Zoltan, MSU Stories

Rauwshan McKenzie battles with the Galaxy's Alan Gordon last weekend.

Today, a few stories came out after Zoltan's introduction press conference yesterday. Terez Paylor of the KC Star chimes in, focusing on the language barrier. The Kansas City Kansan's Nick Sloan offered up his version of the story. Thad at the Back Post offered some pictures and details of the agreement (we're told he'll be posting audio from the presser soon).

Scott Yoshonis of the Lansing State Journal checked in on the status of Rauwshan McKenzie and Doug DeMartin, players we have drafted from Michigan State in the last two years.

FC Dallas Transfers Cooper

FCD lost its most dangerous attacking option ahead of tomorrow night's match at Pizza Hut Park. Read their press release for the details:

FC Dallas announced today that Forward Kenny Cooper has been transferred to TSV 1860 Munich of the 2. Bundesliga pending a medical examination. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

“Kenny has been an outstanding player for us over the last four seasons as well as a tremendous ambassador for FC Dallas in his time with the club, and we wish him the best in Munich,” General Manager Michael Hitchcock said. “Kenny indicated to us that he wanted to return to Europe when his contract expired next year. The timing of this transfer allows Kenny to continue his career overseas while providing our club with valuable resources for new acquisitions.”

Cooper joined FC Dallas on Feb. 6, 2006 from Manchester United. The former MLS All-Star is the second leading goal scorer in club history and was voted the team’s most valuable player in 2008.

“This transfer gives us the resources to continue to build the team and hopefully bring in another talented forward who will be a good fit for our system,” Head Coach Schellas Hyndman said. “I have sincerely enjoyed coaching Kenny in my time with FC Dallas. He is a good teammate, a skilled goal scorer and a great person. We wish him well.”

TSV 1860 Munich finished 12th in the 2008-09 season in the 2. Bundesliga, the second division of professional soccer in Germany.

"I would like to thank the Hunt family, my teammates and everyone at FC Dallas for everything over the last four years,” Cooper said. “To all of the wonderful fans, thank you so much for your support. I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to play for my hometown team, in the same city where my father played for 11 years.

"I am very excited and honored to join 1860 Munich. I am hungry and ready to give my all to the club. I hope I will make Lamar and everyone at FC Dallas proud. I wish everyone the very best."

Zoltan Introduced

Picture courtesy of the Back Post author and photog extraordinaire Thad Bell. Check out his blog and his photo site.

Zoltan was officially introduced to the KC media today at our weekly press conference. It ran on Metro Sports at 3 p.m., but check the listings to see if it replays over the next few days. They will likely use some of the content on the week's edition of Wizards Weekly, so look out for that. Peter Vermes served as interpreter for the conference, but Zoltan is picking up English quickly and could understand a lot of the questions before PV interpreted for him.

If you'd like a Zoltan #20 jersey, visit www.kcsoccerstore.com and select a customized version.

Press Pass Breaks Down MLS

Take a look at ESPN Soccernet Press Pass and their take on the state of MLS. What do you think? How is the League doing? Where are we going? Are you excited about the process?

Hartman for Save of the Week

Hartman launches a punt against LA Saturday.

Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman is up for MLS Save of the Week for an outstanding stop and Landon Donovan and subsequent quick reactions to knock the ball out of danger. See the play here, then vote for it here.

JC Show/All-Star Watch Party

Tonight, Fox and Hound in Overland Park is the place to go for the Jimmy Conrad Show from 7-8 p.m. CT then an MLS All-Star Game (Davy Arnaud) watch party at 8:30 p.m. CT., both events are sponsored by Budweiser. Jimmy is done with National Team duty, but he's now in Salt Lake City for some Players' Union duties as our team rep. Adam Cristman will join Dave Borchardt to talk about last week's LA game, this week's FCD game, tonight's All-Star game and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Please call in during the show: 913.3.810.810.

Lopez Wins Goal of the Week/More

Claudio Lopez has won the MLS Goal of the Week award for his INCREDIBLE long-range strike against LA over the weekend from his own side of the half line. This is his second Goal of the Week honor of the season. Now some links for your enjoyment:

1. There were lots of different versions yesterday, but here's the CNN story on President Obama calling for the World Cup to come to the U.S.
2. Matt Besler checks in with Across the Midwest Pitch #8 at MLS Daily.
3. The Shawnee Dispatch discusses last Saturday's game against LA and our off-field success at CAB.
4. The NBA and NHL are considering jersey-front sponsorships like MLS allows.
5. David Beckham speaks on his official website/blog about the trip to KC.
6. The LA Galaxy's team blog discusses the Bull's Eye incident and confirms that Becks knocked a ball through on the first attempt.
7. Steve Goff thinks it's cool that "Zoltan" will appear on Zoltan's jersey.

Arnaud, Soccer Getting Love

Davy at All-Star training.

Davy Arnaud is getting props for his hard work and determination on the way to making his 1st MLS All-Star team for tonight's contest against Everton FC of the EPL. The game is at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2, and we're hosting a Budweiser watch party at Fox and Hound in OP. See you there!

Also, the Wall Street Journal is detailing the strides soccer is taking in this country, including quotes from Don Garber and Sepp Blatter. Enjoy.

Another Great Wizards-Galaxy Vlog

Whitney Mathews, local blogger and social media extraordinaire, came out to our match against the Galaxy on Saturday, talked to some fans in the stands and got the full Wizards experience (plus some Beckham-induced mania). She (and her boyfriend/camera helper) had a great time and could be coming out more often to look at different parts of the experience at CAB.

Conrad the All-Star/USA-MEX TV

Thank you, NBCU.

Props to NBC Universal for answering the call of soccer fans around the country looking for the Aug. 12 World Cup Qualifier between the United States and Mexico to be available widely in English. They have now agreed to make Mun2, Telemundo's bilingual channel, available for free to all cable providers Aug. 12 for the entire day. The match kicks off at 3 p.m. CT.

Jimmy Conrad has been added as an "inactive" All-Star so that there are now 32 MLS All-Stars. Conrad has been named an MLS All-Star six times now. This is his first selection as an inactive All-Star. From MLS:

MLS released the names of all 32 players who are named MLS All-Stars in 2009, in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement. After the 18-man active roster and inactive First XI selections, the remaining All-Stars are named according to the total weighted voting by MLS players, coaches and GMs, media and fans.

