If you'll pardon the double dip, allow me to re-purpose something I knocked out for MLS Insider yesterday. I got to talking to Nick Rimando for a minute and he pointed out something that I didn't think of; he basically closed out his buddy Brandon Prideaux's career with that save in the shootout (they were teammates at D. Click to continue reading...

We're down to only 2 former Wizards still playing in MLS, as Chris Klein and LA will meet Yura Movsisyan and Real Salt Lake Sunday in MLS Cup. Still there was more action around the world this week with FIFA international games being played. Two former Wizards competed with their respective national teams as both Shavar Thomas and Eddie Johnson played for Jamaica and the US respectively. Click to continue reading...

It wasn't supposed to end that way. We were hosting the Conference Final at home for the first time in six years, after losing on the road to Columbus last year and in New England two years ago when also 90 minutes away from the MLS Cup Final, and everything seemed to be in the Fire's favour against Real Salt Lake, with the 21,723 capacity crowd rocking from warm-ups on.

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The Major League Soccer 2009 Eastern Conference Final was on Saturday with Real Salt Lake traveling to face the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park. The winner would move onto the MLS Cup Final next Sunday against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Here's a recap of the match along with video highlights.

Real Salt Lake beats Chicago Fire 0-0 (5-4 on penalty kicks) Video Highlights

It was a close match on Saturday but Real Salt Lake found a way to advance and continue their improbable run to the MLS Cup Final.

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A common saying amongst those in the soccer world is that a penalty kick shootout is a cruel way to decide a match.

After Saturday night, the Chicago Fire knows that saying back to front.

120 minutes of action saw the Fire and Real Salt Lake knotted at 0-0 so it all came down to a penalty shootout.

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The former Wizards season in MLS continues to wind down and while there weren't a lot of goals this week by players, there was some news involving former Wizards. First I've added two new players to the list, as the Jermaine Hue and the Jamaican league started up a little bit ago. And the Wizards 4th round draft pick this past year, Akeem Priestly is now playing in the top division in Azerbaijan. Click to continue reading...

Who to protect and who to expose is the guessing game for the Fire. (Getty Images)

This year unlike the last couple the expansion draft caught up with me here. I almost feel like I am a little late getting these lists out for the draft which is a couple days after MLS Cup. Starting today I will release a team-by-team list of who I think will be protected and who I think will be left exposed.

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EDIT - BREAKING NEWS! Preki re-nominated for Hall of Fame! Feel free to factor in his performance over the weekend. (Yes, I know you're not supposed to.)
Now that I've got my head out of the oven, let's warm up with some trivia.
Depending on what happens Friday night, one bit of statistical weirdness will fall. Click to continue reading...

Patrick Nyarko was elusive and hard to pin down by the Revs

How did Pat Phelan not bury that pinpoint Kenny Mansally cross into the back of the net? It was the clearest look at the goal all night and Phelan heads the ball out. He could have been a hero forcing extra time. As it turned out, the Fire did not have to go through that route.

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The Major League Soccer 2009 Playoffs continued on Saturday, November 7, 2009 with the second leg between the Chicago Fire and New England Revolution. The Revolution were up 2-1 after the first leg but the Fire hosted the second leg on Saturday. The winner would go on to face Real Salt Lake next weekend, who earlier beat the Columbus Crew 4-2 on aggregate.

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The list of former Wizards currently playing is getting smaller and smaller as more of the American team's seasons come to an end. The first round of the MLS playoffs are half over, so next week will be the end for even more former Wizards.
MLS
Taylor Graham - Seattle Sounders FC - Did not dress in Seattle's 0-0 draw with Houston. Click to continue reading...

Here's your end of the MLS regular season former Wizards, more and more former Wizards seasons are ending as the majority of those players play in spring-fall leagues.
MLS
Nick Garcia - Toronto FC - Dressed but did not play in Toronto's 5-0 loss to New York to end their season.
Taylor Graham - Seattle Sounders FC - Did not dress in Seattle's 2-1 win over Dallas. Click to continue reading...

