Join us Tuesday at 810 Zone

Join us next Tuesday, November 3 at The Sports Radio 810 Zone in Leawood for a UEFA Champions League watch party. Watch Atlético Madrid take on Chelsea starting at 1 p.m. CT on Fox Soccer Channel. There will be prize give-aways, and fans will be able to get all the insight on the game from Nate Bukaty from Sports Radio 810 WHB as well as midfielders Davy Arnaud and Jack Jewsbury.

Fox Soccer Channel features UEFA Champions League, the most prestigious soccer club competition in the world, plus Major League Soccer, Barclay’s Premier League, Italian Serie A and much, much more.


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The Game is in KC

You might notice a new counter on the right-hand side of the page (and just above in this post). We have now embedded the counter for folks who have signed up specifically to support Kansas City's bid to host World Cup matches in 2018 or 2022. As of this posting, 3239 folks support the effort here in KC. That total puts us in 15th place among bidding cities, currently ahead of Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Miami and St. Louis, among others. Help us grow that number and show the USA Bid Committee how important the FIFA World Cup would be to members of our community!

To support the effort, visit www.goUSAbid.com/kc and tell all your friends and family to sign up too. Hosting the event will bring between $300-500 million in econ

omic impact to the city, according to a study commissioned by the USA Bid Committee.

Again, that's www.goUSAbid.com/kc. Sign the petition!

Hartman Wins Save of the Week

Let's just post the press release:

Kansas City Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman received MLS Save of the Week honors for the final week of the 2009 MLS regular season for an outstanding save to deny D.C. United’s Ben Olsen. Hartman won two MLS Save of the Week awards on the season, taking home the honor in Week 11 and Week 32. Striker Josh Wolff was named MLS Player of the Week three times, and Kansas City players won MLS Save of the Week three times.

Hartman’s latest personal honor came through a fan vote at MLSnet.com for a save in last Saturday’s season-ending 2-2 tie with D.C. United. Hartman dove to stop a shot off the foot of Jaime Moreno, when Moreno’s attempt deflected off a defender and into the path of Olsen on the opposite side of goal. Hartman regained his footing quickly and dove across the face of goal, tipping Olsen’s volley attempt over the bar in the process. The save proved vital, as Kansas City equalized the game in second-half stoppage time to keep D.C. United out of the playoffs.

Week 5
Josh Wolff – MLS Player of the Week
Scored two goals in dramatic late-game comeback to tie Chicago Fire 2-2.

Week 9
Josh Wolff – MLS Player of the Week
Scored two goals in as Wizards become first club to defeat Real Salt Lake in regular-season match at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Week 10
Claudio Lopez – MLS Goal of the Week
Struck bending free kick over the wall and into the top corner against Chivas USA.

Week 11
Kevin Hartman – MLS Save of the Week
Stretched fully and palmed shot from Chris Klein wide of goal with his top hand.

Week 13
Davy Arnaud – MLS Goal of the Week
Worked consecutive give-and-go sequences with Herculez Gomez and Claudio Lopez to weave through New England defense for tap-in goal.

Week 19
Claudio Lopez – MLS Goal of the Week
Connected on remarkable strike from beyond the half line in 1-1 tie with Los Angeles Galaxy.

Week 25
Josh Wolff – MLS Player of the Week
Scored two goals and helped create two more in 4-2 victory at New England Revolution.

Week 32
Kevin Hartman – MLS Save of the Week
Changed directions to palm shot off the foot of Ben Olsen over the bar in 2-2 tie with D.C. United.

Worst Miss Ever?

USMNT U-17s on Right Now

Right now, the USMNT U-17s are taking on Malawi in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. The game is being telecast live on ESPNU, ESPN360.com and Galavision. You can also follow along via the match tracker at ussoccer.com, the U.S. Soccer Twitter feed or at Ives Galarcep's running commentary. Let's see if the young USA team can bounce back from a 2-1 loss to Spain Monday.

Jimmy Conrad Show Next Tuesday

The Jimmy Conrad Show returns next week Tuesday for the 2009 recap edition. The show will take place from 8-9 p.m. CT at Fox and Hound in Overland Park. As an added bonus for fans who attend, Jimmy will be raffling off his game-worn, autographed jersey from the last round of U.S. World Cup Qualifiers. The raffle will be free and open to anyone who attends the show. We encourage everyone to go out next Tuesday to hear the JC Show for the final time in 2009 and have a chance to win an autographed USA jersey.

As always, you'll be able to hear the show on Sports Radio 810 WHB or online at kcwizards.com.

$5 Billion Stimulus? Yes Please

Support the USA Bid by visiting www.gousabid.com/kc and signing the petition. Tell all your friends!

The USA Bid Committee today released a report that indicates brining the FIFA World Cup to the USA in 2018 or 2022 could pump $5 billion into the economy. The study indicates that between 5,000-8,000 new jobs would be created in each host city. Sounds pretty nice doesn't it. Read the full report here. Support the bid by visiting www.gousabid.com/kc. Here's an excerpt from goUSAbid.com:

The analysis - completed by one of the world's leading international sports and entertainment attraction consulting firm - estimates that between 65,000 and 100,000 total new jobs would be created in the various host cities during the preparation for and operation of the tournament during the year of the event.

The findings indicate that the total economic impact projected for any host city ranges from approximately $400 million to $600 million at today's dollar value. That figure is based on 12 host cities staging five to six matches, along with ancillary venues such as the International Broadcast Center (IBC) in one city and FIFA Fan Fest(TM) in each city. The study also estimates 5,000 to 8,000 jobs would be created in each host city during the event's operation.

Hartman for Save of the Week

Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman finished the season in style, ranking 2nd in MLS in saves on the year with 105. His acrobatic recovery to deny a rebound effort from Ben Olsen Saturday has him up for the MLS Save of the Week honor once again. He won the award in Week 11, but has 't captured the "trophy" since. Go vote and help him round out the season on a positive note.

Kei Kamara for Goal of the Week

Saturday, striker Kei Kamara scored his first goal since joining the club and has now been nominated for the MLS Goal of the Week award for the first time as a Wizard. Kamara converted a diving header in the first half off a free kick from Graham Zusi. Vote for the award here http://web.mlsnet.com/sights/goal_of_the_week/.

National Team News

The U.S. U-17s kick off the FIFA U-17 World Cup today against Spain at 1 p.m. CT on ESPNU, ESPN360.com and Galavision. Tune in to see how the next generation of U.S. players fares against European powerhouse Spain.

US Soccer also announced today that they will take on European qualifiers Slovakia November 14 in Bratislava. The game will come four days before a friendly in Denmark against another team already qualified from Europe. Time and TV for the Slovakia game have yet to be determined. The match in Denmark will kick off at 1:30 p.m. CT, with TV still TBD. Looking forward to the upcoming friendlies on European soil? Hoping to see Jimmy Conrad and others named to the roster for one or both games?

