News: DC United 2014 - News, Speculation, and links

I think a fair conclusion is that it's too early to tell where this team is this year. The year started rather poorly, but it's looking better now. Whether this team will sink back into the morass, float around .500, or be competitive for the top of the division is an open question. IMO, the middle option is probaably the most likely.

 

While I'd love to make a run at the SS or the Cup, I think that given spending and the quality of the team and the technical staff a mid table morass at about .500 would be a good year.

 

I would settle for .500 at this point, that is a huge improvement over last year. You have to give some credit where credit is due - the defense stunk last year, so they brought in 6 new defenders and a new coach to coach them. So far they are playing pretty well (7 goals allowed in 6 games), and it seems to have helped Kitchen's game, too. Still a work in progress, clearly. Need to score more.

 

If you throw out the first Columbus result, the defense looks even better. If they keep F*C* Dallas off the scoreboard, I'll really start to believe.

 

Get Well Soon (but not too soon), Chris!

 

Goff says 4 - 6 months. Not until next season (if then). Just afraid this is a promising career cut short by injury.

 

Simple math tells you he'll be back for a deep playoff run .... perhaps in time to be MLS Cup MVP


No, I have not been day drinking today

 

Is this starting to remind anyone else of Benny's career?
Take your time and get well.

asitis

 

I hate to be the heartless cynical guy, but is there some sort of "injured reserve" list that Pontius can be put on for the rest of this season so that DC can have that cap space back for this season? I mean, even if he's back in only four months, I have to assume after this long off that he's not going to be match fit or particularly sharp. . .

 

It would be nice to use that cap space to acquire another player or two to help this squad out, even on loan, for the rest of the season. Sadly, I'm pretty sure the only IR squad MLS has is in the fantasy leagues where, I'm quite sure, he's the undisputed captain.

Get well Pontius.

 

From mlssoccer.com

(K) SEASON-ENDING INJURY REPLACEMENTS (Season Ending Injury List)
A team with a player lost to a season-ending injury can place the player on the Season Ending Injury List and replace that player on its roster, while remaining responsible for the full amount of the injured player’s salary. A player can be placed on the season-ending injury list once another player has been signed as a replacement (provided the team has budget space). International player limits still apply at the time a season-ending replacement is made (with the player being replaced not counting against those limits).

 

So basically there is an exemption for a roster spot if they want to use it but no cap relief.

 

Correct. The only way to get cap relief would be to buy the player's contract out (which would be essentially the same as saying Pontius is done for as a player). However, the League and Union frown heavily on buying out a player that is still injured, to the point where that may not even be an option that could be legally taken.

 

BRING US A '10'!! BRING US A '10'!!

 

Am I the only one who thinks we can put the last nail on Pontius career coffin?

 

Yes, you probably are. I mean, he will play again, imo, so his career isn't over. At what level he comes back at and for how long, that's the issue.

 

You might be right, but given the circumstances, I actually don't think it is. Like Jason said above, it seems extremely unlikely, if even legal, to cut Pontius while he is injured, which I would guess means that we see him at the beginning of next season. So he may be "done," but I think he'll get another shot and then we can put the last nail in the coffin, assuming he isn't playing like someone worth 300k or whatever he is making.

 

No, I called it a couple weeks ago. I wouldn't mind being proven wrong, though.

 

This whole thing reminds me of Van Basten when he was at Milan, he was out for the longest time, then came back, played a bit, then out again, injury after injury, operation after operation... and then eventually he the to raise the white flag and he was done... With Pontius it all looks like a horrible deja vu to me...

 

He's been pretty injury prone, IIRC. It's tough to imagine this'll be his last serious injury, and that he'll fully recover from it.

I hope I'm wrong, though. Tough break for a guy with so much promise.

 

Has anyone seen this yet?

Google translate:

I don't know if this is bullshit or not, but if it is true, WOW!

 

As a coach, right? Definitely as a coach.

 

Dude will be 40 years old this year. No thanks.

 

Player-coach contract would be intriguing.