This Week with the Wizards - Headlines for the Week of October 4, 2006:
* The Playoffs Begin Now
* Thank You Very Much: Wolff Named POTW
* Wizards & BBQ, A Great Combination
* Reserve Division Title Still Up In The Air
* See What The Wizards Have To Say
* The Playoff Picture
The Playoffs Begin Now
The Kansas City Wizards close out their regular season home schedule this
Saturday, October 7th when they host Chivas USA in the last regular season
game to be played at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT.
Both sides are fighting for positions in the 2006 MLS Cup Playoffs this
weekend as the Wizards are currently tied with the New York Red Bulls for
the fourth and final spot in the East, while Chivas sits in third in the
West, but is still within striking distance of fifth place Real Salt Lake as
the regular season enters its final two weeks. So some might say, the
playoffs begin this weekend at Arrowhead. To commemorate the last Wizards'
regular season game to be played at Arrowhead Stadium, the Wizards will be
handing out free 2006 team posters to the first 5,000 fans to walk through
the gates compliments of Pittcraft Printing. Following the match, fans can
have their team poster, or any other SINGLE item, signed by the entire
Wizards team at the Arrowhead Pavilion approximately 30 minutes after the
conclusion of the game. Prior to the match there will be a free pre-game
concert in parking lot C by Los Abandoned (www.losabandoned.com
) courtesy of National Gypsum beginning at 5:30
p.m.
Thank You Very Much
Wizards' forward Josh Wolff became the third Kansas City player this season
to earn Major League Soccer's Player of the Week honors this week following
his performance in KC's 3-3 draw against Real Salt Lake this past Saturday
when he scored one goal and tallied two assists. Wolff opened the scoring
in the 5th minute of play when he took a through ball from teammate Davy
Arnaud and drilled a shot into the upper right corner of the goal past Real
Salt Lake goalkeeper Scott Garlick. After Real Salt Lake took a 2-1 lead,
Wolff helped get the Wizards back in the game with an assist on Scott
Sealy's goal in the 54th minute to tie the game 2-2. He then began the
attack and recorded an assist on Kansas City's third goal, a Jose Luis
Burciaga Jr. tally in the 63rd minute. Sealy and Arnaud are the two other
Wizards' players to have earned the honor this season. It is Wolff's fifth
such award in his career.
Wizards & BBQ, A Great Combination
The Kansas City Wizards are taking part in one of Kansas City's largest and
most favored traditions this weekend as a participant in the American Royal
barbeque event. Members of the Kansas City Wizards and their staff will be
hosting a tent on Friday, October 6th from 12:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. in Lot C
just East of Hale Arena. There will be members of the Wizards on hand to
provide fans with autographed team pictures, and at some point between the
hours of 8:00 and 9:00 p.m., players Nick Garcia, Bo Oshoniyi, Sasha
Victorine will be on the main awards stage in Hale Arena offering a select
Wizards prize for the fans. For more information, directions, ticket
prices, and a map of the American Royal please visit www.americanroyal.com
.
Reserve Division Title Still Up In The Air
The Wizards' reserves host the Chivas USA reserves this Sunday having picked
up one more point in their quest at attaining Major League Soccer's Reserve
Division title this past weekend with a 1-1 tie against Real Salt Lake.
They enter this final weekend of the reserve division season trailing the
Colorado Rapids reserves by one point with the Rapids' reserves scheduled to
play the Red Bulls reserves in Colorado, also on Sunday. Although the
Wizards could potentially win the championship this weekend, and the prize
associated with it, they will not know for at least an hour following the
conclusion of their match as both games are scheduled to kickoff at 10:00
a.m., central time for Kansas City and mountain time for Colorado. With a
Wizards win and a Rapids tie or loss the Reserve Division title will belong
to KC, but its not just the team that is competing for a title, both Ryan
Pore and Yura Movsisyan currently sit two goals short of Houston's Chris
Wondolowski in the hunt for the division scoring title with nine. KC's
reserve match is free and will be played at the Arrowhead Practice Facility,
fans are encouraged to come and support their team, viewing is best down
from the above the field in Parking Lot N.