GAME-DAY ROSTER (18) GOALKEEPERS - Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC); Zach Thornton (Chivas USA). DEFENDERS - Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Wilman Conde (Chicago Fire), Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (Seattle Sounders FC), Bakary Soumare (Chicago Fire) MIDFIELDERS - Freddie Ljungberg (Seattle Sounders FC), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Chicago Fire), Will Johnson (Real Salt Lake), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Davy Arnaud (Kansas City Wizards), Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake) FORWARDS - Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Fredy Montero (Seattle Sounders FC)

INACTIVE ROSTER (14) GOALKEEPERS: Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo); Donovan Ricketts (LA Galaxy); DEFENDERS: Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA); Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew); Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards); MIDFIELDERS: Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew); Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution); Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC); Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo); Paulo Nagamura (Chivas USA); Amado Guevara (Toronto FC); FORWARDS: Brian McBride (Chicago Fire); Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo); Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls)

Zoltan is Official

Zoltan

Zoltan Hercegfalvi has officially been added to the Kansas City Wizards roster with the receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate. Zoltan, which will appear on the back of his #20 jersey, will be available for selection immediately as soon as he is deemed fit enough to contribute. See some pictures of Zoltan in training at The Back Post. Some stuff of note from the press release:

“After seeing Zoltan in person, we recognized his technical abilities as well as his tactical understanding of the game,” Vermes said. “We feel that he will provide us with additional attacking options.”

Zoltan joined Honved FC at age 6 and played all the way through their system before making his initial first-team appearance in 1998. He played at Honved until 2003, and then rejoined the club in 2006 after stints with FC Feherver, Lombard-Papa TFC and Slavia Prague. In total, Zoltan spent more than 20 years at Honved FC before deciding to join Kansas City.

"I've always had the desire to play outside of Hungary,” Zoltan said. “Now that soccer in the United States has taken a big step forward, I'm very excited to come here. I describe myself as a very technical player. I have a great love for the game of soccer, and people will see that when I play. I consider myself to be a complete forward. I can finish, and I also set up opportunities for other players."

Zoltan becomes the first Hungarian player in Kansas City Wizards history, though Vermes is of Hungarian descent and speaks Hungarian. Zoltan becomes the second Hungarian in MLS history. Istvan Urbanyi played 23 games for San Jose in 1997.

Career Stats:
YEAR CLUB GOALS
1998-2003 Budapest Honvéd FC 11
2003-2004 FC Fehérvár 12
2004-2005 Lombard-Pápa TFC 3
2005-2006 Slavia Prague 16
2006-2009 Budapest Honvéd FC 27
TOTAL 69

Beckham Fan Incident Explained

While this video includes some language and visuals that are not appropriate for all ages, it clarifies reports surrounding the incident between LA's David Beckham and fans at CommunityAmerica Ballpark this weekend. Watch and enjoy this excellent piece of bloggerism from Ramsey Mohsen from Saturday night's match (if you're not at work and don't have young children around):

Vote Lopez Goal of the Week

Claudio Lopez is looking for his 2nd MLS Goal of the Week honor of 2009, following his brilliant free kick in week 10. Watch the English-language call below from Lopez's goal then go vote to help him enter a second strike in the Goal of the Year running.

Golazo de Piojo

Take a look at the Spanish-language call of Claudio's long-range goal:



No word yet on the Goal of the Week voting. We'll let you know when we hear on that.

Wizards Tie Galaxy 1-1

Some good quotes in there from everyone. The consensus is that the crowd was unbelievable, Lopez's shot was unbelievable and Hartman had a hell of a game.

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS HEAD COACH CURT ONALFO
On Kevin Hartman’s performance
“I thought he was outstanding. He did what he’s done most of the year, which is make saves when he’s called upon. We had some missed clearances in the first half that led to chances for them and he made some real good saves.”

On Claudio Lopez’s half-field goal
“I was thinking ‘what is he doing?’ And he hit it perfectly, the only spot he could possibly have put it in. It was a world-class goal. Unfortunately, we conceded not too long afterwards on a mistake in the midfield that we can’t make.”

On Adam Cristman’s debut
“He was solid. He gives us something different that we don’t really have, and that’s a physical presence up top. He’s a guy that can turn bad balls into good balls and help you gain some good territory. It was good to see him out there, and I thought he did a good job for his first time out.”

On the standing-room-only crowd and atmosphere
“The energy was unbelievable. I thought the crowd was amazing. They have been all year, and I think tonight topped it. I’m just disappointing we couldn’t get another goal to get the three points and give them a little more joy when they went home, but at the end of the day, I think they saw a real good soccer game.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD CLAUDIO LOPEZ
On his goal
“I saw the keeper out of position, and I just decided to shoot. That goal is on the list for the best goal in my career. The most important thing is the three points though. I’m happy about the goal, but I would have settled for the three points instead.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS MIDFIELDER HERCULEZ GOMEZ
On the game
“It’s always disappointing when we can’t come away with three points at home. I’m even more disappointed when it’s against my ex-team. I circle games like this on my calendar. I was excited to play this game…I was revved up. It was just a shame we couldn’t pull it off. We’ve got a great fan base, and I thought they deserved more.”

On Claudio Lopez’s goal
“I’ve always been told that goals lift a team and deflate a team, and that goal helped us. It’s just so frustrating that five minutes after that goal we gave one up. I think if we came in 1-0 at halftime it’s a whole different ballgame as the game wears on. They would have had to throw bodies forward, and we’re very good on the counter.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD ADAM CRISTMAN
On his debut in a Wizards uniform
“It was good to finally be out there and get some minutes in. There were a lot of slow weeks of slow going, waiting to heal and building up fitness. I’m looking forward to building on that and making more of an impact.”

LOS ANGELES GALAXY HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA
On the game
“I think you have to give Kevin Hartman a lot of credit. He made some big saves in that first half. I thought overall our team played well. We didn't take care of our opportunities. I give Hartman a lot of credit, and I give [Claudio] Lopez a lot of credit for a fabulous goal. That's one of those goal of the year things and Hartman had a few saves of the year. They got some good performances out of their key players tonight. You know, for long periods of time I thought we did alright on creating chances. And at the end of the day, if you don't finish those chances, you're not going to win. And that was the case tonight.”

On Saunders coming in for the injured Ricketts
“Saunders had a great save on that free kick early in the second half. Again, I think the keepers made some timely saves tonight for both teams.”

