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Dieffenbach Column
Dodgy Draft Picks Plague the Revolution
10/02/03

by Jeff Dieffenbach

Despite New England’s impressive run to the 2002 MLS Cup, they remain a team with only one great half season in seven full campaigns. The silver lining? Surely this poor performance earned the Revolution a stable of high picks and a foundation for success in 2003 and beyond.

Actually, no. Trades, rules quirks, and just plain bad luck contribute to an astonishingly poor draft history.

As a rule, New England’s picks fall into one of four categories:

  1. "solid" (e.g., Rusty Pierce in 2000)
  2. "frittered away" (Zak Ibsen in 1996)
  3. "who?" (Jesse Van Saun in 1998)
  4. "how could that guy miss?” (Alex Pineda Chacon in 2002).

What’s missing? How about: (5) “franchise player?” Certainly, the 2002 picks of phenom Taylor Twellman and the consistently strong Steve Ralston made their runner-up run possible. Beyond Twellman and Ralston, however, 45 picks over seven years have amounted to a mere two additional starters: Pierce and the now-retired Imad Baba.

1996-2001

From 1996 through 2001, the Revolution made the fewest top 3 draft picks in the SuperDrafts and various other college, supplemental, allocation, and dispersal drafts (one such pick; Chicago, with two fewer seasons, also had one). From 1996 through 2001, only the much more successful DC and Chicago owned fewer picks in the first three rounds of the collective drafts. From 1996 through 2001, only Chicago and Columbus occupied worse positions within these rounds.

During this span of six years, an appalling two-thirds of their picks fell into the “who?” category: J.T. Roberts, Kevin Coye, Chris Fox, Tom Hardy … and on and on. Coupled with several “frittered aways” and “busts,” New England is best advised to bury this performance deep in the rubble of Foxboro Stadium.

2002

What about 2002? Did their fortunes change with the arrival of Gillette Stadium? Certainly, their draft chances improved. In 2002, the Revolution made the most top 3 picks (three combined in the allocation draft, dispersal draft, and SuperDraft). In 2002, the Revolution owned the most picks in the first three rounds (nine). In 2002, the Revolution held the best position within these rounds.

Gold mine, right? Wrong.

On paper, the Revolution came away with a bevy of big names. In addition to Ralston (2000 best 11), they also added the proven Mamadou Diallo (2000 scoring leader and best 11), Alex Pineda Chacon (2001 scoring leader, best 11, and MVP), Carlos Llamosa (US Men’s National Team player and 2001 best 11), and Jim Rooney (2001 All Star).

Where are they now? As part of a six-player deal with the MetroStars last year, Diallo was in effect traded for Diego Serna. Injury cut Serna’s 2002 season short and his status for the coming year remains unknown. Chacon was released after minimal playing time and will suit up for the Galaxy in 2003. Llamosa struggled with injuries in 2002 before leaving the team recently to play in the Colombian league, having failed to agree with MLS on compensation (although talks may now be back on). Rooney languished on the bench after Steve Nicol took over the coaching duties from Fernando Clavijo.

2003

None of the above bodes well for 2003 draftees and future “who?” candidates Pat Noonan, Dimelon Westfield, and Kyle Singer. With Twellman, Joe-Max Moore, Wolde Harris, and perhaps Serna, the Revolution are well stocked at forward, the listed positions for both Noonan and Westfield. Singer, meanwhile, finds himself third on the depth chart in goal behind rising star and US MNT candidate Adin Brown and the solid Matt Reis.

Good luck, lads, you’re going to need it. But don’t say you didn’t see the writing on the wall.

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