Youth served in MLS draft

[HuckleB]

Youth served in MLS draft

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~29583~2655270,00.html

Nikolas Besagno could only think of one word to describe his feelings when expansion team Real Salt Lake made the 16-year-old the top pick Friday in Major League Soccer's SuperDraft.

"Shock," Besagno said.

The midfielder from Maple Valley, Wash., is the second-youngest player to be drafted No. 1. Freddy Adu was 14 years old when he was chosen last year by D.C. United. Besagno, widely expected to be the top choice, was one of six first-round selections who are part of MLS's "Generation Adidas" program - formerly called "Project-40." These players count neither against their teams' salary caps nor their roster sizes.

Carson-based CD Chivas USA, MLS's other expansion team, grabbed highly regarded University of South Carolina goalkeeper Brad Guzan with the second pick. The Galaxy, which will share Home Depot Center with Chivas USA, took defenders Ugo Ihemelu from SMU and Troy Roberts from California with its first-round selections.

..."

Full draft listings:
http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/mls/events/superdraft/2005/search.jsp?sort=Pick&order=asc

MLS Ready For New-Look Draft:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/mls/2005-01-12-mls-draft-preview_x.htm

[nickgutierrez]

1. Real Salt Lake -- what a goofy name.

The least they could do was translate the word "real", but the translation would be "royal" and I guess that wouldn't work.

Anyway, the best thing MLS could do, aside from loosening Europe's grip on the American game, is to start rounding up all of the great young American players. And that does seem to be what they're doing at the moment.

[HuckleB]

2. Indeed.

MLS has been incredibly smart with its business side, and the play has improved each year, and this strategy should help keep that improvement going.