With their second round (#13 overall) LA pick Midfielder Josh Gardner out of the University of Cincinnati.
G's Trade 2005 First rounder to Chicago for the 14th overall in 2004, and pick up Ned Grabavoy. Woah.
Got to admit I did not see that coming. I liked both Ngwenya and Grabavoy, and don't know a thing about Gardner. But, to get Ngwenya and Grabavoy is encouraging. That's why he is "Executive of the Year" and gets paid the big bucks .... maybe .... we'll see.
Felt to me that he picked up the cinci kid with a pick he could have used for Ned. Don't know much about the Cinci kid, but I just imagine Sigi looking down at his draft sheet, and saying "OH SHI!T! Ned is still on the board!", and then running to Peter Wilt with the 2005 Draft pick. Either way, I was looking for Ned to come along - so I'm happy.
Gardner looked good on Sunday playing on the right side (right in front of where I was standing) and looked useful.
Now if we pick up Memo from UCSB we'll have a whole new Midfield this year Assuming Sigi picks up Cien2 from Central/South America.
3rd Round, 2nd Pick (22 overall) LA selects... Guillermo (Memo) Arzate from UCSB, as prognosticated by me.
Follow Along After Ngwenya's Bio, you can click to see Gardner's Bio, so on and so forth: http://www.thehitchhikersguide.us/weeklyupdates/1_16_04a.php
Good to see that we picked up some attacking players. It looks like a glut of youngsters now at the A-mid, but quantity doesn't necessarily mean quality. Hopefully, at least one of these guys hits. Any speculation as to what this means about Sigi's scouting trip down south?
I don't think the draft changes anything there. From what I hear, there are 3 playmakers Sigi is interested in and negotiations will start soon if they haven't already to bring one of them to LA. I'm very happy with the draft though...we'll see how it looks in April though.
There's no point in going overboard or getting to excited until we see how these guys pan out, but I did one thing that might give cause for encouragement, I went back and looked at Mark Connoley's mock draft column on ESPN Soccernet. He projected Gardner as going No. 6 in Round 1 and Grabavoy going No.7 in round 1. If he is right, Sigi/Dougie got three of the top seven players in the draft. Unbelievable. And a lot of people were citing Azarte as a sleeper talent, and he is another home-town guy. There are always some good ones that get away, but there is some real reason to feel encouraged by this draft.
Finally Sigi looks past that sorry excuse for a school UCLA, and starts taking players from the soccer powerhouse of the universe UCSB!!! Now lets all go to IV and get sh!t faced on DP!!!
Memo II was a steal when you consider that Top Drawer Soccer had him at the best attacking mid at the combine: "Guillermo “Memo” Arzate (UC Santa Barbara): Opposing midfielders and defenders couldn’t take ball away from. Awesome vision makes him deadly on through balls. Simply put – the best attacking midfielder at the combine."
Oh dear. Look like Ned wanted to play for Chicago. Grabavoy wants to be a Fire man - Chicago Sun Times He played for the Fire Reserves. Does that make him the second (GG the first) Fire Reserve to come to LA?
what else is he going to say to the chicago sun times though? "yeah i'm ready this year, but don't want to play for chicago". not saying he doesn't want to play for chicago, but he might have just been kissing ass to get picked. personally after how he got signed by the galaxy i wouldn't want to play for chicago, passed over twice, and then on the third try for chicago LA trades to get the spot and picks you up... whatever, the kid will work out or not. on a seperate note, i recall in the last 2/3 years we had a great draft that year too, most everyone from around the league said so... what year was that and who did we get?
I think Califf, Victorine and Vagenas all came out of the same draft class. That was the only "great" draft I can recall - and to get three regulars who contribute out of one draft is doing very well.
Last years draft was pretty good too....but the 2001 (picked Danny, Sasha and Peter) did prove very good.