So that means that they can be drafted in the expansion draft. Here are the ground rules including the other nine P-40 grads: http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20041113&content_id=18925&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp
WOW!!!!! That was an amazingly fast first response! Hope you can make it through the night! It's gonna be a long one. An interesting part of this draft is that this Monday is a one (1) day only trading window. Could be some interesting moves....
Here's a late thought on who DCU might protect: I wonder if Tim Lawson might affect the decision process. I suppose it's likely that mgt will call him expendable but maybe they think he's a winger for the future and will let someone else go? We already are losing Stewart leaving Dema and Gros as the starting wingers, but we need depth. There's Lawson who we fans know nothing about. There's Q1 and Adu who could play the positions (mainly Tino). There's Q2, but not really in a 352. So maybe we leave Lawson unprotected but grab him back quickly... With thoughts like that, yeah, it will be a long night....
**The 11 newly graduated Project-40 players are: Nelson Akwari (Columbus Crew), Jose Burciaga (Kansas City Wizards), Brian Carroll (D.C. United), D.J. Countess (Chicago Fire), Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution), Alecko Eskandarian (D.C. United), Eddie Gaven (MetroStars), Nate Jaqua (Chicago Fire), Eddie Johnson (FC Dallas), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew) and Seth Trembly (Colorado Rapids). http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20041113&content_id=18925&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp
Jose, from the article, which I messed up the link, but it's fixed now: *The 11 newly graduated Project-40 players are: Nelson Akwari (Columbus Crew), Jose Burciaga (Kansas City Wizards), Brian Carroll (D.C. United), D.J. Countess (Chicago Fire), Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution), Alecko Eskandarian (D.C. United), Eddie Gaven (MetroStars), Nate Jaqua (Chicago Fire), Eddie Johnson (FC Dallas), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew) and Seth Trembly (Colorado Rapids). Without looking too hard, it looks pretty much like the main rookies and other P-40's (like ours) all graduated. (The ones with the most playing time.) Except Freddy.
Does anyone have the 1997 expansion draft list? "This will mark the second Expansion Draft in League history and the first since November 6, 1997 when Danny Pena and David Vaudreuil were selected first by the Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion respectively in what was then a 12-round draft. "
Doesn't Eddie Gaven make a lot of money? That's some good news, especially considering he could miss a lot of time with the National Team next year.
Half way through the season I wasn't so sure about Carroll but he keeps getting better each game, he should definitely be protected.
There's almost no way Carroll isn't protected. Nowak loves the guy, he's young, cheap, local, and American. Furthermore with all the characteristics above save proximity, he'd be a perfect piece to start building a team around. Third year guy who is a steal for his price, does his job game in and game out, and is consistant.
Yeah, I guess that's where it already stood in my head. It's just that playing this "Who do we protect? Who do we not?" game becomes a lot more clear exercise knowing whether Nellie will be around or not. Do we know if the offer requires him to make a decision before they decide who to protect?
Jose, I think United would be brain dead not to protect those two players.. They are still relatively cheap players and were big producers this season..
The players who who are not eligible (and thus don't have to be protected/cannot be exposed) are Adu, Kuffour, Quintanilla, Stokes, amd Thompson, correct? (trying to keep my mind occupied and not get nervous about tomorrow afternoon)
and he's not likely to get big attention from overseas, and I don't think he'll be a National teamer (at least not on a consistant basis - he may get a call up now and again), so he'll be around for every game for a while.
I'm not positive on this, but only if there are exactly 11 players ready to come out of college prior to graduating; I don't think there's an "exact" number they follow. It depends on how many players at that level are "worthy" and want to get out early.