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Didn't we just have a game? Once again, just go ahead and get used to it, folks. They're going to keep coming fast and furious from this point on for Sporting KC. Wednesday night saw the team earn a somewhat undeserved, desparation point on the road in Philadelphia. Saturday night sees the boys return home to the beautiful LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, once again, to face a foe that, in all honesty, must result in three points for the home side.

Vancouver are the only team in the league technically below Sporting in the standings, based on goal differential. As the climb from the bottom of the table is well underway for Sporting (6 games unbeaten, 10 points from the last 6 games), the very bottom team in the league is a game that, with no exceptions, must end in three points. Look for a slightly altered lineup this evening, as head coach Peter Vermes begins to juggle Wednesday-Saturday lineups for the foreseeable future.

As you can imagine, LSP is the place to be for this one, but for those of you watching from the comforts of home tonight, come inside and join Andy Edwards of The Daily Wiz, and (hopefully) a few of its readers for what's known around these parts as an Open Game Thread. We'll be discussing tonight's action live, as it happens on the field.

All you need to do is sign up for an SB Nation account, which can be done here. That account and screenname are good for all 300 of the network's sites, many of which are team-specific. Meaning, you're a fan of the Kansas Jayhawks, Missouri Tigers, etc.? There's sites for each one of those teams, including all NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL teams if that's your thing, plus about 100 college team sites. Once you've done that, simply agree to join the membership here at TDW, and you're in!

Sporting Kansas City defender Michael Harrington was called by many, myself leading the cavalry, the most consistent player for the 2010 Kansas City Wizards. His play at the rightback position in his fourth year in Major League Soccer was an ever-calming presence in a side that struggled for much of the year, particularly in the defensive half.

Coming into the 2011 season, it was widely expected that Harrington, the fifth year rightback from the University of North Carolina, would simply pick right back up where he left off in 2010 and hit the ground running for a second straight season. A nagging groin injury sustained during the preseason threw off those hopes from the very get-go, and Harrington missed the first two games of the season due to the injury, before making his season debut at Vancouver Whitecaps on April 2.

From that very first appearance of the season, Harrington seemed to struggle a bit, as did the rest of the Sporting KC defense. Ultimately, the team ended up dropping two points in that game and drawing 3-3 after holding a 3-1 lead a couple minutes into stoppage time. It could easily be said that physical fitness after an injury that didn't allow for Harrington to do any conditioning work was to blame on that night. Fair point, until his performances didn't look to improve much as his full match fitness returned.

Things seem to have finally reached a head with Sporting head coach Peter Vermes after the team's home opener following a 10-game road trip to start the season, and Harrington hasn't started a game since. Three games without a start is the longest such stretch of Harrington's career since June of 2009, his third year in the league.

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Another Wednesday, another league game. Get used to it, folks. As July and August approach, this will become the norm; except, they'll all be at home for a while. Coming off their second win in a row, Sporting KC look to continue their 5-game unbeaten streak as the head to the city of Brotherly Love to take on the Union. Philly are, in just their second year of existence, quick and surprise contenders in the Eastern Conference.

Pregame Coverage

As Told By The Opponent: Philadelphia Union Vs. Sporting KC - MLS Game 14 - TDW

Philadelphia Union Vs Sporting Kansas City - Talking To The Enemy, Andy Edwards Of The Daily Wiz - TBG

As you are surley well aware, we've a double dip of football action tonight in the Heartland. The United States National Team takes on Panama in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals at 6 pm CT, and Sporting Kansas City kickoff half an hour later away to Philadelphia Union. While the fan in me may be more excited for the former, it's the latter that we cover here at The Daily Wiz. With that, we've got the best insight into the second year Union that you're likely to find anywhere in the blogosphere ahead of tonight's matchup.

SB Nation's Union blog, The Brotherly Game, is one of the better MLS-specific blogs I've yet to find across the Internet. It is run by a Philly living, Man United supporting, all the time chatty fella named Scott Kessler, who I turned to for the answer to a few pressing questions about the Union. As always, check out their blog for coverage of the game, and give Scott a follow on Twitter @brotherlygame.

My answers to Scott's questions can be found, right here. On to the interrogation...

TDW: Here in KC, we've seen the infamous "Sophomore Slump" from second year forward Teal Bunbury. As an outsider looking at the Union, it seems like Danny Mawanga is going through the same thing, in the sense he's not playing a ton, just like Bunbury? Is that really the case?

