It was mentioned on one of the other WPS threads that Caroline Jonsson said in her blog that each team would only be able to protect nine players for the expansion draft. She blogged this about a month ago and I'm not sure if it's true or not, but I haven't seen anything from the league yet as far as an official press release. But assuming it's true, who do you protect if you were Tony DiCicco? Based on what I know now, I would say: Protected: Fabiana Angela Hucles Christine Latham Amy LePeilbet Heather Mitts Amy Rodriguez Kelly Schmedes Alex Scott Kelly Smith Unprotected: Stacy Bishop Candace Chapman Abby Crumpton Nancy Augustyniak Goffi Kristine Lilly Allison Lipsher Kristin Luckenbill Kasey Moore Jennifer Nobis Ashley Phillips Maggie Tomecka Sue Weber That said...I hope that she is wrong and we get to protect more than 9... We'll see!
Taking quite a risk on the goalkeepers there! You figure that Philadelphia and Atlanta (I'm assuming there will only be two teams at this point) will both pick one keeper in the expansion draft. So the logical choices based on this year would be Henderson, Loyden, Whitworth, possibly Lydia Williams depending on what Chicago does, either Branam or Bardsley. Perhaps you could get away with not protecting Luckenbill. It depends on if the two expansion teams want to go for experience or one of the younger keepers. If I were them, I probably go young. Loyden is from the Philly area and would be a logical choice for them, but Henderson and Whitworth also looked good in their games. Then there's Branam and Bardsley and I'm not sure what Sky Blue will do with that situation. That could be very interesting. I think your choices are probably who I would protect, with Lilly being the possible exception, but age becomes a factor, too. But she is pretty darn valuable to Boston to go unprotected.
I think we could take a fan out of the seats that'll play better than Luckenbill...In fact in Atlanta or Philly would take her I'd gladly give them another player as well...I'd like to see Lispher get a match soon. Lilly will never play for another team...she'd retire. No expansion team would waste the pick... Everyone expects Mitts to play in Philly next year and they're certainly going to want her but I want something decent in return...
I can't agree with leaving a starting GK unprotected. The expansion teams are also going to wind up with some of the better backup goalies that have played well this season - who you going to get and how you going to get them? Leaving Lilly off the list is a shrewd gamble - you're probably right that an expansion team wouldn't risk her retiring. I'd call that a great decision and a way of, in essence, getting 10 players protected out of a list of 9.
I disagree with your choice to leave Lilly off the list. She is the face of the Breakers in Boston. Out of respect for how hard she has worked everyday for this franchise she deserves a spot on the retention list. I understand why you would think it is a good idea. But you don't slap your captain and hardest working player in the face when she still has a lot to give to the team.
I agree she's got more in the tank for sure...But it's business and I'm sure she'd like us to be able to protect another one of her teammates rather than show her a sign of respect... Now whether Philly or Atlanta would take her to force her retirement or us having to trade back for her is another, more serious gamble IMO...
OK, you leave Lilly unprotected, Philly picks her in the draft, and says, 'you can have her back if we can have Mitts.' What would you do then? Granted, it probably wouldn't happen, but it's an interesting scenario.
Maybe it's just me, but based on what I've seen so far, I'd give them Mitts now for a bag of balls (or whatever the proper soccer-related analogy to the old baseball insult is.)
I heard at a party the other night that Kristin's father is one of the owners of The Philly dealie or a shareholder or something. If so she will go back home to Philadelphia.
I'd give them Mitts in exchange for the machine necessary to get the gridiron lines off of the pitch.
AWESOME! We'll give them Mitts and Lucky for the #1 pick. Casey Nogueira please report to Harvard Stadium...
I'd go for that! Is it too much to hope, now that Harvard has had graduation, that the lines will have magically disappeared when we show up Sunday night?