**2012 Sporting Kansas City\Soccer Thread**
 

Sporting Kansas City was eliminated from MLS Cup contention after losing to Houston 2-1 aggreagate over the span of two games. They finished the year as US Open Cup Champions and a Kansas City team record of 63 points.

MLS Cup Final | LA Galaxy vs Houston Dynamo | December 1st, 3:30 CT


http://www.mlssoccer.com/sites/leagu...racket7-10.jpg



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Final Regular Season Eastern Conference Standings
Full MLS standings here.

http://i.imgur.com/V3RtD.jpg

2012 US Open Cup Champions.

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...73278421_n.jpg

I

Haha I have to give it a rest for a while.

I'm very excited to see where this momentum takes SKC.

I plan on attending my first MLS game next year when Sporting visit Philly.

Sporting Kansas City has decided to protect the following players...

http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2011/...xpansion-draft

Davy Arnaud
Sporting KC's captain for the last two seasons, Arnaud became the club's all-time leader in regular season appearances in 2011.

Matt Besler
2011 team leader in minutes, Besler was selected to appear in his first MLS All-Star game this season.

Teal Bunbury
Bunbury notched 11 MLS goals in 2011 and was twice selected for USMNT camps under new manager Jurgen Klinsmann.

Julio Cesar
Julio Cesar started 25 matches for Sporting, scoring two goals and contributing two assists during the regular season.

Aurelien Collin
Started 21 matches at centerback and scored three goals in debut season. Also ranked fifth in this year's MLS Castrol Index rating system.

Roger Espinoza
Key cog in the SKC midfield during the 2011 season after strong performance in Honduras' run to semifinal of CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Kei Kamara
Sporting Kansas City's leader in points for 2011, Kamara scored nine goals and contributed four assists in 30 appearances.

Chance Myers
Myers enjoyed a breakout season, setting career records for appearances, starts and minutes in 2011.

Jimmy Nielsen
Continuing his strong play in goal from the 2010 season, Nielsen was voted team MVP in 2011 by media, coaches and teammates.

C.J. Sapong
The 2011 MLS Rookie of the Year, Sapong led all rookies in points, scoring five goals and adding five assists during the MLS regular season.

Graham Zusi
The team leader in assists for 2011, Zusi cemented himself as one of the League's most prolific attacking midfielders this season.

Unprotected players listed below...some surprises bolded....

Korede Aiyegbusi
Omar Bravo
Daneil Cyrus
Birahim Diop
Jeferson
Michael Harrington
Eric Kronberg
Scott Lorenz
Lawrence Olum
Peterson Joseph
Craig Rocastle
Soony Saad
Luke Sassano
Seth Sinovic
Milos Stojcev
Shavar Thomas
Konrad Warzycha

Mods please change this to the 2012 nobody gives a **** thread.

Why do people who don't give a shit click on links they don't care about. Do they have so little self restraint or important things to do in their lives?

Simply based on age and contract, I probably would have swapped Sinovic in for Cesar or (as much as it pains me to say it) Arnaud.

Good call on Ryan Smith, Zach. Seems they got a decent bit back for him. How does the supplemental draft function again?

I am not surprised about Omar Bravo. He got a bit bitchy about being excluded from the last few payoff games. I figured there was something besides an injury going on there.

Bummer about Sinovic and Saad. Neither of those are a huge surprise, IMO. I was not a big Sinovic fan but my son loves him. I'm relieved but surprised about Arnaud.

The rest are no brainers, IMO.

Saad was an unexpected bonus pickup this past year. I do want him to stick around and see if he can continue to develop.

My friends and I plan on getting a decent tailgate going next year. Next to country suites. The last game my friends went to we kept on more and more people going.

Very surprised about Sinovic. He's solid. Plus, I'm a little biased because I used to play with him.

I'm guessing Saad and Sinovic will both be gone.

They can't take more than one. But yes, I agree. I like Seth.

Via MLS. It is confusing I know.