See What The Wizards Have To Say
A pair of Wizards players will be appearing on Metro Sports Talk this week,
which airs between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. on Metro Sports (TWC Ch. 30).
Midfielder Kerry Zavagnin will be on Thursday, October 5th and defender Nick
Garcia will be on Friday, October 6th. Fans can also catch Wizards' head
coach Brian Bliss on Between the Lines with Kevin Kietzman on 810 AM WHB
between 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.
The Playoff Picture
Following nearly two months of prognosticating the "what ifs" to determine
who would make the MLS Cup playoffs from the Eastern Conference, the picture
has become crystal clear...well almost crystal clear. With two games
remaining in the regular season the top three positions in the East have
been locked up with D.C. United in first, the Chicago Fire in second, and
the New England Revolution in third. Only two points separate Chicago and
New England, but it is assured the one will finish second and the other will
finish third, D.C. clinched first two weeks ago. Since the two and three
seeds face each other in the conference semifinals the only thing these two
teams are fighting for is where the second leg of the home-and-home series
will be played. Where the true battle lies is between Kansas City and New
York which are tied for fourth with 35 points heading into the last two
games of the season which will be capped by the regular season finale
between the two at Giants Stadium on October 14th. Columbus has been
eliminated from the postseason. Should Kansas City make the playoffs, the
schedule would pit United vs. the Wizards and the Fire vs. the Revolution in
the conference semifinals on the weekends of October 21/22 and October 28/29
with KC hosting United on Saturday, October 21st at 7:30 p.m. in Arrowhead
Stadium in the first leg. Below are the scenarios for Kansas City to make
the 2006 MLS Cup Playoffs. No matter what, the season finale will determine
which team takes the final playoff position. Metro Sports will be
broadcasting that match live in the Kansas City area, preceded by a
30-minute pregame show.
- A win in both of their next two games guarantees the Wizards a spot in the
playoffs
- A win vs. Chivas USA and a New York loss at Colorado, leaves KC only
needing a tie at NY to make it
- A tie vs. Chivas USA and a New York win at Colorado, KC would need a win
at NY to qualify
- A tie vs. Chivas USA and a New York loss at Colorado leaves KC needing
only to tie in NY
- If both teams post the same result this weekend, the winner in NY will
qualify
- If both teams post the same result this weekend and they tie in NY, the
Red Bulls will make it
- A loss vs. Chivas USA and a NY win at Colorado makes KC have to win at NY
to force a tie-breaker
Tie Breakers
1st: Head-to-Head (points per game) - would be even
2nd: Overall goal differential - NY currently holds a 1-goal advantage
- Therefore, KC would have to beat NY by more than: what KC
loses by this weekend, plus what NY
wins by this weekend, plus one, to make the
playoffs; or without the plus one go to the next tie breaker (differential
in KC loss to Chivas + differential in NY at Colorado + 2 or more = in,
differential in KC loss to Chivas + differential in NY at Colorado + 1 =
next tiebreaker, differential in KC loss to Chivas + differential in NY at
Colorado = out)
A more conscise and updated explanation
will be given if necessary following this weekend's play
3rd: Total Goals Scored - KC currently holds 2-goal advantage
4th: 1st through 3rd applied to road games - KC would advance with a
points-per-game advantage of 1.50 to 1.00
This Week's Training Schedule
Wednesday 10/4: Training 9:30 a.m. to approx. 11:15 a.m.
Thursday 10/5: Training 9:30 a.m. to approx. 11:15 a.m.
Friday 10/6: Training 9:30 a.m. to approx. 10:30 a.m.
Saturday 10/7: Wizards vs. Chivas USA - 7:30 p.m. Kickoff at Arrowhead
Stadium
Sunday 10/8: Wizards Reserves vs. Chivas USA Reserves - 10:00 a.m. Kickoff
at Arrowhead Practice Facility
Monday 10/9: OFF
*all training sessions are open to the media and take place at the Arrowhead Training Facility unless otherwise noted.
