Wizards fashion models

You can see the Wizards' Kerry Zavagnin, Nick Garcia, Jose Burciaga, Jr., Will John, Tyson Wahl, Ryan McMahen and Eric Kronberg in the new issue of Urban Times.

They're the cover boys and inside they even pose shirtless.


http://urbantimeskc.com/pdf/september07/sept07_life_style.pdf


Next stop: GQ.

OnGoal ownership controversy

Ha. Just wanted to get your attention with that header.

In fact, if you're a Wizards fan, you've got to love OnGoal, in particular Cliff Illig. I had the chance to talk with him at length last month and he came across as a passionate supporter of the game, the Wizards fans (he loves the Cauldron) and the players. In fact, here's what he had to say about the boys in blue:

"I am impressed with how great a group these guys are. How smart they are, how tuned-in they are, how much they want to understand the way we would want things to work. I think they’re doing the very best they can to deliver on their side of it."

That didn't make the Q&A I had with him. Here's the entire interview (a partial version ran in The Star):


http://www.kansascity.com/sports/wizards/story/259168.html

Josh Wolff commercial

When I talked with Josh Wolff after the United States game against Brazil in Chicago, he said that his new employer, 1860 Munich, gets the players out and about. Turns out he was even in a commercial. Here he is:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72Q8aJzrlcQ


You can see some 1860 Munich game highlights on youtube as well.

Bannister Mall tidbits

Reports on the proposed stadium at Bannister Mall put the stadium size at 18,500. But according to documents submitted to the Kansas City Economic Development Council, the stadium size would be between 17,000 and 22,000 seats and could expand to 27,000 with temporary seating.

The cost of the stadium would be $140 million, with Wizards’ owners OnGoal kicking in $65 million. The other $75 million would be part of the $267 million of public money that is being sought for the project.

One player said OnGoal was working with different companies to come up with the best turf for the conditions. He added that a heated field may be in the works as well. That would certainly be a good thing if KC were to get the MLS Cup here. You never know what the weather is going to be like in November.

Best of all: No football lines on the field. Ever.

Christian Gomez ... a Wizard?

OK, so the Wizards deal Yura Movsisyan to Real Salt Lake for part of the Freddy Adu allocation and two draft picks. Now D.C. United is reportedly going to bring in midfielder Juan Sebastián Veron.

http://njmg.typepad.com/sbi/2007/09/dc-closing-in-o.html

Veron plays the same position as Christian Gomez. The Wizards midfield could use a boost. Gomez is an Argentine. The Wizards have a couple of Argentines on the roster. The Wizards now have more money (thanks to allocation) and picks that they could deal. Is there a link? Or is this just a crazy thought?

Realignment?

As MLS continues growing, it's going to be increasingly difficult to create a balanced schedule -- unless it followed the rest of the world and had each team play a home-and-away with the other teams in the schedule.

There will be 14 teams in the league next year, so a home-and-away with each team would be a 26-game schedule. That seems like enough games, considering the plans to expand SuperLiga and the desire to play foreign clubs in friendlies during the season. MLS doesn't need to muck it up by trying to play more games against conference rivals.

But if MLS does, maybe the league should go back to three divisions, which look like this:

East: D.C., New York, New England, Toronto, Columbus
Central: Wizards, Chicago, Houston, Dallas
West: Colorado, Salt Lake, Chivas USA, Galaxy, San Jose

Here's the thinking: With St. Louis continuing to make strides, that franchise would be a natural to join the Central (that's why the Crew is in the East). For the playoffs you could take the three division winners and the next five teams based on points regardless of divisions.

Will Kuhns, the MLS director of communications, said in an e-mail: “At this time, there are no plans to go to a three-division alignment, but the entire competition structure is being reviewed by the Technical Committee, which will make recommendations going forward. It is too early in that process to say whether that will result in changes for next season or beyond."

Any thoughts?