In Case You Hadn't Noticed...

i have (temporarily?) stopped posting on my blog and have been posting regular updates on my Twitter account - @RedStarsCEO. i have also begun writing a weekly column on the global soccer blog "Pitch Invasion". The column is on the business of soccer in the United States. i hope you've enjoyed the posts here (i'll keep the posts here for archive purposes) and will continue to follow me on Twitter and Pitch Invasion.

Thanks,

peter

Guest Blog By Red Stars Supporter Pott Rodriguez

One of the more vocal Red Stars fans is Pott Rodriguez (to the left with Megan Rapinoe). Pott can pack a punch and she took issue with this week's SBI Power Rankings and decided to write her own. SBI's Christi Mann ranked the undefeated Red Stars 5th in the 7 team WPS, while Pott has the undefeated Red Stars 3rd.

Official and legal disclaimer: Pott's opinions and commentary do not necessarily reflect those of the Chicago Red Stars, WPS or me! Again, i don't agree with some of Pott's opinions, but i do support her passion (i had to add some "expletive deleteds" below) and her love of the Red Stars.

Pott's guest blog post follows:

I HAVE FAITH......IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO LIVE.

I think Carli Lloyd is A BIT overrated for how she's been playing...it's like her and Cristiane r uncomfortable playing on this team and don't want to be a part of it. Their body chemistry isn't all there. Rapinoe and Dalmy should get more credit yes. Dieke and Carney should get more props too......Masar just needs to relax and play her game. I'm not sayin' this cuz i'm a Chicago fan but i bet the (expletive deleted) that wrote this article hasn't seen any of the games. I been to 2 Stars games. I've seen it myself. Here r my rankings:

1.SOL-They have Marta and u just can't (expletive deleted) with her and Boxxy.

2.BREAKERS-Kelly Smith mad skillz, dope team. A Rod needs to start taking on players 1v1....stop being scared. Lill, why don't u have a Jedi/Padawon talk with her....show her how u do.

3.CHICAGO-Ring leaders on this team are getting the credit and they haven't done (expletive deleted)..Blah blah Cristiane is hurt (stop crying!) Lloyd you're spose to be the bomb, not the grenade. Captain Tarp holdin' it down like she should scoring the only 2 goals they've had but still seems a lil timid. Never been the one to be loud out there but you're wearing the C now. ACT LIKE IT. Rapinoe shining like a true star but needs someone up top to share that spot light. Dieke and Dalmy da double Ds holdin' that (expletive deleted) down. CJ (Carre Jonsson) yah, can't (expletive deleted) wit her eeeitherr.....Masar, relax young one, you'll get yours. Carney (so underrated) still tryin to find tempo, you'll get yours too. (there I go again jackin bout my Red Stars and they have yet to show me a true victory) I STAND BY THEM 199%. props to Igwe and Frida too. and the rest of the crew.

4.FCGP-Two words, Tiffany Weimer. Two more words, Old timers. Ok ok two more, international players. This team is stacked from Japan to Brazil from 1968 to 1988. And when I say Brazil it's not just the players from there but the players who played there (TW). I had trouble whether I thought FCGP could be ranked 3 or 4 in my book but with all that talent I haven't really heard much since their 1st game. I do give them mad props for holdin' it down to just 1 goal vs Sol. We'll see more of them to come I'm sure.

5.Freedom-They're some of the original Gangstas. The team and players. Wambeezy....needed some games under her belt. She'll b back with a vengence. Scurry, will someone please send her to the retirement home already, damn i thought i saw her walker next to the goal the other day. If you're tryin' to hang with the youngins then stop (expletive deleted) around and play like it. Sawa, I like her, I just don't think she's found the rhythm yet. It's only week 4 right?

6.FCSB-I don't even know where to start. I saw them play in person and I'm not gonna lie....under those wet conditions, I was impressed. i don't really have anything bad to say about them cept that luck just hasn't been on their side. TK, HAO and Walsh r some work horsies and their goalies have been pretty steady. I'd be a lil salty tho if I lost to a college team. Oh well, it was a scrimmage right? bah!

7.Athletica-Hope, why you jinx your team jackin' about how you guys are going to take this league. Oh, I'm sorry did you forget LA has money to bring in players like Marta from the outter realm and demolish the rest of us?

but it's only week 4.....why am I upset?

And there you go....Pott's first WPS Power Rankings. Let me know if you think Pott is right on, somewhat off base or totally whacked out.

Next Red Stars game is this Saturday at Toyota Park at 7:30 pm vs. Boston.

Lindsay Tarpley and the Red Stars

In honor of Tarps' game winning goal versus Saint Louis Athletica Saturday night in front of 5,008 fans at St. Louis(many of whom cheered for the Red Stars), we bring you new and old videos of the Red Stars star.

This one's a slide show with some pics of a very young Lindsay.

Peter Wilt Week On Big Soccer

i've been asked to blog this week on BigSoccer.com. i'm soliciting questions for a Q&A on Friday and hope to cover most of these topics during the week:

1) MLS: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
2) Stand and Deliver: A reminder of supporters culture from Brandon Kitchens
3) WPS: A message to WPS 2014 and 2019 from WPS 2009
4) WPS Predictions: team and individual
5) Red Stars: Three years in the making
6) WUSA: Lessons learned.
7) Chicago Fire 1998: Blueprint for Philly, VAN & PDX
8) If I was Commissioner for a Day (MLS or WPS): Things I’d change and/or improve upon.
9) MLS/WPS: Things soccer does better than other sports leagues. And things we do worse.
10) People I respect in soccer: Untold stories of the true good guys in soccer (i.e., your experiences with Chris Armas (player), Bob Bradley (coach), Doug Hamilton (executive), etc.).

Topic #4 was just posted. All the posts can be seen here.

Fire Season Kickoff Luncheon

It was great to attend the Chicago Fire Foundation's Season Kickoff Luncheon yesterday at the Sheraton Hotel. It is one of my favorite events of the year, because it brings together every corner of the Chicago soccer community and all of the Fire's stake holders.

The Chicago Red Stars were well represented by former Fire staffers Pat McNamara and Greg Zaskowski as well as Alyse LaHue, Amber Simons (who is also serving as the Red Stars Foundation's Executive Director), Marcia McDermott and me. There were plenty of Fire staff alumni on hand as well including Toyota Park's Dan Garnett and Kevin Spudic and Mike Squire, Trent Sheridan, Donald Ortale, Kim Beauvais, Vince Formanek and Andy Stengren.

Marcia and i were guests of the Fan Addicts and enjoyed sitting in the front row of tables with hosts John and Kris Keller and Mike and Diane Colwell and the new Chicago Fire Foundation President Frank Klopas.

The highlight was the showing of the Dean Magdalin produced Chicago Fire spots featuring Jim Belushi . Belushi performs a soccer version of the award-winning Reinke, Clement and Associates produced commercials for the Milwaukee Admirals in the mid-90s. In the Admirals hockey spots Bob Uecker takes on the over confident, star in waiting buffoon role. The Belushi spots had the crowd roaring with laughter as the Chicago native worked out with Fire players to earn a spot on the team's roster.

i also enjoyed speaking with Head Coach Denis Hamlett, his assistants Mike Jeffries and Daryl Shore and Goalkeeper Jon Busch. Also spoke briefly with Fire leadership including Andrew Hauptman, Javier Leon, Dave Greeley, Mike Humes and Becky Carroll. Becky is the Fire's new Fire VP of Communications and she was joined by Fire Manager of Communications Lauren Brophy at the Section 8 post-luncheon soiree at PJ Clarke's. Becky was a delight and even bought a round for the appreciative supporters.

The day served to whet our appetite for the pro soccer season which has already started in warmer climates and is eagerly anticipated here in Chicago.

Running of the (Not Fernando) Llamas

i was talking to my niece Ingrid yesterday and she told me she was going to go live on a farm. This came as a bit of a surprise as she currently goes to grade school and lives in very urban Minneapolis.

Turns out she's going to "Farm Camp" for five weeks and plans to return afterwards. Ingrid loves animals, so her parents may be thinking she wants her "plan" to be extended.

She said the farm has llamas and i asked her if llamas raced. Ingrid said she didn't think so, but i remained curious, so i told her i would research the question.

And thanks to our good friends at YouTube we find the answer is "yes". In fact, not only are there llama races, there is also an annual event in Hammond, Wisconsin memorialized in a documentary film called "The Running of the Llamas", which in some cases would be more accurately named "The Dragging of the Llamas". Here we see a boy training his llama for racing - i think he has a future champion if the crowds don't scare him...or the llama. And finally, here we get to know some of the great llama racers of all time and their successes and failures.

While this post has nothing to do with soccer, it did give me the gratuitous opportunity to share racing llama videos (as well as The Llama Song), which i think we can all (except perhaps PETA) appreciate.

Soccer News Overload

Just a ridiculous amount of American soccer news flooding my inbox this week and most of it is good.

MLS Expansion - Vancouver, which was announced today, and Portland later this week.

DC Stadium - The soap opera continues

WPS Expansion - Philly is going to be a great franchise.

Seattle's sold out inaugural game - The whole Sounders success is the best story in MLS history.

MLS opening weekend - This seems really early, but can't wait to see if Toronto has really improved that much and if the entire Western Conference is really worse than the entire Eastern Conference.

WPS teams trimming rosters - With only seven teams, there are going to be some very good players in the W-League this year.

Michael Bradley finds his scoring boots - And he's helping save Mönchengladbach's season.

Soccer and Twitter, a match made in heaven - Only 15 years ago, it was nearly impossible to find out ANY information about soccer anywhere, now in the new age of instant information, Twitter is pushing out incredible amounts of soccer information constantly.

Red Stars first pre-season game vs. another WPS team. Follow my Twitter updates at RedStarsCEO for lineups and game updates.

Have a great rest of the week and i hope to see everyone at the IYSA Expo this Saturday in Schaumburg.

Creating Team Chemistry...the Birth of the Red Stars

Quietly. and far from even the limited spotlight that pro women's soccer receives, there are seven month-long chemistry experiments under way at soccer outposts across the country. These experiments, conducted by Professors Hayes, DiCicco, Sawyers, Gabarra, Barcellos, Montoya and Rogers, are all now just about half finished.

The ingredients for the experiments were limited the first two weeks mainly to young domestic players who will be fighting for spots in the starting lineup or even spots on the roster. The completion of the Cyprus Cup and Algarve Cup and delays in visa and international transfer certificates delayed the addition of the key ingredients - U.S. and international national team players.

The first two weeks of preseason established processes, training regimens and relationships. The next two weeks will integrate the 8+ national team players each team has rostered. WPS has succeeded beyond expectations in securing the talents of 50+ of the most talented female footballers worldwide. The fabulous 50 including this magician, are evenly spread among the seven franchises, so that each team's supporters can eyeball their rosters on paper and honestly contend that theirs is truly a Super Club.

When seven Super Clubs play in the same league, however, one still must finish first (and last). The determining factors will be injuries, luck and most importantly - team chemistry. That team chemistry will certainly evolve over the course of the season, but the main ingredients that determine the nature of the chemistry are being activated now on soccer fields, in hotels and in meeting, training and weight rooms across the country.

The Chicago Red Stars laboratory has moved from McCook,Illinois to Sunrise, Florida. The experiment returns to Chicagoland this Saturday, March 21st at 2 pm with a public viewing of Professor Hayes in action at the IYSA Expo in Schaumburg. Emma will be taking her entire class through a full 90 minute training session indoors at the Schaumburg Sports Center at 1141 W. Irving Park.

The IYSA Expo is a great annual event as it hosts the entirety of the Chicagoland soccer community. It runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes Chicago FireFest, various seminars and meetings including a Red Stars Town Hall at noon and dozens of soccer business vendor booths.

i hope to see you there as the Red Stars chemistry experiment makes a rare public appearance. It'll be a great opportunity to meet the professor and her students.

Old Media, New Media

Maybe it's because i was a journalism major in college. Maybe it's because i was a wire service sports writer for three years. Maybe it's because i have a big ego and like seeing my name in print, but i've always enjoyed talking to reporters.

This morning i had scheduled interviews with New York Times soccer writer Jack Bell and the Associated Press' Rachel Cohen. Both the NYT and AP are as old media as you get these days. Both interviews were handled telephonically, lasted about thirty minutes and generally covered the improvements of WPS' business model over the WUSA's eight years earlier. Both interviews were for articles being written in advance of WPS' launch March 29th.

In the afternoon, my BlackBerry started buzzing with emails, text messages . FaceBook notifications and of course Tweets from various people forwarding Tom Dunmore's return to blogging with a Pitch Invasion article focusing on the Red Stars use of new media to promote the team and connect with our audiences.

Tom's article and reaction from readers were very positive and made us feel good about the direction we're going in promoting the Red Stars.

The good vibes came crashing down late in the afternoon though when Marquette's valiant comeback from a 16 point halftime deficit against Villanova in the Big East quarterfinal crashed and burned at the buzzer. As is the nature of sports however, my disposition soon turned up again as reports out of Florida told of Ella Masar's two goals which highlighted the Red Stars first 90-minute victory over the University of Miami by a 2-0 shutout (click on Ella's name...it's kinda humorous).

'Tis the Season

This was my Twitter message yesterday morning on the way to Toyota Park:

"Today: Advisory Board mtng, Pick Your Seat Day, CRS Fndation board candidate intervw, talk to ISSA, 1st CRS exhibitns @ Lk Barrngtn. Whew!"

Consolidating yesterday's whirlwind of Red Stars activity into 140 characters really didn't do the day justice. It was a 12-hour non-stop Saturday that only slowed down for about 20 minutes prior to the Illinois State Soccer Association's meeting.

At the end of the day Red Stars GM Marcia McDermott and i talked about avoiding overlaying so many activities on the same day in the future to help improve quality control....we agreed that we really didn't have much of a choice this time and it's unlikely we'll run into many more days like that in the future.

The two public events came off generally well:

"Pick Your Seat Day" featured several hundred Red Stars season ticket holders relaxing in the Toyota Park Stadium Club away from the persistent rain, touring the seating area before selecting their seats and meeting Red Stars players including Swedish National Team star Frida Östberg and Danesha Adams.

Hundreds of fans squeezed into the remarkable Lake Barrington Fieldhouse for the first glimpse at the Chicago Red Stars ever in a round robin tournament. The pre-season team (pictured above) is still missing four of its internationals who are awaiting visa clearance and three players who are in Portugal with the US National Team. Donations from the spectators raised more than $1,000 for the Chicago Red Stars Charitable Foundation. Through two mini-games (45 minutes each), the Red Stars remain undefeated. Tina Estrada forever etched herself into Red Stars lore by scoring the first two goals in Red Stars history to top Northwestern 2-0. Afterwards, a fresh-legged Purdue team drew the Red Stars 0-0 in the second match. Australian National Team Goalkeeper Lydia Williams earned the shutout for the Red Stars against the Boilermakers.

The three private events i participated in also went well:

The Red Stars quarterly Advisory Board meeting was attended by about twenty stake holders and everyone contributed to discussion ranging from the Red Stars mascot (still undecided) to suburban viewing party locations to recommendations for urban promotional venues (Reggie's on Ladies Arm Wrestling Night - thank you Tom!).

Red Stars Charitable Foundation Executive Director Amber Simons and i met with Denise Barreto to discuss the possibility of Denise joining the Red Stars Board of Directors. Denise has tremendous corporate and foundation experience. She is currently a marketing executive for Sears and formerly served as the founding Executive Director of the Chicago Fire's FireWorks For Kids Foundation.

At the ISSA Meeting, Red Stars Account Executive Carrie Sear and i updated the group on the Red Stars progress and described the IWSL partnership benefits including the complimentary ticket vouchers for all players, which were distributed after the meeting.

After the long day was over i had a long drive back home through the rural towns of Johnsburg, Richmond, Lake Geneva and East Troy before finally getting to Milwaukee. The drive did seem to go faster than usual as i had a series of team related phone calls during most of the trip.

'Tis the season though, as the days, minutes and seconds continue to count down until the launch of Women's Professional Soccer!

Optimism from the WPS Owners Meetings

During these days of economic crisis when every television, newspaper and Twitter report is of certain doom and gloom*, it was refreshing to participate in two days of WPS owners meetings this week that included a number of positive indicators for the League's launch and future.

Individual teams and the League both had good reports on ticket sales, sponsor direction and expansion. While some teams are further ahead than others on ticket sales, the League overall is averaging around 1,000 season tickets per team with more than a month to launch and the teams that started the slowest are making the greatest gains recently.

i'm encouraged by the willingness and ability of teams that started slowly to react quickly and address their business needs. i think that's an indicator of the level of engagement the ownership in WPS has, which is greater than the WUSA's ownership.

While sponsorship sales are down throughout the sports industry, WPS is making good progress with a dozen or so companies whose customers fit our targeted audience. Several teams are also in serious discussions for jersey front presenting sponsorships. While some of these talks will close and some will not, it is apparent that the League's message and audience is resonating with corporate America even during these difficult times.

And finally, the positive talk on the expansion front continues to strengthen our belief as owners that we are on the right business path. The League has taken a focused approach to expansion that is resulting in identification of quality leadership that will grow WPS and assure the League's long term sustainability.

*That doom and gloom article was written in 2005 as a spoof...kinda eerie how accurate the "spoof" turned out to be.

Back to the Future

Actually, if you'd like to buy a jersey, don't click on the picture, click here instead.


Find more photos like this on Women's Professional Soccer


WPS unveiled all its uniforms last night at a fashion event in New York City. The Chicago Red Stars jersey design was inspired by Puma's 2005 Chicago Fire third strip which was a solid light blue jersey with four red stars across the chest. The main improvement we wanted to make to that jersey was the inclusion of a horizontal white band, which is finally included now in the Red Stars home jersey. While i was with the Fire, one of my final acts as team president was to try to convince adidas to keep the light blue "Chicago flag" jersey as either the team's away jersey or third jersey. i failed then, but am very pleased we were able to resurrect it here.

Both our home and away uniforms were misassembled for last night's New York City unveiling event and are erroneously shown as solids from top to bottom instead of the actual alternating blue and white to emulate the City of Chicago flag. In photo number 8 of the slide show above, Carli Lloyd should be wearing blue shorts and Nikki Krzysik should be wearing white shorts.

Fortunately, this is a one-time error that will be fixed when we start playing games!

i do believe the home blue/white/blue look that Lindsay Tarpley is modeling here has the chance to become an iconic look for the Chicago Red Stars.

The best news, though, is that the event received tremendous national coverage including this morning's appearance by Kristine Lilly and Hope Solo on The Today Show and the Red Stars jersey received praise in both its actual and erroneous combinations.

Here are some of the comments i received via email, text, Twitter, WPS Fan Zone and Facebook in the first couple hour after it was released:

Scott Viar: "Nice pic of Lindsay in the team gear."

David Herman: "Looks strangely similar to the third kit Puma put out three years ago - which was fabulous and classic - so, is it inspired or ...?!"

Diana Salisbury: "Nice jerseys!!!"

Nick Hawkins: "Awesome. :)"

Jim Kogutkiewicz: "Really like the white one. They look great, and they also put me in the mind of watching about three dozen Chicago Red Stars team cars chasing a couple of "blues brothers" through the streets of Chicago and crashing awesomely into support beams for El tracks."

Alex White: "strong, very strong."

Kenn Tomasch: "Love it. I didn't get the email, so I haven't seen the white one! But the blue one is aces."

Bryan Darger: "I dig the jerseys. My friend has the Chicago flag tattooed on his forearm-- it's a timeless image, and now everyone is just going to think he's a Red Stars fan. :-)"

Stuart Reid: "Outstanding!"

Deb Autry: "Oooh! Love em!"

Keith Lewis: "Really glad you did this. I was afraid you'd feel they shouldn't be done like this but I'm very pleased. They look fantastic."

