More of the same

While the US national soccer team provided the single most glorious moment in sports for 2010, their run to the Cup ended abruptly. The 2-1 loss in the 2nd round proved the US improved little from the '06 squad. Was the US's advancement into the knockout stage an actual improvement, or did they just benefit from a weaker group?

I would argue the latter. The '06 squad started the tournament in dreadful fashion, getting spanked 3-0 by the Czech's. Many fans in the US wrote the team off after that embarrassment. Yet, Bruce Arena's squad rallied the next game, drawing with Italy, despite playing with nine men the entire second half. They even had a game-winning goal nullified courtesy of a dubious off-sides call. In the 3rd game, Claudio Reyna coughed up the ball to grant Ghana their first goal, and later the ref granted Ghana a penalty kick on a phantom foul by Onyewu. Yet, Dempsey put the US on the board to make the game interesting at 2-1.

Both Ghana and Italy advanced to the next round, with Italy winning the whole thing. The US was the only team to draw with Italy. In hindsight, I see little difference between the '06 and '10 squads other than quality of their opponent. Both teams suffered dreadful calls from the referees, and both teams did their best to rally.

The bottom line is that the Bob Bradley incarnation differs very little from Bruce Arena's. In fact, I'd say the Bradley team may be a step back. Bruce Arena's resume included the high-point of US soccer -- the '02 World Cup where the US reached the final 8. While that team still displayed maddening inconsistency (3-1 loss to Poland?), they raised their game in the knockout stages. They beat a sound Mexico squad and earned the respect of the world in a dramatic loss to Germany. Despite that loss, the US team looked aggressive, confident, and poised to become a world power.

That never happened.

Arena, in his second World Cup cycle, could not replicate the '02 success. And Bradley's current incarnation looks also to be a step backward.

After the disappointing exit from last summer's World Cup, the US Soccer Federation opted to retain Bob Bradley. The only other serious candidate was Juergen Klinsmann, who apparently demanded too much coaching control. So, the USSF big Kahuna, Sunil Gulati, went with the safe choice. Let's take a look at the US team's results since that fateful decision:

Aug 10, 2010: Brazil 2 - US 0 (in NY)

Oct 9, 2010: Poland 2 - US 2 (in Chicago)

Oct 12, 2010: Colombia 0 - US 0 (in Chester, PA)

Nov 17, 2010: S. Africa 0 - US 1 (in S. Africa)

Jan 22, 2011: Chile 1 - US 1 (in LA)

Mar 26, 2011: Argentina 1 - US 1 (in NY)

Mar 29, 2011: Paraguay 1 - US 0 (in Tennessee)

Jun 4, 2011: Spain 4 - US 0 (in Boston)

Jun 7, 2011: Canada 0 - US 2 (in Detroit)

Jun 11, 2011: Panama 2 - US 1 (in Tampa)

Every game but one was a home match. The US's overall record in Bob's second tenure? 2 wins, 4 losses, 4 draws. Even more worrisome is that the US team scored just 8 goals over that 10 game span. Less than a goal per game. If that isn't an indictment on Bob's tactical acumen, I don't know what is.

It's not like these are high-pressure games when opponent's bunker down. Every match but two was a friendly. Teams tend to open up and experiment. The one time when Bob truly did experiment - when he introduced newcomers Teal Bunbery, Juan Agudelo, and Mixx Diskelrud in South Africa - the US actually won the match:

Granted, that 1-0 goal was a bit of a fluke, but at least Bob saw the benefit of trying new things. Ultimately, it only resulted in Juan Agudelo graduating to consistent starter status. Bunbery and Diskelrud lurk on the outside. Bob remains committed to his regular starters who look disinterested, burnt-out, or perhaps even overmatched.

It's difficult to know what to expect going forward. It's entirely possible this US squad will thump Guadeloupe and cruise all the way to the Gold Cup Final. But it's just as likely that the team will flame out early.

