We've had a healthy discussion of who will go where; I'd like to see where everybody stands so far. Here's the draft order so far, subject to change, of course: 1st Round 1. SD 2. NY 3. Boston 4. Philadelphia 5. Atlanta 6. Philadelphia 7. Philadelphia** 8. Carolina 2nd 9. New York 10. Atlanta 11. Boston 12. San Jose 13. Atlanta 14. Philadelphia 15. Washington 16. Carolina 3rd 17. San Diego 18. San Diego 19. Boston 20. Washington 21. Atlanta 22. Philadelphia 23. Washington 24. Carolina 4th 25. New York 26. San Diego 27. Boston 28. San Jose 29. Atlanta 30. Philadelphia 31. Washington 32. Carolina Paul
Draft Day 2003 1# Wagner ( The great distributer sees everthing)# 2 Welsh (Great ball awareness and attack) #3 Schott (Fast, Scoring Machine, great field vision, pass on a dime)#4 Withers (Physical and Talented, get out of the way)#5 Solo (best Gk in draft)#6 Orlandos (try to beat her)#7Fuller (Physical, Saavy,Most Powerful shot)#8 Misaki (Aggressive lightweight mid W/ fieldvision) #9 Montgomery(Brilliant Gk) #9 Barr#10Gaston #11 Wallis #12 Hawkins #13Deerin
I assume east coaster is assuming Boston gets Iverson? wallis and schott, BOTH to Boston?? having the Charge get two central defenders is interesting. I'd be a bit surprised to see Hawkins drift to 12 though
EC, how come you're so high on Montgomery? Ever seen her punt? Gaston's dozen or so knee surgeries will be a cause for concern for many. Those knees will be playing a full season against talented attackers. Something the UNC defense probably encounters a handful of times a season, at most. I don't think turf teams such as PHL & BOS will draft her. She'll be a capable left back for someone, maybe good enough to start. Left back isn't easy to find.
Okay heres the answers Montgomery, first ck her stats her junior year. Then senioritis or something. I did not follow the team this year. I did last year. I've seen her from age 11. The team had a problem as a whole this year. Hard to overlook her especially w/o a good D to work with. Again look at those stats last year. I'm not familiar w/ a punting problem, it must have shown up this year. Schott and Wallis to Boston, I feel if Schott had a healthy senior season she goes #1 no question in my mind. Whomever gets her will be glad they did, and those that didn't will give a lot of effort to stop her. If Wallis is available they take her.If they don't San Jose does. I feel she'll still be available to Boston and she's a good pick here. Gaston; you called it the same way I did Cachundo, I feel she's worth the gamble. Let us not forget, not only are we saying who fits where, also who is the best value to trade. Some sharpe coach will, I assure you, take advantage of anothers need and take a player we don't see them needing in the least. In the first 1 1/2 rounds there is some very good talent, compared to the previous draft. Anyway these are the picks I see as valued assets. The order is always somewhat of a crapshoot.
east coaster, I assume your selection of solo at 5 qualifies as drafting a talent to use as trade bait. I don't believe Boston would do that at 3, and going forward when they have Gulbrandsen and Mellgren is a move I wouldn't anticipate. The good part is the depth of talent, and the Charge having 4 in the first 14. Before the Iverson matter became apparent, I would have bet the Charge would have taken Solo at 6 or 7. Now, unless theres a draft and trade this would surprise me. What do the Charge need from the draft: 1) assume Iverson is gone, then one or two defenders are needed. It's possible two from amongst Orlandos, Deerin and Fuller come here by pick 14... 2) make the assumption Zhao is NOT here, this moves Fair to the wing in my opinion opening up a slot for either Hawkins or Withers. 3) Scasna has been acquired, but I still think another forward is coming, and this could be Schott or Wallis.. so let's say Orlandos goes 3... 4 - Withers 5 - Atlanta takes Hawkins or Solo, there's been much comment that Latham already belongs to San Diego, so I assume this is fact... 6,7 forward and defender although the thought of Misaki being too good to pass up exists... 14 - ok, we still need a 3rd central defender, and taking two early seems a safe way to cover yourself
If last year was any indication, I think Krikorian will draft on the principle of best-available, rather than that of need. Although if Deerin was still available at # 14, she may be a good fit. Still, I'd like the chance for an incumbent such as Alfiler or McDowell to win a starting spot on defense. Zhao's absence I find a bit more of a concern. The position she plays in demands a more technical player than that of a central defender. I hope Fair and/or Karvelsson can rise to the challenge of securing a spot on the wing. Otherwise, I see a rookie being drafted for a position on the wing.
