Last night the Wizards hosted a presentation on their World Cup bid for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup for members of the "new media" aka blogs. Due to other commitments, I was unable to attend the event, but Thad over at The Back Post did attend and has TONS of great information about the bid over on his blog. Click to continue reading...

Last night I attended a presentation of Kansas City's World Cup Bid. I had already seen and heard a large portion of the info when I tagged along for the bid tour a few weeks ago, but last night a few new media (bloggers) and I got to see it all packaged.In case you did not know already, the United States is bidding to get the World Cup for either 2018 or 2022. Click to continue reading...

Since I did one for VCU, I thought it was only fitting to have one for DC United. Tom Soehn has decided to step down as Head Coach after 3 seasons, a total of 7 seasons with the club. The DC United job is a very unique situation.

The first thing that will make it hard for United to draw in a coach is the stadium situation.

Click to continue reading...

There's very little in this rumor right now, so take that for what you will. In a post by Ives Galarcep earlier today about the MLS coaching carousel, he makes a passing mention of Octavio Zambrano, who used to coach in MLS but has most recently been coaching in Hungary. Ives mentions Zambrano as a potential new head coach for Chivas USA, but also mentions that Zambrano is "believed to be in the frame for an assistant coaching position within MLS (with Kansas City a possibility). Click to continue reading...

From SBJ, via FootieBusiness:

Although three teams (Dallas, Kansas City and San Jose), didn't provide numbers, the rest of the franchises did report their rates of renewal for 2010. Not surprisingly, Seattle and TFC lead the pack with more than 90% renewal rates. Perhaps also not surprisingly, New England trails the pack as the only reporting team below 50% at a dismal 30%.

Click to continue reading...

The playoff numbers look like this...

5 year comparison Conference Semifinals 1st Leg � Avg +/- Home Teams � 2005� � 12,147� NA � Chicago � NY � Colorado � Los Angeles � 2006� � 9,533� � -21.52%� � Chicago � NY � Colorado � Chivas USA � 2007� � 14,245� � 49. Click to continue reading...

Wow, what a game last night. Yes, I said I wouldn't watch. And I won't lie, part of the reason it's so good is that the team I wanted to win did. It's all gone bad for Chicago - their "most talented team in MLS" has come up short yet again, with the final blow delivered by a local kid.
So now we have an all-west MLS final (LA-Salt Lake), much like last year where we had an all-east final (New York-Columbus). Click to continue reading...

That jersey is currently for sale here.
After some technical difficulties, our player jersey auction is up and running in the auction section at kcwizards.com. Bid on your favorite player's jersey for a good cause. Proceeds from most will go to the Kansas City Soccer Foundation, with Kevin Hartman's pink jersey benefiting the Susan G. Click to continue reading...

Un gol del salvadoreño Arturo Álvarez, jugador del San Jose Earthquakes, puede valerle un premio. Se lo hizo el 3 de julio al Real Saltk Lake y está nominado como uno de los mejores del año. En total son 32 goles, uno por cada semana. El de Arturo corresponde a la semana 11.Otros nominados son Claudio "Piojo" López (Kansas City), Freddy Montero (Seattle), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy) y Jeff Click to continue reading...

The playoff numbers look like this...

5 year comparison Conference Semifinals 1st Leg � Avg +/- Home Teams � 2005� � 12,147� NA � Chicago � NY � Colorado � Los Angeles � 2006� � 9,533� � -21.52%� � Chicago � NY � Colorado � Chivas USA � 2007� � 14,245� � 49. Click to continue reading...

Take time this weekend to sign up to support Kansas City's bid to bring the World Cup here. Not just to the United States but to Kansas City. There is a very good chance and we want to help that bid in every way possible.Sign the petition below please!!!The economic boom from be a World Cup host city is only rivaled by the Olympics with little to no need to spend money. Click to continue reading...

While you're enjoying your crazy-mild November weekend in KC, take some time to sign the petition to bring the FIFA World Cup to town, and invite all your friends. We're now past the 5400-signature mark, in 9th place among the 27 cities bidding to host World Cup matches. Help us pass Dallas, then move toward Tampa Bay and Cleveland. Click to continue reading...

First of all, go vote for the AT&T Goal of the Year and Degree Men Save of the Year awards. Both Arnaud and Lopez are up twice for the Goal of the Year honor and Hartman is up three times for the Save of the Year award. You can find links to the highlights of these plays at previous posts below. Click to continue reading...

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. Click to continue reading...

Maybe the Bayern Munich U-17s *would* start in MLS since Toronto apparently got beat by a teenage girls side on the weekend. From Monday's Du Nord:

. . . a "correspondent" on from Toronto who was all but bragging about how his team TFC would make the playoffs because their opponent in the final round was a "Kansas City U14 Girls team".

Click to continue reading...

The Rapids choked away a chance at their best season ever with a 7 game winless streak culminating in the embarrassing 3-0 loss to FaKe SaLt Lake Saturday night. They finish in a tie for the last playoff spot but lose the tibreakers, missing the playoffs for a 3rd straight year. 2 years in a row they've missed the playoffs by a point. Click to continue reading...

Major League Soccer's regular season wrapped up yesterday and here are the final attendance figures:

Team G Total Avg Med Hi Lo Change Seattle 15 463,455 30,897 32,404 33,108 28,548 NA Los Angeles 15 306,240 20,416 19,718 27,000 16,649 -21.5% Toronto 15 305,167 20,344 20,384 20,902 19,843 1. Click to continue reading...

