15 minutes to go

****, spectre is coming on, we're done.

I know roughly jack shit about soccer, are the Italians playing with their full squad?

Couple of good chances for Italy.........whew

10 (plus stoppage time) to go

I don't think they thought we'd put up what we are...

Their usuall starters are just now being subbed in. However, i belive they're in the middle of the season in Italy so you can't blame them.

I know that the US was nearly a 5-1 underdog (+470) and even a draw was +260 on the money line, so I wondered if the sides were at full strength.

head referee with the trollface in response,,, love it.

4 minutes seems like a lot

USMNT beats Italy!!!!! Who woulda thunk it?


Victory rep for all

mericuh!

yeah...**** jersey shore!

I wouldn't blame italy on those tools.

A goal completely against the run of play, but to win against Italy in Genoa is pretty impressive. Even if it was an especially meaningless friendly.

awesome.

Video of the final whistle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6KOEMJKdEI

That was pretty awesome.

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Messi had a hat track today. Good God man

Is this the team that will be playing in the Olympics? They will be in Nashville and hopefully move on to the next round in KC.

No, the under 23's are the Olympic team. They play tonight against Mexico.

Teal Bunbury(of Sporting Kansas City) plays for the U23 team btw.

****ING LETS GO KICK MEXICO's ASS

I think I'm probably the only person that thought our new away Jerseys looked cool. Probably would've looked better with white shorts or socks though IMO.

Also they need to put the damn names on the back.

http://www.firstrowsports.eu/watch/1...s-usa-u23.html

come on guys these are our olympic players!!1

KICK THEIR ASSES BACK TO THEIR COUNTRY!!111!!1

agudelo's got a neymar wig on it seems... can't hardly tell them apart

Thank you for the link. I do not receive Telefutura.

Zoccer, will shea/williams/and allt the 23u players who played with first team today play with olympic team this summer?

Also, apparently SKC lost 3-0 today to Vancouver. Bummer.

I was 'meh' when I saw them posted but really liked them in game.

Yes. You can also select three overage players.

Hard to tell with that stuff but yea I would say so.

I thought they were shit when posted, and just looked weird during the game. Not a bad weird, just weird. I had the game on, but was doing other things so didn't really "watch" it. Every time I looked up I kept waiting for a good angle to see them, but never really did. Definitely not my favorite kit though.

Yea, didn't see it at all even though it was streamed and haven't seen reports but I will say this. These guys seemed to be getting bored with the preseason grind after the Impact game.

lol

Kei vs. Bird.

<iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yl_OJp_Bm6c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

get it chelsea!

GOOOOOOOOOAAAALLLLLLLLllllllllllllllllllllllllllllLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoo

AGUDELO

GOAL USA

hhhnnnnGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL

hhhnnnnnnDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBBBBBBBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL

GGGOOOOOOOOOAOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

#2!!!!!!!!

ADU FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX

Good Freddy, Bad Freddy. YOWZA.

damn agudelo is playing so gd, great dribbler

Shaping up to quite a day for the US Soccer Federation.

That was a fun first half.

I'm so ****ing pumped for March 10th to get here. SKC first kick, and hopefully a KU-MU rematch in the Big12 championship game. Gonna be a looooong day of drinking. :)

dMN, Gyau is a FAST MOTHER****ER

Bunbury coming into the game

TEAL IS COMING IN

2-0

Teal didnt impress me much

Nice win.

He rarely does.

USWNT 5 - 0 Denmark
USMNT 1 - 0 Italy
U-23s DOS A CERO Mexico

Cooool.

Apparently our beloved Sporting has a hard time finishing big games. :doh!: :banghead:

"Big" games?

you know a games bigtime when it averages 12 frames per minute streaming!

I almost forgot .. Did anyone else hear Lalas give us a shout out after the USA game yesterday? He basically said that last year we were a bit inexperienced, and he expects us to challenge LA this year. Man I hope he's right.

Dude straight up picked us to win the Cup.

Backup goal keeper Krony hurt his lower back. That means we are one injury away from Big Kempin time. 18 year old John Kempin now the 2nd in line.

This. is. pretty.

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Impact expected to announce a DP signing sometime soon. No clue what the story is beyond that...