Patrick Evans: "I think Lindsay will enjoy wearing Carolina blue again."

Lindsay Coffey: "sweet uniform!!! cant wait till game day!!!!!!! actually my whole team is coming...but i hope to have better seats than them since i'm a season ticket holder. haha"

Melissa Meyer: "The kits are great and all but where are Siriano's "interpretations?" So far, Chicago appears to be skort-free and for that I thank you."

Nick Buchel: "classy"

Kathryn Knapp: "Love the uniform Peter!!!"

Carmela Lopriore: "I <3 the jerseys!! Chicago has the best uniforms!!! Cristiane would look dazzling in one... Any word?"

Jeff McCrum: "Looks like you've been using the same design firm that cam up with my favorite blue Fire jersey... :)"

Josh Graning: "Easily the best kits in the league. Very nice."

Milan: "I love the Red Stars uniform! Just perfect. Well done Peter!"

Jack C: "Peter- the uni's rock- but I am pretty sure that's not you in the picture."

Brett: "Best uniform in the League. Good stuff."

Troy Garris: "Those jerseys are slick... Almost West Ham colors! I'll rock one!"

Robyn Vinje: "love them! can't wait to buy a replica!"

Karsten Roy: "Peter, I like the look! Looking forward to the season and taking our club players."

Colin Deval: "Great new kits for the team."

mikegonzalez: "The uniforms are absolutely perfect. Really, fantastic. I love them."

flatlander: "Very nice! It's also consistent with what you've done with the Red Stars brand so far, which is ..."

Lbaus: "That's hot!"

jcoria: "beautiful! simple, but not too simple. these will look great on the field."

joanofdark: "Why not sell the jersey she's modeling? Seriously, the long sleeves look top notch, but the site is selling SS. Nice! Really good. I guess I could live without a cloak. ;)"

thatkindagirl "Looks great! My daughter is ready to order one"

kornkid15: "those look amazing!"

MinnesotaSoccer: "Like it!"

Monika7: "SWEET!"

What do you think? Would you buy one? If you'd like to, you can order one at the Red Stars website.

Preaching the Red Stars on a Sunday Morning in a Catholic High School

After watching Fulham top West Brom at the Highbury Pub early this morning, i joined Red Stars Account Executive Carrie Sear at Milwaukee's Pius XI High School to speak to the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association. By the way, there are funnier school nicknames out there, but i've always found it humorous that the women's athletic teams at Pius are nicknamed the "Lady Popes".

It was great to see old friends, several of whom helped with our unsuccessful efforts in 2006 and 2007 to bring an MLS team to Milwaukee including Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association's (WYSA) Terry Donini.

WSCA President Chris Martinelli and longtime WSCA leader Marti Coan invited us to speak to the group about the Red Stars. Among other things, i told the group about the Red Stars upcoming season, the similarities and differences between WUSA and WPS, the inspiration the WYSA played in the Red Stars partnership with the IWSL and three important reasons to attend Red Stars games:

1) Entertainment
2) Education
3) Aspiration

i specifically told the coaches that they shouldn't bring their teams and clubs out "because it's women's soccer and supporting women's sports is the right thing to do." i hear this occasionally and it bothers me, because that mentality positions WPS as a charity or a cause, which it is not.

i told them, instead, that they should attend and encourage others to attend first and foremost, because the games are going to be entertaining, high level and fun.

Secondly, i told the coaches to use the professional game as an educational tool to help their players get better by watching the professional game in person and the nationally televised games on Fox Soccer Channel. This will allow players and coaches to learn from WPS and improve the sport at all levels.

Finally, i told them my belief that professional women soccer players aren't necessarily role models - role models should be the youth players' parents - but they are aspirational heroes. WPS players are among the few professional women athletes in team sports that young girls can see, emulate and work hard to try to achieve similar accomplishments. i believe that is important.

Afterwards i had the chance to speak with Wisconsin soccer coaching legend Jim Launder (BTW, the link to "Jim Launder" includes a video, which is included below, of perhaps the greatest goal ever scored in MLS history - a full volley OT game winner by John Wolyniec at Giants Stadium) and Wisconsin soccer journalists Eric Anderson and Nate Leaf among others, before returning to the Highbury for more EPL action.

Red Stars Tryouts

Find more videos like this on Women's Professional Soccer


The Chicago Red Stars held their open tryouts last week at the impressive McCook Athletic & Exposition (MAX) center. We had a great turnout both in terms of numbers and quality. Players came from across the area, the country and the world.

The video above provides a glimpse into the quality of the two day tryouts. Kudos to the Red Stars coaching and operational staff as well as the trialists themselves who all made it a positive and professional experience for the young women pursuing their dreams.

The pool of seventy players who participated the first day was narrowed to thirty for the second day. Six players were selected from the tryouts to join the Red Stars for the first official preseason training sessions starting March 1st. The chosen half dozen are Tina Estrada, Shannon Schneeman, Erin Walter, Molly Uyenishi, Bonnie Young and Michelle Wenino.

Best of luck to all.

Cristiane Speaks

i'm not sure what the Red Stars top international draft pick is saying in this video, but she sure has a nice smile and there are some gorgeous goals by her and Marta on the video below...i sure hope we sign her!!

Thoughts on a Rainy Day

Brett Favre retired...again. i'm sure this is the final time and that's a good thing. Though it didn't end well, i'm glad he came back for one more year. i thoroughly enjoyed the weekly drama and competition and i'm sure he enjoyed the weekly competition.

Marquette was blown out by 18 points at Villanova last night. After being ripped by Coach Buzz Williams for an innocuous post-game interview question a week ago, Jim McIlvaine tosses a softball to coach when a brush back was more warranted.

Red Stars are hoping to be the first WPS team to sign all five of it's international draft picks. Four down, Cristiane to go.

Really enjoyed spending time with Red Stars allocation and US Soccer Female Player of the Year Carli Lloyd and Fire star Brian Mcbride Monday night at the Comcast Sports Awards.

Got to see some of my heroes in person this week: Blackhawks great Bobby Hull gave a slightly inebriated comedy monologue for his acceptance of the Comcast Sports Lifetime Achievement Award. Hawks President and former Sting Marketing Director John McDonough and Disco Demolition's Steve Dahl hosted segments of the Awards show. Then yesterday McDonough and great Tribune sports columnist Bob Verdi sat at the table next to mine at Harry Caray's.

Hull was my first boyhood sports idol and inspired my love of hockey. i later had the pleasure of escorting Bobby and Stan Mikita while honoring legendary Blackhawks announcer Lloyd Pettit prior to a Milwaukee Admirals game in 1985. McDonough and Dahl have always inspired me with their marketing acumen and Verdi's writings inspired my pursuit of sports journalism.

Mexico at Columbus tonight may be Sven's swan song and there will be no cold air to blame. 2-0 USA (Landon and Hajduk).

Go U-S-A!

Section 8 AGM

After spending the morning at The Globe yesterday with Red Stars coaches Emma Hayes and Denise Reddy and staff members Alyse Lahue and Billy Barmes watching EPL action, we all went over to Section 8 Chicago's Annual General Meeting at Schuba's.

The meeting and uncommonly sunny and warm day made the soccer season seem close at hand after a long and frigid winter.

American soccer supporters organizations and "Annual General Meetings" don't always go together, but S8C is not your typical American supporters organization. It is a formal non-profit with elected officers, significant budgets and regular board meetings. S8C's leadership, including its first and current chairmen, Ben Burton and Marcin Tlustochowicz, are behind the professional nature of this independent supporters association.

That doesn't mean their meetings are staid formal affairs. Yesterday's 90 minute (appropriately) affair involved much imbibing of alcoholic beverages and plenty of good hearted vulgar put downs of fellow supporters in Schuba's staged music room, which is part of one of the north side's historic Schlitz tavern.

Meeting highlights included:

* Birthday boy Chairman Ben accepting whiskey shots from the crowd during his "State of Section 8" address. Updates were provided on the replacement of the megabandera (will happen sometime this year) and the development of a fan charter/bill of rights patterned after similar club/supporters agreements prevalent in Europe.

* The $7k+ check presentation by new Chicago Fire VP of Sales and Marketing Mike Humes. i had a chance to speak with Mike afterwards and came away impressed with his experience and understanding of his task at hand. It is great to see the team and supporters back on the same page as the new season approaches).

* Election of officers including Vice-Chairman Tom Dunmore, Treasurer Mario Ortega, Director of Merchandise Jim Schifeling, Director of Operations Mike Giacometti and i think i'm co-assistant, w/Miri Ceballos, to new S8C Marketing Director Melissa Hamming.

* And an update from me on the Red Stars...including our super secret, not yet official news of three more international signings and a schedule change that will allow Fire fans to attend the first Red Stars game in St. Louis without missing the Fire's April 5th home opener. All this news should be made public and official later this week.

* Post meeting social. Among others, i enjoyed drinking a couple of Schlabst™ (my soon to be trademarked hybrid recipe combining the great tastes of native Milwaukee beers Schlitz and Pabst Blue Ribbon!) and speaking again with Jackie Rodgers from Best Buy, Karl Schuster from Whiskey Bros '05 and Ian McNally from Mike Ditka Street Crew.

i'm Baaaaack!

Sorry for the hiatus. My recent reliance on Twitter (@RedStarsCEO) has kept me away from this blog for more than a month. i will try to get back in a routine with it.

i'd like to return to my soccer roots for this return post. My start in the business of soccer more than 20 years ago was with what is currently the nation's oldest soccer club. Was it DC United? Seattle Sounders? Richmond Kickers? Nope, it was with the Milwaukee Wave of the American Indoor Soccer Association, which was a mere babe in just its third season when i was hired to do marketing and publicity for the team on March 9, 1987.

Last weekend the Wave celebrated its Silver Anniversary. For the anniversary adjective challenged, that would be 25 years in business. That's more than pretty good. In fact, it's amazing. The Wave has split its time between the 3,600 seat MECCA Auditorium, the 18,000 seat Bradley Center and now the 9,000 seat Milwaukee Arena. The alphabet soup of leagues they have competed in include the AISA, NPSL, second incarnation of the MISL and now the XSL. They have had four ownership groups and five head coaches.

The only player to play for all five Wave coaches is Tony Pierce (who's #31 should be retired by the Wave), the first player signed was Kris Klassen and the last remaining original employee still with the team is trainer Larry Sayles, who previously taped ankles for Meadowlark Lemon, Curly Neal and their globetrotting teammates.

To most of the American soccer community the Wave and indoor soccer in general is an irrelevant redheaded stepchild to the "real" sport. Its best days are certainly in the rear view mirror, but both the Wave and indoor soccer remain relevant. To most people in Milwaukee, "professional soccer" doesn't mean the EPL, MLS or even USL Division 1, 2 or 89. It's not the W-League, J-League, A-League or XYZ-League. Professional soccer in this corner of the Dairy State is the Milwaukee Wave. The first and only professional soccer games almost all Wisconsinites have seen in person are Wave games. Indoor soccer is no longer played by the best players the U.S. produces, but it is still worthy of attention and still holds meaning as entertainment and competition for those who watch and those who play.

The strategy and competition of indoor is still compelling. Wave coach Keith Tozer is among the sharpest and hardest working coaches this country has ever seen. He was a finalist for the Fire job after Bob Bradley left and i truly believe he would have been a successful MLS coach.

I cherish my 7+ years in indoor soccer and especially my 3+ years with the Wave. i learned a lot about the sport, the audience, the challenge of marketing soccer and i made some lifelong friends.

Some of them came together last weekend in Milwaukee for the Wave's reunion. Those i saw included the Cudahy Connector Pete Knezic, US U-17 Assistant Coach Keith Fulk, XSL Commissioner Brian Loftin, Chicago Storm Head Coach Steve Morris, Storm Owner Viktor Jakovljevic, longtime Wave assistant and local youth coach Art Kramer, Brookfield Academy Coach Lee Rogers, the Alioto twins, Tim and Tom, and two of my oldest friends, Chicago Fire Juniors Director of Coaching Larry Sunderland and Green Bay Lightning Director of Coaching Tony Pierce. We spent a night sharing stories of the old days and it reminded me how special this team was and still is.

America's Team

WPS announced each team's home openers this week and if i'm reading it right, your Chicago Red Stars could be featured on national television via Fox Soccer Channel for each of its first three games.

Game 1: Chicago at St. Louis Athletica, Sunday, April 5 at Ralph Korte Stadium on the lovely campus of Southern Illinois - Edwardsville. It's a small stadium and it would be pretty cool for Local 134 and other Red Stars supporters to make the 272 mile trip down there to help the Red Stars win in our first game ever.

Game 2: Chicago at Washington Freedom, Saturday, April 4 at RFK Stadium*. 2009 will be a good year for Chicagoans in Washington. And maybe, just maybe, the first family will be on hand to cheer their hometown Red Stars on to victory. Malia is a player! And the President-elect is a soccer dad.

* i'm just guessing that the Freedom will play their home opener in the big house.

Game 3: Sky Blue FC at Chicago, April 19 at Toyota Park. The late home opener is a good thing for us. It provides extra time to sell tickets, its more likely to be a little warmer in Chicago, we get to build excitement via two televised away games and we get to come into our home opener with an unblemished 2-0 mark!

It is exciting to know the date of the opening game and i hope you've all purchased your season tickets already. We hope to make a pretty cool announcement about our season tickets before Christmas. If you haven't gotten them yet, please do so by going here. Thank you!

Great Day For Women's Soccer

Really enjoyed yesterday's four hour block of great women's soccer on the Deuce.

First up was North Carolina in the rare underdog position upsetting Notre Dame (who i hate in all sports due to my Marquette heritage) 2-1 for the 2008 NCAA Women's College Cup Championship. Kerri Hanks got the Fighting Irish off to the best possible start with a nice finish on a clear break only 16 seconds into the game.

Milwaukee area native Casey Nogueira put her Superman cape back on and tallied two brilliant goals to lead the Tar Heels to their 20th national championship and 19th NCAA title (they also won something called the AIAW. She also scored the game winner for North Carolina in both of the 2006 NCAA College Cup games.

Nogueira is a trick ball artist and daughter of the greatest indoor soccer goalkeeper ever, Victor Nogueira. i had the chance to draft Victor for the indoor Chicago Power in the MISL dispersal draft (1991?), but a secret (until now) agreement regrettably gave his rights to the Milwaukee Wave in exchange for the Power receiving the rights to some player(s) i no longer recall....sigh.

Anyways, North Carolina's comeback made for good drama. i imagine the Red Stars will eventually have several Notre Dame grads (including Kate Markgraf), so i'll need to learn to temper my anti-ND instincts a bit - love the player/not the school i suppose.

After a short break (where i watched the Packers blow another lead behind Aaron Rodgers' poor leadership converting only one of ten third downs) i watched the US Women's National Team beat North Korea by the same 2-1 score for the u-20 Women's World Cup.

Sydney LeRoux scored her tournament high fifth goal in the 23rd minute then Alex Morgan blasted a golazo game winner in the 42nd minute to ensure the victory. It was even more beautiful in Italian!

Two of the u-20 players should be getting two rings each for yesterday's accomplishments. Meghan Klingenberg and Nikki Washington played for both the u-20s and UNC this season and helped both their teams to championships. That's pretty cool.

Unsung Executive Finally Gets to Sing

MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis was named CEO of Arsenal yesterday. An original MLS staffer, Ivan has been the quiet, guiding force of all MLS competition issues since Sunil Gulati's departure almost ten years ago. We exchanged emails this morning and Ivan expressed true pain in leaving the League which "has been (his) heart and soul for so long." Getting into the spirit of his new club he even expressed regret over his boyhood club Manchester City's recent thrashing of his new side.

While the Gunner's gain will surely be MLS' loss, Ivan has already given the League everything he has to offer and MLS is much better positioned to absorb his loss now than it would have been at any other time over the last decade.

While Ivan's office has been responsible for signing more players (international and domestic) than any other team in the world, it has been his consistent intelligent design, which has maneuvered MLS into the mainstream of world soccer leagues. His vision and direction have improved the quality and credibility of the League tremendously through normalization of rules, an emphasis on player and referee development and easing the acquisition of international talent.

Farewell Ivan.

Expansion Draft

As one of six MLS GMs who have participated in expansion drafts, i can tell you that getting the list of unprotected players is a bit like Christmas morning where you don't get all the presents you were hoping for. MLS teams announced their protected and exposed lists today for Seattle's expansion draft.

As usual, the exposed lists were full of veterans underperforming their expensive contracts and young players that have not fulfilled their potential. Some of the deeper teams were forced to expose one or two players that they really do not want to lose.

Terms of engagement include a maximum of one lost player per team and only ten of the 14 teams will lose a player.

Following is a list of the players I would consider choosing from each team along with their 2008 compensation and a note about each:

Toronto - Johann Smith ($47,666.67), young athletic forward whose pace would benefit from the Qwest Stadium artificial surface.

San Jose - Ned Grabavoy ($90,000.00), former New Lenox prodigy still trying to find a good professional fit. An expansion team with a quick surface could be a good situation for the skillful midfielder.

RSL - Dema Kovalenko ($207,618.75), tough, competitive, passionate and expensive veteran...most of those are good qualities.

New York - Chris Leitch ($60,000.00), versatile player who can provide defensive stability and depth.

New England - Khano Smith ($46,305.00), dangerous budget friendly forward with speed and strength who can fly on Seattle's in-fill surface.

Los Angeles - Mike Randolph ($33,000.00), probably wouldn't select anyone from the once proud Galaxy, but if I did, I would add back line speed with Randolph.

KC - Abe Thompson ($33,000.00), again, I probably wouldn't add anyone from the Wizards, but Thompson always seems to add a spark off the bench, so he may be worth a flyer.

Houston - Nate Jaqua ($174,125.00), this deal was done months ago and will be a great situation for the Portland native to return home to the Pacific Northwest.

DC - Quavas Kirk ($136,500.00), probably wouldn't take anyone from DC, though Kirk would be tempting if not for his six figure salary.

Dallas - no one, really, there's not a single exposed player I would want on my expansion team from FC Dallas.

Columbus - Eddie Gaven ($165,000.00), no surprise that the best team in MLS was forced to expose a player they'd prefer not to lose.

Colorado - Preston Burpo ($55,116.18), Kasey Keller will need a veteran backup who won't sulk about his backup status and Burpo would handle the return to Seattle well, where he starred with the USL Sounders.

Chicago Fire - Marco Pappa ($33,000.00), I'm guessing that Pappa's loan deal includes some sort of poison pill that would give the Fire confidence that Seattle won't select him, because Pappa is a young, dynamic and talented future star that the team doesn't want to lose.

Chivas USA - Ante Razov ($258,750.00), his age, high salary, injury risk and aversion to artificial grass are all good reasons not to pick Ante, but he's still a very good MLS forward, competitive and worth the risk.

The 2008 salaries of the ten players I would choose add up to $1,137,582. Some of their 2009 salaries would be higher and some would be lower.

Check out the exposed lists here and tell me who you would pick.

