The Fighter: "Irish" Steven BeattieEnough of that wacky rap music street jive, Toronto FC is doing serious business... yo! Major League Soccer held the 2011 Supplemental Draft today and Team Winter was busy doing what Mo Johnston rarely did - team building. For those of you who don't know what this draft is all about, think of last week's SuperDraft as the exciting Boxing Day sale where all kinds of goodies are up for grabs. The Supplemental Draft on the other hand is the post-Boxing Day sale where the things that didn't get picked up are thrown into a bin and bargain hunters sift through junk looking for a diamond in the rough.
Despite its Honest Ed's feel, the Supplemental Draft isn't anything to be sneezed at. It's true that there are no contract guarantees given to the drafted players with many, if not most, disappearing quietly during training camps. However, now and again, those diamonds are discovered. In past years, MLS stars such as Jeff Larentowicz, Brian Ching and Chris Wondolowski have emerged from the bin in question. With that possibility and a whole whack (more rap jive) of roster spots available, Toronto FC 2.0 has taken four youngsters with potential shiny bits.
• JIMMY "JC" BANKS: Mobile midfielder from University of Wisconsin - Green Bay (Go! Fightin' Cheese Wheels! Go!) who just dropped out of the SuperDraft selections last week after a mediocre combine. Father was a US International who played at the 1990 World Cup and starred with the indoor Milwaukee Wave. "Wave Soccer - Catch the Taste!"
• "IRISH" STEVEN BEATTIE: The high-scoring forward made his way from the youth leagues of Dublin, Ireland over to the wilds of Northern Kentucky (great fried chicken, awful Irish breakfasts) in NCAA Division II. His eye for goal led him to be named the division's Player of the Year in 2008 and 2010 but his stock dropped due to his MLS International Roster status.
• SPENCER "FOR HIRE" THOMPSON: One of two guys named Spencer Thompson to go in today's draft. Wha' Supp (see what I did there?) with that? The big forward from Michigan State actually trained with TFC last summer when the "Preki & Mo FunTime Hour" still ruled. Does he still want to come? Hey, free trip to Turkey! Gobble, gobble!
• SCOTT "SPANISH FOR RED SCOTT" ROJO: Diminutive midfielder from High Point University ("Let's! Get! High!") who spent some time with the USL PDL's Carolina Dynamo. The 5 Foot 7 Texan can still tower over new TFC forward Joao Plata - so there's that.
On a roster that is full of chances, a spot on the big club - or at least its Reserve League baby brother - is there for the taking for these young men. As one of eight youngsters joining the new “Oranje Reds” in the last week, these players may have joined the most opportune club outside of the two expansion teams. They won't be able to just walk onto TFC though. If Team Winter’s constant selection of two-way players has shown anything, it's that they have a plan in mind and will only take players who fit. Word to your mutha.
Whassup' with that? 
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I am an old codger and have some difficulty with your snappy young folks lingo (I know I put my hearing aid somewhere around here). Are the music references flying around because TFC drafted a young man named MC Banks? Or because the Irish guy has "beat" as a last name? Will Spencer Thompson and Spencer Thompson demand to tour as the Thompson Twins? Wow,did you see that eighties reference coming?? Kids today...
ReplyDeleteNah, just a natty play on words from Sup'plemental Draft - as in Whas-Sup (a stretch, we know!). Anyways, the last time any Yorkie working on this site was a "young folk" The Thompson Twins were the business! "Hold me now, ohhhh, warm my heart..." See!
ReplyDeleteGuess we should have gone with a Steven Beattie Irish theme. Fiddle-dee-dee Potato.
Never regret the angle of your insanity, just keep it coming. I was razzing just as a setup to my Thompson Twins reference. Off season comedy is wearing me down. I am counting the hours until training camp and even then what coverage can we expect out of Turkey??
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