In anticipation of the draft.... I would have posted a poll but it only gives 6 options. As a Freedom fan I'm gonna say San Diego. Foudy. Mac, Joy. Wagner. Lathem. Fleeting. Damn! But i'm confident in the Freedom.
I'm going to say San Diego as well. I think Wagner is going to turn that team completely around. I mean, not that they're in any way a bad team (in terms of players...even if they can't win to save their lives), but a playmaker of Aly's status can only improve your team. I think she's going to improve San Diego all the way to the playoffs.
I think SD will be pretty good, but I still think the Courage will be the biggest team to look out for.
I would have to go with Philadelphia. With the best defense last year and three first round picks they will be able to pick up enough new impact players to offset the missing National Team players.
I think that it might just be Boston - they already have a great offense and if their new coach can get a couple of defensive players it might make them this year's Carolina. As much as I'm a Spirit fan, they will have to be able to figure out how to get a real defensive cohesiveness to go with what should be an increased offensive presence (assuming that the new coach can figure out how to meld together the offensive players that they have.) Boston's new coach has experience molding a winning team with what a lot of people thought was lesser talent - and she has a familiarity with all of the players in the league. That is definitely somethng that the new Spirit coach does not have - and who knows if he will be able to get an assistant that will be able to make up for that lack.
I'm going to have to go with Philly. With Smith healthy and Pinchon plus last years strongest defense and 3 first round picks- ack! another thing to consider i suppose is the effect of players playing with national teams preparing for the world cup. looking at it this way san diego will have a hard time (mac, jules, wags, and joy with the us and latham with canda)
If Meinert returns, I'm going with Boston. They have the fewest question marks and the coaching change should shore the D up and get the squald to play to potential.
Atlanta is picking up German WNT and Frauen Bundesliga star Conny Pohlers to Atlanta is big news. This kid (24 y.o.) has led the FB in goals the past two years playing for Germany's #2 women's club team (behind 1.FFC Frankfurt). Atlanta has to be an early favourite to return to the Founders' Cup match. Boston had damn well better add a couple defensive studs.
Philly. Past two seasons they have had great runs to the title. Kelly Smith could have been en fuego if she had a good knee. The addition of Pichon suprised just about everyone out there. Rock solid D. Pichon + Smith = for the other 7 teams defenses. But will the D be as solid without Pia Sundhage there? Guess we'll see. The potential of San Diego looks great on paper. But will Namazi be able to form a title contender with his nonexistant womens coaching background?
Atlanta and Philly. As NSA has mentioned, Atlanta has picked up a speedy and effective forward in Germany's Pohlers. Atlanta has two other Foreign picks left to play with as well. If the Philly players stay healthy, they should definitely make the playoffs. Other than the Beat, I'd say Philly is the most pissed off team in the league and will be coming back very determined. I'm a huge Wagner fan, but she can't single-handedly turn SD around. I do look for them to finish at least 5th, possibly 4th this year. I feel this season may be tighter than the other two. It's basically anyone's game.
San Diego's going to look even better if they ink another international player that no one has yet mentioned. Omid may be a questionmark, but he's sending the right messages and he's going to have a heck of a squad to work with.
Philly all the way! If they take a certain forward that I've mentioned in other posts, their offense is going to be the most potent and deeeeeep! The D is already supreme and will only get deeeeep! w/ the draft. Three first rounds and already solid as a rock, incentive to spare, it's theirs for the taking. I'm thinkin their very dangerous. Red Thunder Rollin in a town near you.
The league is so small and the talent is so concentrated that you could make a case for any team! Even NY isn't anywhere near as bad as their record. But you have to like Atlanta - great goalkeeping and Hooper and Parlow up front.
San Diego will be a dominant force, but N.Y. will also be a "Power-house" this year and surprise many!
PHILLY ALL THE WAY! The last 2 years they have done a very good job but were never quite able to win. All that frustration is definetly going to come out this year for not winning. Look out for Smith and Pichon...simply unstoppable.
Not us...the jury's still out on that... San Diego, Boston and New York all improved more than we did. We will sorely regret not taking Callie Withers or Orlandos, I fear. Paul
Great draft for the league in general. The cup is up for grabs. This is what a well-run draft should be able to do.... levle the plaing field.
San Diego Per today's San Diego U-T, "Namazi also hopes to announce at least one foreign signing by mid-month. He desperately needs a defensive midfielder and the club is known to be pursuing Daniela, a 19-year-old Brazilian who played in the 2000 Olympics." Daniela is Brazil's U-19 captain, and she's tough. She'd be a great pickup for the Spirit in Shannon Boxx's former position.
I'll be keeping an eye on San D and DC. Then again, if you ever saw the list I drew up in early '01...yeah, that was pathetic. I fell into many of the same misguided assumptions as many analysts. Philly will probably be in the playoffs, but I don't see them making it past the semis. Just some random thoughts with no reasoning. If I ever happen to dream up the ultimate standings, I'll be sure to return.
my lineup so far DC(if they really have minnert and keep mia in a supersub role, they could set some records) SD(Dark horse team, they are the most improved IF pags returns to form otherwise move them to 5th and bump everyone up one) Bos(they got defense now, watch out! Pia was the second best coach in the WUSA for 2 years...as an assistant!) PHI(NEVER write off mark kirkorian) SJ (misses out on a close one again!) Atl (Old + physical = trouble) Car (alot of turmoil once again, and a team that really wasnt as good as their FC2 was nor was as bad as 2001 was...prinz and NT callups determine their fate) NY(welsh wont save them and they still need to pray for the CBA having a HUGE cap or allowing them to cut founders or they will have a hard time paying the internationals they need to fill holes...at least they have some assembelance of a defense...and they still have big cap woes with whalen probs having her carrer ended and webber a waste of $...if the CBA is in their favor though...stay tuned...they WILL double their win total though...then again 6 wins is still WAY beneath the wheel, and tripiling their win total is still below .500) Review: Stock up: DC, SD, Bos Stock Down: Phi, Car, Atl Unchanged: SJ, NY Playoff Predictions: DC vs PHI@RFK: It depends on how much bai Jie going back to china hurts DC...but ill give DC the win so far. DC looks very dominant, even with gabby still holding them back SD vs BOS @ Torrero: Boston is still not a road team, id pick the spirit....which leads to... BARBARA ALLEN'S WILDEST FANTASY MIA vs QUEEN JULIE for FCIII at RFK (arent you glad that jokester is gone ) DC rolls in a convincing fashion...really DC if gabby doesnt F it up (big if) has the potential to steamroll this season, they have some players who can just plain rule the pitch...and they arent the greatest womens soccer player ever to fasten a sports bra...she comes off the bench if gabby is smart