On Beckham and Donovan playing together
“They're playing well. Landon [Donovan] had another good game. David [Beckham] played well. He had a little bit of a knock. And his fitness isn't where he wants it to be right now. But certainly we'll get better each and every week. But I'm pleased with the work b both of those players. Both teams are missing some players tonight. Certainly Conrad and Arnaud are big losses for Kansas City and our injuries in our friendly [with AC Milan] to our starting forwards and [Donovan] Ricketts (to back spasms) didn't help us tonight.”

LOS ANGELES GALAXY MIDFIELDER LANDON DONOVAN
On his goal and the play that set him up
“David did a really good job putting pressure on Santiago [Hirsig]. He knicked the ball away and took a touch and a couple guys made really good runs to open the defense, and I put it in a good spot.”

On coming back
“Even before that goal, we were all over them and we should have scored a couple goals. It's a night we'll want to have played again because I think it’s a game we deserved to win. In the end, it's okay. We were playing well up to that point and we played well after that point. They had a short spell in the second half where they came back into it but other than that, we dominated the game.”

On the tie
“Earlier in the year, we would have been happy with tying like this. There was a sense of disappointment coming in (the locker room) tonight. We don't want to give away any points now. That's a good sign. At the end of the day if their goalie has that kind of game, we can live with it.”

LOS ANGELES GALAXY MIDFIELDER DAVID BECKHAM
On the game
“Overall, I don't think it was our best night of soccer. We've moved on from a few months ago. We're trying to win games that we probably would have settled for the draw. But it’s a good bunch of guys and I do think we deserved at least a draw tonight.”

On his assist
“It was nice to get my first assist back in the league. It's good to be out there at the moment. It's a good bunch of guys like I said and working hard for each other. We enjoyed it tonight.”

If Claudio Lopez' goal outdid his shot from last year against Kansas City
“It was a great goal. It doesn't matter what league it's in or where it is in the world. It was a great goal. All credit to him, he's a great player and good goal tonight.”

On hitting the bullseye Friday during training
“The first time...We kind of finished training and three of us: me, Gordo (Alan Gordon) and Eddie Lewis walked over and said first one to get it close. It’s the worst shot, you have to go collect the balls after. I went third and yeah, hit it straight through. It was surprising, about 100 yards out so it was nice. No cameras there to prove it. So that was a shame.”

On the atmosphere and standing-room-only crowd
“There was a great reaction tonight from the fans. When you go to the away stadiums, you don't expect to have anybody on your side. Tonight it was a great atmosphere: Lots of families, lots of kids, and a lot of people who seemed to enjoy the game. So I hope they went home happy, and it was nice to have their support because it was a really nice atmosphere to play in.”

Notables:
· Kansas City is now 16-21-9 all-time against the Galaxy.
· The Wizards are 12-8-3 all-time against LA at home.
· Kansas City drew a standing-room-only crowd of 11,906 Saturday, their 6th consecutive sellout and the 8th of the season.
· Wizards striker Claudio Lopez scored a spectacular goal for his 5th tally of the season, hitting a half-field bomb.
· See the goal here.
· Lopez now has 11 goals and 11 assists since joining the Wizards from Racing in Argentina last season.
· Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman made four saves on the night against his former club.
· He increased his career MLS records in both saves (1188).
· Hartman has now started 99 straight games and hasn’t missed any action in the last 8910 minutes his teams have played.
· His minutes played streak constitutes an MLS record.
· He will become the 2nd player to start 100 straight matches.
· Galaxy’s Chris Klein started 118 straight games before entering as a substitute earlier in the 2009 season for LA.
· Klein, who started his career with the Wizards, came on in the 69th minute for Los Angeles Saturday.
· Midfielder Roger Espinoza started and played 85 minutes just two days after playing for Honduras in a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal match against the United States.
· Espinoza played the final 10 minutes for Honduras in a 2-0 loss, nearly setting up a goal late in the match when the U.S. was only up 1-0.
· Espinoza arrived in Kansas City Friday in time to start Saturday.
· Striker Adam Cristman made his Kansas City debut Saturday one day after the Wizards activated him from the disabled list.
· Cristman was acquired from the New England Revolution before the season, but suffered a broken toe late in preseason and was unavailable until Saturday.
· Cristman entered in the 63rd minute, suffered one foul and recorded his first shot on goal in Wizards blue.
· Kansas City was without goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, defender Chance Myers and midfielder Kevin Souter through injury.
· The Wizards were also without defender Jimmy Conrad (USA) and midfielder/forward Davy Arnaud (USA) to CONCACAF Gold Cup duty.
· The United States takes on Mexico Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. CT for the Gold Cup championship.
· The match will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel, and the Wizards will be hosting watch parties at both area 810 Zone locations courtesy of Budweiser.
· Arnaud was named to the MLS All-Star team Monday by Houston Dynamo Head Coach Dominic Kinnear.
· Kansas City’s next match comes Saturday, August 1 at FC Dallas at 7:30 p.m. CT on Metro Sports (English) and Time Warner Cable Channel 5 (Spanish).

Lopez's Wonderstrike

If you click on the photo (taken by Wizards team photog Gary Rohman) to blow it up, you will see some mouths open on the fans behind the goal. Great shot. It's grainey b/c we downloaded a small file size.

That one will certainly be up for Goal of the Week. Claudio Lopez collects a loose ball on the Wizards side of the half line, takes a lateral touch then rips a 56-yard blast over the outstretched hand of LA goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts for his 5th strike of the season. See the replay here. Be ready to vote that Goal of the Week. The goal was seen live nationally on ESPN2. Watch SportsCenter to see if it makes the cut. Lopez called the strike one of the best of his career...that's saying something.

Ricketts suffered back spasms on the play after colliding with the post while attempting to avoid being chipped and was replaced in the match by Josh Saunders.

ESPN2 Color Commentator

Last time around it was John Harkes (right), now it's Alexi Lalas (left). For some ready Getty doesn't allow this full file to be downloaded, but I think this preview image gets the point across. This shot was taken after the 1999 season, which was Lalas' only year here in Kansas City. He will be back tomorrow night, serving as the color commentator to play-by-play man Rob Stone on ESPN2's broadcast of the 8 p.m. game against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Lalas has a little history with that team too--and that David Beckham guy. How appropriate that Alexi is calling the match. If you're making an ESPN2 sign, feel free to give a shout-out to Lalas, and make sure to DVR the match. His analysis should be worth hearing even if you watched the whole game in person from jam-packed CAB.

USA v. Mexico in Gold Cup Final

USA and Mexico are set for another showdown in a Gold Cup final. The teams will play one another Sunday at 2 p.m. CT at Giants Stadium in New York, with the match broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel. We will be hosting watch parties at both area 810 Zone locations courtesy of Budweiser.