Wizards Tie D.C. United Late 2-2

Well, the comeback was a nice one that severely hampers D.C. United's playoff hopes. Claudio's stoppage-time PK sent the crowd here at CAB into a frenzy on Fan Appreciation Night. Check out the notables below for more, including info on Kamara's first goal for KC and Zusi's first MLS assist.

Notables:

• Kansas City finished the season 0-1-2 against D.C. United.
• The Wizards went 8-13-9 in 2009.
• The Wizards are now 13-17-9 all-time against United.
• Kansas City sold out its 10th game of the season.
• Striker Kei Kamara scored his 1st goal in a Wizards uniform.
• Kamara scored six goals overall on the season, setting a new career high.
• Rookie midfielder Graham Zusi assisted Kamara’s goal, his 1st career assist.
• Zusi played in 13 games this season, including five starts.
• Claudio Lopez converted a penalty kick to tie the match, his 7th goal of the season.
• The penalty was just Kansas City’s second of the year.
• Lopez converted the other April 23 in a 1-0 win over New York.
• Lopez has scored 13 goals for the Wizards in the last two seasons.
• Lopez led the Wizards with eight assists in 2009.
• He now has 15 assists for Kansas City over the last two years.
• Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman has now started 112 straight games and hasn’t missed any action in the last 10,080 minutes his teams have played.
• He became the first player to surpass the 10,000-consecutive minutes mark in MLS history.
• Hartman made four saves Saturday, increasing his career MLS record in saves to 1235.
• Hartman finished with 105 saves on the season, his third-consecutive season with 100 or more saves and the 7th 100-save season of his 13-year career.
• Hartman currently ranks 2nd in MLS in saves on the season.
• Hartman is the only player to start all 30 games this season for the Wizards and the only player to play every minute of every game this year.
• Hartman played in his 333rd career game Saturday.
• He ranks 2nd in League history, trailing only New England’s Steve Ralston (378).
• Defender Matt Marquess made his first start and appearance of the season, going 85 minutes.
• Defender Aaron Hohlbein set new career highs with 22 games played, 1,667 minutes started 22 games started and two goals.
• Defender Lance Watson set new career highs with 20 games played, 19 games started, 1,649 minutes played and one assist.
• Defender Rauwshan McKenzie set new career highs with five games played, five games started and 437 minutes.
• Forward Michael Kraus set new career highs with 11 games played, 147 minutes played and one goal.
• Kansas City was without eight players Saturday night due to injuries.
• Defender Jimmy Conrad was given a fitness test before the match but deemed unfit for the game.
• The USA Bid Committee Inc. announced August 4 that Kansas City and Arrowhead Stadium are one of 27 cities and 32 venues, down from 70 initial stadia in 52 cities, on the short list to be included in the United States’ bid to host the FIFA World Cup™ in either 2018 or 2022.
• The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee is Co-Chaired by Kansas City Chiefs Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt and Cerner Corporation’s Chairman and CEO and Kansas City Wizards co-owner Neal Patterson.
• Saturday’s match was Fan Appreciation Night.
• The first 5,000 fans received Wizards T-shirts courtesy of Armed Forces Insurance.
• After the match, all members of the squad signed autographs for supporters who attended the game.
• At halftime, one lucky fan had the opportunity to win a Chevy truck from Heartland Chevrolet by kicking a soccer ball into the truck bed from 35 yards away, but her kick was wide of the mark.


Quotes:

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS INTERIM HEAD COACH PETER VERMES
On the game
“I thought it was a great sign that our players were arguing with the referee after the game, saying that he shouldn’t have blown the whistle after the final corner kick. We would have had a two versus one going the other way, and they were right. Our guys wanted to get the win, and from that point of view it was a good mentality.”

On his time as an interim head coach
“If you just look at the last couple of games we played, the guys just don’t give up. Before sometimes when the other team would score, our guys wouldn’t respond well, but know we’re fighting back. On the negative side, when you’re at home and you go up a goal or two, you have to be able to lock the game down. You can’t let the team back in the game, and that’s something we have to get better at. It’s a mentality, and that’s something that we have to get. I also think that we created a lot more chances than we had been here in the last 12 games. I think we’re a much more committed team going forward.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD KEI KAMARA
On his goal
“It was a good free kick. I just dove in and put my head on it. It feels good. I didn’t want to come here to Kansas City and play the rest of the season without scoring a goal. It felt good to score in front of our fans.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS GOALKEEPER KEVIN HARTMAN
On becoming the first MLS player to have played 10,000 consecutive minutes
“I’m really proud that I have been able to take care of myself well enough to be able to play that long, and to be able to play at a high enough level that a club wants me out there participating on a week in and week out basis. I always feel like I’m working hard and trying to make myself an asset to the team. The fact that I’ve been able to do that for 10,000 minutes straight is kind of amazing to me. It’s definitely something that I’m proud of and is something that I share with the trainers, the goalkeeping coaches and the players around me.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS MIDFIELDER DAVY ARNAUD
On the upcoming off-season
“It’s not an easy thing to think about. Nobody wants to be done on the last day of the regular season. We’re going to have a lot of time to reflect and come back a very determined group. We need to get to where we’re back in the playoffs, and not just squeaking into the playoffs, but going into the playoffs with some games in hand towards the end of the season.”

D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH TOM SOEHN
On the match
“It was disappointing obviously. We had the chances, but didn’t put them away. We could have assured ourselves a playoff spot. The injuries come off guys who played Tuesday. That certainly took its toll. We hit the post a couple of times, so there’s not much more you can say about that. I didn’t see Fred’s penalty. The ref made a quick decision, so I assume it hit his hand, but I haven’t seen the replay.”

D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER BEN OLSEN
On the match
“Obviously we’re disappointed. We were gearing up for a playoff spot unless we get in from other results. But I’m very proud of the guys. It felt good to be able to come back and almost get that win. Soccer can be cruel sometimes, and a little bounce here and there can break your heart.”

On the late penalty kick
“If it’s a handball, and if it keeps it from going into the net, then it’s a good call. If it’s not a handball, then it’s not a good call.”

On potentially missing the playoffs
“This organization’s not used to that. If that’s the case, then we’ll handle it. You know, take part of the blame. We lost this organization some points out of this year, and we’re in this together and move forward. You can’t make it every year, but two in a row is alarming, and we’ll certainly look to coming back next year.”

D.C. UNITED FORWARD CHRIS PONTIUS
On potentially missing the playoffs
“We’ll see how the results turn out. It’s frustrating playing a game being up 2-1, thinking we’re going through. So yeah, it’s tough to sit and watch the results when it’s out of your hands.”

