USOC: Wizards vs. Menace All things Pre-game [R]

You don't know what you are talking about. That picture above is not Valley. Valley is where we could have played if KC would not have demanded to host. You may remove foot from mouth now.

 

I thought you were talking about Blue Valley, I'm sorry. I misread. It doesn't change the fact that your team plays every week on a field worse than anything they'll be playing on here. Please shut up about it already.

Comments like this are just stupid.

 

Demanded to host? How the hell are you guys coming up with this crap?

1) You have to bid to host games in the USOC.
2) We're the defending champions, so even if we had "demanded" to host, we earned the right to do it last year...

 

Re: Wizards USOC Opponent Set (R)

hey that was fun, and you know it! 2-1 were gonna win 2-1.....3-2 were gonna win 3-2.......4-3 were gonna win 4-3.....5-4 were gonna win 5-4....6-5 youll have to win 6-5


good times

 

Re: Wizards USOC Opponent Set (R)

Oh it was a great time, one of my favorite games in the stands.

 

That crap is from a great source, it's money, trust me. I know how hosting works. I also know from this great source that KC refused to go on the road to Des Moines since they have 3 road games over the following week.

Defending champions or not, I don't care... MLS travels in the Open Cup. Everyone else is and has, KC should too.

 

Frankly that's a dumb tradition/rule.

 

What is your point!? We are in the TOP division. The Menace are NOT in the top division. I understand you're going to argue on the side of the Menace, but we deserved every right to host this game. If you can't see that, then just keep on viewing the world through your rose colored glasses.

And BTW, SnakeEyes and szazzy, please keep this cool. This really isn't a topic worth arguing over. Please don't make me moderate. I'm lazy and its a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

 

Tell me why you are more deserving of hosting when nobody else does, when it's tradition that MLS travels? It's good for the game.

But fine, go ahead and take your arguement ball and go moderate if you choose to.

 

The better question is why all other MLS teams don't have a chance to host.

 

Think about why it's in the best interest of MLS not to host the opening rounds for a second. Look at it from the point of view of expanding the fan base.

You're right- we are the lowest level of club. That's exactly why hosting in DM makes more sense than KC. Other than exhibitions that have reserves playing in games that don't matter, soccer promoters have the opportunity here to play an actual match against one of only 12 top-flight teams in the nation. KC's fan base is well established. They play on TV regularly and the MLS is a widely promoted professional sports league. The PDL is not and needs whatever support it can muster.

By hosting in a smaller market like DM, we get the chance to bring in an established pro team and engage them in an actual match that means something. In terms of exposure and growth, this makes the most sense. It provides a community that is normally without MLS action live the chance to witness the top league play live against their "hometown" boys. This benefits MLS, PDL, and the soccer community.

The thing that seperates soccer from other pro sports is this cup. Something like this could never happen in baseball, football, hockey, or basketball. The natures of the sports just don't lend themselves to this type of phenomenon.

The Wizards play in the USOC every year - they get an automatic bid. They don't enter until the fourth round unless the finish in the bottom 4 of the previous year's season. The Menace, the entire PDL, USASA, and 2nd Div must qualify. Then they have to battle through a few rounds in an attempt to earn the right to face the top-flight level of US soccer. For that reason alone, the MLS clubs should not host the opening rounds. The higher-level teams should host the quarters, semi's, and finals. They have the venues for it. The fact that an opening round game wouldn't be enough for Arrowhead is proof enough that the MLS should not host.

Before the KC fans get back on their high and mighty horses, I'm not whining. I'm loking at this from a rational and practical perspective. If the roles were reversed, I'd share the same opinion. I care about the growth of the sport. I care about the increases in every team's fan bases.

I'm not asking for a peace treaty here, just respect and intelligence. Now, let's get off the stadium subject. We're all stuck with it. Let's return to the build up. BRING IT ON.

By the way, keep thinkg the Menace suck. KC will feel pretty silly when they stop defending the USOC to a PDL team from Des Moines...

 

The Wizards had a valid reason for asking for this round of the USOC to be at home. At the time this round will be played, the Wizards will be in the middle of 4 game road trip. The reason for them asking for the match at home was because of this fact so that the players could spend more time at home with their families and so that they can train for their next few games in league.

I understand the reasoning for wanting DM to host the game due to a MLS team coming to play the PDL and all that, but you also got to look at the wear and tear that does on some of the players. True it's only a 3 hour drive to DM and a very short flight if they were to fly, but it would still cause a strain on the bodies of the players and with the 4 road games all around the game, I think that the Wizards had a good claim to ask for this match at home.

On the fact that the Menance suck, yes there are people here that say that the Menance suck, and there are those that respect what the Menance have done and know that this could be a good match. But don't start getting overconfident yourselves, yes you've beaten 3 USL-1 teams. Don't look at Gansler to under estimate you, I'm sure he knows what your team is capable of and I'm sure he'll be telling the team not to underestimate you. Yes this is a cup and anything can happen, but there are plenty of smart players, some of whom were on the team when the Wizards lost to the Chicago Fire Reserves in the USOC in 2000 I believe, they won't look past the Menance.

 

I wasn't even saying the Menace suck.

No professional team is really going to care if the Menace are 10-2, from PDL, from USL-1, or wherever. The "respect" comes from the fact that anybody can win in single-elimination tournament games like this. The players will take it seriously.

 

Talk to your source and have them give you a copy of the Open Cup rules. The higher seeded league team plays at home, unless they waive it. That is why PDL teams travel for most of their Open Cup games once they qualify.

