Tag Archives: MLS

See Jack Jewsbury playing in the MLS All-Star game July 27th on ESPN2

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My prediction, Jack Jewsbury will score Wednesday night in the All Star game!

Springfield native Jack Jewsbury will be making his first Major League Soccer All-Star game appearance in his 9 years in the league. The team will be playing against Manchester United. As captain for the Portland Timbers, he has started in 19 games this season and leads the team in goals and assists. To many this may be a surprise. It has been comical to listen to the ESPN and Fox Soccer announcers talk of how surprised they were that he could score…

From an early age many people in Springfield grew up watching Jack hit the back of the net. First the old days with me on the Titan Soccer Club, to his days at Kickapoo High School where he has the Missouri state record for most goals in a season. He has always found a way to score. Jack has always had an ability with the ball and a mental toughness just faster then the rest of us.

Now after 9 seasons in the league he has been rewarded for his hard work. He was transferred to a great new expansion team in the league, started every game, taken every set piece and look what happens! He is scoring goals and is one of the best set piece takers in the league. He has also been selected as one the top 11 players in the league by the fans.

On Wednesday night in New York, 7:30 central time, Jack will take the field with some of the greatest players in the world. He will be playing along side David Beckham and Thierry Henry. The opponent Manchester United with Wayne Rooney, Nani, Ferdinand, and the legendary Ryan Giggs. This is an honor well deserved and I congratulate him on such a great career.

Based on the years of following Jack, if he can get a set piece away from Beckham, there will be a goal for sure! So tune in to ESPN2 to find out. Check out sgfsoccer for an interview with Jack about his experiences at the All Star game.

MLS Superdraft Live On ESPN2 Thursday

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MLS_superdraft_2011The annual MLS SuperDraft, presented by adidas, will take place Thursday at 11 a.m. CT, with the 1st round broadcast live on ESPN2 and the two remaining rounds broadcast live on MLSsoccer.com.

The event is being held in Baltimore, also the location of the NSCAA convention this week.

Sporting Kansas City currently controls the following draft picks:
10th overall (1st round)
32nd overall (2nd round, from Real Salt Lake)
46th overall (3rd round)

For the full draft order, click here. Full SuperDraft coverage is available at MLSsoccer.com/SuperDraft.

Major League Soccer – Seattle vs Philadelphia Tonight on ESPN2

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Chloe Gonzalez, Philadelphia Union supporter

Chloe Gonzalez, Philadelphia Union supporter (Eddie's daughter)

Opening Night for Major League Soccer kicks off with a match between the defending champion Seattle Sounders and the new boys, Philadelphia Union, at Qwest Field in Seattle. The match is being broadcast live on ESPN2, beginning at 8:30 pm so we should all be able to catch the game following High School soccer today.

Seattle coach Sigi Schmid has said that a big piece of the Sounders’ puzzle in Year Two will be increased defensive intensity. Seattle is betting that the raucous sellout crowd, combined with extensive defensive pressure, will be enough to breach the Union’s defense in the first match of the MLS season Thursday night at Qwest Field.

“We always want to do that when we’re playing at home,” said Schmid. “Towards the end of last season, a lot of teams sat back against us at home, so we have to work on breaking down a team like that in game situations.

“We’ve worked on that in training and we think we have the pieces of the puzzle to do break that down. We certainly want to carry the game to them.”

The game is being played on schedule thanks to the fact that MLS and the MLS Players Union came to an agreement on a Collective Bargaining Agreement over the weekend. If you haven’t seen the details, here they are. I’m happy that they were able to come to an agreement and it looks like a fair one, within the constraints of controlling spending but also recognizing the players needs.

I’m considering getting Direct Kick this year, it seems to be the primary way to keep up with the KC Wizards. Anyone have a suggestion on a bar/restaurant that might consider picking up the Commercial license?

Major League Soccer’s Direct Kick television package is now available for $79, providing fans the opportunity to watch up to 160 MLS regular season matches and select playoff games during the 2010 season.

Starting March 26, satellite TV providers DIRECTV and DISH Network®, along with digital cable provider iN DEMAND Networks, will once again each present regional telecasts of Major League Soccer action. Major League Soccer has collaborated with all three providers to offer a FREE PREVIEW period, Friday, March 26, during the opening week of the season known as MLS First Kick presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods.

The residential price is just $79 on any of the three platforms. Commercial establishments can purchase the package for a flat rate of $100. The package will be available for purchase through each outlet between now and the end of the season.

MLS Direct Kick will include regional broadcasts of MLS regular-season and select MLS Cup Playoff games, including pre-game and post-game shows (when available). All 240 games of the 2010 regular season, the 2010 MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup Playoffs and MLS Cup 2010 will be available between the MLS Direct Kick package and national broadcast partners ABC, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports en Español, and Univisión network Telefutura.

The League’s full schedule, including television broadcasts, is available at www.MLSnet.com. All MLS Direct Kick package telecasts are subject to change and local blackout restrictions.

