Blue Links: Father’s Day, KCTV5, Royals, and tons of Sporting KC Video

It is easy to get behind with so much happening around the Kansas City soccer teams. We are here to catch you up! But first, some things you may have missed around the site.

• Our mid-season awards for Sporting Kansas City
• The Swope Park Rangers get an unfortunate draw (video)
• Sporting KC dominate but only get a draw

A Trio of Erik Palmer-Brown Stories

1. EPB linked to Paris Saint Germain
2. EPB also linked to several other clubs
3. Peter Vermes says no one is talking to him about EPB (though he is out of contract at the end of the season)

Happy Father’s Day from Sporting KC

The team did a really touching piece (maybe just because I have a kid and it was Father’s Day for me too) about the players with children for Father’s Day. I’m always hating on Kevin Ellis (just as a CB, I’d really like to see him play a different role) but he has a super cute kid. And this is probably inappropriate but Matt Besler’s wife is hot.

Graham Zusi the All-Star

MLS released an update to the MLS All-Star voting on Saturday and Graham Zusi is now in second place for the Fan XI at defense (three defenders will be voted in). Ironically he’s behind Greg Garza who is on a terrible defense and DeMarcus Beasley who has not exactly been healthy in 2017. Matt Besler sits in fourth and Ike Opara is no where to be seen.

Tim Melia is also sitting in fourth at goalkeeper, but only one will be selected. Of all the players on the ballot Melia probably deserves to go the most (or Ike). Ilie Sanchez is stunningly not on the ballot, though he got my vote for MVP at the midpoint. That leaves one Atlanta United and one SKC player in the Fan XI at press time. Mike won’t be happy unless all of Atlanta gets voted in so they are tired for their game with Sporting a few days later.

Vermes on Millennials

KCTV5 follows up on how Peter Vermes is learning to work with Millennials. As you no doubt heard, he worked on learning how to teach his younger players with new techniques (video). What’s interesting is literally his whole team is made of Millennials based on KCTV5’s definition of being born in 1980 or later. Maybe that’s why Sporting are winning so much this year.

Sporting Visit the Kansas City Royals

The team takes us Behind the Shield for SKC’s visit to the Royals at the K. From Benny Feilhaber doing pregame work, Seth Sinovic throwing out the first pitch and Soni Mustivar (mustard), Saad Abdul-Salaam (ketchup) and Gerso Fernandes (relish) racing as hot dogs. Side note: Is Mustivar wearing capri pants?

US Open Cup: Highlights, Behind the Shield and the Past

There are lots of good videos from the team this week around their 4-0 stomping of Minnesota United in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. From the video showing their 2012 Open Cup win, to the highlights of this years fourth round win as well as a behind the scenes peek of that game. After the victory, Sporting will now go on the road to face the Houston Dynamo in the fifth round. They’ll be back home if they pull off the win.

Sporting KC v Montreal Impact

Before the game even got started there was some extra motivation from Kansas City Chiefs kicker Cairo Santos who led the “I Believe” chant.

Then we also have highlights and more Behind the Shield for that same game. So close, yet so far away. The BTS video does get lots of angles on the Ilie to Gerso goal. Man that was good looking. And it just reiterates how bad the back pass from Mustivar was that led to the goal.

Gerso and SAS on the Team of the Week

On the heals of the game against the Impact Gerso and Abdul-Salaam picked up MLS Team of the Week honors. SAS was getting his first start as he filled in for Zusi who was away on international duty and Gerso was doing what he’s come to do in KC, score goals. An especially beautiful one at that.

SKC at the Zoo

Another quick little video of Sporting KC heading to the Zoo featuring Opara, Feilhaber, Ellis and Mustivar.