A potential draft-day happening, per a Spirit fan on the Charge WUSA message boards... SD, Boston and Atlanta are working on a three-way deal, the end result of which would give SD the #5 and they would pick Solo. But wouldn't Atlanta move up to #3, then, if it involves draft picks? http://boards.wusa.com/messageview.cfm?catid=13&threadid=12423&STARTPAGE=1 Paul
Name the players in the deals... Right now, Wagner and Welsh are 1 and 2... Orlandos probably goes to Boston. If Atlanta moves to #3, what do they give Boston?? Atlanta takes Withers at #3... If so, we take Orlandos at #4... if Solo goes #5, we then have Latham as power forward at #6... and our choice of the enxt best player at #7... Needs are met, or at least my desire to get a 3rd central defender and a power forward... Miss out on Withers, but who knows, if Boston wants to deal #3, then our #4 and the #6 would ensure we get Withers... People speculate, but the Charge are driving this draft as the Charge have the most tokens to play with.
Why would boston want a goalie? they already got so much payroll tied up between the pipes...and you know someone will pick up LeBlanc and its hard to move ducar cuz shes a founder...i dont find this idea to have much weight myself...why would boston trade down to get solo and give up the 3rd pick, unless of course some other big time talent was involved. doesnt seem like a likely prospect and the WUSA.com boards isnt the best source for news out there. these are the same boards that said that we got 3 picks to trade to NY for millbrett
The question is what would it take for Boston to give up #3... I assume if Atlanta is #3, they take Withers or Orlandos.. at #4 we take who's left... whomever has #5 could take Solo... My view is Withers is the player we would want... Solo is insurance, if she's there. and if it plays out that Solo is #5, then we get Latham, a power forward.... Charge win no matter what angle the draft goes, although getting Withers is ideal. Pia might play #3 to get #4 and an other #1 from the Charge... I would do it, to ensure we get Withers... Although I think Krikorian wants 3 bodies.
i think orlandos is the better fit for boston personally...my take is that i dont buy the rumor...i think withers would be the more versatile for us...but orlandos would fit in...especally if you move benny up to Dmid (which i believe she can be capible of doing quite well.) i would not trade the 4 for the 3...i would trade the 7, 2nd rounder and mcdowell for the 3 however. I dont see solo going to atlanta at the 5...i think stone is sold on wilson as the backup keeper and heiress to scurry. and i find boston wanting solo to be perplexing, at least to the point that i wouldnt think theyd trade DOWN to get her. however i could see a pick for player to get her. Ny's out of the running with smolak...i think they got their goalie situiation under control as of now with little hope of being able to unload webber. withers on the beat would = i could see their desire to trade up...i just know if they have the goods to do it without giving up too much. remember they have alot invested even with sun wen not returning.
I don't believe Boston trades #3, unless they get an unbelieveable offer. If the think Orlandos would get past the Charge, then might contemplate such a move. However, the Charge get either Withers or Orlandos. And if Solo goes before 6, then the Charge get Latham, or whatever other forward or player #5 slot would be. Anyone moving into #3 is an attempt to get Withers before the Charge. Anyone moving into #5, is probably an attempt to get Solo, although going to #5, might be a move to get some other player... Trading of draft picks need to be evaluated by what teams are willing to give up, and how the NEEDS of both teams fit the equation.
Dear Coach K - don't trade any of the draft picks.... We need depth; I can't believe I'm switching gears, but now the question is, will there be even 11 healthy bodies out there in the 2003 pre-season? There's been *another* injury, and it's a doozy: http://www.philadelphiacharge.com/328597.html Paul
I've been told many times to buy on the rumor, and sell on the news. But not on this one. That post was so ridiculous, I don't even know where to begin. I'm surprised this even came up. Am I the only one who thinks that the Woosa boards are populated by souls who know even less than we do? The only reason this came up is because Paul's ecstatic about someone else taking Solo off our hands, so that the lovely Melissa keeps her job & is not run out of town. ROTFLMAO. As Adam said, name the names ..... If SD were indeed serious in acquiring Solo, they would have traded Pags to NY, instead of Smolak. That way, they get better trade value by acquiring NY's 2nd-rounder, not its 3rd-rounder. You get better value by trading your # 1 GK, than by demoting her. Boston's greatest need the past two years has been for a true defender. They already made a mistake in drafting an impostor like Jena Kluegel, & that cost Hoffman his job. BOS won't budge at # 3 because Orlandos is there for the taking. I see no good reason for BOS to trade the 3rd pick for any ATL defender, or even two. BOS will trade if they can get Slaton or Iverson. But I don't see their coaches giving up on them for the 3rd pick. I see ATL trading their 5th pick for a proven player, instead of drafting Christine Latham. ATL trading the 5th pick for Kluegel has serious implications, all of them good for BOS. Kluegel will also diversify ATL's attack. I can see ATL & SD making a deal for the 5th pick if it involved Zhang. Zhang takes care of one int'l slot & keeps the other Chinese player in ATL. Zhang offers that zip that's been missing in ATL's offense that's become predictable & stale with Hooper-Parlow. After SD draft Aly Wagner, the next name on their wish list is not Hope Solo. They don't have Boxx anymore. They would be going after Callie Withers or Lauren Orlandos from nearby Orange County. But BOS won't budge from # 3. Neither will PHL from # 4. So if SD get the 5th pick from ATL, they'll trade that pick to NY in return for Boxx. Solo-for-Boxx trade. LOL. And that's how this rumor dies . . . . .