2012 Expansion Draft Rules
• MLS Clubs may protect 11 players between their On-budget and their Off-budget Roster. If the Player’s contract expires at the end of 2011, he will still be considered part of the club’s roster.
• If a club protects a player, it is not obligated to exercise the player’s option. It may renegotiate subject to terms of the new CBA.
• If a player retires, he will not be a part of the club’s roster, but his club will lose its right of first refusal to him should he ultimately decide to play.
• Players on a club’s Off-budget Roster, other than Generation adidas players who have not been graduated at the end of the 2011 MLS Season or Homegrown Players on a Club’s Off-budget Roster, will be part of the expansion draft.
• Generation adidas players who have not been graduated at the end of the 2011 MLS Season and Homegrown Players on a club’s Off-budget Roster at the end of the 2011 MLS Season are automatically protected (Clubs do not have to use a protected slot on them).
• Clubs are restricted in the number of international player(s) that they may make available. Clubs may make available a number of international players equal to their total number of international players minus three, provided that if a club has three or fewer international players it may make available not more than one. (See table below).
• For purposes of this expansion process, for US-based clubs, any non-domestic US player would count as an International and, for Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps, any non-domestic US player or non-domestic Canadian players would count as an International.
• Designated players are NOT automatically protected (i.e., clubs must choose whether to protect such players and if such player is not protected, he will be available for selection in the Expansion Draft). However, if the Designated Player has a no-trade clause in his contract, then his MLS club must protect him and he will count as one of the 11 players who may be protected.
• Once a player has been claimed from a team’s non-protected roster, that team is eliminated from the expansion draft and may not lose any further players.
• Rounds: The expansion draft will be 10 rounds.

Surprised they protected Davy.

Portland did well for itself as an expansion side having some solid veteran leadership on that team though.

Bravo being unprotected is a calculated risk. Unlikely they want to pay his salary.

Ah, yes. I guess I was still thinking about the last expansion draft.

yowsers... that list is all sorts of "wtf"

I am hoping Harrington gets drafted by the Shark bar at Power and Light, he will fit their system well.

LMAOLMAO

Then what would we call the Nebraska threads?

I bet we lose Saad. I hope I'm wrong.

Nah, they need starters... I'd be willing to bet that Harrington will be headed north. He's young, talented, very versatile (can play Mid in a pinch and either fullback position), and charismatic. They need players that can put butts in the stands, not prospects. They'll take either Bravo, Harrington, or Sinovic. And I hope it's not Seth.

definantly going to get harder to beat the epl teams with skc in fifa 13 if bravo is gone...:huh: maybe they'll give better ratings to kamara/sapong/bunbury...

all i have to do with him is get him the ball and run the field with him...

Them taking Harrington is the best case scenario for us that is also realistic. They prob take Seth which would suck. I don't see them taking Bravo. That guy...really does make a ton of money. But if they did? Oh well...we have a billion forwards.

Bravo and Jeferson will probably not be taken due to their DP status.

It will be either Sinovic, Harrington, or Kronberg imo. Could still be nobody at all, but I doubt it.

Guess we will know tomorrow. I guess SKC has been very active in trade talk. I think a lot of shit is gonna go down in this coming month.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...g-stint-bolton

Bunbury set to train with Bolton Wanderers

Lengthy interview with Cal one of the play by play guys. Mostly fluff but some interesting tidbits from his perspective as an outside who has become a part of the organization.

---------

We announced over eight months ago that Callum Williams would be joining the Sporting Kansas City broadcast team. After an outstanding first season on the call for Sporting KC, we spoke to Cal to get his thoughts on year one in the United States.

Let's start at the beginning, maybe even before you arrived. What were your impressions of MLS in terms of quality, initially? You don't need to compare it to any other league or anything but how did those impressions juxtapose to what you actually saw when you got here and experienced the game live for yourself?

