After my daughter's last Spring league game in Campbell yesterday, who did I run into? WAIBEL!!!! He was passing out flyers for Mulrooney's camps. That guy is so cool! He always has time to talk to folks and is one of those guys who you feel like you've known a long time. When his playing days are over (hopefully MANY years from now!) he would be an incredible asset to an MLS fron office as a PR director. A class act for sure!
He was milling about in crutches during the USA-Costa Rica game. No timetable when he would return, except he was in good spirits despite the obvious that he wants to be on the pitch contributing.
San Jose defender Craig Waibel was placed on the season-ending injury list to create an open roster spot for (Kelly) Gray. Waibel tore both the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in his right knee on May 10 and underwent surgery on May 17.
as mentioned in the Kelly Gray thread, props to Waibel for making a very difficult decision and here is to a full recovery...
Kelly Gray!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!!?! That's the bum that flipped us off last year! ('Course, we were heckling the crap out of him! Ah, I love section 132!!). Damn, that svcks! We need forwards. Here's hoping that Craig is a fast healer and that we will see him play in San Jose for many years to come! WAAAAAAAIIIIIIIBELLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He has played forward in the past. Doubt we will see him there though. I'm hoping for the healing powers of Brian Ching to take hold a little quicker.
Kelly is an incredibly nice guy. If you were heckling him you got what you were looking for, right? At least he didn't spit on you. And it doesn't suck. We're getting low on defenders.
"Robinson, Waibel team with Mix 106.5 for hurricane relief" (Thursday, 9/8/05) Eddie Robinson and Craig Waibel with two Sharks players. (San Jose Earthquakes) Eddie Robinson and Craig Waibel won a game of foosball over two San Jose Sharks. (San Jose Earthquakes) GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Man, I miss Waibel. no player grew on me like him .... from loathe to love. that guy can always be on my team.
Yay I Found It! Anyways, please bring this man back, he's my favorite Quake player ever. - Any chances of him coming back?
Perhaps a trade. Though very unlikely, it is still possible. Im pretty sure Yallop/Doyle would love a couple more ex-quakes and not just Ryan Cochrane. A Cochrane/Waibel duo on this team would be sweet.
At least Waibel was there for the asking. But in the end the powers that be decided to go along with Cochrane. From the expansion draft there has to be a couple of players that can be dangled around to get Waibel or whoever else back. Given his age, he would have been a steal.
In the last 3 seasons, Craig Waibel has had a total of 4 cards in the regular season. He has cleaned his game up since 03. He hasnt been a hack sence 2003. Agoos & Dayak helped him clean his game up and it showed in 04. And it really show'd in 2006 when he returned from that HORRIBLE ACL & LCL tear. He bounced back played all but 4 games, and scored a career high 5 goals & 1 assist. And 2007 despite no goals, Houston never gave up more than 2 goals when Craig was in the lineup or on the pitch. His Presence in the backline for any team, is very wanted. No one ever likes Craig out on the right, but i think he's one of MLS' elites on the right back. He & Mullan are probably one of the best overlapping tandem's ever.
"Real Salt Lake part ways with general manager Craig Waibel" (MLSsoccer.com - Saturday, 9/28/19) (RSL.com) GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
With the Quakes on the verge of playoff elimination, Jesse Fioranelli could be gone soon in favor of Craig Waibel. I'm sure we will know more in the next few weeks.