Kansas City on List to Potentially Host Copa America Centenario

Kansas City could be hosting the premier national team competition in the Western Hemisphere in 2016. The Copa America will be hosted in the US in 2016 as the Copa Centenario. It will include the nations of CONMEBOL as well as six teams from the CONCACAF region, including the USA and Mexico.

CONMEBOL is apparently eying 23 cities in the US as potential hosting cities for the tournament according to Globo in Brazil. One of those cities is Kansas City.

The list apparently came up in a CONMEBOL Exective Committee meeting. The map has two different colors for cities listed, but no explanation of those colors. Kansas City is grouped a number of favorites to host the tournament like Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Chicago, etc. Whether that means anything or not is unknown. But it'd certainly  be fun to have the tournament in Kansas City.

Year End Wants and Wishes Review

Back in December, I posted my wants and wishes for 2007. Then in June I made a midyear review of those wants and wishes. Here we are in December again and I'm ready to go through these one last time to see how well my wants and wishes were fulfilled this year.

1. The Wizards Announce 2007-2008 home. - The Wizards played the 2007 season in Arrowhead due to delays in the renovations. The Wizards announced in early November, though, announced the team's home for the 2008 and 2009 season. The team will be playing at Community America Ballpark, home of the T-Bones.
2. Announcement of Plans to Build Wizards SSS. - It was late in the year, but the Wizards did announce plans for a SSS in Kansas City. All year rumors had swirled about the possibility of using the Bannister Mall site, which closed in May. The site passed the city council on December 13th, and is now awaiting state approval for the Super TIF. While there is still opposition, the team is still positive about the plan.
   
3. Return to the Playoffs for the Wizards. - A trip to the Western Conference finals is a good way to get back into the playoffs. While the team didn't seem to show up for the final game against Houston it was definitely a plus to get back to the playoffs. Next year let's get ourselves some hardware.
4. Return to form for Eddie Johnson. - I'd say that this came through pretty nicely. 15 goals, 6 assists, MLS Comeback Player of the Year, team MVP. A nice year for Johnson, even though he did fade a bit down the stretch unfortunately. If he's here next year I'd hope he can be more consistent.
5. Jamie Trecker Exposed for the Pompous Ass He is to the Entire World. - The Wizards are staying, Trecker was wrong, that's enough for me to prove he's a pompous ass.
6. US Men's National Team Gold Cup and Copa America Success. - This one was half right, the USMNT won the Gold Cup in dramatic fashion thanks to Benny Feilhaber. Unfortunately, the team didn't seem to show up for the Copa America, going 0-3 down in South America, only scoring 2 goals.
   
7. The Wizards Bring in an Attacking Midfielder. - At the midpoint of the season, it certainly seemed like Carlos Marinelli was the answer to this want. As the season wore on, it became apparent why Marinelli has been on so many different clubs. I'm willing to give him another season, and a full preseason this year to get worked in more with the team. But another performance like his second half of the season performance this season, and I think it will be time for KC to look elsewhere.
8. A Friendly Against a European Team for the Wizards. - The one want/wish that didn't come true at all, in any form this year. There were plenty of teams over here for preseason training, but the Wizards didn't play one of them. At the least I had hoped for a friendly against our new partners, Atlas.

I'll be back later this week with my Wants and Wishes for the year 2008, so stay tuned.

USA has same problems as Wizards

One day after the Wizards shot the ball 25 times, but only scored once, the US Men's National team has 12 shots, but were only able to score once, as the US lost to Paraguay 3-1 in their second Copa America match. Ray Hudson said it best during the game broadcast, "Finishing is everything, the rest is just gossip." The US played a much better match then they did against Argentina in their opening match. The team was the same from the first game, except Sacha Kljestan replaced Justin Mapp, and Drew Moor replaced Marvell Wynne. The US had the majority of play, but some poor finishing from Kljestan, and Eddie Johnson unable to latch onto a long ball from Moor, the US was beginning to look like the Wizards. Then Paraguay grabbed the lead in the 30th minute.