Wizards Hold Food Drive Tomorrow

The Wizards and Harvesters will hold a canned-food drive outside all three gates Saturday as the Wizards host D.C. United. Fans who bring 3 cans or give a $3 donation will receive a Wizards linen bag, courtesy of M&I Bank. Supplies are limited, so arrive with your cans early! All attendees are encouraged to bring canned goods and show their support of the Kansas City community.

Harvesters will hold their Student Food Drive Kick-Off in a tailgate area outside Gate C. There will be a skit competition for local high school participants, with Kansas City Wizards players serving as judges. The team with the “Best Skit” at the tailgate will receive the opportunity to come down on the field pre-game to watch warm-ups and will receive recognition during pre-match ceremonies. In addition, the school that collects the most food during the tailgate will win a visit and congratulations from Kansas City Wizards players and Starting 11 Girls at their school.

Where to put Away Supporters?

How about here:

More pictures here. Props to Saturday Night Sammy J for providing the link.

More on the Truck

Here are some pictures of the truck you can win if you're at Saturday night's game:

Now that's a new truck.

Want to Win a Truck?

This Saturday, Heartland Chevrolet and the Wizards are teaming up to give away a brand new, 4WD, extended cab z71 Chevy Silverado pick-up truck. One lucky contestant will have the opportunity to make a kick from 35 yards away into the back of the truck at halftime. If he or she can kick or punt the ball into the back of the truck, they will walk away with a brand new truck courtesy of Heartland Chevrolet and the Wizards. Yet another reason to join us Saturday for Fan Appreciation Night! See you out there!

Everyone Loves a Goalie Goal

Was it a foul? Houston ended up dropping the match 3-2 and falling out of the CONCACAF Champions League.

Champions League(s) Drama

***Spoiler Alert***

Man United scored a late one through Antonio Valencia to beat CSKA Moscow 1-0 in Russia. The rest of today's matches, including Kaka's return to AC Milan with Real Madrid are taking place right now. If you can find a TV, tune it to Fox Soccer Channel or the sports section on DirecTV. If you can't you can watch the live blog Soccernet is doing today while watching all the matches. Otherwise you can tune to the Soccernet scoreboard from time to time and see if any new goals have come across.

Last night, Columbus qualified for the knockout stages of the CONCACAF Champions League. D.C. United earned a hard-fought away draw and must wait on other results.

In other FSC news, Fox has won the rights to broadcast the English Premier League for another three seasons, though the 2012-2013 season. Read about it here at USA Today.

The Jimmy Conrad Show THURSDAY

This week's Jimmy Conrad Show has been moved to Thursday night from its usual Wednesday time slot due to a conflict on 810 with the MLB playoffs. The show will take place tomorrow night from 6-7 p.m. CT at Fox and Hound in Overland Park. The show will be broadcast live locally on Sports Radio 810 WHB and simulcast at kcwizards.com. For old editions, visit the podcast page at kcwizards.com.


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Saturday's T-Shirts

Here's a picture of the T-shirts for Saturday night:


Don't yet have your tickets? Call us at 913-387-3400 or visit www.ticketmaster.com/kcwizards.

U-17s, Jones, Donovan

Brent Latham from ESPN Soccernet checks in with a story on the U.S. U-17 team for the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. A good portion of the team the U.S. is taking to Africa played here at our Swope Park Training Center last week, falling to a team made mostly of KCW Reserves 3-0.

In full national team news, Jermaine Jones has been cleared by FIFA to play for the United States after initially representing Germany in three friendlies. Also, Landon Donovan has been named the Honda Player of the Year for the 6th time in his career. He's also been named the Honda Player of the Decade. Not bad for a 27-year-old.

Champions League(s) Play

The UEFA Champions League has kicked off with some crazy early scores as Barcelona and Inter Milan both fell behind in the opening moments. Ives is doing a running commentary at SBI, or you can watch the games yourself on Fox Soccer Channel (or their auxiliary channels on DirecTV). If neither of those works for you, check out the live scores at Soccernet.

Tonight, D.C. United and Columbus are both in action in the CONCACAF Champions League. Read more on that here.

Gansler on Hall of Fame Ballot

Gansler coaching the team during the 2001 season.

Former Wizards Head Coach and 2000 MLS Cup Champion Bob Gansler has been named to the 2010 Builder Ballot for the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Last season, Gansler finished second behind Bruce Arena on the Builder Ballot by one vote, with no one entering the Hall from the ballot. Read more from the Hall:

Four highly respected coaches and six nationally recognized administrators have been named to the Hall of Fame’s Election 2010 Builder Ballot, the National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum announced today. The ten finalists are:

• Bruce Arena, current coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy
• Chuck Blazer, FIFA Executive Committee Member General Secretary of CONCACAF
• Dr. Bob Contiguglia, past president of U.S. Soccer and U.S. Youth Soccer
• Tony DiCicco, current coach of the Boston Breakers
• Bob Gansler, retired U.S. National Team and Kansas City Wizards coach
• Don Garber, commissioner of Major League Soccer
• Francisco Marcos, president emeritus, Senior Director of International Development of the United Soccer Leagues
• Fritz Marth, past administrator of U.S. Adult Soccer Association
• Kevin Payne, president and chief executive officer of D.C. United
• Sigi Schmid, current coach of the Seattle Sounders FC

More detailed information about each builder candidate is available on the Hall of Fame’s website at this address: “What a truly outstanding selection of individuals,” Hall of Fame President Jonathan Ullman said. “They represent some of the greatest achievements in soccer over the past two decades, from successes on the field in World Cups to the growth of the game at the youth, adult, and professional level. The voters will have a difficult decision in selecting the five candidates to place on their respective ballots.”

Builder candidates are selected for the Final Ballot by the votes of the Builder Screening Committee, composed of 16 Hall of Famers. The committee selected candidates from the 59 eligible builders listed Preliminary Ballot. Thirty-four candidates received votes in the Screening Committee process. In a change from past elections, current rule require ten candidates to appear on the Builder and Veteran Player Final Ballots.

The final ballot will be distributed later in the month to all Hall of Famers and a select group of soccer administrators. To be elected to the Hall of Fame, the leading candidate must appear on at least 50% of ballots cast. Elections rules permit the election of two builders should the top candidates tie and meet the 50% standard. Announcement of results is planned for early next year.

Election 2009 saw no Builder elected to the Hall of Fame. Several Election 2010 finalists were also on that ballot with former U.S. National Team and current Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena receiving the most votes.

Fan Appreciation Night Activities

Davy Arnaud signing autographs after the San Jose game last season.

Saturday night's match against D.C. United will serve as Fan Appreciation Night for the 2009 season. For the second-straight year, we will host a full-team autograph session on the field at CAB after the match. The Police will be playing the Fire Department on the field after the game, so you can enjoy that while autographs are taking place.