I agree with cachundo, the draft of wagner, welsh, orlandos, withers, and then #5 becomes subject to a variety of possibilities. Atlanta needs a quicker forward, and the question is which international fills the bill, surely Latham is another power player, and I don't believe Stone is naive enough to get what he already has. So does #5 get traded to some one who has eyes for Latham, or even Solo. No one has obvious keeper needs, with NY getting Smolak, so Atlanta would need to find some team who answers their quick forward need. I do agree Zhang is a good name, but the availability of the Chinese next year, might throw a curve here. Would NY trade Janss and their 2nd rounder to Atlant for #5, and would that be enough for Atlanta?? The issue being from 5 to the early 2nd round, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A draft of Withers, Latham and Solo, could be very possible for the Charge, and the 1st 2 add a more physical dimension to the Charge repetrorie. Hey, Paul, weren't you posting SIZE matters... Taking Solo, you are taking a superb athlete, and experience in goal makes you better. Finally, another offensive international would be added to the mix. If Latham does come here, then Zhang to the east coast, for the rights to the international of San Diego's choice might be a move to consider. Or perhaps Elodie Woock, joins her countrywoman Pichon out on the main line??
Talent is also in the eye of the beholder; if the Power think Smolak will be serviceable, to each their own . A 1.75 GAA and not even in the WUSA top 10 in save percentage this season? Beggars can't be choosers, I guess. Withers and Latham - 5'9". Jones, Wambach, Prinz - 5'11". *Not* a judgement, just a listing of height. But this year, if you judge it strictly by that one thing, Washington and Carolina were ahead of the curve. Enter Cheryl Salisbury of Australia, 6'1"...why not make a run at her as a foreign allocation. The havoc she could wreak on a midfield. Or convert Schillig to a d-mid What are her stats, for France and whatever club team she's on (is it FFC Frankfurt)? Paul
The key words were "for what it's worth".... The WOOSA league boards are mostly PTH's, but I just thought it would stoke discussion in a long off-season... That is absolutely false, Cachundo. As false as false can get. As a Philadelphian, I want a championship, first and foremost. It's been a generation since the '83 Sixers, and whomever we draft in February, we need to get people who can contribute right away. Our injured list is growing (Kelly, Rakel, Stacey, Mary-Frances, Maite, and now JT-P). I don't think we can afford to trade any of those picks, as much as I want to get a skyscraper in our midfield. All I said was Solo looked like a project, and who knows what will happen in 2004 with the Olympics with the league either shortening its season or suspending it like the NHL did, and resume in September. We simply don't know how the WUSA will handle the scheduling then. She'll be a benchwarmer for the most part. But if she's the best athlete out there, then you take her. Saying that, Solo's a couple of years away from being a very good goalie. But quite frankly, I'd like to win now (now being in '03). I think the fan base would like to win it all next year as well. I don't want a rerun of August 17 ten months from now. If we go down in flames again, with all that talent, on the field and the sideline...I don't even want to go there this soon. Paul
Hello all! Piper linked this thread in the Beat forum. I have a few questions. What positions do Withers and Orlandos play? The Beat are looking for a speedy forward to increase our attack. Parlow and Hooper are great, but predictable. We need some speed and creativity. On the Chinese comments... I doubt anyone is trying to get Wang to stay on. Getting another Chinese player to keep her on is not a smart move and is more than likely not on the agenda. I would think Stone is looking to go European, not Asian. The team chemistry was interrupted by Wang. She is a great player but, she didn't mesh. It improved by mid season and later, but our sluggish start had a lot to do with throwing her in the mix...psychologically... in my opinion. There were a lot of communication problems which resulted in missed opportunities on the field as well as a lot of frustration. BTW, Cheryl Salisbury is 5'11" not 6'1". Height is something else the Beat needs. Other than Parlow, we have no height. Watching the Beat play Carolina brought about flashbacks from "Gulliver's Travels". We resembled the Lillputians (or whatever they called themselves...my spelling may be a bit off).
