Monthly Archives: February 2009

USA vs Mexico – Your Predictions?

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Here’s the prediction from my friends at The Roblee Report, a new site in KC:

The United States has a solid team but it’s not intimidating. It will be interesting to see how Landon Donovan shows after training and playing with Bayern Munich. Donovan is an emotional player and I’m guessing his emotions are in a good place after seeing the field in both of Bayern Munich’s recent matches. Donovan will be a pain for Mexico. I wish Brian McBride could still be his partner on the front line. However McBride is retired from National Team duty and not in the squad for the match. Whoever Donovan is paired with up top needs to be able to hold the ball. I don’t think that player is Altidore…I just don’t. And yes I do remember Altidore’s header goal vs Mexico a couple of years ago. The key to this game is getting Donovan involved. I also wish Bradley could involve Robbie Rogers. Rogers is good, adds edge to the team and will be playing in his home MLS stadium.

Have I written about their site yet? The Roblee twins run the KC Brass, and both coach in the Heart of America Conference at Benedictine and Wm Jewell. You should recognize plenty of my photos on their website, it’s a mutual admiration society.

Oh, and I used a new feature today, keeping the Quincy Magoo’s story up top, or sticky in WordPress lingo. Are you coming out? Or just offering an opinion on the score here?

PDL Soccer: Springfield Demize Tryouts In March

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Springfield DemizeOpen tryout dates for the 2009 Springfield Demize PDL have been set. Tryouts will be held for two weekends in the middle of March. Registration will begin each Saturday at 12:30 PM with training starting promptly at 1:00 PM. A $30 non-refundable registration fee will be due before you start training. Each participant will also receive two numbered tryout tops.

2009 Springfield Demize PDL Open Tryouts
Date – Location — Time
Saturday March 14 — Lake Country Soccer – Cooper #2 – 1:00 – 3:00 PM & 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Sunday March 15 – Lake Country Soccer – Cooper #2 – 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Saturday March 21 – Lake Coutnry Soccer – Cooper #2 — 1:00 – 3:00 PM & 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Sunday March 22 — Lake Country Soccer – Cooper #2 — 1:00 – 3:00 PM

*Please arrive at 12:30 on Saturday for registration
*Non-refundable $30 is due at registration

FOR MORE INFORMATION – pdl@demizesoccer.com

Quincy Magoo’s – The Go To Spot Wednesday for US Soccer

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OK folks, courtesy of the diligent efforts of Springfield’s first family of soccer, the Florez’s, and a returning member of the community, Kickapoo’s Eric Miller (class of 92) who is now a Manager at Springfield’s newest eatery, Quincy Magoo’s, we now have a new location for Wednesday’s World Cup qualifying match against Mexico.

I stopped by for a late lunch today and took advantage of the lunch special for a cheeseburger with fries and a margarita (Monday’s special) and got out of there for less than $12 with tip included. The burger was good, the fries very tasty with an interesting spicy mayonnaise on the side.

There are TV’s throughout the facility and we’ve been promised audio on one of the large screens, seen bottom right in the gallery above. There’s also a VIP room with eight leather chairs, as well as a game room in the front with pool and arcade games. Smoking and non-smoking sections are available and a complete menu of items ensures your entire party will find something to their liking.

Happy hour ends at 6pm so I recommend arriving early to get an order in before the game starts. I’ll be there and I hope to see 3 dozen or more of you for this, the most important game the US will play outside the World Cup itself. I’ve already chatted with the owner about the crowds we were getting at Coester’s. Let’s show him advertising on my site offers a more direct return than he’ll get advertising with the society/sex downtown magazines that were pitching their print advertising rates while I was there (also seen in the photo bottom right).

Quincy Magoo’s is located in Battlefield Plaza, at 900 E Battlefield. It is located in the center of the Plaza, replacing Fish/Clary’s.

Game time Wednesday is 6:00 pm, USA vs Mexico. See you at Quincy’s!

RIP, Jon Hansen

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Drury Panthers host Missouri Southern Lions, Apr 5thA Missouri Southern State University soccer player died Sunday night after collapsing on the court during an intramural basketball game on the campus, according to a release from the university’s sports information director.