$2 12oz. beers will be sold at all concession stands, and a $4 soft drink and hot dog combo will be available. The first 5,000 fans will receive Wizards T-shirts courtesy of Armed Forces Insurance. If you don't yet have your tickets, give us a call at (913) 387-3400 or visit www.ticketmaster.com/kcwizards.

Kei's New Hairdo

For those of you who didn't get a close-up of Kei Kamara's hair this weekend. Check out this picture. He was also rocking pink gloves for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The new 'do.

Wizards Lose to Sounders FC 3-2

Kansas City dropped a 3-2 result to Seattle Sounders FC tonight at CAB after falling behind early and surrendering a late lead. The Wizards had been eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the day by other results but could have put Seattle's playoff future in question with a win. As it turned out, Sounders FC clinched a playoff berth after a great performance from Designated Player and #10 Freddie Ljungberg.

For the Wizards, Zoltan scored his 2nd MLS goal in his first start. Josh Wolff later set a new career high with his 11th strike of the season. Read more on Wolff's goal-scoring prowess below.

· Kansas City is now 1-1-0 against expansion club Seattle Sounders FC in regular-season competition.
· The Wizards were eliminated from MLS Cup Playoff contention Saturday due to other results in MLS.
· Striker Josh Wolff scored his 11th goal of the season, setting a new career high.
· Wolff has 73 career goals in MLS regular-season play.
· That total is currently tied for 13th in League history with Edson Buddle of Los Angeles. **updated
· Wolff is tied for 8th with Buddle for goals among active players. ** updated
· McBride did not score Saturday night, and Los Angeles plays Sunday.
· Davy Arnaud assisted on Wolff’s goal, his 2nd assist of the season.
· Arnaud now has 30 career assists, good for 3rd on Kansas City’s all-time list.
· Hungarian striker Zoltan scored Kansas City’s first goal, his 2nd in a Wizards uniform.
· Zoltan’s 1st strike came two weeks ago in a 1-1 tie at Houston.
· Saturday marked Zoltan’s 1st start for the Wizards.
· Michael Harrington assisted on Zoltan’s goal, his 3rd of the season.
· Harrington now has nine career assists in three MLS seasons.
· Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman has now started 111 straight games and hasn’t missed any action in the last 9990 minutes his teams have played.
· His minutes-played streak constitutes an MLS record.
· Hartman made five saves Saturday, increasing his career MLS record in saves to 1231.
· Hartman now has 101 saves on the season, his third-consecutive season with 100 or more saves and the 7th 100-save season of his 13-year career.
· Hartman ranks 2nd in MLS in saves on the season.
· Hartman is the first goalkeeper in MLS history to reach the 1200-save plateau.
· Hartman is the only player to start all 29 games this season for the Wizards and the only player to play every minute of every game this year.
· Hartman played in his 332nd career game Saturday.
· He ranks 2nd in League history, trailing only New England’s Steve Ralston (378).
· Kansas City was without goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, midfielder Kevin Souter and forward Adam Cristman through injury.
· Wizards captain Jimmy Conrad returned to the lineup after missing last week due to duty with the U.S. National Team.
· The USA Bid Committee Inc. announced August 4 that Kansas City and Arrowhead Stadium are one of 27 cities and 32 venues, down from 70 initial stadia in 52 cities, on the short list to be included in the United States’ bid to host the FIFA World Cup™ in either 2018 or 2022.
· The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee is Co-Chaired by Kansas City Chiefs Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt and Cerner Corporation’s Chairman and CEO and Kansas City Wizards co-owner Neal Patterson.


Quotes:

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS HEAD COACH PETER VERMES
On the game
“It was a tough game to lose. Having a lead at home…that’s something we work hard to get, and when we got the lead tonight and couldn’t defend it that was really frustrating. I think our effort was good tonight, but we gave up a couple of easy goals in the second half and that was the difference. Now we need to regroup for another home game next week against D.C. United, and we need to play hard and finish our season on a high note.”

On playing Saturday after finding out earlier in the day that the Wizards had been eliminated from playoff contention
“It wasn’t difficult for me, and it wasn’t for the coaching staff. The players played hard tonight, so I think they did a good job of focusing on the job at hand. Despite us getting eliminated prior to our game tonight, we all know it is important to play well at the end of this season so that we can be a better team in 2010.”

On Zoltan’s first career start
“I thought he played well tonight. He scored another goal, his second in three weeks, and that’s one of the things he brings to this team. As we move towards 2010, Zoltan is a guy we will be counting on to play an important role on this team and challenge for a starting spot.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD JOSH WOLFF
On setting a career-high for goals this season
“It feels good, but it’s just too bad that I couldn’t do it in a season that we made the playoffs. My job is to score goals. I was just doing my job this year.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS DEFENDER JIMMY CONRAD
On the game
“I thought a tie was a fair result tonight, but that isn’t what happened. We learned a few more lessons this game. Unfortunately we keep learning these lessons and we’re not going to make the playoffs this season.”

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC HEAD COACH SIGI SCHMID
On Seattle’s playoff-clinching win
"Obviously it's an important win. For a first-year franchise to make the playoffs in the first year, it hasn't happened in a long time. Like I said, the scenario was different when Chicago did it because the league was a lot younger. I'm proud of our team, and I'm proud of what we've accomplished. I still think we can play better soccer, but that's just me. I always think we can play better soccer. We showed a lot of desire, a lot of will power, a lot of attitude at times on the field, and that's important to win games."

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC HEAD COACH SIGI SCHMID
On the comeback
"We thought we had some chances definitely. We hit the crossbar and Hartman came up with a couple of saves. They played very well, and they have nothing to lose so they can cheat a little bit on defense and encourage their guys to go for it. They scored a couple of good goals, and luckily for us, we had a lot of character. We stuck with it and came back and pulled out the win."

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC HEAD COACH SIGI SCHMID
On what the playoff clinch means to him personally
"I've had a lot fun coaching this sport. Last year in Columbus and with Columbus' showing this year, they're a tremendous team. We built a great team there and they'll carry it on. What we're trying to do right now is build the same thing in Seattle. For me, everything's been a different challenge. When it came to LA it was sort of 'hey they're a good team, can you take them to the final level?' and we did it. I come to Columbus and it was 'rebuild the whole thing' and we did it. And now we're starting something new and we're starting to get there. That's what makes life fun. An Irish friend of mine says 'if one doesn't accept the challenges life brings you, it's not worth living.'"

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC MIDFIELDER FREDDIE LJUNGBERG
On the comeback
"We came back from being down 2-1, and that's not that easy so we feel good."

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC MIDFIELDER FREDDIE LJUNGBERG
On the pitch at CAB
"The grass is very good. The pitch was very good. It was small, but the quality of the pitch was very good."