The addition of Carlos Ruiz in the offseason relegated Mwanga to the bench. Much like Bunbury, who has gained international play with the USMNT despite not starting for Sporting Kansas City, Mwanga has seen his playing time diminished this year even though his rookie season was sensational. Mwanga's 7 goals last year, good enough for second on the Philadelphia Union in 2010 in terms of scoring, apparently weren't enough for head coach Piotr Nowak to trust in the former University of Oregon stand out.

Mwanga has provided some important goals for the Union this year, along with some of the team's best runs in open play. Yet he still found himself sitting behind Veljko Paunovic on Saturday, a 33-year-old Serbian striker/central attacking midfielder that hadn't played in a professional match 2.5 years.

It's frustrating because Mwanga has the size and speed to not only dominate in MLS, but also translate into Europe or the international soccer scene. At some point Mwanga is going to get a full starting role and the Union will benefit wholly from it because it's the best move for the team, from a youth development point of view and a squad strength point of view.

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On Tuesday afternoon, Sporting Kansas City announced that second year winger Ryan Smith would be leaving the country and heading back to his native England for "family reasons," thus he would not be returning to the team the rest of the 2011 season. In the team's official press release, technical director and head coach Peter Vermes cited distance from families as one major issue for any international player coming to America. "It's never easy for international players who come to MLS when they have to live far away from their families. This situation is no different."

There is already speculation abound that Smith has played his last game for Sporting KC. If that is to be the case, he would end his Sporting career with 4 goals and 7 assists in 32 games played, 26 of which were starts. Smith immediately made his arrival known, scoring a goal and setting up another in his club debut in the 2010 season opener against DC United. From there, he went on to make a name for himself with his flashy dribbling skills, no doubt harkening back to his Arsenal youth academy days, and deft touch on the ball. In true reality, there really was, and still is, not a player in the league capable of some of the things Smith routinely pulled off.

This isn't the first time, though, that Smith will have been away from the team for this very reason. In combination with a couple minor injuries, Smith missed the last three games of the 2010 season, as he was back home in England, tending to his ailing mother. After offseason knee surgery leading up to 2011, Smith missed the first four games of the season. His lone goal of the 2011 season was a 75th minute equalizer against Colorado Rapids on May 28 that broke a five game losing streak within the league.

While Sporting got along for part of the season without Smith, and he hasn't had the biggest of impacts since returning, it may seem like this isn't a debilitating loss for KC. But, there are a few things that this means for the team, and most of them (if not all) are negative.

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It definitely wasn't pretty. But, that was probably exactly the way that Sporting Kansas City head coach Peter Vermes had it planned. Speaking in Thursday's weekly press conference, Vermes made it known that Friday night's matchup with San Jose Earthquakes would be far more physical than any other battle they had encountered to this point in the 2011 MLS season.

Well, Vermes got exactly what he said he would. All night long Earthquakes forward Steven Lenhart found himself in the middle of an Mixed Martial Arts octagon ring, trading blow for blow with Sporting KC centerbacks Aurelien Collin and Matt Besler. Collin, particularly, was the main combatant that, while taking his own fair share of licks, really did a number on Lenhart. Collin sported an orange-size bruise on his bald head immediately following the game, while Lenhart couldn't have fared much better himself.

This game tape will not be used anytime soon for a Major League Soccer promotional video of "we play the beautiful game," and for good reason. There were a ton of fouls on each side - 11 against San Jose and 8 against Sporting. The leaders in fouls committed for each side? You guessed it; Lenhart and Collin.

Coming off a 4-1 victory at FC Dallas on Sunday, Vermes chose to dance with the date that brought him and stuck with very much the same Starting XI, making only two changes to his squad - both being side effects of red card suspensions. Jimmy Nielsen stepped back into goal and Omar Bravo came back into the side after missing Sunday's game due to injury.

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Sporting Kansas City vs. San Jose Earthquakes
MLS Game 13 - June 17, 2011
7:30 pm CT, 5:30 pm PT
LIVESTRONG Sporting Park - Kansas City, KS
TV: Fox Soccer Channel (HD)
Last Two Meetings: SJ 1-0 KC, KC 4-1 SJ

Welcome back to the stadium that never sleeps - LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. At least, that's the way it seems. Since its grand opening night just eight, short days ago, this wondrous building has also hosted the United States National Team in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Tonight, we get back to Major League Soccer action, as Sporting Kansas City host San Jose Earthquakes in a monumentally important game for Sporting KC.