Bob Bradley's squads exhibit no defining characteristics. He's loaded with midfielders, though two of the most offensively-gifted - Stuart Holden and Bennie Feilhaber - are injured. Still, Maurice Edu, Michael Bradley, and Jermaine Jones are available. All three play at top European clubs, but I wonder... does that even matter any more? Against Panama, MLS defender Tim Ream and European-based defender Clarence Goodsen could not contain striker Luis Tejada. Where does Tejada ply his trade professionally? Well, he was apparently not good enough for MLS, earning just five appearance in '07. He's now in Peru (?!).

The US roster is littered with an impressive array of European club players, but the Panama loss proved club success means nothing in the International arena. Chemistry, determination, and creativity trump European club pedigree every time. Under Bob Bradley, the team may have fitness, and they occasionally have determination. But they desperately lack chemistry and creativity. Unless there's a massive change to Bob's coaching style and approach, I simply don't see any improvements on the horizon.

Expect more of the same.

D-Fense

For those unaware, I was out of town the past five days and did not get a chance to watch the Tigers recent surge.

As I drove to work early Tuesday morning, I heard WDFN's Matt Sheppard ask, "Are you now happy with your Detroit Tigers?" He went on, "... or if there's one change you would make, what would it be?"

I thought to myself... I didn't get a chance to watch the wins over the White Sox or Rangers. This Tiger team to me was still the ho-hum squad that would follow a 5-game winning streak with a 5-game losing streak. It was easy for me to not fall prey to any recent success. So, after Shep posed his question above, my answer was, "No, I'm not happy with the Tigers. And, if there's one change I would make it would be improved defense."

And last night was the perfect example. It was the first game I had the pleasure to watch since Porcello's gem against Minnesota. And things started out quite well. Don Kelly hit a homer in his first at-bat, and Coke cruised easily through the first 2 innings. Then everything unraveled in the 3rd. After getting the first guy to pop out, Coke let the next three guys reach on singles. With the bases loaded, Craig Gentry hit a slow chopper to 3rd. Kelly fielded it cleanly and opted to throw home. Inexplicably, his short throw sailed wide right, allowing two runs to score, without registering a single out. Then Josh Hamilton doubled, giving Texas a commanding 4-1 lead.

I know I shouldn't complain too much about the Tigers. They've won 8 of their last 10. Yet, I simply can't see this team going very far without an improved defense. I know Raburn is fresh off a weekend Grand Salami over the White Sox. But that doesn't change the fact that he can't judge a fly ball. And there's always this:

Yet, this isn't a knock on just Raburn. The team is 4th worst in the AL in total errors committed. Kelly's error last night perfectly illustrates how a simple error compounds problems. If Kelly simply completes his throw to home plate, Coke registers his 2nd out. It saves the Tigers 1 run, if not 2. I also believe it doesn't shake Phil Coke's fragile confidence. The guy has a respectable 4.11 ERA, but, due to bone-headed plays like last night and dreadful run support, Coke's record is 1-6.

I'm content with Avila behind the plate. Cabrera is fine at first, and Peralta has proven to be a serviceable shortstop. Yet, 2nd and 3rd base continue to cause problems. Inge leads the team with 5 errors. Kelly didn't instill any confidence in his stint at 3rd last night. 2nd base has been a revolving door of Will Rhymes, Santiago, Raburn, Danny Worth, and Scott Sizemore.

Outfield isn't much better. Austin Jackson has been fine in center, but the corner spots are iffy. Boesch showed potential as a competent right fielder, but he still occasionally misjudges the pop-ups. Raburn is a nightmare, and Magglio doesn't have the best range. Thankfully, Andy Dirks and Casper Wells both proved to be competent defensive replacements.

For a team that's relied heavily on their starting 5, the rest of the roster should focus on supporting them. If they actually grow to a competent defensive team, they might actually turn this thing into a pennant race.

Ho-Hum

Last night, the US disposed of Canada in the first round of the Gold Cup. The US national team rarely comes to Detroit, so it was a special treat to get to see the boys in blue in our home town. Mrs. Nofrownmotown and I sat with Sam's Army. While the game itself was relatively ho-hum, the atmosphere of Sam's Army made for a unique experience.

The young-ish fans draped in American flags led their fellow yanks in songs and general merrymaking throughout the entire match. Standing was required. Sitting was for half-time. The Sam's Army group did their best to replicate a European environment. It was cool.

