How do you rate each teams picks? Rate them with Winner or Loser Winners 1)DC 2)Chicago 3)Metros 4)Dallas 5)LA Losers 1)NE 2)Colorado 3)KC 4)Columbus 5)SJ
wow they all were winners this draft, the league is going to be very competitive, but i pick dallas mls champs mark my words
We lost when we couldn't get Jacqua and when we traded our sixteenth pick (we should've gotten Lewis), for Mullan. All SJ fans should be shaking their heads at this draft. It made no sense at all.
Crew picked up Nelson Akwari from the Metros, which is big, no question. But their first round pick, Walsh, made no sense, particularly with Lewis and Thomas still on the board. Attacking midfielders are nice, Greg, but the defense blows. And for the rest of the draft, Crew traded off their picks for2004 picks, when the depth of talent won't be nearly as strong. A very odd draft.
What is the criteria that you used to say "x team was a winner," because it looks like you based this simply on the number of picks involved. This does not mean that I disagree, your picks are more or less spot on. However, I'm just curious about what made each team a winner or a loser.
I think it's difficult to grade an MLS team's draft because, with discovery signings and allocations it's difficult to know exactly what's happening. A team listed as a draft loser might have drafted to fill specific needs not addressed by a potential discovery or allocation on which they're working. The SuperDraft is just one means of player acquisition and, without knowing the other potential signings, it's difficult to know the team's thinking.
The Metros can't be placed anywhere near the winners column for this draft. Not only did they manage to trade away their 1st AND 2nd round picks for NEXT year, but they lost just as much young talent as they picked up. Adding Gaven, Clark and McGee isn't as exciting when you realize you lost Brad Davis and Nelson Akwari.
If any two of Mathis, Pope, and Moreno go down long term at the same time, Bail Out Bob's plans get screwed for the next two years. On top of the screwing he did to the FIRE for this year's draft (dealing the #4 pick for cap space), that would definitely take the shine off of Bob's reputation.
bleh If you think the morale is bad in NY, SJ and Ohio, check the Rev boards, where a Jonestown reenactment is taking place.
LA had the best day, Chacon is going to be a lot better with a team that play's with the ball on the ground. G. Gonzalez is the future of American soccer. Torres from LMU will be the steal of the draft, he can dribble and finish and Thompson and Lewis are Olympic players. Anyone know a good backup goalie?
Actually I like C-bus's draft for one reason: Diego Walsh. He will be your best a-mid ever and teamed up with Martino, well, that's better than Maisoneuve and either Perez or Bob the Free Kick Specialist. Akwari on the other hand- Denton's better, easily. I remember late last year when DC was playing the metros in both teams' pathetic attempt to make the playoffs, Akwari was awful, tactically naive in the extreme. Olsen owned his butt something fierce. Akwari made Ziadie on the other side look like a stud. He won't get your defense over the hump to make you serious contenders, at least not for two more years at least. However I'll bet that there are a few teams that can trade you that defender.
I tried to base it on how I think the players will contribute in MLS, now and in the future. It's extreamly subjective by all accounts. Now in all fairness to KC and Colorado they did good with what they had. Taylor Graham is a good pick up for KC and Jason Cole was a good one for Colorado, but they aren't in the same calibar as an Eskandarian, David Stokes, or even a Ricky Lewis. They did what the Metros did this year and last. Trade draft picks later for draft picks now. KC and Colorado just couldn't get themselves out of it like the Metro's did this year. Now NE, was just terrible. What where they doing with their draft picks? I mean Noonan at #9 if they wanted Noonan why didn't they trade down to get him. Maybe pick up some more picks. To their credit, though they did a lot of things last year, that solidified their team. There's not a lot of holes in NE's lineup.
Another complication of the draft is the status of Nike P-40 players. Since these players don't count against the 18 player roster limit, nor against the salary cap, they become "wild cards" of a sort. Arguably any of the MLS teams would take any of the P-40 players as they represent the irresistible opportunity to get "something for nothing".
I admittedly don't know tons about all the players in the first few rounds. Still if there is a better combo of three players selected by one team than Esko, Brian Carroll and Doug Warren I'll be a bit surprised. All of those guys can contribute at DC and all of them help in different ways.
