This Week with the Wizards - Headlines for the Week of October 11, 2006:
* Win And You're In
* Playoff Tickets Available
* Two In A Row
* Wizards' Official Budweiser Watch Party Network
** This Week's Training Schedule
Win And You're In
After 31 final whistles, 2,790 minutes played, 41 goals scored, 50 yellow cards issued, one World Cup, two coaches, two owners, four MLS Players of the Week, and one MLS Player of the Month, the Kansas City Wizards' 2006 MLS Cup Playoff hopes come down to 90 minutes of soccer this Saturday, October 14th at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Following 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 for the Wizards and New York Red Bulls, win and you're in. Currently sporting a two-point advantage on the Red Bulls, Kansas City needs only a tie to advance to the playoffs with the fourth seed in the East, but a win would be better heading into the postseason. For New York, a win is the only way in. Season finales don't ever get more exciting than what this Saturday's match will bring. Metro Sports, with Sean Wheelock on the call, will be broadcasting that match live to the Kansas City area and it will be preceded by a 30-minute pregame show. After three prior meetings this season, New York holds the edge in the season series at 1-0-2 with their lone win, a 1-0 affair, coming at Giants Stadium on July 22nd. Kickoff for the season finale, pseudo-playoff match, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. In addition to the Metro Sports broadcast which can be seen on Time Warner Cable channel 30, as well multiple Comcast cable service providers throughout the metro area, the match will also be carried on MLS's Direct Kick packages.
Playoff Tickets Available
The Wizards unveiled their special "Bury 'em In Blue" ticket package for their potential home playoff match next Saturday, October 21st, at Arrowhead Stadium against D.C. United. If Kansas City does indeed make the playoffs with a win or tie this weekend, they will play a home-and-home series with United, the first game of which will kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium on October 21st will be at 7:30 p.m. CT. The second leg will be played at RFK Stadium in the Nation's Capitol on Sunday, October 29th at 5:00 p.m. CT and will carried live on ESPN2. The Bury 'em In Blue package consists of four Sideline Reserved tickets and four blue Wizards t-shirts beginning at just
$56 for Outer Sideline seating and $64 dollars for Midfield seating. Ticket packages for the potential Wizards/United match can be purchased at this time by calling 816-920-4730. Individual seating will be available for the match, however, a minimum of four tickets must be purchased in order to receive the complimentary Wizards t-shirt. Individual ticket sales will be available for purchase next Monday, October 16th at 10:00 a.m. CT by visiting www.kcwizards.com or calling 816-931-3330.
Two In A Row
Defender Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. was named Major League Soccer's Player of the Week this week for his performance in the Wizards' 2-1 win vs. Chivas USA this past Saturday. His game-winning goal and one assist performance awarded KC its second consecutive player of the week accolades, forward Josh Wolff earned the honor last week, joining Davy Arnaud and Scott Sealy to give Kansas City four total player of the week awards this season. Burciaga put in a complete effort on Saturday, Oct. 7 as he helped the Wizards inch closer to the MLS Cup playoffs. Kansas City opened the scoring in the 50th minute when Burciaga Jr. sent in a cross that was finished off by Dave van den Bergh. The assist was Burciaga's team-leading eighth of the season.
After Chivas USA drew even on a penalty kick in the 71st minute, Burciaga Jr. put Kansas City ahead for good in the 74th minute with his eighth goal of the season. The award is Burciaga Jr.'s first career Player of the Week award but he was named the league's Player of the Month earlier this year.
Wizards' Budweiser Official Watch Party Network
With a berth in the 2006 MLS Cup Playoffs on the line when the Wizards take on the New York Red Bulls this weekend there is no better time for fans to gather with each other and dawn their blue and white to root on their team at one of the Wizards' Official Watch Party Network sites sponsored by Budweiser. Fans can catch the "playoff" match at Aces & 8's in Shawnee, the 810 Zone in Leawood, Buffalo Wild Wings in Raytown, and the new Coach's in Overland Park on Metcalf. (Due to prior reservations, the game will be shown without sound at the 810 Zone this weekend.)
This Week's Training Schedule
Wednesday 10/11: Training 9:30 a.m. to approx. 11:15 a.m.
Thursday 10/12: Training 9:30 a.m. to approx. 11:15 a.m.
Friday 10/13: Training 9:00 a.m. to approx. 10:00 a.m., Depart for KCI 12:00 p.m.
Saturday 10/14: Wizards at New York Red Bulls - 6:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. ET) Kickoff at Giants Stadium
Sunday 10/15: Travel back to Kansas City, Arrive at KCI 2:34 p.m. on Continental
Monday 10/16: OFF
*all training sessions are open to the media and take place at the Arrowhead
Training Facility unless otherwise noted.