Jon Hansen, 22, of Wichita, Kan., was pronounced dead at 9 p.m. Sunday. An autopsy has been scheduled for later today.

Hansen, a computer sciences major, was the senior goalkeeper for the Lions men’s soccer team, and was a first-team All-Southwest Soccer Conference selection this year.

MSSU men’s soccer head coach Kiley Cirillo said Hansen’s death was “a very sad loss for our family.”

“We’ve lost a great ambassador and a great friend,” he said. “He’s a wonderful young man and is gone well before his time.”

UPDATE – Hansen is the son of Brad and Jan Hansen. His brother, Jeff, was a former player and assistant coach at Southern, and is the current head women’s soccer coach at Missouri Western State University.

US Soccer Roster Named For Game Against Mexico On Wednesday

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World Cup 2010 logoHead Coach Bob Bradley named the roster for the Qualifying game against Mexico on Wednesday. Unfortunately Jack Jewsbury is in Florida now training with the KC Wizards following his six weeks with the Nationals.

Eighteen of the 20 players on the roster participated in the first two rounds of World Cup qualifying last year. Bradley has called on a dozen players from foreign-based clubs, led by team captain Carlos Bocanegra and 2008 U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year Tim Howard, who is unbeaten in four matches against Mexico and has posted an impressive five shutouts in five all-time World Cup qualifying appearances. Clint Dempsey finished 2008 tied for the team lead in goal scored (4), with all of his strikes coming in World Cup qualifying action. DaMarcus Beasley is one of four players on the roster who started in the last World Cup qualifier against Mexico, scoring the insurance goal in the 2-0 win on Sept. 3, 2005, in Columbus. Oguchi Onyewu, who set up Steve Ralston for the game-winner that day, scored a career-high three goals for the U.S. in 2008, including a header against Mexico in the 2-2 draw in Houston. Michael Bradley, who scored the game-winning goal in the 3-0 semifinal round qualifying win against Trinidad & Tobago, tied with Heath Pearce for the most appearances for the team in 2008, each starting in 11 of 14 matches. José Francisco Torres – who plays in the Mexican Primera División – is the only player on the roster who is not based in Europe or the United States.

More importantly, we need to find a new place to watch the game on Wednesday. I’m sorry to say that Coester’s is closed, some say temporarily, only time will tell. I’m going to approach The Fox & Hound, I created some real business for them during the State Cup (and World Cup) in 2006. If you have another suggestion, let me know and I’d be happy to approach them.

William Jewell Cardinals Applying For GLVC Membership

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WmJewell LogoFrom the William Jewell website:

Building on a rich, 125-year tradition in intercollegiate athletic programs, William Jewell College has announced plans to pursue a change in affiliation from the Heart of America Athletic Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics to the Great Lakes Valley Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II.

“William Jewell College has enjoyed an exceptionally strong tradition of student-athletes who are both engaged in the classroom and competitive on the playing field,” said Dr. David Sallee, president of William Jewell. “Although our association with the NAIA has been productive and satisfying, we believe that the move to the NCAA will build on Jewell’s history of academic excellence within a student-centered environment and will provide an association for our athletes that mirrors the high level of experience they enjoy in the classroom.”

William Jewell plans to make application by June 1 for membership in NCAA Division II and the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Other institutions in the Great Lakes Valley include Rockhurst University, Drury University, and Missouri University for Science and Technology in Rolla.

There’s more, go check it out. Regular readers can anticipate my response, which is Woo Hoo! I’ve been hoping for Evangel to get off their duff and add soccer so we’d be able to see the Cardinal’s and their increasing number of Springfield players on the pitch here in SGF. What we may get instead is another fine rivalry added to the GLVC. I’m all for it!

By the way, Head Coach Chris Cissell is currently touring England courtesy of Umbro. He’s documenting his soccer adventure on the new Cardinal’s Soccer Blog. Added to my Soccer Links!

