Dallas fans are hoping for a little more to cheer about in 2010. (Getty Images)

After a couple days away from this series we are back, today with my hometown team FC Dallas. So far we’ve looked at Chicago, Colorado, Chivas, Columbus, DC and Philadelphia in this pre-season look in on how each club is looking as they gear towards the new season.

FC Dallas comes into pre-season camp looking pretty good after a solid finish to the 2009 campaign. Schellas Hyndman has made a couple moves and could be prepared to do a couple more before the season starts. Right now there are a few trailists on the pre-season roster but that doesn’t always mean they’ll be there on opening day.

Let’s take a look in now and see what Dallas had done and what else they need to take care of before the new season.

Continue Reading…

Just as we all expected, today FC Dallas traded for recently turned pro Bruno Guarda from Colorado. Guarda was placed in a special weighted lottery last week and the Rapids won it. Guarda returns back to Dallas to play for his former college coach now with the MLS side.

I do think Dallas gave up a bit (a 2nd and 3rd round pick in next year’s draft, plus allocation) but both sides wanted to get it done so you can’t blame them for getting what is expected to be a very special player.

Here is the information that was just sent to me.

FC Dallas today acquired former SMU midfielder Bruno Guarda from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for the team’s natural 2nd and 3rd Round selections in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft and a partial allocation.

The Rapids won a special lottery to obtain the rights to Guarda on July 22. Special lotteries are conducted by the league among interested teams for players who are not eligible to be discovered and who were not drafted. Twelve of the 14 teams participated in last week’s lottery for Guarda’s rights.

“I’m very excited to stay in Dallas,” said Guarda. “My first priority is FC Dallas, and my second priority is to finish my degree here at SMU, which I have two semesters left. But becoming a professional was something that I’ve been dreaming about since I was a little kid, and hopefully one day I can make everyone proud at FC Dallas.”

“We’re very excited to have Bruno Guardo at FC Dallas,” said FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman. “What he’ll bring to the team is that he has a great work ethic. Attacking he was one of the better players in the country at the collegiate level, and he really surprises you because he works so hard defensively to gain the ball back. Tactically he’s very sound; technically he’s very sound. He’s capable of penetrating with a dribble or the pass, and I look for nothing but good things from Bruno as he comes into the professional ranks with FC Dallas.”

Guarda scored 15 goals and added 18 assists playing in his three years at SMU for Hyndman. He was a Herman Trophy semifinalist following both his sophomore and junior years (2006 and 2007).

What do you all make of this deal?

I meant to post this earlier as it came down late last night to me. But the Colorado Rapids are the lucky winners in the Bruno Guarda lottery.

No word yet on if FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman will be willing to pull the plug on a deal to land his former SMU-star. Fernando Clavijo may be inclined to keep Guarda and not trade him. Continue Reading…

Ah yes, the lovely lottery is back. If you haven’t heard by now as it was reported yesterday by The Star-Telegram, Bruno Guarda has turned pro and has signed with MLS, passing up his senior year at SMU.

This all means the lovely weighted lottery is back for another season. In years past we have seen the likes of Robbie Rogers and Danny Szetela go in this lottery (oddly enough won by Columbus each time). Aside from those two there aren’t many big names that have been placed in this lottery.

How was Guarda placed in this lottery system? The reasons below are how the league determines when to place a player in a lottery:

1. Generation adidas players signed after the MLS SuperDraft
2. Draft eligible players to whom an MLS contract was offered but who failed to sign with the League prior to the Draft.

How the league determines the lottery is always interesting. Its usually based on the last 30 games or so and the performance in those games. If that is the case you can bet Dallas has a good shot at winning another lottery here, meaning a local college kid gets to stay in the Big D and play for his old coach. Continue Reading…