Round One, Games Zero

The Columbus Crew were pretty much universally derided for selecting forward Bright Dike (it's dee-kay, everybody knows by now) of Notre Dame with their second first round pick, the 12th overall selection. He was expected to be taken at some point, but certainly not that early. Two months later, the 2010 MLS season began with no Dike in sight. The Crew had passed on signing him. He's likely to join the short list of MLS first round draft picks never to play for an MLS team: 2009 - Ryan Maxwell (NE-15) 2008 - Josh Lambo (DAL-8), Dominic Cervi (CHI-12) 2007 - Bryan Arguez (DC-11) 2006 - Leandro de Oliveira (NE-11) 2002 - Mansour Ndiaye (NY-7) 1999 - Andrew Mittendorf (COL-8) 1998 - Ben Parry (SJ-3) 1997 - Mike Fisher (TB-2), Mike Mekelburg (TB-8) 1996 - Mike Gentile (COL-9) Dike's failure to even make the roster is particularly bad, though. You might even say it's a (horrible pun warning) "massive" failure. Of the 11 players on the list: Lambo is still young and should play for Dallas someday. Arguez spent the entire season on DC's roster and was sold in the offseason. de Oliveira made the Revs' roster, but was cut midseason. Mittendolf also made the Rapids roster, but was cut a week into the season. Parry made the roster but suffered an intestinal disorder. Cervi went to Europe and eventually signed for Celtic. Ndiaye and Fisher both pursued other careers. So I believe that only leaves three players who tried and failed to even make the roster: Maxwell, Melkenburg, and Gentile. Dike is currently on trial with the Portland Timbers, so maybe there's hope for him yet, especially since they'll be in MLS next season. It certainly would be a great story for him to make the team and play in next year's opener. Not counting on it though.