Setting the Scene

Sporting Kansas City are looking to continue their late-season surge from 2011, when they started awfully away from home but then came on late to finish atop the Eastern Conference and come within one game of their first MLS Cup appearance since 2004. This time, they won’t have to wait until midseason to play in the still-shiny Livestrong Sporting Park – but the most telling (and positive) sign is that with the exception of left winger Bobby Convey, the offseason acquisitions were designed to provide depth, not to fill glaring vacancies.

The goal-scoring power should be there even after the departure of Omar Bravo, with 2011 Rookie of the Year C.J. Sapong among a talented – and crowded – group of forwards. Sapong, forward Teal Bunbury and midfielder Graham Zusi all got national team call-ups during the offseason, with Zusi earning his first two career starts and scoring his second time out. If there is a question mark, it’s the issue of depth in the young backline.

Team president Robb Heineman has declared that anything short of an MLS Cup appearance will not be considered successful, so the pressure is on to live up to Sporting’s considerable potential.

In and Out
IN: D Seth Sinovic (11/28: trade from Montreal); M Paulo Nagamura (11/29: trade from Chivas USA); M/D Bobby Convey (12/2: trade from San Jose); F Dom Dwyer (1/12: SuperDraft); D Cyprian Hedrik (1/12: SuperDraft); M Michael Thomas (1/18: Ljungskile SK/Sweden); F Jacob Peterson (1/19: free/San Jose Earthquakes)

OUT: M Davy Arnaud (11/28: trade to Montreal); M Jéferson (11/23: waived); D Scott Lorenz (11/23: waived); M Craig Rocastle (11/23: waived); D Seth Sinovic (11/23: expansion draft) M Milos Stojcev (11/23: waived); F Omar Bravo (12/12: Cruz Azul/Mexico); D Shavar Thomas (12/12: option declined); M Daneil Cyrus (1/22: waived)

Star Attraction: Kei Kamara
Kamara becomes leader in KC
Kamara didn’t want to come to Kansas City when Houston traded him to the then-Wizards in September 2009 for Abe Thompson (Remember him? No? Exactly.) and allocation money. How things have changed since then for the Sierra Leone international. The forward is a fixture with his national team, a star for his club side and a big reason why Sporting expects to be in the MLS Cup final this year.

Kamara’s flair and creativity in the attacking area don’t extend simply to shooting. He has a knack for the well-placed cross or the give-and-go, just as well as for a spectacular half-volley or bicycle kick. At 27, he is hitting his stride – and that’s sure to attract attention from European sides, so Sporting fans had better enjoy the show while it lasts.

Unsung Hero: Júlio César
The well-traveled Brazilian carries a journeyman tag, sure – but he also brings a wealth of quiet assets to his spot in the defensive midfield. He’s a solid, steadying, hard-working presence in front of that young backline, and at 33 years old, has the experience and game smarts to know when to move forward. Also, the guy played for Real Madrid; he knows what it takes to play the game at the highest club level, and those sort of intangibles translate in training as well as on the field.

Ready for Primetime: Aurélien Collin
The physical central defender has become a fan favorite as much for his outsized personality as for his gritty play. Case in point, he suffered a serious back injury last year and still came back at the end of the season. Collin is at his best banging around with the opposition’s big guys, but is also surprisingly deft with his feet. If he can avoid discipline and injury problems this season, Collin and Matt Besler could give Sporting one of the league’s best center back pairings.

Storylines to Watch
1. Will there be enough action up front to go around? Young strikers Soony Saad and Dom Dwyer will be pushing hard to be in the offensive mix, along with proven scorers Sapong, Kamara and Bunbury. Jacob Peterson is hoping to reignite his career as well. Can manager Peter Vermes keep all of his forwards happy with playing time?

2. Who’s the man at center forward? Sapong was a super sub last year, but does his Rookie of the Year season – and Bunbury’s late preseason call-up to the US Olympic team – mean that Sapong will enter this season as the starter?

3. Who will be the team’s heart and soul? The players who have defined the club’s identity in seasons past are gone now, with Davy Arnaud the most recent to depart in the Expansion Draft. Who will step into that high-profile spot, either as captain or unofficial spokesman?

What He Said
“Everybody’s focused and ready to rebuild off last season. We were pretty fit coming in last year, and for us to top that this year shows how focused and determined everybody is. We want to get to [MLS Cup] and win it.”