Generally, the travelling team is reimbursed for their expenses by the USSF. The host team is responsible for the hosting costs (stadium rental, referees, etc.) The Open Cup hosting policies provide that if the higher league opts not to host they do not get travel money.

Over the years the MLS teams have been willing to travel rather than host in the majority but no were near all games because it is much cheaper to play their own travel expense than pay the cost of hosting at a venue such as Arrowhead, or most other MLS stadiums. That has not always been the case. If it were the the Wizards would never have played most of their Open Cup games at the Blue Valley DAC.

In that regard it is interesting to note that there were no complaints about the Wizards hosting when it was thought the game would be at Blue Valley. Now that it is at a stadium that most are not familiar with and after what is clearing near hysterical, misleading information is published do such complaints materialize. Where were the demands that Des Moines host when this topic was first started and through its first two pages?

The Park field is fine. It is better than what the Menace play on for more than half their games. I know because I go to a lot of PDL games, principally the Brass, but many others across the Country including most of the Heartland teams, including the Menace, but also those further afield from Orlando Ajax to the Vermont Voltage to Orange County Blue Star.

If you all want to rip each other and argue about how much repsect who is due what, go ahead. I will watch and enjoy. I know both teams well and I expect a good game. But, statements about rules, tradition, the field and such that are plain wrong do a disservice to both teams, their staff and fans.

The reason the Wizards want to play at home is it is cheaper, easier on their team, and creates an environment more favorable to a win. It is also a benefit to their most loyal fans. The rules allow them this right.

 

I didn't like it before the news of playing at Park. However I got louder when I learned our field wasn't the problem, that we had Valley/Cownie as options and the Wizards rejected it. Despite the fact it's in the rules, MLS teams do travel and IMO should. Everyone else is.

My concern with Park is the seating. How many people will KC draw for this?

 

SnakeEyes.. What movie is your signature from?

"Mass Genocide is the...."

I can't remember. It's driving me crazy...

 

Dogma. Line said by Matt Damon.

 

I would say seating would be fine. Seating at BVAC was about the same, maybe a little more and it was never a problem there. It seats about 1500 if I remember right, and BVAC doesn't seat much more then that.

 

Thanks. Classic movie.

 

Probably 1-2K. 3K max.

And the reason I say the Wizards have every right to host this game is because we're the MLS side. If we want to host, we should be able to. I'm sorry your home town team isn't one of the larger clubs, but that isn't our fault.

More importantly, we won this thing last year. If that isn't reason enough to be able to host, in every round, I don't know what is.

Don't make wise cracks about my post asking to not have to moderate. I did it light heartedly, without trying to be a prick. But if you want to be a smart ass about it then I will moderate. And in some circles you're boardering on trolling. (Not mine, I don't think you are trolling at this point, but it could be interpreted that way. Hence the reason I asked you, and others, to cool it.)

 

Making the MLS teams travel is a VERY good thing in my opinion. There are plenty of good reasons why. Think of the term "market saturation". In KC you have a full slate of MLS matches, plus the Brass, plus Cup competitions. In other words, lots of high quality soccer. Fans in smaller cities rarely, IF EVER, get the chance to see top-tier pro sports teams in their towns. This creates a buzz about MLS and spreads the word in new markets. It also creates an electric atmosphere in those towns. It is what the Open Cup is all about: bringing soccer up close and personal to a wider variety of fans.

I'm happy the Fire played in Lusitano Stadium and not Naperville. The MLS sides really seem to enjoy it. One of my fondest soccer memories was watching the Fire play the Chicago Sockers in Arlington Heights, IL. The place seated 4,000 and you had a crowd of over 5,500. You were up close, people stood behind the goals, you even had people climbing a tree to look above the crowd. It reminded me of those old baseball photos you'd see from around the turn of the century. The more people that get to experience that, the better it is for soccer.

 

Correction: The Wizards lost to a PDL team in the 2000 Open Cup - the Chicago Sockers (Stingers). http://www.virtual-soccer.com/metro00/metro476.html "Sockers upset KC Wizards on PKs in US Open Cup". Now for a bit of history: Ever since the MLS teams joined the tournament in 1996 only 1 non-MLS team has won the tournament - the Rochester Rhinos in 1999.

 

And that's what you got at USOC games at BVAC, the players really seem to enjoy the games there, because the fans are close to the action and due to the small size of the venue, it creates a better atmospher, it's a lot like what the Fire has. I'm sure it will be the same for the game at Park.

 

I'm sure it will be as well. I'm not complaining about Julian Field. It makes me want to go more now since I know the drive will be shorter. My point was that cities like Des Moines should be hosting these games because its a bigger deal for Des Moines than it is for KC.

We've earned the right to host by beating a USL Division 2 and two Division 1 opponents. If the Wizards win a game or two, then they deserve to host a match as well.

I don't care that they won last year. Big deal. That was then, this is now. MLS teams are automatic bids that only have to play a handful of matches to win. Isn't that enough? Some of you talk like hosting is your damn birthright.

 

"Big deal."??? How many times have the Menace won the USOC? Big deal, nice one.
And BTW, what the heck does beating three lower division teams mean when it comes to hosting a game?

And I understand your point about this game being a bigger deal to a smaller town. You're absolutely correct. I went to a USOC game in Milwaukee, and yes it was a pretty big deal. But the thing is that KC is hosting, we deserve to be hosting, and we can stop the debate and talk about the game. Which, by the way, will be fun no matter where it's played. And we're gonna win.