The United States defeated Honduras 2-0 last night on the strength of goals from Clarence Goodson and Kenny Cooper, both set up by Stuart Holden. Arnaud went 85 minutes for the U.S., while Espinoza played the final 10 for Honduras. Espinoza put Carlo Costly (who was rumored to be joining the Wizards during the preseason, remember that?) through late in the game, but former D.C. United goalkeeper Troy Perkins made a stop on Costly's breakaway effort to keep the U.S. ahead.

Mexico advanced last night by beating Costa Rica on PKs after tying 1-1 through regulation and extra time. See the highlights of that match below.

Stuff the Bus Tomorrow!

The Kansas City Wizards, M&I Bank and 94.9 KCMO are teaming up this year to assist the Kansas City School District and City Union Mission in providing school supplies for children less fortunate in the greater Kansas City area. Collection bins will be staged at all three gates for Kansas City’s match Saturday versus the Los Angeles Galaxy at 8 p.m. CT. Gates open at 6 p.m. CT for the match, scheduled to be David Beckham’s second MLS appearance of 2009 for Galaxy. Select Wizards players will also donate supplies to the drive.

"The economy has taken a toll on all of us. School supply donations are down from last year, yet the need has increased," says Dennis Chapman, Director of Development for City Union Mission. "Our goal is to provide school supplies to low income families in the community. We want the children of Kansas City to be equipped for success. We would like to thank the Kansas City Wizards, M&I Bank and 94.9 KCMO for their support."

Fans are encouraged to bring school supplies, or donate money at the match. Fans that bring three or more items for the drive will receive a drawstring bag courtesy of M&I Bank. Wizards player wives will staff the gates to help collect school supplies, and 94.9 KCMO will be set up outside the stadium with a live radio remote. All spectators are encouraged to wear blue to the match in an effort to “blue-out” the Galaxy.

Arnaud in the Starting 11

Arnaud has impressed during his time with the National Team.

For the 3rd straight USA match during the Gold Cup, Wizards midfielder/forward Davy Arnaud is in the starting 11. In his first two starts, he has registered a goal (his 1st in international play) and an assist (his 1st in international play). Let's hope he keeps it up tonight.

Jimmy Conrad is still out through injury after suffering that nasty collision on Saturday. He's still considered day-to-day and will be evaluated for Sunday if the USA advances. USA lineup: Perkins; Heaps, Goodson, Marshall, Pearce; Holden, Beckerman, Pause, Rogers; Arnaud, Ching (capt.)

Subs- Busch, Quaranta, Evans, Clark, Cronin, Cooper, Parkhurst

No word yet on Honduras' lineup, though Espinoza has started every match so far, so it's probably a good assumption he will start this match as well. Hopefully we'll see some Arnaud-Espinoza battles on the flank. **Updated...that's why you never assume folks. Espinoza is not in the starting 11.

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

It's fun to watch from afar sometimes isn't it? Handball United's Kevin Payne responds to Dive FC's Hanauer on Steven Goff's blog. It's getting interesting.

Seattle, D.C. Fight it Out for USOC

Literally, Seattle seems to want to fight a little bit. Check out this story with quotes from GM Adrian Hanauer about U.S. Soccer's bid process. They aren't too happy. Are you fans enjoying a little rift potentially between Dive FC and Handball United?

12-Year-Old Soccer Star?

Well, kinda. This kid's dad is the head coach, and he cried after a tackle, but he played first division football at an earlier age than Freddy Adu.

Kenny Mayne on Soccer

JC Show to Feature Wahl, Wife

Tonight, the Jimmy Conrad Show hosted by Dave Borchardt and Sam Pierron will feature segments with The Beckham Experiment author Grant Wahl and Jimmy's wife Lyndsey will be on the show to discuss Saturday's Stuff the Bus event (more on that later). Fans are encouraged to call in throughout the show (7-8 p.m. CT on Sports Radio 810 WHB or kcwizards.com) at 913.3.810.810. They'll be at Fox and Hound in OP if you want to join them in person. Be there or listen or be square.

Arnaud, Conrad, Espinoza Face off Thursday

Wizards left winger Roger Espinoza will be available for Honduras tomorrow against the USA.

The United States and Honduras face off tomorrow at 6 p.m. CT in a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal match at Soldier Field in Chicago. The match will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel, and the Wizards are hosting watch parties at both area 810 Zone locations courtesy of Budweiser. Ives Galarcep previews the game for ESPN Soccernet, giving some props to Arnaud, Espinoza and the injured Conrad (his status for tomorrow is still unknown).

Star Gets in the Act

Of examining David Beckham and his loan/commitment/etc. Read Terez Paylor's story and let them know what you think about the situation. There are still a handful of tickets left if you haven't obtained yours yet. www.Ticketmaster.com/kcwizards.

The Guardian from England also weighed in on the subject.

Besler Wants to See You Saturday

He also stopped in at MLS Daily with his latest edition of Across the Midwest Pitch. Check it out.

Weekly Interviews

Check out the lineup and listen in for us this week all over the airwaves:

Today--2:30 pm--Herculez Gomez weekly phone interview--La Gran D 1340 AM (Spanish)
Today--3:30 pm--Herculez Gomez phone interview--weekly segment on La Super X 1250 AM (Spanish)
Wednesday--7:00 pm--The Jimmy Conrad Show--Sports Radio 810 AM
Thursday--8:00 am--Kevin Hartman in-studio radio interview--106.5 FM The Wolff
Thursday 8:15 am-- Matt Besler in-studio radio interview--Star 102.1 FM
Thursday--8:15 am--Jack Jewsbury in-studio radio interview--105.1 Jack FM
Thursday--3:00 pm--Weekly Press Conference with Curt Onalfo and Adam Cristman--Metro Sports
Thursday--4:00 pm--Curt Onalfo phone interview--Sports Radio 810
Thursday--4:40 pm--Jimmy Conrad phone interview--Hot Talk 1510 AM
Thursday--5:00-6:00 pm--Zona Wizards Weekly Spanish Radio Show--Curt Onalfo & player TBD--Ke Buena 1480 AM
Thursday 9:30 pm, Friday--6:30 pm, Saturday--11:30 am---Wizards Weekly TV Show with Curt Onalfo and Wizards players--Metro Sports
Friday--12:30 pm--Peter Vermes phone interview on the weekly Wizards segment on The Program with Soren Petro--Sports Radio 810
Friday--1:30 pm-- Adam Cristman in-studio radio interview--Hot 103 Jamz (103.3 FM)
Saturday--8:40 am--Kevin Souter in-studio TV interview--Channel 41 (NBC) morning show
Saturday--8:50 am--Lance Watson in-studio TV interview--Channel 5 (CBS) morning show
-We will be giving away "grand prize" gift packages on Sports Radio 810, Mix 93.3 and Hot 103 Jamz this week.