Unfortunately, the product on the field left much to be desired. Sure, the US won in workmanlike fashion. Yet, apart from a few moments of brilliance from Dempsey and Howard, the US team was as boring as a Bob Bradley hair-cut.

The US began the match with most of their regular starters. Altidore and Juan Agudelo started at striker. Dempsey, Bradley, Jermaine Jones, and Donovan led the midfield. And Bocanegra, newcomer Tim Ream, Clarence Goodson, and Cherundolo were the back 4 in front of Tim Howard. The US pressured early, wanting that opening goal. It didn't take long.

Donovan did what he does best, sending a pin-point pass to Altidore in the box in the 17th minute. From a sharp angle, Altidore spun around and sent a low-hard shot near post. The goalie, perhaps surprised by the accuracy of the shot from such an acute angle, mishandled the ball. It slipped behind him for a 1-0 US lead. Altidore had a difficult season in Europe, and he celebrated this fine goal accordingly. When the ball hit the back of the net, Ford Field erupted. The stadium was not-quite half-full, but the decibel level, especially in our section, was deafening. This confirmed my belief that a goal in soccer is one of the truly special moments in sports, especially experienced in person.

The US then took their foot off the gas. Canada maintained the lionshare of possession for the rest of the 1st half and into the 2nd. They had several dangerous chances, including a blistering shot from distance by Dwayne DeRosario. Howard extended fully to his left but missed the ball. Luckily it curved inches outside the far post. Howard had a few choice words for his defense after that shot.

The second half started with more of the same - extended possession by Canada. The US went many minutes between shots. Donovan and Dempsey were silent.

Around the 60th minute, the US retook control of the match. Both Donovan and Dempsey suddenly became much more involved. The US had a number of chances inside the box, and it seemed only a matter of time before the US scored another. While Canada had some quality attacking players, their defense and, especially, goalie were lacking.

In the 62nd minute, Altidore sent a cross through the box that found Dempsey far post. From a sharp angle, Dempsey volleyed the shot into the back of the net. Unlike Altidore, Dempsey celebrated with less verve, likely due to his 12 goals in England. He had a stellar season in England and probably expected to score at least one against Canada.

Against weakish competition like Canada, players like Dempsey and Howard really stand out. They're the only European-based players to excel at their respective clubs. In the field, Dempsey has that innate ability to do something special at any moment. While Donovan may be the most polished field player for the nats, it's Dempsey who has become the most dangerous. Fulham did him wonders.

After the US's second goal, Canada ramped up their attack. Howard made a handful of world-class saves to prevent a last-minute nail-biter. After the match, the teams shook hands and exchanged jerseys. The US players then saluted the fans, with Dempsey leading the charge. He pointed to each section, Hulk Hogan-style. The fans loved it and gave the US players rock-star treatment.

While it's nice to beat up on Sidney Crosby's home country, this game did leave a bit to be desired. It came on the heels of a 4-0 drubbing by Spain. While that Spain match was a friendly, it did illustrate the disparity in skill between the two teams. With Bob Bradley at the helm, I expect the US to follow much the same path they did four years ago. They'll likely battle with Mexico for first place in the Hex. That will get them into the World Cup, where they will get bounced from their group, unless they get a favorable draw like in 2010.

The sad truth is that the US is not close to challenging for a World Cup title. They're not elite. Nor are they on the next tier. The US hovers with the vast sea of middling soccer countries. They have the ability to occasionally pull out a shocking upset but are usually bounced in the early rounds of the major tournaments.

During the 80s, when the US started producing players that could actually play the game professionally, we all thought "it's only a matter of time." It's clear now that the time frame we're looking at is decades or centuries. It's not just a case of producing great athletes. The elite countries possess a soccer culture that doesn't exist in the US. It may never exist. Most American kids don't dream of starring for the soccer team. The other sports are more popular. Yet, I never thought I'd see an American soccer player hold court over a stadium like Clint Dempsey did last night. I imagine that's the same in every stadium across this country. The US team has made strides in popularity. If they can slowly win a permanent role in the nation's sports consciousness, perhaps they'll draw the athletes to take them to the next tier.

Until then, we'll have to be content with 4-0 losses to Spain and 2-0 wins over Canada.

The Curse of...

