjoys being able to interact with the fans.
"We do tons of appearances. The fans can communicate. We sign autographs after the games. And I think that's important because you have that relationship with fans. Not I'm a professional athlete and you're paying my salaries, but I'm not in contact with you and you don't even know anything about me."