Pregame Coverage

New Episode Of The Daily Wiz's Podcast, "Ted And Trent Talkin' Touches" - TDW

PREVIEW: Sporting KC Vs. San Jose Earthquakes: KC's "Act 2" Starts Now - TDW

As you can imagine, LSP is the place to be for this one, but for those of you watching from the comforts of home tonight, come inside and join Andy Edwards of The Daily Wiz, and (hopefully) a few of its readers for what's known around these parts as an Open Game Thread. We'll be discussing tonight's action live, as it happens on the field.

All you need to do is sign up for an SB Nation account, which can be done here. That account and screenname are good for all 300 of the network's sites, many of which are team-specific. Meaning, you're a fan of the Kansas Jayhawks, Missouri Tigers, etc.? There's sites for each one of those teams, including all NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL teams if that's your thing, plus about 100 college team sites. Once you've done that, simply agree to join the membership here at TDW, and you're in!

The epic 10-game road trip is now over and done. The long-awaited home opener of LIVESTRONG Sporting Park is now over and done. The United States National Team playing in Kansas City for the first time in a dozen years is now over and done. Life can now return to business as usual for Kansas City soccer fans. Or, as usual as 16 home games packed into half a season can be.

It's not just the fans that can now rest at ease a bit. The Sporting Kansas City players and coaching staff can now take solace in the fact that the so-called "tough part" is over and done. The road trip didn't go anything like they would have liked, (1-6-3, 6 points) but it is now over and done. The pressure and excitement of a national level event and their own homecoming weighed on the team a bit, (0-0 draw) but it is now over and done.

For all intents and purposes, Friday night when Sporting KC play host to San Jose Earthquakes in their second home game of the 2011 Major League Soccer season, it's the beginning of a whole new season - or, "Act 2." Forget the fact that after the first 12 games of the season they sit exactly dead last in the entire league. Forget the fact that they went three full months without a league victory. A 4-1 result against FC Dallas last Sunday night went a long way to closing down the gap a bit between Sporting and the rest of the Eastern Conference standings. A win on Friday night now puts Sporting a single point behind Chicago and New England with one and two games still in hand against those sides, respectively.

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Download The Newest Episode Right Here

Ted and Trent are back again with another episode of The Daily Wiz's podcast, "Ted And Trent Talkin' Touches". This week the boys are back and have a lot to talk about. So much so that we run almost a full hour long.

Topics include, but are not limited to the following: Sporting Kansas City's 4-1 victory over FC Dallas on Sunday, the upcoming Friday night game against San Jose Earthquakes, the United States National Team playing in Kansas City on Tuesday night, head coach Peter Vermes' thoughts on a myriad of topics in Thursday's press conference. And, last but certainly not least, we are joined by the man of the hour, the man who scored from 45-plus yards out against Dallas, the best hair on the team, Trent's brother from another mother - midfielder Graham Zusi.

Feel free to send in any questions, comments and/or topics you may have to us at thedailywiz@gmail.com, tweet them @TheDailyWizKC or @stmcgee, or text to (913) 732-3492.

Hit the link at the top of the post to download this week's episode, or you can now find us on iTunes. (iTunes link) And, as always, from Ted and Trent, we thank you for your support and participation in the show.

Also file under: I've been a terrible blog manager this month, but I'm back for good, now.

On the calendar, today is nothing more than Thursday, June 16, 2011. But personally, this day feels like one of the most boring of my entire life. Thanks to the great folks at Sporting Kansas City and the United States Soccer Federation, I have just finished one of the greatest two week stretches of my entire life. And for that, I want to take a moment or two to thank the organizations and a handful of people in particular for making it happen, or being a part of it.

Caps Number 3 And 4

Where to begin with this one, I'm not so sure. I follow Sporting KC as a "member of the media," because I enjoy doing so, and perhaps would like to, one day, do something similar as a career. I follow the US National Team because I am American and nothing but a fan.

Over these last two weeks, I've seen my favorite group of human beings in all the world play in the great city of Boston, and my hometown Kansas City. Having acquired all four of my national team caps over the last eight months, and doing so in Chicago, Nashville and the previously mentioned two most recent, I can easily say that Tuesday night's game in LIVESTRONG Sporting Park was by far the most special, and most memorable, for a variety of reasons.