Blue Out The Galaxy

Landon Donovan and David Beckham will be at CommunityAmerica Ballpark Saturday as the Wizards host the Galaxy at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

With Landon and David on good terms and playing well together in the last two matches, Galaxy will provide a formidable task this weekend for our boys in blue. That's why we're looking for your help. We want to see every single person inside CAB wearing Wizards blue apparel Saturday, "blueing out" Beckham, Donovan, Chris Klein and the rest of the Galaxy. The gates open at 6 p.m. Saturday, so arrive early, wear blue and be ready to cheer your Wizards on to victory!

We are also holding another ESPN2 sign contest. Bring your creative signs out, and one lucky winner will receive DVDs from Def Leppard and White Snakes.

Conspiracy Theory of the Day

Sutton after allowing goal last year in KC.

Goalkeeper Greg Sutton explains that Canada keeps getting the shaft.

Arnaud Named to All-Star Team

Davy in the Haiti match.

First of all, a big congrats to Davy! He has been named to his 1st MLS All-Star team by Houston and All-Star Head Coach Dominic Kinnear. In fact, Davy was the only player chosen by Kinnear who doesn't play for Houston or Seattle. We all know how excellent he has been over the last 8 seasons, and the rest of the country is taking notice. Davy has played in 3 of 4 USA games in the Gold Cup, scoring a goal and registering an assist in the process. Read this article at Major League Soccer Talk for more on Davy's case for staying in the National Team picture.

The MLS All-Stars take on Everton FC, former club of KCW Juniors coach Paul Rideout, next Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. CT at Rio Tinto Stadium. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Galavision. We'll host a watch part at Fox and Hound in OP courtesy of the fine folks of Budweiser. Apparently a few tickets are still available through www.RioTintoStadium.com if you're interested in making the trip.

Conrad Feeling Better

Jimmy just after the collision Saturday with Panama's Blas Perez. Image from Daylife, found through The Original Winger.

Just got off the phone with Jimmy Conrad, and he says he's feeling better. No more grogginess just sitting around, but he can't get his heart rate up just yet. He told HR he suffered a concussion (obvious) and had post-impact amnesia for about 15 minutes after the collision (not as obvious). When he hit the ground, he scraped up his face and chipped a bone at the base of his thumb. They're taking it day-by-day as far as his availability, so no word on that. Jimmy will remain in camp and return to the Wizards no later than next Monday.

He said thanks for all the well-wishes and that he looks forward to getting back to health and getting out there for both the U.S. and the Wizards.

While you're thinking about Jimmy, go check out JimmyConrad.com. It's always a great read.

Reminder: Text to Win Contest Ends Today

Two reminders. First, the LA Galaxy with Landon Donovan, Chris Klein and that David Beckham guy come to town Saturday night at 8 p.m. CT. Hadn't forgot that? Good. Second, M&I Bank has provided a great opportunity to sit extra close to the action for the match. Text SOCCER and your email address to 32075 for a chance at Field Side seats to the Galaxy game. Notifications will be sent out by email TODAY, so make sure to provide a valid email address. We are limited to one entry per person. If you enter more than once, you'll be disqualified from the contest. We'll be accepting new texts until 3 p.m. CT, so get yours in soon and let your friends know to do so as well.

Happy texting.

Arnaud Assist

In USA's 2-1 quarterfinal win over Panama Saturday night, Davy Arnaud recorded his 1st international assist. See the play plus the other two goals here:

Hohlbein's Nutmeg Part II

Hohlbein's Nutmeg

Ouch!

It was the play of all plays. It was something Kevin Hartman had never seen in his long MLS career. It was pretty darn hilarious. Check out Thad Bell's recount of Aaron Hohlbein being nutmegged while being...nut...megged yesterday after training.

MNTeamers Kick with David Akers

Santino Quaranta and Stuart Holden knocked the soccer ball and pigskin around with Philadelphia Eagles kicker David Akers the other day at Men's National Team training. All three did a great job with each other's sport. The US team takes on Panama tomorrow night at 7 p.m. CT on Fox Soccer Channel in Philly in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Budweiser and the Wizards will be hosting watch parties at both area 810 Zone locations. Come on out for a good time.

USA Watch Party Saturday

The U.S. Nats take on Panama Saturday night in case you'll be missing your soccer fix with the Wizards' bye week. We will host watch parties at both area 810 Zone locations courtesy of the fine folks at Budweiser. They will offer 22oz Bud and Bud light for $ 5.00 during the party. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel in case you can't make it to the watch parties. Both Jimmy Conrad and Davy Arnaud remain with the National Team...hopefully one or both of them will see time in the match.

The Case for Conrad

Jimmy C with David B last year at the All-Star game.

According to Kartik Krishnaiyer at Major League Soccer Talk. I can't say I don't agree.

Link City

It's been a rough week around here with technical difficulties, but now we're back up and running at full steam. Hopefully you won't have any more problems getting hold of us. How about some link city? But not City Link as the picture above might suggest:

-Watch Thad's video interview with Adam Cristman, who scored a goal today at training.
-See more on the exchange between Beckham and KC's own Grant Wahl.
-Sign the petition to help bring an English-language broadcast of the USA-Mexico qualifier at Azteca on Aug. 12 to a wider audience.
-See pictures of the U.S. Men's National Team accepting their ESPY for the biggest upset of the season at the Men's National Team Blog.
-Read Chad Marshall's "Tweet Roll" in which he credits Davy Arnaud as one of the more underrated attackers in MLS.
-Read Brian Ching's Tweet history...he was fined today for a comment made July 11 about officials.
-See Ives' take on EJ's latest solid performance for Fulham. Might he be sticking with the club this year instead of heading out on loan?
-Bayern Munich is getting tired of Real Madrid coming after Ribery.
-A psychic predicts Burnley will remain in the Premier League after the upcoming campaign. Better lucky than good?
-ESPN now has the rights to the Scottish Premier League as well as the EPL.

Stuff the Bus!