Chicago Red Star in Hollywood

Rumor has it Los Angeles was 75 degrees and sunny yesterday, but i really wouldn't know as i spent sun up to sun down in WPS meetings several stories beneath the surface of the earth in a bunker politely called the Westwood Room on the California Level of the Hyatt Century Plaza on the Avenue of the Stars. i did manage to meet up with a few soccer luminaries in the WPS meeting, in the hallway during breaks and at the Commissioner's Party in Hollywood last night. Here's a roll call:

Pam Perkins - US Soccer General Manager US Men's National team for the last decade plus.
Ridge Mahoney - Soccer America, the best soccer writer in the United States
Nick Sakiewicz - Philadelphia MLS CEO & Operating Partner
Tom Veit - Consultant for Philadelphia MLS and former XFL GM
Paul Mott - MLS Head of Team Services and former President New Orleans Hornets
Paul Caccamo - President America SCORES, a great literacy program that uses soccer as an incentive to develop at risk kids in urban areas throughout the United States
Ashley Doneker America SCORES, National Director of Marketing and Sponsorships
Curt Johnson - US Club Soccer Sr. VP of Marketing and Former GM of Kansas City Wizards. Curt and i had several prominent disagreements while in MLS, but we've always had a mutual respect. We enjoyed catching up during a shared a cab ride back from the Commissioner's Party in Hollywood.
Bakary Soumare - We had a nice talk about his decision to accept Mali's National Team invitation and his plan to stay in form leading up to his February debut and anticipated 2010 African Nations Cup participation.
Dwayne DeRosario - Houston Dynamo and arguably the best player in MLS over the last five years.
Jon Busch - Really enjoyed talking to Jon and his wife Nikki. One of MLS' true good guys and good to see him rewarded this year with MLS GK of the Year.
Jeff Duback - GM of Primo Sports and former US National Team and Olympic GK in the late 1980s.
Donnie Sandusky - President Primo Sports
Tommy Isirov - Member of my first championship team, the 1990-91 Chicago Power
Gloria King - LA Galaxy Manager, Community Development/Director,
Los Angeles Galaxy Foundation
Martha Romero - LA Galaxy Director of Administration
Mary Pat Durkin - Sales at E&J Gallo and former LA Galaxy Marketer
Dondi Kingsbury - O'Brien Media Advertising Sports Marketing, Executive Vice President
Yuki Zeigler - MLS Consultant and former LA Galaxy Executive
Carie Goldberg - President, Gold Standard Sports
Andy Swift - Consultant and Former President and GM Dallas Burn. It's always great to see Andy. He's one of my most respected and best friends in soccer. MLS is better off for his years of service.
Maria Vega - Los Angeles Galaxy Manager, Ticket Operations
Kevin Frank - Senior Marketing Manager, Panasonic
Pat Donnelly - Long time LA Galaxy Director, Communications
Luis Arroyave - Chicago Tribune Soccer Writer
Bill Sage - Executive Director US Club Soccer
Craig Sharon - Director of Business Development and Legal Affairs
Don Garber - MLS Commissioner and Party Host
Denis Hamlett - Chicago Fire Head Coach
Ives Galarcep - Soccer Blogger
Ryan Robbins - Chicago Fire Director of Ticket Sales
Tom Payne - LA Galaxy President of Business Operations
Tom Mulroy Founder, Copa Latina
Carrie Skillman - Chicago Fire Coordinator, Corporate Partnerships
Lisa Bregman - Chicago Fire, Marketing Coordinator
Eric Smith - Chicago Fire - VP, Corporate Partnerships
Ted Howard - CONCACAF Deputy General Secretary
David Sternberg - EVP COO Fox Soccer Channel
Howard Goldberg - Player Representative, CDS Soccer Inc. Sports Management
Kathy Carter - Executive VP, Soccer United Marketing
Mike Gandler - Business development, SUM
Steven Goff - Washington Post Soccer Reporter
Craig Merz - MLSNET.com contributor for Columbus
Andy Mead - Yellow Card Journalism Photo Service
Charlie Cuttone - Sports Vue Interactive
Wade Jackson - Yellow Card Journalism, LLC Partner
Diego and Ginna Gutierrez - Chicago Fire Legend and his wife who will be honored tonight for work with Nothing But Nets anti-malaria campaign.
Mark Noonan - President, Focal Sport, LLC and former MLS Marketing Executive
Tim Leiweke - President and CEO AEG
Dan Beckerman - AEG CFO and Executive VP
Mike Whitehead - WPS Consulting CFO
Joe Quinn - Washington Freedom President/General Manager
Sheri Kamakani - Director of Business Operations, AEG Sports, Los Angeles Sol
Brian and Nancy NeSmith - FC Gold Pride Owners
Ilisa Kessler - FC Gold Pride GM
Scott Hanley - VP AEG Sports
Jeff Cooper - St. Louis Soccer United Owner
Caryn Chasteen - St. Louis Soccer United President
Joe Cummings - Boston Breakers President/GM
Jeff Mallett - WPS Investor
Ian Sawyers - Sky Blue SC GM and Head Coach
Mary Harvey - WPS COO
Rob Penner - WPS Director of Communications

More meetings today and the USC vs. UCLA women's NCAA tournament derby tonight!

U.S. Soccer Central

The Hyatt Century Plaza in Los Angeles will be the center of the United States professional soccer world the next couple days as both Major League Soccer and Women's Professional Soccer are hosting important League meetings in conjunction with Sunday's MLS Cup.

i arrived yesterday evening and had the opportunity to speak with the following people from the soccer world:

John Guppy - First person i saw when i walked into the hotel. We sat at the bar and had great conversation for more than an hour. i'm sure there are many people that would have wagered against us being friendly, but i never held a grudge against John and have always been friendly with him.
Dave Mosca - Consultant for Soccer United Marketing and Philadelphia's MLS Expansion Team
Jack Cummins - Chicago Red Stars Legal Counsel and investor
Karyn Lush - WPS Managing Editor and Internet Producer
Jason Cohen - WPS Director of Business Development/Associate Legal Counsel
Curt Onalfo - Kansas City Wizards Head Coach
Tonya Antonucci - WPS Commissioner
Aileen Nasypany - WPS Office Manager, Assistant to the Commissioner
Patrick McCabe - Well known and successful player representative with First Artist
Barry McLean - Canadian based FIFA licensed agent
Aaron Burch - WPS League Development/Relationships Manager
Charlie Stillitano - Legendary new Jersey based soccer executive
Dr. Joe Machnik - Legendary goalkeeper, camp owner, soccer executive and referee leader, but i'll always remember Doc as the American Indoor Soccer Asociation's Commissioner when i started with the Milwaukee Wave.
Rachel Epstein - WPS Director of Marketing

And that was just the first few hours i was here. More updates later.

Can't We All Get Along

The Chicago Fire and its supporters, Section8Chicago, have gotten entangled in a disagreement over payment of ticket commissions for the 2008 season and the Megabandera (above) that the Fire apparently misplaced (How DOES one misplace a 10,000 square foot banner?). There is certainly more than one side to this story, but it seems that the team should be able to work directly with its own supporters to resolve this issue.

Its good that it's in the offseason, which will allow plenty of time for resolution before it impacts team support at games.

Can't we all get along.

John Guppy Launches Soccer Consultancy

Former Chicago Fire President John Guppy announced the formation today of Gilt Edge Soccer Marketing, LLC, a boutique soccer consultancy focused on helping both soccer and corporate brands connect with the US soccer consumer.

John has more than 20 years of experience that will be valuable to his clients. It is great that John has decided to remain in Chicagoland and i wish him all the best.

i think it's also worth noting that the Fire's success this season is a credit to John's work. He hired a very good team staff and helped assemble a very deep team that nearly made it to MLS Cup where it would've been favored.

I doubt many people will acknowledge it, but he should be proud of this year's Fire team.

Right Here, Right Now

Had a restful weekend that began Saturday morning at the Highbury Pub watching Fulham top Tottenham and Michael Bradley draw Bayern Munich with Kenn Tomasch and Chris Doran.

Fulham's 2-1 victory means the Cottagers are now 9th in the table and Red Stars Head Coach will don a Clint Dempsey Fulham jersey this Tuesday to pay off a friendly wager on the match.

Caught the second half of the Western Conference Final last night....ugh. Methinks the MLS Cup champ was decided Thursday night in Columbus. Congratulations to Sigi Schmid and the Crew.

Today i watched Chris and Kenn call the Big 10 soccer semifinal on tape delay and then i watched them call today's 1-0 Michigan State victory in the conference championship over the Indiana Hoosiers. Kenn and Chris make a nice broadcast team. Both have a good understanding of the game, communicate it well and inject the right amount of color and humor. It was also good to see Dean Linke on the sideline. While serving as the Colorado Rapids' publicity man in 1997, Dean coordinated the news conference for my introduction as Chicago MLS' general manager. i still get chills when i hear Jesus Jones' "Right Here, Right Now", which was used as the news conference's intro music. Dean went on to serve in a similar capacity for the WUSA Carolina Courage where he worked alongside current Red Stars GM Marcia McDermott.

Despite the mismatch in Carson and the wildfires surrounding LA, i'll be heading to SoCal this week for WPS meetings and the first presentation of the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy. i'll be checking in then.

$1 Brats and Priceless Memories

Hundreds of Chicago Fire fans will make their way to Ohio's state capital tomorrow to cheer their beloved Men in Red on to a victory which would earn the team its fourth MLS Cup final spot in team history. Some will fly, some will drive, but most will be on several buses making the trip eastward.

The host Columbus Crew is promoting Buck a Brat Night, but the real lure will be the battle between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. Fire fans relish the idea of turning Crew Stadium into "Firehouse East". The rejuvenated Crew Supporters are eager to show Section 8 Chicago, that they have earned their stripes this year and will no longer need the assistance of a Crew-retained marching band to drown out Section 8 on tour. The battle of support will be as intense as the battle on the field. i look forward to being in attendance, having a dollar or two worth of brats and cheering the Fire to victory - i already have my tickets in LA for November 23rd.

Ten Years Ago Chicago Became Champions

It was ten years ago today that MLS' first expansion team defied historic odds and captured the MLS Cup championship in its inaugural season. The Chicago Fire defeated the only other champion MLS ever knew to that point, DC United, 2-0 in front of more than 50,000 fans in the Rose Bowl. Ten years later, the key members of the organization continue to make their mark in soccer, sports and entertainment in the United States.

Where are they now?

Bob Bradley, Head Coach. Head Coach, US Men's National Team

Mike Jeffries, Asst. Coach. Asst. Coach, Chicago Fire

Denis Hamlett, Asst. Coach. Head Coach, Chicago Fire

Ron Stern, Team Administrator. Director of Team Operations, Chicago Fire

Rich Monis, Head Trainer Athletic Trainer Liaison, Chicago Fire

Peter Nowak, Midfielder, Captain. Asst. Coach, US Men's National Team

Frank Klopas, Forward. Technical Director, Chicago Fire

Chris Armas, Midfielder. Asst. Coach, Chicago Fire

CJ Brown, Defender. Defender, Captain, Chicago Fire

Diego Gutierrez, Defender. Midfielder, Chicago Fire

Jesse Marsch, Midfielder. Midfielder, Chivas USA

Zach Thornton, Goalkeeper. Goalkeeper, Chivas, USA

Jorge Campos, Goalkeeper. Asst. Coach Mexico Men's National Team

Lubos Kubik. Defender. Asst. Coach, US Olympic Team

Roman Kosecki, Forward. Deputy for Civic Platform, Sejm (Polish Parliament)

Francis Okaroh, Defender. Director, Francis Okaroh's Ultimate Soccer Academy

Tommy Soehn, Defender. Head Coach, DC United

Josh Wolff, Forward. Forward, Kansas City Wizards

Manny Lagos, Midfielder. President, Minnesota Thunder

Josh Keller, Midfielder. Director, Formation Sports & Media Marketing

Zak Ibsen, Defender. US National Beach Soccer

Brian Bates, Defender. Youth Coach, Albion SC

Dusty Hudock, Goalkeeper. Goalkeeper, Charleston Battery

Steve Pastorino, Dir. of Marketing. General Manager, US Team Handball Federation

Kevin Spudic, Dir. of Ticket Sales. Director of Business Development, Toyota Park

Dan Garnett, Ticket Manager. General Manager, Toyota Park

Denise Wilmer, Dir. of Community Relations. Manager, Marketing and Planning, Sears

Diana Lopez, PR Manager. VP Communications,CMN Events

Jessica Yavitz, Intern. Dir. of Community Relations, Chicago Fire
Executive Dir., FireWorks For Kids Foundation

There were many others both on and off the field who contributed greatly to this day ten years ago. It was a special year with a very special group of people. We have all moved on to new challenges and we're all fortunate to have taken special memories of that sunny fall afternoon in Pasadena a decade ago. A month from now, i'll be in the LA area again for MLS Cup. It would be great to have Frank, Denis, Mike, Chris, CJ, Diego, Ron and Rich there as well fighting for the Fire's second MLS Cup title.

i remember where i was October 25, 1998...in Pasadena, California doused in champagne. Do you remember where you were?

Time for More Posts 3

And below we learn about four important players acquired in the recent WPS General Draft including former UCLA star Danesha Adams (above left) and Illinois product Ella Masar (above right).

Find more videos like this on Women's Professional Soccer

Time for More Posts 2

In the video below, Emma discusses the attributes of our international players including Australia's Heather Garriock (above left and video here celebrating her World Cup goal with a kangaroo hop) and Brazil's Cristiane, pictured above right and scoring a beautiful goal here in the 2007 World Cup.


Find more videos like this on Women's Professional Soccer

Time for More Posts 1

Sorry i've been M.I.A. lately. Combination of computer "challenges" and hectic schedule. i'll let Red Stars Head Coach Emma Hayes help me with the next three posts.

In a series of interviews this week with Chicago Red Stars' Jim Houghton, Emma discusses the first 13 players that the Red Stars have acquired rights to.

First she talks about our gold medal winning trio (video below) that served as the Red Stars US Women's National Team allocated players.

Find more videos like this on Women's Professional Soccer

Happy Birthday Chicago Fire!

Wednesday is the 11th anniversary of the news conference at Navy Pier where we announced the name, logo and colors of Chicago's Major League Soccer team. This month is also the tenth anniversary of the Fire's inaugural season double championship. The Fire had planned and promoted a special gala anniversary celebration at Toyota Park this Friday. Unfortunately, the event was cancelled a couple weeks ago. i was told the cancellation was due to the unavailability of key players and staff from the 1998 team.

There will, however, be more than 15 members of the original Fire organization at Sunday's Fire game vs. Columbus at Toyota Park. i learned today that Lubos Kubik, Josh Keller and Manny Lagos from that special team will be at Sunday's game. Other members of the 1998 Fire organization expected to be in attendance through their current responsibilities are current Fire coaches Denis Hamlett, Mike Jeffries and Chris Armas, Technical Director Frank Klopas, Director of Team Operations Ron Stern, Director of Community Relations Jessica Yavitz, Athletic Trainer Liaison Rich Monis, Toyota Park's Dan Garnett, Mary Mazza and Kevin Spudic and Fire players Diego Gutierrez and C.J. Brown. i will also attend the game as i am sure will many other original Fire staff members who continue to support the Fire. i believe there will be an announcement of the Fire's all-decade team, the decade's best games and other all decade announcements on Sunday. i haven't heard of any formal celebration, but if you're at the game raise a toast to the 1998 Chicago Fire and i shall do the same.

The Quiet Draft

There are five basic mechanisms to fill out WPS rosters: The USWNT allocation (3 players), the international draft and discoveries (5 players), tomorrow's general draft (4 players), the January post-combine draft (tbd) and tryouts (tbd).

The allocation of US players rightly generated considerable publicity and the international draft was followed closely by those who are trying to get an early read on WPS teams. Tomorrow's general draft however, will likely fly beneath the radar screen of many and that is a shame, because i believe the 28 players from this draft could very well be the difference makers in the League's first year.

i'm not saying that these will be the stars of the League, although a few will be. Since most teams have used the allocation and international draft to fill their attacking positions, in general, the players from this draft will be those that provide important strength and stability on the defensive side of the field and depth in the attacking half. There are certainly exceptions to that and Dan Lauletta provides a very good breakdown of team needs on the WPS social networking site.

A year from now, it will be interesting to look at team rosters and see how they were built. It is my bet that tomorrow will turn out to be a critical day in determining the success (or failure) of WPS teams.

Tomorrow, you can follow the draft live via Twitter at 1:00 pm CT and the analysis on Fox Soccer Channel at 7 pm CT.

High School Reunion

Last night i attended my 30-year high school reunion, which was part of Marian Central's 50th Anniversary and homecoming football game. It was one of my first times back at Marian since being inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.

About 25 of my classmates attended the game. Afterwards, most of us went to the Public House off the Woodstock Square, which is most noted as the set for Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell's Groundhog Day.

The Square is also the home of the Old Courthouse and County Jail, which imprisoned the Clarence Darrow defended Eugene Debs in the late 19th century and the Woodstock Opera House, which helped launch the careers of Orson Welles as well as Shelly Berman, Tom Bosley, Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, and Lois Nettleton.

It was great to spend time with several friends i still keep in touch with on a regular basis and many others that i haven't seen for five, ten or even thirty years. They've all gotten older and i've stayed the same (yes, that's me in high school above - note the cool transition glasses!).

Milwaukee Becomes Center of the American Soccer Blogosphere

Milwaukee, Wisconsin has long been known as the home of the Cunninghams and Arthur Fonzarelli, the home of Harley-Davidson motorcycles and the beer capital of the world.

Tomorrow, albeit temporarily, Milwaukee adds another title: Soccer Blogging Capital of America. By sheer coincidence, at least six of America's soccer bloggers will converge on the Cream City.

Tom Dunmore of Pitch Invasion, Bruce McGuire of DuNord, Kenn Tomasch of Kenn.com, Jim Kogutkiewicz and Colin Deval of Match Pricks and your truly will all be in Milwaukee.

All except Kenn will be at The Highbury Pub to watch the morning's Premier League and Bundesliga matches. Kenn will unfortunately miss the morning festivities as he will be in Madison to broadcast the University of Wisconsin vs. Michigan men's soccer match for the Big 10 Network. i will get a chance to see the Fire's former play by play man tomorrow night as we enjoy Milwaukee's best stuffed pizza at Tenuta's.

Additional incentive to stop by the Highbury and meet the bloggers is included in the photo above of the Highbury crew tailgating at Toyota Park.

USWNT, WPS Player Allocation

The player allocation process has been fascinating. Part Match.com, part medical school national matching day and part MLS SuperDraft.

i think the results are going to be remarkably successful in terms of matching up player preferences, team preferences and balancing competitive and marketing issues.

It is nearly an impossible task, but WPS and the USWNT are managing to give almost all of the teams their preferred top player and most of the players their preferred market. The official announcement will be tomorrow (Tuesday) at 12:30 pm ET and can be followed via Twitter as described on the WPS social network site. BTW, i've started Tweeting recently and have found it a useful way to keep up to date with people. If you'd like to follow me on Twitter by texting 'follow Peter40' to 40404 to receive my updates.

As has been said about the legislative process and sausage-making, the player allocation shouldn't be seen close-up. The process may not have been the smoothest, but result is very good. Congratulations and thank you to WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci, USWNT representative John Langel (both pictured above) and everyone else who is participating in this process.

"Hey Ronnie Have Some Water!"

The Chicago Red Stars had a staff outing to the White Sox game last night. It was another good bonding experience that helps make our off the field team as much of a team as we expect our on the field team to be.

Thanks to John Daley, we were able to sit kinda close to the field. From there we were able to see inside the Sox dug out and witness Mark Buehrle throwing a cup of water at Ronnie Woo Woo who invaded the south side! Ronnie's no Andy the Clown. Buehrle's my new hero.

When Work is Your Passion

My Red Stars co-worker Pat McNamara posted a great blog today about his life in soccer. i worked with Pat at the Chicago Fire and am very fortunate that he accepted the Red Stars Director of Corporate Partnerships position recently. He is one of the best sellers of the professional soccer experience i have ever known.

In his post, Pat talks about how soccer has engulfed his life. i strongly believe that hiring people like Pat is a critical part of being successful. i've always called it hiring talented, hardworking people with good character. Someone today referred to it as "I.C.E." - hiring intelligent, competent, energetic people.

In either case, it is the passion for the job that makes good employees great employees. Hiring people who know soccer and have a passion for the sport results in a better office environment and a more effective and harder working staff. Hard work and passion means nothing if they're not also talented and have good character though.

