by Matt Besler
Hello to everyone and welcome back to another version of "Across the Midwest Pitch." Although, this week it should probably be changed to the "Southwest Pitch" because myself and the rest of the Kansas City Wizards just arrived in Phoenix, Arizona.
We are staying in Scottsdale and training at a nearby complex called Reach 11.

As part of the Development Academy experience, all Academy players have the opportunity to participate in the full battery of NIKE SPARQ tests to measure their soccer-specific athleticism. There are five tests conducted in order to receive a soccer-specific SPARQ rating: Body mass, vertical jump, 20-meter sprint, arrowhead agility and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery.

Allow me to clarify. Friendlies still don't matter, unless it's your team that's playing. And even then, I don't know if the Kansas City Wizards get THAT much out of Sunday's win.
Okay, Wizards fans will tell their grandchildren about the day they beat Man United. I guess that's pretty good.

Ahead of United's game in Kansas tomorrow, the Kansas City Star got in touch and this is what they wrote...

To really get to know Manchester United, you need someone who follows the team day-in and day-out, lives in Manchester and writes the best Red Devil blog in the world.

Lucky for us, I've found that guy.

Teal Bun B and Double K botch it & scarper at the site of the new Wizards stadium. Can't believe how quickly that place is getting built; hopefully a good portion of the 52K that went to Arrowhead yesterday will want to come out to it.

This morning, we tweeted out a link to a story in which Thierry Henry says that American soccer fans need to drop the inferiority complex. I like to hear that from one of the biggest stars of the last 10 years in top-flight footie.Later in the day, Manchester United rolled 3-0 over Newcastle United in Newcastle's return to the Premier League.

Next year is supposed to be a banner year for the Wizards with the biggest news being the opening of the teams new stadium out at the Legends. Today season ticket holders got the chance to take a look inside the stadium for the first time on a tour. And while that's big news in and of itself, the biggest news came from comments made by Robb Heineman to season ticket holders.

For those that missed it, Omaha's mayor is trying to get his city into the MLS expansion talks. Jim Suttle cites the cities United Football League team's attendance as a reason Omaha should be considered for MLS expansion. The Nighthawks have averaged 23,000 for their first two games, both sell outs, at Rosenblatt Stadium.

Contributing Editor Graham Fox

For a lot of people, Sam has been the face of the Wizards. If you've ever hung out, tailgated, bought tickets, had problems, or needed someone friendly within the Wizards front office to talk to, Sam Pierron is the go-to-guy. He helps supporter groups grow, mediate disputes, and is a fan advocate and Wizards evangelist.

Today preseason started for the Kansas City Wizards out at the Arrowhead practice facility. Thad from The Back Post was there to provide updates to all us stuck at work. He gives us a lot of information on who and who is not in camp right now. We already knew that Kei Kamara, Claudio Lopez, and Kevin Hartman weren't in camp, but we also learned that Jimmy Conrad and Josh Wolff are not in camp, although there are rumors they are in New York for discussions on the collective bargaining agreement.

Manchester United will play MLS stars at Reliant The Red Devils will arrive in Chicago, home of new shirt sponsor Aon Corp., on July 12 for training and then meet Glasgow Celtic on July 16 at Toronto's Rogers Center, the club said Thursday. The 18-time English champions play the Philadelphia Union five days later at Lincoln Financial Field and meet the Kansas City Wizards on July 25 at Arrowhead

Come out to the Fan Zone before Sunday's game against Manchester United.This Sunday, there will be a Fan Zone outside of Arrowhead before the match against Manchester United. The Fan Zone will begin at 2 p.m. CT (also the time that parking lots open), concluding at 5 p.m. (also kickoff time).

Some news from the past few days to touch on.
Sal Zizzo to Chivas USA. KC had the second best chance of landing the former U-20 stand out in today's lottery, but he's headed to the West Coast to play at the Home Depot Center.
Nikos Kounenakis official. Yesterday the team officially announced the signing of Greek defender, Nikos Kounenakis.

I love a good ad like this. With all the buzz in Kansas City yesterday as the Wizards beat Manchester United, let's hope some folks that went to that game were able to take some time to see the new venue (yeah I'm totally unaware of where Arrowhead is in relationship to the new venue!). This new stadium is going up super fast though, any chance it will be ready for next season?

Unlike in July there's actually some good to talk about the Wizards when it comes to the Down the Byline player of the month award. The Wizards went 2-2-1 in the month of July in league play along with a 2-1 win over Manchester United in a friendly at Arrowhead. The leading scorer for the month was Teal Bunbury who had 2 goals, both game winners for the Wizards.

Wizards President, Robb Heineman responded to comments he made yesterday at the season ticket holder stadium tour today on Bigsoccer. He responded to the comments about where the Wizards will play to start next season, the possibility of playing at Arrowhead, as well as neutral site "home" games.
My biggest issue was the neutral site league games, which Heineman addresses first, and even says is likely not a good idea.

Following what has become a familiar refrain this season, the University of Wisconsin men's soccer team lost by one goal Saturday night.

But this might have been the most painful ending in a frustrating season.

Matt Eliason converted an 89th-minute penalty kick to force overtime and Jack Hillgard scored the game-winner when his drive from approximately 70 yards out bounced in over UW goalkeeper Max Jentsch (Hartland Arrowhead) in the 95th minute as Northwestern dealt UW its second consecutive 4-3 loss in a Big Ten Conference match at the McClimon Complex.

Nick Janus and Joey Tennyson (Menomonee Falls) scored in a 31-second span in the opening 10 minutes, and fellow freshman Max Jentsch (Hartland Arrowhead) recorded his first collegiate shutout as the University of Wisconsin men's soccer team ended a 13-game winless streak by blanking UW-Milwaukee 2-0 in a non-conference match on a windy Wednesday night at the McClimon Complex.

It was a tale of two penalty kicks Saturday night at the McClimon Complex.

Freshman goalkeeper Max Jentsch (Hartland Arrowhead) denied Penn State's Corey Hertzog from the spot in the 13th minute, while senior midfielder Aaron Nichols converted 15 minutes later as the University of Wisconsin men's soccer team surprised the 22nd-ranked Nittany Lions 1-0 in a Big Ten Conference finale.

Much like the University of Wisconsin men's soccer team, freshman goalkeeper Max Jentsch (Hartland Arrowhead) keeps getting better.

Jentsch collected his first Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week award Monday, and also was named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week.

For the first time since 2003, the University of Wisconsin men's soccer team will play in the semifinals of the Big Ten Conference tournament.

Freshman goalkeeper Max Jentsch (Hartland Arrowhead) made 11 saves for his third consecutive shutout, and the seventh-seeded Badgers made all five of their shots from the spot to oust second-seeded Ohio State 5-4 on penalty kicks following a 0-0 tie Thursday afternoon in State College, Penn.

For the second straight day, Max Jentsch (Hartland Arrowhead) and the University of Wisconsin men's soccer team withstood a barrage by one of the top teams in the Big Ten Conference.

Michigan outshot the Badgers 14-1 in the opening 45 minutes, forcing the freshman goalkeeper to make five saves to keep the match scoreless.

Robb Heineman made me happy about one thing in the past few days. During an interview with MLSsoccer.com, Heineman said that KC will play all their home games at the team's new stadium out at the Legends. That means no games in neutral venues or games at Arrowhead next season. Earlier this year there had been hints from Heineman and rumors that Sporting would play at least one game in a neutral venue for the 2011 season.

Six Wisconsin players will be part of the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program girls Under-19 winter training session this weekend in Bradenton, Fla., vying for spots on an all-star team that will travel to next summer's Women's World Cup in Germany.

Iowa midfielder Alex Melin (Verona), Marquette midfielder Taylor Madigan (Waunakee), Hartland Arrowhead defender-midfielder Amy Kauffung – a UW-Milwaukee recruit – University of Wisconsin midfielder Alev Kelter, Marquette forward Maegan Kelly and UWM midfielder Helen Steinhauser are among the 45 players chosen for the camp, which is Saturday through Monday at the IMG Academy.