I think to be honest in terms of the standard of the league, it was fairly similar to what I thought it was going to be. I'd watched a little bit of MLS before I came here, obviously. People have asked me before about when I took an interest in MLS, and like most people it was when David Beckham came over. That was a huge, worldwide, phenomenal story, and everyone in the world took interest in MLS, if only for that year, but MLS was still very much a part of national and international interest after that. I always was aware that it was a good standard, although I'm still pretty sure a lot of people don't understand that which is frustrating and annoying.

To be honest, I always said it was on par with the Championship, but having watched it now for the season, I would defiitely say it's at the higher end of the Championship and I think it would be really interesting if you got somebody like an LA Galaxy, to play a Wolves or a Blackburn or someone like that. I think they'd give them a really good game, and they might even beat them.

You've commented about how you're always involved in some sort of chase, whether it's a relegation scrap, or a fight for promotion and obviously this year's playoff run. I suppose that's good luck from a broadcasting point of view, can you comment on the amount of drama you've been around in such a short time?

Oh, it's been crazy (laughs). It's been mental. My previous playoff chasing exploits were a lot of fun. They really, really were. My very first season with the BBC, the team I was covering extensively, Chesterfield, just missed out on the playoffs but they were very much involved and at one stage were looking to win the league and everything. Previous to that, the two teams I covered when I was in local radio, Shrewsbury Town and AFC Telford, they were both got to their respective playoff finals, and covering a game at Wembley was fantastic.

But I knew obviously this is very different to the Football League setup, this is Major League Soccer, this is completely different. And it was different, covering it was different. Actually it was funny, I remember, I think it was after the Real Salt Lake game, or a game around that time. I remember saying "Sporting KC move themselves closer to the promotion...I mean playoffs."
Arlo White did that as well, I believe...

And Arlo White did that as well, yeah! And we actually shared an email about it which was quite funny. But yeah, just one of those things. Obviously MLS hasn't got promotion, doesn't need it. It was just different, but it was a lot of fun, a real lot of fun.

Like any foreign signing, there's always an adjustment period when you arrive in a new country. Personally, what sort of things stick out to you that you'll always remember about moving to the States?

The first two weeks, I must be honest, I got knocked on my backside because of the time change, it really did knock me about. I was actually quite surprised, and I'll be totally honest mate, the first game against Chivas USA, I had no idea where I was, I was just so tired it was ridiculous. I come from the UK time zone, come to the central time zone. I'm really feeling that, so what do we do to cure it? Head to another time zone in LA! That was really, really difficult.

I didn't know what to expect when I came here. There was a lot of people telling me before I arrived that there was nothing here and I thought, 'Well let's go and see it first.' Obviously I came into this with a blindfold on, if you like, but as soon as I saw Main Street with the lights glowing I kinda thought 'Well, I thought they said there was nothing here?"

Kansas City's been fantastic, I love it here, I really do.

What about in the workplace, which in your case is in the commentary booth. A lot was made about you having multiple broadcast partners, is there anything else that sticks out? I would imagine that you worked with plenty of producers and directors that maybe don't know the game as well as what you're used to back home...

In terms of directors and producers, I've been very lucky this year because Chris Wyche, who knows the game very well, he's the director for the away broadcasts. But the home guys, Brad and Rudy, are absolutely excellent, they're fantastic. I think they would both admit that they're learning the game, they're learning the sport, and I haven't got a problem with that. I think that kind of puts me and [Color analyst Jake Yadrich], I don't want to say in charge of the whole broadcast, but it allows us to make shots. If there's an opportunity, Jake will call down and say 'Hey guys, let's keep that for the halftime' or something like that, it allows us that freedom to control the whole show a bit more, which is good, we both enjoy that.

In terms of working with the other announcers, it was a difficult time for us because Sash, quite rightly, wanted to spend time with his family. I haven't got kids, but I can only imagine what he was going through. But I think we dealt with it fairly well, I think we did what we could, some of the guys were better than others, and it certainly kept me on my toes.

Let's go there now, must have been crazy...