Wow...What a Call

That was Honduran radio as the final seconds ticked off the clock in the USA-Costa Rica game. Had Costa Rica won, Honduras would have played Uruguay in a two-game playoff to reach the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Costa Rica didn't win, as you know, and Honduras qualified to the upcoming "Mundial" automatically. Jonathan Bornstein's stunning 95th-minute goal brought the Honduran radio commentators to full voice and brought Amado Guevara to tears. Listen to the clip. It's in Spanish, but you don't have to speak the language to understand what is being said. Apparently Bornstein has been invited by the current Honduran President to the country as an honored guest...he wouldn't need a visa to visit.

Filling in for Charlie Davies

Will Wolffie get another look from Bob Bradley now that Charlie Davies is injured?

Grahame Jones of the LA Times blogged a couple of days ago about the loss of Charlie Davies for Bob Bradley's National Team setup. One of the names he throws out there? Our own Josh Wolff, veteran of the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. Could he get back in the mix? Time will tell. Read Grahame's piece.

Soccer America Tabs Bes Rising Star

The Beez.

Soccer America has highlighted Wizards defender Matt Besler in their latest Rising Star profile. Besler tells about the shoes he wears, rates his college experience and gives information on the best coaching advice he has received, among several other things. Check it out.

USA Ties Costa Rica 2-2 Late

Jimmy Conrad celebrating with his USA teammates after last night's tie.

I'm sure most of you saw the United States' dramatic come-from-behind tie last night against Costa Rica in Washington, D.C. Ives Galarcep broke down the performance at ESPN Soccernet. The tie helped the USA win the CONCACAF qualifying group and allowed Honduras to move into 3rd place and qualify automatically to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Costa Rica will now play Uruguay in a two-game playoff to attempt to make the tournament. Our own Jimmy Conrad was on the bench, and probably would have entered if Oguchi Onyewu's injury happened earlier before all three subs were used.

To see highlights from the 95th-minute goal, look below:

Wolff Loses Shirt in Contest

Today, the Wizards first teamers wrapped up the training session with a finishing drill led by Interim Head Coach Peter Vermes. The last one to finish a cross would have to do something embarrassing, so everyone put their game faces on. The last one to finish? It was Josh Wolff. Sources tell us that the balls played to our leading scorer might not have been as easy to finish as balls played to some of the other players, but you can never trust sources completely, can you? What did Wolffie have to do?

An interview in nothing but his shoes, boxers and heart-rate monitor.

Lopez Speaks on Argentina

An article on Soccer by Ives has quotes from Wizards #7 Claudio Lopez about the tough go of qualifying for Argentina thus far. He remains a popular player in Argentina and with Argentine media, and will also do a live shot today at 3 p.m. CT for Fox Sports Argentina about tonight's monumental game in Uruguay. A win assures them of qualification, while a loss or tie could drop them into the playoff spot to face Costa Rica or Honduras or completely out of the tournament. We'll try to find a clip of Claudio's interview with Fox Sports Argentina.

Crazy Day of WC Qualifiers

Going into today's international fixtures, several countries are playing for the World Cup livlihoods, including Honduras, U.S. opponent Costa Rica, Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Portugal and Sweden, among others. Check out this great breakdown of the day's matches and the implications they contain from Soccernet.

The USA takes on Costa Rica tonight at 7 p.m. CT at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Galavision, with an ESPN2 pre-game show beginning at 6:30 CT. We will host watch parties, courtesy of Budweiser, at both area 810 Zone locations for the match.

Our boys will be without Charlie Davies who suffered serious injuries in a deadly car crash late Monday night. Details here from U.S. Soccer.

Wizards Top U-17s 3-0

The U-17s shaking hands with the Wizards prior to today's match.

Scoring Summary:
KC – Roger Espinoza (unassisted) 32’
KC – Herculez Gomez (unassisted) 47’
KC – Kevin Souter (unassisted) 88’

(October 13, 2009) – The Kansas City Wizards topped the United States Under-17 Men’s National Team 3-0 Tuesday night in rainy weather at Kansas City’s Swope Park Training Center. The Wizards won on goals from Roger Espinoza, Herculez Gomez and Kevin Souter. The U.S. U-17 squad is preparing for the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria, which begins for the USA October 26 with a match against European powerhouse Spain.

After a period of back-and-forth play to begin the match, Kansas City took a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute through Honduran midfielder Roger Espinoza. Herculez Gomez beat his man to win space on the right touchline, sending a low, driven cross toward striker Zoltan at the near post. A U.S. U-17 defender stepped in and deflected the cross, but it fell directly to Espinoza at the top of the penalty area. The young left-winger made no mistake, ripping a hard-hit ball into the open net from 18 yards out to put the Wizards on top.

The U.S. U-17s nearly equalized moments later when target forward Jack McInerney found himself behind the Wizards defense after a nice ball over the top. McInerney took a touch to round goalkeeper Boris Pardo, but his move took him wide of the target at a tough angle. He fired a shot toward goal as a pair of Wizards defenders attempted to recover, but his effort from a sharp angle banged off the right post and bounced away from danger.

The Wizards then jumped out to a 2-0 lead immediately after halftime through Gomez. Second-half substitute forward Michael Kraus found space inside the penalty area and fired on goal, but USA goalkeeper Earl Edwards did well to save a hard-hit shot. The rebound fell immediately to Gomez, who hit an acrobatic half-volley into the open goal with Edwards out of position after making the initial save. Edwards then made another acrobatic save to keep Gomez from scoring in the 70th minute, stopping a close-range header after Espinoza floated a cross to Gomez at the back post.

The U.S. U-17s almost pulled one back after the 80th minute, with second-half substitute forward Andrew Craven ripping a shot from the top of the penalty area that forced a diving save from Eric Kronberg. Kansas City then added the third and final goal through Kevin Souter. The Wizards broke on a quick counter attack, the ball ending up on Souter’s foot after a long-range shot by Kurt Morsink was blocked by a USA defender. Souter wasted no time, launching a dipping drive from 30 yards out into the upper-right corner of goal in the 88th minute to round out the scoring.

The U.S. U-17s return to Florida Wednesday before wrapping up preparations for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Saturday with a friendly against USL-2 side Crystal Palace Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland. Kansas City returns to action Saturday against Seattle Sounders FC at 7:30 p.m. CT at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The Wizards will host watch parties for the U.S. Senior Men’s National Team contest Wednesday at both area 810 Zone locations. The USA hosts Costa Rica at 7 p.m. CT at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. in the final World Cup qualifier of the 2010 CONCACAF qualifying cycle. The USA will win the qualifying group by beating Costa Rica or matching Mexico’s result against Trinidad and Tobago. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Galavision.