One of the real differences in pro soccer administration now compared to twenty years ago when i started in pro soccer is the depth of the front office talent pool. When i started with the Milwaukee Wave in 1987, there were only one or two sports administraion programs in the country, fewer than 100 experienced soccer executives and less than a million soccer players. Now there are hundreds of collegiate sports admin programs, thousands of experienced soccer executives and tens of millions of current or former soccer players. That all increases the pool of talented, hard working people with good character who are qualified to work in pro sports administration.

The Chicago Red Stars are the beneficiaries of that progress.

Mr. Magoo, Wiffle Ball, WCQ, Red Stars, Fire and Beefy's Oh My!

Yesterday was a great day. Here's a summary:

MORNING:
* Watched various You Tube videos including Mr. Magoo Meets Frankenstein!

* Played my friend Mike in a fiercely competitive game of WIFFLE® ball on a self made diamond behind Riverside-Brookfield High School's stadium. i used to be pretty good at WIFFLE® ball, but the years have not been kind to my pitching arm nor my hand eye coordination. This was more of a game of survival than a pitchers duel, but i managed to win 1-0 with a final inning run-scoring double that dribbled up to the railroad box car in left.

AFTERNOON

* The Globe Pub for European WCQs. Intended game was England vs. Andorra, but ended up saving the $20 and hanging in the front room with friends watching Germany kill Liechtenstein and Andy Murray battle Rafael Nadal.

* Drove to Toyota Park to open up the Red Stars office for the first Red Stars supporters organizational meeting. It's important that the supporters develop organically and independent of front office influence, so i didn't sit in on the meeting, though i did come in for a few minutes of Q&A.

EVENING

* Hosted Red Stars tailgate party outside the Toyota Park Annex. The tailgate party prior to the Fire vs. New York Red Bulls game was very successful - too successful. TP management came out and asked us to refrain from future tailgates due to the size of this one and the proximity to the parking lot entrance. We'll work with TP to see if we can start them up at a different location in the future in order to address their concerns.

* Watched the Fire extract a bit more revenge from Juan Carlos Osorio and the Red Bulls 1-0 from the Red Stars suite. In the suite were several Red Stars investors and a star forward interested in playing for the Red Stars. i can't say who it is, but she's not from the United States and we're interested in her as well.

* Visited the IWSL suite and said hello to the winners of an IWSL/Red Stars season ticket promotion.

* Hung out with old friends after the game in the suite, in the north lot and then at Beefy's until we were kicked out at closing time.

More days like that would be good.

Time Out For Ticket Sales

Sorry i've taken a break from posting lately. Am in the middle of a very busy stretch. In the meantime, check out the first blog post ever by Chicago Red Stars Director of Ticket Sales Greg Zaskowski.

Greg and i worked together for 4+ years at the Chicago Fire and i'm very excited to be working with him again. In the post, he provides some insights to the Red Stars organization and shows the competitive nature that's at the core of every successful salesman.

We Meet Again....

At the risk of sounding like a disgruntled former employee - which i'm sure i am - i feel compelled to share a story about my only previous contact with the Chicago Fire's new team president, Dave Greeley.

First, however, please read this well written post by Steve Pastorino, my partner in crime at the Chicago Fire from 1997 through 2004.

Before i detail my memories of that meeting (it was probably six years ago, so some of the details may be wrong, but i am certain that the gist is accurate), i do want to go on record as saying that it is good that the Fire hired an experienced marketing executive with strong Chicago ties and separated the team operations from the business operations. i also want to say that i truly hope Dave immerses himself in the culture of the Fire and soccer, learns the sport and leads the Fire to more successes on and off the field. To the extent he cares to learn from my experiences, i am willing to share them with him and provide any insight and guidance he desires.

Now, to my recollection of the story Steve referenced obliquely in his post:

I too recall the new Fire president from those New Soldier Field negotiations. Dave wasn't quite the soccer guy he is now. Dave and i's first (and only?) meeting was with Bears President Ted Phillips, Mayor Daley's New Soldier Field political operative Ed Bedore and venerable Chicago attorney Dick Burke.

While most of the city and Bears representatives were polite, though a bit patronizing, Dave seemed bent on putting the Fire in its place with condescending comments. At one point during the meeting, Greeley's relentless disparagement of soccer and the Fire forced AEG's Bill Peterson and me to swear at him (as I recall, it began with an "f" and ended with a "u"), get up from the table and head for the door.

Burke stopped us in the hall way, apologized for Greeley and convinced us to return to the table.

I don't know that we've spoken since, but apparently, Dave's seen the light and he is now serving at the altar of the sport and team he once belittled!

Soccer can be a mighty inspiration. I look forward to talking to Dave again and discovering the elixir responsible for his conversion.

What Happens in Jersey...IS REVEALED HERE!

Two full days of meetings in New Jersey this week for the Women's Professional Soccer Board of Governors advanced the League considerably.

It's very exciting to see a League come together. While i'm sure many things have changed since the NFL's gestation period, i think many of the experiences must be similar to those that Curly Lambeau and George Halas had 88 years ago.

We discussed and formalized various player distribution mechanics, marketing updates, legal issues, team operations/milestone reports, League expansion and sponsorship and broadcast opportunities.

...and at night we went to dinner in a private room at Fiorino Ristorante in Summit, New Jersey. The dinner was a great opportunity to meet socially with team and League staff and owners. It also allowed us to get to know representatives of expansion candidate franchises from several markets better.

While, the dinner was great, the transportation to and from the dinner was extra special thanks to our hosts at Sky Blue Soccer. The shuttle bus provided to take us from the hotel to the restaurant and back was THE WPS PARTY BUS:

The NJ limo party bus comes fully loaded with the following luxury features:

State of the art audio surround sound system
Huge 50" plasma TV with satellite reception and 3 additional LCD flat screens
AM/FM satellite radio reception
Fiber optic lighting; mirrored ceiling
Champagne and rock glasses with colorful beverage napkins
Ice buckets stocked with water, soda, and ice
iPod connection
CD and DVD players
Two custom bars on the side and front with fiber optic lighting
Tinted windows
Adjustable window shades for privacy
On-board bathroom
Emergency exit and escape hatch
Extra large luggage and storage compartment under the main cabin

A low bridge forced the bus to make a detour which gave us a bonus hour of bonding time on the WPS Party Bus each way. The meetings themselves are obviously the important functionality of the time in New Jersey, but the WPS Party Bus ride is what will be remembered:

* Listening to veteran soccer event organizer Thom Meredith tell awe inspiring stories of Lamar Hunt's generosity, kindness, photographic memory and wisdom
* WPS expansion owner Fitz Johnson (Atlanta) serving as WPS Party Bus DJ
* Rocking out to James Taylor's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)"
* And pictured above: me using the WPS Party Bus poles for their intended purpose - with Thom Meredith (left) and Joe Quinn (Washington Freedom) looking on in bemusement, Caryn Chasteen (St. Louis), Jeff Mallett and Michael Stoller (Boston) ignoring the proceedings on the left and Joe Cummings (Boston) turning his back to me on the right. Notice WPS fearless leader Tonya searching in the back of the WPS Party Bus for appropriate dance music for me on the satellite radio.

...and every day we get closer to being a real League. It involves a lot of hard work - and quite a bit of fun - by some incredibly talented people with a common passion to see professional women's soccer succeed.

COYW!

Great win by Fulham yesterday. 1-0 over Arsenal at Craven Cottage. Watching the game at The Highbury Pub in Milwaukee - a friendly soccer bar whose very name was taken from Arsenal's former grounds.

The bar was populated mainly with Gooners and my hopes and dreams were managed in increments. From the start, i was publicly cheering for a scoreless first 20 minutes. Amazingly the Whites achieved that goal then actually scored on a fearless goal mouth effort by Dallas born Brede Hangeland on a 21st minute cross from Jimmy Bullard.

After a minute of celebration, my hopes rose to gaining a halftime draw. Fulham exceeded those managed expectations by playing real soccer - possessing, attacking, controlling - for the first time in memory. A desperate Arsenal squad was unable to muster more than a couple solid attempts at goal the rest of the game and Fulham won the battle of Londoners 1-0.

It's no longer FulhAmerica, but it's still my EPL side. More importantly, the Fulhamometer earned its first three points of the year towards an expected 40 needed to avoid relegation!

C'MON YOU WHITES!!!

"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."

i was reminded of the Yogi Berra quote in this blog post's title yesterday when i went to a Sports Authority store in Wisconsin looking for a New York Jets Brett Favre jersey.

Being a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan, it took a monumental management mess up (in my mind) to get me to do this.

The logo apparel department at The Sports Authority had a wall of Green Bay Packer Favre jerseys, but no Jets Favre jerseys. i asked an employee if they were sold out or on delivery and he said they weren't ordering any. They only sell in state team merchandise, he said. i asked him if i was the first to ask for a Jets Favre jersey and he said: "No, everyone is asking. i'm getting a little tired of it actually." i asked if they planned on meeting demand by ordering some and he said they won't because it goes against their policy.

Policies can be wrong. And this is one example.

i got mine anyway.

Golden Globe (Pub)

WOW!!! WHAT A GREAT VICTORY FOR THE USA! The Globe Pub in Chicago was packed with supporters for the Red Stars viewing party which started at 5 am for Germany's 1-0 bronze medal win over Japan. . Everyone was excited to see future WPS players battle on both sides of the gold medal match. At halftime, raffle prizes were awarded and Red Stars GM Marcia McDermott, fresh from her scouting trip to China, welcomed the group. Half a dozen TV, radio and newspaper journalists including WGN-TV, CLTV and a Chicago Tribune photographer captured the joy as Carli Lloyd's overtime blast ignited America's number one soccer bar. The bar held its collective breath through the final 20 minutes then roared when the final whistle blew. When the jumping and yelling finally subsided everyone joined in a champagne toast to the victors. This is a great day for US Soccer, the Chicago Red Stars and Women's Professional Soccer!

Olympic Impact On WPS

Everyone in Women's Professional Soccer is pulling for a US victory tomorrow both from a patriotic and a business perspective.

The prevailing thought is that a return to a world championship, if not world dominance, would provide a good kick start for WPS.

A gold medal for the US would certainly provide a boost for the League for all the obvious reasons, but i think it's also important to recognize that the League benefits if Brazil wins.

WPS intends to be the best women's soccer league in the world. That will surely happen if many of the best international players are also in the League. A Brazil victory tomorrow would demonstrate to the general American soccer fan base that women's soccer in Brazil and the rest of the world has improved dramatically in the last decade. It would also go a long way to increasing the star power of Cristiane (pictured above), Marta, Daniela, Formiga and other Brazilians who could find their way onto WPS rosters.

WUSA had built in US stars from the 1999 Women's World Cup. WPS needs to create its own stars - both domestic and international. So a Brazil Olympic gold medal, while probably not ideal for WPS, wouldn't be the worst thing either. What do you think?

Who Pays These Guys' Salaries Anyways??

The Section 8 Chicago organized protest last night intended to force the Chicago Fire front office to address alleged racial incidents by Toyota Park's security firm resulted in ridiculous red herring quotes in the Chicago Tribune from Fire star Cuauhtemoc Blanco.

Blanco's "fans are garbage" quote was translated from the Spanish "el hinchada es pendejada" and as such may have lost something in the translation, but even if minimized to "the fans are stupid", the quotes stand up in absurdity to other infamous athlete quotes against the fans who pay their salaries:

Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers: "I don't feel I need to sell myself to the fans. They need to get on board now or keep their mouths shut."

Charles Barkley regarding Dan Issel's fine when calling a heckling fan a Mexican: "I don't think he (Issel) should have been fined or suspended. Some fans just need to be beaten down!"

Rey Ordonez of the New York Mets about New York fans: "The fans here are too stupid. You have to play perfect every game. You can't make an error. You can't go 0-for-4. Are we like machines?"

Blanco reponding to allegations that Toyota Park security called Latino Fire fans derogatory racial slurs: “I feel that it’s possible that the fans at the time were inebriated,” he said. “When people are drunk, things can get out of hand and things can get crazy.”

Blanco again in today's Chicago Tribune: "The fans are [garbage]," said an annoyed Blanco, who blames fans for friction with security. "They get drunk and become insulting. It's the same way in Mexico. I don't think security has anything to do with it."

This whole drama is sad, because it is taking the focus away from the team, which is battling for the top spot in MLS and is tearing the soul out of a group of volunteers who have passionately and unselfishly given much of their lives to the Chicago Fire.

Another Video

This one's from a tour of the Red Stars expansive offices i recently gave. In it, i show off my mad foosball skills!

Contest OVER! Katie will win!

The WPS Top Town Video Challenge is virtually over barely after starting thanks to this great video.

After viewing it, you must agree that Chicago Red Stars fan Katie is absolutely going to win the Grand Prize of a trip for two (2) to the WPS Public Allocation Event in September 2008, round trip coach airfare from the major airport nearest Grand Prize Winner’s place of residence, hotel accommodations and a “meet and greet” with future WPS players.

Way to go Katie!

Blimey Me Hearties and Happy Birthday Marcia. Your Addled Crew Misses You!

Tomorrow is Red Stars General Manager Marcia McDermott's birthday and her staff threw her a pirate themed party in absentia yesterday. International talk like a pirate day is September 19, but the staff couldn't wait, so we all dressed up and celebrated Marcia's birthday pirate style with a bar-b-que outside the Red Stars Annex. i think we need our general manager to return from her extended mission to China soon!

Chatting

Red Stars hosted a chat session with me last Thursday. Emma and Marcia joined me from China along with a couple dozen Red Stars fans. Some of the info covered is old, but some was new. Here are some highlights and here is the complete transcript.

Ps: i've become a blogging machine this month!

Lessons

Alexi Lalas was let go yesterday and it reminded me of an email exchange we had when he was first named general manager of the San Jose Earthquakes in 2004.

i offered him some unsolicited advice about running an MLS team, because the front office side of MLS was new to him and we both were under the AEG umbrella.

Here is what i wrote to him:

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Wilt [mailto:PWILT@chicago-fire.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 5:00 PM
To: Alexi Lalas
Cc: Peter Wilt
Subject: The 10 Commandments of MLS staff management and 10 Secrets of selling MLS

Lex, Following are my ten commandments to successful MLS staff management.....ok, if you're going to quibble, there's 12 of 'em - so shoot me.

Also listed 10 secrets of selling MLS. It's mainly common sense....though unfortunately, it's not so common. Hope it helps.

1. Ticket sales above all else - EVERYTHING else succeeds as a result of this.
2. Sell to those who are ALREADY economically and emotionally attached to the sport (the soccer community)
3. Hire hard working, talented people with good character - get rid of all others.
4. Hire department heads that are experts in their field and are better at their job than you would be
5. Delegate then provide resources and advice as needed
6. Praise employees publicly, criticize privately
7. When you must criticize, do so constructively with a positive statement given before and after the criticism
8. Explain reasons for decisions and include staff members in decision making process
9. Be a good listener
10. Provide good customer service - cheapest and best form of advertising and business retention
11. Get people to CARE about the sport, team and League
12. Personal contact with the team (players) is the best way to achieve number 11.

10 Secrets about the selling of MLS:

1. Our crowds are almost entirely manufactured through promotions, discounts, special events.
2. VERY few people care enough about our League to come to the games on their own.
3. Attrition of season tickets is ridiculously high (1/3) and we have to recreate our season ticket base every three years.
4. Paid general market advertising does not return dollar for dollar on investment
5. Neither does direct mail.....even targeted direct mail.
6. E-mail and phone calls to pre-qualified lists are the cheapest and most effective way to sell. INCREASE your e-mail database.
7. Your sales staff must work the phones - 40 calls each every day minimum.
8. State associations have very little power. The clubs and teams have the access and control of their membership NOT the state associations
9. You should meet with every youth soccer club board/president - ask them how you can help them and then do it (actually, then delegate it).
10. i'm not going to tell you ALL the secrets......some stuff you have to learn on your own. Enjoy!

peter j. wilt
General Manager
Chicago Fire

Certainly there are some generalizations in there that shouldn't be taken literally in all instances. And since i wrote this almost five years ago, some things have changed including the number of people who seriously care about MLS - which i think is one of the League's greatest accomplishments to date.

Commemorating an Extra 40 Years....

Today, Tuesday, August 12th is the 40th Anniversary of the rescue of my father, brother and me on Lake Superior by three brave park rangers.

My family is again celebrating the anniversary with a quick trip up to the UP and Michigan's Porcupine Mountain State Park.

Family members who live in Houston, Minneapolis, Carbondale, Illinois and McHenry, Illinois are all joining me for the pilgrimmage to Lake Superior's southern shoreline. My Mom, Dad and brother will all be there and my sister's two sons Bryan and Evan will also make the trip.

We'll head up to the old mine adit at the M-107 look-out this afternoon. We'll pull out the telescope that the rangers used to spot our tiny sailboat on the horizon 40 years ago and look where they looked. Tuesday is also the peak day for the Perseid meteor showers, so we'll be using the same telescope to look up in the heavens for shooting stars. i'll look for the rangers, too. Surely they're up there, too.

And Another One Bites The Dust!

The iconic Wall Arch from Arches National Park succumbed to gravity and erosion. Before and after above.

Sigh.

If a Tree Falls and No One is There to Hear it...

....well, this particular tree heard many sounds nearly a century and a half ago. One of only four remaining Gettysburg "Witness Trees" fell yesterday in a Pennsylvania thunderstorm.

And time marches on...

If you have an interest in Civil War history, i recommend this blog....and not just because i'm related to the author!

FC Indiana Claims US Open Cup Title Again

Chicago Red Stars W-League affiliate FC Indiana defeated Ajax America 1-0 in overtime last night to claim its fourth championship in the last four seasons - two US Women's Open Cup titles and two WPSL crowns.

From the FCI website:

In overtime, FC Indiana dictated the tempo and it was a matter of time before midfielder Fatima Leyva took a pass from Laura Del Rio and quickly slotted home a 20 yard shot past Ajax goal keeper Ali Lipsher in the hundred eight minute. "It’s a great feeling to win our fourth trophy in four seasons - we’ve got a great team spirit and work ethic," said FC Indiana’s captain Fatima Leyva. "Scoring that goal gave me one of the best feelings ever."

Head Coach Shek Borkowski believes his side deserved to lift the US Open Cup because of the brand of soccer they have played. "I think the way that we have played this season, I think we deserved this victory.”

The Pole, whose side has been lauded for its attacking style during the season, realizes that it will be struggle to keep his winning side together. "I think there’s no doubt some players will go, so we have to start again," he said. "We have to try to keep this team and bring in three or four better players."
FC Indiana finish the 2008 season with a 20-1-1 record.

LINEUPS:
FC INDIANA: Kristin Luckenbill, Jenny Jeffers, Marie-Eve Nault, Aiviv Luik, Julianne Sitch, Kelly Parker, Fatima Leyva, Alicia Milyak Corie Moore 114’), Laura Del Rio (Veronica Phewa 112’), Lauren Sesselmann Annie Hamel
AJAX: Ali Lipsher, Daniella Bosio, Andrea Alfiler, Leah Wilson, Stephanie Scholl, Carmen Bognanno (Jennifer Brewer 102’), Myisha Delaney, Brooke O’Hanley (Genele Ives 65’), Renee Scachetti (Jessica Edwards 70’), Shannon Cross ( April Colen 80’), Cami Boswell (Kandace Wilson 70')

SCORING:
FCI - Leyva (Del Rio) - 108’

STATS:
Shots: AJX 3, FCI 11
Saves: AJX 5, FCI 1
Fouls: AJX 11, FCI 11
Offsides: AJX 1, FCI 4
Corners: AJX 3, FCI 7

Congratulations to the Champions!

