Thornton to DCU?

I think this conjecture by the DC fans is funny. You go ahead and plan your expansion draft strategy accordingly to your assumptions. I'll stifle laughter.

 

This guy doesn't even play for the Fire anymore! Zach is worth much more than Whitfield, both on the field and in terms of trade bait.

Also: Trade Jessie? The guy with the most rings in MLS? The guy who does the dirty work letting Mapp and Herron get up front and not have to defend? Thank goodness you don't coach the Fire.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Sumed back next season.

 

Agreed. I still think he's one of those guys who will show up big when he's asked to, and he has yet to be really given an opportunity.

 

Pastorino said he will mainly leave it to the coach to pick players.
By your logic lets bring stoitchkov back because he was world player of the yerar in1994.All I'm saying is if it came down to protecting marsch or thornton or mapp I wouldn't protect jesse.

 

I am unsure why it would ever 'come down to that'.

 

Let's bring Hristo back? Someone who is way over the hill, only produces occasionally, and is a total wackjob headcase from time to time? I find it very hard to see any thread of logic in your assumptions. I said that we should bring Jesse back because is is really good at doing his job, which is controlling the midfield. I didn't say Jesse was great in 1996 with D.C. so by default he will also be great next season. The second Marsch came back on the field this year our midfield improved dramatically. I don't expect Jesse to score 500 goals next season for the Fire. THAT ISN'T WHAT HE IS ON THE TEAM FOR. You are the one that said he wasn't producing offensively, therefore we shouldn't protect or retain him.

And I seriously doubt the choice between who to protect isn't going to come down to those three players you just listed.

Pastorino was with the Fire from 1997 until a few months ago. Somehow I think he just might be famillar with one Jesse Marsch and what he is capable of contributing to a team. Somehow I think he might share that information with Ellinger if the situation arose.

Frankly, I sooner look forward to what Oak Park BOB has to say on these boards than the nonsense that eminates from your posts sometimes.

 

So true. Why in the world would the Fire even think of moving Thornton. How silly. I'm guessing it's stictly $$$ reasons but that's no excuse. My guess is that he came back to MLS for less than what he was making when he left. Even if thats not the case we found a way to keep him under the cap before and field a strong team. LEts find a way to do it again. So it's not easy - winning a championship is not easy.

Bring back Zach, move ring, lose Countess if he's too exensive (if not, keep him), and keep our young 4th string keeper as Zach's backup.

 

No, no, no, no.
Zach Thornton will be left unprotected. He will be drafted by CHIVAS U.S.A., or Salt Lake City.
Then he will become the goalkeeper to record the first-ever victory for three different M.L.S. franchises.

 

No goals no assists but Marsch according to you is the greatest midfielder since maradonna. Marsch is a hard worker but he is not a great midfielder he is not a great passer and at his age he is on the downside of his career. We need to improve over what we have not stay the same. I don't think any of mapp or herron goals were caused by marsch's play. This nutty adoration of every fire player whether they are actually producing enough to win is crazy.I don't think salt lake would pick him up if left unprotected.

 

I will pay you $10,000 if you can show me where I said anything even remotley to the effect that Jesse Marsch is either a) the best player ever b) the best player on the Fire c)the greatest midfielder since Diego Maradona. I'm not discussing this any further with you because you don't argue a point with a counter point. Instead you pull "facts" out of your ass and then make analagies and comparisons that Flynn couldn't even explain. I don't there there is a single team in MLS that wouldn't seriously consider having Jesse on their team if they had the chance to pick him up.

 

You are saying Salt Lake will snatch marsch up in a second if we leave him unprotected as if he was the greatest midfielder in the league. You are saying they would want an older player who costs more, had no goals, no assists and was injured most of last year. All I'm saying is the fire should leave him unprotected and protect a younger player more likely to be chosen. If they do take him we can improve the position with all the allocations and draft picks we have and it would free up more money.

 

Actually, Jesse would be a steal for SLC. He is very experienced veteran who most of the league knows and respects. He is someone who can inspire and lead and help organize and build a team. He might only be around for another year or two, but if I was SLC and Marsh was available in the first or second "round"* I would definitely grab him.

*The Fire would be dumb to leave him unprotected through all three rounds.

 

Re: Thornton to another team for free

Perhaps, but this is even sillier:

Why would Chicago protect Countess instead of Thornton in the expansion draft? Countess:
1. Makes more money than either Ring or Thornton,
2. Is not as good as either Ring or Thornton,
3. and is highly likely to lose his P-40 status. [from what I hear]

Thornton's value in trade is exactly why Chicago carried 4 GK towards the end of the season. Exposing a known commodity in the expansion draft while keeping an unknown [AND EXPENSIVE] player is absolutely silly, by any measure.

