MLS Superdraft=Superaction!

Chance Myers. This little bundle of smiles is your #1 MLS Superdraft pick of 2008. He joins a list of luminaries taken #1 in previous years, including Steve Shak, Chris Carrieri, Chris Gbandi, and Nikolas Besagno.

Alright, before I go any further, I'm going to go ahead and own up. I believe that the Superdraft is one of those many things that make the MLS a league that will never have true international standing. It should be obvious that American soccer can't be treated like other leagues in the US, but still the powers that be try to fit the square pegs into the round hole. Meanwhile, the kids in college (or earlier) who don't want the hassle of going through a ranking process just go ahead and sign overseas, like Oguchi Onyewu, or Landycakes. Besides, it's not like college programs are the best step up for building international talent. America's budding young players need to get away from the TV timeouts and multiple substitution patterns as soon as possible. But I digress.

Chance here is a single-year starter from UCLA. His top collegiate honor is a 1st team Pac-10 spot in 2007. He also got a call to the USA U-23 camp this winter. Ooohhh. All signs are go for that Steve Shak revival, I tell ya. From the looks of things, the best chance he has to make history is being the guy who changes the play Take Me Out from baseball to soccer. Fun bonus fact--he was not even on the MLS poll of who will be the first pick. Those guys are all over it, aren't they?

The rest of the first round proves that it pays to either go to a California state school, or be a part of generation adidas (no capitalization necessary). Of the top eight picks, only Patrick Nyarko from Virginia Tech, who would have been my personal top pick of the draft, did not come from one of these places.

Patrick Nyarko. Next year's MLS Rookie of the year. May be Marlo Stanfield's cousin.

Truthfully, there's not a lot to take away from this draft. Some teams don't care for drafting. Chivas and San Jose traded away picks for players, leaving them with one pick apiece. There were some interesting draft day trades. Pseudo-international Chris Albright was sent to New England, and he-of-the-headgear (and total ass) Alecko Eskandarian was traded to Chivas, where he will undoubtedly thrive and become my Titus Bramble.

Some last, random thoughts

• Players drafted came from seven nations, including the new Haitian Sensation, Ricardo Pierre-Louis. Oh, and MLS can't decide how to spell Haiti.
• Furman, a smallish school in my hometown, had two kids picked in the second round, Shea Salinas and Johnathan "With" Leathers. God, I hope he makes SportsCenter someday.
• While Stephen King and David Roth came close, the best name in the draft is Rauwshan McKenzie. When I see that name, an image of a kilt-clad Busta Rhymes pops in my head.
• Really. A quarter of the picks came from California state schools. If your kid wants to play in the MLS, get him a scholarship there.
  

Chance Myers photo from mercurynews.com
Patrick Nyarko photo from hokiesports.com