As long as Arturo is one of the “departed” I am good!!

As long as it isn’t 9 “core” players. That has been a big part of our problem over the years is that we keep trying to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. This current team is good and, maybe, only needs a mentality switch. We need some more nastiness in our play and a bunch more killer instinct.

Tweak a couple of positions (LB, RB, FW) and off we go to the ‘08 Cup !!!!

Under.

Also, I’m a bit concerned about a player with a groin problem and a broken wrist. We sure those are unrelated?

Damn! That’s a great line. Wish it was mine.

Great example to set, captain
How much longer is FCD going to put up with his antics? I go back and forth on my opinion of Ruiz and whether we should keep him, but really…a no-show with no phone call from your CAPTAIN?

as for the over/under, I think it’s impossible to predict without having any info regarding their replacements.

Parrish – hah! Always amused me how often in Championship Manager one player would be injured “in training” with a groin strain and another with a broken wrist.

As for the over/under, I’m going with under, but it will be close.

Ruiz ends the year the same way he started it; With an unexcused absence from training. How fitting. I wonder if he considers San Jose a soccer town?

Pablo deserves to be named captain, he fills every one of the requirements except wearing the armband during games. Hopefully we won’t lose too many players and can have a strong ‘08 season. GO HOOPS!

I’d hope for the under- as I hate to see players leave, but hey- that’s pro soccer (or any other professional sport, for that matter).

Alright, fine, I’m gonna say it: get rid of Ruiz! I’m tired of hearing about/putting up with his bullsh*t (every fan put up with it this season everytime his lazy butt hit the ground). Let’s find out who San Jose get in the expansion draft and see if they get any forwards worth trading for.

I walked by the practice field today (on my way to the FCD office for something — any excuse to go to PHP one last time) and was pleasantly surprised to see the guys out there; although, I had figured that they’d need to train for the tournament. I didn’t stay or count heads, though. BTW, the weather was chilly but nice, I thought . . .

As for Ruiz . . . I have had mixed feeling about him, but this kind of puts him on my “If he goes, I wouldn’t care; in fact, I hope he goes” list (which includes . . . only him). And I agree that Ricchetti should be made captain, and it’s a darned shame that he keeps getting injured — I hope he can stay healthy next year!

I hope Serioux (ouch! that bruise sounds painful!), too, and Sala (not the other knee, now?!?! ) can all get healthy and stay that way.

Anyway, I think I’ve got a true soccer “nerd” on my hands here, with my 11-yr-old . . . she has been reading your roster reports!

Hey Buzz,

Thanks a lot for all your great work this season!

I have a question about the roster dance and the Youth Academy:

Is this the first year that teams can sign players from their youth academies?
Which teams’ youth academies qualify this year?
Does FC Dallas have any exciting prospects to sign?

Thanks Buzz.
-Joe

buzz…please comment on this..

Arturo Alvarez
FC Dallas
Suspension/Fine: 1st Game of 2008 Regular Season, $250
Reason: Red Card: 11/2/07 versus Houston Dynamo

Whether the guy faked it a bit or not…Apparently AA still went after him just like Clark did to Ruiz (granted not as horrific)…is it becasue a poster child was not involved.

whether he actually nailed him that hard…i think we can still say he went after him.

so where is the lengthy punishment and hitting him in the pocketbook?

eddie,

Apples and oranges. The two plays you are trying to compare were nothing alike.

Alvarez and Davis were in the midst of a tussle in a face to face confrontation where both parties were shoving each other and stepping on each others toes. Alvarez went too far, and he got the red card. That play could have just as easily gone the other way had Alvarez been the one who went to ground first.

Clark’s action was to kick a player that was on the ground from the blind side in one of the most vicious acts ever seen on a soccer field.

The league’s fines reflect the viciousness of the fouls commited. The league got it right with Sala’s suspension last year. And they got it right in these two cases.

Eddie J, STFU and go back to Baytown!!!

Eddie, I think Chamo has a certain point about the two players standing face to face and both being involved. Still Alvarez’s action is equal to at least a hard shove, perhaps one of those little head nod things they do, or even a punch. More games would not have surprised me at all. Alvarez’s actions are inexcusable no matter what Davis may or may not have done.

I don’t think it’s in the same category as Sala’s sucker punch of Freeman or Clark’s kick of Ruiz. Both of which I put in a much harsher category.

How much of a fine/suspension can often be influenced by the referee’s report. So it might depend on how the ref deemed the contact.

Joe, I think this may be the first year… although I am not certain as I don’t think every club has a youth set up yet.

I do know that FCD has a local players list. I have been trying to get a copy of it. If I do I will post the names on the list.

Thanks Buzz for the speedy response.

Richetti for Captain!

I agree with Gina. Get rid of Ruiz. I loved him his first season, but his skills/desire have diminished.

I would also like to see Dennilson gone along with Gbandi. Put Salo up for expansion draft.

Use the money to keep Goodson, AA, Pablo and Juan. Then get a real scorer. Maybe Hugo will give up his gig as MNT coach for another shot at Dallas. That may be the only way to ensure a full stadium.

I like the team the way it is. With what Ruiz pulled today i would like to see him replaced with a striker of equal quality hell i would be happy with a lesser striker if he gave 110%.

hey FC uptown get bent….oh wait, i forgot, you live in uptown….probably has already happened

UNDER

Ruiz gone… if you keep him, he will get DP slot for being over $400K. Correct?
That takes care of one. Toja must be purchased, and Make an offer to Pablot hat is CAP friendly. Keep Dario and RAY and allow them to compete for the starting job. Bobby needs to announce his retirement at the end of 2008 season or be let go. That’s just for starters.

[...] a tidy little behind-the-scenes at what professional players – or, FC Dallas players at least – do ahead of and during the off-season. Do note the [...]

FC Dallas without Ruiz…? come on…dont tell me you wanna trade for Donovan?

FC Dallas should fine his ass to really hurt in in his pocket but aside from that…come on…stop wining about it…the Hislop cup…my..axx..we didn’t win either of the Cups this year…why should we care about that friendly?

The entire season of FC Dallas would not have been what it was for Arturo. Don’t sit here on your probably fat, unathletic ***** and say how stupid he was. Its like blaming Zidane for France losing the world cup; they wouldn’t be there if not for him, just as Dallas wouldn’t have be in the playoffs if not for all his goals and assists. Talk about a player making 800,000 grand a year and doing absolutely nothing.

Yallop won’t want any part of Ruiz. He won’t be drafted nor traded to San Jose.
If you need to get rid of him I suspect he’ll be shopped to RSL or Colorado, two teams desperate enough to put up with his attitude. Yallop won’t.

The Hoops would not have made the playoffs without Arturo’s 3 goals and 3 assists? Really?

I like Ruiz. I hope we dont can him. He has a point about our low attendance. I know he is pretty much gone, but I hope not.

I was at practice yesterday and saw no Ruiz. Where is he Buzz????

Ruiz is going to have surgery on his meniscus. I would assume he’s missing for that reason. But I don’t know for sure that is why he’s out.