from today's Boston Globe, an article talking about Adin Brown's growth following his departure from the Rapids:
I wouldn't say that he speaks ill of Mooch, but the lack of foresight from Wank and Counce to not keep the Sasquatch speaks volumes about thier incompetence.
I'd agree if Adin Brown had anything to show for it like, say, one freakin' game with the US national team...
Call it bad typing and blurry thinking (it being Jameson's Night and all). I meant to say that Brown was also commenting on Mooch. That said, Mooch telling a young, untested keeper that they're building a team around him... shaky judgment if you ask me, both in telling him that as well as planning it. As for Brown's lack of caps, since when does playing International friendlies mean diddly in terms of a player's quality?
Well, the thing about Brown is that he wasn't regarded as highly then. You guys would have a better judgement on how he actually played for you, but my impression was that he had "great potential" in Colorado, but never quite made the leap. Then he hit rock-bottom at Tampa. Of course, with that team, anyone would look bad, but what is telling is that anyone could have had him after the dispersal draft. New England offered to take him at more of a salary than anyone esle would, so that's how he wound up here. It's not quite like DaMarcus Beasley playing for the Galaxy, but more like Mathis when he was in LA. He was an OK player there, but nothing like what he turned into once he moved on. Tom
Completely agree, especially given the tremendous depth at keeper that the US has. Friedel, Keller, and back in '99-2000 Meola was having one of his best years. Or are we forgetting that Zach Thorton was also in the national team picture (and getting caps) at that point too? Adin Brown is a quality keeper and has proven it at New England, although he was just more "raw" talent when he was in Colorado. Unless your name is Tim Howard or Iker Casillas, the early years for keepers are all about learning the position and developing the instincts for the game. Kevin Hartman has been great for LA for years without getting much national team consideration. Mooch probably shot a little too far saying he was going to build the team around him. Last time I checked, building a team around a keeper is pretty risky business, even an international of Keller's or Friedel's reputation... but he wouldn't have been out of line to say that he was a building block for the future, a player to be kept and developed. Hanki and Counce screwed up by pulling the trigger on a deal that basically relegated Brown to the scrap heap in Tampa, when they could have actually gotten a decent transfer fee from Norway, if they were so intent on dealing him... Refresh my memory, but what did Colorado get in return for Brown to Tampa? Garlick, maybe? Garlick was good for Colorado too, but as we have seen, his days were numbered here (and he's significantly older than Brown...) Wasn't Brown a member of the 2000 Olympic team, even though he took a back seat to Friedel during the actual Olympic tournament? While not full international caps, he was certainly on the radar as far as future national team keepers by then. According to the USSoccer website, he was a starter for a couple of Olympic qualifiers and was splitting time with Tim Howard when the US got the bronze in the 1999 Pan-Am games. He might have been a "raw" talent, but he seems to have been fairly accomplished, even before he got dealt by Hanki.
The Rapids sent Brown and Vermillion to Tampa in exchange for Garlick, Pibe and Kotschau. Brown was lined up to be the goalkeeper for the Olympics in 2000 but an injury forced him to miss the Games (as well as a boatload of Rapids matches).
Wow! I forgot the players involved but, in retrospect, that had to have been the finest trade in Rapids history. (Perhaps, MLS history) I have been all over Counce, but it seems that he got it right at least once!!!
Considering the goal keeping fiasco we had last year, it would have been nice to have Brown instead of 4 keepers.
I've been burning the tapes of KC games I can find, and one of the games from March 99 had part of a Colorado game following the KC game. At halftime, there were two Rapids commercials. One was with the team "juggling" a golf ball on some green. It was an ad for some country club. Mooch was keeping score. The other was mainly a Hahnemann ad where he's hanging from a bar. Then Mooch is shown measuring how long Marcus's arms are. Kinda silly.
The rapids also sent a draft pick (Of course, that's a prerequisite for Rapids trades isn't it?) to Tampa. A second round one I think.
So when are we gonna hear the "Hanki's a Wanker, Hanki's a Wanker" cheer? Is it comming soon to an MLS team nearby???
Brown also ran into trouble with coaches and such because he refused to use modern medicine when he was injured before the 2000 Olympics. He had a bad knee but didn't want it fixed by doctors. Full article here: http://www.beliefnet.com/story/41/story_4183_1.html I'm not sure if he still believes in that stuff but after he left Tampa, he's had a couple great years. Either the prayer method of recovery is working or he finally realized his career would be done if he didn't have his injuries treated medically. Maybe we should get Zizi to convert to Chrisian Science or actually see a doctor because right now having a chronically injured player who refuses to have his injury taken care of is not helping this team.
The only downside to this trade was that it was youth (Brown - who was showing signs of goodness, but also some shakiness) for some real age (Pibe...Garlick is also older than Brown). Otherwise (is Vermillion even playing anymore?), this is one of the best trades I can recall the Rapids making.
That's funny, I remember hearing most people shouting "Moooooooooch." Especially as he was a winning coach in 1999 and 2000.
I was always booing. The Rapids had to be the most boring team MLS has ever fielded under him with possibly the exception of KC under the leadership of Gansler with the championship year being the exception there. Even when the Rapids were winning in my opinion they were BORING! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I will take a boring team that wins over any team that has a little bit of flair and loses (or ties) anyday. We were told certain people were being replaced so we can bring in someone that can bring our team to the "next level". If the next level is mediocrity, then we have succeeded.
Right on. I would love to read the quotes from Counce about the firing of Mooch and hiring of Hanki. I'm sure Greenie can supply them. Can you, Greenie? I need a good laugh these days about this team.
Not me man. Not to bring another sport into the fold ... but hockey is killing me with the way it's become boring slowly for the last 10 years. And I'm a big NJ Devils fan for about 17 years now ... my team started it ... and they've won and it's been nice ... real nice ... but I long for the days when hockey was fun. And I sure don't miss the days with Mooch. But it's not all Mooch ... obviously the players are just that much better. But Mooch was the worst. And Hanki is now pressing me for being the second worst. Well strike that, Houghton was the worst ... quitter
I respectfully disagree. In this town, winners bring in fans (with the exception of the Broncos, fans will always go). Look at the Rockies, the honeymoon is over and they still suck (poor management/ownership), thus the gate will suffer, MLB is predicting they will be down 1 - 1.5 million from 2 years ago. When the Nuggets sucked for the last 10 years, nobody went. Now, with a glimpse of hope, the fans are coming back in waves. Mammoth, good team (wins), many fans per game. Avs are the same. Crush, stupid game and I don't count them. Obviously Mooch was not the answer, but it sure as hell isn't Hankinson. All I'm saying is that the honeymoon is over for the casual fan with the Rapids. When they start winning consistantly, the casual fan will come back. The new stadium will help with the fan base, but it will die out if they do not compete consitantly. All of us on these boards will always go and support our team, but the fan base will not increase unless there is a good (winning) product to go see. I agree that a good team with flair is much more exciting to watch for a casual fan, but if they cosistantly do not win, they will not come back. It's very tough for someone who is trying to get into the game, any game, and spend their money to support a losing team (it is for me). Just an opinion. P.S. - My family had season tickets for "your" hockey team 25 years ago. They sucked here, nobody went (with the exception of the Bruins games) and then one night, off to the swamps of Jersey.