Who is this man and why did he curse the Twins?
Bizarre happenings in Tigerland.

Last night, the Twins jumped out to a 3-run lead. The Tigers stormed back to go up 6-3. Then, courtesy of a Justin Morneau HR (his second of the game), the Twins regained the lead 7-6. But, the Tigers were not finished. In the bottom of the 7th, Jhonny Peralta tied it with a sac fly. In the bottom of the 8th, Danny Worth led off with a single. Austin Jackson sacrifice bunted, but the Minny pitcher, who fielded the bunt, got greedy. He tried to get Worth out at second, but his throw (late, by the way) missed the target, and everybody was safe! Casper Wells sacrifice bunted everybody over, and then Boesch hit a sac fly to score the winning run.

In that one inning alone, the Tigers had 2 sacrifice bunts and 1 sacrifice fly - helped out by a throwing error by the Minny pitcher. This is not the regular Twins/Tigers script. This is that script in reverse!

Since when do the Twins allow an error? This is just crazy times in the American League Central. With the Twins in last and the Tribe in first, it's the exact opposite of most preseason predictions. And to make matters even more bizarre, the Tigers have now won 8 straight over Minnesota. I don't quite know what to make of it.

I'm sure the Curse of Señor Smoke lives on. Should the Tigers meet the Twins in some pennant race, we all know who will win. It's more likely the Twins somehow acquired their own curse. It may not be a long-term thing. It may just be a temporary curse. Like, perhaps Denard Span needs to switch from chewing tobacco to gum? Or maybe Joe Mauer should get off the hammock and back on the field?

What could be the cause of the curse? We need to look at when the bad luck first began. Minnesota did fine last season, up until the playoffs. They crashed out in 3 straight games to the Yankees. No big surprise there. That season should still be considered a success. Yet, they started the '11 season with a 4-10 record. Something must've happened in the offseason. What on Earth did the Twins do to irk the Baseball Gods?

After scouring the Twins offseason transactions, I discovered the cause of the curse.

In fact, it didn't take long. One transaction (and one name in particular) stuck out like Al Czervik at Bushwood Country Club:

On January 26th, Minnesota Twins' pitcher Mike Maroth retired.

Since the Tigers traded Maroth in 2007, he's bounced around a few minor league systems before signing with the Twins in 2010. After a few injury-plagued seasons, Maroth decided to hang up the cleats. Is it the fact that Minnesota never gave Maroth a chance in the big leagues? Or was Maroth the Tiger bad luck charm that's now gone for good? He lost 21 games in that dreaded '03 season. With him out of the picture, the Tigers are rid of one more reminder of the Dark Ages. (Only one last vestige of '03 remains.) My guess is that Maroth's retirement is a specific curse to the Twins alone. They were the last team to employ him. He retired as a Minnesota Twin product and will curse them until...

Well, that's the big question. Since Maroth was not traded or released by the Twins, this curse should not have any long-term effects - unlike the Curse of Señor Smoke. The Twins can overcome the Curse of Mike Maroth by stringing together a few wins and somehow getting back over .500, something the Tigers never did with Maroth as a regular starter.

The End of the Student Athlete

It's all over the news. Jim Tressel resigned. Since last December, the Ohio State football program appeared in the news seemingly every week with a new scandal. It started when news broke that six OSU football players (including Terrelle Pryor) received cash in exchange for Buckeye memorabilia. Tressel denied any knowledge of wrongdoing. Then Big Ten Commissioner campaigned that the six OSU players be allowed to play in their bowl game. Inexplicably, the NCAA permitted the OSU players to play in the Sugar Bowl.

OSU fans hoped this would be the end of the affair. But YahooSports dug a bit deeper. They discovered that Tressel knew about the player infractions months before the incident became public. By the time Tressel resigned, it was clear that he ran a crooked program from Day 1.

While I believe the dude is dirty, he's still a scapegoat. This year, OSU took the fall. Last year, it was USC. The NCAA can't go a month without a new scandal hitting the news about how a top program broke the rules. Surely the coaches much justify it in their minds by thinking "everyone does it." "If Cam Newton gets a fire-engine red Ferrari for signing with Auburn, I better find a booster who sells Ferraris!" And, for the record, Auburn is next. Then I'm sure we'll see Alabama take some heat. It's all the top programs. With all this cheating going on, how can the NCAA tolerate it?

