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Wednesday Kickoff: Knighton waived, Dynamo delay groundbreaking and more

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Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

By AVI CREDITOR

The Philadelphia Union's goalkeeping corps is down to a 39-year-old veteran and a 19-year-old rookie.

The team elected to waive Brad Knighton Tuesday, parting ways with the 25-year-old netminder who started eight games in the club's inaugural season.

With Colombian international Faryd Mondragon and United States U-20 starter Zac MacMath in tow, the Union evidently found the 25-year-old Knighton to be expendable.

The transaction means that both of the Union's goalkeepers from last season, Knighton and Chris Seitz, are no longer with the team. Seitz was selected by the Seattle Sounders in the Re-Entry Draft and then traded to FC Dallas.

Here are a few more stories to get your Wednesday going:

DYNAMO DELAY STADIUM GROUNDBREAKING

This Saturday was supposed to mark the groundbreaking of the Houston Dynamo's new downtown stadium, but after not yet receiving a final vote from the city council regarding part of the agreement between the city and county, the club has elected to delay the ceremony.

Dynamo president Chris Canneti told the Houston Chronicle that the delay "does not have any impact on our construction timeline and planned opening of April 2012."

The city council vote is expected to go in the Dynamo's favor, and the new date for the groundbreaking should be sometime next weekend.

FLASH ACQUIRE MARTA

Marta, the five-time FIFA Women's World Player of the Year, is headed to Buffalo.

The Western New York Flash, a WPS expansion team, acquired the rights to the Brazilian star, and it will be responsible for taking on the contract she had with FC Gold Pride. 

Marta guided FC Gold Pride to the WPS championship in 2010 and led the league in scoring for the second straight season, but the club folded in November. Marta's previous team, the Los Angeles Sol, folded after the league's inaugural season in 2009.

FIRE RE-SIGN ROBINSON

The Chicago Fire kept a part of its defense in place by re-signing veteran Dasan Robinson.

Although the club lost Wilman Conde (Atlas) and C.J. Brown (retired) in the offseason, it has brought in Cory Gibbs, Josip Mikulic and Jalil Anibaba in addition to retaining the services of Robinson, a fullback who will enter his sixth season with the club.

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Surprised to see the Union waive Knighton? Where do you think he'll end up? Disappointed the Dynamo had to delay the groundbreaking? Think the Flash will have success with Marta? Do you like the re-signing of Robinson for the Fire?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. careful, you both might get fired from you post as soccer commentators if you keep on with that anti-woman rot.

    Considering that the USWNT has a trophy case that puts the USMNT to shame, and that Brandi Chastain still created one of the most iconic moments in US Soccer history… well, I don’t know if it was necessarily a bad idea.

    And it actually launched at the height of the bubble era. It only feels like we’ve been in the middle of a recession for a decade.

    I think in order to make the league more popular, they should try some grassroots marketing, like play 3 v3 during halftime of the MLS matches. Shirts vs skins. No… only kidding. I really meant Tops vs. Bottoms DOH!

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  2. Primary difference of course was Busch had been one of the best GK’s in MLS for awhile, while Knighton has been………Knighton.

    Busch’s exit was a ridiculous bomb-shell when you conisder his replacement/heir was Andrew Dykstra a vastly inexperienced GK (who is likely in the discussion for worst GK’s in MLS now).

    Meanhwhile, Philadelphia fans can at least understand his depature given the Mondragon and McMath’s entry to the squad.

    Not sure I’m following your comparision, Dank, on any level.

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  3. ChrisTheLSUTiger said…

    Anyone else think that trying to start up a women’s league was a terrible idea?

    =======

    I took the liberty of editing your post for correction. You’re welcome.

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  4. Good point. But WPS is the best women’s league in the world. Sweden is a close 2nd but even Norway, Germany, England won’t offer her the kinda money that WPS will.

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  5. If this about Knighton taking his chances on being a number one elsewhere than best of luck to him.

    If this is about the Union banking on McMath as being ready for being a number, 2 to Mondragon this season that seems overly optimistic.

    either way, — the Union were unfortunate to not find a way to make him stay. I’ve loved every offseason move they have made so far, but this one scares the bejesus outta me. We’re one injured goalkeeper away from being as unstable and untested in the back 4 as we were last season.

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  6. I thought Knighton played okay for the Union last year – better than Seitz at least. He played pretty well for the Revs when Reis was hurt the year before. Wouldn’t be surprised if he lands somewhere else in the league.

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  7. The Knighton release certainly seems crazy, but maybe they tried to shop him and didn’t get any worthwhile offers, or he wants to go somewhere he’ll get a chance at being the starter. But after the expansion draft shenanigans, who knows?

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  8. Geez, it sounds like the WPS has been struggling. If the league’s team in LA folds after the first season, in arguably one of the biggest soccer markets in the country, that cannot be a good sign for the league’s long-term survival.

    Reply

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