It helped me develop myself as an announcer. It certainly helped me learn the League a lot more because different people were giving me different thoughts, and they were obviously from each city so the guy in Seattle knew more about the Sounders, the guy in New York knew more about the Red Bulls, so I got a lot of inside knowledge. To be honest, I think it really, really helped me establish myself as the voice, because there was a different person alongside me every week. We travel with so many bodies and you forget that all the people see at home is what's in front of the camera, and that's me and the person alongside me, so as I said I think it helped develop my voice.

You brought up Jake, and that was my next question. I think it as the match away to Philadelphia when he first joined you. For those that might not understand, try to explain how much easier it is working with a permanent partner.

I think people should never underestimate how important it is to work with someone on a regular basis, even though I did enjoy the challenge! With Jake, he brings such a calming influence to the broadcast and because we know each other and we work with each other day-by-day, we've become really good mates and when he was first announced to come in for the rest of the season, I thought it was a great idea. He's fantastic, knows the game. From my point of view, it's good to know that if I ask Jake a question, I know he's going to answer in 10-15 seconds whereas with the other guys, I had no idea.

I remember one example, my partner at the time, lovely guy, I remember asking him a question, and Chris was in my ear 'Out in 20 seconds'. So I asked him a quick question, 'Briefly..', and 40 seconds later he's still talking!
It's pretty obvious that you've made a great impression with all the fans here, which was interesting because before you arrived a lot of fans were just very curious about who were going to be, and I have a feeling you heard a bit about what some people were saying. What were your emotions about how you might be received , and can you also comment on the support you were given after you arrived?

Look, as a commentator, as an announcer, as a host, you've just got to accept that you're not always gonna please everyone. The one thing that frustrated me when I was read some comments about not being up to a certain standard. It just frustrated me that people didn't give me the opportunity to show them what I could do. But as you said, the fans have been absolutely exceptional.

It's nice now because it's gotten to the stage where people always come up to me and want to talk about Sporting KC. The fans are, I've said it before, we've seen Portland, we've seen Seattle and everything, I think there's a real argument that they are the best fans in MLS. They're certainly the most loyal.

Let's talk about the players for a bit. For you, who's the best interview on the team?

Best interview, ha! I have to say, I don't know if anybody heard, but the 610 show I did with Davy Arnaud and Jimmy Nielsen, that was...interesting. If you're after a serious interview in a short space of time, don't ask Davy or Jimmy!

Speaking of radio, the semifinal against Houston was carried on national television, so you called the match on Sports Radio 810. I know a lot of people have different opinions on that match and why Houston won, but what were your thoughts on the performance?

I think, we were all guilty of going into that thinking 'We're going to win this.' And I think a lot of people were very complacent, because we'd beaten Houston three-nil already during the season...

When you say people, who do you mean?

I think everyone associated with the club, not just fans, I'm talking about all of us in the front office as well, I think we were all very guilty of being far too complacent. I don't know if any of that rubbed off on the players or not, I don't know, I can't imagine it would have. Watching that performance, things just didn't seem to click.

Having said that, I do believe that defensive display from the Houston backline was the most astute and most impressive I've seen all season in Major League Soccer. I mean, Andre Hainault was just impeccable that day. I don't think I've seen a better defensive performance from an individual, since I've got here, and we just couldn't break them down. Houston knew how we played, they'd obviously done their homework, Dominic Kinnear is a fantastic tactician. Especially in the middle of the park, we couldn't seem to grab the ball, whatsoever.

As I said before, though, I think we need to concentrate on the fact that it's been a fantastic year. Who'd have ever thought we'd have even been playing in that game?! It was just a great achievement, it really was.

Okay, so let's do that. And I hate to put you on the spot, because there were a lot of good moments, but for you, the best moment of 2011?

Goodness, me...I think, the opening of LIVESTRONG Sporting Park was spectacular. I've covered new stadiums being opened before in England, and the opening days have been brilliant, but they were nothing compared to the display that the operations boys put on here, it was nothing short of impeccable, unbelievable.