To their credit, though, the US team did not give up, and in the 40th minute another long ball from Moor picked out Taylor Twellman, who laid the ball back to Ricardo Clark, who squared himself, and fired, beating Paraguay keeper Justo Villar at the near post. For the second game in a row, the US went into the half tied at 1 with their opponent.

In the second half, the US continued to have a good majority of the play, Johnson in particular played well, linking up well with the midfielders. The US though was unable to find a second goal to take the lead. Paraguay made them pay, as a poor back pass from Jonathan Bornstein was played too softly for Kasey Keller and too hard for Jimmy Conrad, and a lack of communication between the 3, Oscar Rene Cardozo made them pay, putting Paraguay up 2-1. After the goal, the US continued to pressure, Clark had a great shot saved by substitute goalie, Aldo Bobadilla. Mapp also had a great chance after coming in as a sub, but his chip went over the bar. The best chance, though, fell to Moor. After a long corner came out to Mapp on the far side, Mapp put in a fantastic cross, as the Paraguayan defenders seemed to seperate away from Moor, who was alone on the 6. Moor, though, put his header right into the hands of Bobadilla. Then late in the game, the US conseded a third goal. Suprisingly though, the US is still alive to make the quarterfinals of the tournament. They'll need to beat Colombia first though and then hope.

School in Session

Coming into Copa America, everyone knew the match against Argentina would be a tough one for the young roster that Bob Bradley named for the competition. The US though played well in the first half, challenging for the ball and creating some chances. They even managed to grab the early lead, as Eddie Johnson was brought down in the box. Johnson converted the PK, and the US had an early 1-0 lead. That lead did not last long though, as all it seemed to do was wake the Argentine's up. A Juan Roman Riquelme free kick in the 10th minute was flicked into the box, where Kasey Keller appeared slow off his line to try and punch the ball away. This led to the ball bouncing around in the box, where Hernan Crespo finished it. The US though was able to show good defensive shape the rest of the half, bending but not breaking under Argentina's attack, including a great save by Keller on a Juan Sebastian Veron shot.

Just after the hour mark, things started to fall apart. The US looked tired and worn out from having to chance the Argentine's all over the field. Crespo scored his second in the 64th minute as he was able to get himself alone just outside the US box, and was found with a through ball by Lionel Messi. Argentina's third goal came in the 78th from Pablo Aimar, who scored on a header after out racing his defender, Ricardo Clark, into the box. To add insult to injury, the US conceded a fourth in the 85th minute. Substitute, yes I said substitute, Carlos Tevez beat the offsides trap, when Jay Demerit was slow to pull with the rest of the line. Tevez walked in alone on Keller and easy slotted the ball past him. The loss is the first for the US since the 2-1 loss to Ghana at the World Cup, and the first under Bob Bradley. That said, this was easily the hardest team the US has faced under Bradley.

It's hard to be overly disappointed with this result. Sure we got our butts handed to us after the hour mark, sure the US looked tired and worn out by then, but did anyone really have their hopes up for this match? I mean when I saw the lineup for the tournament, I almost immediately knew we were in trouble, if the US didn't care enough to send a stronger lineup, why should I care so much when the young lineup we put out there lays an egg? The 10 starting field players last night had a grand total of 140 combined caps. The majority of those cap coming from 4 players (Jimmy Conrad 21, Ben Olsen 35, Eddie Johnson 27 & Taylor Twellman 26), the rest of the starting lineup each had under 10 caps.

The 3 subs (Eddie Gaven, Kyle Beckerman, & Herculez Gomez) were even less experienced, with a grand total of 4 caps between the 3 coming in. Look at it this way, in the 79th minute, the US subbed in Beckerman for Clark, at the same time who did Argentina bring on? Tevez... Defenitely shows the difference in the quality of the 2 sides.

Update on 2007 Wants and Wishes

We are about half way through the year 2007, so I thought it was due time to review my wants and wishes for 2007 that I posted back in December.

