I've heard that former Wizard Chris Konopka is on a three-week trial in England with English Football League One side Walsall FC.
According to a release, Konopka said he has received interest within the past week from clubs IFK Goteberg and Orebro from Sweden's Allsveskan and Legia Warszawa from Poland's Ekstraklasa as well as a few other clubs from England.
The Wizards elected not to exercise his contract extension, so the 22-year-old can sign anywhere.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Expansion draft
The MLS expansion draft is Wednesday and the league announced the protected players from each team. Here's who the Wizards made available:
Jose Burciaga; Eloy Colombano; Edson Elcock; AJ Godblot; Willy Guadarrama; Kevin Hartman; Aaron Hohlbein; Will John; Chris Konopka; Michael Kraus; Eric Kronberg; Amir Lowery; Ryan McMahen; Ryan Pore; Ryan Raybould; Tyson Wahl; Lance Watson.
Perhaps the biggest surprises (to me) are Hartman (probably has too big of a contract) and Colombano (thought he'd be given more time to show himself).
Here are the rules of protecting players:
** Teams may protect 11 players between their Senior and their Developmental Roster.
If the Player’s contract expires at the end of 2007, he will still be considered part of the Team’s Senior Roster.
** If a Team protects a player, it is not obligated to exercise the player’s option. It may renegotiate a new budget number for the player as in previous years.
** If a player retires, he will not be a part of the Senior Roster, but his Team will lose its right of first refusal to him should he ultimately decide to play.
** Designated Players do not have to be protected unless the player has a No-Trade clause in his contract in which case the player must be protected.
Go to KansasCity.com/sports for more Wizards coverage.
Jose Burciaga; Eloy Colombano; Edson Elcock; AJ Godblot; Willy Guadarrama; Kevin Hartman; Aaron Hohlbein; Will John; Chris Konopka; Michael Kraus; Eric Kronberg; Amir Lowery; Ryan McMahen; Ryan Pore; Ryan Raybould; Tyson Wahl; Lance Watson.
Perhaps the biggest surprises (to me) are Hartman (probably has too big of a contract) and Colombano (thought he'd be given more time to show himself).
Here are the rules of protecting players:
** Teams may protect 11 players between their Senior and their Developmental Roster.
If the Player’s contract expires at the end of 2007, he will still be considered part of the Team’s Senior Roster.
** If a Team protects a player, it is not obligated to exercise the player’s option. It may renegotiate a new budget number for the player as in previous years.
** If a player retires, he will not be a part of the Senior Roster, but his Team will lose its right of first refusal to him should he ultimately decide to play.
** Designated Players do not have to be protected unless the player has a No-Trade clause in his contract in which case the player must be protected.
Go to KansasCity.com/sports for more Wizards coverage.
Friday, November 16, 2007
New Stadium stuff
Don't know if this every made our Web site or the paper, but here are some interesting tidbits from the feasibility study done on the potential Wizards stadium at Bannister Mall:
*The average paid attendance is expected to be 13,500 for 20 Wizards games
*Average ticket price: $20
*Parking would likely be $3, but would be rolled into the ticket price -- so it'd still be free
*The stadium will have 30 luxury suites and 400 club seats, which would generate an estimated annual premium revenue of $646,000
*There would be 12 women's pro games (expected attendance: 5,000)
*Naming rights for the stadium would bring in $800,000 in 2010 and rise to $900,000 by 2014
*Concession revenue would be split 50-50 between the Wizards and the stadium owners (the city)
*The average paid attendance is expected to be 13,500 for 20 Wizards games
*Average ticket price: $20
*Parking would likely be $3, but would be rolled into the ticket price -- so it'd still be free
*The stadium will have 30 luxury suites and 400 club seats, which would generate an estimated annual premium revenue of $646,000
*There would be 12 women's pro games (expected attendance: 5,000)
*Naming rights for the stadium would bring in $800,000 in 2010 and rise to $900,000 by 2014
*Concession revenue would be split 50-50 between the Wizards and the stadium owners (the city)
Monday, November 12, 2007
Jersey sponsors
End of the season, so it's time to empty the notebook a bit.
This summer, Jose Burciaga, Jr., told me that the team had seen yellow/gold jerseys that were being considered as third jerseys. Wizards VP Greg Cotton laughed that off (literally) saying there were no plans for such jerseys. But I heard this elsewhere later, and while we have no announcement on jerseys for next year, we'll have to wait and see if this turns out to be true.
Burciaga also said that Sprint was on the front of the jerseys. Hmmm. That would make perfect sense as a jersey sponsor. The team is still working on that deal, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Sprint get the nod.
Anyone else have a company they'd like to see on the Wizards' jerseys next season?
This summer, Jose Burciaga, Jr., told me that the team had seen yellow/gold jerseys that were being considered as third jerseys. Wizards VP Greg Cotton laughed that off (literally) saying there were no plans for such jerseys. But I heard this elsewhere later, and while we have no announcement on jerseys for next year, we'll have to wait and see if this turns out to be true.
Burciaga also said that Sprint was on the front of the jerseys. Hmmm. That would make perfect sense as a jersey sponsor. The team is still working on that deal, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Sprint get the nod.
Anyone else have a company they'd like to see on the Wizards' jerseys next season?
Friday, November 2, 2007
Vote Kerry
Kerry Zavagnin's awesome goal against Chivas has made the cut. It's one of the top 10 finalists for goal of the year.
Here's where you can vote:
http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/awards/2007/goal_of_the_year/
Here's where you can vote:
http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/awards/2007/goal_of_the_year/
Monday, October 29, 2007
Revisionist history: Bruce Arena
Here's something that has been kicking around in that empty space between my ears: What if Bruce Arena was still coaching the U.S. national team.
How could that happen? In 2005, when the groups for the 2006 World Cup were announced, the U.S. and Mexico were running neck-and-neck to get a top spot in one of the groups. Ultimately, Mexico got the nod. But what if FIFA had correctly given the top spot to the United States?
Instead of Italy, Ghana and the Czech Republic, the U.S. would have been grouped with Portugal, Iran and Angola. There's a good chance that the U.S. finishes second in the group and ends up playing Argentina in the round of 16.
Even if the U.S. had lost to Argentina, wouldn't the perception have been that the U.S. had a pretty good showing in the World Cup? It's not a leap to think Arena keeps his job and we never have to suffer through that messy Juergen Klinsmann courtship.
More dominoes: The Wizards would be playing a Bob Bradley-led Chivas USA instead of Preki. And maybe, Mo Johnston is still in New York facing New England, while Bob Gansler finishes his first season in Toronto.
For more on the MLS playoffs, check out today's soccer notes in the Star:
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/wizards/story/338189.html
How could that happen? In 2005, when the groups for the 2006 World Cup were announced, the U.S. and Mexico were running neck-and-neck to get a top spot in one of the groups. Ultimately, Mexico got the nod. But what if FIFA had correctly given the top spot to the United States?
Instead of Italy, Ghana and the Czech Republic, the U.S. would have been grouped with Portugal, Iran and Angola. There's a good chance that the U.S. finishes second in the group and ends up playing Argentina in the round of 16.
Even if the U.S. had lost to Argentina, wouldn't the perception have been that the U.S. had a pretty good showing in the World Cup? It's not a leap to think Arena keeps his job and we never have to suffer through that messy Juergen Klinsmann courtship.
More dominoes: The Wizards would be playing a Bob Bradley-led Chivas USA instead of Preki. And maybe, Mo Johnston is still in New York facing New England, while Bob Gansler finishes his first season in Toronto.
For more on the MLS playoffs, check out today's soccer notes in the Star:
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/wizards/story/338189.html
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Chivas quotes
Thought I'd drop a couple of postgame quotes in here from Chivas USA. They're feeling confident despite being down 1-0.
From Jesse Marsch: "We feel good about tonight's result. I thought we dominated the match. We were able to dictate the game the way we wanted. We didn't give them any chances tonight, and we were unfortunate that the free kick glanced off the wall."
From Brad Guzan: "I think we were unlucky to have the ball deflect off Paulo (Nagamura)'s face on the free kick. Other then that I thought we dominated the game. Look at the second half we dominated the possession. We created the majority of chances (and) just couldn't put one in the net."
Here's is Bob Luder's game report in the Star:
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/wizards/story/336474.html
Any predictions on the return leg?
From Jesse Marsch: "We feel good about tonight's result. I thought we dominated the match. We were able to dictate the game the way we wanted. We didn't give them any chances tonight, and we were unfortunate that the free kick glanced off the wall."
From Brad Guzan: "I think we were unlucky to have the ball deflect off Paulo (Nagamura)'s face on the free kick. Other then that I thought we dominated the game. Look at the second half we dominated the possession. We created the majority of chances (and) just couldn't put one in the net."
Here's is Bob Luder's game report in the Star:
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/wizards/story/336474.html
Any predictions on the return leg?
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