Kansas City Wizards Weekly Update
October 27, 2008 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
The Kansas City Wizards enter the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs as the hottest team in Major League Soccer after compiling a 5-1-1 record to conclude the regular season. The Wizards begin postseason play with a four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) and are 7-0-3 in their last 10 matches at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Kansas City's opponent in the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series is the Columbus Crew, the best team in MLS throughout the regular season. After Saturday's opening game, the teams will play a second game Saturday, Nov. 8 in Columbus. The team that scores the most combined goals in the two games will be the series winner. If the aggregate score is tied after 90 minutes next Saturday, the series will go to 30 minutes of extra time (and then penalty kicks if needed). HDNet will show both games of the series live nationally, while Metro Sports will televise each match locally.
The Wizards look to bring the first Major League professional championship to Kansas City since their 2000 MLS Cup crown. Kansas City has qualified for the playoffs in each of the two seasons that locally-based ownership group OnGoal has controlled the team. In 2008, Kansas City increased its point total over the 2007 season from 40 to 42 by losing two fewer games and tying two more.
Tuesday, October 28 - Training
10:00 a.m. CT; Swope Park Training Center
Wednesday, October 29 - Training at CommunityAmerica Ballpark
10:00 a.m. CT; CommunityAmerica Ballpark
Thursday, October 30 - Training
10:00 a.m. CT; Swope Park Training Center
Friday, October 31 - Training
10:00 a.m. CT; Swope Park Training Center
Saturday, November 1 - Eastern Conference Semifinal Series Game 1
7:00 p.m. CT Kansas City Wizards vs. Columbus Crew at CommunityAmerica Ballpark
Kansas City Wizards Swope Park Training Center
6310 Lewis Road
Kansas City, MO 64132
Google Maps here
Wizards Offer Free Playoff Ticket for New 2009 Season Ticket Deposit
The Wizards will offer a free playoff ticket and a 2009 season ticket holder scarf to any fan who puts down a new deposit for 2009 season tickets from now through Nov 1. For more information, call the Wizards ticket office at (913) 387-3400. Family Four Packs courtesy of Pepsi and Hy-Vee will al8-3so be available for Saturday's match. Starting at just $79 (for a value of $125), fans that purchase a Family Four Pack will receive the following:
- Four (4) Kansas City Wizards tickets
- Four (4) hot dogs at the stadium
- One (1) Kansas City Wizards Stadium Blanket
- One (1) free 24 oz 6-pack of Dr. Pepper or Diet Dr. Pepper
- One (1) free 2-liter of Hawaiian Punch
- One (1) free 4-pack of AirForce Nutrisoda
- $5 off a $50 purchase at area Hy-Vee locations
These packages are available here at kcwizards.com or by calling the Wizards ticket office at (913) 387-3400. Individual tickets are also available online at Ticketmaster.com, by calling (816) 931-3330 or at any area Ticketmaster location.
Wizards Versus Crew Match-up Report
The Kansas City Wizards and Columbus Crew square off Saturday for the fourth time in 2008 in what has been a fast-paced rivalry over the past two seasons. Kansas City is 2-3-1 against Columbus since Curt Onalfo took over in 2007, including a 2-1-0 record at home. The rivalry has been intense, especially after Kansas City captured two 90th minute victories over Columbus in 2007. The Crew won the 2008 season series with a 2-0-1 record by outscoring Kansas City 8-4. Since Columbus defeated the Wizards at CommunityAmerica Ballpark on June 14, the Wizards have gone an impressive 7-0-3 at home.
Columbus boasts one of the top offenses in Major League Soccer, riding the production of Argentine playmaker Guillermo Barros Schelotto, young American wingers Robbie Rogers and Eddie Gaven and Venezuelan national team striker Alejandro Moreno. Schelotto led MLS with 19 assists and is a prime candidate for the League's MVP award. The Crew are also solid along the back line, featuring veteran center back Chad Marshall, veteran right back Frankie Hejduk, Argentine left back Gino Padula, defensive midfield Brian Carroll and former Wizards goalkeeper William Hesmer. The three goals posted by Kansas City in the teams' last contest on July 17 match the most surrendered by the Crew this season.
Kansas City boasts its own offensive firepower and stingy back line. The Wizards have scored 13 goals during their impressive seven-game stretch that coincided with the acquisitions of attacking players Herculez Gomez and Abe Thompson from Colorado and FC Dallas, respectively. At the same time, midfielder Davy Arnaud and Jack Jewsbury moved to the center of the pitch. Kansas City's only loss came when Jewsbury missed a game for yellow-card accumulation.
MLS veteran defender Jimmy Conrad and goalkeeper Kevin Hartman anchor the Wizards defense. Conrad, the team captain and five-time MLS All-Star, has brought stability to a back line that featured rotating talented young players around him all season. Hartman posted one of his best seasons as a professional with 10 shutouts to tie for the lead in MLS. Hartman also stopped 117 shots, the third-highest total of his career, on his way to playing every minute of the season. Second-year defender Michael Harrington was on the field each match alongside Conrad and Hartman, starting all 30 games after missing just one his rookie season. In total, eight different players started in defense for Kansas City while Conrad, Hartman and Harrington were three constants.