Because, unless it makes the news, they don't care. The NCAA is about money. This was best illustrated with the Sugar Bowl incident last December. The moneymen behind the Sugar Bowl didn't want an OSU team without Terrelle Pryor and five key players. The moneymen flashed their checkbooks, and the NCAA caved. This single act exposed the NCAA to be completely subject to the will of handful of very rich men. It's not the bastion of honored student athlete. The organization may advertise how they cater to athletes who are students first, but the fact is that the NCAA is as corrupt and dirty as Boss Tweed.

There's simply too much money flowing around in college sports. The beast allowed itself to grow to gargantuan heights and now it's untenable. And they're slowly destroying everything that made it great.

The once hallowed ground of New Years Day is now a great time to catch the TicketCity Bowl. It's only a matter of time before the NCAA "Championship" Game goes head-to-head with the NBA Playoffs.

In many ways, we, the fans, are partly to blame. We allow our fanaticism to rage unchecked. The Internet gave fans unfettered access to their team. Information and news spread at a feverish clip. Fans now bicker with rival schools on message boards behind the anonymity of an untracked alias and post updates about the latest 17 year old 5-star defensive back. Last April, an incredible 92,310 fans attended the Alabama Spring game. A practice! And it was televised (ESPNU). So, fans pump their money and attention on the sport. The NCAA and their schools rake in the cash. And the players who actually play? They become commodities. Is it any wonder they want to get paid?

I never saw myself as a traditionalist, but when it comes to college athletics, I guess I am. I have no problem with companies wanting more money. Nor do I have a problem with athletes wanting to get paid. But they're called professionals. And companies that are about making money are usually corporations bought-and-sold on the NYSE. Not an organization whose first core value is:

The collegiate model of athletics in which students participate as an avocation, balancing their academic, social and athletics experiences

Nowhere in their core values do they say anything about cashing in on the Sugar Bowl. In fact, there's no mention of money at all. But they do mention integrity.

Checking in with the Nats

Cherundolo: Stellar season abroad
For most of the Americans playing abroad, the club season is over. The top players won't get much time off, as Bradley called in 16 foreign-based players for the upcoming Gold Cup. The US scheduled a Gold Cup tune-up against Spain on June 4th.

How did the top American players fare this past season?

Tim Howard (GK) - Howard started every key game for Everton this season - 42 games, with 9 shutouts. He performed well and helped push Everton to a 7th place finish. He's their main man for the foreseeable future.

Brad Guzan (GK) - Sat second-fiddle to Brad Friedel for most of the season at Aston Villa. In January, Villa loaned Guzan to Hull City in the Championship (2nd tier division). Guzan did very well, and Hull extended the loan. Guzan won't be back at Villa next season, but I imagine he'll have no difficulty finding a new club, perhaps back at Hull.

Marcus Hahnemann (GK) - Began the season as the first-choice keeper for premiership side, Wolverhampton. After a 17 starts, he was benched. The move paid-off, sort of, as Wolverhampton avoided relegation (barely). Hahnemann may move to the MLS to finish his career.

Carlos Bocanegra (D) - Another solid season for Bocanegra in Europe, as he helped St. Etienne finish in 8th place in France's top division. He started almost every match and scored 2 goals from set-pieces.

Steve Cherundolo (D) - Wonderful season for the Hannover captain. Cherundolo led Hannover to their best finish (4th), narrowly missing Champion's League honors. Other than missing time with yellow-card accumulation, Cherundolo started every match.

Oguchi Onyewu (D) - A season to forget. Onyewu, despite offering to play for 0 dollars, could not crack the lineup at AC Milan. During the January transfer window, Onyewu was loaned to Twente in the Dutch league. Twente inserted Onyewu into the starting lineup where he eventually made 13 starts. By seasons end, though, Onyewu was back on the bench, and, to make matters worse, Twente ceded their 1st place crown on the final game of the season! Going forward, Onyewu has no future with AC Milan. With a decent run with Twente, he's better off seeking a long term loan in the Dutch league.