KC Wizards Break Ground On New Kansas Complex

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KC Wizards Stadium renderings, Jan 2010

KC Wizards Stadium renderings, Jan 2010

Kansas City Wizards ownership group OnGoal, LLC announced Tuesday that approval has been granted for a state-of-the-art soccer-centric stadium for the Wizards and a nearby youth-soccer complex. Construction is set to begin tomorrow at the stadium site, located across from Nebraska Furniture Mart and The Legends in the Village West district of Kansas City, Kansas. The Wizards, a founding member of Major League Soccer (MLS), will become the first Major League professional sports team to play its home games in the State of Kansas and the 12th MLS team to play in a venue built for specifically for soccer. Kansas City is preparing for its 15th MLS season, with the League expanding to include 16 teams.

“This is a great day for soccer in Kansas City,” OnGoal CEO Robb Heineman said. “After a lengthy process to keep the team in the metropolitan area, OnGoal and the Kansas City Wizards are thrilled to receive final approval for our stadium and fields complex. There are so many people to thank, including Mayor Reardon and the Unified Government, Governor Parkinson and countless others. Our vision will now become reality for our supporters and organization. We have designed the first authentic American soccer stadium that will showcase and help grow the beautiful game of soccer, while providing all of the modern amenities expected from a modern American sports facility. The stadium has been designed to deliver the highest-level guest experience in an intimate, loud and intimidating atmosphere to build a true home field advantage for the Wizards.”

The Wizards stadium is part of a larger $400+ million project developed by OnGoal and LANE4 Property Group that will help fulfill the initial vision of the Village West project. Additions will include a world-class tournament field complex with 18-24 fields for major youth sporting events and an office complex for Cerner Corporation expansion. The soccer facilities are projected to host more than 300 event dates with over 800 events annually, drawing more than 2.5 million attendees to the area. The Wizards stadium would also play host to concerts, international soccer matches, American football games, rugby matches, lacrosse games, field hockey events and more. The field complex would be an attractive host to major national and regional soccer tournaments due to Kansas City’s central location in the United States and the surrounding development at Village West. The complex will also host other tournaments and sporting events for men, women and children and in multiple sports.

More details can be found here!

Missouri State Bear Lance Parker Signs With Chivas USA

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Lance Parker “Ya, I am an MLS Player now” is the response I got from Lance when I asked him to explain what he meant when he wrote “also, I signed my developmental contract this morning” at the end of an update on their games this week. How understated is that? So Major League Soccer once again has a Missouri State Bear goalkeeper in its ranks (Picken’s is in England now) with Lance agreeing to terms with Chivas.

Starter Brad Guzan is out injured so Lance is the second string right now and he’s starting with the Reserves, losing 1-2 on Wednesday. So one less senior celebrating their final semester on the 3rd floor balcony across the street from my place – but he’s traded it for the sunshine and beaches of LA. How cool is that. Anyone got a trip planned to LA this summer?

I’ll point to any press releases that come out soon. Photo courtesy of Parker Photography.

US Soccer Referees – Some Pointers

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In keeping with my opener for 2008 I thought I’d take a moment to point to a few referee blogs that I read regularly. They offer an important view on the game and it’s ultimate development. So if you’re a true fan of the game, find some time to check these sites out and follow their developing stories…

For The Integrity of Soccer opens a series of articles on Joe Machnik, Major League Soccer’s Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner for On-Field Competition, the guy who acts as the league’s liaison with the US Soccer Federation on officiating issues. He opens with a story about playing for KU against Rockhurst 30 years ago, when both schools had club teams, and the common issues we still face trying to be part of the international game.

US Soccer Players digs a bit deeper with Major League Soccer’s Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis, regarding the standards of refereeing in MLS and how it might improve, and how the poor bench behavior of some coaches and players isn’t helping the officials to do their jobs .

Finally, A Refs Blog discusses How To Be Mean as he recaps the Top 10 posts of 2007. This one stood out for me based upon some discussions I’ve had with Springfield’s most senior referee, Andy Ellsworth, and his experiences at National Referee camps. There are also several good reports on his experiences at the Region II Tournament last June in Des Moines that are worth a read. I’m fairly certain this guy is based in MN based up his writing although understandably he remains anonymous as he tells his story of working his way up the ranks of US Soccer.

KC Wizards Holding Open Tryouts – February 23-24

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From the KC Wizards website

KC Wizards LogoThe Kansas City Wizards will hold open tryouts for players 18 years of age and older on February 23 – 24, 2008. The tryouts, held at the Wizards Swope Park Training Center, are open to the first 300 registrants. In the event of inclement weather, tryouts will be held indoors at an alternate facility. Finalists will be given the chance to tryout with the Wizards first team and, potentially, sign a professional contract. Registration costs $125

Registration Link

Participants will take part in matches Saturday, with the top players called back for Sunday’s session. Finalists will then get the opportunity to tryout with the Wizards first team in March with the chance of securing a contract. See below for more information.

Hat tip to Down The Byline who notes that according to a Wizards source he talked to, there are already international players who have registered.