It had to be done.....

[shawn12011]

While everyone from Kevin Payne on down to the ball kids ;) need to take their share of the blame we need a poll. :D



Who is most to blame for DC United's current run of form?

[Bootsy Collins]

I wish there was some way to order them rather than pick one. I voted Kaspar, but it's only a "marginally more" kind of thing.

[song219]

I think DCU needs the bad turf caused by baseball back. They did better with it. I blame the Nationals.

[AMERICANS SC]

I voted for Intenet nuts thinking this was a humorous poll!

Then I noticed otherwise.

I think everyone has to share in the blame (except of course the Internet Nuts).

Payne and Kasper go on these trips to SA and get the players. Who has more input and makes more of the decisions, frankly I don't know, so to me they are both to blame for the player acquisitions (including poor college drafts).

I do think Gallardo was a good pick-up. Martinez was a great pick-up (funny how he plays somewhat like Erpen). Peralta has been okay, but I attribute this to the fact that he cannot play the central defender role and is more suited for a dual central defender with an athletic defender next to him. Emilio was a great pick-up, but has come unhinged. I think Fred brings a lot to the team, but has been playing somewhat out of position.

The coach also has to take some of the blame for the tactics employed and some of the player selections that have been made. He also has to take some of the blame for poor college drafts as I do think there are hard working players, such as Gros and Olsen, in the colleges.


AND of course the players need to step-it-up and players who are given a chance (reserves or bench players) on the field have to try and seize that opportunity and show they belong out there every game.

The only one not to blame are the INTERNET NUTS because they know what the hell they are talking about!

[MattMathai]

It's my fault.

If I had only worn my 1996 San Jose jersey (the cloudy jade and celery green one) we would have won a couple more matches.

In an extreme emergency I could wear my jersey signed by Roberto Donadoni. But it's a 1996 Metros jersey, and I don't think I can bring myself to do that.

Feel free to direct all vitriol in my direction.

[Tweaked]

Then a BIG F U to Mathai...Damn cloudy jade.

[Bootsy Collins]

Hey! Srdan got to vote twice!

[MattMathai]

Then a BIG F U to Mathai...Damn cloudy jade.

Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.



(Which is what a scapegoat would say if it could speak Latin.)

[liverbird]

Payne, Kasper, Soehn and internet nuts in that order

[liverbird]

Hey! Srdan got to vote twice!

It must be the flags:D

[Section106]

I voted Kaspar...

Well he did bring myrrh which is used in embalming and funerals. I guess we should've seen this coming.:D

[JayRockers!]

I vote Greg Vanney. We haven't been right since we acquired him last year.

Thx,

Jay!

[DangerMouse37]

I bought a Donnet jersey, and within months he was gone. Hasta la vista baby...

Then last year I bought an Olsen jersey, a Simms jersey and an Emilio jersey. Now Olsen's in doubt, Simms is up and down (and less consistent than last year), and Emilio is MIA in a major way.

I have no other explanation for this season, and to the whole DCU family, I will promise not to buy any more jerseys until this is cleared up...

[DangerMouse37]

Oh, and Jay, I also got a Vanney jersey. Sheesh. No wonder I'm feeling broke!

[MattMathai]

I have no other explanation for this season, and to the whole DCU family, I will promise not to buy any more jerseys until this is cleared up...

Buy Blanco and Beckham jerseys.

And a Jay Heaps one too.

[MrCharlie2]

Hey I blame the refs, lousy bastards

[rwhgeek]

I blame David Stokes.

[LN - Dougg]

I blame David Stokes.

[Stokes Army lives]

BOO YOU MAN!!

:D

[/Stokes Army]

[Sandon Mibut]

I voted for Payne.

When things go well, he takes - and gets - a lot of credit.

Well, when things go poorly on your watch, you gotta take the blame, too.

Ultimately, the decision not to pay Christian Gomez was his. As was the decision to bring in Gallardo. No way those moves happen without him signing off.

Same with the decision to eschew young American players in favor of veteran South Americans. Payne probably wasn't directly responsible for whichplayers DCU went out and signed, but the philosophical change doesn't happen unless he agrees to it.

The reality is that DCU, which once was among the best teams in MLS in getting players from the college ranks and developing American talent, is now among the worst. The last first round pick still on the team is Santino Quaranta and that has a big asterick next to it.

Part of that is circumstantial. Part of it is poor moves by Kasper and Soehn (who definitely deserve their share of the blame). But the philosphical changes and the big decisions, those come from the President's offce and he needs to stand up and be held accountable.

It won't happen - how do you fire yourself? - but when blame is being handed out for the poor start, Payne deserves the lion's share of it.

[Bolivianfuego]

I think personally we got lucky in the past with The Popes, Ritchie Williams, John Massaner(sp), AJ wood, Olsen, etc. all products i believe of UVA right?? Was convey?


Has times changed with UVA? We used ot get great players from there and it seems players like the ones mentioned above produced much more for us than any youth player i can think of??

Personally i hope we can start getting players at the youth level to play with us as reserves like they do all across the world, we can spot players before they get all messed up by college coaches who lack that REAL worldly soccer experience, get raw young talent you find in the local Area leagues like the NCSL, and DC can make them the next big youth stars with talented coaches like say Marco Etcheverry who can teach them the tahuichi way.