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reprint of COLORADO RAPIDS NEWS RELEASE -- byline Ben Grossman
NEWS RELEASE
DENVER (Tuesday, January 27, 1998) - This Saturday and Sunday begin a crucial time for the Colorado Rapids with the 1998 Major League Soccer college and supplemental drafts in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. With all twelve coaches and general mangers assembled in Florida this week for a player combine leading up to the weekend drafts, the weekend has a history of producing a good amount of wheeling and dealing.
Last year, the weekend of the two drafts was pivotal for the Rapids in the rebuilding of the team under then-new head coach Glenn "Mooch" Myernick and General Manager Dan Counce. Colorado came away with what would become four solid contributors to the 1997 Western Conference championship team: Ross Paule and Tahj Jakins via the college draft, and Adrian Paz and Peter Vermes via trades with Columbus and NY/NJ, respectively.
Rapids General Manager Dan Counce said that with all the decision makers together during the week, a lot of movement can be expected.
"When you can walk out of your hotel room go next door and knock on the door and it's another team's coach or G.M., it's very easy to make things happen. After getting two starters from trades and two rookie of the year candidates from the draft last year, it's promises to be a very important weekend for us," Counce said.
Colorado will have the 11th pick in each round (11th, 23rd and 34th overall) in the three-round college draft, due to finishing runner-up in last year's MLS Cup. The Rapids will have the 4th (from MetroStars for Shaun Bartlett), 11th and 34th overall picks in the three-round supplemental draft. Colorado's second-round pick (23rd overall) was sent to San Jose last year for D/M Rafael Amaya.
The first round of the college draft will be held Saturday at approximately 6:50 pm MDT. The remaining two rounds will begin Sunday morning at 7:00 am MDT, with the supplemental rounds to follow immediately.
MYERNICK TO LEAD ALL-STAR TEAM: Rapids coach Myernick was selected to lead a team in the Umbro Select All-Star Classic this week in Ft. Lauderdale. Myernick will coach a squad made up of college all-stars putting their skills on display for the MLS team representatives.