MLS Cup Playoff Picture
2008 MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule
All times Central; schedule subject to change
Conference Semifinals, Game 1:
- Chicago Fire at New England Revolution - Thurs. 10/30 at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2/Deportes
- Houston Dynamo at New York Red Bulls - Sat. 11/1 at 3 p.m. CT on MSG/Ch. 43/Direct Kick/MLS Live TV
- Chivas USA at Real Salt Lake - Sat. 11/1 at 5 p.m. CT on Fox Soccer Channel/Fox Sports en Español
- Columbus Crew at Kansas City Wizards - Sat. 11/1 at 7 p.m. CT on HDNet/ONN/Metro Sports/TWC-5/Direct Kick/MLS Live TV
Conference Semifinals, Game 2:
New England Revolution at Chicago Fire - Thurs. 11/6 at 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2/Deportes
Kansas City Wizards at Columbus Crew - Sat. 11/8 at 6:30 p.m. CT on HDNet/ ONN/Metro Sports/TWC-5/Direct Kick/MLS Live TV
Real Salt Lake at Chivas USA - Sat. 11/8 at 9:30 p.m. CT on Fox Soccer Channel/Fox Sports en Espanol
New York Red Bulls at Houston Dynamo - Sun. 11/9 at 2 p.m. CT on TeleFutura/MSG Plus/Ch. 55
Conference Championships, TBD - 11/13 and either 11/15 or 11/16 (ESPN2/Deportes/HDNet/FSC/FSE)
MLS Cup 2008 - Sunday, Nov. 23 at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC and TeleFutura
MLS CUP PLAYOFFS FORMAT
Who Qualifies: Eight teams qualify for the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs. Playoff berths will be determined by points in the standings upon the completion of the regular season. All 14 teams will have played 30 games.
- The top three teams in each conference qualify and are seeded 1, 2 & 3 in their respective four-team playoff conference brackets.
- The two MLS teams with the next most points, regardless of conference, receive "wildcard" berths.
- The two wildcard teams will be seeded according to conference first.
- If more than four teams qualify from one conference, the team finishing lower than fourth in its conference will shift over to the other conference bracket.
- A team switching conference brackets will be seeded below all other teams in its new conference playoff bracket.
Playoff Format: Conference Semifinal series are conducted in a home-and-home, aggregate-goal format. The lower seeded team in the Conference Semifinal hosts the first game. The winners of those four series advance to single-game Conference Championships that will determine the MLS Cup Finalists.
The team that scores the most goals in the home-and-home series advances to the single elimination Conference Championship. If the teams are tied after 180 minutes in the Conference Semifinal series, a 30-minute extra time period (divided into two 15-minute periods) will be played followed by kicks from the penalty mark, if necessary. The team with the higher seed between the two Conference finalists will host the Conference Championship game.
In the case of ties after 90 minutes of regulation in the Eastern and Western Conference Championship games and MLS Cup, 30 minutes of extra time (divided into two 15-minute periods) would be played followed by kicks from the penalty mark, if necessary, to determine the winners.
Hartman's Pink Goalkeeper Jersey Auctioned Off as Part of Breast Cancer Fundraiser
Two of goalkeeper Kevin Hartman's autographed, pink jerseys from the October 11 match against the New England Revolution are still available for auction at kcwizards.com. Hartman wore two jerseys in the match (one in each half), and both will be available for sale. Proceeds from the sale will be matched by the game sponsor American Family Insurance and donated to Young Survival Coalition, an organization dedicated to assisting young women who currently have or are survivors of breast cancer. Opening bid for both jerseys is set at $175.
The Jimmy Conrad Show Live from McFadden's Wednesday
The Jimmy Conrad Show will be hosted by Jimmy Conrad and voice of the Sean Wheelock live from McFadden's in Kansas City's Power and Light District Wednesday, October 29 at either 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. CT depending upon 810's coverage of the World Series. If the World Series is over, the show will begin at 7 p.m. CT. If it continues to Wednesday, the Conrad Show will begin at 6 p.m. CT. This week, Conrad and Wheelock will chat about the upcoming MLS Cup Playoffs and be joined by a guest from around Major League Soccer.
Archives of The Jimmy Conrad Show are available online at the Wizards podcast page.
MLS Cup Playoff Press Conference Held Thursday at Swope Park
The Wizards weekly press conference will be held on Thursday this week and start at 12:00 p.m. CT at the pavilion adjacent to the team's Swope Park Training Center. Head Coach Curt Onalfo and a player will be the guests this week to discuss the Wizards quest to a second MLS Cup championship. Planet Sub sandwiches and cookies will be provided to all media members who attend. Each Kansas City Wizards practice will still be open to media, and outlets are encouraged to take advantage of the Wizards media policy.
Zona Wizards Airs Live Thursday on La Playa 1480 AM, Time Warner Cable Channel 5
Zona Wizards, the weekly Spanish-language radio and TV show, will air live this Thursday at 2 p.m. on La Playa 1480 AM and Time Warner Cable Channel 5. Hosted by Enrique Morales and Raul Villegas, Zona Wizards will feature a player each week.
Wizards Weekly to Air Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Wizards Weekly, Kansas City's weekly magazine show covering the Wizards will feature Head Coach Curt Onalfo and a player each week. Metro Sports will air Wizards Weekly three times per week.
Wizards Weekly show times:
Thursday's 9:30 p.m. CT
Friday's 6:30 p.m. CT
Saturday's 11:30 a.m. CT
• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...
Major League Soccer Stories from October 27, 2008
- Chivas USA Playoff Update - Club Deportivo Chivas USA
- Earthquakes Weekly Update - San Jose Earthquakes
- Chicago Fire Weekly Notes - Chicago Fire FC
- Kansas City Wizards Weekly Update - Sporting Kansas City
- Statements from Shalrie Joseph and the New England Revolution - New England Revolution
- Chicago Fire Announce 2008 Year-End Awards Recipients - Chicago Fire FC
- New York Red Bulls Weekly Update - New York Red Bulls
- Chicago Fire Forward Chris Rolfe Wins MLS Player of the Week in Final Week of MLS Regular Season - MLS
- Revs and Fire to open 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium - New England Revolution
- 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule Announced - MLS
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