While I've only been a hardcore soccer fan for a couple years, there is a certain affinity to my national team that words themselves just can't properly describe. Why else would someone spend money they most certainly do not have to travel around the country to see them play? While that's a no-brainer, I would be extremely neglectful if I didn't mention the one person that has "shown me the ropes," so to speak, and been present for every single national team cap I have to my name. If it weren't for my good friend Dustin Quick, many things in my life probably never happen; this blog probably never comes about, I probably have only one cap right now (Tuesday), and I'm short one incredible group of friends and a ton of crazy, memorable stories. We shared our one year knowing-each-other anniversary together in Boston. Thanks for tweeting me and inviting me to Johnny's last summer, bro.

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Sporting Kansas City vs. Chicago Fire
MLS Week 13 - June 9, 2011
9:00 pm CT, 10:00 pm ET
LIVESTRONG Sporting Park - Kansas City, KS
TV: ESPN2 (HD), Radio: 810 WHB
Last Two Meetings: CHI 3-2 KC, CHI 2-0 KC

LIVESTRONG Sporting Park opens tonight. What more is there to be said? In all reality, not much. Chances are everyone that has ever read this blog is at LSP this evening, but since I love talking to myself so much, I'm going to live-blog it anyway.

In the context of the season, calling this a huge game for Sporting KC is a vast understatement. Coming off the heels of their 10-game road trip to start the season, they find themselves sitting squarely dead-last in the MLS standings. With nearly two-thirds of their road games for the year already played, the climb back up the table starts now, with 17 of their final 27 games to be played at home.

Sporting are without defenders Shavar Thomas and Roger Espinoza, and midfielder Craig Rocastle, while Chicago are down the services of midfielder Marco Pappa - all players representing their respective national teams in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. That's just one storyline of many this evening. Chicago have just recently fired head coach Carlos de los Cobos, while Peter Vermes has only of late cooled the temperature on his own coaching hot seat.

ESPN2 has the game tonight. If you're not at LSP (why wouldn't you be?), join me and chat it up throughout the evening's proceedings. The Daily Wiz's podcast, "Ted And Trent Talkin' Touches" will be coming at you live about 20-25 minutes following the final whistle. You can listen in LIVE on your way home stuck in LSP traffic by downloading the UStream mobile app, or right here on UStream from home, or get the podcasted version shortly after right here.

I am well - very well, in fact - aware that Sporting Kansas City are set to open the country's finest soccer specific stadium this evening when they take on Chicago Fire. Yes, I know. You know. Osama bin Laden knows. LIVESTRONG Sporting Park is a truly beautiful and awe-inspiring venue. But, let's face it - there's still a game to be played.

For all the talk about the stadium opener - and rightly so - there has been a severe lack of talk about the game itself. Could those yay-hoo's from the Windy City really come into our beautiful, new building on our night - for which we have waited 15 long years - and ruin our grand show? It's possible, I suppose.

As is par for the course, (when I'm not out of town - yeah, sorry for that) I took the chance to exchange emails with one of my absolute favorite people in the MLS blog world. Tweed Thronton runs Hot Time In Old Town, SB Nation's Chicago Fire blog, and I thoroughly enjoy reading his analysis, and sometimes cunning perspective.

TDW: Do Chicago fans see the Sporting KC front office as trying to "manufacture" a rivalry between the two teams with the various promotions based on Chicago losses? (sub promotion, LIVESTRONG donations)

Yes.

It really can't all be that easy, can it? Well, it's not. Tweed goes much deeper into the team, after the jump, and even elaborates on the one-word thriller

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Colorado Rapids vs. Sporting Kansas City
MLS Week 11 - May 28, 2011
8:00 pm CT, 7:00 pm MT
Dick's Sporting Goods Park - Commerce City, CO
TV: KSMO-TV (HD), MLS DirectKick
Last Two Meetings: KC 1-0 COL, COL 1-1 KC

Didn't we just have a game? Didn't we just have one of these open thread things a couple days ago? Well, yes, but we're gonng do it again. Sporting KC are riding on the back of a truly inspired performance against New England Revolution on Wednesday night in the US Open Cup, while Colorado are coming off a fairly positive 2-2 draw against New York Red Bulls. As they always are, this is a big one for Sporting. The climb back to the middle of the table starts now.

It's a quick turnaround for Sporting Kansas City this week coming off the US Open Cup qualifying victory on Wednesday night, as Sporting head back out onto the road for league play when they take on Colorado Rapids on Saturday night. A win in the cup competition at mid-week was fun, and had to serve as a huge morale boost for the players and fans alike, but it's back to serious business in the league. And the fact of the matter is still this: Sporting KC have 4 points from eight games.