The Fire finally clinched their spot in the playoffs tonight, earning the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a 1-0 win at a rain-soaked Toyota Park over Western Conference leaders Chivas USA.

The Fire, who took the lead in the 67th minute when Chivas forward Eduardo Lillingston put a Cuauhtemoc Blanco corner kick in the back of the net for an own goal, snapped a six game winless streak with the loss and now enters the postseason with a little bit of momentum.

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Most former Wizards were back in action this weekend. We're almost done with the regular season for MLS, meaning some players will be dropping off soon. The USL season is now completely done as Montreal are the Champions. I've also found two more former Wizards plying their trade in Trinidad. Both Gary Glasgow and Anthony Noriega are playing for United Petrotrin of the Trinidad Pro League. Click to continue reading...

A week with not many former Wizards having games, as once again we have World Cup qualifiers going on around the world. With that, not many former Wizards got games this past week. Here's your former Wizards update.
MLS
Nick Garcia - Toronto FC - Started and played 90 minutes in Toronto's 1-1 draw with San Jose. Click to continue reading...

Another week with your former Wizards update. The USL season is almost over with the finals coming up this next week. The MLS season as well is starting to get close to the end of the season. We do have a first time appearance for Chris Konopka as he made his debut for Sporting Fingal.
MLS
Nick Garcia - Toronto FC - Toronto did not play this week. Click to continue reading...

Donovan pushes L.A. into first in the West
Chicago Fire players were colliding with each other - Jon Busch and Wilman Conde (right), Mike Banner and Calen Carr. There were some open gaps within the Fire's defense, including leaving Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Landon Donovan wide open a couple of times above the box. Click to continue reading...

Another week of former Wizards updates. The USL playoffs are inn full swing right now. Still looking for a few former Wizards still, and since Carlos Marinelli hasn't even appeared for Argentinos Juniors at all, I'm doubting he actually signed for them, so he joins the list of former Wizards I'm searching for, along with Alex Zotinca, Doug DeMartin, Jose Burciaga, Neal Kitson, Scott Sealy, and Will John. Click to continue reading...

Sting's 25th anniversary to be celebrated at Fire game
The Chicago Fire announced that the organization will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Chicago Sting's North American Soccer League title.
There will be a halftime ceremony and an autograph session before the Fire's match against Toronto FC on Saturday (7:30 p. Click to continue reading...

Here's another one of your weekly update on former Wizards. The USL regular season is now over, meaning all the former Wizards with Miami, Austin, and Minnesota are done for the season. I've also found out where Eloy Colombano is playing now. He's playing in the Argentine 4th division with Ferro Carril Sud. Click to continue reading...

It's a day late due to the Chivas-Club America game I went to yesterday.. There's a new former Wizard after Abe Thompson was traded to Houston. I'm still looking for Alex Zotinca, Doug DeMartin, Eloy Colombano, Jose Burciaga, Neal Kitson, Scott Sealy, and Will John. Here's this week's update.
MLS
Nick Garcia - Toronto FC - Started and played 90 minues in Toronto's 3-2 win over Colorado. Click to continue reading...

Time to revisit my projections of who will be protected and who will be left available. What's changed in the past month? For last month's review, click here.
A few days ago I posted about when players graduate from Generation Adidas status, which is highly relevant to this topic. Check out that post for further info. Click to continue reading...

With most former Wizards outside of USL off this week due to the international break, there wasn't a whole lot going on, but a few players did make their appearance worth it.
MLS
Nick Garcia - Toronto FC - Started and played 45 minutes in Toronto's 1-0 loss to Colorado.
Taylor Graham - Seattle Sounders FC - Seattle did not have a game this week. Click to continue reading...

Here's a little interview I did with Fire defender Brandon Prideaux after last Wednesday's training session. The 33-year-old Prideaux is retiring at the end of 2009 to become an assistant coach at his alma-mater, the University of Washington. Our conversation touched on a lot of topics; including his future plans, his infamous MLS record, and the 2009 Fire season.