Eric Lichaj (D) - Yet another yank at Aston Villa. Thanks to injuries, the young defender saw some minutes early in the season and impressed enough to earn a call-up from US coach Bob Bradley. When the senior Villa players returned, Lichaj found himself back on the bench. He was loaned to Championship side Leeds United and fared very well. Leeds fought hard to gain promotion but ultimately fell short. I expect Lichaj to spend another season as a backup at Villa and likely earn another loan to a Championship squad needing right back help.

Jon Spector (D/M) - What a weird season for Spector at West Ham. He was coming off a dreadful 09/10 campaign and an injury that forced him to miss much of the World Cup. His drop in form was so stark that I feared his career was in jeopardy, despite his young age (27). At the beginning of the season, Spector wasn't even earning a spot on West Ham's gameday roster. He was a borderline reserve. Then a strange thing happened. One of the reserve coaches opted to try Spector at center midfield. The move worked wonders. While still not a regular starter, Spector shined as a center midfielder in West Ham's run through the Carling Cup. In regular league matches, Spector was back on the bench, earning regular minutes as a sub. Late in the season, they called on Spector once again to fill in as a starting defender. Spector's contract with West Ham is up this offseason. His versatility might help him earn another contract, but I expect it will be with a different club. West Ham got relegated and they might want to revamp their roster. Personally, I think Spector is better off playing in the Championship. He's not quite premiership quality yet.

Michael Bradley (M) - In his second season at Borussia Monchengladbach, Bradley fell out of favor. BM signed Bradley after a sterling season with Dutch outfit Heerenveen where he scored an incredible 16 goals. The top flight Bundesliga proved a difficult transition, and Bradley couldn't come close to matching that goal output for BM. Bradley got benched midseason and found himself loaned to Aston Villa. He hardly saw the pitch at Villa, while BM went on a late-season tear without Bradley. It's unfair to pin any of BM's previous failures entirely on Bradley, but it doesn't bode well for Bradley's return. For those of us that watch the US national team, we know Bradley's quality. Hopefully, he'll find a new club this summer and not open the season again at BM.

Clint Dempsey (M) - One of the great success stories this year. Fulham had a new manager who apparently didn't think highly of Dempsey. So he began the season, yet again, on the bench. It didn't last long, as Dempsey quickly proved himself to be the team's most dynamic scoring threat. He notched 39 starts and 13 goals, and Fulham finished an impressive 8th in the premiership. While many folks want to see Dempsey move to a bigger, Champion's League club, I'd prefer for him to stay at Fulham. He's got a good thing going there. Why mess with it? I wanted Bradley to stay at Heerenveen too, and look what happened to him when he left! Check out Dempsey's goals:

Jermaine Jones (M) - Like Bradley, he fell out of favor at his Bundesliga club (Schalke) and was loaned to a premiership side (Blackburn). Unlike Bradley, he started almost every game, and, in general, impressed the squad. Schalke definitely don't want him back, as Jones basically told-off the coach there, and Germans don't stand for that. A permanent move to Blackburn or a return to Germany, with a different club, is likely. Either way, I expect Jones to continue to earn playing time.

Freddy Adu (M) - He had all-but-fallen off the radar. Last September, nobody wanted him. He literally couldn't find a team. Benfica, who owned his contract, had no interest. And last year's team, Aris in Greece, didn't want him on a loan. Freddy practiced with a few squads around Europe, but nobody bit. Then came the January transfer window. A 2nd-tier Turkey side, Risapor, took a chance on Freddy. Freddy responded with 4 goals in 10 starts. His brief resurgence caught the notice of Bob Bradley who called Freddy up for the Gold Cup roster. This must be a massive confidence-boost for the kid who was so close to rock-bottom just seven months ago. While practicing with the US squad will help Freddy's career, he still needs to find a club for next season. A good showing this summer will make his hunt easier.

Damarcus Beasley (M) - Beasley signed with Hannover early in the season and played a bit part as a reserve. He started 11 games, mostly in the German Cup, not the League games. 1 goal. Strange to say, but it looks like his career in Europe is winding down.