Withers is a TOTAL d-mid pure destroyer... best description is a man in the air, Wamback like size, and more nimble.. Orlandos is a big central defender, but with good mobility..
They both sound like they could benefit any team. I think Atlanta's priority is a forward with some height and speed. However, Withers sounds like a perfect Beat candidate. The draft should be interesting.
Hello KGB! It's hard to go wrong with the 5'11" Orlandos. Hands-down the best defender in the draft. Withers is a bulky midfielder at 5'9" with very quick feet. With her ball skills, she'll start for any pro team. Plays big for her position. Wins most balls in the air. Best destroyer I've ever seen in college. Think of an enforcer in hockey. That's Callie Withers.
When you're talking about two inches, there are far more other factors to consider, like positioning and reading things. Withers has some bulk to go with her nice size. Also it's the mentality of her play which I find appealing, which is the type player I'd like in front of our defense, freeing up FAir to play out wide. Orlandos or Withers will be with the Charge, each would be a very solid addition. And given Atlanta's need, Latham won't be theirs, so some one trading to 5, would want her perhaps, otherwise she falls to 6, and the Charge have the option to get a nice power forward.
So, In your opinion, Who do you think Atlanta will choose first in the draft? Since Stone has three foreign player spots open and has already spent a couple of weeks in Europe, my guess is that he is looking there for forwards to cure our offensive problems. So, in the draft, Stone may very well be looking for a defensive powerhouse.
My opinion is #1 is wagner #2 is welsh #3, assuming Boston keeps the pick is Orlandos.. Charge have #4, and many Charge fans like the idea of Withers at #4... So Atlanta can take Solo or Latham, but neither fit an immediate need. At this point, either you take the best talent, or you trade the pick for a need. Since you believe an international will be your forward, I'd take the TOP talent... And I believe the choice is Solo or Latham, but you don't need another forward from Canada, unless it's Sinclair. Then the question is, is there ANOTHER player STONE likes, perhaps Hawkins from Santa Clara, or Bush from UNC pending getting healthy. I think the TOP 5 players are clear..those mentioned, PLUS solo. Can Atlanta trade up to Boston, but Boston needs a central defender badly, and Orlandos is NATIONAL calibre player, so I doubt Pia bypasses her. If for some reason Charge do NOT take Withers, then Withers will be in Atlanta.
I have my doubts about Stone liking Hawkins' play. Hawkins has been playing the d-mid role for 3 years now, which became available when Nikki Serlenga graduated. She's OK as an organizer & distributor, but I don't think she has the physical dimension that ATL require. Besides, if Stone didn't like the talents of Anna Kraus, I doubt he'll like the talents of Hawkins. If Stone were in a risk-management setting, I think he will avoid Susan Bush. Chronic knee problems. With ATL's physical style, I don't think she's a good fit. I've seen Bush play twice this season, and I am not impressed with her stuff. Needs to hold the ball better. I can see ATL trading the 5th pick for a proven talent, instead of using it to pick the best-available player when it's their turn. ATL will be very fortunate if for some reason Krikorian decides not to pick Withers. Withers' physical presence & ball skills will make ATL tough to beat.
Once the draft gets past Wagner, Welsh, Orlandos and Withers, then beauty is in need and the eye of the beholder. Solo is my #5, just because there aren't any other clear keeper who'd be an obvious selection. I put Latham in the mix at #6, because she's a physical forward, who could answer a need for the Charge. Atlanta could make a selection at #5, or trade it. I would think the team trading to #5 would be interested in either Solo or Latham. At this point of the draft, I'd stop looking at OVERALL talent in a player, and focus upon the TOP aspects of a players ability, and how it fits into a teams need. And I'd bet there's a ton of variation in each teams talent assessment at this point. And here's where a detailed knowledge of a LARGE number of players throughout their college careers comes into play. Just looking at a senior year, or what happens at a combine won't give a total picture. Those teams able to pull together the most concise information will have an edge. Players who play out of position due to their teams requirements can mask where a player projects. Injuires, or lack of compatible talent could also contribute a bit