With Colorado coming off a mid-week game against New York Red Bulls on Wednesday night as well, and going through a bit of an injury crisis, this game could set up as more perfect timing for Sporting to get things back on the right track. As we do before every game, I got in touch with Chris "UZ" White of Burgundy Wave, SB Nation's Rapids blog, and exchanged a few questions to bring further insight on Colorado from someone much closer to the situation than I.

In this exercise, you may be a bit surprised to find out that my favorite player in the league doesn't play for KC, and in fact does play for Colorado. Also, how are they handling the three games in 8 day stretch as well, and what does a good defense in MLS look like?

TDW: Omar Cummings is, by my estimation, Colorado's best player, and to be honest, it's not even close. He's my favorite player in the league. But, he hasn't played a game since early May, due to injury. Conor Casey also missed a month of the season. Since that time, they have only scored 6 goals in 9 games,and have been shutout five times. In what particular ways has the loss of Cummings affected the attack, and what might they do to fix the recent struggles?

UZ: I've always been of the mind that Casey overall is the better striker and part of the reason that Cummings has turned into such a force, but that's neither here nor there obviously. Missing Cummings has actually not completely ruined the offense quite as much as missing Casey for so long did, simply for the reason that Colorado has a couple of 'Cummings-esque' players in Andre Akpan and Quincy Amarikwa.

Cummings' biggest asset is obviously his straight up speed as he's not particularly better at finishing than a lot of MLS strikers and he tends to look for the pass. The Rapids have missed his ability to get into the box ahead of all the defenders more than anything else. Honestly, the struggles have seemed to subside with the Casey-Akpan forward pairing they pulled out against New York, which considering I've called Akpan 'the next Omar Cummings' has worked fairly well.

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Call it sweet revenge, call it a fresh, new start, call it whatever you like. But, don't forget to call it a stoic performance, because that's exactly what first year Sporting Kansas City defender Seth Sinovic gave Wednesday night against his former team, New England Revolution, in helping Sporting qualify for the 2011 US Open Cup with a 5-0 thrashing.. Making his club debut after signing with Sporting KC on May 10, Sinovic auditioned for the backup leftback position and couldn't have asked for a much better opening act.

"For many reasons it was a game that I wanted to show well in for Kansas City," Sinovic said by phone on Thursday.

Sinovic is a local guy, a Rockhurst High School graduate, and playing against his old team was all the motivation he needed to put in a stellar performance on Wednesday night. "It was definitely a motivating factor," according to Sinovic. "You always want to put on a good performance for a team that let you go ... It is what it is (the release); I respect the choices they had to make, but obviously I don't really agree with it. They did what they felt was best."

Sinovic understands that he has come into the side at a pivotal time, with starting leftback Roger Espinoza set to depart for Honduras National Team duty within the next week. Given that situation, the starting leftback job, at least for a month, is well up in the air. Could it be Sinovic's advantage in Major League Soccer experience over the competition - Korede Aiyegbusi and Scott Lorenz - having played in 20 games for New England in 2010, that could put him over the top?

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Sporting Kansas City players and fans alike would not let a little thing like multiple tornado touchdowns across the entire Greater Kansas City metro area deter them from enjoying their very first competitive game in Kansas City on the 2011 season. Once scary weather cleared up in the early afternoon (sort of), Peter Vermes' side had to have been chomping at the bit to play in front of a home crowd for the first time since October 23, 2010. And, my oh my, did it show on the field. And they are now in the official US Open Cup tournament, having won their qualifying bracket.

From the very start, the game was dominated by Sporting KC playing against a very understrength New England Revolution reserve-laden squad. With Sporting playing about half-and-half of a first team and reserve side, they looked to over-power New England and impose their will, and so they did. Without official stats, possession had to have been close to a 60-40 split in favor of the home side.

Chance Myers got things off to a flying start in the 9th minute with his first first-team goal of the 2011 season, having scored three over the last two reserve league games, but he wasn't done yet. Designated player and forward Omar Bravo helped to make Myers' second goal happen, just as he had done on the California kid's first score of the night. On the first, it was a perfectly placed cross to Myers at the top of the 6-yard box. The second, a saved shot by Bravo that spilled inside the six- and fell right to Myers, who coolly poked it past Revs goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth to make it 2-0 just 19 minutes into the game.

Unlike was the case early on in the season when Sporting relented early leads, the defense held compact and kept New England from pulling one back before the half.