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Here is this week's former Wizards update, we have a new addition to the list, as Chris Konopka has been found in Ireland again, having signed with Sporting Fingal FC. Also appears that Scott Sealy was trialing in Turkey with Ankaragucu after leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv. Still trying to find Alex Zotinca, Doug DeMartin, Eloy Colombano, Jose Burciaga, Neal Kitson, and Will John, if any of them are still playing. Click to continue reading...

Time for this week's weekly update on former Wizards. A few goals were scored this week, but overall not a good week for MLS former Wizards, as the majority did not even get games for their teams this weekend. Also, check out the end of this post, as I'm listing the players that I believe are still playing, but do not know where they are at now. Click to continue reading...

Who will Peter Nowak and the Philadelphia Union take? Who will each team protect? I don't know, but I'll give it my best guess three months before everyone really starts focusing on it. You remember the rules, don't you? I'm assuming they'll stay the same as the past three years: 11 players can be protected, must protect three foreigners, GA players are exempt. Click to continue reading...

Another week of former Wizards updates. We have the return of a former Wizard, as it appears that Edson Elcock has returned to the game, joining Yomby William again at Richmond. We also have the appearance of another former Wizard who is not playing any more. Dionysius Sebwe, who the Wizards drafted in 1996, is now a Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Defense in Liberia. Click to continue reading...

After a very slow week off (as the lack of posts show) the Wizards are back in action tomorrow against the Chicago Fire at Community America Ballpark. The Wizards stole a 2-2 draw in Chicago earlier this season, and can win the season series against the Fire with a win or a lower scoring draw tomorrow. Click to continue reading...

A good week for many former Wizards, as Stephen Armstrong and Ryan Pore both scored multiple goals this past week, Eddie Johnson seems to have gotten himself a place as a sub on Fulham's bench, and Khari Stephenson is trying to add another cup winner's medal to his 2004 US Open Cup medal. More of the European leagues are kicking off. Click to continue reading...

Chicago rallies, but Houston nets PK for the final say
The Chicago Fire overcame a two-goal deficit, only to see the Houston Dynamo's Stuart Holden tally the game-winner in the 83rd minute en route to a 3-2 Dynamo victory Sunday in Major League Soccer action at Robertson Stadium in Houston. Click to continue reading...

Here's this week's former Wizards update. We have the return of one of our Fall-Spring season former Wizards to play, as Matt Taylor and FSV Frankfurt started their season in the DFB Pokal. We also have news that looks like it will effect two former Wizards, as the Argentine league has suspended the Apertura season. Click to continue reading...

MLS
Nick Garcia - Toronto FC - Started and played 90 minutes in Toronto's 3-2 loss to Columbus. Started and played 90 minutes in Toronto's 1-0 loss to Puerto Rico in the CONCACAF Champion's League.
Taylor Graham - Seattle Sounders FC - Did not dress in Seattle's 0-0 draw with Chicago.
Will Hesmer - Columbus Crew - Started and played 90 minutes in Columbus' 3-2 win over Toronto FC. Click to continue reading...

Chicago earns draw, nearly pulls off upset in closing minutes
The script would have been perfect for Chicago Fire defender Brandon Prideaux:
The Renton, Wash., native playing in Seattle, in his final Major League Soccer season, in his 241st game without having scored a goal (an MLS record), and getting a chance in the closing minutes to put an end to that string and give Chicago a late lead in front of a packed Qwest Field. Click to continue reading...

It's been a fairly slow week for Wizards news, not a whole lot of interesting stuff, but here is your weekly former Wizards update. As has become routine now, there will be an update, as 3 former Wizards teams are competing tonight in the PDL playoffs.
MLS
Nick Garcia - Toronto FC - Started and played 90 minutes in Toronto's 1-1 draw with Houston. Click to continue reading...