That's a little more like it (R)

Carli Lloyd's volley in the 27th minute gave the US Women's Olympic Team a 1-0 victory over Japan this morning and an important three points in the Group G standings. Tuesday's match against New Zealand is a rematch of a game played at Chicago's Soldier Field exactly one year earlier.

On August 12, 2007, more than 7,000 fans witnessed Abby Wambach score two goals to lead the US to a 6-1 victory over the Football Ferns (formerly known as the SWANZ).

If the US can beat the former SWANZ on Tuesday, their reward will likely be a quarterfinal match Friday against either Germany or Brazil - who squared off in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup Championship match.

Be sure to check out the new WPS social network site that includes blogs from China by both Chicago Red Stars GM Marcia McDermott and Red Stars Head Coach Emma Hayes.

Arrrrr - Let's Take This Inside

Please join me inside the WPS/Red Stars chat room this morning between 11 am and noon to discuss the women's and men's Olympic soccer tournaments, WPS, Chicago Red Stars or anything else that's on your mind...including this brilliant call of a horse race and my first car.

Olympic Viewing Party

The Olympics officially start on the very lucky 8th of August, 2008 (Friday) - but you can get an early dose of the Beijing Olympics this Wednesday morning (tomorrow) at The Globe Pub. Join a gang of Chicago Red Stars staff and fans for the US Women's Olympic Team's opening game vs. Norway.

Kickoff is 6:45 am and i'll buy everyone's first beverage.

Hope to see you there!

CHECK THIS OUT

Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) became the first major professional sports league in the world* to create its own social networking site today with the launch of the online WPS Fan Zone branded for now as "Beijing Now, WPS Next".

The site includes behind the scenes video like this piece from Leslie Osborne. This is another indication that this League is going to be very smart and efficient in the way it connects with its fan base.

i'll try to communicate regularly with Red Stars fans through my page on the site.

More information on the site is available here.

* ok, i didn't research this point, but it sounds good and anyone can feel free to prove me wrong ;-)

No Cigar (R)

FC Indiana came ever so close last night to winning the championship in their W-League debut season.

Two Pali Blues header goals in the game's 83rd and 88th minutes gave the Chicago Red Stars affiliate their first defeat of the year by a 2-1 margin.

The game will be replayed on Fox Soccer Channel today at 3 pm CT. I suggest turning the game off around the 80th minute, ignoring any "official" result and popping the cork on a bottle of champagne to celebrate the greatest debut in a soccer league by a team since 1998.

Congratulations to FC Indiana Head Coach Shek Borkowski and Co-Founder Gary Weaver (pictured above in Virginia Beach this weekend with Red Stars Coach Emma Hayes) and everyone at FC Indiana on a fantastic season.

Advisory Board Meeting and Chicago Fire vs. Los Angeles Fire

It's a beautiful day here in Milwaukee. i'm heading to Toyota Park soon for a Red Stars Advisory Board Meeting followed by the Fire vs. Chivas USA game. The meeting agenda follows:

Chicago Red Stars Advisory Board
August 2, 2008

1. Team Update (Peter Wilt)

a. Tour of offices
b. Staff updates
i. Olympic travels
c. Red Stars in the community
i. Recent events
ii. Upcoming events

2. League Update (Peter Wilt)
a. Expansion news
b. Staffing
c. Player Timelines
i. Allocation, combines and drafts

3. Online/Internet Social Marketing (Amanda Vandervort)
a. Update on current league and team initiatives
b. How to reach the fan?
c. How to keep the fan?
d. The value of social networking/online initiatives for different segments i.e. adult, ethnic, corporate etc
e. WPS social networking launch with the Olympics
f. Implications for ticket sales and building on live events

4. Tickets (Greg Zaskowski)
a. Current goals and numbers
b. Ideas of how to reach the players/coaches and their families directly
c. Opening day 2009

The meeting will be followed by the Chivas USA vs. Fire game. This match has the elements for a great rivalry game. Though Cuauhtémoc Blanco will miss the game due to suspension, there should still be elements of Mexico's greatest rivalry (Chivas vs. Blanco's former team, Club America) manifested in the stands and on the field.

Fans often discuss fantasy matchups of teams from different era. Well, tonight Chicago Fire fans will get a chance to see how today's Fire team would matchup against some of the original 1998 Fire squad. Chivas USA added yet another ex-Fire player yesterday when the American Goats acquired Fire legend Zach Thornton from the New York Red Bulls. Big Zach joins Jesse Marsch, Ante Razov andJim Curtin as former Fire players on Chivas USA. There are now more original Fire players on Chivas USA (three) than on the current Fire roster (two).

My friends at The Highbury Pub in Milwaukee will be in attendance 100+ strong and cheering for Jesse Marsch and Chivas USA from behind the south goal in the stage end tonight. Jesse's brother Craig is a bartender and bon vivant at The Highbury.

i hope the Chivas USA fans all have a good time tonight, but i also hope they go home with no points.

Bovines, Lionesses and Butterflies

Thursday was marked by cows, Lionesses and Butterflies. it started with a Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation board meeting in the afternoon, which was held at Wisconsin State Fair Park on the opening day of the Wisconsin State Fair. After the meeting, i strolled through the cattle and sheep barns then purchased a scary Lucha Libre mask at the Fair's Mexican Village.

When i returned home, i began getting text updates from Red Stars Head Coach Emma Hayes and Red Stars Investor Gary Weaver who were both at the W-League semi-finals in Virginia Beach. Emma reported that the only goal of the game , which was by FC Indiana Lioness midfielder Fatima Leyva in the 89th minute, was a beautiful give and go with Laura Del Rio. The goal held up to earn FC Indiana a spot in the W-League Championship Game this Saturday. The game will be shown on Fox Soccer Channel Saturday night at 10:00 pm CT and again on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm CT. the Pali Blues won the W-League regular season championship and earned a spot in the final by defeating the Washington Freedom Thursday 2-0.

i finished the last day of July by finally watching The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. i'd seen the trailer a dozen times, but never had a chance to see it in the theater. Thanks to NetFlix, i was able to see one of the best motion pictures i've ever watched. The cinematrography, acting and story are all remarkable. This powerful film based on a true story earned artist/filmmaker Julian Schnabel the Best Director Award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. i highly recommend it and give it two thumbs up. If i had another hand, i'd give it three thumbs up.

Emma's First Impressions

Chicago Red Stars Head Coach Emma Hayes spilled her guts in a Q&A with Red Stars' Amanda Vandervort.

Emma talks about her first impressions of Chicago, her thoughts on going to scout the Olympics in China and her planned style of play. Here's a player she may want to consider!

The Dartmouth Connection

The Chicago Red Stars have minor league affiliates in the final four of both the W-league and WPSL playoffs and they're both backstopped by Dartmouth goalkeepers.

FC Indiana, with Kristin Luckenbill (Dartmouth '01) in goal, emerged battered, but victorious in the W-league Central Conference Championship match-up Sunday evening 4-3 in overtime over Ottawa. FC Indiana advances to the W-League final four in Virginia Beach along with Pali Blues, Washington Freedom and Seattle Sounders. FCI wll match up against Seattle and Pali Blues will play Washington in the semis.

The MYSC Lady Blues scored early against the Brevard County Cocoa Expos Monday night and held on for a 1-0 victory to advance to this weekend's WPSL final four in Sacramento. A solid defense and Lauel Peak's (Dartmouth '09) spectacular goalkeeping held the Sunshine Conference champs scoreless.

Good luck to both teams in their respective championship weekend tournaments and thank you Big Green for producing two great goalkeepers.

Leslie's Trip to Chicago

Injured USWNT star Leslie Osborne spent yesterday in Chicago promoting the Chicago Red Stars and Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). Leslie, who is from Brookfield, Wisconsin, and played and coached with Chicago's Eclipse Select Soccer Club, flew in from LA late Friday night. She was picked up by Red Stars Head Coach Emma Hayes ridiculously early Saturday morning and taken to the IWSL Fall Seeding Meeting in Schaumburg, which started at 7:30 am. Leslie's not new to public appearances and showed her experience in the professional way she handled her appearances in Chicago.

Leslie, Emma, Red Stars Director of Sales Greg Zaskowski and i spoke to all the IWSL U-8 and U-9 team representatives before Emma and Leslie left for another appearance on Chicago's lakefront.

While Greg and i met with IWSL's upper age team reps through the day, Emma and Leslie met the crowd at the Chicago Beach Soccer Invitational.

i didn't see the reaction to their appearance firsthand at the beach tournament, but Emma and Leslie were very well received in Schaumburg and reports i heard from the beach were also very positive. If you were there, let me know how you thought it went. Like our two US/Brazil viewing parties earlier in the month, these two appearances demonstrate the different audiences the Red Stars are reaching out towards. If we can be successful attracting traditional women's soccer fans from suburban families and traditional men's soccer fans from the city, we will have an exciting and diverse fan base to support the team.

i spoke to Leslie about her missed opportunity in China and she was philosophical about it. She noted that this will give her more experience in broadcasting, which could prepare her for opportunities in the future.

As i type, i'm getting W-League playoff updates from Emma who is at the Central Conference Championship in West Lafayette, Indiana. Late in the game, Ottawa holds a 2-1 lead over Red Stars affiliate FC Indiana.

EDIT: Laura Del Rio equalizes for FCI in final moments of regulation!!!!

EDIT2: THREE GOALS IN OT! A "world class goal" by Del Rio according to Emma, another by Veronica Phewa for FCI to make it 4-2 and then a PK for Ottawa to make the final score FCI 4, Ottawa 3. The Lionesses advance!! Congratulations to Shek and everyone at FC Indiana!

A Day Brightener

i received a phone call today from Chicago Fire legend and fellow Ring of Fire member Lubos Kubik. He was at the airport waiting to board a flight to Hong Kong and the Beijing Olympics where he will serve as Piotr Nowak's Assistant Coach for the United States Men's Olympic Soccer Team.

We talked about getting together in October when he plans to be in Chicago and he offered to help the Chicago Red Stars source players in Eastern Europe.

Lubos has always been one of my favorite people in soccer. He was a very special player, has a great soccer mind and is as kind as anyone in the game.

i asked him to give Piotr and soon-to-be-new Fire forward Brian McBride my best and wished him well in China.

News From the Annex

The Toyota Park Annex (aka as the Chicago Red Stars office) has been rockin' with action lately. Consider:

* The interior rehab was recently completed with the addition of cubes for our sales staff and interns.
* The exterior design was completed yesterday with the addition of Red Stars and Toyota Park logos, Women's Professional Soccer word mark and a number of red stars.
* We've been planning for Leslie Osborne and Emma Hayes' appearance Saturday afternoon at the Chicago Beach Soccer Invitational this weekend.
* Leslie and Emma will be joining Red Stars Director of Ticket Sales Greg Zaskowski and me at the IWSL Fall Seeding Meetings this Saturday morning.
* The Red Stars Managers Monthly Meeting is today
* Emma's travelling to West Lafayette, Indiana this weekend for the W-league Central Conference Final Four featuring host FC Indiana, Chicago Gaels, Toronto Lynx and Ottawa on Friday and Sunday.
* Staff members are meeting daily with IWSL club leaders to discuss partnerships.
* The team continues to sell season tickets at a healthy clip of 50 per week. We are pacing well for our goal of 3,000. If you haven't already done so, i recommend putting your $50 deposit down now.
* Red Stars Director of On-Line Marketing Amanda Vandervort is working with the League on preparations for the League's social networking site, which will launch in time to follow future WPS and Red Stars players at the Beijing Olympics.
* Amanda's also working on a new merchandise site that will be easier to navigate and allow us to offer more Red Stars items.
* Emma has been on the phone non-stop using her network to gather updated information on the world's best women's soccer players in preparation for the WPS allocation of USWNT players in mid-September and the three WPS drafts in September, October and January.

The Chicago Red Stars are now in full operational mode.

i'm back....

ok, i swore last year that i wasn't going to go back, but today i did. Chicago Red Stars launched its Facebook page recently and i broke down and rejoined, so i could be part of the Red Stars Facebook community...in the interests of keeping up with the Red Stars social networking efforts and increasing my accesibility, i suspect that my return to MySpace can't be too far behind.

If you're on FB, feel free to Friend me...and buy me a virtual drink...or pirate hat.

Arrrrr!

A Warrior

Tonight I saw history repeated. I saw a real warrior knocked down. In the final USWNT game before departing for China and the Olympics, Abby Wambach broke her leg while trying to score her 100th goal for the USWNT.

She managed to force a smile and showed amazing inner strength and fortitude while being treated on the field.

Sadly, I was in Washington, DC eight years ago when Chris Armas tore his acl on the RFK field less than a month prior to the Sydney Olympics. And tonight, at Torero Stadium in San Diego, I saw another Olympic dream crushed.

Chris was a warrior, too and I am sure that like the former US Men's captain, Abby will work harder than ever and get back up after tonight's crushing blow. It will simply have to wait until the WPS season.

Get well Abby!

Red Stars Affiliates Roll

Chicago Red Stars W-League affiliate FC Indiana clinched the W-league Midwest Division title Sunday with a 2-0 win over Kalamazoo.

The Chicago Gaels 1-0 win over Minnesota yesterday reduced their magic number to one in order to clinch second place in the W-League Midwest Division and a playoff spot.

The Red Stars WPSL affiliate MYSC Lady Blues can clinch the WPSL Midwest Division title and a playoff spot tomorrow night with a win at the Chicago Breeze.

Good luck to all three teams.

FC Indiana hosts the Chicago Gaels Thursday night at 8:00 pm ET at Kuntz Stadium.

i am off to San Diego today for WPS BOG meetings and the USA vs. Brazil Women's National Team game tomorrow night.

Expansion, marketing, broadcast and player issues will dominate the meetings. All good and exciting stuff.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho...

Well, work in my position doesn't exactly require any heavy lifting, so i don't want this to come off as complaining, because i'm not.

After a long and fruitful night promoting the Red Stars at the Fire game* at Toyota Park Saturday, i put in 12 hours today, but it was all good and fun.

This morning i left for Judson College at 10 am for the WPSL game between local FC Twente3 and Chicago Red Stars WPSL affiliate MYSC Lady Blues. After trying to watch two soccer games Friday night only to have them both cancelled by lightning, it was great to have such a beautiful day today to watch this game. The Madison, WI based Lady Blues won 5-0 and maintained the best record in the WPSL Midwest Division. A victory Wednesday night at the Chicago Breeze (who feature Red Stars supporter Corrie Eastland), will clinch the Midwest Division title for the Lady Blues.

After speaking with FC Twente3 Coach Richard Drake and Lady Blues Coach Ben John, i took off for GameWorks in Schaumburg for the Red Stars first viewing party ever. It was also our second overflow "sellout" as Red Stars fans filled tables in the viewing room as well as in the overflow Stadium Bar area to watch the USA beat Brazil 1-0 on a second half strike by Amy Rodriguez and hear from Red Stars GM Marcia McDermott (in person) and Head Coach Emma Hayes (via internet at halftime). Red Stars staff distributed promotional materials, raffled off prizes and talked up the team to the crowd.

i then drove to Milwaukee to drop off 100 Barcelona/Chivas tickets and meet up with my friend Valdemar Escobar for a bar-b-que and discussions about promoting the Red Stars in Milwaukee's Latino community before heading home 12 hours after the day began. Sitting in the sun watching a soccer game, hosting a soccer viewing party at GameWorks and talking soccer at a Sunday evening bar-b-que - it's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it ;-).

* Saturday evening, we started at 5 pm promoting the Red Stars to fans tailgating before the Fire game at Toyota Park. The pre-game promotion was shortened when TP management asked us not to pass out anymore Red Stars brochures or window clings in the parking lot, because we didn't ask the Fire's permission. We'll be sure to ask first next time. Hopefully they'll say yes. We then entertained a number of youth soccer and corporate leaders in our suite while watching the Fire pull off a terrific extra time victory over Toronto FC. Afterwards, we mingled in the TP Stadium Club, then i met up with many Section 8 die-hards at Beefy's on Harlem - the unofficial post game meeting place of Section 8. By midnight i was ready to call it a night.

FC Indiana Loads Up For 2009

Exciting news release from FC Indiana today:

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, July 12, 2008 — FC Indiana announced the re-signing of Mexico international Monica Ocampo for the 2009 season.
Ocampo, 21, was one of twenty finalists in contention for the title of 2006 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year.
She has represented Mexico 45 times, scoring 31 goals, her most recent coming last October in a 1-1 tie with the US in Albuquerque, N.M.

“Ocampo has shown great potential with her performances for our club and the Mexican national team over the past two seasons and she will add great quality to our squad,” said FC Indiana coach Shek Borkowski.
Ocampo is the typical player Borkowski likes as she has technique, temperament and vision. In two seasons with FC Indiana, Ocampo scored 18 goals and assisted on 8 in 18 matches, while helping the club to 2007 Women’s Premier League national title and and this season to a first place finish in the United Soccer Leagues (USL) W-League - Midwest Division.

"I like technical and quick football – the way FC Indiana play," Ocampo said. “I hope to continue the success I’ve experienced here and hope to bring even more success to FC Indiana and the fans. I can play in the centre or on the wing, behind one or two strikers. I wanted to continue my career with FC Indiana because of the club’s attacking football philosophy."
“Ocampo has always been a priority, her vision and composure will be key to our future success. Her goal scoring rate at the international level is excellent,” said Borkowski.

The signing gives more credence to the Lionesses' new boast in their standard "About FC Indiana" paragraph at the end of their news releases. FC Indiana's description as "North America's only professional women's soccer team" has been replaced by:

FC Indiana is the world's leading women’s professional soccer club. FC Indiana is the most successful women’s professional soccer organization in the history of the United States. FC Indiana is two-time Women’s Premier League Champions (2005 and 2007) and winners of the 2005 U.S. Open Cup.

There may be a few people that would question the boasts above, but no one will ever accuse the Chicago Red Stars W-League affiliate of lacking self-confidence!

FYI, though FC Indiana is the Red Stars affiliate, no mechanisms have been put in place that would give the Red Stars any preference on FC Indiana players, including Ocampo.

Players, Players, Players

Lots is (are?) going on with WPS this week.

Most important is the long awaited announcement of the WPS player acquisition timeline.

Condensed version:

Week of Sept. 15: U.S. WNT / U.S. WNT Player Pool Allocation
Week of Sept. 22: Draft of Top International Players
Oct. 6: WPS General Draft of Domestic & International Players
Dec. 10-13: WPS West Coast Combine
Dec. 17-20: WPS East Coast Combine
Week of Jan. 14: WPS Post-Combine Draft
Beginning Feb. 1: WPS Tryouts in Teams' Local Markets
March 1: WPS Pre-Season Begins
April 4/5(TBD): WPS Regular Season Begins

Long version.

Answers to all your questions about the allocation of the US Women's National Team players to WPS teams.

Here's a good WPS update (including expansion info) from Commissioner Tonya Antonucci via USA Today's Beau Dure.

Chicago Red Stars minor league partners FC Indiana, Chicago Gaels and MYSC Lady Blues are also busy. Red Stars W-League affiliate FC Indiana smacked the previously undefeated Minnesota Lightning on the road the other day 6-0! The Red Stars W-League partner Chicago Gaels are the next test for Minnesota this Thursday night at 7:30 pm at Loyola University's soccer field on Devon and Hoyne. I'll be there along with much of the Red Stars staff including General Manager Marcia McDermott and Head Coach Emma Hayes. Please stop by and say hi at half time. During the game, join us as we watch potential WPS players on both sides. MYSC Lady Blues will be playing WPSL rival FC Twente3 on Sunday, July 13th. Kickoff is set for 11:00 am. The match is at Judson University in Elgin (I-90 west to Route 31 south...turn left at first stop light and then an immediate right into Judson...left at stop sign and follow road to the field)...FC Twente3 also play Friday night at Loyola v. Ohio Premier at 8:00 pm.

i'm in San Diego next week for WPS Board of Governors meetings and the USA vs. Brazil women's national team game on Wednesday, but i'll get back in time to join Emma in Indianapolis for the FC Indiana vs. Chicago Gaels contest at Kuntz Memorial Stadium. Earlier in the year, FCI came out ahead of Chicago 3-0 and the Gaels will be looking to end the Lionesses undefeated mark in 2008.

