Friday NIght Goff Article Etcheverry Yet To Agree on Deal - Washington Post i have no idea which thread to throw this on, so i'm throwing it in it's own mods, if you want to put it somewhere else... please go right ahead (change the title if you don't) -jim
To me it looks like both sides are posturing so when it's all said and done, no one looks bad. Marco can stay and say he's happy with his contract and the MLS will say we kept a major talent in the league. Or Marco can say, I need to move on and explore new horizons for some immediate financial gain, and the MLS can say we did our best and made a reasonable offer. I guess time will tell. If nothing else, it hasn't been a boring off season.
Excellent pickup JM. It's essentially the same article that Goff had Friday, but yet again it has morphed a bit and includes some new info. This new info is my favorite part: Man I hope that Stoichkov/Kovalenko for Mapp/draft pick falls through. While I think El Diablo's re-signing would be good, and I do think that the Metros trade is a good one, I see the Chicago trade as horrendous for United. Thanks for bringing it to our attention JM. Oh yeah, and by the way, thanks for your dilligent news gathering posts in the MLS forum. Good stuff! -Tron
As much as i love him as a player and member of united, i am sad to see his skills in the level they are at today.. back in the day (1998) 10 goals is nothing short of great for MLS, but lately.. im disappointed and would like to see him move on to a coaching job etc..
they can't... they have different needs and wants if he leaves and it would appear that united sees it easiest and/or best done by keeping him and trading pope... instead of letting etch go, getting nothing for him and keeping pope... OR trading pope and also needing to replace him and etch this is one of the big reasons why pope is even being offered, they can't do that with etch... he'll just leave mls
If Marco leaves, we have another spot to fill, but another $270k to use. Either way, Jaime isn't worth max salary. Eddie is good, but we can't afford a max salary defender for all the reasons posted elsewhere. So do the trade whether he stays or not.
I don't understand why the DCU/Metros trade can't be made if Etcheverry doesn't sign. If he goes DCU has 270K to use on a player or two to help the team, maybe in his position maybe not. This is the same situation that DCU will face next year if he signs and Pope and Moreno are long gone. There is no difference. Etch, take the 100-200K for 4-5 months work in the UAE and hitch a ride on the next troop plane to the Gulf. I don't know who is playing hard ball or if this is a face-saving macho, I don't care what's good for the team, act on Etch's part, don't care. Etch has zero leverage and greatly diminished ability so sign him or cut him and start fixing the team.
Why? Because it was a tough choice to decide to include Pope in the trade to begin with, but it would be done out of necessity if Etch re-signs. But if he doesn't re-sign than the money is there to keep him. Look at it this way: It's not ideal to have a max salary defender when the league is full of less expensive talent; but it's also not ideal to have a max salary aged midfielder who's production is nothing like what it used to be. We can't have both but we can have one or the other. Would you rather have Pope or Petke plus allocation?
Pope hands down. Not only that, I want Etch gone pure and simple. I would rather pay max $'s for someone who can provide us with something on the field, and in this case that is Eddie not Marco. Even at a reduced salary I do not think Marco is worth it - any more than I thought Harkes was worth it at this same point in his saga of being jettisoned during the salary cap wars from post-season's past. This protracted drama is way beyond annoying, but if it means at the end of the day we can keep Pope and get rid of Marco, Jaime and Richie AND keep the Chicago trade nonsense at bay... then it will all be worth it. Otherwise Hudson deserves nothing more than Newcastle coal in his holiday stocking KGDG The SE New England Brigade "All in all it will be a good trip!" www.ymcacamp.net
I have to go with the "Petke plus allocation" camp, if we can't trade Moreno straight up for the allocation. The way I understand it, the Scum will only deal if it is Moreno AND Pope (plus, perhaps, Ritchie). We need the allocation and Marco, with diminished skills, will be here only one more season anyway. Marco's $270k can go a long way towards finding some long-term help in the middle. Also, as has been noted by virtually everyone, especially the Petke haters (that is, by virtually everyone), Petke might be dealt by us to fill some other needs. Even if Pope leaves, we have Nellie and possibly Prideaux for the middle in a back 3.
The Metros have done some stupid things (ok, year after year they do ridiculously retarded things -- having Mathis gifted to them is the only thing they've ever done right), but I'm pretty sure this isn't really an option. That would suggest that we're giving them Williams and Moreno for a draft pick. Uh, not.
I'm tired of this "we can't pay max salary for a defender" business. Pope has earned it. Pope is not a "sacred cow", he is still productive when he plays. Marco's and Jamie's production has fallen off. Petke cost less because he is less taltnted. I'll pass. The Metros can take Richie and Jaimie for the alllocation and pick or they can pick up a waived Jamie.
Re: Friday NIght Goff Article I dont know why the MetroStars would want to offer Mike Petke for Moreno and Pope. I think he should stay in New York. They need him there more. In DC, he will have problems adjusting. Just my opinion
Did it change again? Now it only says the Chicago-DC deal "may be affected," rather than "is in jeopardy"? Talk about the art of revision! Later, COZ
Pull the contract offer off the table, shake Marco's hand and wish him luck in the UAE or wherever he has an offer. Different sport, but the Atlanta Braves said goodbye recently to future Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Glavine, who had been a Brave since 1986. Bummer, but that's the business of sports now. That will kill whatever deals they had with NY/NJ and Chicago but I'm sure the powers that be for all teams involved can come up with alternative deals. Bill-DC
And I'm tired of all the whining about how great Pope is and how he is the heart and soul of this team. I hope and pray that Etch doesn't sign, and the Metros deal goes through. DC will be fine IF Hudson can pick up some decent foreign talent. That may be too much to hope for, but I'd rather take a chance on guys we don't know vs. the stiffs that we know so well.
Who are these wonderful mystery foriegners that are going to save United. Last I looked MLS shops in the Second Teir of European Divisions for talent, because of money. What are we going to get that is so much better than Pope staying??? It has nothing to do with heart and sole. It is about the fact that Pope is the only one of the "big three" that can justify pulling in max money. Playing defense is not as easy as it may look. Foriegn attacking players are a dime a dozen. Finding a player like Reyes is rare for this league. Keeping as many quality defenders is imperitive. Solid ruun of the mill defenders, as many people have said that can be found in MLS, are simply road blocks or hacks for the talented players of the world. Richie, Jaimie and Marco have become "stiffs" as you call them. Pope is not.
I expect Marco to re-sign. Goff's sources quoted Etch's offer as between 100k and 200k for four to five months there. It sure didnt' sound like a long term deal, and if his skills do not translate over there, or he has adjustment problems, he probably will not be renewed there, or at least not at that salary. So, it sounds like a very risky proposition and by no means a sure thing that he'll actually make more money. In fact, he may make considerably less. Add in the trauma of relocating to another new country, one in which you have no ties and no camps, uprooting your family, learning under a new coach, and probably learning a new language, and I don't think too many players would move unless the money was significantly higher. At this point in Etch's career, I'd be surprised to see him make that move. So to me it sounds more like his only offer is from MLS, and his options are more likely MLS or retirement. I don't think Etch is psychologically or financially happy with the retirement option, because he can still play the game. Etch is trying to wring something else out of MLS, which is fair negotiations, but he runs the risk of pushing the time limit on Hudson and the league. They may recind their offer, but I doubt it. But, this delay may make the other parties (Metros, Fire, and team of embargoed player) choose other solutions, so our trades may start to disolve. That's my take. -Tron