And I remember actually being on the call on the radio, and I remember seeing Davy leading the side out, and I could literally see the emotion coming over him. I've said this before, it's amazing how quickly you get attached to this club, and when I saw Davy as we started the broadcast with the national anthem, I had this lump in my throat looking around at everyone, hand on heart, everyone was so proud that soccer had finally arrived in Kansas City after all these years. And you could see someone like Davy was just so excited and so, so happy. Having known Davy and some of the players for the short time I have, as I said, I got quite emotional, and I didn't think that would happen.

And I wanna ask you about another moment because a lot of people talk about Bravo's equalizing goal against Chivas USA as not only a great moment on the field, but also a landmark moment for you in the booth, with your call on that goal. Can you talk a bit about the build-up, as well as your reaction when it was scored?

I think when I saw the ball hit the net, I felt nothing but joy, it was a fantastic moment. I just remember us being 1-0 down, and at that time we'd not lost at LSP and with all due respect to Chivas USA, we did not want our first defeat at LSP in MLS to be against Chivas USA.

And I remember Besler just hoisting this long, desperate ball forward, and Kei Kamara then challenged I think it was Valentin, in midflight and the ball just eventually going towards the back post. And if you remember as well Dan Kennedy had a fantastic game that day, he looked unbeatable.

I just remember seeing Bravo leap up into the air, like a salmon he was just flying in midair, and just executed this great header. And Kennedy had a really good effort as well he dove up and did all he could but, you know I just remember seeing the ball hit the net and...I've seen a lot of last-minute goals, a lot of last-minute winning goals in my short career, and I dont think I've ever seen a stadium erupt the way LIVESTRONG Sporting Park did that night, that was incredible, it was a fascinating moment.

That goal helped soccer in Kansas City as well because that game was on KCTV5. I think we had the highest rating in local television that weekend, and it wouldn't surprise me if it as one of our highest rated games all season. It was just a phenomenal moment and I could just feel the passion around the stadium, and I just felt the passion as well and obviously I just went mad. I try to keep myself composed when I'm on the call, I really do, but I lost my voice actually I remember feeling the muscles tingling in my throat. It was a great moment.

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You touched on Peter Vermes a little bit. Peter is a guy that people don't really see a lot of, but you're part of a small circle that gets to see and speak with him on a daily basis either at training, or press conferences or other interviews. Can you describe him and his style and his personality in the context of other managers you've had the chance to work with in your career?

Peter is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most committed manager I've ever seen, whether it's staying after to work on tactics if he's really frustrated something hasn't worked. And he works very, very well alongside his staff. I think, um, he's just a perfectionist, and that comes across in the way Sporting have developed their style of play. He's an exceptional coach, and I was actually really disappointed he didn't win Coach of the Year.

Now there's a little bit of bias in there, I thought Bruce Arena was very good, I thought Sigi Schmid had a great year, but with all due respect, what Pete had to work with, especially with the ten game road stretch, the way he turned that around, we were bottom of the East for so long, we were bottom of Major League Soccer for so long, to finish at the top of the Eastern Conference? You know, are you kidding? Just a really great guy and a really fantastic manager.
With the offseason kicked off, the focus has shifted fully to 2012 and what changes are going to occur.

What sort of potential do you see for the club next season?

If I'm honest, I don't think much needs to change. Because everybody, right from the very depths of this club right up to the high ends of Robb [Heineman] and Cliff Illig and everybody, everybody has got it absolutely right this year, it has been almost perfect. Had we won the MLS Cup it would have been a perfect season, but you can argue our season's been 95% out of 100%. It's obvious as well that soccer is becoming an attraction in Kansas City.