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It's a home game for Sporting KC this evening. Well, sort of. Peter Vermes and Co. will play their very first first-team game of the 2011 season within the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area, as they take on New England Revelution in the last round of US Open Cup qualifying, the winner obviously advancing to the tournament-proper. While the game won't be played at the beautiful new LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, a home game with home fans in your home city is a welcome thing, nonetheless, as Sporting have played 9 straight competitive games on the road.

For those of you watching from the comforts of home tonight, come inside and join Andy Edwards (live from BVDAC) of The Daily Wiz, and (hopefully) a few of its readers for what's known around these parts as an Open Game Thread. We'll be discussing tonight's action live, as it happens on the field.

Also, we'll be streaming a LIVE postgame episode of The Daily Wiz's podcast, "Ted And Trent Talkin' Touches" after the game. You can find that right here as soon as the game ends.

With just hours to Sporting Kansas City's next first-team game, it might seem a bit late to rehash the events of Saturday night's loss to Seattle Sounders one more time, but it was Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes, and his words during Tuesday's weekly press conference, that have given new light to the gameplan last weekend. It seemed to many that Vermes had made a change in formation to something slightly less aggressive, a 4-2-3-1 of sorts, while the team usually employs a very fast-pased, high-pressure 4-3-3.

At first, this seemed to be the case to myself, as well. At that point, I was ready to laud much credit on Vermes for changing away from his favored formation when things just weren't working, and doing so with decent success. But, it was Vermes himself who dispelled this theory and explained to members of the media on Tuesday what exactly the slight change in the gameplan was. And for this, I give him even more credit than I was prepared to before.

As James Starritt of Sporting Times says, "for the first time this season I not only have confidence that we can turn it around but confidence that Peter Vermes actually does know what he is doing."

"There really wasn't a tweak in formation, only where we decided to pick them up," Vermes began to explain. He also went on to say, "We were still in our same formation, the only thing is that we dropped our line just a little bit lower." And then this one, which really explained just what it really meant: "Our hunting zone of wanting to win the ball back was a little bit different than in other games, and because of that, it made us more compact from side to side and front to back. And the other thing, too, it didn't allow them to have much space behind."

What exactly that means, we'll explain after the jump...

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When Sporting Kansas City picked up defender Frankie Hejduk in the December re-entry draft, it was thought that the long-time MLS veteran would serve as quality depth behind starting rightback Michael Harrington. Hejduk almost straight away said he wouldn't play for Sporting KC, and was then dealt to Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for defender/midfielder Luke Sassano, who the Galaxy had selected from New York Red Bulls.

Sassano, returning from 2010 ankle surgery which saw him miss all but three games last year, was signed to a short two-month contract by Sporting which expired at the end of March. This deal was agreed upon by both sides, with intent on Sassano's part to prove that he would be able to fully recover from the operation and be signed for the remainder of the 2011 season.

Following the weekly press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Sporting KC technical director/head coach Peter Vermes revealed that Sassano's option for the remainder of the season had been picked up. "Yes, he has been fully signed," Vermes told The Daily Wiz, "and he's a great guy who is finally almost fully healthy." Just how far along in his recovery is he, though, Coach? "He's at about 85 percent, I would say," Vermes went on to share.

The development of Sassano's fitness and availability looks to be a huge coup for Sporting heading into the month of June, as centerback Shavar Thomas and holding midfielders Craig Rocastle and Stephane Auvray are all set to join their respective national teams for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Along with each of those positions, Sassano can capably fill in at left- and rightback, as well.

In fact, his impact could be felt as soon as Wednesday night's US Open Cup qualifying game against New England Revolution, given the fact that Thomas and Auvray have already left Kansas City to join their national team camps ahead of the regional competition, according to Vermes. Rocastle will join his Grenada national teammates in Los Angeles on June 3. Sassano figures to be the fourth centerback on the depth chart in the event that either starter Matt Besler or Aurelien Collin are injured, forcing Julio Cesar Santos onto the field. He also looks to be either first- or second-choice holding midfielder once Rocastle departs, with Birahim Diop being the other option.

"Joy wouldn't feel so good if it wasn't for pain" - "Many Men" - 50 Cent

Yes, I am fully aware that the rapper 50 Cent was not the first to utter those brilliant words, but that just so happens to be the usage that resonates with my generation. That said, Sporting Kansas City fans have to have a lot of joy coming to them really soon, and it is going to feel grrr-eat. Following yet another heartbreaking loss on Saturday night against Seattle Sounders, Sporting KC fans find themselves once again wondering just how their team managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of a positive result.

