Are salary cap issues relevant? If (heaven forbid) JMM were deemed to had a season-ending injury, could we go shopping?
Nope. I think the cap space came from deeming Stoichkov a player/assistant coach (I'm serious) and thereby sweeping some of his salary under the rug. I could be wrong, but I think I recall seeing this reported. Moreno's salary definitely counts against the cap though. Yeah, it smells too...but, at least to me, not with the rancor as the Justowiak circus. With that one, there are three or four elements of the "transcation" that positively make your eyes water.
According to the press release, it was only roster relief, NOT cap relief. As to the differences between Martins and Juskowiak, they are nearly identical. BOTH teams have the roster space (although DC has it due to this new and never before used rule, nudge nudge, wink wink, while the Metros have the roster spot from when they cut a rookie defender months ago). There are however, two main differences: 1: DC's is a straight "discovery." The Metros and SJ agreed to a trade at the deadline wherein SJ "discovered" the rights to Juskowiak and then traded them to the Metros for a draft pick. This is the part Rodan doesn't seem to like, but it is something that has been done numerous times in the past. I'd have to check as to the specifics, but usually these deals are done for low quality players (most notable was when Chicago I think had to discover Diego Sonora for TB. This was also the type of deal DC was trying to swing with C-Bus last year in the whole Gazza soap opera) 2: Juskowiak is an over the hill striker (8 goals in the last 2 seasons) trying to make one last gasp as a pro. Martins is a young striker who just lit the A-League on fire this year. Discuss.
Technically, he didn't, but DC had to wait for the work permit issue to be resolved before deciding what to do with their discovery slot. I think they were granted an extension at the time.
Martins is 27, which isn't exactly young. Wasn't Justowiak on Energie Cottbus last year? I'd guess, if you took a poll, that most people would rather have someone who played in the Bundusliga last year rather than an A-league striker.
http://www.dcunited.com/index.cfm?section=main&cont_id=200224 When DC picked up Cerritos, in addition to Ali Curtis, they gave up a 1st and 6th round pick in the 2004 Superdraft for salary considerations.
The relative merits of Martins and Juskowiak are irrelevant. The salary cap is also not the only point. The point is that two players in the pool of talent available to MLS clubs were siphoned off at a time when no further player acquisitions were supposed to happen. Obviously, these are two players that might otherwise have appeared in the superdraft/discovery pool to other clubs during the conventional time period.
But that's the thing, their was no trade for a "slot." It was for Juskowiak's rights, or, if you will, "Future considerations. And I KNOW it's been done more than once, that's just the only example I can recall off the top of my head. Like I said originally, these kinds of deals usually involve rather forgettable players. Still beating that dead horse? As it is (and the main reason I took you to task in the first place) there was no need for an extension, as Juskowiak is the "Future considerations" identified at the point of the trade. BEFORE the deadline passed. The Metros also have the same argument that DC used if they needed it. Moreno was put on season ending IR. So even IF you don't like the deal as it went down (again, a deal that has happened in the past), there would STILL be a justification for the extention based on DC's application of the roster space rule. BTW, 2 points: If you asked anyone if they wanted an over 30, injury prone striker who struggled for time with a lower level bundesliga club, or a 27 year old striker who dominated the A-League, I doubt you'd find many takers on the Bundesliga player. Also, Rodan, release your blind hatred. You'll be happier!
My hatred is purely 20/20. Seriously I really don't mind this year's Metros team at all - except for Clint (formerly one of my favorite players who now seems to be doing a meltdown) and The Bob. I'm hoping they knock off the Fire and DC actually. But, c'mon. Really, enough is enough already.