I remember the game against New York when we qualified for the playoffs, and I remember going out for a couple of drinks after the game in the Brookside/Waldo area. I looked around the bar, and 90% of the people had Sporting jerseys on. It was just a see of blue and I remember thinking to myself 'Well, soccer's arrived' because we all know it's not number one in this country, and that's a crying shame because it's the best game in the world. And I think next year we'll see a lot more people taking interest, and I think the key for the interest is A) the success of the team, but B) the stadium.

The stadium has made everything change and I never got to see CommunityAmerica Ballpark, but I've heard the stories and I've done a number of League Two games and I can imagine what it was like. But LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, is the best stadium I've ever worked in, and I can only see it getting better from here.

Maybe not many people know this yet, but you'll be leaving for a large part of t
he offseason, going back to the UK. What do you have planned, what will you be up to?

Well I've got to keep the throat ticking, so I'll be doing work on some games over there, as well. I'm gonna keep myself busy, but at the same time, I'm looking forward to just giving it a bit of a break. I've got a week booked in Spain with the girlfriend and the parents, so I'm looking forward to chilling out and sitting on a beach and drinking a silly drink or a silly cocktail with a silly umbrella in it!

But also, more than anything, I'm looking forward to going home, and seeing my mom and dad and friends and other family. It's a long time to spend away from home, and I'd never moved away before this year, so I'm really looking forward to it. More than anything I'm looking forward to seeing my girlfriend, haven't seen her for eight months, we've been together for just over four years and it's been tough, it's been really tough. But I will say, the complete and utter madness of this season has helped me get along with things and remember me why I'm here. As I say, though, I'm looking forward to going home but I can't wait to come back in 2012.

I'm so excited, I am so excited for next season.

That was a good interview. Cal is the man, and I'm glad we extended his contract.

Hey I have a shot of you from a game...I need to remember to export it. Playing with some of those photos tonight.

Would love to see it! If it's from the NYRB game, my Pops is probably in it. His bday is coming up in Jan, and I might like to buy a print from you and get it framed to give to him.

:hump:

Just got a promo email regarding the new sporting online store. It launches Black Friday at 12:00 AM. 20% off all orders over $100 and free shipping as well.

Finally. Tired of going to Kansas Sampler and sifting through the 14 items they have left.

Is it weird that I've been waiting for us to get our jersey sponsor before I buy a jersey? it's weird isn't it?

definitely wierd. or weird.

Haha. Maybe a bit. I don't mind the whole jersey sponsor thing I understand it but I like having one without it for sure. Just having a solid team one.

In that promo email, I didn't see this little didbit at the bottom until the wife pointed it out:

"Purchase two season tickets in the south stand, and get two youth season tickets for free!"

I'll be upgrading from 2 to 4 tickets for 2012 on monday. :thumb:

Expansion draft is at 2 central folks.

I guess the expansion draft will be streamed live at this page. http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/new...ion-draft-live

I'm guessing Kronberg is gone... I have no basis for that statement. Just a gut feeling.

What a deal. Seriously, great move to try to build the South stand into a more family friendly version of the Cauldron. I wish my kids were younger....

OMG, I don't think I've ever said that.

Montreal plucked Sinovic off of our roster in the expansion draft.

add to that - Jeferson, Stojcev, Rocastle, and Lorenz all waived.

http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2011/...s-four-players

:(

Sounds good. We will good again.

Tough loss. Liked Seth a lot especially as a KC guy. This will be a pretty active time though it will be interesting to see what happens.

Transactions that I am aware of have been listed in the thread header. Feel bad we could not keep Milos. He is a really nice guy and a talented player but we have a lot of talent on this team.

I liked Milos as well. I thought he had a good eye for threading the through ball.

Looks like we picked up Kamara's option. Kei will be here for the foreseeable future.


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Hate Kei's body Language, but can't deny his talent. Reminds me of Randy Moss at times.

He was too gassed in the Houston game. He didn't have that great of a post season really but gives it his all. I remember the Seattle game before we lost it at the last second being amazed at how much he was leaving on the field. Of course they subbed him and we lost...heh.