The USWNT game in San Diego is one of two matches next week vs. Brazil that can be watched with Chicago Red Stars fans and staff at local Red Stars viewing parties.

Emma will be at Sunday's Brazil/USWNT game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado, but she will be piped in at halftime for a live Q&A with fans at GameWorks in Schaumburg (601 N. Martingale). I'll be at the viewing party with Marcia and other staff. Lots of free stuff - chips, salsa, soda, GameWorks game card, Fair Game Women's Soccer Magazines and raffle prizes including USWNT bobbleheads and Red Stars merchandise to those attending. Party starts at 1:30 pm and the game starts at 3:00 pm.

Emma will handle the Q&A at Wednesday's viewing party at Fado Irish Pub in person. This party is for fans 21 and over and starts at 7:30 pm with food and drink specials. The Brazil/USWNT game starts at 9:00 pm. Fado is at 100 W. Grand in the River North section of Chicago.

Zombies and WPS Players

The headline topics are not related (hopefully anyway) except that they're the two topics in this post:

Instead of road tripping with Section 8's buses to Columbus for the Fire's frustrating 2-2 tie with the Crew yesterday, i took in the historic reunion tour of seminal 60's British invasion band The Zombies at their Summerfest stop on Milwaukee's lakefront.

The tour started in March with four of the original five members in tow (guitarist Paul Atkinson died four years ago), but only frontman Colin Blunstone and keyboardist Rod Argent stayed on through the summer. Argent bass player Jim Rodford and Rodford's drummer son replaced Chris White and Hugh Grundy on the tour. Besides their chart topping hits "She's Not There", "Tell Her No" and "Time of the Season", they also played Argent's 70's hit Hold Your Head High. The Zombies songs have held up well over the last 40 years. As one recent review noted:

Next to the Beatles, the Zombies may have been the most mature and sophisticated songwriters of the early British Invasion. If this sounds like a wild overstatement, break out your guitar and try to play their stuff. Unlike competing acts like the Kinks and the Yardbirds, the Zombies actually knew the meaning of the terms minor key and modulation.

On a TOTALLY different matter, later this week, Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) is expected to announce a timeline for the acquisition of players by its teams. The timeline will show when the US Women's National Team (who defeated Sweden yesterday 1-0), other domestic players and international players will be distributed. Much thought, debate and consideration has gone into this timeline and i'm excited to see it publicized, so all the League's stakeholders can have a better sense of the timing and mechanisms that will be involved in filling the team rosters.

Red Stars Hire Marketing Execs....and Other News You Can Use - All in the Red Stars Insider

If you are signed up for the Red Stars Insider, you probably already know that we announced the hiring of our final two department heads earlier today, veteran sports marketing executive Jeff Roth who will be our Director of Marketing, Sponsorship and Communications and soccer coach and internet executive Amanda Vandervort who will be our Director of On-Line Marketing and Camps (both of the new Red Stars marketing executives are pictured above - Amanda's the woman pictured to the right of center surrounded by her soccer team).

If you haven't already signed up for the Chicago Red Stars Insider, i suggest you do so here. In addition to getting the latest updates on the Red Stars in the news like this article by former Chicago Fire Assistant General Manager/Real Salt Lake General Manager Steve Pastorino, you'll be able to read the latest about the USWNT, the Red Stars affiliates and Red Stars partners like Windy City Rollers and the Illinois Women's Soccer League.

The Red Stars Insider has quickly turned into a pretty good source of info on the world of women's soccer in the midwest as well as a source for Red Stars 411 and associated interests.

Notes of Note

Here are a few notes of interest as the month of June comes to a close:

* FC Indiana and the United States women's soccer teams are both Number 3 in the world. According to womensworldfootball.com, only Frankfurt and the Washington Freedom are better women's soccer teams than the Chicago Red Stars' W-League affiliate and only Germany and Brazil are better than the USWNT.

* Cubs dejected** and Lou gets ejected on the way to a White Sox weekend sweep over the crosstown rivals!

* Dan and Brandon honored.

* Looking over that impressive list of contacts the Red Stars have already met with in our first month again reminded me that we still have a long way to go both in reaching the depth of the local soccer community and the breadth of potential audiences. We have yet to have many meaningful discussions with representatives of Chicago's many ethnic soccer organizations, corporate or LBGT communities. These are all important non-traditional women's soccer audiences that we plan on including in our efforts to create a diverse fan base.

* Former Fire Assistant GM Steve Pastorino has been named General Manager of the United States Team Handball Federation. Click the link next to Steve's name on this page to hear an interview with Steve regarding his great new challenge.


** Oops, he did it again!

"Let's Have a Party"

Yesterday and today both provide plenty of reasons to celebrate with a party.

Yesterday:

One down, two to go on the south side.

After watching the Sox demolition of the Cubs from Giron's Italian Restaurant in Brookfield, i met up with Section 8 Chairman Ben Burton to see a living legend perform in Berwyn. Elvis Presley's former girlfriend Wanda Jackson led the party at Fitzgerald's. If you closed your eyes you could swear this was taking place on the stage. At 70, the world's first female rock and roll singer proved she could still belt out an hour plus set with energetic songs interspersed with tales of her mentors like Hank Thompson, Jimmie Rodgers, Elvis, Hank Williams Sr. and Jerry Lee Lewis. Now that i've seen the late inventor of the power chord Link Wray and Wanda live, my next goal is to see fellow rockabilly legend Ray Campi. He doesn't perform often and he's getting up there in years, so it will be a challenge.

The Chicago Red Stars missed an opportunity to promote to a unique audience at the Wanda Jackson show. People who go to local music clubs are generally young, active and looking for unique and fun entertainment where the performers appreciate and connect with the audience. This crowd will never provide the bulk of a women's pro soccer fan base, but it can provide the Chicago Red Stars with a unique nontraditional audience that will diversify the crowd at Toyota Park and expand the base of support. Our new marketing director starts next week and i'm sure that outreach through urban street teams will be part of his strategy.

Today:

1) Chicago Fire Premier: i'll be taking in my first Chicago Fire Premier PDL game of the year this afternoon as game one of a unique Fire doubleheader. After starting the PDL season by winning five of its first six games, Coach Larry Sunderland's college age Chicago Fire affiliate team takes a four game winless streak (0-1-3) into today's 2:30 pm match against the West Virginia Chaos at Argo High School which is located just north of Toyota Park off of 63rd and Harlem. This is a great opportunity for fans to see future MLS players while they're still in college. The Fire Premier generally has half a dozen players drafted by MLS teams and past players include current Fire players Chris Rolfe and Dasan Robinson. This year's team is led by University of Michigan's Peri Marosivic with three goals and an assist. Peri's Wolverine teammate and Hinsdale Central graduate Patrick Sperry has manned the Fire Premier's goal in all ten games this season with a goals against average of 0.50.

2) Fire vs. San Jose. Like their PDL affiliate, the Fire is also trying to rebound after starting the season with only two losses in their first nine MLS games followed by three straight MLS losses. Halftime of the game will feature a very special ceremony honoring Brandon Kitchens and Dan Parry who both died young after many years of leadership in Section 8 and in world outposts where their service was needed. The Fire will be unveiling a very special display and plaque on the north side of Toyota Park to honor these special young men.

Andy Rooney

Have you ever noticed....

Stupid little things that have bugged me lately that i have no business complaining about:

IT challenges: Getting a new laptop and a new office is nice, but it comes with a price. It's amazing how dependent on computers we've become over the last decade. Without consistent online access the last few weeks, my productivity has crashed. i think the worst is behind me and i'll be back at full speed soon.

Bug bites: In the last week i've sacrificed my body to mosquitoes, flies and various other flesh biting bugs. The insect infliction occurred as i tried to take part in the great outdoors by watching the Chicago Gaels games last Saturday and last night, doing yard work on Wednesday, hiking in the woods on Tuesday and walking the beach at Whitefish Dunes State Park in Door County on Monday. i think i'm more of an indoors person.

Euro '08: i'm half Czech and half Italian. They both departed earlier than they should have.

Sox belted by Cubs: i won't deny it. Last weekend was rough and i'm looking forward to this weekend for a little revenge. "Attending" Saturday's game on a Wrigley rooftop was fun - at first. i actually enjoy going to Wrigley in spite of my Sox loyalty. i got to the game very early, stopped by Murphy's for a bit, walked around Wrigley a couple times, paid homage to former Sox announcer Harry Caray's statue (did he broadcast for another team?). Then i climbed up the back stairs to the Sheffield rooftop for the game, which started well enough with Jermaine Dye's two run homer. Then came the nine-run fourth inning and it all went down hill from there. A late inning escape to a Chicago Red Stars sponsored block party in Pilsen featuring live lucha libre and an entertaining Chicago Gaels win over Fort Wayne salvaged the rest of the Saturday.

Speaking of the 17th Street block party, i've been real pleased with the depth and breadth of our team's involvement in the community in our first few weeks as the Chicago Red Stars.

Here's a sampling of where we've been and who we've met with the last couple weeks:

These are some of the events we've attended:

Chicago Magic North Banquet
Chicago Lakefront Attack Tryouts
FC Drive Tryouts
S.I.F.E. Camp (Soccer Is For Everyone)
CUSC Practice
Park Ridge Memorial Day Soccer Tournament
Campton United's Midwest Cup Soccer Tournament
Grove United Memorial Day Shootout
Glenview Soccer Summer Soccer Fest
Windy City Roller Derby Bouts
SFL Soccer (Stickney, Forest View and Lyons) Picnic
Northwestern Girls Soccer Academy
Chicago Gaels games vs. Fort Wayne and West Michigan

Here's a list of some of the tournaments and events we're involved with:

Kicks 4 Cancer Soccer Tournament
Chicago Street Soccer Cup
USYSA Midwest Regionals
Rockford United Watermelon Tournament
Street Soccer Competition in Crystal Lake
Lincoln-way SC 3v3 Tournament
Chicago Beach Soccer Invitational

Our staff has also been busy meeting with the leadership of many adult and youth soccer organizations including:

Lindenhurst Area Soccer Club
Richmond Spring Grove Soccer Association
Glenview Soccer
Chicago Makers
Glenn Ellyn Raiders
North Stars Soccer Club
Dave Ribbens of Lab School in Chicago, Chicago Magic and long time coach of Trinity Christian College
Tom Drazek, Coach of Podlaise Soccer Club and AAC Eagles U11 and U16 Boys
Windy City Wanderers FC
Campton United
St. Charles Sportsplex
Coerver Coaching
GameWorks
Six Flags Great America
Judith McLean, Executive Director Illinois State Soccer Association
Bob Stariha of Chicago Crushers/Eclipse South

Upcoming meetings are scheduled with the following groups:

AYSO
Mundelein Soccer Club
Kickers SC (Aurora)
Genesis
Crossfire
Challengers SC

The whole Red Stars staff has been involved in getting the word out, but special mention needs to go to Community Relations Director Amber Simons and Director of Ticket Sales Greg Zaskowski who are leading the charge and A.E.s Alyse LaHue, Carrie Sear and Kait Sawyer. Red Stars Head Coach Emma Hayes arrived from London on Monday and immediately jumped into a number of appearances before jet lag could set in. Yesterday Emma signed more than 300 autographs in Bolingbrook before taking in the Chicago Gaels 6-0 victory over the West Michigan Firewomen at loyola University. At the invitation of Gaels owner Mark Boyle and West Michigan Head Coach Neathan Gibson, Emma greeted both teams at half time of the W-League contest.

If you'd like to talk to the Red Stars regarding a partnership that could be beneficial to your organization, please write me at pwilt@chicagoredstars.com.

Goal: Perfection

Last night in Indianapolis, Chicago Red Stars W-League affiliate FC Indiana shut out the Cleveland Internationals, one of the Midwest Division's better teams, 3-0, while outshooting them 33-0. Despite the apparently dominating performance, the team's recap says:

FC Indiana coach Shek Borkowski was not impressed with his squad despite his team out-shooting Cleveland 33-0.
“Our defenders were steady in difficult circumstances because we kept losing the ball in midfield and attack. But in attacking areas we did not play well. In the first half we were too slow and the players didn't look motivated. In the second half we improved, we were a bit better.”

i didn't see the game, but Shek continues to impress me with the high standard he is setting for his players. He is always looking for improvement - not necessarily in results, but in discipline, effort and quality of play.

The Lionesses win keeps them atop the W-League Midwest Division standings at 7-0-1 while Cleveland drops to 4-2.

Soccer, Baseball, Soccer, Baseball

i never understood why some soccer fans feel the need to rip on baseball just like many fans of traditional American sports rip on soccer. i think people should be welcome to be fans of both sports just like people should be welcome to be fans of both the White Sox and the Cubs.

Well,the next four days will provide plenty of great action for fans of both soccer and baseball.

We've got the Fire vs. Chivas USA on national television tomorrow night, Euro Quarterfinals starting up this weekend and the USWNT rolling into the Peace Queen Cup Final tonight with an anticipated victory over Italy.

On the baseball side, the Cubs/Sox rivalry moves to the north side.

i'll be watching Friday's game from the venerable Bridgeport Sox tavern Schaller's Pump. My dad went to grade school with owner Jackie Schaller in the 1930s at St. Sabina's on the south side. i believe Schaller's is Chicago's oldest tavern and is worth the trip just for their signature butt steak!

i'll be viewing Saturday's game from one of the Wrigley rooftops with Farnese member John Daley. This is the best way to watch a Sox game at Wrigley - i get to enjoy watching the Sox win without giving any money to the Cubs!

After the Sox rollover the Cubs, John and i will be heading over to the always awesome 17th Street block party in Pilsen. Get there early to cheer on the lucha libre from 2 pm to 4 pm and stay for Punk, Indie, Country and Mexican Rock from 4 to 8. Chicago Red Stars are sponsoring the lucha libre.

Red Stars WPSL Affiliate doing well, too!

Looks like we chose wisely with our minor league partners.

FC Indiana is undefeated and atop the W-League Midwest Division and the MYSC Lady Blues are undefeated in their inaugural WPSL season and atop the Midwest Division with a 3-0 record.

The Chicago Gaels, anothe Red Stars partner have played the fewest games to date of the Red Stars minor league partners and are 2-2 in the W-League's Midwest Division.

W-League Recap

Chicago Red Stars W-League affiliate FC Indiana dominated the Minnesota Lightning last Wednesday at Purdue University, but only managed a 1-1 tie against their fellow unbeaten team. If there were any justice or a lesser goalkeeper, FCI would've scored a half dozen goals as the Lionesses outshot Minnesota 27-2. Lightning keeper Ann Marie Gleason made eight saves and received some woodwork help as well.

Lightning Forward Caroline Smith scored a beautiful goal over the outstretched arm of FC Indiana Goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill in the 28th minute. The highlights make the second half seem like a half field match with FC Indiana peppering the Minnesota goal with only an 85th minute shot by Julianne (Lu) Sitch alluding the Lightning goalkeeper.

Here is the game recap and FCI interviews with Coach Shek Borkowski, Forward Lauren Sesselmann and Defender Christie Shaner.

Then on Saturday, FCI demolished the West Michigan Firewomen 9-0 on the road. FCI had a similar shot advantage (31-2) to the Lightning game, but this time they found the back of the net one more time than the US Men did yesterday against Barbados. Laura Del Rio, Monica Ocampo and Veronica (Bhudu) Phewa scored twice each for FCI.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Gaels, who are an official amateur team affiliate of the Red Stars took to the road for three W-League games the last couple weeks. The Gaels beat the Michigan Hawks 3-1 on June 6th and the Fort Wayne Fever 1-0 on June 10th on the road before dropping a hard fought 1-0 match to the Lightning in front of 2,741 fans at Minnesota's National Sports Center on Saturday. Minnesota's Caroline Smith, who scored the Lightning's goal at FCI last Wednesday, did the damage for Minnesota in this game as well.

Sunday Sports Recap

Despite two of my favored teams embarrassing themselves yesterday (Czech Republic and the Chicago Fire), it was a great sports day that saw both the US Men and Women win. While the 100 degree temps took all the life out of the Fire's 1-0 losing Brimstone Cup match in Texas, the heavy downpours seemed to add life to Turkey's thrilling late three goal comeback to advance to the quarterfinals over my ethnic cousins (my paternal grandparents were from Prague). My maternal grandparents came from Italy (Calabria), so i'll be rooting for the Azzurri on Wednesday. Italy will likely advance with a win if Holland beats or ties Romania. If Italy and France tie and Romania loses, there would be a three way tie that would likely see Italy advancing according to this analysis of the various tie breakers. i think the final decider is rock, paper, scissors.

Holland's Group C finale tomorrow vs, Romania gives me the opportunity to bring back this hilarious gag from the 2004 Euro semi-finals. God forbid the Cubs are playing in late October this year, but if they are, this White Sox fan may just pull some inspiration from this video.

On the plus side yesterday, Tiger continued to overcome his painful knee injury and made another great comeback to force today's playoff against Rocco Mediate. Can't go wrong today. Gotta love both story lines. Rocco is a 45 year old everyman and Tiger is Tiger.

The USWNT used goals by Natasha Kai and Abby Wambach to beat Australia by one goal for the third time in recent months in their first game of the Peace Queen Cup in Korea. Though the game was over at 2 am Central Time, the US Soccer report didn't arrive until ten hours later. When games are televised or readily available online, the reports seem to come quickly. i know overseas events present unique challenges, but when there is no other way to find out the result, the report coming half a day later is frustrating.

It was great to read that Aly Wagner is back and made her first USWNT appearance since last year's double hernia surgery. The description of Abby's goal assisted by Aly is also remarkable. And it was nice to read that my neighbor (we both have homes in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin) Kate Markgraf was selected as the Sierra Mist Woman of the Match.

2007 Women's World Cup Runner Up Brazil is next for the US Women tomorrow (tonight). Brazil also edged its first opponent (Italy) 2-1 in its Peace Queen Cup opener.

The US Men bombed Barbados with a record 8-0 opening win in the long journey to South Africa in 2010. Was great to see Michael Bradley get his first WCQ start and his second international goal on Father's Day while his dad led the U.S. team from the bench. That had to be pretty special for both of them.

Tim Russert

This post has nothing to do with soccer in Chicago i guess, but i wanted to make my own mention of the respect i've had for NBC's Tim Russert Tim Russert who died on Friday.

My background as a journalism major, wire service reporter and political junkie helped me appreciate Russert's integrity, dedication and leadership in a business that sees so many become dishonest, lazy and followers. The many tributes the last few days have shown him to be a dedicated father, son and husband in addition to his great work.

He will be missed.

This is going to be a great day...

it's not even 7:00 am on Sunday morning as i type this and an incredible sports (especially soccer) day has already begun. It began at the stroke of midnight (central time) as a matter of fact as the US Women began their Peace Queen Cup Tournament with a match against Australia....as hard as i've tried though, i haven't been able to find the result yet...maybe i read it wrong and it kicks off at midnight tonight...

The picture in a picture time starts at 1:30 pm with the kick off of the Euro Group A final games: Switzerland vs. Portugal and Turkey vs. Czech. The Fire complicates viewing efforts at 2:00 pm as the Men in Red battle FC Dallas in a Brimstone Cup match. That game will be followed at 4:00 pm as the US Men begin World Cup Qualifying in Carson, CA vs. Barbados.

