The Curse of #2?

Last year, I let it be known that I would be following the progress of Gonzalo Peralta particularly closely since he was sporting the number I wore through the majority of my playing career*. Though I often split time between right back and defensive midfield, I kept the number that my Anglophile traveling team coach assigned me as a ten-year old right back, #2.

Not content to have dragged my much-loved number though the proverbial Argentine mud, it seems that this year, the #2 has been passed to Ryan Miller. I guess that answers one of our developmental roster questions, doesn't it? Puzzling though. Between Zaher and Miller, it's only Zaher that I've seen mentioned as having any impact on the pre-season matches. And of the two, only Zaher made any impression last year. I suppose you could say that Zaher won't see any minutes behind Burch and Wallace on the left, but how much time would Miller see behind Namoff (and potentially McTavish, Mediate, and maybe even Olsen) on the right?

Ah well, maybe the staff sees something in Miller that I don't (or can't, given how few minutes I've actually seen him play). Here's hoping. In the meantime, the defender watch continues. Let's see, since last summer, we've . . .

1. Added a USL 2 youngster--check!
2. Dismissed our failed imports--check!
   
3. Drafted a winger converted to left back--check!
4. Resigned our only real veteran back--check!
5. Resigned two younger guys who haven't really impressed in defense--check!
6. Waved bye-bye to our Brazilian hope--check!
7. Invited a cast of MLS rejects and small-college types on trial--check!

Progress, indeed.

* For those interested, I also wore 10,17, and 20 for short stretches when 2 was already taken. And yes, I did grab the #2 jersey for my daughter in her first season of U-6 last fall. Like Peralta, she had little to contribute beyond flowing blond locks. Then again, she had just turned five, and it was her first experience with soccer and team sports in general. Or maybe the #2 is cursed?!?