Kansas City Wizards Line-Up: Boris Pardo (Eric Kronberg 46); Lance Watson, Rauwshan McKenzie, Aaron Hohlbein (Matt Besler 46), Matt Marquess; Chance Myers, Kurt Morsink ©, Kevin Souter, Roger Espinoza; Herculez Gomez, Zoltan (Michael Kraus 46)

Substitutes not used: None

U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team Line-Up: Earl Edwards; Perry Kitchen ©, Zachary Herold, Jared Watts, Tyler Polak; Alex Shinsky (Victor Chavez 71), Bryan Duran, Luis Gil, Nick Palodichuk (Carlos Martinez 46); Stefan Jerome (Andrew Craven 46), Jack McInerney

Substitutes not used: Keith Cardona (GK), Eriq Zavaleta

Misconduct:
None

Follow Wizards v U-17s on Twitter

If you can't make it out to Swope Park tonight (or aren't going to due to the weather), check out our official Twitter page for in-game updates. Visit www.twitter.com/hillcrest_road for more information.

Star Editorial Board Weighs In

The initial concept renderings for our project in Kansas City, Kansas.

Today, the Kansas City Star Editorial Board weighed in on our proposed stadium project in Kansas City, Kansas. The piece highlights many aspects of our vision for the future of the club, including our commitment to both Kansas and Missouri. Check out the story and let us know what you think.

Watch Party for Tomorrow's WCQ

With tomorrow's World Cup qualifier back on cable TV, we will once again be able to host watch parties at both area 810 Zone locations as the USA looks to win the CONCACAF qualifying group with a win over Costa Rica. The match kicks off at 7 p.m. CT tomorrow night from Washington D.C. and will be broadcast live nationally on ESPN2 and Galavision. Head over to either 810 Zone to watch with some fellow US Soccer junkies!

**Update: The Jimmy Conrad Show will not air this week due to the USA game at the same time. The JC Show will return next week from 8-9 p.m. CT on Wednesday.

Tonight, our reserves (and possibly a couple of starters) will take on the U.S. U-17 National Team at Swope at 7 p.m. CT. Peter Vermes will address the area youth soccer coaches at 6:30 prior to the game. The U-17 roster is a strong one, as they are preparing for the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria.

U.S. U-17s Roster

We've now received the roster for tomorrow's friendly with the U.S. U-17s. It looks like most of the big names from this age group will be here:

GOALKEEPERS (2): Keith Cardona (NY Red Bulls; Glen Rock, N.J.), Earl Edwards (La Jolla Nomads; San Diego, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (5): Zachary Herold (West Pines United FC, Port St. Lucie, Fla.), Perry Kitchen (Chicago Magic; Indianapolis, Ind.), Tyler Polak (CSA Legacy; Lincoln, Neb.), Jared Watts (North Meck Storm; Statesville, N.C.), Eriq Zavaleta (FC Pride; Westfield, Ind.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Bryan Duran (Latino Americana; Ducanville, Texas), Luis Gil (Pateadores; Garden Grove, Calif.), Carlos Martinez (Wilmington Jr.; San Pedro, Calif), Nick Palodichuk (Washington Premier; Battleground, Wash.), Alex Shinsky (Super Nova FC; York, Pa.)
FORWARDS (4): Victor Chavez (Real So Cal; Fontana, Calif), Andrew Craven (First Coast Kickers; St. Simons Island, Ga.), Stefan Jerome (West Pines United FC; Davie, Fla.), Jack McInerney (Cobb SC; Alpharetta, Ga.)

U.S. U-17s Visit Swope Tomorrow

We told you this last Friday, but we wanted to remind you today so you can make plans to attend tomorrow night's friendly between our reserves (and potentially a couple of first 11 guys) at the U.S. U-17 Men's National Team. The game starts at 7, with a talk from Peter Vermes to area youth soccer coaches at 6:30 p.m. CT.

The contest will serve as a tune-up game for the U.S. team prior to the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. The U.S. squad begins the tournament October 26 against Spain. The USA is in a group with Spain, Malawi and the United Arab Emirates in the 24-team competition.

In Case You Missed It

The USA qualified for the FIFA World Cup Saturday with a dramatic 3-2 win at Honduras. All three goals were scored by MLS players, with Conor Casey scoring two and Landon Donovan converting a beautiful free kick for the third. Watch the highlights courtesy of ussoccer.com:

Wizards Fall/USA Clinches WC Berth

The Wizards fell to Chivas USA 2-0 tonight, limiting our faint chances for the MLS Cup Playoffs. With Columbus beating NE earlier in the day, we had a chance to pull within three points of the final playoff spot but could not get three points at The Home Depot Center, something that is never easy for the road team.

Jimmy Conrad and the U.S. National Team earned a beautiful 3-2 win over Honduras in San Pedro Sula to clinch a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup with one game to spare in qualifying. Entering the final round, the USA leads CONCACAF qualifying. Conrad was an unused sub for the USA. Hopefully he'll see the field next Wednesday in Washington, D.C. We are hosting watch parties for that match at both 810 Zones. Thanks to everyone who came out tonight to the Plaza 810 Zone to watch the USA-Honduras game and the Wizards match. The crowd was great, and the support of the National Team is excellent to see!

· Kansas City is now 4-3-3 all-time against Chivas USA, including a 0-3-2 record on the road.
· After the loss, the Wizards remain six points behind the New England Revolution for the final spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
· New England lost to Columbus 1-0 Saturday.
· Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman has now started 110 straight games and hasn’t missed any action in the last 9900 minutes his teams have played.
· His minutes-played streak constitutes an MLS record.
· Aug. 1, Hartman became just the 2nd player in MLS history to start 100 straight matches.
· Hartman made four saves Saturday, increasing his career MLS record in saves to 1226.
· Hartman is the first goalkeeper in MLS history to reach the 1200-save plateau.
· Hartman is the only player to start all 28 games this season for the Wizards and the only player to play every minute of every game this year.
· Hartman played in his 331st career game Saturday.
· He ranks 2nd in League history, trailing only New England’s Steve Ralston (378).
· Both Hartman and striker Kei Kamara were playing on the campus of their former school, Cal-State Dominguez Hills Saturday.
· Midfielder Graham Zusi made his 3rd start of the season, partnering with Jack Jewsbury in central midfield.
· Zusi started the first two games of the season, but hadn’t been in the starting lineup since.
· Kansas City was without goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, midfielder Kevin Souter and forward Adam Cristman through injury.
· Wizards captain Jimmy Conrad missed the match while on duty with the U.S. National Team.
· Conrad was on the bench Saturday as the USA clinched a berth in the 2010 FIFA World Cup with a 3-2 win at Honduras.
· Midfielder Davy Arnaud wore the captain’s arm band Saturday for Kansas City with Conrad out.
· The USA Bid Committee Inc. announced August 4 that Kansas City and Arrowhead Stadium are one of 27 cities and 32 venues, down from 70 initial stadia in 52 cities, on the short list to be included in the United States’ bid to host the FIFA World Cup™ in either 2018 or 2022.
· The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee is Co-Chaired by Kansas City Chiefs Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt and Cerner Corporation’s Chairman and CEO and Kansas City Wizards co-owner Neal Patterson.

