By Ridge Mahoney
Senior Editor, Soccer America

Columbus coach Sigi Schmid didn't predict that Taylor Twellman would nail a hat trick against Norway last Sunday, but certainly has a clear concept of the type of goalscorer he is.

Twellman came into the Norway game with just one goal in 14 internationals and went scoreless in his first dozen games prior netting against Panama last October.

Yet Schmid, who coached Twellman with the U.S. under-20s in 1998 and 1999, said some strikers — unlike Eddie Johnson, who bagged eight goals in his first eight internationals — need some time to get rolling.

''The first one is the ice-breaker,'' said Schmid last October a week before Twellman scored against Panama. ''After that, Taylor will be OK. And like Eddie Johnson and a lot of other good forwards, he can score goals in bunches.''

Schmid also cites Twellman's relentless work ethic as another reason he's a strong candidate for the World Cup squad. In addition to scoring three goals, he won several balls with sliding tackles that drew cheers from the crowd.

The same kind of effort in MLS has produced 64 goals in four seasons and helped erase a disappointing miss a week earlier against Canada; after a mazy diagonal dribble from the left touchline to the top of the penalty arc, a yawning space opened up and Twellman blasted a right footed shot over the crossbar and into the trees behind the south goal at Torero Stadium.

''Taylor's a pain in the behind,'' says Schmid. ''He's not the kind of forward you like to play against as a defender. You like those forwards that if you steal the ball or beat them with one move, they're going to chill out or hang out. Taylor's not like that. You can never feel comfortable as a defender with the ball because he's going to chase down anything and that creates a lot of discomfort.''

Of his work rate against Norway, Twellman says, ''I feel that's the least I can do for my teammates behind me. When they're giving you balls in the box like that, it's nice for them every once in a while to see a forward chase back and work hard defensively. I'll try to do that as much as I can.''

CANNON QUESTION. Agent Ron Waxman says he and the Rapids haven't been able to come to an agreement regarding a new deal for goalkeeper Joe Cannon, who was nearly traded to Kansas City two weeks ago and will be out of contract at the end of the 2006 season. Cannon flew to Denver last week and met with Coach Fernando Clavijo.

''The Thursday meeting went very well on both sides,'' said Waxman. He would not comment further.

Just prior to the SuperDraft, Clavijo acquired goalkeeper Matt Jordan from Columbus. Clavijo has confirmed the two sides have agreed to the financial terms of a new three-year deal for Cannon but other issues, including a no-trade clause, must also be finalized.

BACK-TO-BACK. MLS announced today that for the second straight year, the league championship game will be played at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.

Renovations were still be finished last November when the Galaxy beat New England, 1-0, in the one of the lousiest championship games in the league's short history.

But the setting is superb, and with all the amenities and infrastructure in place for the start of the 2006 season as well as a long list of non-MLS events to be staged at the facility, and former Colorado and Los Angeles executive Michael Hitchcock installed as FC Dallas general manager, the complex is projected to earn a significant profit as soon as this year.

To date, the Galaxy is the only team to announce it earned a profit in a particular year, but in the next few seasons, FC Dallas should be the second team to do so if ticket sales are strong. The projected figures for sponsorships and ancilliary revenues look mighty good.

TRADES AND TRANSFERS. Defender Nat Borchers is bound for Norway and Superliga club Odd Grenland, which paid approximately $300,000 for him. The MLS competition committee will decide the value of a replacement allocation. In the past, minor allocations have been worth $100,000.

The MetroStars and Kansas City are bidding for FC Dallas forward Eddie Johnson. For weeks rumors have been circulating that the Metros will trade Amado Guevara to Dallas, and the Metros need a replacement for Ante Razov, whose long-pending deal to CD Chivas USA was announced yesterday. The Wizards have offered Josh Wolff.