We're bringing back the Stuff the Bus program for next Saturday's match. Come support the Wizards Stuff the Bus school supply drive at 94.9 KCMO’s live remote. The event takes place this Friday, July 17 from 2-4 at M&I Bank’s Villagio branch located at 135th Street between Roe & Mission. Bring school supplies to help City Union Mission. Hang out with the Wizards mascot Dynamo the Dragon and a Wizards player and his wife. Everyone who donates will receive a drawstring backpack, courtesy of M&I Bank and will have a chance to win an autographed Wizards soccer jersey plus tickets to the Saturday, July 25 game vs. the LA Galaxy and David Beckham.

Jimmy Conrad Show Tonight

Tonight, the Jimmy Conrad Show takes place live from Fox and Hound in OP from 7-8 p.m. CT, with Dave Borchardt and Sam Pierron again trying to replace Jimmy while he's away with the U.S. National Team. The show will be broadcast live on Sports Radio 810 WHB and simulcast at www.kcwizards.com. The show will then be archived on our podcast page. Tonight, Dave and Sam will talk about last weekend's match at New England, the international results in the Gold Cup and have Jimmy on the phone from Philadelphia where the USA is getting ready for a Gold Cup quarterfinal this Saturday night against Panama. The duo will take calls throughout the show, so give them a ring tonight at 913-3-810-810.

Beckham Mania

As you know, Mr. David Beckham is back in the U.S. and some people are going crazy again. NBC had on Mr. Becks and he appeared on Live with Regis and Kelly. He's scheduled to play tomorrow night for Galaxy against New York, then next Saturday for the Wizards against the Galaxy at CAB. The match kicks off at 8 p.m. If you don't yet have your tickets, visit www.Ticketmaster.com/kcwizards and get them now. They're going quite quickly.

Apparently it got a little awkward today at the presser in New York. Check out SF's report.

Becks handing over a suit:

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

And the rest of the interview:

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

Now Becks on Regis and Kelly. They mention him throughout the clip, but he doesn't come on until the second half:

Ready for World Football Challenge?

The inaugural World Football Challenge kicks off Sunday night as Club America takes on Inter Milan at Standford Stadium. The entire tournament, featuring Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter and America, will be broadcast live on ESPN or ESPN2 and ESPN360.com. There are some interesting story lines as the tournament comes to the U.S., just ask Andrew Hush of Soccernet.

Schedule:
July 19
Club America vs. Inter
Stanford Stadium, Palo Alto, Calif.
7 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN360.com

July 21
Chelsea vs. Inter
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.
11 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN360.com

July 22
AC Milan vs. Club America
Georgia Dome, Atlanta
7 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN360.com

July 24
AC Milan vs. Chelsea
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
8 p.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN360.com

July 26
AC Milan vs. Inter
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
5 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN360.com

Chelsea vs. Club America
Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas
p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN360.com

Road Trip to Dallas

Want to head to Dallas to see our boys in blue take on the horizontal hoops Aug. 1? Check out the flyer below and get in touch with members of the Cauldron/Hillcrest Syndicate if you're interested.

EMAILS DOWN

Members of the Kansas City Wizards have not had access to email this morning due to some weather-related tech issues. If you need any of us, call us on our cell phones or call the main Wizards line at 913.387.3400. If you know your party's extension, you may dial it at this time.

National Team News

This brilliant shot of Davy celebrating his first-ever international goal courtesy of NE team photog Keith Nordstrom. Don't hesitate to check out his excellent website http://www.nordstromphotography.com.

You all know about the goals and captaincy on Saturday night in the Gold Cup tripleheader. With the Wizards off in MLS play this Saturday, three Kansas City players will still have a shot at action, with the United States and Honduras again competing on the same day in the same stadium. Honduras and Roger Espinoza will play Canada Saturday night at 4 p.m. CT at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Watch the game live on Univision. Davy Arnaud, Jimmy Conrad and the U.S. will then face Panama at 7 p.m. CT. The USA match will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and TelaFutura, with watch parties at each area 810 Zone location courtesy of Budweiser. For the full Gold Cup schedule, including results from previous games, click here.

Both Jimmy and Davy got a little face time (along with Soccer by Ives and MLSnet.com writer Dylan Butler) on the following video from U.S. Soccer shot during the train trip to Philly:

Quotes From International Play

After USA's amazing late-game tie against Haiti to win the group and Honduras' dominating 4-0 win over Grenada, Kansas City players presented themselves to the world quite well. Arnaud scored a beautiful opening goal with a great run and calm finish. Espinoza scored off a header and was named Miller Lite Man of the Match by media members. Jimmy Conrad served as the USA captain in his 25th career appearance. Now for some quotes from all the players and Honduras' Head Coach Reinaldo Rueda.

Quotes:

UNITED STATES FORWARD DAVY ARNAUD

On his 1st international goal

“It was a good ball in behind the defense from Stuart Holden. He timed it well. I just tried to get my body across the defender and slip it under the keeper. It felt great to score for our National Team.”

On what the goal does for his confidence

“It does a lot. Obviously goals give anybody confidence. It was a good start. We won the group tonight – we needed a point. We would have liked to win tonight, but in the end, we needed a point, and it was nice to get that point late. It was good to get the experience of being out there tonight and going 90 minutes in my first international start.”

On whether or not he was able to watch the Wizards match before the USA game

“I watched the first half in the hotel before we left, and I caught the end of the second half when we got here. When I was getting ready in here with the U.S., I was keeping my eye on the Wizards game. We got a point, which was good in the end because we had the red card. It was kind of weird not seeing any of the Wizards players between games.”

UNITED STATES DEFENDER AND CAPTAIN JIMMY CONRAD

On starting the match though he had been nursing an injury

“I hadn’t practiced forever, like the last three weeks, club and country. I had about one or two full trainings and felt good, and I got the green light from the trainers.”

On the game

“I thought we did well the first 30 minutes. Stuart (Holden) and Davy (Arnaud) combined on a nice goal and then (Haiti) got kind of a half-sniff, and they’re very emotional – we knew that going in, that they were a team that thrives on emotion. When they got a bit of self-belief, they made it a tough game for us…I think it’s a really beneficial game for us moving forward, and I think the next time these guys get out there, they’re going to be better for having this experience.”

On Kansas City Wizards teammate Davy Arnaud scoring his 1st international goal

“I’m very excited for Davy. He took it really well, kind of opened up his body. Stuart played a great ball, just tucked underneath his shoulder. It was a good classic finish by Davy. It’s something that I know he’s capable of since I see it on a regular basis for the Wizards, and it was nice that he got to prove himself the international level, and hopefully he’ll get another opportunity to prove himself again.