As The Daily Wiz author SombraAla so eloquently put things earlier this morning, this was not just another average, run-of-the-mill, 1-nil loss. It was nothing close to that. It was, by my estimation, the best full-game performance, yet still came crashing back down to Earth with the exact same thud of a losing result as the last four league games. Quite simply, it's getting old. It was, without a doubt, the toughest loss of the season for Sporting.

My question to you, though, is this: which is the next worst?

There's no lack for options, of course. A 1-6-1 record offers a handful of choices. It's Monday, you've all just suffered through another loss on the weekend. We can take one day to commiserate and feeling sorry for ourselves. Join with me. Including: Poll inside, so be sure to make the jump and vote.

Option A: Chicago Fire 3-2 Sporting KC

Why it hurt: 300 loyal Sporting fans made the 10-hour drive to Chicago the night before the game, only to see their side, coming off of a win in the season opener, fall hard on the road against a team that's just not very good themselves. Omar Bravo was unjustly sent off half an hour into the game, yet the team fought a man down and got to within a goal on two occasions in the second half, but just couldn't manage to get over the hump.

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When a team is in an extended period of poor play and overall funk, a fan can only take so much. Some may dream of a day when their team returns to its rightful (in their mind) place of glory within the sport. While others may waver on that commitment they one day made to their beloved team. In an extreme case, a fan may even wish that there team disappear from the face of the Earth, period. Well, for those of you that may fall into that last category, rejoice, for the Great Rapture of 2011 is immediately upon us.

It's Judgment Day all around the world, and Sporting Kansas City are just not living up to preseason expectations. When the Heavenly Father himself returns to the planet at some point on this Saturday evening, you can piss and moan that you didn't get to hang around long enough to see the opening of LIVESTRONG Sporting Park on June, or that your last months were spent watching a team plummet to bottom of the Major League Soccer standings, or that you never got to see the United States National Team in Kansas City on June 14. But, there is one thing we do have to be thankful for: our boys will no longer be in Seattle, that gawd awful place.

But, how do you know it's really coming? I'm so glad you happened to ask that. And now, The Daily Wiz brings you:

You know the rapture has hit Sporting KC when...

... Chance Myers gets in the game, and continues his recent reserve league form with the first team. "Macho Man" Randy Savage has already been made the number one overall selection of the Rapture Draft on Friday afternoon. Now, it's time for this number overall pick from the 2008 MLS SuperDraft to live up to similar billing. We all know the Macho Man will do so.

... head coach Peter Vermes actually listens to me (yeah right) and starts bruising midfielders Stephane Auvray and Craig Rocastle together at the same time, which would possibly even lead to a Sporting victory.

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They always say that there is no bigger game in sports than the next one on the schedule. That is especially true when a team is struggling mightily and looking to get themselves back on the right track. This will absolutely be the case on Saturday night when Sporting Kansas City take on Seattle Sounders in their eighth (and near final) straight game on the road to open up their 2011 Major League Soccer season.

It has been well-documented, Sporting KC's struggles since the seasion opening victory. Since their entrance into MLS in 2009, Seattle have continually been an upper-echelon team in the league, but perhaps Sporting are catching them at the right time, with the Sounders struggling a bit of late, as well. There will be three points up for grab that each team desperately wants and needs.

As we like to do whenever possible, I've been in touch with the writers over at Sounder At Heart, SB Nation's Sounders blog, and looked to one of the best sources for Sounders information anywhere on the Internet. His name is Dave Clark, and despite being a Sounders fan, he still seems to be good people, so here were my three biggest questions for Dave ahead of Saturday's game.

TDW: With the long-term injury to winger Steve Zakuani, the Sounders have had to severely alter their tactical approach to a much more narrow diamond shape in the midfield. Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes talked in depth about that aspect of their tactical approach. Who is the guy, or guys, who have stepped up in that part of the field in this time of transition and helped to make things run smoothly?

DC: Seattle has used very wide midfielders in a kind of 4-1-3-1-1 formation for most of their time in MLS. It is a familiar system if you watch Sigi's previous teams, but due to Steve Zakuani and his dynamic ability Seattle has tried to have their wide mids go really wide, and even really high. In some ways they have played a 4-2-3-1. With Zakuani out and no real similar replacement the shift has been to play a more traditional narrow 4-<4>-2 with Alvaro Fernandez and Mauro Rosales being the wide men.