In non-soccer sports, Tiger Woods goes for his 14th major starting late this afternoon. As much as i should expect the unexpected from Tiger, yesterday's final six holes simply amazed me. Maybe it's because i had just "mastered" the back nine at Chapel Hill in Johnsburg, IL with a scintilating (for me) 48. My own miracle six on Chapel Hill's celebrated 17th hole (the longest in Illinois)
helped me believe the NBC announcers when they referred to Tiger's miraculous five under for the last six holes at Torrey Pines on a painful knee as his greatest accomplishment and one that ranks with the grittiest performances of any NFL or NHL player.

You know i'll be watching the US vs. Barbados, but the TV will be switched to NBC at halftime and afterwards to see Tiger inch closer to the Golden Bear.

Say It Ain't So...

The euphoria of last week's Chicago Red Stars debut gave way to some not so good news yesterday. First, due to the Great Wisconsin Flood of 2008, i had to rip out all my basement carpeting and throw it away along with a few sentimental possessions. Next, a small deer hit my wife's car (it was in the side of the car, so she technically didn't hit the deer, the deer hit her). Ann is fine, but the car and deer have both seen better days. And finally, "Eight Men Out" author Eliot Asinof passed away at age 88. i read Asinof's definitive book on the 1919 Chicago "Black Sox" scandal when i was a kid. The book made folk heroes out of Joe Jackson (upper right) and Buck Weaver (upper left) for me. The story even inspired me to later make pilgrimages to Shoeless Joe's Greenville, South Carolina grave site not once, but twice in the 1980s.

While Jackson certainly had some responsibility in the scandal, anyone who saw the motion picture Asinof's book was turned into, knows there were plenty of mitigating circumstances - not the least of which were that he returned the money, he tried his hardest throughout the Series, he had the highest batting average of players on either team in the Series and he hit the only White Sox home run of the Series - that should have relieved him of the lifetime penalty he served. The Weaver banishment was simply absurd and is even more disheartening as he never took any money and in fact refused to participate in the fix from the beginning. Please take a moment to help clear Buck. i wonder what Kennesaw Mountain Landis would think of David Stern's NBA today...

Well, at least the Fire won its US Open Cup play-in game vs. Columbus last night. Kudos to seldom used (recently anyway) players Andy Herron, Brian Plotkin, Austin Washington, C.J. Brown, Stephen King, Calen Carr, Patrick Nyarko and Tomasz Frankowski for helping the Kings of the Cup advance. Coach Denis Hamlett is showing how to take the Open Cup seriously while using the team's depth to provide fresh, motivated players.

Early Returns

The private sale of season tickets for IWSL members and friends of IWSL began at 10 a.m. today and we've already taken more than 100 season ticket deposits in the first few hours. i'm encouraged by the response.

For more information go to the IWSL web site.

and we're off!!!!

i was right....yesterday was much better than Monday! Late morning thunderstorms challenged the logistics of our planned outdoor name and logo unveiling, but Amber Simons and Alyse LaHue led a hard working group of interns and staff to improvise in short order and turn an outdoor unveiling into a covered extravaganza with confetti cannon, Chicago flags, Chicago music and a hundred or so Red Stars supporters including Bridgeview Mayor Steven Landek, Chicago Southland Convention and Vistors Bureau President Jim Garrett, Toyota Park GM Dan Garnett, Chicago Fire's Mark Washo, Jessica Yavitz and Ron Stern, Logo co-designer JL Murtaugh, Section 8 Chicago Chairman Ben Burton, Pitch Invasion's Tom Dunmore and Whiskey Bros. 05's Frank Cardenas as well as Fire coaches Daryl Shore and Chris Armas. Also on hand were Fire original CJ Brown, IWSL's Julius Roth, Pete Glon and Charlie Dyson, Windy City Wanderers Matt Rosine and many others. Team Chicago's Jaguars girls soccer team had more than a dozen players on hand including Regan Hollingshead who also attended the Toyota Park groundbreaking at the same site almost five years ago.

After the announcement we went to the Stadium Club for the online video unveiling,a champagne toast, q&a with media representatives, lunch and the first game of Red Stars baggo!

Good media coverage from the news conference. A sampling follows:

Chicago Tribune

Daily Herald

SouthTownStarText

Naperville Sun

Bay Area Sports Drive

USA Today

HOI News

Blogs:

Pitch Invasion

Section8Chicago

Windy City Soccer

US Soccer Players

Kenn.com

Chicagoist.com

Red Card

Soccer Science

Soccer Blogs

Pandas...

FC Indiana....they're good. Really good

Had the opportunity to watch a very good soccer team yesterday. FC Indiana showed a good soccer team, the Chicago Gaels, what a very good soccer team looks like. Both the W-League teams have partnerships with the new Chicago WPS team I am heading up.

Laura Del Rio, Maria Ruiz, Fatima Leyva, Lu Sitch, Monica Campo, Lena Mosebo, Veronica Phewa and their teammates proved to be superior in skill, technique, tactics and fitness on the way to a 3-0 victory. Gaels goalkeeper Erin Kane and midfielder Jen Buczkowski's sterling efforts led the way for the Gaels who forced the Lionesses to work hard till the end.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and a crowd described by Gaels owner Mark Boyle as the largest in Chicago W-League history (375 or so) cheered on the good play of both sides.

It will take a great - and lucky - team to derail the only professional women's soccer team in North America this season.

Long, emotional, difficult day...

...and i think tomorrow will be better. i was a lousy boss today. i'm supposed to set an exemplary standard for our staff and instead i let a series of frustrating events get to me on what should've been one of the most exciting days in the team's young history.

Monday was moving day for the Chicago TBAs. Started the day at our old downtown office working with our staff to complete "starter kits" for youth soccer leaders, media and guests at tomorrow's name announcement ceremony. Reached our new offices at Toyota Park before noon and encountered numerous bits of bad news and challenges throughout the rest of the day - internet failed in the afternoon, the test unveiling of the 400 sq. ft. logo banner got snagged on Toyota Park's brick arch, the forecast for tomorrow's outdoor unveiling turned ominous, word leaked out about the Bulls scheduling a news conference to announce Doug Collins as their head coach at the same time as our news conference, we had to scramble to find a solution to an on line logo unveiling problem, we had to scrap three versions of tomorrow's news release due to last minute changes from outside parties...and the whole Ring of Fire thing seemed to go sideways.

It's 16 hours since my work day started and i'm just now calming down and winding my day down. i have never worked with a better group of people and i got frustrated in front of them today. i did my best to turn an exciting day that should feel like Christmas Eve into a negative, bitter and even angry day.

i messed up. Thankfully our incredible staff rose above my petulance and i'll have another chance tomorrow to embrace this incredible opportunity we have and show the excitement, optimism and joy involved in leading this great project.

Tarnished Ring of Fire

Every year, members of the Chicago Fire's Ring of Fire select another member to join its exclusive tribute of honor. Piotr Nowak was the first selected in 2003. He chose Frank Klopas in 2004. Piotr and Frank chose Lubos Kubik in 2005. They selected me in 2006 and we all chose Bob Bradley last year.

In March, we unanimously agreed to honor Dan Parry and Brandon Kitchens. two of the Fire's longtime Section 8 supporters and leaders who died tragically in the last 18 months.

After several weeks of research and internal discussion by the Fire's ownership and upper management, i was informed on Friday that the Fire's ownership has decided not to honor our selection of Brandon and Dan, but instead plan to honor them with a seperate memorial.

Background, explanation and my commentary are here.

For the record, i believe the Ring of Fire has been tarnished by this decision.

The Week That Will Be

A hellacious schedule this week:

Sunday - FC Indiana at Chicago Gaels, 4:00 pm at Nazareth Academy, 1209 W. Ogden LaGrange Park.

Monday - Chicago WPS moves into new administrative offices at Toyota Park

Tuesday - Chicago WPS team name, logo and colors unveiled

Wednesday - Chicago WPS season tickets go sale

Thursday - WPS Board of Governors arrive in Chicago

Friday - WPS BOG Meetings and BOG and WPS staff attend Dave Matthews Band Concert at Toyota Park

Saturday - WPS BOG Meetings and BOG and WPS staff attend Chicago Fire vs. DC United match at Toyota Park

Hang on. It's going to be a busy week!

Red Stars Wins Fan Vote; Team Name TBA Tuesday

The final week of fan balloting went to Chicago Red Stars ensuring the homage to the City of Chicago municipal flag the top spot in the advisory Name the Team Sweepstakes. It was the Red Stars’ seventh weekly honor and allowed them to finish with 5,080 voting points (40.2%), well ahead of runner up Chicago Wind (3,844 points and 30.4%). The Wind managed to climb past Chicago 1871 in the contest’s final week. Chicago 1871 finished with 3,704 points or 29.3% of the total voting points cast for the three finalists over the course of the Sweepstakes which began in early March.

We also announced that the official team name and logo selection will be unveiled next Tuesday, June 3rd at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois with a ceremony that begins at 11:00 am. The ceremony is scheduled outdoors in Toyota Park’s entry plaza. If you'd like to attend, send me an email at pwilt@chicagoprowomenssoccer.com and i'll add you to the entry list.

Next Tuesday we'll reveal whether we have selected the fans top choice, one of their other top selections or gone off the board for something completely different. I will say that the fan voting successfully influenced our selection as we studied the demographics behind the balloting. It’s important that we select a name that will be supported by all of our audiences.

Vote totals below display both the cumulative and weekly vote:

Cumulative voting - FINAL:

Red Stars......5080.....40.2%
Wind...........3844.....30.4%
1871...........3704.....29.3%
Riot...........2300 Eliminated April 21st
Blues..........1564 Eliminated April 14th
Union..........1056 Eliminated April 7th
Stinking Onions..611 Eliminated March 31st
Massacre......526 Eliminated March 24th
Towers........183 Eliminated March 17th
Progress.......109 Eliminated March 10th

Weekly vote: 5/12-19:

Red Stars......634.....45.1%
Wind...........520.....37.0%
1871...........253.....18.0%

Promoting Chicago Generic Women's Pro Soccer Team

The entire Chicago WPS staff was out at various Memorial Day socer tournaments over the weekend promoting our nameless team. Amber Simons, Alyse LaHue, Tiffany Martin, Carlos Clava Klimek and I promoted Chicago WPS at the Park Ridge Memorial Day Soccer Tournament over the weekend. Interaction with the tournament organizers and participants made me keenly aware of a few things (warning, unfair blanket generalizations ahead):

* All the youth payers we spoke to, girls and boys, are interested in Women's Professional Soccer.

* The older the girls, the more excited they were about the new league.

* Coaches and parents of girls teams are really excited about the launch of the League and the team.

* Coaches and dads of boys teams seem to think the women's game isn't worthy of their attention.

* It would really be nice to have a name for the team when out promoting "Chicago WPS".

* The Chicago Storm's use of a soccer tennis net, Bozo Buckets and an info table was extremely efficient.

* The education curve we face is enormous. Typical youth soccer players, coaches and parents have no idea who we are, who the new League is or even who is on the US Women's National Team.

* The opportunity we have is great, because most people in the soccer community who are aware of the new league and team want us to succeed and many are willing to evangelize on our behalf.

Next week will mark an important milestone in the team's history. More on that later this week.

In Memoriam

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. Saturday i helped staff an information table for Chicago WPS at the Park Ridge Memorial Day Soccer Tournament, yesterday Ann and i watched the Fire victory then hosted a cookout for relatives and today we're off to our niece's graduation party. All are typical Memorial Day weekend activities. The real meaning of Memorial Day is often overlooked unfortunately. Even in this time of war when more than 150,000 US Soldiers are in battle overseas, we tend to focus on the home front and forget about the men and women who are risking their lives and those that have given their lives for our country.

i first registered as a pacifist more than thirty years ago and have been active in various peace efforts over the last three decades including Congressional lobbying for Peace Action Wisconsin. My beliefs and actions do not diminish my respect and honor for those that fight our country's battles. Nor do they suppress the sorrow i have for the families of the more than 4,000 fallen Americans in the Iraq War/Occupation. i do not know the exact number of dead in that war, but i do know that whatever the number is, it is at least one more than the official tally.

Brandon Kitchens cared for his country and he cared for the Chicago Fire. Brandon's obituary noted that he was "a senior airman and intelligence officer, Brandon's training in intelligence proved vital on the ground, assisting Army convoys and evaluating areas to locate air strips. (Last May), Brandon completed a four-year stint with the Air Force that sent him to Iraq three times and Afghanistan twice."

Afterwards, Brandon spent two months at home supporting the Fire to his fullest, took a position with the Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid Committee and then his heart tragically gave out on a soccer field at the age of 23.

i am not sure of the medical reasons for his death, but in my heart, i believe the effects of three tours of duty had a residual effect that cost Brandon his life and the Fire one of its greatest supporters. Yesterday the Fire destroyed Juan Carlos Osorio's New York Red Bulls 5-1 with nearly 100 travelling Fire supporters cheering them on for 90 minutes. If Brandon were still with us, he surely would have been in Giants Stadium leading the charge. And nothing would have pleased him more than to see disloyalty to the Fire rewarded with that kind of defeat. Brandon was loyal to the Fire, loyal to his friends and loyal to his country.

So on this Memorial Day, the first since Brandon passed, i ask you to remember Brandon, remember all our country's heroes and take a moment to read (or reread) the words he gave us to inspire support of the Chicago Fire.

STAND AND DELIVER!

Higher Expectations

Chicago WPS W-League affiliate FC Indiana outshot the Michigan Hawks 18-3 on its way to a 5-0 victory in its home opener in Indianapolis Wednesday night.

Most coaches would take the three points and dominating performance and be pleased. But FCI Head Coach Shek Borkowski, though not angry, was displeased with his team's overall performance - especially their appearance to cruise through the game.

Afterwards, Shek said, “At 3-0 we stopped playing,” he said. “When you lead 3-0 it is natural to think you are going to win – but Michigan made it difficult for us and never gave up.

"Our second half substitutes played with some intensity," he continued. At least one moment had Borkowski cheering. He smiled briefly when Laura del Rio blazed in her third goal after a good pass by Moore to make it 5-0. “Everything about that was perfect,” he said. “Moore’s pass was fantastic, and del Rio produced a great finish. It’s important to us that she keeps on scoring.”

FC Indiana defender Aivi Luik, meanwhile, echoed her coach’s relief at getting past this hurdle. “We are not pleased at the performance – although it’s never easy to concentrate when you’re three goals up,” she said.

i think W-League teams may be in for some tough nights when the League's newest team, FC Indiana, shows up on their schedule this season.

Sexism Slowing Development of Women's Soccer?

Insightful author Jennifer Doyle makes a solid case showing sexism can be a barrier to the development of women’s soccer . I thought she sounded defensive early in the article, but as i read through the piece, I thought that it isn’t paranoia if there really are unmarked black helicopters in the sky. It’s a very good read and will provide you with new insight into the challenges girls and women face as athletes.

Doyle makes valid points about the lack of understanding of the specific needs of female athletes caused by the ingrained sexism of medicine and sports culture, which ties back to the high rate of ACL tears in female soccer players. She points out that coaches sometime fail to recognize that the gender differences are not only physiological, but also metabolic, social and psychological.

Beyond that, Doyle brings up the gender inequity of their soccer fields and shoes, the lack of understanding of society’s impact in the physical movement of young women and the failure of some coaches to truly listen to girls.

The article concludes with the positive side of battling the challenges by recognizing the rewards of changing how girls play and how they live. The impact of sexism on soccer is a reflection of the culture we live in. As in society, change will be slow, but recognizing the issue is the first step to addressing it.

High Expectations

Chicago WPS W-League affiliate FC Indiana outshot the Kalamazoo Outrage 21-1 on its way to a 2-0 victory in its season opener in Kalamazoo Friday night.

Most coaches would take the away points and dominating performance and be pleased. But FCI Head Coach Shek Borkowski, though not "Outraged", was less than pleased with his team's overall performance - especially in the final third.

Afterwards, Shek said, "Statistics mean nothing. We played well at times and tried to win but still are not aggressive enough at running at defenders."

i think W-League teams may be in for some tough nights when the League's newest team, FC Indiana, shows up on their schedule this season.

Introducing Emma

New Chicago WPS Head Coach Emma Hayes completed her whirlwind extended weekend in Chicago today with a return flight to London.

In a little more than three days, we introduced her to as many of the team's stakeholders as possible.

Thursday was her busiest day:

In the morning she was introduced in person to the Chicago media. In the afternoon she was introduced via conference call to national and international media then joined our Managers Meeting for players discussion. Following the Managers Meeting, she joined Marcia McDermott, Greg Zaskowski and me for a meeting with the operators of the Max McCook indoor facility. We're considering the nearly full sized facility for indoor training when the elements drive us inside.

Friday was a longer, though less stressful day. Emma spent the bulk of the day in our temporary downtown offices meeting with Marcia and others regarding set up of scouting and networking systems. Friday night she joined Marcia, Greg, Amber Simons, Alyse LaHue and me in Algonquin to meet socially with a group of a dozen or so youth soccer directors of coaching and high school coaches including Brian Elia, Cori and Rob Eastland (Johnsburg White Lightning), Brad Wellmen (Cary Soccer Assoc.), Jim Dzialo (Jacobs H.S.), Caulbert Smith (Dundee United), Scott Jackman (Campton United), Orhan (Soccer Heads) and several others.

Emma spent Saturday morning apartment hunting and successfully bagged a unit in the city. She headed out to Toyota Park in the afternoon where she participated in the Chicago WPS Advisory Board meeting. There she was able to meet and exchange ideas with representatives from IWSL (Flo and Charlie Dyson), IYSA (Mary Jane Bender), ISSA (Judith McLean), Section 8 (Ben Burton), adult social soccer leagues via Windy City Wanderer's (Matt Rosine), soccer media (Kathryn Knapp, Tom Dunmore), W-League (FC Indiana's Anton Maksimov, Chicago Gaels' Mark Boyle), Toyota Park (Dan Garnett), Chicago Fire (Javier Leon), corporate community (Mark Kaufman), college soccer (Danielle Slaton, Rob Lepley), youth soccer parents (Tom Stutesman, Lisa Buczkowski), FireWorks For Kids Foundation and local Hispanic soccer (Bob Armendariz) and Chicago WPS owners (Susan Morrison, Arnim Whisler, Gary Weaver).

Afterwards, Emma ventured out to the Toyota Park parking lots meeting Fire fans at tailgates before heading inside for the Fire game against Houston. She spent the game's first half (when it was relatively dry outside) inside our suite with team owners, FC Indiana players and execs and players from the Windy City Rollers ( Belle Diablo, Tori Adore and Malice with Chains). Belle, Tori and Malice came to the game to discuss cross promotion ideas with us. After discovering my affection for Pabst and pirates, Malice gave me my very own derby name: "P.B.RRRRRRRRRR."

After chatting it up in the suite at halftime with Javier Leon, Emma and Marcia headed outdoors to take in the last 45 minutes in Section 8. They were suitably impressed by the failure of the downpour to drown Section 8's spirit.

Emma's back in London now to complete her obligations to Arsenal and await her visa clearance, before moving here full time in mid-June.

After the taste of Chicago hospitality she received the last several days, Emma's anxious to return.

A Lovely Lady - E. Carol Hayes

While reviewing Coach Hayes' visa paperwork today, I noticed that her middle name is.Carol!

i think she'll fit in just fine.

:-)

Emma

Yesterday's announcement went smoothly.

In person, we had a good turnout of five newspapers plus Comcast Sports. The media conference call and news release generated plenty more coverage.