– Sporting KC forward C.J. Sapong

If Everything Goes Right:
Sporting stayed in the Eastern Conference when Montreal moved up a level into MLS, so a regular-season conference championship isn’t out of the question – with or without a Designated Player. The regular season, though, is secondary to the club’s stated goal of reaching the MLS Cup Final. If everyone stays healthy, and there’s no playoff collapse, that’s where Sporting should end its season.

Steve Brisendine covers Sporting KC for MLSsoccer.com.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/sites/league/files/Kansas.jpg


Goalkeepers

Depth Chart: 1. Jimmy Nielsen, 2. Eric Kronberg, 3. Jon Kempin

Strengths: Nielsen is a master of positioning, with quick reflexes if he gets caught out. Kronberg, despite being sidelined for four to six weeks with a lower back injury, is a No. 1 waiting to happen, either with Sporting or elsewhere.

Weaknesses: If Nielsen goes down, Kronberg’s injury means that Kempin will be a teenager thrown into a position that rewards age and experience.

Wildcard: This is Kronberg’s last contract year, unless Sporting picks up his option. Will he look to make a move somewhere else with Nielsen signed through 2013?

READ: 2012 Sporting KC Preview

Defense

Depth Chart: LB 1. Seth Sinovic, 2. Korede Aiyegbusi; CB Aurélien Collin – Matt Besler, 2. Lawrence Olum, 3. Cyprian Hedrick; RB 1. Chance Myers, 2. Michael Harrington, 3. Kevin Ellis

Strengths: Besler and Collin are a solid tandem in the middle. Myers and Sinovic are both capable of overlapping runs, and Myers has a right winger’s crossing ability.

Weaknesses: Depth remains a question mark, especially in the middle. Sinovic had some problems last year, especially late in matches, with getting beaten at the byline.

Wildcard: If Collin stays healthy and out of yellow-card trouble, this could be a monster season for the tough Frenchman.

SEE: Preseason Schedule and Results

Midfield

Depth Chart: LCM 1. Roger Espinoza, 2. Michael Thomas, Luke Sassano; 3. Paulo Nagamura; CDM 1. Júlio César, 2. Paulo Nagamura, 3. Luke Sassano; RCM 1. Graham Zusi, 2. Konrad Warzycha, 3. Peterson Joseph

Strengths: Sporting are deep and experienced at the defensive mid spot. Espinoza is still aggressive but playing smarter in the holding role. Zusi has emerged as a threat on free kicks and from just about anywhere from distance.

Weaknesses: With no true distributing midfielder, the passing game can break down in the middle third.

Wildcard: Nagamura will be expected to provide box-to-box depth, meaning he could slip into any of the midfield spots as either a sub or a starter. That puts pressure on him to connect quickly with the players around him.

READ: Sporting KC 2011 season statistics

Forwards

Depth Chart: LF 1. Bobby Convey, 2. Jacob Peterson; CF 1. C.J. Sapong, 2. Teal Bunbury, 3. Soony Saad, 4. Dom Dwyer; RF 1. Kei Kamara, 2. Jacob Peterson

Strengths: Sporting are loaded with quality at the center forward spot, meaning manager Peter Vermes can keep fresh legs in the attack. Convey is back at his natural spot on the left flank, happy to be there and motivated to prove that his old team was wrong to put him at left back. Kamara is dangerous both in wide areas and in the middle.

Weaknesses: Convey is the only true left winger. Vermes must find a way to keep all of his talented target forwards engaged, which might mean a good deal of lineup shuffling.

Wildcard: When he’s on, Bunbury has the ability to be both elegant and deadly. But when he isn’t, he struggles with first touches and creating space in the attacking third.

My son played, I pulled him from the league due to strawberry bruses on his legs.

poor kid

Expanded thoughts on the possibility of Big Kempin at goal.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...le-kansas-city

http://www.mlssoccer.com/sites/leagu.../03/kempin.jpg

Unless something changes over the next week, Sporting Kansas City will start the season with a teenager as the backup goalkeeper.

Longtime No. 2 Eric Kronberg is expected to be out four to six weeks with a bulging disk in his lower back, although manager Peter Vermes told MLSsoccer.com on Friday that the condition will not require surgery.