Bob Rifle is of course gone, and Mais has some gas left. But more to the point, how many A Mids can you fit on the head of a pin? With Duncan hanging back saving our putrid defense, and West and Garcia running the lines, you've only got room for one and, at the moment at least, that guy is Kyle Martino. My other objection is that he's 23. He's got to have a full roster spot next season. He'd better be damned good damned fast. Where is that hemlock I had around here. No wait, a gun is quicker. I'll believe you of course, but I think you need to factor in that the guy didn't sign on until late August. What the hell was he doing out there AT ALL in September? Probably they CAN, but so far they seem to be showing a collective reluctance to DO so. We've been trying to peddle Dante off to you for a decent man-marker for six freakin months. How low are you when, the day after the draft, you're sitting around praying for news on Frankie Hejduk? Oh well, at least we're not New England (giggle)
I think the draft is overhyped. We Americans are wild about youth and beauty and the draft is a real beauty oagent. The rreality is that most of trhe players drafted will never be able to be impact players in MLS. Knowing who will and won't is an art and some coaches are better at picking---and developing--these young players than others. (Please note that our three English coaches shy away from the draft). But I contend that if you have small Rosters and a small Cap the way to build a team is iwith established, proven players. Teams that have a well established, mature and winning roster (LA) can afford to add good young talent on trile. Teams that are trying to get established (DCU, MUTTS, Revs) are better served trading for proven assets. Until MLS has a Reserve Team system I don't see the draft as having the importance that most people seem to give it. Oh it's fun and it is a major port of entry into the league for most players but to pick "Winner and losers" in the draft assigns it too much importance IMHO. George
George I hear what you say, but I can't totally discount the value of the draft when I think of Eddie Robinson. San Jose saw something in him, he filled a standard developmental slot, and seemed to fill in quite well as needed. Maybe I'm looking for a silver lining. Maybe these players will not all be marque names, but I think the draft is taken very seriously by the teams. By the way, off the top of your head name the 4th player picked overall in the last 5 NBA drafts. My point, becoming a marquee player isn't as easy as all that. But I'll bet every team is glad they have the player they chose.
Further with the rosters up to 24, there is an opportunity to develop some of these younger players. That is why I liked the Metro's trade of next year's #1 in order to get Gavin (a 16 year old). Now Bradley will have this year to start grooming him rather than waiting to pick someone next year. However, LA definitely has found the blueprint to developing a dominant franchise within MLS. They get an A+ for this draft. They got their guy (and some other promising young players) and picks for next year.
How did Chicago end up as one of the winners? We desperately need attacking midfielders. We ended up with a bunch of forwards. Didn't Real Madrid once start 6 forwards? In fairness, Jaqua could be very good. Our 2nd pick totally mystifies me. Pause did well in the combine and was a good pick for the third round. Anyone want to pick an over under on how many times Beasley is fouled this year?
They're dealing from a position of power. They have a good team that's also cap compliant. Eventually, when Victorine and Vagenas and Elliott and Hendrickson and Hartmann and Califf do what the Fire players did...climb up the paycharts...the Galaxy will have to break up. But for now, they're sitting pretty.
I really don't understand NE. With a cap of $1.7, Reis is a luxury most teams can't afford. Particularly when the starter is Adin Brown, the guy people are touting as challenging for a spot in 2006. Noonan got a lot of poor reviews at the combine. It will be interesting to see how he works out.
First, I think fans tend to be biased towards their teams (thus, someone from LA is likely to think LA had a great draft, etc.). The exception is when fans were hoping for a particular player and the team didn't select him. So I won't take a position on DCU's draft. Second, in my book, the big winners in the draft were: Dallas and Columbus. Why? --Dallas got a guy (Shavar Thomas) who was probably one of the top 5-6 players in the draft pool, who can contribute very soon. And then dealt a pick to get Brad Davis (who can contribute immediately). For that team (Dallas), there were no other picks they could make (other than trading for the Eskandarian pick) that would have had any impact on their season. Plus, with likely expansion coming up, I don't think it would have made sense for Dallas to load up on a 16 or 17 year old project who wouldn't contribute this year--when the team already has EJ, Stone, Bussey, Countess. --Columbus. The picks seem somewhat illogical. Except, the Crew are probably going to be a player for Hejduk, they may see McBride leaving (if Everton makes an offer--which I think will happen), the rumor is John Wilmar Perez is going. This is a team that I expect to see MAJOR roster changes on between now and openning day. In that context, Diego Walsh--despite the age, cap, SI implications was not only the best player they could get at that spot, but he's also one of the 5-6 best players in this draft. This was a very deep draft. But it was deep in potential. In terms of immediate contributors, I think there are always some surprises (guys who get a great opportunity thrust at them b/c of injuries or national team callups or they just mesh well). But given that caveat, there were probably 5-6 players who were head and shoulders above everyone else in this draft. That list (in my book from what I've seen and read) would be: Eskandarian, Clark, Thomas, Walsh, and Stokes. Losers?: I'd put the MetroStars in that column. You'd think that by getting one of the two best players in the draft (Clark), adding Magee and other good young talent (Gaven), that they'd be a winner. But they gave up on Akwari and Davis (who would contribute this year as starters or top reserves--while I don't think Magee and Gaven would do either). They gave up big picks for next year. They need to hope: (a) they don't have injury problems this year; (b) the big salaries (Howard, Moreno, Pope, Mathis) all come through with big years; and (c) Gaven and Magee are ready to contribute next year as key reserves (#12 and #13 men spots).