Are you a sports fan caught in that awkward period between the end and beginning of the NFL season? You are in luck. Kansas City has three teams to root for this spring: the Royals, the Wizards, and the Brigade.

The Royals are trying to pull themselves out of the worst five seasons in team history. Four of the last five seasons, they have lost over a hundred games. They have traded all their stars and household names for younger prospects that come with smaller price tags. They can't fill their stadium to half capacity most nights.

This is the year that is expected to change. The rebuilding and youth movement meant to produce team chemistry is due for a coming of age this season. The rebuilding was started by former General Manager Allard Baird and continues with the new GM, Dayton Moore.

The Royals were more aggressive than usual in the off-season, signing free agent pitchers Gil Meche and Jimmy Gobble and trading with the Reds for Russ Haltiwanger. This adds to a lineup featuring David DeJesus, Reggie Sanders, Mike Sweeney, Mark Teahen, and highly touted rookie, Alex Gordon. There is also hope that Octavio Dotel will develop into a solid closer.

The Royals season begins on April 2 with a home game against the Boston Red Sox. Tickets are sold out for the opener, but are available for every other game this season. Promotions include the popular T-Shirt Tuesdays and Fireworks Fridays. A new promotion that is being incorporated this season is Military Mondays, on which tickets are discounted by showing a military I.D. More info can be found at www.royals.mlb.com.

The Kansas City Wizards are about to get their season underway, as well. Since their inception in 1995, the Wizards have boasted Kansas City's highest win percentage. They were owned by the Hunt family until last year, when they were sold to OnGoal LLC. OnGoal has said that it is a company priority to keep competitive soccer in the Kansas City area. They made good on that promise by hiring fiery Head Coach Curt Onalfo for this upcoming season.

The Wizards have split their training camp time between Argentina and Brandenton, Florida. In Argentina, they played the junior national team in a scrimmage and lost 2-0.

The Wizards will field two members of the U.S. men's national team: captain Jimmy Conrad and Eddie Johnson. Other veterans on the roster include goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, midfielders Kerry Zavagnin and Sasha Victorine, and defender Nick Garcia. Onaflo is also excited about first-round draft pick Michael Harrington.

Johnson is said to be much happier with the new style of play that Onaflo brings to the team. The offense will be more aggressive and risk-oriented, worrying less about defensive responsibilities. Whether the strategy works or not, the games look to be higher scoring, which is always more fun for the fans.

The Wizards season starts on April 14 at the D.C. United. Their home opener is April 25 against the Toronto F.C. at Arrowhead Stadium. More Wizards info can be found by visiting www.mlsnet.com.

The Kansas City Brigade's season is in full swing right now. The Brigade is in their second year as Kansas City's Arena League Football team. Kemper Arena is the place the Brigade call home, and attendance has been over 10,000 for the two home games so far.

The rules are a little different from NFL football, but they're not hard to pick up. If a player touches the walls or extends the ball over the walls, they are out of bounds. Forward motion is allowed behind the line of scrimmage before the snap, and defenders have zones they cannot leave. Teams field eight players at a time, and many play both sides of the ball.

The Brigade is 1-2 on the season, with their lone victory against last year's champion, the Chicago Rush. Their next game is on March 30th against the Arizona Rattlers. Their record is below .500, but the Brigade are only one game out of first place in their division, as Colorado and Chicago are tied at 2-1. To get more Brigade info visit www.kcbrigade.com.

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