DC United saw their season come to a close after this weekend with their draw at Kansas City and FC Dallas winning at Seattle. The time has come to decide what the team needs to do next season. This is the second season in a row United has not made the playoffs with winning the Supporter's Shield the 2 years prior.

Click to continue reading...

As last game scenarios go, few would have expected so many teams to make themselves a non-issue. Toronto and Dallas couldn't win against teams that were either our of the playoffs are already in, while DC gets to spend an off season wondering what else was needed to beat Kansas City. Toronto 0 - New York 5 The last soccer game at Giants Stadium became more about the Red Bulls continuing their spoiler run late. Click to continue reading...

Despite tonight's heartbreaking, gut-wrenching 2-2 draw in Kansas City, there is still a chance for United to advance to the post-season. The only way the Black-and-Red book a ticket to the MLS Cup playoffs is if Seattle and Dallas play to a draw tonight and New England loses to Columbus tomorrow.

Click to continue reading...

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. Click to continue reading...

Six teams, two playoff berths. We'll keep the standings atop the post and update them with final results. Standings include opponent, goal difference (for/against), and tiebreakers. All times ET

40 Colorado: +7 (42/35), even on tiebreakers
39 Toronto: -4 (37/41), beats NE and DC, loses to DAL
39 D. Click to continue reading...

Been really busy lately and did not get a few interviews posted like I should have. Sorry about that the delay...First up is Jimmy Conrad, I talked to him right after he got back to Kansas City from his time with the National Team. He talks about being in Honduras when the US qualified for the World Cup, the last qualifier with Costa Rica and his chances on being on the World Cup squad. Click to continue reading...

DC United's playoff hopes pretty much ride on a win in Kansas City in the last match of the season, but the Wizards have nothing but pride to play for and DC has had about their best week of the season after improbable results against the Crew and in Mexico against Toluca. Click to continue reading...

It all comes down to this weekend. Six teams have already qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs, while another six are competing for the final two spots in the final games of the 2009 season. D.C. United is among the team's hoping to extend its season with a win at Kansas City tomorrow almost a necessity.

Click to continue reading...

Toronto @ NY, DC @ Kansas City, Colorado @ Salt Lake, Dallas @ Seattle, San Jose @ LA, Houston @ Chivas, and New England @ Columbus.� This, my friends, is your final weekend of the 2009 MLS Regular Season.

Chicago already locked up a spot with a win at Chivas and Seattle jumped into the playoffs as well.

Click to continue reading...

The Fire joined the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs tonight with a victory over Chivas USA. A single point would have put them in, but they ended up with a 1-0 victory on an own goal scored by Eduardo Lillingston in the 67th minute.

Here is the updated standings:

49 Columbus
45 Los Angeles
45 Houston
45 Chivas USA
45 Chicago
44 Seattle
40 Colorado
39 Toronto FC
—
39 FC Dallas
39 New England
39 D.

Click to continue reading...

We spoke to a bunch of the guys today about Saturday's regular season finale in Kansas City. The game is a must-win for United as it vies to be one of six teams to capture one of the two remaining playoff spots.

More from...

• Chris Pontius
• Lawson Vaughn
• Dejan Jakovic
• Steve Cronin

Click to continue reading...

The evening went about as poorly as it could have for fans of D.C. United, as the Chicago Fire topped visiting Chivas USA 1-0 to clinch the second spot in the Eastern Conference and Marathon beat Jabloteh 4-2 to knock DCU out of CONCACAF Champions League play.

United must now win at Kansas City and hope for a few key results from other teams in order to advance to the MLS Cup playoffs.

Click to continue reading...

The thought a few weeks ago that the Wizards were going to the Legends or bust for their permanent home, but Robb Heineman has posted to the contrary last night on Bigsoccer. While the Legends site appears to still be leader, Heineman says that more needs to be done by the state of Kansas to ensure the stadium gets built there. Click to continue reading...

Though United isn't playing, it's a big night for supporters of DC. The team's attention will certainly be on the scoreboard this evening as two key games are taking place that will have a huge impact on the Black-and-Red's season.

In MLS play, the Chicago Fire (42 points, second in the East) hosts Chivas USA (45 points, tied for second in the West) in a game that has monster implications for D.

Click to continue reading...

Seven teams, three berths, endless combinations.
The tiebreakers for MLS playoff berths go in this order:
1. Head-to-head (points per game if more than two teams tied)
2. Overall goal difference
3. Overall goals scored
The list below shows all seven teams, their final opponents (all times ET) and their head-to-head records (U. Click to continue reading...

Three spots remain for the MLS playoffs and seven clubs are going for those spots. I think the most interesting part is that after this final week of the season we could actually see six clubs end up with 40 points. Yes six clubs.

See for yourself.

EASTERN CONFERENCE AUTOMATIC BERTHS
Columbus (29) 13-6-10, 49 points (vs.

Click to continue reading...

A whole Saturday of Soccer went by and nothing that I thought would happen did. � Toronto beat Salt Lake, D.C. beat Columbus, New England drew Chicago and on and on. � The biggest surprise, for me, was Salt Lake (who was on a roll) losing to Toronto. � They totally messed up my preconceived notions of how the playoffs would shake out.

Click to continue reading...

The next-to-last weekend of MLS action sees the teams broken down into three groups:
1. In the playoffs, still alive for Supporters Shield
2. Not yet in the playoffs
3. Out of the playoffs
Every contending team has two games left except Chivas USA, which has three.
We'll update this glance as the day goes on, pressbox wi-fi permitting (wi-fi or not, check Twitter updates). Click to continue reading...