1. The Wizards Announce 2007-2008 Home. Well this was partially filled. We found out in February that the Wizards would play 2007 in Arrowhead. That still leaves the question of 2008 and probably 2009 since the Wizards haven't started work on a soccer specific stadium yet. So this want has been half way filled.

2. Announcement of Plans to Build Wizards SSS. Still waiting on this one, although the news continues to be positive. Robb Heineman recently said plans are for a 18,500 seat stadium. There are also apparently 4 possible locations for the stadium, 2 each side of the state line. I still have hope that we'll hear an announcement before the end of the year. The fact that the Wizards training facility is built already gives a major kick in the crotch to those that think the Wizards will move.

3. Wizards Return to the Playoffs. We'll we're not half way through the season yet, but the Wizards are in a good position right now to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Hopefully the recent lack of results does not continue, and the Wizards can get back on track to challenging for the MLS Cup again.

4. Return of Form for Eddie Johnson. Well so far this is an emphatic yes. 9 goals so far this season, including 2 hattricks. Eddie has looked a lot better this season then last season or the season before. The Wizards though will have to live without him for at least 3 more games though as he's with the US at Copa America.

5. Jamie Trecker Exposed for the Pompous Ass He is to the Entire World. Still waiting on this one, but he has been fairly quiet when it comes to sticking his foot in his mouth in his articles.

6. US Men's National Team Gold Cup and Copa America Success. Well I'd call a win over your rival in the finals of the Gold Cup a major plus. Copa America is getting ready to start, the US's first game is tomorrow against Argentina, but the younger roster that the US is putting out for the tournament will probably lead to an early exit.

7. The Wizards Bring in an Attacking Midfielder. This can be answered with 2 words, Carlos Marinelli. He's been a great central midfielder so far this season, giving the Wizards a stronger midfield then they've had in years. Hopefully his continued play will help lead the Wizards in the midfield in a way we haven't seen since Preki.

8. A Friendly Against a European Team for the Wizards. This hasn't been fulfilled, which is kind of sad with teams like Aston Villa, Benfica, Celtic, Chelsea, Cracovia (Poland), and I'm sure there are others. Other teams are playing Mexican league competition. Yet still the Wizards sit, not having had a home friendly since 1997 or so. There is still talk of a friendly with new Mexican League partner, Atlas, but there has not been news on that since the deal was signed.

I'll visit these wishes at the end of the year to see how these have gone after a year. Hopefully they'll all be fulfilled.

Eddie and Jimmy both gone for Copa America

Well good think Eddie Johnson scored a hattrick in his last game with the Wizards, cause it'll be the last memory Wizards fans have of Eddie in Wizards blue for a little while longer. Johnson, and Jimmy Conrad were named to Bob Bradley's 22 man roster for the Copa America that is set to start June 28th in Venezuela against Argentina.

Looking at the roster, I don't see the US doing very well, which is a good sign for Wizards fans, as if the US goes 3 and out, Johnson and Conrad will only miss 3 games for this tournament. The duo will miss the game on July 1st against Toronto FC, July 4th against DC United, and due to travel, will likely miss the July 7th game in LA. Toronto will be without Marvell Wynne for the game in KC, DC will be without Bobby Boswell and Ben Olsen as well as Bryan Arguez for U-20 duty, and LA will be without no one, as Landon Donovan cried his way out of going to South America, but that is another debate entirely. The most matches they'll miss, is 4 if they happen to make the final or third place match. The fourth game they'd miss would be against Real Salt Lake on the 14th, who also had no one called up to Copa, but will be without Nathan Sturgis, Freddy Adu, and Chris Seitz as they'll be with the U-20s in Canada.

The US opens with Argentina in Maracaibo on the 28th, play Paraguay July 2nd in Barinas, and finish group play against Columbia July 5th in Barquisimeto. Should the US advance as either the one or two finisher in their group, or the best or second best third place team, they'll play July 7th or 8th. But with this roster and the way the US has been playing as of late, I don't think the US advancing will be a problem.