MLS Draft a letdown for D.C. United fans, but team still scores pick

By Chris Hummer

(Philadelphia, PA) - Before the first round of today\'s 2010 Major League Soccer draft even got started, there was little hope the many fans traveling here from D.C. would witness anything close to the live selection of a similarly stellar draft class of a year ago.

The trip from the Nation\'s Capital was arranged at the team\'s expense when everyone assumed they would have the seventh overall pick, certainly high enough in a good draft class to pick a quality prospect.

Then, hours before the bus was to depart, United made a huge trade with the new Philadelphia Union to secure former MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Troy Perkins. It was an opportunity United could not pass up, but due to some trades last year, it was a move that also left D.C. with one lonely draft pick - the 55th overall - in the fourth round, and the fans little to cheer about.

"Priority number one for us was to get a goalkeeper, and to get an excellent goalkeeper, and Troy Perkins is that," said new D.C. Head Coach Curt Onalfo on his reasons for making the trade for Perkins, "For the last three years, this team has had some inconsistency in that position."

Even without a pick to cheer, the United fans still partook in the growing annual tradition of making their presence known with some creative chanting wars with both the New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia fans also in attendance. The spectator spectacle is always part of the drafts, but this one was even more powerful, as it should be a prelude to a new rivalry between the three east coast clubs.

If the energy from the fans at the draft is any indication, MLS should finally start to see large numbers of travling fans - with Philadelphia likely being the biggest benefitiary. The only down side? With a 16-team league, each team will only play each other once at their home stadium - unless of course at least to of the three teams make the playoffs.

Rivalry aside, and with the bus having to leave before the 55th pick, D.C. did finally get to draft a player - a hometown defender named Jordan Graye, who had also spent time in their youth Academy. Graye is from Washington, DC, where he attended Dematha High School before going on to star for the University of North Carolina. He wasn\'t invited to the annual MLS Player Combine, but according to Onalfo, that was a good thing - because he thinks it kept another team from snagging his man.

"We were surprised he wasn\'t invited to the Combine," said Onalfo after the pick, who elaborated on how lucky they felt to get the player they had targeted all along,"He plays for the ACC, which is the most difficult conference in the United States. He played at the Final Four, which gets a lot of exposure. We knew people knew about it him, but often when you don\'t get in the combine you go down a little bit."