McBride to Chicago Dead?

Ives Galarcep thinks so:

If you ordered a Brian McBride Chicago Fire jersey you may want to hold off, or at least put it away until next year. Growing rumors that the chances of a Chicago-Toronto trade to send McBride's rights to Chicago are dying have turned out to be true, with Toronto refusing to budge on its demand for either Chris Rolfe or Justin Mapp from Chicago. Barring an injunction from MLS, which has been known to change the rules in the past, McBride will have to wait until 2009 to suit up for the Fire, assuming the next team to have the top Allocation spot doesn't do what Toronto FC is doing.

Like Galarcep, I fully believe Toronto is in the right here, there is absolutely no need to strenghten a team that Toronto is likely going to have to face in the playoffs and the idea that Chicago don't want McBride is simply rediculous. Toronto is playing by the rules and using every advantage they have to improve their squad. They could sign McBride if they wanted (not saying that McBride will want to play there) or they could demand Chris Rolfe or Justin Mapp (which they have).

The problem here is the stupidity of the MLS, single-entity, players rights crap that gets in the way. What is interesting is that the MLS will probably change the rules. Chicago's poor performance of late (remember they went 0-for-June in the win department and got spanked several times), cries out for a player like McBride. But the MLS, being as greedy as it is, won't pass up a chance to help make sure Toyota Park is not sold out for every match going forward after today. So I would not be surprised to see a McBride rule created, that allows former U.S. International players who have had X number of years (probably X being greater than three) to come back to the league to any team that will have them and pay them. Not quite a DP, but call it a U.S.I. rule.

That is not to say that the MLS would be right because they wouldn't be right by any stretch of the imagination. Far better would be to simply live by the rules they created and change them in the off season.

With this deal dying on the vine, it would be all but a lock that Brain McBride gets called in as an overage player for the U.S. Olympic team.