Kei links up with Chance real well and has great ball control. He makes things happen other guys can't but yea he could be mentally tougher at key moments.

All my prayers that they took Harrington crashed with Impact's pick 10. We should not have left Sinovic unprotected. Hindsight in timeline but we all saw this coming.
Sinovic will not do as well in Montreal as he did here because he fit the experience and system here so much better.
Anyway wish Seth well in his Montreal experience.

I was feet away from him during the Union game. IDK it was just not the white guy hustle I am used to loving, He is a baller no doubt that can get up for headers though.

I think that his diving makes it appear as though he doesn't have as high of a workrate... But dude sells out. He never mails it in

.. and let's be honest, kei puts kids in clown shoes on the regular. He's a baller

It might be super geeky, but I'm really considering taking the day off to go to the Super Draft this January.

Me and a bunch of Cauldron guys will be there. I have heard it is lots of fun. Will be my first.

Lost Seth. ****.

Some kind of announcement is coming on Monday but I don't think it will be anything big. Seems like it is a player but not a DP.

There are also jersey sponsor rumors floating and they seem to be indicating Google as a sponsor. This isn't as silly as it seems with how closely LSP has worked with the whole broadband thing for a long time and the high tech stuff they are doing. It is in line with talk I have heard for a while but I am still in the "I will believe it when I see it" camp.

People often mention Boulevard as a sponsor but it is my understanding Boulevard and SKC are sort of on the outs.

There are also going to preseason games played prior to the Disney tournament but information about them has not been released.

Too bad. That would be the greatest jersey in the history of sports.

Ha, agreed. It would be a cool deal. But hey, you never know what will happen with these guys at the helm.

Per 810 a minute ago...Davy Arnaud (sp?) was traded to Montreal to get Seth back

No way!

That's awesome. Hate to see a guy like Arnaud go, but I approve.

Not only to get Seth back, but Allocation money as well.

So we basically got about $220k in cap room, AND an undisclosed amount of allocation money.

Most people were clamouring for Seth to be protected with Davy left unprotected in the draft.

Shrewd dealings by the FO. Well played, SKC.

Have to wonder if this was done prior to the draft and that there was a verbal agreement between the two teams to do this in the first place.

Nice. :clap:

I wonder if someone kicked him in the face with a ball to let him knowhe was traded.

We signed the White Puma to an extension through 2013.

**** THE **** YES

**** THE **** YES x 2

Lots of news while I was traveling today. Good moves guys.

Apparently Sporting wanted to announce a 3rd trade today but there was some issue on the other team's end that has delayed the announcement.

Nice to have the crypt keeper back. I like a few of the clips they throw in hear. I got a big kick out of Seth and laughing when Henry was appealing his red card to him. I also forgot when he got scrappy with Landon.

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Jimmy could be up there all time as a fan favorite when his career here is said and done.

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And that Houston, is how you work the system.

Seriously. Pretty shrewd move by Robb and Co.

I fux with the white puma for real

James over at Sporting Times has a great write up on Davy.

http://sportingtimes.net/articles/davy-arnaud/

The typical swings and roundabouts of post season MLS kicked into high gear this week. The expansion draft, that somehow feels so long ago left large segments of the fan base melancholy, after losing Seth Sinovic to the Montreal Impact. The question raised by many (but not myself admittedly) was simple: Will Peter Vermes trade with Montreal to get Seth back? The answer turned out to be a surprising yes and while Seth Sinovic is now destined to be with Sporting for the foreseeable future the melancholy hasn’t lifted much.

Getting Seth back from Montreal cost the last great Wizard and Captain Davy Arnaud his home in Kansas City and the Impact an undisclosed amount of allocation money. This is good business, Sporting freed up over $250,000 under the salary cap, received a received an invaluable chunk of allocation money which can be used for paying down contracts, signing players and sweetening deals with other teams and ultimately retrieved a quality young player in place of one that is starting some would have you believe is getting old.

