Month: February 2021

Sporting KC signs center back

Sporting Kansas City announced today that the club has signed 29-year-old French defender Nicolas Isimat-Mirin.

The center back has signed a two-year MLS contract through 2022 with an option for 2023 and will occupy an international slot on Sporting’s roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P1 visa.

Isimat-Mirin has played over 250 professional matches since 2010, featuring in the top divisions of France, the Netherlands and Turkey. He has logged 93 appearances each in France’s Ligue 1 and the Dutch Eredivisie, where he won three league titles as an integral member of PSV Eindhoven.

With experience in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, Isimat-Mirin arrives at Sporting following a stint with Turkish powerhouse Besiktas.

Born in the Paris suburb of Meudon, Isimat-Mirin competed in the Clairefontaine youth academy from 2004 to 2007 before continuing his development at Rennes (2007-2009) and Valenciennes (2009-2010). He began his professional career as an 18-year-old in 2010 and spent the next three seasons as a regular starter for Valenciennes, helping the side to three straight top-12 finishes in Ligue 1.

While at Valenciennes, Isimat-Mirin represented France as a U-20 and U-21 youth international and notably featured for Les Bleus during 2013 UEFA European U-21 Championship qualifying. He struck a center back partnership alongside future FIFA World Cup winner Raphael Varane as France finished atop its qualifying group.

Strong performances at Valenciennes landed Isimat-Mirin a transfer to French title contender Monaco. He played 11 matches for the club in all competitions during the 2013-14 season as Monaco placed second in Ligue 1 and advanced to the Coupe de France semifinals.

In September 2014, Isimat-Mirin was loaned from Monaco to PSV Eindhoven, marking the start of a brilliant four-year tenure at the Dutch juggernaut. In his first Eredivisie campaign, he helped PSV win the league title by a 17-point margin while also playing six matches in the UEFA Europa League.

PSV acquired the defender on a permanent transfer ahead of the 2015-2016 campaign, which saw Isimat-Mirin appear in 26 matches as PSV captured another Eredivisie title and advanced to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, where they fell to eventual finalist Atletico Madrid in a penalty shootout following two scoreless legs.

PSV relinquished its Eredivisie crown in 2016-2017, but Isimat-Mirin continued to flourish with starts in 35 of 37 matches, including five of six UEFA Champions League group stage contests against Atletico Madrid, German giants Bayern Munich and Russian outfit FC Rostov.

Isimat-Mirin and PSV reclaimed their perch atop the Eredivisie in 2017-2018, edging archrivals Ajax by four points and clinching the title with a 3-0 win over the club on April 15. Isimat-Mirin started 37 matches in his final full campaign at PSV, ending his time in Eindhoven with six goals and 130 competitive appearances.

In January 2019, Isimat-Mirin left the Netherlands to join Besiktas in Turkey. He started 14 matches during the latter half of the Super Lig season with Besiktas finishing four points shy of the league title. For the 2019-2020 campaign, the defender was loaned back to Ligue 1 for a stint with Toulouse, where he made 16 starts and scored his 10th professional goal versus Strasbourg in December 2019.

Isimat-Mirin is the second French player to join Sporting this offseason. Last month, the club signed 25-year-old midfielder Remi Walter, who made 74 Ligue 1 appearances during spells at Nice and Troyes and played for France at the U-17 through U-21 levels.

With the addition of Isimat-Mirin, Sporting’s roster now consists of 27 players. The club will convene on Feb. 22 for the start of the 2021 preseason, presented by Children’s Mercy, before kicking off the 2021 MLS campaign on the first weekend of April.

  • Information from Sporting KC

Friendly Super Bowl bet: KC barbecue vs. Cuban sandwiches

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., Kansas, along with U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-5th Dist., Missouri, have made a friendly wager on the Super Bowl game with Tampa Bay area Reps. Kathy Castor and Charlie Crist of Florida.