Arrive Early for USA Watch Party

As most of you know by now, the only place in town to watch tomorrow night's crucial World Cup qualifier between the USA and Honduras is at the Plaza 810 Zone. We want to take this time to encourage everyone to arrive early. 810 Zone is always a pretty hopping place on Saturday nights due to college football, and with the MLB playoffs going on, it will only be busier. Once the USA game kicks off, there will be at least one TV in everyone room showing the game, and the sound will be playing. The earlier you arrive, however, the better your odds of getting a good seat. The place will be bonkers tomorrow, so don't arrive late. Also please show 810 Zone your gratitude for showing the game by buying some food and drink...we know they will appreciate it.

The Wizards game at Chivas USA will begin at 9:30 and will also be shown at the 810 Zone. The sound will remain on for the National Team game, but you'll be able to watch both contests at once if you wish.


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Espinoza Loves the Weather

Or at least he loves weather people. Espinoza visited Channel 9 today to do a satellite interview with the BBC in advance of tomorrow's World Cup qualifier between the USA and Honduras. While he was there, Espinoza ran into Bryan Busby, Channel 9's weather guy. The two introduced themselves and chatted for a bit before posing for this picture. Apparently both of them are planning to post it to Facebook. Very nice.

U.S. U-17s v KCW Reserves Tuesday

Next Tuesday night at 7 p.m. CT, the U.S. U-17 National Team will take on our KCW Reserves (Swope Park Rangers) on Field 3 (the turf field) at our Swope Park Training Center. The general public is welcome to attend, and Peter Vermes will be speaking to area soccer coaches before the match starts at 6:30 p.m. CT. We played the U-17's in preseason this year. See the first-half recap and the second-half recap of a game we won 7-0.

The youngsters are preparing for the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria, where they are in a group with Spain, Malawi and the United Arab Emirates. Check out the USA's schedule of games that kicks off October 26 with a showdown against Spain. For more on the tournament, visit the official event page at FIFA.com.

U.S. Soccer's Inside the Lines

Check out some JC sightings or otherwise enjoy some video from USMNT training:

RH from Last Night's JC Show

If you missed the Jimmy Conrad Show last night, Robb Heineman joined Dave Borchardt for the first two segments with Jimmy away with the U.S. National Team. Robb and Dave discussed a wide variety of topics, including the proposed stadium project in KCK, the potential of hosting an MLS All-Star Game once we're in our own home and some tidbits on players such as Josh Wolff and Kei Kamara. Jimmy then called in from National Team camp and gave some insight on the team's mentality with two World Cup qualifiers remaining. Head to our podcast page to download the show and listen for yourself.

Send a Retro Wiz Shirt

Think the above retro Wiz shirt is off the hook? Click here to find out how to send this shirt to your friend (or yourself) in advance of the Cauldron's Retro Night on October 24. The shirt is great, and the Retro Night will be just as fun. The shirt can be picked up in the Wizards offices or at the merchandise stand on October 24.

International Roundup

First of all, check out this insane header goal from Martin Palermo of Boca Juniors:

Then, read Jack Warner's comments about England's bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018. No word on whether others within FIFA feel the same way or not, but that can't be a bad thing for the USA bid. To support the bid and Kansas City's efforts to host matches should the World Cup come here, visit www.goUSAbid.com/kc and sign the petition. INVITE YOUR FRIENDS! We only have 1100 signatures so far and need to up that number.

Also of note is this story about the English game and the mega-rich owners who control clubs. Of the ten on the list, four teams are owned by Americans. Arsenal (Stan Kroenke), Manchester United (the Glazer family), Aston Villa (Randy Lerner) and Liverpool (Tom Hicks and George Gillett), in the order of worth of their owners.

Charlie Davies says we can win the World Cup. I like it.

National Team Practice Report(s)

You can see Jimmy there toward the right.

Franco Panizo of Soccer by Ives checked in today with a report from the USA training camp in Miami. No mention of Jimmy, but he was there and took part of the full session. How would you like to be a goalkeeper for Barry University and get a chance to train with the Nats? Not everyday you get to do that. The USMNT blog also has updates with a few pictures, and the US Soccer Twitter account is active as ever.

Ives himself also checked in at Soccernet with a story on the opponents. It's a good one and includes a quote from Peter Vermes.

Jewsbury Honored by SLU

Jack while starring at SLU.

Props to midfielder Jack Jewsbury for his inclusion on Saint Louis University's Half-Century Team, as selected by an online vote. Jewsbury is the most recent alumni included on the team, leaving SLU one year later than Sunday's opponent Brad Davis of Houston. Check out the full team that includes former Wizards Matt McKeon and Mike Sorber and one-time Wizards draftee Kevin Kalish. Props to Mike of the excellent blog Down the Byline for unearthing this one.

Heineman to co-Host JC Show Wed

As those of you who are fans on Facebook or follow us on Twitter already know, OnGoal CEO and team President Robb Heineman will join Dave Borchardt this Wednesday on The Jimmy Conrad Show while JC is away with the U.S. National Team. Join the duo at Fox and Hound in Overland Park from 8-9 p.m. CT to listen to the show live and ask your questions in person. If you can't make it to FnH, listen live on Sports Radio 810 WHB or online at kcwizards.com. To call in, dial 913-3-810-810. Robb will be there to take your questions and talk about the current team as well as plans for the future.

Always candid, as evidenced by his Tweet-roll from this weekend's game, Robb should provide some great insight for fans Wednesday.

Zoltan! for Goal of the Week

That's how you score your first MLS goal! Nice ball over the top from Claudio Lopez and a great one-time finish from Zoltan. As Robb Heineman said on Twitter..."zolie goalie!!!". Go vote for Zoltan for the MLS Goal of the Week here.

USA-Honduras at Plaza 810 Zone

As many of you know, this Saturday's World Cup qualifier between the USA and Honduras will be shown only on closed-circuit TV. The company that owns the rights to the match is selling it only to bars/restaurants and other meeting places for watch parties. Our friends at the 810 Zone has come through for soccer fans in town, working out a deal with the providers to show the match here in KC.

The game kicks off Saturday night at 9 p.m. CT, with the Wizards playing at Chivas USA at 9:30 p.m. CT. Both games will be shown on TV screens, but the sound for the USA match will be played. Wizards captain Jimmy Conrad is currently in Miami with the U.S. National Team ahead of the match and could be a part of the game-day squad in Honduras.

