DC gets Cerritos We get Ronald and cap space for Ali and two picks - fifth and sixth round picks in 2004. Just came from DCU via e-mail. No link yet. Also, Hristo went under the knife and is out 2-3 weeks. We have until Sept. 12 to add a discovery player - league deadline was tomorrow - because of Bobby's late transfer.
Hot link http://www.dcunited.com/index.cfm?section=main&cont_id=200224 Thats the FIRST and sixth round picks for next year. Ouch. Hope we get a lot of that cap space. Cap space + extra time to sign someone + SI slot still open could add up to something good.
That's great news. A few weeks ago I said Cerritos was a player I'd like DC to get for a variety of reasons. He has skill on the ball, he's pretty tough, decent speed, good track record in MLS aside from his Dallas time, he's good in the air despite his size, and he's a Salvadoran. Shame about Ali. He really came on this year but he hasn't played well recently. Still, I'm willing to lose draft picks at this point for a good forward, plus the picks are 5th and 6th round. Like I said, great news. - Ryan
Thanks. I'm torn. I like Cerritos and think he has a chip on his shoulder and will want to deliver. But Ali - for all his shortcomings - was a guy you couldn't help but enjoy to have on your side. Thanks for all the fun Ali. Kick some ass, Ronald.
Wow. This really came out of nowhere. Was anyone expecting this? Poor Ali. I feel really bad for him. He's got to spend the rest of this season in that shithole in Texas.
The website says Curtis and first and sixth rounders next year. Depending on the pending Discovery, this could be one of the worst deals in United's history. I've kept an open mind to all of the trades over the years, and I've been sad to see players go, but Curtis and two picks for Cerritos is a bad deal.
Its been said that we were going to make a trade soon. Goff actually started a thread about it earlier I think. Yeah, that was my first thought as well. I really really do feel sorry for him. What a terrible place to get traded to when you consider - 1. Their current situation 2. That awful stadium
I would have had no problems with this trade if it was the players, straight-up, but DC paid way too much giving up these draft picks. I mean, the first round pick could have been a pretty good player. Not that Ray would have played him, but he'd have been pretty good! (Without having a first round draft pick, I guess we can pretty much rule out that Freddy is gonna be in the draft!) The sixth rounder, granted, didn't have much value - except to the Burn, who apparently are so bad they figure a sixth rounder has a chance to make the team! - but it's still too much for DC to give up for a player like Cerritos, who hasn't shown his all-star form 2000. And, it's not like Cerritos is the target-forward United needs. I mean, what is the guy, 5-9? We traded one small forward for another. I just don't see how this makes us much better and on top of that, we mortgaged part of our future for it.
I was hoping they were going to get an allocation out of the Convey sale. And use it next spring on Adu.....when his mother said he would more than likely go pro. Either way, if they get Adu it'll be great.....even though the Discovery is separate from the trade, the salary considerations from Dallas might make the Discovery more interesting. But the Curtis for Cerritos deal just seems like making a deal just for the sake of making a deal, and no real thought process is behind it. Unless the considerations become part of a larger deal.
Cerritos better light the place up. This has the potential to be an awful trade, depending on what happens with the Discovery pick I feel terrible for Ali. Big fan favorite and a damn nice fella gettin' shipped off to the crappiest team in the league. I hope this doesn't make him hang up the boots and head back to Wall Street. Good luck, we'll miss ya, Ali.
Fire Hudson and Kasper. Lets get older - and give up a first round draft pick - because we have all kinds of yound depth. Oops - that is Chicago where they have a coach who knows his ass from a hole in the ground. I would rather have had Kreis for the remainder of the year. Lose Bobby, trade Ali - lets just get rid of all the heart and hustle of the team.
How do we line up versus San Jose? Rimando-GK Prideaux-RB Ivanov-CB Nelsen-CB Namoff-LB RM-Olsen CM-Carroll/Chino CM-Etcheverry LM-Kovalenko RF-Eskandarian LF-Cerritos This Sunday's gonna be real ugly.
I think I'd rather have whatever's left of Kreis' ACL, than to have this trade. Really, I've NEVER been so dissapointed in a DC United move. I saw silver linings in the 'Goose, Llamosa, Aunger, and Pope trades. I understood the salary cap moves that sent the good RDA, and Harkes away. But unless Cerritos puts twenty in this season, I don't know about this one.
Ugh. There are so many delightful nuggets in this one... Get rid of one of our best competitors... Trade away a 1st rounder for a has been... Ethnic pandering.. Super!
It is first. I misread the e-mail in my haste to post it. That changes it a little, but I'm not as down on it. We could always get someone else's first-rounder in another trade. We weren't going to draft Freddy anyway - he'll be an allocation. And I like Cerritos. He's 28, not 38. He's got balls and has a better strike rate than Ali.
This came out of nowhere. I think they paid too much to get him. Of course if Ronald lights up the scoreboard, it is a whole different story. Ali is a great person and a very cheerful human being. Good luck Ali!
Or maybe Stokes gets called up: Rimando-GK Prideaux-RB Ivanov-CB Stokes-CB Namoff-LB Nelsen-DM Olsen-RM Kovalenko-LM Etcheverry-AM Eskandarian-RF Cerritos-LF
It's sad to see Ali go, I'll always have that breakaway goal against the Metros to remember him by. Yes it is possible that this trade could fall apart, though I do feel Cerritos is a solid pickup even if a first round pick was given up. The fact that Ali wasn't exactly producing on the score sheet can easily warrant an arguement for his departure. It's not like Cerritos is a washed up player at 28. The man has over 60 goals. Flame away
Hi, I'm Ali Curtis. I worked my butt off on a crap team for two years to become a borderline serviceable forward. Just when the team starts to get good, they trade me to the only consistently worse team in the league. At first, I thought that we got the draft picks and I thought it was an okay deal. Of course, since we would blow those draft picks anyway, it might not be such a bad deal in the grand scheme of things.
The salary budget considerations might tie into a discovery pick on the horizon. This might be far from over. I don't always trust Traskson judgement, but I don't see how this hurts us in the short term. They might not be around for the long-term so we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
I've been a quiet member of these boards for some time - watching, reading and learning. I never put it out there that I am a friend of Ali Curtis, and that I came to be a fan of DCU because he came to play here. I just want to say that I hope your coaches know what they are doing with this team. I hope you all know that despite what all of you thought about him, he was fond of all of you DCU fans and enjoyed playing in DC. Despite many of your feelings, Ali was such a contributor to the turnaround of DC's season. Last year, not only did he tie for leading goal-scorer during a dismal season, he did this coming off the bench often with little or no support from both the front office and coaches. This season, he was willing to make assists and not take the PKs he drew - because that's exactly the kind of guy he is - he plays for his team. He played for next to nothing and gave back so much - as was demonstrated by him playing with a broken arm and after dealing with a difficult sickness. This season would have been very different if Ray wasn't able to look down the bench to see an eager, willing and capable Ali Curtis quietly waiting for his time to play. He never complained, he just played. And even if he wasn't the "target forward" they are searching for - he might have blossomed into something more than that...he just needed time and development. I think Ali's a star, and not just because I call him a friend. I hope he is able to shine in Dallas, and I wish DCU well also. I only wish he could have finished out here this season. Hope Cerritos is the guy you need. Thanks for the interesting thoughts this season.