If Omar was making over $200k as reported by Bianchi today it makes it a bit easier to take, allocation aside.
And clearly that excuse won't be around next year. In one way, yes - Omar didn't deserve 200k for last year. In another way, no - Sturgis wasn't worth 95k last year (or perhaps ever?), and I again have a feeling we didn't get 100-150k or more in allocation cash to swing this deal in our favor. Let alone to swing it back to square one after what we gave up to acquire Buddle, so that we'd have cash to splurge on international forward X, which was my point.
You are absolutely right. Personally speaking, it was hard to accurately judge OP last season as the team struggled to adjust the transition. Many things contributed to the struggles.As the overhaul continues and the roster evolves, a huge percentage of players will be hand picked by OP. The team will have his blueprint. Moving forward, everything falls on OP. It's now "his" team. He has no excuses.The buck starts and stops with OP. It's refreshing to me because I get to see what he really is (or isn't). Hopefully, fingers crossed, change will yield positive results.
Yeah, at this point, with so many players jettisoned, even the Smith holdovers who Pareja/Bravo have kept on the roster really are Pareja's/Bravo's picks, too. I'm personally in the camp that, when Pareja and Bravo had, for basically every game, over half of last year's starting lineup as their hand-picked players game in, game out, that they don't get to shuffle the blame all off on the "we didn't have our players" excuse. I understand where people are coming from when they use that line of reasoning though. I think an interesting comparison is the other kind of football, with Little Napolean McDaniels and John Fox's approach to the game. McDaniels needed his system, his players, his way 100% of the way to try to make things work, where Fox worked with the tools he had and found a way to maximize them (mostly talking about last year, because obviously Manning changes the game here now, but there's even parts of this year that apply, such as the receiving corps.) And you know, the "my system or the highway" approach can work, too, with Barcelona/La Masia as the best example, but they have the benefit of years of experimentation, of massive funds, and of a clear mission statement. I don't think the Rapids have any of those, and that's what keeps me from being optimistic about this sea change.
We're looking at if from a Rapids point of view, as if the Rapids were looking for the allocation money. That may prove to be correct, but I don't think it's a certainty. It just happens to be the value that Houston at hand. The word out of Houston is that Dom's wanted Omar for a while. The Dynamo aren't rebuilding they're trying to strengthen a team that just lost in the finals. I'd guess the allocation was just what they offered, because Kinnear wanted a player but really doesn't want to part with anyone. Put together Dom's desire to get Omar, and Omar's roster friendly salary, and you have a very good deal for a Houston team that may not see a great need for allocation funds at the moment. On the Rapids end, I won't be surprised if it turns out that Omar let on that he'd be alright with a trade. Not such an aggressive move as to ask for a trade, but something closer to letting on that it'd be alright. The team as it is, isn't the team that Omar's known for many years. His strike partners gone. His roommate asked to be traded. The play is a work in progress - to be charitable. He's been put back out on the right where he's never looked terribly sharp. Hinchey's made comments (which I'm alright with) criticizing his play. And, the team doesn't look to be going anywhere fast. Why wouldn't a 30'ish player be jumping for joy right now? At this point I wouldn't be surprised to find that the allocation money ends up going for a defender with-in league. That might even be the smart thing for the team to do. I'd also say that the timing of this deal is pretty odd and makes sense as far as the team trying play damage control, but then that would assume that there is an engaged soccer media that doesn't try its best to do damage control for the league. So that might be too wild a WAG, even for me.
It is but I think the rope goes around both his neck and Bravo's. If it doesn't then I'm afraid of the TFC'ing of the Rapids.
A problem with your implication is that the same guy who bought the groceries for the first cook is still buying the groceries. And the big problem Smith had is he and Bravo didn't see eye-to-eye on player acquisitions.
Ergh? I'm not sure how much better than makes me feel considering the current braintrust were the ones who would have signed Omar to that deal. Edit: I should add, there is still a lot of offseason left...I'm waiting for the other shoes to drop.
That's bizarre: Bianchi tweeted Cummings made $200,000 in 2012, not for 2013, despite the players association numbers listing Cummings at just under $100,000:
I will miss Omar but it was time for him to go, wish him the best with Houston. We now have one of the slowest attacks in MLS and unless this changes we will see a ton of highline D's. which will make it that much harder to get through the midfield. The player acquisitions so far hardly look like OP style guys. We just have brought in a new mishmash of playing styles/ avg talent that don't seem to help him much. But like some have said, need to wait for march to see final product. How many more middies do we need? Hardly impressed with moves so far, but maybe Santa will help us out...
