Weekly Update: Spoiling United
Wizards look to crush D.C. United's playoff hopes in final game of season
WEEKLY SCHEDULE:
The Kansas City Wizards play their final match of the 2009 Major League Soccer season Saturday at CommunityAmerica Ballpark against D.C. United. The match will serve as Fan Appreciation Night at CAB, with the first 5,000 fans receiving a Wizards T-shirt. The team will also host a post-game autograph signing by the entire Wizards squad on the field for all fans in attendance. Kansas City was eliminated from MLS Cup Playoff contention last weekend, but the Wizards will look to play spoiler Saturday as D.C. United attempts to qualify for the playoffs on the final weekend of the MLS regular season. The Wizards will train at 10 a.m. CT each day Tuesday-Friday this week, with the team's weekly press conference held at 12 p.m. CT on Thursday.STRIKER JOSH WOLFF SETS CAREER HIGH WITH 11 GOALS:
Kansas City Wizards forward Josh Wolff has turned in a career year at the age of 32. Wolff surpassed his previous career high on Saturday night, putting home his 11th regular-season strike of the year to move into a tie for 5th in goals during the 2009 Major League Soccer season. Wolff now has 73 career goals, good for a tie for 13th place in League history with LA's Edson Buddle. Wolff and Buddle are tied for 8th in career goals among active players.Wolff has also surpassed the 200-games plateau this season, becoming the 58th player in MLS history to do so. Wolff has scored 41 goals in a Wizards uniform, moving past midfielder Chris Klein earlier this season for 2nd place in club history. Wolff has also set a new career high with 26 games started in 2009 with one match remaining. Should he play Saturday against D.C. United, Wolff will finish with 27 games played, one game behind his career high for games played in a season set in 1999 with the Chicago Fire.
WIZARDS HOST D.C. UNITED SATURDAY ON FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT:
Saturday's match against D.C. United will kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT and serve as Fan Appreciation Night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The first 5,000 fans will receive a Wizards T-shirt courtesy of Armed Forces Insurance. The entire Wizards squad will gather on the field for a post-game autograph session for all fans in attendance. The Wizards will offer great food and beverage specials throughout, as $2 12-oz beer will be available at all concessions stands. One (1) soda and one (1) hot dog will cost only $4 throughout the game. Selected merchandise will also be on sale for the final match of the 2009 season as the Wizards look to derail D.C. United's playoff hopes.SATURDAY TO ALSO SERVE AS MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT:
In addition to general Fan Appreciation activities, the Wizards have teamed up with Armed Forces Insurance to recognize service men and women. Together with Armed Forces Insurance and other local business, the Wizards will provide tickets via the Tickets for Troops program to members of the Second Brigade from Fort Riley as they return from service in Iraq. The soldiers will be recognized on the field before the match, sing the National Anthem and participate in other game-day activities.HARVESTERS PARTNER WITH WIZARDS ON CANNED-FOOD DRIVE:
The Kansas City Wizards and Harvesters will hold a canned-food drive outside all three gates Saturday as the Wizards host D.C. United. Fans who bring 3 cans or give a $3 donation will receive a Wizards linen bag, courtesy of M&I Bank. All attendees are encouraged to bring canned goods and show their support of the Kansas City community.Harvesters will hold their Student Food Drive Kick-Off in a tailgate area outside Gate C. There will be a skit competition for local high school participants, with Kansas City Wizards players serving as judges. The team with the "Best Skit" at the tailgate will receive the opportunity to come down on the field pre-game to watch warm-ups and will receive recognition during pre-match ceremonies. In addition, the school that collects the most food during the tailgate will win a visit and congratulations from Kansas City Wizards players and Starting 11 Girls at their school.
PLAYER-WORN JERSEY AUCTION BEGINS TUESDAY:
Kansas City Wizards player-worn jerseys will go on sale Tuesday by 5 p.m. CT through the auction page at www.kcwizards.com. The charity auction will end on Wednesday, November 4 at 9:30 p.m. CT. Starting prices will vary between $125-$200. All proceeds from the auction will go to the KC Soccer Foundation, benefiting Grassroot Soccer. The proceeds made from goalkeeper Kevin Hartman's pink jersey will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer research.THE JIMMY CONRAD SHOW TO AIR THURSDAY DUE TO MLB PLAYOFFS:
The Jimmy Conrad Show, presented by Budweiser, will return to the air this Thursday from 6-7 p.m. CT from Fox and Hound in Overland Park. The show has been moved due to a conflict with the Major League Baseball Playoffs Wednesday night. Conrad returns from duty with the U.S. National Team that saw the Kansas City captain serve as an unused substitute in a 3-2 win at Honduras as the USA clinched a berth in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Conrad was also an unused sub in a 2-2 tie against Costa Rica at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. last Wednesday. The show is broadcast live locally over the air on Sports Radio 810 WHB and streamed live at www.kcwizards.com. Fans can download archives of The Jimmy Conrad Show from the podcast page at kcwizards.com.Fox and Hound - Overland Park
10428 Metcalf Ave
Overland Park, KS 66212
(913) 649-1700
Google Maps Link
KANSAS CITY, ARROWHEAD STADIUM MAKE SHORT LIST FOR USA BID:
The USA Bid Committee Inc. announced August 20 that Kansas City and Arrowhead Stadium are one of 27 cities and 32 venues, down from 70 initial stadia in 52 cities, on the short list to be included in the United States' bid to host the FIFA World Cup™ in either 2018 or 2022. The USA Bid Committee will submit their bid to world soccer's governing body, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), in May of 2010. FIFA will select host countries for the 2018 and 2022 events in December of 2010. The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee is Co-Chaired by Kansas City Chiefs Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt and Cerner Corporation's Chairman and CEO and Kansas City Wizards co-owner Neal Patterson. Fans are encouraged to show their support for the bid by visiting www.goUSAbid.com and signing the petition to bring the FIFA World Cup™ to the United States.The 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Germany announced a total economic impact of approximately $6.2 billion and the creation of 50,000 new jobs, while recording that two million tourists spent approximately $766 million. The USA Bid Committee is currently undertaking an economic impact study for an event in the United States in 2018 or 2022.
Kansas City's bid committee also includes Kansas City Wizards Technical Director/Interim Head Coach Peter Vermes, a former FIFA World Cup™ participant who represented the United States 67 times at the international level. Vermes helped lead a young squad to an improbable qualification in the 1990 World Cup in Italy, the first trip for the United States in 40 years. The United States has qualified for each of the next four FIFA World Cup™ tournaments, one of the longest active streaks in the world.
"Appearing in the FIFA World Cup™ was the highlight of my playing career, and helping to bring the event to my adopted hometown of Kansas City would be a highlight of my post-playing career," Vermes said. "The FIFA World Cup™ is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event, and I hope everyone here in the Heart of the Continent will experience the energy in either 2018 or 2022."
The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee features members and expertise from a wide range of Kansas City metropolitan area public and private entities from both sides of the state line, including: The Kansas City Chiefs; Kansas City Wizards' ownership group OnGoal, LLC; the Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation; the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association; the City of Kansas City, Missouri; the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas; and POPULOUS, formerly HOK Sport Venue Event.