Re: Gaston. Personally, I won't draft her. From a purely risk-management standpoint, her pre-existing condition(s) will hit hard a team's medical premiums. Although like I posted a month ago, someone will draft her, someone who needs a left back. I saw Gaston play 2x this season in the middle of a 3-back set. Against Stanford, Marcia was just having her way against her. Against St. Mary's, the forwards were again having their way against her. The thing that I observed with UNC defenders is that they play standing up; Gaston was no different. They don't seem to be willing to commit themselves to a hard tackle or a sliding tackle. The play the toe but not the ball. Re: Montgomery. I saw St. Mary's play 2x last year, against Stanford & against UNC. Naturally, Montgomery did not do well against both top-ranked teams. I really don't find anything special about her game, nor her skills. Her punting is mediocre. Her biomechanics are all wrong, her leg seems kind of locked to the hip socket. She kicks like a '50s-era NFL kicker. After Hope Solo, the next-best senior GK that I saw was Florida's Jordan Kellgren. She made several excellent athletic saves against Stanford to keep the game from becoming a rout. And Kellgren played behind a mediocre defense. After Kellgren, I see Oregon's senior GK as better than Montgomery or UNC's Branam. The problem is that nobody might have seen her play, unless they caught her playing against Stanford, Cal, UNC, or Portland.
Agree to disagree Montgomery, GAA 1.16 2002, better the year before. We see her in a diff. light. I feel she's better than you say. As far as Sarah Peters from Orygun I agree, she may be overlooked, but also include rival at state Jo Fletcher(gk). Not to mention The most underated player in my opinion Mandy Malendez. Her 5'-0" height will not be a plus but a great def. for Ore. State. Again I can't stress enough the lesser teams have some great players who are often overlooked. In watching the final four you see great team talent, but these players are playinng w/ great coaching and way above avg. teams. Sarah , Jo, and Mandy are playing W/ lessser teams and coaching. Although I feel Orygun State may have a coach who is building a pretty good program. Hard to recruit to Orygun Trying to get full facilities, running water, lights, and inside toilets. Although I saw several new neoprene state of the art single holers there. The weather sucks no matter how you look at it!
Re: Wallis Vs. Gaston I just ran through the Stanfurd, UNC stats and recap at the Stanfurd web site. It appears Wallis had five shots in the game. The bad news is only one on goal. Is this attributed to poor accuracy in shots or a pretty good defense by Gaston. I think Wallis is a fine player but it doesn't sound like she had her way w/ Gaston. Maybe she showed better on the field than in the stats. I didn't see the game, I only saw the stats on the Stanfurd site. 1 in 5 on goal and no goal doesn't speak to me as having her way w/ Gaston. It looks like her game as poor as she performed(Gaston),according to the way I interpreted your post, may have indirectly, or directly, had an effect on the outcome of the game. I agree she has had some injuries in her career and has addressed them. I commend her for that. It takes alot of heart to come back and play at that level. I give her the pick. Not only for ability but heart and charater she shows after those injuries. She's a player and I wish her well.Take nothing away from Wallis, this was not her best game by far.
Here's my 1st round: Spirit #1] Wagner Power #2] Orlandos Breakers #3] Withers Charge #4] Welsh Beat #5] Hawkins Charge #6] Schott Charge #7] Solo Courage #8] Wallis
Interesting speculation NY goes for Orlandos. If Welsh falls to the Charge, you have to take her. I don't believe you'd take a 2nd forward at 6 or 7 though. A player like Erin Misaki could be considered in this scenario. Then the question is defender or Solo. 7 or 14 would need to be a defender in my mind, so the question becomes take solo at 7 then best available defender at 14. Still NY passing on Welsh would shake things up very much, as it changes Bostons pick. If you really want to make the scenario even more bizarre, have the Charge bypass Wesh and take Hawkins, and let Welsh be available for Atlanta. Atlanta would take Welsh, no 2nd thought there. Very interesting how well Hawkins plays in China, an excellent performance might shake things up and move her into the top 4.
Welsh I read an article in a thread yesterday I think it was the N.Y. Tribune? that interviews Welsh. N.Y. has spoken to her, it sounds like a done deal. She was very happpy about the possibilities. I'm late can't take time to post it now. But it's there, so revise as needed. E.C.
I agree, I would have been stunned to see New York bypass Welsh. We shall know for sure in a couple weeks.
I read that before I posted my picks. I was just wondering! Okay, here's my first round. Spirit #1] Wagner Power #2] Welsh Breakers #3] Orlandos Charge #4] Withers Beat #5] Hawkins Charge #6] Schott Charge #7] Solo Courage #8] Wallis
#2fairfan has as good a draft as is likely to happen. The Charge and 6 and 7 might change it up a bit, wallis or schott or misaki or solo or some defender might sneak in there.. who knows for sure except Krikorian..if for some reasons Hawkins fell to 6, I'd take her
If you believe the scuttlebutt from the web story.. Orlandos and Solo do seem the obvious selections. The question then, is what to do with the other 1st rounder. It would appear a forward would be the option. And in the draft with Hawkins and Withers, the Charge would get neither. I'd prefer either Hawkins or Withers, because with zhao possibly not here this summer. I'd move fair to the wing. And Hawkins or Withers become d-mid. Now if Iverson is traded for #3 straight-up, then Hawkins or Withers would also be possible.