We should be happy right? Logically yes, and if I don my cap of pragmatism the trade is good business but Davy Arnaud is never going to appear in a Sporting KC shirt again and that unsettles me. Jimmy Conrad and Jack Jewsbury left Kansas City last close season, and while Jewsbury was popular it was the departure of Conrad that got the wistful juices flowing. He was the face of the Kansas City Wizards, and Davy Arnaud stepped into his shoes, assuming the captaincy before Conrad was traded to Chivas USA and the mantle of the senior veteran leader in the eyes of fans and management alike.

My ‘relationship’ with Davy has been tumultuous affair. He was the standout player in my early days following the Wizards when they were still mired at Arrowhead, a fiercely passionate and busy player who had the ability to keep pushing and fighting when all those around him seemed to be deflated. To say that he was the heart and soul of the team might overstate things, but he was at times a seemingly tireless and unyielding piston who would drive the team onwards out of pure stubborn will to win. It wasn’t all grit however, Davy Arnaud could strike a ball, could make goals and finish them he was for me the finest player in a Wizards shirt and the first player on the team who I thought was worth remembering.

As a morphed from a casual occasional tourist into a fan and started writing this blog my stock in Davy dipped. An incident which I deemed to be spiteful, classless and vicious during a pre-season game had me wondering for many a month if I would ever like Davy again. It was a moment of hotheadedness that I held against him for what seemed like an eternity until I actually got to know him a bit. Little interactions here and there at training revealed Davy to be quite a captivating personality, fun, with an impish and cheeky sense of humor. He won me back in many ways and as he was named captain and the organization also began its own astonishing metamorphosis Davy became the man once again.

Everything was changing, Conrad was gone, Hartman, Jewsbury. With them Community America Ballpark, the Arrowhead days had one last nostalgic visit as we beat United, Conrad was dismissed and Davy Arnaud once more got a bit excited and tried to wrestle the referees arm down as if it would somehow reverse the red if it wasn’t in the air – it didn’t work, but we still won anyway and the Wizards got to be heroes for day. Good old Davy, always going at a million miles an hour even when he was standing still. I was amazed he stayed on the field.

That said my fondest memory of Davy will be sitting down on some bleacher seats at Community American Ballpark talking, just chatting. Callum Williams was with us, maybe Mike Kuhn and we sat around like regular guys joking around and telling stories about our school days. He turned out to be a great guy, fun, but also direct and sincere, fun and more charismatic than you’d imagine based on interviews. You could see why he was made captain in amongst the shrinking violets that fans would make candidates. He was a natural leader, at least that was my impression, and I don’t think I could doubt a word he said.

He was impressive.

And I’ll miss him … not just because he is a good guy but because I am so used to seeing him play in a Kansas City shirt that somehow it seems a bit less without him. How can it not? A game, one solitary game lasts for 90 minutes, Davy Arnaud has clocked over 20,000 minutes for us. 90 vs 21,607 .. it seems to defy logic. He has been as much as a servant during his decade here as anybody has been in the history of this team and up until the 2012 season his body of work will have been under the banners of the Kansas City franchise.

The guy that I wanted to do nothing but hug after the defeat to Houston, the guy who I dreamed about raising that MLS Cup. Its a cruel game we play and love, yet we all saw the end coming, maybe not so soon and maybe some of us that wished to have Seth Sinovic back now are thinking that maybe the price was too high. Time will tell, and Seth Sinovic seems to have much of the heart and fight that Davy does. That is a comforting thought, as is the idea that this is not a eulogy but a brief goodbye, Davy will no doubt be back in 2012 in an Impact shirt, I have little doubt that he will also be wearing a captains arm band and after he gives the Members Section a wave I am sure that once more he will do everything in his power to win. We may even boo him before the afternoon is out.

I like that idea … too many fans have written him off as over the hill or flagging. He is 31, a child of the 80s, and I think he has a few years to go before he really is staring retirement in the face. I am sure he will have a point to prove, and I would not bet a single cent against him doing so.

Not a single one.