The Sounders have a lot more of these more convenational types of wide mids, with Erik Friberg and Brad Evans also suited to the role in a starting capacity. Regardless of who plays though the team now gets more width from the fullbacks and the space just at the top of the 18 may have 3 or 4 bodies in it. It is forcing the team to learn more movements within crowded spaces and better time on goal runs due to the shift. Seattle is shifting its approach and gets better, but they certainly aren't used to it yet.

Also, if you haven't checked out the latest version of The Daily Wiz's podcast, "Ted And Trent Talkin' Touches", let me tell you right now - you must do so. We were joined by Sounder At Heart's Jeremiah Oshan to record a collaborative preview of Saturday's game. Not to be proud, but it is an amazing segment, so once again, many thanks to Jeremiah for doing that with us. You can find said great podcast episode right here, or on our iTunes page.

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With the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup looming just over the horizon, big news came out on the Sporting Kansas City front on Thursday afternoon in regards to the bi-annual North and Central American international tournament. Sporting KC technical director/head coach Peter Vermes made it known that five (yes, five) of his players have been, or will very soon be, called up by their respective national teams, which means each could miss up to a month of Major League Soccer action.

Defenders Roger Espinoza (Honduras) and Shavar Thomas (Jamaica), midfielders Stephane Auvray (Guadeloupe) and Craig Rocastle (Grenada), and forward Teal Bunbury (United States) make up the group of players who will be leaving Sporting at the beginning of June to join their respective national team camps. The word on Espinoza and Rocastle had recently been leaked by each country's federation, and with Thomas and Auvray being regular captains for their countries, they always seemed a lock to be chosen.

If any of the selections were a bit of a surprise, it was Bunbury. US National Team head coach Bob Bradley has selected the second year forwards for the last two sets of international friendlies in which Bunbury has been healthy - South Africa in November 2010 and Paraguay in January 2011. Jozy Altidore and Juan Agudelo figure to be locks for selection, as well. Where uncertainty creeps in is the third and/or fourth forward spots on the roster. If Bradley chooses to take four, Bunbury and DC United forward Charlie Davies look to be the likely choices. However, if he selects only three forwards, as he has done much throughout his tenure, it looks as if Bunbury will edge out Davies, who is currently suffering from a hamstring injury.

Now that we know how national team's forward situation looks to be shaking out, the bigger question for Sporting KC fans has to be this: what is our team going to look like without all of our players? I'm not the only one wondering, right? Right then, we'll break it down after the jump.

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Download The New Episode of "Ted And Trent Talkin' Touches" HERE

With Sporting Kansas City taking to the road (once again) this week and matching up against Seattle Sounders, Ted (Andy) and Trent are joined by Jeremiah Oshan, manager from Sounder At Heart, SB Nation's Sounders blog. Naturally, we discuss how no one really like Seattle, how we all prefer Portland Timbers and, of course, this week's game.

With Seattle now missing winger Steve Zakuani, how has head coach Sigi Schmid had to alter his tactics? What's with Seattle's recent rough run of form? Predictions? Yeah, we cover all of that with Jeremiah. It is easily the best segment ever in the history of the podcast.

And, as always, feel free to send in any questions, comments and/or topics you may have to us at thedailywiz@gmail.com, tweet them @TheDailyWizKC or @stmcgee, or text to (913) 732-3492.

Hit the link at the top of the post to download this week's episode, or you can now find us on iTunes. (iTunes link) And, as always, from Ted and Trent, we thank you for your support and participation in the show.

With Sporting Kansas City desperately needing three point this weekend when they travel to LA to take on Los Angeles Galaxy (and American soccer hero Landon Donovan - oh, how we love thee), we get in touch with SB Nation's king of soccer in Southern California. He helped us out before the season opener against Chivas USA, he writes for the SB Nation soccer main page, also for Cartilage Free Captain - SB Nation's Tottenham Hotspur blog - and he's coming to Kansas City next month for the Gold Cup!!! He is, of course, Ryan Rosenblatt.

TDW: Landon Donovan is playing like a man possessed right now. He has scored LA's last five goals in league play. What is he doing differently, if anything, than the beginning of the season when he seemed to be struggling, and how worrisome is LA's dependance on him to provide all the offense?

RR: He's pushing higher up the pitch now and that's really changed it all. With him higher up and David Beckham and Juninho playing good balls from deeper, it has really stretched out opposing teams and gotten Donovan in space where we all know he's dangerous. Really, everyone thinks that the Galaxy would be better off if Donovan just played as a striker next to Juan Pablo Angel, but the midfield is so weak that it's tough to justify doing it so for now Donovan is staying in the field, but pushing about as high as a midfielder can.

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