What now?
October 16, 2008
We thought we saw it all. Losses, injuries, playoff disappointments, firings, brief promising stretches, roster turnover, a name change, late-season collapses, losses, losses, and more losses. We thought nothing would surprise us. We were wrong.
So as we sit, with our mouth still wide agape after hearing the news of Jon Conway's and Jeff Parke's 10-game suspension for substance abuse, we ask the question usually reserved for the offseason... what now?
What now for Conway and Parke? As more details of the story are coming out, RBNY is claiming that the duo took the banned substance unknowingly. In an interview with Shep Messing, the players claimed that they bought vitamins in a nutrition store which did not contain the banned substance, but the substance was created when the vitamins were digested and metabolized. Unknowingly or not, and we're leaning towards the former, it's still a massive mistake.
So both are gone for the year, and for the start of the next one, be it eight games if Metro misses the playoffs or four if they make the MLS Cup (we're snickering at that thought, of course). Will this be the last we see of them in a New York uniform? Will Juan Carlos Osorio (or whoever is the coach next season) stick with the starting goalkeeper and its best defender or sell them off for 50 cents on the dollar? Will their reputation be tarnished forever (see: Roger Clemens, Marc McGwire) or will the transgression be largely ignored (see: Andy Pettite, Shawne Merriman, Rio Ferdinand)?
What now for Red Bull? For three years, they've talked about brand image, and the importance of RBNY projecting that image. Losing is one thing. Having MLS's first two substance abuse cheaters wearing the Red Bull colors is an entirely different story. Will they play Osorio's (or whoever is the coach next season) hand and force the removal of Conway and Parke from the squad? Will more drastic measures be taken? Or will it all go back to status quo?
What now for Metro? The team has a gaping hole in the back. Whoever fills in for Parke, likely Andrew Boyens or Diego Jimenez, is a massive downgrade. And with DC winning tonight and jumping over Metro in the standings, for the first time in months, NY is outside of the playoffs looking in (yes, they do have a game in hand on the Scum). And with two key players out, that playoff spot looks to be evaporating by the minute.
What now for Danny Cepero, Caleb Patterson-Sewell, and Terry Boss? The three Metro backups have exactly zero minutes of MLS experience among them. Now, Osorio's signing of USL-2 keeper of the year Boss a month ago, bizarre back then, now looks like a smart move. So Osorio got the best available goalkeeper possible... but will that goalkeeper be good enough? Or will Metro hand over the reigns to youngsters Cepero or Patterson-Sewell?
We often try to be optimistic about the team, but here it's hard to find a silver lining. Well, except for one thing: the only time Metro actually won a playoff series was in 2000, behind third-string keeper Paul Grafer. In fact, Grafer's first appearance came with two games left in the regular season. But... well, we've seen that before, but if it repeats this season, we'll be shocked beyond belief.
And one final thought. Isn't it rather appropriate that a team named after a supposed over-the-counter performance enhancer has its players banned for using one?
|