Let's say I'm the new head coach of a WUSA team. What are my options if I have a founding player I don't want to keep? Do I have any? I can see where this could scare away some coaching prospects.
I believe the only example of a founding player getting traded is Saskia Webber to New York, and this is clearly because Webber was 2nd string to Moore, and NY isn't all that far from her Princeton roots. Now Webber isn't the prototypical Founder, but if you say the elite Founder's have power similar to Michael Jordan, then I think we know the kinds of power they can exert. I think it's a question of whether Founder's let ego get into the way of the good of the team. Clearly a player like Millbrett are at their peak and can play for several more years at it. Some older Founder's have reached their prime and are on the down side, but ultimately as long as they are effective WUSA talents, then their power is still strong. It's when ones skills diminish too much, and this has to be a case by case matter. Ultimately, a new potential coach needs to be very communicative with Founding players, wit an honest discussion both ways. And I think you find this happening with "star" talents in most sports, where some players exert major decision making power on management.
Whither Founding Players? The Founding Players and Games Played, Started, and total minutes for 2002 (exclusive of the playoffs): Michelle Akers (never played) Brandi Chastain 18 18 1561 Tracy Ducar 4 4 360 Lorrie Fair 19 18 1638 Joy Fawcett 19 19 1627 Danielle Fotopoulos 21 20 1836 Julie Foudy 19 19 1645 Mia Hamm 11 1 506 Kristine Lilly 19 19 1699 Shannon MacMillan 17 17 1424 Tiffeny Milbrett 19 17 1605 Carla Overbeck 9 6 424 Cindy Parlow 19 18 1431 Christie Pearce 19 19 1699 Tiffany Roberts 19 19 1710 Briana Scurry 18 18 1620 Kate Sobrero 16 16 1369 Tisha Venturini 21 20 1734 Saskia Webber 14 14 1258 Sara Whalen 10 10 872 Ducar, Whalen, Sobrero, and Hamm all had injuries and/or operations during the offseason or preseason. Overbeck was nagged with injuries during the season. Ducar never won back her starting job from Canadian WNT 'keeper Karina LeBlanc. Will she be waived by Pia come November? Whalen, Sobrero, and Hamm all made it back as starters or integral parts of their team. Overbeck is a part-time player at best now. She would make a helluva Assistant Coach for a team. Then there's Webber. What will the new NYP coach do? I think that he has to keep her since Gao Hong is likely to go back to China in prep for WWC'03. Trade bait to move up in the college draft? Would Philly give up (or would anyone want) L. Fair? I don't see the CBL pawning Fotop or Roberts. Hotlanta needs Scurry and a revitalized Parlow. And the Freedom will keep the Hammster. BC and TV-H would quit the league if they had to leave SJ. San Diego and Boston have to stand pat and NYP already have the top pick, although Milbrett may be the only player anybody else would want.
The Founding Players and Games Played, Started, and total minutes for 2001 (exclusive of the playoffs): Michelle Akers (never played) Brandi Chastain 19 19 1621 Tracy Ducar 19 18 1634 Lorrie Fair 16 14 1270 Joy Fawcett 7 6 570 Danielle Fotopoulos 21 17 1659 Julie Foudy 20 20 1800 Mia Hamm 19 19 1710 Kristine Lilly 21 21 1890 Shannon MacMillan 20 20 1766 Tiffeny Milbrett 20 20 1757 Carla Overbeck 21 21 1872 Cindy Parlow 18 18 1519 Christie Pearce 18 18 1537 Tiffany Roberts 21 21 1884 Briana Scurry 19 19 1641 Kate Sobrero 20 20 1800 Tisha Venturini 19 19 1471 Saskia Webber 12 11 998 Sara Whalen 21 20 1807 Fawcett '01 had numbers like Overbeck '02 yet came back strong. Maybe there's hope for Carla, yet.