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.