Ricardo Clark (M) - Clark started the year with an injury that kept him sidelined most of 2010. He returned this Spring to start 9 games for Eintracht Frankfurt. Alas, EF was relegated, but I believe Clark remains part of their long-term plans.

Maurice Edu (M) - Edu was a key player for Rangers this year, helping them earn another Scottish League title. Edu also scored a goal in the Champions' League, becoming one of just a few Americans to earn that honor (others in that group include Beasley and Jovan Kirovski). Despite playing in the top-heavy Scottish League, competition at Rangers is fierce. Edu must fight for his minutes. So far, he's done just fine and may just be the US's best option at holding midfielder.

Jozy Altidore (F) - This young man needs a change of scenery. He wasn't earning regular minutes at Villareal in Spain, so they loaned him to Bursapor in Turkey during the January transfer window. The move gave Jozy minutes, but he only scored one goal in five starts. He's not in the long-term plans for Villareal or Bursapor, so another loan next season is likely. My hope is he moves to MLS just to earn some actual games. His career isn't progressing at the big club like Villareal. He'd be better off somewhere smaller.

Charlie Davies (F) - Quite an interesting few months for the former US striker. Most US fans held out hope last year that Davies would recover from his near-fatal injury in record time and somehow make the World Cup roster. When Bradley didn't select him, a lot of us lashed out, thinking Bradley was punishing Davies for breaking curfew. News later surfaced that it wasn't just Bradley's call. The US medical staff ran extensive tests on Davies and confirmed that he was nowhere near recovered. At the beginning of the 2010 season, Davies' club, French outfit Sochaux, confirmed that claim: "He is not at the level he was when he joined us." Those words must've been tough to hear after his grueling rehabilitation. But Davies is a fighter. He accepted his new role as reserve. He spent the entire first half of the season with the reserve squad, occasionally scoring, but not with any regularity you'd expect from an international-level striker (which was exactly what he was pre-injury). Finally, in December, he made the bench for the senior Sochaux squad. In the offseason, Sochaux loaded up on strikers, so Charlie's playing time would be limited at best. He was looking at more time with the reserves. But Sochaux are a good outfit, and they wanted what's best for Charlie. So they offered to loan him to DC United in MLS. DC set a league record last season with fewest ever goals scored. They desperately needed help. But head coach, Ben Olsen (yes, THAT Ben Olsen) wasn't sure Charlie was recovered enough to make the squad. MLS is a notch below the French League, but it's still competitive. Just as Beckham and Thierry Henry. Davies worked out for DC and, after two weeks, the good news came that Davies passed the fitness test. He made the squad and came off the bench in his first game and scored TWICE! To date, he's appeared in 9 games (six starts) and scored six goals (three from the penalty spot). Charlie isn't fully back to his pre-injury level, but to see him scoring again is a minor miracle.

Brian Rafalski's $6million gift

Brian Rafalski surprised the Red Wing faithful last night as news leaked of his potential retirement. With just one year left on his contract, most thought Rafalski would play his final year and then perhaps hang up his skates. Yet, after a year of back surgery, knee surgery, and back spasms, it's possible Rafalski decided to listen to his body.

This is a somewhat shocking move because Rafalski is leaving $6million on the table. It wasn't like Rafalski's skills diminished sharply either. He finished fifth on the team in points with 48, and he was a +11. My guess is that his disappointing playoff performance left a bitter taste in his mouth and likely hastened his decision.

Throughout the 11 playoff games, Rafalski failed to make an impression. This is not always a bad thing for a defenseman. I recall horrible giveaways from Ericsson and Stuart that led to scoring chances and often goals. Rafalski didn't have that back-breaking mistake. But he didn't offer much positive either. His career as a Red Wing was marked by excellence. Just fifteen months ago, he starred on the grandest of stages for the US Olympic hockey team. Rafalski was perhaps the US's best player and the best defenseman in the tournament. Maybe that offseason back surgery took its toll on his slapshot. Or maybe it's just significantly harder to skate. As a back surgery veteran myself, I know that recovery times are often measured in years, not months. Regardless, the Red Wings now have a large hole to fill.

And it could get bigger.

Of the Red Wings' top 6 d-men, only Kronwall and Stuart are sure to return. Lidstrom is mulling retirement. Ericsson and Salei are unrestricted free agents, and Rafalski is gone. With Rafalski's $6million off the books, let's play the GM game.