Wizards Tie Houston 1-1

Our boys came back from a 1-0 deficit to tie Houston today at Robertson Stadium, but three points were really needed to put us back into the picture for the MLS Cup Playoffs. We're six points behind New England with three games remaining, but there are four teams between us and the Revs. Zoltan scored a beautiful goal for his first in a KC uniform, and Lopez recorded his 8th assist of the season on the play. He's now tied for 4th in MLS in assists. The rest of the notables are below.

For a different look at the game, visit Robb Heineman's Twitter account and read back through his tweets. www.twitter.com/robbheineman

· Kansas City is now 1-4-3 all-time against Houston, including a 1-1-2 record on the road.
· The Wizards went 0-1-1 this season against Houston.
· Kansas City is 3-1-2 in its last six games.
· Striker Zoltan scored his 1st goal for the Wizards, slamming home a shot on the first touch after a great ball over the top from Claudio Lopez.
· Zoltan now has one goal and one assist in seven substitute appearances.
· Lopez recorded his 8th assist of the season on the play.
· Lopez is tied for 4th in MLS in assists.
· He now has 15 assists in Kansas City colors after registering seven assists last season.
· Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman has now started 109 straight games and hasn’t missed any action in the last 9810 minutes his teams have played.
· His minutes-played streak constitutes an MLS record.
· Aug. 1, Hartman became just the 2nd player in MLS history to start 100 straight matches.
· Hartman made three saves Sunday, increasing his career MLS record in saves to 1222.
· Hartman is the first goalkeeper in MLS history to reach the 1200-save plateau.
· Hartman is the only player to start all 27 games this season for the Wizards and the only player to play every minute of every game this year.
· Hartman played in his 330th career game Saturday.
· He ranks 2nd in League history, trailing only New England’s Steve Ralston (378).
· Striker Kei Kamara played in Houston for the first time since joining the Wizards via trade last month.
· Kamara had a first-half shot that clanged off the crossbar.
· Houston’s Cam Weaver was shown a red card in the 17th minute for a challenge against Santiago Hirsig.
· Kansas City opponents have been shown a red card nine times this season, setting a new season record for the Wizards.
· Kansas City was without goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, midfielder Kevin Souter and forward Adam Cristman through injury.
· The USA Bid Committee Inc. announced August 4 that Kansas City and Arrowhead Stadium are one of 27 cities and 32 venues, down from 70 initial stadia in 52 cities, on the short list to be included in the United States’ bid to host the FIFA World Cup™ in either 2018 or 2022.
· The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee is Co-Chaired by Kansas City Chiefs Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt and Cerner Corporation’s Chairman and CEO and Kansas City Wizards co-owner Neal Patterson.

Greener Goals in Moving Pictures

Above is a quick video of our players and students from New Stanley Elementary cleaning up Ruby Park in KCK during our Greener Goals event on Tuesday. The kids sure love Kei! Artist Steve Curtis speaks about the process of putting this event together.

Heineman Joins Twitter/Asks for Support

RH with a smoke bomb at Arrowhead in '07.

He's had a Facebook...he's posted on Big Soccer...now he's a Tweeter. Wizards President and OnGoal CEO Robb Heineman is now on Twitter. Visit www.Twitter.com/RobbHeineman to see his first few tweet and to follow him for the latest news/updates/info on our President and our team. His latest posts have revolved around showing your support for our project on the Kansas side. Here is what he said last night on Big Soccer:

Everybody,

Having spent much time in Topeka for the past couple weeks, there is so much support for what we are trying to get done. It's a big project though and i think as many positive voices as legislators, Gov. Parkinson and Secretaries Kerr and Wagnon hear, the better it will be. Any shout out for Cerner and the Wizards will be much appreciated.

Thank you so much for patience and resilience.....

And here is some contact info gathered by NorthbandHighbury:
Gov Parkinson
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Govern...n/110642567675
governor@ks.gov

Sec David D Kerr
Info: http://www.kansascommerce.com/AboutU...8/Default.aspx
Contact: http://www.kansascommerce.com/Contac...5/Default.aspx
There is a directory but I do not see David Kerr listed but I believe it is dkerr@kansascommerce.com

Sec Joan Wagnon
Info: http://www.ksrevenue.org/secretary.htm
Email: joan_wagnon@kdor.state.ks.us

USMNT Highlighted in ESPN the Mag

Clint Dempsey gets his passport immediately after the El Salvador match. Photo from the ESPN story.

More Nats news after Jimmy was named to the latest roster. The U.S. Men's National Team is once again highlighted by a major ESPN property, ESPN the Magazine. Luke Cyphers followed the team around during the last pair of World Cup qualifiers, joining the team in Salt Lake City prior to the 2-1 win over El Salvador and remaining with them through a 1-0 win away to Trinidad and Tobago. Read the article here and let ESPN know you love the coverage.

In other MNT news, Altidore, Donovan and Howard are up for the Honda Player of the Year Award. The winner will be announced October 20 in LA.

Conrad Named to USMNT

Conrad hits a header during the USA-Haiti match July 11 at Gillette Stadium. Photo courtesy of Keith Nordstrom.

Our own Jimmy Conrad has been selected by Bob Bradley as one of seven defenders for the upcoming qualifiers against Honduras (without Espinoza) October 10 and Costa Rica October 14 at RFK Stadium in DC. JC is one of eight players on the roster for these qualifiers to take part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Conrad will join the National Team after Sunday’s Wizards contest in Houston and return following the Costa Rica match October 14. For more from U.S. Soccer, click here.

“It’s always an honor to represent the United States,” Conrad said. “The team is looking to clinch a spot in the 2010 World Cup in these last two qualifiers, and I’m excited to be a part of that.”

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 5/3 SO), Tim Howard (Everton: 14/8 SO)
DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 24/3), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA, 4/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover: 19/0), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards: 1/0), Clarence Goodson (IK Start: 1/0), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan: 18/1), Jonathan Spector (West Ham: 3/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach: 13/4), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo: 7/1), Clint Dempsey (Fulham: 20/5), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus: 4/0), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo: 3/0), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 6/0)
FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (Hull City: 11/6), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids: 5/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 16/6), Kenny Cooper (1860 Munich: 1/1), Charlie Davies (FC Sochaux: 5/2), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 33/11)
*numbers indicate all-time World Cup Qualifying caps/goals

Highbury Lofts

Check out the former Arsenal stadium in all its new-found glory:

Hartman for Save of the Week

Kevin Hartman is once again up for MLS Save of the Week for his outstanding diving stop of an Omar Cummings blast from the top of the penalty area. Right now Dario Sala of FCD is running away with the voting...make your votes count.