Sunday, the Kansas City Wizards hosted the world’s most well-known soccer club — Manchester United. The game was big enough, with the Wizards (which are a meager 4-8-4 in the MLS season) pulling a 2-1 upset while playing most of the game one man down.

But more impressive was the turnout. A record 52,342 — the biggest for Manchester United on its North American tour so far — showed up at Arrowhead Stadium to eclipse the 37,319 who witnessed a World Cup qualifier in Kansas City in 2001.

But that’s not where it ends. It was reported Monday that the Wizards sold 700 season tickets after the exhibition as Rob Thomson, a team spokesman, said the new tickets were sold as the team opened the 2,011 season tickets for next year to sales following the victory. In June of 2011, the Wizards are scheduled to move into a new $200 million, 18,500-seat stadium under construction in the Kansas City area.

The United States is currently pushing for the World Cup to return to the United States for either the 2018 or 2022 event — the 2014 World Cup is already slated to be in Brazil. Sunday’s turnout could be a big boost to the United States trying to bring the world event back for the first time since 1994. In the bid, Kansas City is in consideration for being a host city during the World Cup.

I’m talking about what the World Cup has done for video sales of soccer. FIFA 10 has been on the rise since the interest in soccer as grown exponentially. The game has sold more than 10 million copies (two of which can be accounted for by yours truly and Telegram Web Editor Daniel Sato — and we are still trying to get News Editor Derek Thompson to buy in to the trend since he’s just as hooked to the game as us). That number places second only to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 — yet another game Sato, Thompson and myself have helped build the impressive numbers by owning copies of.

All this is good reason for the MLS to come out and say last week that they have no plans to let go of U.S. Soccer Superstar Landon Donovan. The World’s game is finally starting to come to the shores of the United States, via World Cup, video games and (possibly) a growing interest in the MLS.

This morning, the second round of golf was suspended due to 40 mph gusts ambushing the course. Reports were that golf balls were being blown off the greens. Big deal, that’s part of the game! I don’t see football games being postponed due to high winds or baseball games at Wrigley Field being put on hold to wait for the lake winds to subside.

Mother Nature is part of playing sports outdoors. If there is going to be a problem, why don’t you just build a golf course in a dome and play inside all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a golf purist myself. But if you are complaining about not enough wind on way day and then can’t handle it the next day, then maybe you should reconsider some things.

In the words of many infamous sports movies: LET THEM PLAY! Of course, this is easy for me to say since I’m not having to play in those conditions. But at the same time, I’m not the one earning millions of dollars to do so.

United States' Landon Donovan, partially visible at right, kicks the ball to score a goal past Algeria goalkeeper Rais M'Bolhi, center, during the World Cup group C soccer match between the United States and Algeria at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, June 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

If you didn’t see it…………. well, you missed something special. The United States’ chances of advancing into the World Cup round of 16 looked dim. Then Landon Donovan came to the rescue and Team USA beat Algeria 1-0 in the stoppage time added on at the end of regulation. Wow!

By scoring the winning goal USA not only advances along with England, who beat Slovenia 1-0, but ends up being a the Group C winner.

It’s a good day for Team USA

United States' Landon Donovan, front left, celebrates after scoring a goal with fellow team members United States' Clint Dempsey, back left, and United States' Edson Buddle, front right, during the World

OK, I’m just going to be up front about all this conference mumbo-jumbo — I don’t like it. Nebraska has made a monumental mistake and Big 12 is crumbling because of it. I did read today that Texas is listening to a proposal by Big 12 Commish Dan Beebe, and they’re interested it sounds like. The conference may become 10 team, but that’s OK. If the remaining conference schools stay together then this still can be one powerful group.

If it comes to this…. plans have to be made

Earlier this week I came up with a plan to start thinking of realignment situations. I personally believe K-State and KU are going the same way. Just my opinion, but we’ll see. So I dug up some logos and had our awesome IT guy Karl come up with a map for me and place the logos with the title of what I’m naming this one conference. As I look more at it, I’m not as impressed with the idea as I originally believed it to be. Heck, I even left Iowa State out, and I don’t know if I would actually want to do that. But anyways, this is just a thought of one alignment situation. Feel free to give me some feedback on what you think, and what you think of this whole realignment situation. Over the next couple weeks check out some columns I will be writing on the situation in The Telegram, and hopefully I’ll get a little help from the rest of the Sports Pod with what we believe would be good for the Kansas colleges and the what’s left of the best conference in the nation — the Big 12.

So here I am attempting to play a little catch up.

This week is Beef Empire Days PRCA Rodeo week and it’s a great break from the typical 9-month schedule of covering high school sports in southwest Kansas.

Interview Variety

So far this week, I’ve interviewed a brother who steer ropes and travels with his brother and dad on the rodeo circuit; interviewed a mother-daughter duo who barrel race and also interviewed one of the prize bulls for Korkow Rodeos, the stock provider from Pierre, S.D. for the Beef Empire Days Rodeo.

From the Beast to the Beauties

Later today, it’s a big change of scenery. It’s interviews with the Cheyenne Dandies Precision Drill Team that is comprised of 16 high school girls from Cheyenne, Wyo. I am looking forward to seeing them perform for the first time.

Add in interviews with Miss Frontier Days, Rachel Shutter, and her (this is the real title) Lady in Waiting, Amy Berry, and the rodeo certainly takes on a different atmosphere. Later, though, I will return to earth and cover the rodeo portion and have stories for Friday’s paper.

Support Garden City Events

It’s a great week in Garden City and you should come out and support the community, support Beef Empire Days, the contestants and other entertainers and help support the Rodeo Committee’s Wounded Warrior program and on Friday night Breast Cancer Awareness Night.

See ya there, pardner!