That leaves Jon Kempin, a Sporting KC Home Grown player who doesn’t turn 19 until April 8, as veteran Jimmy Nielsen’s lone backup – for now, anyway.

On the surface, that might sound a little dire. Kempin, who turned pro at 17, has no MLS appearances and seemed a little rattled at times in Wednesday’s 3-0 exhibition loss to Vancouver. The entire Sporting team was shaky in that match, though, and Kempin does have the advantage of familiarity with the club – even if all of his experience with the first team has come in training and exhibitions.

“He’s young, obviously, and we don’t want to rush him into things,” Vermes said. “But he’s definitely capable. He’s been with us for a year-and-a-half, and he’s been very good in training, but the biggest thing with every ’keeper is going to be the number of games they have.

“Obviously, you’re not going to keep rotating guys at that position, or giving guys game minutes here and there the way you would at other positions,” Vermes added. “So for ’keepers, it’s a lot more difficult to get that experience. These situations are never perfect, but we have to use guys based on what we have.”

Sporting have had two goalkeeping trialists in camp as well, in Scott Angevine and Steve Spangler. Spangler still has a shot at making the active roster as the third ’keeper while Kronberg is out, Vermes said. But the club is keeping its options open.

“We’ll probably take Kronberg and put him on the injury roster, and then have just two [goalkeepers] active right now,” said Vermes, whose team opens the season on March 10 at D.C. United. “Then we’ll figure out what to do with that third position. It may be that we sign a guy for that time period, and we’re still looking at Spangler, or we could use a league pool goalkeeper.”

It’s possible that Kronberg could have had the bad disk for some time before it was discovered, Vermes said, but added that he expects his No. 2 to make a full recovery.

“He’ll be fine,” he said. “He’s a good kid, very strong mentally. It’s just frustrating for him because he works hard.”

Maybe they can bring back Enzo!

Good position and stop the balls you are supposed to.

Sporting KC face selection headaches ahead of DC opener

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...head-dc-opener

http://www.mlssoccer.com/sites/leagu.../02/Vermes.jpg

ORLANDO, Fla. – It will be an interesting seven days for Sporting Kansas City.

As they prepare for their 2012 season opener against DC United (March 10, 7:30 p.m. ET), SKC manager Peter Vermes could have a midfield dilemma on his hands.

In Saturday afternoon’s intrasquad scrimmage at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Graham Zusi, Julio Cesar and Paulo Nagamura all sat out and their availability for next Saturday is in doubt.

“I think they all have just little nagging injury type things,” Vermes told MLSsoccer.com after the match. “We have a couple days that we’ve already given them. We’ll give them a couple more and then we start up Tuesday fast and furious getting ready for DC.

“So hopefully at that point they’ll be back in training. That’s what I’m hoping for. If not, we’ll have just to go with other guys. But right now I think they should be ready or at least a tandem of them should be ready for the game on the weekend.”

Zusi and Julio Cesar started just one match each in the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, while Nagamura was in the first XI for his club’s final two matches of the tournament.

Sporting Kansas City looked their most dominant in the opening match, despite a 0-0 final result against the Houston Dynamo.

After a reserve side battled valiantly in a 1-1 tie with Montreal, the starters retook the field but were defeated handily by Vancouver 3-0. In the latter match against the Whitecaps, the starting midfield trio of Julio Cesar, Nagamura and Bobby Convey, who filled in for Zusi at attacking mid, struggled to impress.

“It [loss vs. Vancouver] came at a great time,” Vermes said. “It gets you 10 days right before the first game. Maybe you think things are going well and you deal with a little bit of adversity … But our preparation has always been for DC. And nothing else has changed.”

Some cool shots from Orlando where it looks like Zusi, Bunbury, and Sapong were involved in an NBC sports commercial.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...5502041&type=3

Jimmy Nielsen named 2012 Captain.

http://media.lansingcurrent.com/img/...167d6870b19a92

Peter Vermes gathered his group of players following a spirited intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. It was the penultimate training session for the team in Orlando and while decisions still loom for Vermes with one week until the season opener at D.C. United (March 10, 6:30 pm CT on KSMO-TV), the Sporting KC Manager had made up his mind on one of the lingering questions for his squad.

Goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen will captain the club for the 2012 season.

"It's a big honor to be a captain for a fantastic team like this and an outstanding organization," Nielsen said on Saturday.