HONDURAS MIDFIELDER ROGER ESPINOZA

About his goal

“I saw the ball coming from the right side going toward Costly, but the ball stayed up in the air and I saw that there was a possibility the ball might get there by the time I got there. That’s what happened, and I didn’t celebrate the goal for the simple reason that I knew we needed to keep working hard. I celebrated the goal inside and I celebrated with my teammates, but I just knew that we needed to keep working hard for the upcoming games.”

About perhaps his best game yet with Honduras

“It’s a great honor, and the important thing is that we won. I feel very satisfied with this game, but I have to keep working hard. Still, we haven’t really arrived at anything yet – there is a lot of hard work ahead.”

About the opportunity that Gold Cup has provided him

“Coach has given opportunities to all the young players coming up in Honduras. He had me in during the qualifying games and I didn’t get to play, but it was very important just being there I got a lot of experience. That’s very important for Honduras, because all the young players are getting an opportunity.”

HONDURAS HEAD COACH REINALDO RUEDA

About Roger Espinoza

“For all of Honduras, it is very satisfying to see Roger’s play. Fortunately, he has shown us a clear progression from the time we first brought him in, through the World Cup qualifiers and in this Gold Cup. I think his involvement will continue to be a positive thing for both sides – not just for him, but for the national team.”

Wizards Tie Revs 0-0

Sorry folks for the late post, it's been a long day here at Gillette--in a great way. Though we only earned a single road point against the Revs, the U.S. came from behind to tie Haiti and win the group with Davy Arnaud scoring his first international goal. Then, Honduras won 4-0 over Grenada to advance to face Canada with Roger Espinoza scoring the 2nd goal and winning the Miller Lite Man of the Match award by media vote. More on those things later. Now for the notables and quotes from the MLS match:

Notables:

· Kansas City is now 18-11-8 all-time against the Revolution.

· The Wizards are 9-5-5 all-time on the road against the Revs, including a 6-1-5 record at Gillette Stadium.

· Kansas City tied a season high with 11 shots on goal.

· The Wizards first reach 11 SOG in a 3-1 win over the Revs June 13 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

· Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman made three saves on the night to record his 5th shutout of the season.

· After the match, Hartman was tied for 3rd in MLS with five shutouts on the season.

· He increased his career MLS records in both saves (1184) and shutouts (82).

· Midfielder Michael Kraus played the most minutes in one game in his MLS career.

· Kraus entered in the 56th minute for Michael Harrington and played the final 34 minutes.

· Kraus has played in 11 games this season, all as a second-half substitute.

· Kansas City was without goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, defender Chance Myers, midfielder Kevin Souter and striker Adam Cristman through injury.

· The Wizards were also without defender Jimmy Conrad (USA), midfielder Roger Espinoza (Honduras) and midfielder/forward Davy Arnaud (USA) to CONCACAF Gold Cup duty.

· Conrad and Arnaud started for the United States.

· Arnaud scored his 1st international goal in just the 6th minute of play.

· It was Arnaud’s 4th cap, while Conrad was making his 25th appearance for the USA.

· Conrad wore the captain’s arm band for Bob Bradley’s squad.

· Kansas City’s next match comes Saturday, July 25 when the Los Angeles Galaxy visit CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

· The match will kick-off at 8 p.m. CT, broadcast live nationally on ESPN2.

· The match is scheduled to be David Beckham’s 2nd MLS appearance of the 2009 season after returning to Galaxy after a loan to Italian powerhouse AC Milan.

Quotes:

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS HEAD COACH CURT ONALFO

On his team’s performance…

“We were away from home and just played seven games in 20 days, five of which have been on the road. We played as far west as you possible can and pretty much as far east as you possibly can. It’s been a long stretch and the fact that our guys were able to be as strong as they were in the second half is a real positive sign. We got through the stretch without any injuries, which is not an easy task. Unfortunately, we walk away here with one point when we thought we could have had more today. We had enough chances to win the game and we thought we fell short in that category. We’ve been having problems putting the ball in the back of the net in the last couple of weeks…”

On Matt Reis…

“He had an excellent game. There is no two ways about it. He has obviously found his form. He had some injuries early on, but he’s one of the best goalkeepers the league has seen as far as I’m concerned. He never makes poor decisions. He is just an excellent keeper and I think you saw that today.”

On Lance Watson’s ejection…

“I was disappointed. I think it was a late challenge, but not one that warranted an ejection. Whenever you have those situations, you put the referee in a position where he has to make a decision. I think it was unfortunate. We’ve been on the receiving end of it an awful lot of it this year, where we’ve played with an extra player, so we had to buckle down and not let them score. I think we did a good job of managing that part of it and actually got ourselves a chance or two.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS MIDFIELDER JACK JEWSBURY

On the result…

“It seems like we had a couple chances coming off their mistakes in the first half, and in the second half I thought we were good enough to get one. Obviously he (Matt Reis) had some good saves. At the end of the day we have to be a little bit better in front of goal. It was a tough one, we wanted to come in here and really pick up some points, especially with how tight it is in the Eastern Conference. It’s not the end of the world with one point, but we would have obviously liked to get three.”

On Kansas City’s success at Gillette Stadium…

“We’ve been very successful here. In the last six or seven years, I think we’ve done fairly well … it’s just unfortunate we weren’t able to get another one here. I think we could’ve held them off … we were pretty solid defensively all night so they didn’t get too many chances. Any time you can get a point on the road it’s okay, but I really think tonight maybe we got the better of things.”

On the performance of goalkeeper Matt Reis…

“He made a number of saves, and quite a few of them, they weren’t just in his chest. He was all over the place, and kudos for a great game. I wish we could have slipped one past him.”

Arnaud, Conrad in USA Lineup

The USA-Haiti game just kicked off, and Jimmy Conrad just played a pass to New England favorite Jay Heaps along the back line. Jimmy is wearing the captain's armband tonight, and Davy Arnaud is starting up top alongside Kenny Cooper.

EJ Scores For Fulham

Back from his loan to Cardiff, former Wizards striker Eddie Johnson scored today in a friendly against Melbourne Victory, former club of current D.C. United midfielder Fred. Johnson will be looking to rejoin Fulham full-time and stay in the Premier League.

What We Can't Tell You

Wow, a whole week day without a post? Shame on Hillcrest. With training yesterday morning and immediate departure for New England, we slacked yesterday. Apologies! There's a big secret we can't yet tell you. But it's not much of a secret I guess.