A search of online articles uncovered the following stories on Chicago WPS' announcement:

Soccer Science Blog
http://www.amandavandervort.com/blog/2008/05/top-5-reasons-emma-hayes-is-perfect-choice-for-chicago/

Chicago Sun-Times
www.suntimes.com/sports/soccer/953150,CST-SPT-womsoc16.article

Chicago Tribune:
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/fire/cs-080515-emma-hayes-chicago-womens-soccer-club,1,4050515.story

Daily Southtown
http://www.southtownstar.com/sports/953290,051608sptshorts.article

Yahoo Sports
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-chicagowomen-coach&prov=ap&type=lgns

The Daily Herald
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=191433#comment

Soccer America
http://www.socceramerica.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=26556

WQAD News
http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=8330265

US Soccer Players
http://ussoccerplayers.typepad.com/ussoccerplayers/2008/05/chicago-wps-get.html

The Dane's Head
http://thedaneshead.org/show/137906/Hayes-to-coach-new-Chicago-women's-soccer-team-(AP)

Women's Pro Soccer
http://www.womensprosoccer.com/newsitem_ektid2726.aspx

Chicagoland Soccer News

http://www.chicagolandsoccernews.com/article.php?article_id=4282

Big Apple Soccer
http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/article.php?article_id=14023

Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/wire/chi-ap-soc-chicagowomen-coa,0,7531368.story

KWQC News
http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=8330265&nav=menu83_4

USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2008-05-15-1159995210_x.htm

Fair Game Magazine
http://www.shekicks.net/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=5051

Beau Dure's USA Today blog
http://www.usatoday.com/community/profile.htm?UID=1e704431d89e7993&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a1e704431d89e7993Post%3a315f049a-a5ca-4a90-9a4e-bf64323dbde5

Women's Sports Nation (Talkshoe.com)
http://www.womenssportsnation.com/2008/05/head-coach-named-for-chicagos-wps-team.html

Big Soccer Forum
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=693773

Bester News
http://www.besternews.com/sports/soccer/

AOL News
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/hayes-to-coach-new-chicago-womens-soccer/n20080515182609990001?ecid=RSS0001

International Herald Tribune
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/15/sports/SOC-Chicago-Women-Coach.php

MSN FoxSports
http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/8144304/Hayes-to-coach-new-Chicago-women's-soccer-team?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=176

Chicago Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/a-1393587~Hayes_to_coach_new_Chicago_women_s_soccer_team.html

Soccer Scene USA Blog
http://soccersceneusa.blogspot.com/2008_05_01_archive.html#6266195830871046668

Women's Soccer USA Blog
http://womenssoccerusa.blogspot.com/

The Daily Journal
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SOC_CHICAGO_WOMEN_COACH_ILOL-?SITE=ILKAN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-05-15-18-10-57

Netscape News
http://webcenters.netscape.compuserve.com/sports/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/0030/20080515/1732662676.htm

Arsenal News
http://www.arsenalnews.net/comments/45091/arsenal_coach_to_lead_chicagos_womens_pro_soccer_team/

Arsenal News 2
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?article=491546&lid=NewsHeadline&sub=Hayes+announces+departure+from+Club&sublid=NewsHeadline&Title=Hayes+announces+departure+from+Club&f=rss

Sports Illustrated
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/soccer/wires/05/15/2050.ap.na.spt.soc.women.chicago.coach.0186/index.html

Be Recruited
http://news.berecruited.com/2008/05/15/hayes-to-coach-new-chicago-womens-soccer-team-ap/

ESPN SoccerNet
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=535635&cc=5901

WTHITV
http://www.wthitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8330265&nav=menu593_4

i'm sure there are more out there. If you see that i've missed any, please add them in the comments.

Have a great weekend!

Head Coach To Be Announced Tomorrow!

The big news tomorrow is the naming of Chicago WPS' inaugural head coach. But we also have a board of directors meeting, an owners tour of our new offices (more on that in a future post) and a meeting with an indoor facility.

i thought you might like to see our internal schedule for everything that's going on tomorrow. With the name of the coach (hopefully) redacted throughout, here's tomorrow's internal schedule (btw, the coach's name does not have eight letters ;-)).

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE AT TOYOTA PARK

10:00 am – Staff arrives at Toyota Park (Amber, Alyse, Greg, Marcia and peter) . Make sure media room is set up with podium, sound, WPS press backdrop and check in table at Media Room entry all set.

10:30 am – Media check in begins – Amber greets and directs at the door, Alyse sits at check in table, hands out news releases and asks attendees to sign in. (Alyse, please make a simple sign in sheet with name and affiliation. Three pages, 15 lines per page.)

10:30 am - Photographer (Katie) begins taking head shots in front of WPS press backdrop. xxxxxxxx, Marcia and peter, Amber and Alyse first, then the other five staff and owners in any order. Greg, please relieve Amber and Alyse while their photos are being taken. Send xxxxxxxx’s photo to Karyn Lush for posting.

10:55 am - Alyse sends News Release (with xxxxxxxx photo link) and conference call advisory out to Chicago WPS media data base and Special Chicago WPS Email Insider to Chicago WPS general data base. Jen Peters sends news release and conference call advisory out to F-H Chicago sports list, F-H priority soccer list and international soccer list.

11:00 am - News Conference Starts in TP Media Room
• Welcome and opening remarks – 1-2 minutes (peter)
• Announcement, xxxxxxxx’s background and reasons for hiring xxxxxxxx – 3 to 5 minutes (Marcia)
• Acceptance and remarks – 3-5 minutes (xxxxxxxx)
• Q&A (xxxxxxxx and Marcia)
• Posed photo op (Marcia and xxxxxxxx)
• One on one interview opportunities (xxxxxxxx, Marcia and peter)

Noon – 2:30 pm – Managers Meeting in TP Conference Room 4. Second floor near Stadium Club entrance (Gary, Arnim, Jim, peter and Jack).

1:00 – 1:30 pm - Media Conference call for Marcia and xxxxxxxx. Alyse on hand to assist. Jen Peters, F-H, to moderate call from St. Louis. Room tbd.

1:30 pm - Marcia joins Managers Meeting

Approx. 2:00 pm – xxxxxxxx, Amber, Greg and Alyse join Managers Meeting

2:30 pm – Tour of Chicago WPS offices 730 W. 71st Street (All)

3:45 pm –Depart Toyota Park for Meeting at Max McCook (Marcia, xxxxxxxx, Greg and peter)

i should add that after the last meeting, we're all going to head to the nearest public house to celebrate!

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!

Nice win for USWNT over Canada last night. 6-0 shelling with Natasha Kai getting her first career hat trick, Lindsay Tarpley notching her ninth goal of the year and Abby Wambach providing three helpers.

It was quite an improvement over their last game vs. Canada in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying match - a 1-1 tie in regulation followed by 6-5 US PK victory.

Full story here.

i wasn't able to watch the US vs. Canada game as A) i was at the Prairie Home Companion broadcast at the venerable Milwaukee Theatre and B) the game wasn't televised.

While i'm not a big PHC fan, i enjoy attending the live performances. Three highllights of note from yesterday's PHC:

* The BoDeans performed. i first saw them 25 years ago when they opened for Pat McCurdy at Teddy's (now Shank Hall) in Milwaukee. i still have a soccer ball signed by the BoDeans when we brought them in to perform after a Fire game at Soldier Field in 1998. We sold an incremental 18,000 tickets for that game thanks to their Chicago popularity, WXRT's promotion and the increasing interest at that point in the Fire. Last night's BoDeans performance was great. They opened with "Wonder, Wonder" and mixed in old and new among their half dozen songs.

* Leon Redbone performed. i've always enjoyed the mystery and the music of this cool dude from another time. i didn't know who the guests were going to be before i got to my seat, so it was an incredibly great surprise to see both the BoDeans and Leon Redbone. Among the vintage songs he performed was Shine On, Harvest Moon.

* Memories of the Milwaukee Auditorium. The Milwaukee Theatre is a renovation of the old (1909) Milwaukee Auditorium where the Milwaukee Wave played during my first two years promoting pro soccer (1988 and 1989). It was the best venue ever for indoor soccer. Only 3,482 seats, it had individual padded folding chair seats arranged loosely in boxes seperated by wooden dividing walls in the lower level. The incredibly intimate and historic building had a cantilevered balcony that protruded over the lower level and allowed fans in the upper deck the best vantage point ever for an indoor soccer game.

We are now just 60 minutes away from the start of Fulham's final stand vs. Portsmouth to stay up in the Barclay's Premier League. C'mon FULHAM!

***UPDATED**** Danny Murphy keeps the Cottagers up for another year with a 76th minute header off a Jimmy Bullard free kick. The packed Highbury Pub in Miwlaukee celebrated in full voice. Way to go Fulham!

No News Here

There is no Chicago soccer news today. But the next nine days will produce plenty of talking points for fans of Chicago men's and women's pro soccer:

* The Best Buy Fire battles former Eastern Conference power VW United tonight
* The Fire hosts former Western Conference power Houston Amigo Energy May 17th
* Next week two key department head hirings will be announced by Chicago WPS
* Next week Chicago WPS will hold an Advisory Board Meeting and a Managers Meeting
* Next Friday is the entry deadline for the Chicago WPS Name the Team Sweepstakes

Additionally:

* On Sunday, we'll find out if FulhAmerica stays up in the Barclay's Premier League.
* The W-League season kicks off May 10th and FC Indiana's season opener is at Kalamazoo on May 16th. (The Chicago Gaels first game is Sunday, June 1st hosting FCI at 4 pm)
* The USWNT vs. Canada at RFK this Saturday

Stay tuned!

This and That

Here are a few updates from the weekend:

* NAME THE TEAM SWEEPSTAKES: Chicago Red Stars won the weekly voting for the sixth time in nine tries to extend their lead over both Chicago 1871 and Chicago Wind. The fans are certainly showing consistent support of the Red Stars name. Their support is providing pressure to go in that direction, but the Wind and 1871 are receiving strong support from some important demographics and they are scoring well in formal and informal focus groups as well. We'll be taking all this information into consideration before announcing the winner. Details on last week's voting will be posted here later today.

* USWNT SCORES FIVE GOALS...AND BARELY WINS: Anyone who says women's soccer is boring should be forced to watch the United States thrilling 5-4 victory over Australia on Saturday. It was a great example of the wide open, high scoring style the women's game often provides that i described in a March post about the Mexico Women's National Team game against the University of Illinois women's team. Hats off to Angela Hucles who scored the winner three minutes and fifteen seconds into the "three minutes" of added time for the red, white and blue!

* TEN MORE GAMES: The USWNT thriller was my Saturday afternoon palate cleanser in the middle of ten other televised soccer games i took in that day. i watched five EPL matches in the morning at the Highbury Pub in Milwaukee highlighted by my Fulham side's HUGE 2-0 victory over Birmingham City to climb out of the relegation zone for the first time since December 22nd. The Whites likely need one more win next Sunday over Portsmouth to stay up another season. C'mon Fulham!! Section 8 Chairman Ben Burton made a pilgrimmage to Milwaukee on Saturday. Fire supporters Elizabeth Currie, Samantha Garivay and Zach Schaefer joined Ben and a flock of the Highbury's "Ride at Dawn Club" for a tour of Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery - the self proclaimed "Animal House of Brewery Tours". We were back at the Highbury for five MLS games Saturday night highlighted by the Fire's 3-0 slashing of the hated New England Revolution. Seeing Jay Heaps on his knees in mourning after Stephen King's first career MLS goal was reminiscent of another great moment in MLS history.

* DON'T SPREAD ANY RUMORS: Chicago WPS General Manager Marcia McDermott and i are heading to Wheaton Academy this afternoon to see this guy train a team and meet with him for a bit.

A Sign?

Shortly after sunrise today, i'm taking my morning walk along the secluded Lake Michigan beach near my Wisconsin home. While following a set of deer tracks a shiny object got my attention in the water. About 50 yards offshore there was a red object bouncing in the waves. i stopped and watched as the waves brought it closer to shore. It soon became apparent that it was a red mylar balloon. It got even closer and i could see that it was in the shape of a star!

Could this be a sign from above (well, it was a helium filled balloon that once indeed was "high above") telling me that we should follow the voice of the people and name Chicago's WPS team the Red Stars!?!

A minute or so later, the red star balloon made its way to the shore and my feet. i noticed that it was a five pointed star, not the unique Chicago flag six pointed star that the Chicago Red Stars name references.

You may not think that one little point makes a big difference when it comes to heavenly sent messages, but since today is May 1st, instead of receiving a message from above about the civic minded and patriotic Chicago red star, i might've been receiving a different message from the cold war runners up...0r it may have just been a sign to shop here or drink this. It's hard to know how to take messages from above without a translator.

Here's The Story...

Tuesday's announcement of Chicago WPS' Director of Ticket Sales means that our first five staff members are Team President and CEO Peter Wilt, General Manager Marcia McDermott, Sponsor Sales Director Bobby McAuliff, Operations Manager Alyse LaHue and Director of Ticket Sales Greg Zaskowski. Greg worked with me at the Fire as the team's Manager of Ticket Sales. I am very excited to have him on board and just hope he doesn't leave us for a turn as Johnny Bravo.

If your name is Jan or Cindy and you are interested in a career in soccer administration, you may want to shoot us your resume...just sayin'.

With a little bit of luck, this could be the 2009 Chicago WPS staff photo!

Red Stars Lead Grows

The first of the four finalist weeks is in the books and the Chicago Red Stars have padded their lead. Red Stars scored 397 (41.2%) voting points this week to increase their lead over second place 1871 to more than 800 points. The Wind outscored 1871 this week, but still trails 1871 by 255 points and Red Stars by more than 1,000 points in the cumulative voting.

No more names will be eliminated through the sweepstakes. Fans can continue to vote on the three finalists through May 16th and the team name is expected to be announced in early June. Fans can vote on line at www.chicagoprowomenssoccer.com.

Cumulative voting through 4/28:

Red Stars......3924.....39.7%
1871...........3106.....31.4%
Wind...........2851.....28.9%
Riot...........2300 Eliminated April 21st
Blues..........1564 Eliminated April 14th
Union..........1056 Eliminated April 7th
Stinking Onions..611 Eliminated March 31st
Massacre......526 Eliminated March 24th
Towers........183 Eliminated March 17th
Progress.......109 Eliminated March 10th

Weekly vote: 4/21-4/28:

Red Stars......397.....41.2%
1871...........232.....25.2%
Wind...........309.....33.6%

A reminder that this poll is advisory and the final choice is up to the Chicago WPS Board of Directors...not saying that we would do this, but we could pick a name that has already been eliminated or go off the board totally and pick a name that wasn't even voted on...like Chicago Bootleggers for instance - whaddya think of that one? Let me know by commenting below. Thanks.

The Spirit of the Fire Moves On

Tomorrow's Chicago Fire game will mark the last day Donald Ortale will be paid to work for the Chicago Fire and the FireWorks For Kids Foundation. Donald is the Fire's long time Senior Director of Community Relations, CEO of the FireWorks For Kids Foundation and to many people represented the positive spirit of the Chicago Fire.

Donald is moving on to another position in the non-profit world, but it will not be the last day he works for either the Fire or the Foundation as he will stay on as a board member of the Foundation and i'm sure he'll find ways to continue his support of the team. Working to advance the Fire and the Foundation was never about compensation for Donald anyway. In fact, he worked to promote the Fire for a couple years before he was paid to do so through his position with the American Lung Association.

During my job interview with Phil Anschutz in 1997, he told me that if i got the Fire's GM position, i must create a charitable arm to give back to the community. Along with Jessica Yavitz, who will succeed him, Donald took the mantle that Mr. Anschutz, Denise Wilmer and i gave him eight years ago and built the Fire's community relations department and charitable arm into the most effective and respected in Major League Soccer.

He and his department have been honored several times by MLS, but his proudest honor is the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame's 2002 Pro Team Community Award. The Fire received this award over every other professional sports team in the United States for the way it handled its move to Naperville in the community.

Donald, like many others the last few years, will now carry the spirit of the Fire elsewhere in Chicagoland and it will be the responsibility of others to pick up his heavy load, continue his good works and most importantly, carry on his spirit within the Fire.

Farewell Donald!

The Gift

i received a very special gift yesterday. It came from someone who gave me the gift of a second chance at life almost 40 years ago...

i was eight years old at the time. My father took my older brother Tim and me sailing in a 14 1/2-foot Klepper Passat - a German rubber skinned sailboat with a mahogany frame - on Lake Superior. High winds, large waves and limited sailing experience led to a harrowing day and night stranded on the lake they call Gitche Gumee. Our sails were down and we were rapidly drifting out to sea. If not for the skill, courage and bravery of three Porcupine Mountain State Park Rangers, we surely would have perished.

My mother reported us missing several hours after we failed to return on time. Park Manager Dave Balbaugh, Assistant Park Superintendent John Kesot and Park Mechanic Arnold "Andy" Anderson then went to work. First they drove up to a lookout in the park and using a 10x to 30x zoom telescope, spotted the mast of our tiny boat on the horizon about five miles out and slightly west of the park.

Local newspaper reports from the day report what happened next:

"The three took the park boat and went out into Lake Superior to find the lost craft, but it was nowhere in sight. The park crew spotted a boat with fishermen that told them they had seen the boat which was barely visible, about five to six miles offshore and about seven miles east.

It was approximately 7 p.m. before the rescue boat reached them. The two boys, 8-year-old Peter and 12-year-old Tim, were taken aboard the park boat, but their dad remained aboard his craft as it was being towed in.

Unfortunately, the seas got too heavy and the Wilt boat filled up with water and capsized. Dr. Wilt, who was wearing a life jacket, was then taken from the water into the park boat. The rescue crew then returned to the park dock, arriving around 9:30 p.m."

It was a life changing event for my dad, brother and me. It forced us to appreciate the precious gift life is. Every August 12th thereafter, no matter where we are, we get ahold of each other and remember that day. Together and separately, we also started to return to the site on several of the anniversaries. Tim was the first to return to the Porkies. i think it was on the 15th Anniversary. My wife and i made the pilgrimage on the 20th Anniversary. Then i went again on the 25th Anniversary. It was on that excursion that i dug through the local newspaper archives to find the names of the rangers and went to the State Park welcome center to track them down, so that i could thank them personally.

i was told that Superintendent Balbaugh had passed away a few years back, John was retired and travelling the country in a motor home and Andy was retired and living in nearby Silver City.

The phone book in the Silver City General Store listed an "A Anderson" on Michigan State Highway 64. i drove to the address and parked my car on the edge of the highway. i then walked up a long gravel drive and found an elderly gentleman working in a garden:

Me: "Are you Andy Anderson?"
Andy: "Yes i am. How can i help you?"
Me: "Well you already have. 25 years ago today, you saved my life and i just wanted to say 'Thank you',"
Andy: "Are you the young Wilt boy!?!"
Me: "Yes i am"
Andy yelling to his wife: "Honey, we have a visitor. Bring out a couple of beers!"

Andy and i had a great afternoon drinking Grainbelt Premium beer and recalling that day as if it were yesterday. He put me in touch with John and we all exchanged Christmas cards for years afterward.

My whole family returned to Porcupine Mountain State Park on the 30th anniversary and we had a very nice final reunion with Andy who passed away a couple years later.

Though John and i kept in touch via Christmas cards, we never reunited until December of 2006. He was 90 years old and living in a senior home in Camden, Tennessee. While visiting my nephew and Godson Evan Darger at Southern Illinois University we decided to make a road trip to visit John and thank him in person.

His daughter and son-in-law helped make the arrangements. We had a great visit with John at his apartment and we told him we'd like to take him to lunch anywhere he wanted. John chose Pizza Hut. His daughter arranged to have the local paper join us and they wrote a nice article about the reunion.

John died a couple months ago. On his obituary page's guest book i wrote:

"My family and i mourn John's passing as we celebrate his life. His heroic actions on Lake Superior on August 12, 1968 gave my