Tag Archives: Down The Byline

Sporting Kansas City Opens Preseason

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Jack Jewsbury by Sporting KC

Jack Jewsbury by Sporting KC

A few days delayed but here’s some of the news that’s come out the Sporting KC preseason camp that began Monday. Sporting’s players will spend this week undergoing various fitness tests, taking physicals and partaking in light training at the Kansas City Chiefs’ indoor training facility before moving on to Arizona, where SKC will spend the majority of their time prior to opening their season at Chivas USA.

The Daily Wiz offers up an excellent article on Jack Jewsbury (Kickapoo 1999), who enters his 9th season with Sporting KC and is battling to regain a starting role at the same time he and his best friend Davy Arnaud must play the role of leaders for a team that averages only 1.7 years in KC.

But, with Jack, it’s not all about him and his playing time. With the recent departures of long-time stalwarts Jimmy Conrad and Josh Wolff during the offseason, Jewsbury and captain Davy Arnaud are now by far the longest tenured players on coach Vermes’ roster. As Jewsbury prepares to enter his ninth season in the league and Arnaud his tenth, they both realize it is now time for them to step up and be the main leaders of the team – both vocally and in their actions.

If you’re looking for a Spring soccer get away, Sporting Kansas City will play the final two games of its Arizona pre-season preparation in back-to-back days in Tucson on Friday, March 4th and Saturday, March 5th. The games — against the Arizona Sahuaros and the New York Red Bulls — are part of a four-team tournament to be hosted at Hi Corbett Field. It’s a 4 team ‘tournament’ being called the MLS Desert Cup and you can find ticket information and other details here.

Follow Sporting KC at their website, catch the latest reports from the KC Star’s The Full 90 column or the many blogs covering the team such as SB Nation and Down the Byline.

Teal Bunbury Nets First Goal, Game Winner For KC Wizards

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Teal Bunbury, KC Wizards

Teal Bunbury, KC Wizards by DAVID EULITT/The Kansas City Star

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A scoreless drought, a long winless streak against Columbus and a three-game losing streak all ended when rookie Teal Bunbury scored in the first half and goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen made it stand with seven saves as the Wizards beat the Crew, 1-0, on Wednesday.

Nielsen made six saves in the second half, including a right-toe stop of Guillermo Barros Schelotto in the 70th minute, a left arm stop of Emilio Renteria eight minutes later and a Steven Lenhart header in stoppage time. The Crew outshot the Wizards 15-4 after the break and 19-8 for the match but did not convert any of their eight corners.

Bunbury returned to Ohio where he played last season for the University of Akron and scored his first MLS goal in the 14th minute to end KC’s 339-minute scoreless streak.

The Wizards (4-8-3, 15 points) beat Columbus for the first time since posting a 0-5-1 mark over the past meetings.

Check out the analysis on Down The Byline as well.

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KC Wizards Open Season With Shutout Win Over DC United

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jewsbury vs DC United, 2008

Photo by KC Star

In case you haven’t seen the details, here’s the description from the KC Star

“We wanted to make sure we come out and put our stamp on things here at home,” said Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad. “We’re not just going to sit back and take it like we did last year.”

It’s hard to blame Conrad for feeling that way. Who wouldn’t want to bury what happened last season, when the Wizards went 8-14-9, struggled at home?

However, it certainly didn’t take the Wizards long to light up the scoreboard against D.C. United. After a shot on goal by Smith in the ninth minute was saved by D.C. goalkeeper Troy Perkins, forward Kei Kamara — who was right in front of the net — scored his first goal of the season on a tap-in.

There are several stories on the KC Star site, on their new “The Full 90″ soccer blog. Check out Down The Byline as well.

Finally, here’s a clip with some interviews and the highlights, including Jack Jewsbury’s penalty kick goal!

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?

Investing In Soccer

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The Carl Junction Bulldogs have just completed installation of an artificial surface field.

Workers completed most of the installation of synthetic turf at Bulldog Stadium this week. Though portions behind the end zone for track activities need to be finished, the field portion is completed and ready for football and soccer.

The UMKC Kangaroo’s, a Division I program in Kansas City, is adding women’s soccer in 2009. They are also building a $9 million dollar soccer complex!

The Stanley H. Durwood stadium is expected to be completed in time for the inaugural season of the UMKC women’s soccer team in 2009. Completion of the entire complex is anticipated by spring 2010. It will include the stadium, a premier four-lane track and a concession area. Offices and locker rooms will be built to house the men’s and women’s soccer teams, softball and men’s and women’s track and field.

The KC Wizards continue to move forward on their plans for a permanent home in 2010. They hinted at recent progress on the Hillcrest Road blog (named for the new stadium location) and Swope Park, their training facility, should have an artificial surface shortly. UPDATE – Down The Byline provides some deep background.

KC Wizards Pick First Today in the MLS SuperDraft

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KC Wizards LogoThings have been very active in Kansas City this winter. If you are a real fan and haven’t discovered the Down The Bylines blog, I highly recommend it. M (as he lists himself in his profile) is a prolific and qualified soccer commentator. He’s even participating in a MLS SuperDraft watch party today.

You can follow the action live at 1:00 pm on ESPN2

There are a number of subplots but Ives Galcarep, who recently went solo, summarizes it effectively

When the first pick in the entire draft is traded straight up for a solid, but unspectacular veteran defender, it doesn’t say a lot about the talent available to MLS teams this year. San Jose coach Frank Yallop took a look at the draft’s selections and decided that he would rather acquire rugged central defender Nick Garcia than keep the pick and take the best player in the draft.

Nick Garcia. Didn’t he play center back for the KC Wizards? Yep, and thus our local boys are going first today. Plenty of speculation but the answers will be known very soon. Here are the overall rankings that Pro Player Pipeline has assembled.

After the draft, activity will only increase. Here is the Kansas City Wizards Preseason Itinerary
Jan. 24 2008 MLS Supplemental Draft
Jan. 26 Players report to Kansas City for preseason training
Feb. 1-16 Preseason training in Bradenton, FL
Feb. 27 – March 14 Preseason training in Argentina
Mar. 29 Wizards Open Versus D.C. United at CommunityAmerica Ballpark

Deposits for 2008 season tickets are now being accepted. Call the Wizards at (913) 387-3400 or (877) 828-7222 to reserve your seats today.