TEAM TALK: Bornstein; Wizards Revival?

The most obvious "big news" to break over the weekend (or just before; can't keep track) came with the injury to Chivas USA's Jonathan Bornstein. For my money, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better consideration of the implications - for the player, his club, and country - than you'll find in the analysis by MLS Underground. I couldn't put it better and, therefore, won't try to. Though, at least with regard to country, we'll see something new in the next U.S. friendly.

Over on USSoccerplayers.com the (if-I'm-understanding-this-correctly) new-relocated Bill Urban looks in on the Kansas City Wizards preseason situation/mentality. It's possible I'm alone in thinking this, but the Wizards failure to miss last year's playoffs falls in the top five of "big stories" for 2006. When I look at this team's roster - even the current one - I just can't see how they're not a playoff team. Urban's central point is that, the same digs aside, between the new ownership and the new coaching staff, things feel different in Kansas City. The question of whether it will be enough comes in his conclusion:

"Anyone who witnessed the collective spring in the Wizards players' steps during both training and a couple of scrimmages down here, one might easily argue that the Wizards will finish ahead of Columbus and Toronto in the seven-team Eastern Conference this season. Whether they can finish ahead of New York, D.C., New England or Chicago to qualify for the playoffs will depend on avoiding injuries, crucial bits of luck, and how much production Onalfo can coax from Eddie Johnson."

Anyone else think Urban correctly divided the haves from the have-nots in the Eastern Conference?

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