If Tampa Bay wins Sunday’s contest, the Kansas City area representatives will provide Kansas City barbecue and wear Buccaneers masks on the House floor when Congress is in session. If Kansas City wins, the Tampa members will provide Latin guava pastries, flan and Cuban sandwiches and wear Kansas City masks on the floor.

“I would never want to bet against Patrick Mahomes and the City of Champions,” Rep. Davids said. “Kansas City is ready to run it back and bring home another Super Bowl trophy, which will be made even sweeter by desserts from Tampa Bay.”

“Chiefs Kingdom has been ready to Run It Back since last February, and the only way we fail to do so is if we miss the bus to the game on Sunday afternoon,” Rep. Cleaver said. “As the confetti begins to fall on Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the Chief champions on Sunday night, the only thing I’ll savor more than a second Lombardi trophy is the delectable desserts provided by my good friends, Rep. Castor and Crist. Let’s go Chiefs!”

“Tampa is the City of Champions, and we’ll continue to the tradition when the Buccaneers become the first NFL team in history to play and win a home Super Bowl,” Rep. Castor said. “As we celebrate our victory, I’m looking forward to enjoying some Kansas City barbeque and seeing my colleagues wear Bucs masks on the House Floor. Rep. Cleaver paid a visit to Tampa a few years ago and I treated him to a Cuban Sandwich at La Segunda Bakery, so I’m sure that he’s hoping for a Kansas City victory, but that is not going to happen. Raise the flags! Let’s go Bucs!”


“Our Bucs have the talent and heart to bring it home for the people of Tampa Bay. Beating the reigning champs on our own home turf, I couldn’t imagine a more incredible scenario,” Rep. Crist said. “I hope my esteemed colleagues from Kansas City are ready to rock the right shade of red on the House floor. The Lombardi Trophy isn’t leaving Tampa Bay. Go Bucs!”

The representatives from the KC area and Tampa Bay did agree on something – because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they are encouraging everyone celebrating the Super Bowl to do so safely by following all public health guidelines.

Today’s high near 57, with sunny skies

Light snow and rain are possible in the region on Thursday. (National Weather Service graphic)

Today will be the best day for outdoor activities that will be seen this week, with a high near 57 and sunny skies, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

A cold front will move in early Thursday, with strong winds and falling temperatures, the weather service said. Rain and snow are possible before 11 a.m. Thursday, followed by snow from 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., the forecast said.

The coldest temperatures of the winter are expected this weekend, with highs in the single digits and teens on Sunday. Lows will be in the single digits to below zero on Sunday and Monday morning, according to the weather service. The wind chill could drop to 5 to 15 degrees below zero Sunday morning, and slightly warmer Monday morning.

Another chance of light snow is possible Saturday and Sunday, with minor accumulations possible, the weather service said.

Today, it will be sunny with a high near 57 and a south wind of 7 to 13 mph, the weather service said.

Tonight, there will be a chance of drizzle after 4 a.m., with a low of 41 and a south wind of 7 to 13 mph, according to the weather service.

Thursday, rain and snow is likely before 11 a.m., then a chance of snow between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., the weather service said. Patchy fog is possible between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. The temperatures will fall to around 30 by 5 p.m. It will be breezy with a south southeast wind of 6 to 11 mph becoming north northwest 18 to 23 mph in the morning, and winds may gust up to 37 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent with little or no snow accumulation expected.

Thursday night, it will be mostly cloudy during the early evening, then become clear, with a low of 23, according to the weather service. A west northwest wind of 13 to 18 mph will decrease to 6 to 11 mph after midnight, with winds gusting as high as 23 mph.

Friday, there will be increasing clouds, with a high near 43 and a west wind of 6 to 8 mph, the weather service said.

Friday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 20, according to the weather service.

Saturday, there is a 40 percent chance of snow with a high near 28, the weather service said.

Saturday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 5, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 21, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 10, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 27, the weather service said.

Monday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 10, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 24, the weather service said.