Next season, the Wings have roughly $40million committed to 14 players. Last season, the salary cap was $59.35million. Let's assume the salary cap goes up to $60million. Rumblings say it may go up more, but let's keep it at a round number like $60million. That leaves the Wings with $20million in cap space. This is the first season since the lockout the Wings have had any room to maneuver.

Among the forwards, the Wings have to fill four spots. Modano, Draper, Eaves, and Miller are unrestricted free agents. Eaves and Miller are a good fit with the Wings, and I think they want to stay. I expect them to return at slightly higher salaries. I'm not convinced Draper wants to hang 'em up yet, so I bet he'll return, but at a slightly reduced rate. Modano retires.

Forward Spot 1: Eaves at $900,000

Forward Spot 2: Miller at $750,000

Forward Spot 3: Draper at $1.3M

Forward Spot 4: ???

That leaves $17M left to spend.

On defense, four spots are open. Lidstrom and Salei return for contracts equal to this season. Ericsson rejects the Wings' offer and signs elsewhere for crazy money.

Defense Spot 1: Lidstrom at $6.2M

Defense Spot 2: Salei at $1.1M

Defense Spot 3: ???

Defense Spot 4: ???

In goal, Ozzie resigns as the backup for $1.2M.

In this scenario, the Wings need to fill out one forward spot, and two d-men spots. They've got $8.5M left to spend. With Rafalski out of the fold, the Wings lose a premier defenseman. It's more likely the Wings will spend the lionshare of their cash on defense, especially considering they led the league in goals last year and were somewhat porous on D.

Among the unrestricted free agents, Ed Jovanovski (PHO), Andrei Markov (MTL), Eric Brewer (TB), and Kevin Bieksa (VAN) lead the pack. Those are all fine choices and would definitely help the Wings. Yet, the Wings could make the bigger splash with the restricted free agents. I don't recall the Wings ever making a play at the restricted free agent, but, with $8.5M of wiggle room, why not?

Sticking with defenseman, the top restricted free agent is also exactly what the Wings need -- Shea Weber. This isn't news to folks who regularly read this blog, but I think Weber is the best young defenseman in the game. He's the new era Pronger. In my dream scenario, the Wings make a massive play for Weber, something like 10 years/$70M. Apparently, Weber wants to remain a Predator, and that organization ain't stupid. They know what he's worth, and I anticipate him staying. So Weber is out of the discussion (though I still hope the Wings pursue).

A less expensive option is Zach Bogosian from Atlanta. As an Eastern Conference team, we rarely get to see the Thrashers, but Holland apparently wanted to pry Bogosian from Atlanta earlier this season. He's not performed terribly well, but he's just 20 years old. He could thrive in the veteran-laden Red Wing system. Also available is Drew Doughty of the LA Kings. Like the Preds, the Kings aren't stupid, and they know Doughty is the cornerstone of that defense. He's going to stay in LA.

Based on Ken Holland's track record, it's still more likely the Wings will sign a veteran to a 1 or 2 year deal than chase a restricted free agent. But with cap space, we can dream...

On offense, I'm not terribly enamored with many of the unrestricted forward options. The biggest name is Brad Richards of Dallas. Yet, he's paycheck last year was $7.8M. That's more than Datsyuk. What's he going to want from Detroit? In the restricted player pool, one name stands out above all others -- Steven Stamkos. At 21 years of age, Stamkos is already one of the best scorers in the game. With Yzerman as his GM, I can't see any scenario where Stamkos doesn't return to the Lightning. Other options include Zach Parise and Andrew Ladd. Both players can put the puck in the net. Ladd is just 24 and may not break the bank. In the past 3 seasons, he's raised his goal total from 15, 17, and 29, respectively. As an Atlanta Thrasher, he may be available.

My prediction for the remaining open roster spots:

Forward Spot 4: Michael Nylander at $2.3M

Defense Spot 3: Kevin Bieksa at $4.8M

Defense Spot 4: Brendan Smith (makes the big club) under contract at $875K

The Wings remain a few million under the cap and deal for a big name during the season.