Wait, you expect competent reporting with follow up questions that show that he understands roster rules out of Bianchi?
Very confused! While that is nothing new, it is particularly pronounced reading this thread. 1. Is Castrillon under contract or not? Is he being sold? 2. Is the LaBrocca speculation anything more than a rumor that has taken on a life of its own? 3. I've lost track of Jamie Smith. Is he under contract or not?
Nobody is sure of his contract status, though to be sold he has to be under contract. Bianchi is reporting he's being sold but that's the only source. Its a report from Ives. That leaves it closer to rumor than news IMO. Not under contract, nobody's said a word about him since they declined his option. A couple of Facebook posters have said he's been told rather abruptly that he's not wanted, but those same posters also seem to have an ax to grind with the Bravo/Pareja leadership so take it with a grain of salt. At this point though I'm assuming he's gone.
It was first reported by Ives. I later asked Bianchi directly if he had confirmed it and he said that he had. Bianchi has had a decent track record of the things he has "confirmed" eventually happening. I actually can't think of anything that he has confirmed that didn't happen. He may not be great at digging up dirt or getting real insight behind moves, but he is at least getting good at helping determine truth verse rumor. It's interesting that they had him helping (talking on the phone with some people) with the season ticket holder upgrade stuff back in December. If they have told him that they are moving on and don't need his services, the break-up was at least cordial it would seem. Maybe we see him coaching at some level?
Of course, Ives made the breaking news report that Rapids traded with TFc for the 1st selection in the draft & with that pick the Rapids would select Walker Zimmerman. Neither bits of news was correct. No 1st pick draft trade and Rapids passed on Zimmerman at #6.
Definitely seems like Smith is out. From the Rapids website about the start of pre-season (typos and missing words from the article, not from me, I swear):
No comment on Avila/LaBrocca but other than that, yeah, that's everyone that the Rapids have rights to. Same to assume Smith is out then. If Castrillon is newly signed (poor writing leaves it open to question if that was only referring to Calderon or both of them) or not, he did just get a new visa apparently, which makes me think the plan right now is for him to be playing for Colorado.
Not to cloud an already cloudy issue further but P1 sports visas last as long as the player is contracted so I am little confused as to why he would need a new visa.
That wasn't the point of my post. I wasn't trying to say Ives was right. I was saying that Bianchi has said he has confirmed that deal and that his track record on finding out if things are fact or fiction is getting pretty good. In fact Bianchi was the one who shortly after Ives put out his report about Rapids trading for #1, said that that trade wasn't going to happen. Want proof here it is: