Tuesday, January 01, 2013

Review of 2012 Wishes

With the calender now switched over to 2012, let's take a look at my 2012 wishes and how they were fulfilled. 

1. Silverware - Your 2012 US Open Cup Champions, Sporting Kansas City has a nice ring to it.  While Sporting fell 3 points (and goal difference) short of the Supporters' Shield and fell at the first hurdle in the playoffs, they brought home their first silverware since 2004. 

2. A double digit goal scorer - This was also a success.  While KC as a whole struggled to take advantage of all their shots, Kei Kamara did hit double digits for goals scored this year.  CJ Sapong almost made it there as well, finishing with 9 goals.

3. A designated player who scores double digit goals - This one didn't happen, KC actually didn't bring in a designated player for the 2012 MLS season.

4. Equal or better last year's attendance mark - With all but 1 game sold out, and the majority of those games "over capacity" Sporting topped the 2011 average attendance of 17,810 with a 19,404 mark in 2012, 105% capacity of Livestrong Sporting Park.

5. One home loss at most - This one didn't come true, Sporting ended the 2012 season 10-3-4 in league at Livestrong Sporting Park.  Not a bad record at all, but the 3 losses, especially the one to Montreal really hurt KC last year.

6. Lock up Matt Besler, Graham Zusi, and Chance Myers long term - Zusi was locked up before the season started.  Besler, there were a few worrying nights after the season ended and rumors of trials abroad for the MLS Defender of the Year, but Besler too re-signed.  Myers is the only one on the list who hasn't been locked up long term.

7. A World Cup Qualifier at Livestrong Sporting Park - The USA clinched a spot in the Hex with their 3-1 win over Guatemala at LSP.  An electric atmosphere in a game that the US needed to win to assure advancement.  KC set itself up as a site that can provide the US a home field advantage and has set itself up as a favorite to host a game in the Hex.

8. Get OUR MLS Cup back from Hunt Sports Group - Kind of but not really.  The fact that HSG still had the trophy got publicity this year and led to the issue actually being addressed publicly.  It came out that part of the deal to sell the team involved HSG keeping the trophy.  HSG did "loan" the trophy to OnGoal to display during the 2012 season.  After that Sporting is going to get a replica for the team.  At least this issue was brought out and something ended up being done about it.

Not bad on the wishes overall many of them came true and those that didn't weren't the biggest of the issues.

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