Let's see: somehow Chicago will keep an untested, expensive GK who's losing his P-40 status, while throwing one of the all time leaders in shutouts in MLS history away. By your fantasy, Chicago will also expose [in Buete] the player that represents the Nowak allocation. Your fairy tale also has Chicago exposing a player no longer on the roster. My suggestion: re-work your storyline, and then get back to us.


This is the flavor of the day [in fans of other MLS teams' minds]: "Chicago is going to give Thornton away to us for nothing!" I've seen fantasies such as this over in the SLC thread, and now from a poster who I normally respect. PW has stated that he wanted to [but couldn't] get a trade done for Thornton before the trade deadline. Thornton may be on another roster in 2005, but it won't be without compensation.

 

This is MLS, Peter Wilt himself could make a prediction and there's a damn good chance it might not come true. In my minds eye I see the Fire actually protecting Pickens (is he P-40?), Thornton and Ring. I don't think Ring or Thornton are guys you just let go, whereas Countess might be. That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

 

Pickens is developmental and won't have to be protected.

 

Have they set a date for the expansion draft? Do we know for sure all on the fire roster who don't have to be protected? Do we know which p-40 players will graduate from that program. Do TI's have to be protected?

 

That was in the back of my head, but I wasn't sure. Then I definetly see the Fire protecting Ring and Thornton, if only to trade one or the other in the late Winter/early Spring.

 

If Countess is losing his P-40 status, and if, in fact, he makes more money than Zach, then there's a good case for hanging the DJ, so to speak. Especially if we're really hot on Pickens coming around in two or three years.

If not, then it's much more complicated, especially since none of us know the specifics of Zach's new MLS deal.

Later,
COZ

 

i'd keep ring, and trade either dj or thornton... the other being unprotected

 

See, here's that old saying again: Reading is a skill. If you bothered to read and comprehend my prior post, you would be able to see that Thornton to DCU was never discounted on my part. What was [and remains] laughable is this fantasy that Thornton will be given away for nothing.

For the sake of elucidation, I've cut/paste this DIRECTLY from my prior post. Take it for your re-reading [and hopefully, comprehending] pleasure:

Thornton may be on another roster in 2005, but it won't be without compensation.

Actually, as a player like Johnny Walker is out of contract after this season, [per the Metroturds' boards] a successful, experienced GK like Thornton is valuable as leverage in contract negotiations between MLS/Walker. He's valuable to an expansion team as a part of that team's foundation. He's valuable to DCU as an upgrade from midget-boy Rimando. He's known to DCU's and the Metroturds' coaching staff. He's known to SLC's front office. His value isn't as great as it was a few seasons ago, but it shouldn't be dismissed, either. He's easily the cheapest, most readily available American GK with any national team experience on his resume.

OK, such as who, for example? Other than Rimando in the expansion draft, I've heard very little about other GK in the expansion draft. Again, rework your story before submitting it to us.


Have a nice day, and remember: Reading is fun, but Reading is a skill.

 

Bhing-oh.

 

Why protect a keeper when you have four of them on your squad? Expose all of them, let one be selected, and then take back the one you want to keep. Example: Chicago exposes Ring, Countess, and Thornton. One of them gets picked, and then Chicago protects the keeper they value more.

The simple fact is that keepers are a dime-a-dozen in MLS and there's no use wasting a protection spot on a position that you know you will have at least one of. Some teams can afford to do this: DC could expose Rimando and Perkins, then take back the one who isn't picked. Dallas could (and likely will) expose Garlick and Cassar and then take one back.

The point is this: why waste a spot on a position that can be filled quickly? You may think that GKs are an essential part of a team (and you're right), but management can look at the league and see that there are more GKs capable of starting than there are teams. Any keeper exposed and taken in the draft can be replaced by another.

As for this Thornton to DC rumor, it's pretty strong. DC wanted Thornton, but Chicago wanted too much for him. Once the offseason comes, DC could make a play to get him if they so desire. Whether it's from Chivas or Chicago or SLC is a whole other matter and is better left until after the postseason has ended when teams begin evaluating their squads prior to the expansion draft. Trades will occur before, during, and after the draft, and there's no use trying to predict what any team will do before then.

 

Can you enlighten us to as what the Fire wanted that was too much? Are you privy to details we don't know about?