The veteran Danish shot-stopper enters his third MLS season this year following an off-season that saw him sign an extension to remain with the team through 2013. An MLS All-Star in his debut season and Team MVP in 2011, Nielsen emphasized his focus remains on team accomplishments for the campaign ahead.

"It's a great team and we should have the ambition to go for the MLS Cup," Nielsen said. "I believe that if we keep doing things like we are now, we'll be one of the teams that is fighting for the MLS Cup and that should be the goal for us. We went to the conference final last year and I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be reaching for the final this year. The main goal for me is to win a championship this year."

Nielsen accepts the captainship following the departure of Davy Arnaud during the offseason and the decision was a collective one among the team's technical staff.

"I think it was a natural step for us and for the team," said goalkeeper coach John Pascarella. "Jimmy is a great leader in the back. He has a tremendous amount of respect from all the players in the locker room. People respect him for what he does, what he believes in and the way he works. I think it was a great choice."

Having trained Nielsen for the past two seasons, Pascarella points to a player who is still on the rise and in the prime of his career at age 34.

"He feels even better than he did when he first got here a couple of years ago," Pascarella said. "Physically, he's doing great. Technically, he's cleaned up a couple things. He reads the game and understands the game tremendously. The fact that he is going to be the leader of the group is going to be a wonderful thing for all of us."

Nielsen, who has worn the captain's armband previously in his career, says he expects to organize a team meeting on Wednesday to bring everyone together and begin his duties diligently.

"Right now, it's important to get a good start," Nielsen said. "I'm really looking forward (to D.C. United). We're ready to play a real game now. We had two great training camps with a lot of games and a lot of practice, but now we want the real stuff. I think everybody is ready for that and we're very, very excited to get started. I have a good feeling about this year."

Nielsen owns.

Nice one from Turkey.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WzlLRpNEjj0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And another good shot a Rocket for Porto against Benefica.

<iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/38Ret_C_oQg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Survey conducted by ESPN

http://i.imgur.com/tEJgV.jpgS

Read about that but didn't see the numbers. Interesting.

http://deadspin.com/5890379

Major League Soccer’s Facebook Account Likes Strippers

Several tipsters have sent in what appears to be an example of the dreaded "logged in to the wrong account" snafus that must keep social media interns awake at night.

This one involves the ultra-hip Major League Soccer captioning a picture of a billboard advertising strippers (as seen on Jerry Springer!) with an homage to the ever-quotable Jerry Maguire. "You had me at strippers." No, you needn't say more.

According to one reader, the instagram-y photo appeared on the MLS facebook page around 2:00 p.m. and remained up for about an hour before finally being taken down. Soccer and strippers, this weekend's meat and potatoes.

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17ff...g/original.jpg

Soccer will be huge here within the next decade or so. You already have Fox, NBC, and ESPN competing for rights. That's a huge difference from how things used to be, when you had to pay people to show games.

The stigma against soccer just simply doesn't exist among the younger generations either. I went to a newly opened bar in KC not long ago, and the bartender was talking to a guy about opening day at SKC and all they were planning for it.

Any CP'ers interested in a fantasy league?

It is really low maintenance compared to other sports. You sign up...and pick your team based on a salary cap that you have. Once your team is picked you can join a league or multiple leagues with that one set team.

I created a ChiefsPlanet league just in case you folks are down. Here is how to join...

- Go to http://fantasy.mlssoccer.com/ and sign up. It is free.

- Create your team.

- After your team is made choose to join a private league. The code to join the CP League is 2951-892.

Have fun!

Sporting happy to have Nagamura on its side



Paulo Nagamura is the kind of player so frustrating to tangle with at times that some opponents can’t stand facing him, which is why Sporting Kansas City is thrilled.

“I’ve played against him before and he’s a difficult guy to play against,” said left wing Bobby Convey, who also joined Sporting KC by a trade during the offseason. “He’s one of the guys you want on your team and, when he’s not on your team, you don’t like him very much.”

In other words, Nagamura, a 29-year-old Brazilian midfielder, might quickly become a fan favorite for his ferocious style, but only if he can stay healthy.
He played in only 26 games during the last two seasons and managed to play the full 90 minutes twice in 11 appearances last season. He was acquired in late November from Chivas USA in exchange for a supplemental draft pick Sporting KC received days earlier in the deal that sent Ryan Smith to Chivas USA.

Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes indicated the foot injury — a broken fifth metatarsal — that had Nagamura laid up a year ago is no longer a concern. But a recent calf strain has limited his training.

“He’s still adjusting to our system and we’re still getting him fit,” Vermes said. “He’s kind of dinged up at the moment, but it’s not something we are worried about. He’s getting closer to full strength and will be a tremendous asset when he is, because he’s a player of great quality.”

Nagamura can play anywhere in the midfield but primarily is expected to challenge fellow Brazilian Julio Cesar for playing time alongside reigning MLS breakout player of the year Graham Zusi and fourth-year veteran Roger Espinoza, who is currently away with the Honduras national team.

“(The midfield) is crowded, but it’s something that I’m used to and I’m ready for the challenge,” said Nagamura, who has nine goals and 14 assists in 157 career MLS games.

Vermes is convinced that a healthy Nagamura, who won the MLS Cup with the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2005 and was an All-Star in 2009 with Chivas USA, will be a perfect fit in Sporting KC’s high-pressure 4-3-3 system, which requires active and versatile midfielders who can play from box to box, defend and tackle but also jump start the attack.

“First off, he’s very good on the ball and connects the game really well,” Vermes said. “He’s a little terrier, a little pit bull, and does a great job winning the ball in the back. He possesses a lot of qualities that really mesh with way we want to play. He’s smart enough to know the moments of when to hold and when to go, but he also knows how to destroy plays.”

Until Nagamura is 100 percent, it’s hard to predict how many minutes he’ll see and in what role, but if the preseason is any indication, he will be a big part of the season.

“Because of the experience he has, you have no fear throwing him in whether it’s as a starter or off the bench,” Vermes said.
Nagamura, of course, would prefer to start and play every game, “but I have to respect all the guys who were already here and earn my spot with this team. I have to earn the respect and faith to be a starter on this team.”
To reach Tod Palmer, call 816-234-4389 or send email to tpalmer@kcstar.com. Follow him at twitter.com/todpalmer.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/03/03...#storylink=cpy

Sporting news: The season's almost here

First Kick is, literally, just days away.

Which means that, finally, we can move beyond the theoretical (How will the new players acclimate? Has the team improved? What does the pre-season even mean?) and into the very real (You know, actual games that mean something) on Saturday night when KC faces DC United.

For many fans this is likely the longest week of the season. But, just give it some context: Saturday is only Day 1 of a 267-day journey to the MLS Cup.

By comparison, baseball's season seems almost quaint.

Here are a few items to get you going. We'll be back later on this week with more appropriate preview-type stuff.

• This weekend, Sporting officially named goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen the team captain. Both of last year's captains (Davy Arnaud and Omar Bravo) departed this off-season.

"It's a great team and we should have the ambition to go for the MLS Cup," Nielsen told MLSSoccer.com. "I believe that if we keep doing things like we are now, we'll be one of the teams that is fighting for the MLS Cup and that should be the goal for us. We went to the conference final last year and I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be reaching for the final this year. The main goal for me is to win a championship this year."

• Graham Zusi, Julio Cesar and Paulo Nagamura all sat out an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday and, obviously, this leads to to speculation about a selection dilemma this weekend.

Zusi has been rested at times throughout KC's preseason after his stint with the U.S. national team in January. Cesar missed time dealing with a personal issue. Nagamura is returning from a leg injury suffered last season. Vermes called the current injuries "nagging." All will be given a few days to get fit.
The team's depth looks to be up for a test right out of the gate. Luke Sassano, Michael Thomas, Konrad Warzycha and maybe even Bobby Convey will be in the mix if those three can't go on Saturday.

• The Sporting KC Juniors opened its season on Friday night with U-16 and U-18 matches against FC Dallas.
The U-18s fell 3-0 with the U-16s managing a 2-2 draw. The U-16s got goals from Rockhurst teammates Luke Stanley and Cole Stevenson.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/03/05...#storylink=cpy

I'll probably join. Will help me to learn about opposing teams' players.

Was sorta my thought as well. It is kinda cool how you have one team and you can join leagues as you please. If you wanna def be in a bigger one was well there is a Cauldron league the code is... 293-560