What’s for Christmas?

The 400K is actually 270K and up to 410k if incentives are met (MVP; scoring X number of goals; making the Finals, etc). If Mathis were to make 410K, he'd be a bargain as this would mean LAG had achieved great heights and considering Goldenballs media following- this would earn LAG a good deal of cash, prestige and might even make Alexi look smart (I know- cue the soundtrack- THE DREAM... THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM...).

It's the 270K no matter what that bothers me. Dorman has a comparable statistical track record since '05 to Cletus (Mathis)...

Mathis '05 RSL 27 games, 3 goals, 4 assists
Dorman '05 NER 31 games (19 starts), 2 goals, 5 assists

Mathis '06 RAPIDS 25 games (16 starts) 2 goals, 1 assist
Dorman '06 NER 32 games 6 goals, 10 assists

Mathis '07 NYRB 26 games (17 starts) 6 goals, 2 assists
Dorman '07 NER 30 games (27 starts) 7 goals, 2 assists
_____________________________________

Total 3 seasons
Mathis 78 games- 11 goals, 8 assists
Dorman 93 games- 15 goals, 17 assists

Granted, stats are not absolutes- I mean Dorman played with some pretty petigree company while RSL and Colorado don't exactly inspire. Yet Mathis has been dumped three times in three years and Dorman will soon have his first.

Now factor in:
Discipline since '05
Mathis 13 Y, 4 R
Dorman 14 Y, 0 R

Finally salary: Mathis is GUARANTEED 270K. Dorman gets 30K. Dunno about you but when there are All Stars making under 100K, it looks bad.

Arena built his offense around an attacking mid. Reyna didn't fit the bill, more of a holder. Cletus did and he started well. Dumping him on the bench without a replacement is puzzling, but I also remember either Bruce or Sampson raging about Cletus and his amateur training efforts (rivaling Romario's). I would love to have been a fly on the wall during those NYRB player-coach discussions :)

The phrases "Landon Donovan" and "macho testosterone thing" in the same sentence made me laugh.

Not sure that 400k is Mathis's cap hit. He was brought in at that salary in 2005 to be the marquee player for RSL. When that didn't work he was traded to Colorado for Jeff Cunningham with RSL still paying half his salary (a trade that is part of the massive case for firing Clavijo even after that). After a year in Colorado didn't work he was traded to NY with both Colorado and RSL responsible for parts of his salary. What we have here is either 1) that contract is finally over so RSL are unraveling the mess that Ellinger left further and LA will sign him to new lower terms or 2) RSL, Colorado and maybe NY are covering some of that salary.

I still don't see who's going to find the net. Mathis looked a little perkier than I expected last season, but I don't see what he brings to this team except for a good mind for the game and that's not what the Galaxy are most in need of at the moment, for $400K. I'd spend that money on the best striker I could find even if Mathis were at his best.

Ives is reporting it now too. I'll have a post up shortly.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com...

Goff seems to have a press release.

Are you serious? Now THAT would be interesting. Do you have a link?

According to NY a freshly wrapped Clint Mathis for a 3rd round pick is under the Galaxy's tree.