Prepare yourself for another roller coaster offseason with the Beat! Feel free to post all transactions, rumors, hopeful musings, mild obscenity-laced tirades and general confused looks as they happen. Top priorities (you would think) should be: 1) Sign some freaking forwards. Real Forwards. Ones for whom the attacking third is not a fantasy land of fairies, unicorns and fabled white rectangles. Also, this draft is loaded with quality up top: Henderson, Hagen, Leroux, Heyboer, etc. Let's not have a repeat of the Press incident. 2) Resign Chalupa. Seriously, don't even let me see her name on that Free Agent list. Wouldn't mind seeing fellow Tar Heel White stay as well. 3a) Send Lloyd a nice fruit basket and a "Good Luck" card (yellow, of course). 3b) Boxx: Just say 'no'. 4) We could use some more width in the MF. Two words: Huff. Man. 5) Defense was decent and got much better as the year progressed. Would be happy to see Whitehill, Dowling (healthy) and Reynolds all back again. I anticipate none of these things will come to fruition, but I like to walk around with that gleam of hope in my eye for at least a month or two.
Free agent announcement on WPS site reveals they (along with Philly) don't have anyone under contract. Let's hope Fitz opens up the pocketbook.
Agreed on #1 and 2. 3a - completely disagree. Lloyd was the second best player this season in my opinion. 3b - not going to happen. 4. More quality midfielders would be great. Fewer fillers. 5. Whitehill was good, as was Reynolds. I was disappointed in Dowling - would have expected more from a seasoned veteran. What I would add - get a decent goal keeper.
-For me, Lloyd was completely ineffective all season and I thought she clearly got overshadowed by Chalupny. Chalupa's our midfield general (as well as being a veritable Swiss Army Knife of versatility) while CL10 seems to be on the outside looking in through most of the game. Maybe she's not a horrible player, but I guarantee we spent a decent amount of money on her and got precious little in return. 2 points I'll concede in her favor: a) whatever the heck our formation was last season ("willy-nilly" comes to mind), it didn't play to her strong suit (AMid with no defensive responsibilities--which is why I'm afraid they may look to add Boxx), b) no effective targets up top to connect with (although I would argue she generally does more connecting with the other team). A microcosm of Lloyd's season for me was exemplified by her first game back from the WWC: Knowing she's already on 4 yellows, she goes out and makes crazy, reckless challenges, earning her 5th yellow early on to ensure she'll be suspended. Rather than ease up and play cautious, she gets the "red mist" in her eyes and continues on a pointless Gattuso-like rampage of slide-tackling, hacking through opponents like a bountiful harvest of wheat. She should have gotten 3 yellow cards in that game, but the ref obviously didn't want to send her off in front of 9,000 people for her welcome back game. I just kept saying, "What the hell is she trying to do?!" I understand she has her fans, although I generally attribute that to her USWNT status as I think a lot of people assume she's good just because she's on the team (and some people with decent memories still remember "the goal"). Now, having said all that, one of the highlights of the season was the pair of rocket shots Carli and Lori scored against WNY, so I'll give her that. I think her only other goal was early in the season on a PK. -Dowling was injured for a good part of the season so she wasn't there as our defense really solidified. I guess you could go either way with that, but I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. Reynolds-Dowling-Kat-Marquez? -I waffled on the GK situation, so I'm glad you brought it up. I thought The Alli Whipsher Experience had many moments of brilliance along with a few "whoops" moments that cost us some games. I really would like to see both keepers stay and continue to develop as I think they should be rewarded for what were, generally, performances that exceeded everyone's pre-season expectations. *And on a side note, was anyone else here baffled by Sesselmann's inclusion on the CWNT? No disrespect, but I really haven't seen her make any kind of an impact on the team in the last 2 years.
Spoke with an extremely reliable source today and it looks like we're in for some really horrible news coming up in the next few days. 2012's lookin' grim already.....
The Beat. Not sure when the announcement is coming, but apparently the best midfield in the league is getting A LOT better.
Oh. Chalupny's going. Well, you certainly can't wish her ill after having to put up with this disaster for a season and a half. Was a class act, and she'll most definitely be missed.
From the recent Equalizer article: Wow, that's a lot of primary needs (about half a team). Seems like we just lost two experienced center backs last season. I'd love for Huffman to be one of those midfielders (but no way we'll be signing the also-needed experienced forward that would come with). I wonder, too, if the need for players on the flank means Jesolva isn't coming back, which would be a shame. The article also mentioned later that we also have resigned Salem, which is strange since she and the team apparently agreed to a mutual termination at the end of last season. Glad to see she's still there as she really worked well in the MF toward the end of the season.
I don't get the Salem signing to be honest. So Chalupa is going to Philly. Who can blame her? It's impossible not to root for her - it doesn't matter on which team she plays. Please, please no rookie GK!
Poor coaching. Can they win? Can Press and Henderson move the ball from the 30 on their own without a decent attacking MF? If they can, Atl might challenge SBFC for 4th place. Fitz sucks.
Yeah, I'm happy for Chalupny. I think it puts her in a better position to get back with the WNT once Pia leaves and things get reshuffled (as well as getting a good shot at a league title). I ran into Riley at one of the Duke games in mid-November and I think he had just gotten word that day that they'd signed her (or had a verbal commitment, at least). He was ecstatic and really overflowing with praise for her. I think it's a great move for both her and the team. She'll definitely be a key component in that amazing midfield and I think it will get her (and Tina D, hopefully) the exposure she needs to start getting serious consideration for the NT. I certainly wish her the best of luck.
Well I don't think anyone's been able to rationalize how she's been cleared to play in WPS for 3 years, but can't get cleared for the USWNT. I'm sure if Pia really wanted her, strings could be pulled.
Congratulations,Philly,You've got one of the hardest,classiest players in WPS.Lori was one of the main reasons I went to the Beat Games last Season and I personally will truly miss her on our Team.It is the Best move for her and I wish her all the Best,you've got a great one,Philly. You will be appreciated by the Coaches in Philly and not have to put up with the Wallaby who thinks he's a Kangaroo. Thanks again Lori for some great games.
She can play in the WPS because she got other doctors to clear her. The USSF doctors have not (and will not) because of a variety of reasons including litigation. If she gets a serious concussion again (after her history) while with the USWNT, the USSF may be held negligent and at fault, with corresponding fees.
not really. it has been explained more than once, (along the lines of katreus above). not true either.
This isn't Pia's call nor does she have any pull in this. She has no influence on the insurance company that covers the USSF. None. The doctor for USSF will not clear Chalupny to play. Period. I'm thinking he is under different insurance company guidelines then Atlanta Beat. The USSF may be worried that if cleared and something happens, there can be a huge lawsuit and not to mention other repercussions of this. Like people loosing their jobs, insurance companies getting sued and having to pay out huge amounts of money, doctor getting sued and so on. Not to mention USSF's insurance rates going up sky-high. This is my assumption. Concussions are a big topic in sports now. Fitz may want to take a risk and the Atlanta Beat's insurance company (if there is one) may cover her when playing for the Beat, but the USSF will not. IMO and unfortunately, Lori Chalupny will never put on a USWNT jersey again.
Galanis tweets: My first thought: You should be looking for players that are already professional w/ no need for transformation . My second thought: There's no need for an apostrophe in pros.
Um, re your first thought, if he is prepping for the draft, why would he be looking at pros? Third thought: There's no need for him to tweet.
No complaints here! A very underrated but productive player for mJ last season. Should be a good answer to the problem of connecting the MF with Press.