Okay it is 2007 - where is the real news?

[morrissey]

The holidays are over. We have traded away Eski, Freddy, Brendan. Dyachenko goes in the expansion draft. Nowak is gone to the USMNT U-23's (and temporarily with the full mens team).

That is plenty of outflow and no (as yet announced) inflow. D.C. plays in the CCC sometime over the week of February 20-22. We need to bring in new players (starters), integrate them into the team and have something to show for all of the offseason moves by the middle of next month. In this period Boswell, Gros, Namoff and Carroll will all be at the USMNT Camp starting next week and continuing through the Mexico Friendly. This does not give us much time to sort our mess out.

My best guess is that the DC players will be released from Nats camp to prepare for the CCC, an event much more important than an all(but 1)-MLS Nat friendly.

The team needs to get going and get going now.

james

[fatbastard]

and just think, the transfer window is still open for 29 more days :D

[MightyMouse]

WACK! I hate the wait. MLS looks like a league begging for players to even consider it. We need some signings now, I was hoping Ruy was going to kick it off quick... still waiting for the first big MLS signing...

[DangerMouse37]

Patience is so 2006. Who's actually going to be on the team?

[morrissey]

It is not a matter of how big of an announcement we get. We are one of the few teams who actually face real competition soon. Ejecting 8 players from our roster should've only been considered if signings were completed and awaiting the transfer window.

I am a little worried about the lack of any real (Goff, et. al.) press reports about anything solid.

If we don't have all of our new signings announced by the end of next week I will not feel good about the coming season. The CCC is more important than the MLS season in my book.

james

[JeremyEritrea]

People do realize that most of Washington DC is shut down today for a former president's funeral, right?

[Pints]

I agree that the CCC is important but could it be possible that everything is and has been set, only the announcements have been postponed? I guess the veil of optimism is what keeps me from losing it. I can see that veil losing it's power if nothing is announced soon, but still I don't see KP making massive moves like this without soemthing big waiting in the wings.

[morrissey]

People do realize that most of Washington DC is shut down today for a former president's funeral, right?

I understand that today is a FEDERAL holiday. I didn't realize that DC United/MLS was a brach of the Federal government, though they sure act secrective enough.
james

[ironduke2010]

I understand that today is a FEDERAL holiday. I didn't realize that DC United/MLS was a brach of the Federal government, though they sure act secrective enough.
james
]
well yeah, but with all the attention in dc going to the funeral, sports news is gonna get buried, let alone soccer news (which usually gets buried anyway, but, you know...)

[JeremyEritrea]

I understand that today is a FEDERAL holiday. I didn't realize that DC United/MLS was a brach of the Federal government, though they sure act secrective enough.
james

I guess it's completely out of the realm of possibliity that the front office is trying to show respect for Gerald Ford, right?

:rolleyes:

[morrissey]

I guess it's completely out of the realm of possibliity that the front office is trying to show respect for Gerald Ford, right?

:rolleyes:


He is still dead, right? I don't think Ford would mind all that much if we announced a couple siginings today. Traffic should be pretty light getting to the press conference.

:)

james

[beltwayrob]

I know some of ya'll are teasing but seriously I think the FO is following the lead of most in DC and postponing any major announcements or events (as DC Mayor Adrian Fenty did for his inagural ceremony and ball) given the NATIONAL Day of Mourning for President Ford. And I wouldn't even expect to hear anything until the end of the week anyway, people are just getting back from vacations and need a few days to catch up. I say either Thursday or Friday at 13:00 EDT.

[NicktheGreek]

They're saving it for a big 3 broadside guaranteed to make channel 4 sports

Team sold
Stadium deal locked up
New player(s)

[morrissey]

One of the few things I miss about the DC area (other than DC United, seasons) is the whole as goes the government so does everything else. I can't remember the last minor holiday I got off of work (Veterans, MLK - all workdays).

Enjoy your day off peeps.

Back to the grind tomorrow I guess.

Happy New Year.

james

p.s. DC Better get its shit together this year - stadium groundbreaking, take CCC seriously, better player management, more integration of bench players, beat LA in LA, Chivas at Chivas so my girl can start her DC united fandom off on the right foot.

[LowEnd]

Just speculating, but I'm guessing that United would want to drop their big news in between or after the bowl games. The Sports page is pretty thick with college football today, as are the sports segments on the networks. If the PR folks have their say, they'd announce stuff Thursday or Friday between the games, with not much else going on in the sports media.

Or wait til after the bowls, and do it next Wednesday for the most coverage possible.

Yeah, I'm dying to know, too. Was watching the 2004 Eastern final last night to ease the wait. Man that was a great goal by Esky (and Moreno and Gomez).

[Pints]

I'm with Rob.

Friday, early afternoon announcement of some sort.

[Winoman]

I'm with Rob.

Friday, early afternoon announcement of some sort.

I agree, but the wait is excrutiating! Which announcement do y'all feel will come first, new signings or ownership?

[Pints]

I agree, but the wait is excrutiating! Which announcement do y'all feel will come first, new signings or ownership?

Signings. This Brazilian followed by one or two more in the following weeks The draft is next week? I would suspect any ownership things to come later.

[bigredfutbol]

People do realize that most of Washington DC is shut down today for a former president's funeral, right?

He was talking about a six-week period to rebuild a team. One day one way or another doesn't change that it's January 2nd, and we've got a big competition coming up in late February. I have faith in our FO, but I'm nervous still.

[JoeW]

Calm down everyone!

--President Ford is dead. For those DCU fans not in Washington, that is the focus of the local media.
--Adrian Fenty's inauguration has been postponed a day b/c of this. And then out of respect for Fenty, don't you think Payne would want to not deflect the spotlight from the new Mayor on his first day?

Now why do these things matter you say?

B/c Kevin Payne wants a lot of media coverage for the big announcements. B/c he probably wants the new Mayor Fenty to be at the press conference to discuss the stadium with the new owners (and like it or not, while that's a big thing for us, politically, it's probably not so wise for Fenty to start out by making his first big splash a stadium for a sport that many district residents perceive as played by foreigners and white people).

I'm guessing the MLS has a couple of big announcements to make and the league is probably coordinating the order. For instance, if TFKAM, LAG and DCU all make announcements the same day (about Reyna, Beckham, our owners and Roi and the stadium), there is a missed opportunity and anything other than Beckham becomes agate type stuff nationally at best.

The Roi deal is done--all we lack is official confirmation. The ownership thing is evidently done--we're just missing the details (such as, when our team colors change to Duke blue). And with that, it should mean that we'll see progress on the stadium as well. I understand the "ants in your pants" feeling but people need to calm down and take deep breaths.