Of course that goes without saying. More responsibility falls on OP but that sure doesn't provide a get out of jail free card for Bravo. He's reached his limit.
You are right. Bravo and Smith did not see eye to eye and that was almost apparent from the get-go. Bravo is still "buying the groceries" as you say but I haven't gotten the feeling he's shopping alone or at least isn't making the shopping list alone. It feels like OP has a little more say. I could be totally wrong, though. It's just the hunch I get.
This. Bravo has final say over the roster, so he's also responsible. If this doesn't work this season they both need to go.
If Omar is really making $200k the Rapids are probably still on the hook for 1/2 of it and getting 1/2 of that back as 'allocation' money (net loss/cost $50k) ;>) (cynical enough to keep up)? More seriously if he has a major return to form one has to look at coaching as a factor... Lastly, When people talk about OP being hamstrung by not having his own players the name Edu pops into my mind.
If this is true, then doesn't that mean that somehow we are skirting the system. Even if Bianchi is wrong, if anybody at MLS corporate sees this they have to investigate it. That would just be the cherry on the top; we had one of our worst seasons ever while also cheating the salary cap.
Bianchi has clarified his point on twitter that the reported number wasn't correct because Cummings' contract was signed mid-season, so the $$$ reported was his salary before that happened. This makes me wonder if Hendry Thomas' salary was a half season number.
Then why did it change between May and October whe he signed his new deal before the May numbers were released?
I mostly agree with this. With the exception of Calderon, who might not even become a Rapid for all we know, I have found our new signings to be incredibly unimpressive. I still not even sure how exactly you'd define what Pareja's style of player is. Going off of history, I'd say any player thats incredibly one-dimensional and has no concept of defense would fit the bill. The team's batting average for finding good players last year was pretty poor. They will have to do significantly better for any reasonable person to expect this team to improve.
I'll say this much, Omar may have made $200k last year due to signing bonuses, etc., but his cap number was just under $100k. I expect that number to be similar in 2013. If it is, Bianchi's is just carrying water for the FO to make this deal sound better than it is, because fans don't care what a player makes, just what his cap hit is. If the number does go significantly up them the FO signed a contract with Omar that included an escalation clause that Omar didn't deserve based on his last season+ of play prior to the contract offer
Good point although I think 3 yrs. is actually a fairer amount of time to give a total revamp time to work. I also believe the Rapids business model is quite like the Rockies. Save money, do just enough to get by within a certain budget. Also, Bravo = Odowd except his name is on the bldg. Hinchey might very well go before he does. I am in no way advocating for either to be fired. Playoffs this year are a must!
Sturgis? Really! Sturgis is an MLS Journeyman never having any real success with any of his 6 teams. As it stands, Sturgis is a failed CB and at best #4/#5 DM with Rapids. Rapids must have been desparate to unload Cummings to make this deal no matter how much cash was involved. I am all for rebuilding this sorry side but this trade was total nonsense!
Easy now, I'm just saying what Bianchi reported. Just because you can't prove it doesn't mean its not true.
Marx - I never said I thought a Cummings for Sturgis trade was even, so not sure why you're quoting my post as part of your response. That said, I don't really have an issue with it if the allocation money was sufficient to bring in additional bodies to fit the style. I do have a serious question for you, since you usually have a pretty good handle on players and formations. Do you really think Omar is a good fit for the Rapids right now? He seems miscast as a pure striker or a flank in a 4-3-3.
Hey 30: I was not clear. I was using your post as a prudent contrast to the one posted by crazyjon. I believed that you clearly understood Sturgis low quality and hoped that the cash was the balance. Where we differ is that I do not think that any sum of money can ever make Sturgis more than he is, a failed youth star. Also, I have never been a Cummings fan, al be it, he had 2 very good years in Denver. Indeed, I credit those years to him playing alongside a stalwart, Casey. In his prime, Casey was a handful for defenses allowing a fast/quick player like Cummings room to roam and poach goals. On his own Cummings was what he was in 2011 & 2012. Having said that, I definitely did not see him as the spear tip of any attack. Perhaps with a dominant striker to play off from maybe Cummings could have prospered as a wide attacker. Perhaps, Houston, with Will Bruin, will become Cummings next foil. For me, he was not integral to the Rapids going forward but he was worth considerable more in trade than Sturgis.