I know that the forced trade of the #1 pick to DCU by the league so United would end up with Adu had a lot of Dallas Burn fans crying foul at the time. Now that Adu is out of the league (for basically not much of an allocation--I think it's $250k going to the team), the other argument that folks made at the time is that it cost Dallas a chance to draft Chad Marshall. Columbus has now placed Marshall on season-ending IR. Four concussions in 12 months (and he missed the first 2/3rds of the season with a concussion) so you'd have to say that his career is in doubt. With hindsight, it probably just shows how hard it is to project youth and potential in terms of what that player will eventually be worth to the team.
I saw that about Marshall today and it also brought my mind back to that draft. And while it now looks like not much of a deal, in the end, Dallas was asked to "take one for the league." It doesn't really matter how it ended up, who knows how Marshall's career and health would have been different in Dallas, it was still wrong and it was still league shenanigans. It's the kind of stuff MLS had been doing to Dallas for years. It's no longer an issue as there is much more transparancy in the league and FCD is no longer a league floormat, but it was wrong then, and it continues to be wrong.
I just have one question for you: How do you get so many damn characters into your "team" section of your info? As for FCD getting screwed by the league, well look who's getting screwed now...best midfield in the league and in serious contention for 3 titles.
The pragmatist in me knows that there is reason to tap the breaks - so much up in the air. But damn, the idea of this midfield together for three or four years? This TEAM together for four years? On potential (granted, on potential alone, but there it is) that could be something . . . . something wonderful.
1. I don't argue against the principle (or that it's generally justified) except that I've always taken the position that when we're talking about young teenagers (ie: Adu, Besagno, Beasley, Convey as opposed to 19 year olds like Dempsey or Rico Clark who have a year or two of college) you should always do what's best for the kid, even if it does mean bending some rules. For instance, Sesay going to LAG is a mess: some coach and GM who have probably never heard of him are going to inherit this kid who won't have the ability to contribute right away and they may see him as part of the past regime. But anyway, that's my bias: make exceptions for youngsters. It's not my intent to re-open the Adu discussion. 2. I think the real point of my original post is that if you look back 4 years ago when Adu was coming out, all the energy around where he needed to be (remember Alexi Lalas 2 years later arguing it would be best for Adu to go to Metrostars where he'd get playing time with a super club?) and when you look at where it ended up, the 2 big names that Dallas ended up being jobbed out of (Adu and then Marshall) ended up not contributing so much on the field and (if Marshall's career is jeopardized), not having nearly the impact as players anyone would have suspected. Which just goes to show--trying to identify how youth will develop and what they'll contribute is really tough. 3. How did I get so many characters in my team section? I don't know. I used to have more--I listed Cruyff, Zizou and Beckenbauer. I'm guess that folks who've been with BS for 6-7 years were probably able to put more info in and that data has just been grandfathered in. 4. I was skeptical of the hiring of Morrow. Not b/c I felt he was a bad choice but it so smacked of the typical Hunt "hire from within" approach. But his decisions (and man managment) for this team have just been spot-on haven't they? Not to shift the focus of the thread--if Toja keeps playing like he's playing, you'll have a hard time keeping him. But that's not to rain on anyone's parade. The reality is that the only player under 30 in MLS who's playing at a high level who isn't a threat to go to Europe if that continues is Landon Donovan. I think what's more impressive is not the talent in your midfield (or even team--b/c you've got a good team). B/c with expansion coming for probably the next 3 years, the good teams can expect to lose a good contributor each year and like I said, if players get really good someone outside of MLS may take notice. Nah, your team isn't talented by a fluke. And Morrow has a system in place, he trusts youth and appears to develop young players well. And that means that when you lose some good players, a good organization will find new ones that are as good or better. As exciting as Toja is, I'd argue that's what you should really be happy about.
Gaber spoke out of his ass when he said dallas fans would be thrilled to take one for the league. The fact the league did nothing to compensate Dallas for taking one for the team just proves that it is one rule for one team and another set for the others.
Don't tap the breaks. The key is keeping the team we have at this moment without losing a player. If we can maintain our current roster then you are looking at a team that can walk away from any club tournament accessible with championship cups in hand. Look at the leagues that our players have gained experience in: La Liga, EPL, Brasil Serie A, Argentina Primera A, France Ligue 1, Colombia Primera A, MLS, etc...
the cynic in me knows this will all blow up in our face one way or another, but dammit I just want my double this year. I think we deserve it the most out of any team in MLS. Bring it home!
It worked out better for Dallas but consider how we would feel if Goodson was the one with concussions instead of Marshall. Since that was pure chance it could have gone the other way and we would have nothing to show for taking one for the league. Many of you weren't around in year two when the league sold Leonel Alvarez to Mexico when he was Dallas best player while no other players were moved like that. Not for nothing were we tired of taking one for the league.
Given the way Adu performed at DCU, the conflicts and controversy with Nowak, it could be argued, in retrospect, that DCU also took one for the league. The league wanted Adu and the buzz and attendance bump he brought. Would it have been much different if the Adu family had settled in Plano? I'd like to think the league has learned something from this, but I doubt it. asitis
Adu isn't even a team player. The guy dribbled around whole teams as a kid, which is cool in U-5 to U-12 maybe but you have to start learning that in the big leagues, it isn't all about one person. How many times did Adu waste a chance for the U-20's at the WC because he wanted to be "the man" and do it all himself instead of passing to Altidore. Hell, the game winner against Brazil was because Adu was too selfish to pass to Jozie that he shot it and luckily it came off a defender's leg and fell to Altidore. He hasn't learned and won't learn anytime soon, good ridance. Dallas dodged another Ramon with this clown.
That was right after the first year. You will recall we knew opf the sale long before the season was over. Leonel lfet right after the season was over. Things soured quickly for Leonel in Veracruz, and he did try to get back to Dallas that very year. Sunil Gulatti was not about to let that happen. Of course, if Leonel had said he wanted to play for New York, El Lay, or DCU, it would have been a different story. As it was, the Burn quandered their best chance to make an MLS Cup final, but did win the Open Cup, the first, last, and only thing Dallas has won. Dead but dreaming, Scipio Diabolus, vox fatum. Contra. It must be bunnies!