Meet A New Missouri State Bear: Kenny Giacobbe

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From the Belleville News-Democrat: Missouri State lands Althoff’s Kenny Giacobbe

Midfielder-defender Kenny Giacobbe, one of the driving forces in Edwardsville’s run to a second-place finish in the Class 3A boys state tournament last fall, has signed with Missouri State.

Giacobbe, the News-Democrat’s Class 3A Player of the Year, finished with 11 goals and four assists for the Tigers (19-4). His versatility is what most intrigued Missouri State coach Jon Leamy.

“He’s a versatile kid who can help a team in all three thirds (of the field),” Leamy said. “We kind of got excited about his versatility. We’re looking forward to getting him in and working with him. We think he can help us in the back or the center mid.

“He’s a bright player, a very dedicated kid. He analyzes not only what the opposition does, but what he needs to do and what his teammates need to do with the ball. He’s not a reactionary kid. He doesn’t seem to be someone who gets flustered. He isn’t high one day and not the next. You like that stability.”

Meet A New Missouri State Lady Bear: Megan Jaskowiak

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From the Belleville News-Democrat: Missouri State lands Althoff’s Jaskowiak

After factoring in everything else on her college decision, Althoff High senior soccer standout Megan Jaskowiak went with her instincts when choosing Division I Missouri State.

“It just, in my gut, felt right,” said Jaskowiak, who was Althoff’s second-leading scorer last season with 25 goals and 17 assists. “I fit in there and I loved the team. The coaches were nice as can be. I felt like I could do well there.”

Missouri State coach Rob Brewer said Jaskowiak has a good shot at starting as a freshman.

“The more I watched her, the more I liked her,” said Brewer, who thinks Jaskowiak is best suited to playing center midfield. “When you go back and see her a couple times, you realize she can do a lot of different things, and in the college game, that’s going to serve her well.

“One of the great strengths Megan’s got is she could compete at any position on the field. If you needed to throw her up top as a forward, she could do that, or she could play in the back if you needed. She’s just such a well-rounded athlete and a competitor, we feel we really can’t go wrong with her.”

Jaskowiak said three of her travel soccer team teammates also are headed for Missouri State, a team that already has former Althoff forward Jenni Hamlin.

Jaskowiak is looking forward to her final year with the Crusaders, coming off a 25-4-1 junior season and second-place finish at the Class AA state tournament.

“I’ll probably play some up top this year. It’s going to be a little different than last year,” she said. “We hope to still get as far (at state). That was a great experience.”

Althoff coach Juergen Huettner said Jaskowiak’s versatility also is a plus.

“When she goes to Missouri State, she can play pretty much anywhere they want to put her,” Huettner said. “But I think she’ll stay in the middle of the field. I think she’s an excellent midfielder and pretty offensive-minded.

“She was our leader in the middle of the field.”

US Men’s National Team Faces Mexico Wednesday

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Jack Jewsbury continues his training with the National team, and you can catch him in this video. As Hillcrest Road notes, he appears to be playing mostly as a right back. I haven’t chatted with Jack since he left for Camp but his versatility is a well-documented strength and if it get’s him on the pitch against Mexico… And if he doesn’t, my call is that its been a great opportunity, despite what some Wizards prognosticators think. He’s already one of the most experienced players on the Wizards, he’s developing against the best in the US and the kids are getting playing time while he’s out. He’ll come back more prepared to lead then ever.

OK, so enough of the soapbox, let’s look to Wednesday. We had two dozen out for a friendly against Sweden, how many people do you think we can get out for a viewing party at Coester’s for a World Cup qualifying match against Mexico?

U.S. Men vs. Mexico — 6:00 PM on ESPN2 HD from Columbus Crew Stadium

As befits one of the biggest rivalries in the Western Hemisphere, the USA-Mexico showdown on Feb. 11 will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD as part of ESPN’s Rivalry Week, the second such stint in consecutive years for the marquee matchup. Last year, the encounter lived up to its billing in Rivalry Week as the teams produced a thrilling 2-2 draw on Feb. 6 at Houston’s Reliant Stadium. The USA’s most anticipated match of the Final Round of qualifying will also get top billing live on Univision and the Futbol de Primera Radio Network.

Will you be there to cheer on the boys?