Tuesday's Column: Dempsey latest injury to strike U.S.

And we are still awaiting word of how serious the injury is to Clint Dempsey.

In the meantime, this piece should give a little bit of camp flavor and how some of the players are treating it just months before the World Cup.

Read the column here.

I had some leftover quotes that didn't make it into the piece.

Here's goalkeeper Troy Perkins, who signed with D.C. United last week, elaborating on why he returned to MLS from Norway:

"We're back. A lot of it had to do with family issues. My wife (Elizabeth) was having trouble getting a job - she's a doctor and for me it was tough to sit there and make a case for myself after putting her through school for eight years and for her not to be able to do what she wants.

"The league there is struggling a little bit financially and I think over the past two years MLS has improved with the development and talent of players.

"She doesn't speak Norwegian. She's taking courses, but it's one of those things where you have to be fluent and Norwegian is not exactly a language you can become fluent in very easily. It's a crazy language - there's no real structure to it, no one speaks the same thing. You can go two hours up the road and someone will be speaking completely different. ... Obviously having a kid (a son, now 11 months old) unexpectedly changes your whole life plan (as well).

"I definitely didn't waste my time (in Norway). Financially it was the right move. It's like investing in yourself. Now my value is even higher. Secondly, I think I've improved quite a bit. Obviously it's gotten me in the national team picture more and I've really worked with some great coaches. Personally I think I've grown a lot as a man and as a husband so the two years have been great and we will never regret it ... I won't have to get two jobs (to play in MLS), let's say that."

Here's Perkins on why he chose to return to where he started - D.C. United:

"My agent and I had talked about it and my wife at first was 'no, it's not great for your career.' But I've stayed up on MLS, I've watched the games a little bit and I've been impressed with the way thing have gone and I said you know what: 'Either way for me is OK. But if we got to DC I'd be really happy with that. So it turned out D.C. was interested and we were able to work it out."

Here's midfielder Benny Feilhaber reflecting on his different roles for his Danish club and his country:

"Right now for my club team the last three or four months I've been playing on the left side, so we've been playing with two more defensive style midfielders in the middle. ... I've played that position here with the national team, but I tend to play in the center more often than not. That obviously requires (me) with my club team to be the creative player on the team. Here, of course, they like me to be creative and find the forwards up top, but we've got definitely other players who can do that as well, so in that sense it's a little bit different of a role."

Here's winger Robbie Rogers expanding on the difference between his first USMNT camp last January and this one:

"I definitely prepared myself this time better than I did last time. Last year, in the first week of training I was in my bed and ice baths (often), mentally exhausted. I definitely prepared myself better training with these guys in the off-season at Home Depot (Center). It got me fit and kept me sharper than last year. I'm enjoying it more than last year simply because my body is feeling better. It's always nice to meet new guys and I think the U.S. player pool is getting a lot bigger.

"When I came into camp last year it was my first national team camp and I was kind of scared, I didn't know what to expect and definitely the first week you feel nerves and you're nervous when you're playing. But now it's just trying to find your fitness and just working hard. You get to enjoy yourself more when you're familiar with the players around you and know what to expect. Its weird when you look back and I remember how I felt when I was coming into this and now it's really different."

Finally, here's Rogers on what aspects of his game Coach Bob Bradley has asked him to focus on:

"He asked me to try and be consistent for 90 minutes. I think I've learned a lot from him defensively, both positionally and tactically. I feel I've gotten a lot better at that. He's asked me to get better at reactions, second balls and being first to more balls and I'm working on that."