Also, big props to Thad at The Back Post for his new video interviews. I think I like where this is heading. If you guys don't read Thad's blog on a regular basis, you're making a mistake. Not only does he attend training almost every day, he usually has at least a camera with him and sometimes a camcorder or a voice recorder. It always equals quality footage and coverage.

As you know, today's game is part of a tripleheader up here in New England. Our game kicks off at 3 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on Metro Sports. I know that's earlier in the day than usual, but head to Fox and Hound in Overland Park to take in the match. While you're at it, stick around for the U.S. game at 6 p.m. CT.

And Then a Response

Nick Sloan of the Kansas City Kansan reports today from the weekly press conference in which Coach Onalfo comments on the game-deciding PK in Seattle.

Some Quotes for your Unenjoyment

From Jose Romero of the Seattle Times:

Fredy spoke to reporters after the match last night. He was asked if he was frustrated about not putting in earlier chances.

"Of course," Montero said in Spanish. "I'm always looking to score in every game. Well, today I couldn't score but I did draw the penalty to send us the semifinals."

Question: How did the play in which you drew the penalty develop?
FM: "I got a pass from Stephen King. My intention was to bring the keeper out. He left the goal, I think you know the standards a South American player has, and in the last minute that was the best choice to get a goal. And thank God we got the good fortune to get the goal."

And Hartman's quote after the game:
"I think the most frustrating thing for me is it always puts the goalkeeper in such a precarious position. I really think it’s really demanding of the referee to make sure he is really watching it closely and not influenced by the fans. Unfortunately in that case that I had spread and I was almost getting up when he had kicked it off the signed boards. It would be one if he dove once, but he dove three times in the final five minutes. It is one of those things that as professional player it is part of the game. You have to put your trust in what is being done by the officials. Unfortunately we got a short end the stick.”

Some Highlights for Your Enjoyment

Enjoy the highlights below of the USA's 2-0 win over Honduras last night in the Gold Cup. Espinoza played the opening 70 minutes for Honduras, with both goals coming after he'd departed. USA goals for Santino Quaranta (D.C. United) and Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo). Assists by Charlie Davies (Hammarby) and a beautiful one from Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96).

Honduras v USA (Espinoza v Conrad/Arnaud)

Espinoza, whose nickname is apparently Bruce Lee among Honduran media, is featured today by Diez.hn ahead of tonight's match against the USA and, potentially, two Wizards teammates. Espinoza talks in Spanish about Arnaud and Conrad and about the U.S. in general. The story goes on to detail how Carlos Pavon and Amado Guevara gave Espinoza the nickname "Bruce Lee." Check out the interesting story if you're a Spanish speaker or familiar with a good online translator.

Getting excited about tonight's match? Can't wait to see Espinoza and Arnaud square off on the same side of the field (should Espinoza play left mid and Arnaud play right mid at some point)? Watch the game at Fox and Hound after the Jimmy Conrad Show or at either local 810 Zone location.

Come out to Tonight's Jimmy Conrad Show

Remember this horrifically awesome picture? It's back, and so are Sam and Dave. They will again be filling in for on-National-Team-duty Jimmy Conrad tonight on the aptly named Jimmy Conrad Show. The production will take place live from Fox and Hound in Overland Park from 7-8 p.m. CT. With the US taking on Honduras at 8 p.m. CT, it's a perfect opportunity to come out to the show and stick around to see an exciting National Team game right after.

Tonight Sam and Dave will discuss Wizards soccer, including our loss last night in the Open Cup and our upcoming MLS games Saturday, U.S. National Team soccer and anything you folks wish to speak about from world footie, such as Oguchi Onyewu moving to AC Milan or Robin Van Persie re-signing for Arsenal. They'll take calls at 913-3-810-810 or take questions from members of the audience.

I have also received word that the duo will take a call from some fans who are at the USA-Honduras tonight at RFK Stadium in D.C. The game kicks off at 8, live on Fox Soccer Channel.

Wizards-Sounders Highlights

Penalty kick? You be the judge:

Wizards Fall to Sounders 1-0

With a late-game PK (Hartman says he didn't touch Montero), Kansas City is eliminated from the 2009 Open Cup. We'll return to action quickly, heading to Gillette Stadium where we are 6-1-4 all-time against the Revs in the MLS regular season. If you didn't listen to the game, you can see the full Twitter recap at www.twitter.com/hillcrest_road. Check out the notables (they're brief) from tonight:

· Kansas City fell in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals for the 2nd consecutive season to Seattle.
· Kansas City completed a stretch of six games in 17 days Tuesday.
· The stretch included road games in Boston, Minneapolis, Minn., and Seattle.
· Last year, the USL Sounders defeated Kansas City in PKs after a 0-0 tie through regulation and extra time.
· Rauwshan McKenzie and Jonathan Leathers both started last year in the Open Cup match at Seattle and started Tuesday.
· Tyson Wahl started last year for the Wizards in the match and started Tuesday for Seattle.
· The Wizards are now 9-10-3 all-time in Open Cup play (1-2 in PK shootouts).
· Kansas City nearly went to overtime for a 4th straight Open Cup match before the 89th minute penalty kick.
· After having two penalty kicks called last Tuesday against Minnesota, the Wizards were whistled for three penalty kicks in two Open Cup matches.
· Kansas City returns to MLS play this Saturday, July 11 in a tripleheader at Gillette Stadium that features two National Team matches after the wizards play the New England Revolution.
· The U.S. National Team will face Haiti in their final group-stage match of Gold Cup at 6 p.m. CT, with Honduras facing Grenada at 8 p.m. CT.
· Should Davy Arnaud or Jimmy Conrad play for the U.S. and Roger Espinoza play for Honduras, at least one Wizards player will take part in all three games of the tripleheader.

Open Cup Match at 9 p.m.

We continue the run toward the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tonight with a quarterfinal match against Sounders FC at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wa. The game kicks off at 9 p.m. CT. While there is no TV/video feed from the game, you can listen to an audiocast here. Also, we will provide semi-regular updates via our team Twitter account. If you're not already a follower, visit www.twitter.com/hillcrest_road and click "follow". You can add your mobile phone to your Twitter account, thus sending our updates straight to you via text message no matter where you are. These updates are perfect if you won't be around the computer tonight, but we'll understand if you don't always enable mobile devices. Most first teamers are on the trip, and you'll likely see a lineup similar to the one in our last MLS game Saturday.