March 17, 2008

There's a fine line between genius and lunacy.

Doug Locker, the general manager of the MLL's San Francisco Dragons, decided he was going to put that theory to the test last Thursday.

It was on that day Locker packaged up Ryan Powell and Nate Watkins and shipped them off to the Denver Outlaws for two first round selections (one this spring, one in 2009) and a second round pick in the collegiate draft.

In doing so, Locker relinquished the rights to one of the best players in world in Powell; a player who resides just a floor below the penthouse in the all-time lacrosse high-rise (Gary Gait lives alone).

Putting aside his accomplishments on the international and indoor stage, Powell is a two-time MLL MVP whose efforts in 2006 - his second MVP season - helped the Dragons make the playoffs in the team's first year of existence. He is the embodiment of a `franchise player' and someone who always makes his squad a title contender.

Even though Powell boasts a resume matched by very few in the league, Locker was willing to barter him away not for a covey of all-stars along with important pieces to complete the team's puzzle. Instead, he accepted just three picks in the draft - the ultimate crapshoot in professional sports.

Why take such a chance?

A key part is Locker's belief, and he's not alone in this, that we are on the verge of two massively talented senior collegiate classes.

"This year's draft and next draft are projected to be two of the strongest drafts we've had in years," said Locker. "We wanted to put ourselves in position to get a seat at the table. When you give up a guy like Ryan Powell, one of the best players in the world, it's a tough decision. You have to balance short-term, long-term and all those kind of things. At the end of the day we felt to get a couple of first round picks for Ryan at this stage was organizationally a good move for us."

The Dragons missed out on last year's first round, perhaps making them antsy to get in on the action, but on the surface the claim that this is a good move for the Dragons is counterintuitive. What's coming in just doesn't seem to equal the value going out. There are three issues in particular that highlight this fact.

* First, the Dragons are shipping out the most recognizable player on their team and the enitre league. Assumably, a diehard lacrosse person in the Bay Area is already attending Dragons games, but when the San Fran marketing team tries to lure the casual lacrosse fan or across-the-board sports nut, the ability to use the hammer of the Powell name is money in the bank. Forget the goals and assists. Powell puts butts in the seats - the measure of every successful franchise. And there are only a handful of guys of that caliber in the league.

Locker's response: "He's one of the most recognizable names in the game and I'm sure there will be fans in our area who will not be happy with this trade because they won't be able to see Ryan play in a Dragon uniform. At the same time you have to balance everything out. I think we've done a good job of creating some fan favorites in the Bay Area.

"A lot of guys have moved to the Bay Area so the kids see Eric Martin, they see Chris Rotelli. There are names that are very recognizable who are in our market 12 months of the year. From a business-slash-fan perspective you do agonize over something like [trading Powell]. But at the same time you want to make sure you're putting a product out on the field that is not just going to play one good year of lacrosse and then fade off. You want them to be competitive for many years to come. That's the tough balance."

* Second, Frisco is sending one of the best players in the game to its chief rival. As if Denver needed anymore firepower, now the Outlaws have essentially made themselves slide-proof. The move all but cedes the West to Denver, and without Powell the Dragons may not be able to hang with Los Angeles for the next year or two.

Locker's response: "We're strengthening Denver and we know that. And for the next couple of years that is a pretty dangerous attack with Ryan, [Brendan] Mundorf and Drew Westerveldt. But Ryan certainly earned our respect and the right to have some input in terms of what type of situation he would end up in. We want him to be happy, and we want him to finish his career on a real up note in the city he wants to be in. We did consult with him pretty heavily in terms of the cities he felt would work. I think he's earned that, and we wanted to respect that.

"We did grant permission to one of the teams in the East who wanted to speak with him. They had a very good conversation. Ryan slept on it for a couple of nights but felt like he couldn't make that commitment. So playing in the West became the option."

* Third, who is going to fill the void left by Powell on attack and where are the numbers he provided going to come from?

Locker's response: "We feel secure. We acquired Jake Byrne last year and we just love the way he played for us, and Liam [Banks] is a guy who brings a lot to the table in terms of his knowledge of the game and leadership. Then picking up David Mitchell, a left-handed finisher, we felt that this was the time to do it. We have obviously gone very young at attack, except for Liam. And we feel we have some other attackmen, guys like Pat Walsh, who haven't had a real good opportunity in the MLL.

"You can never recover the talent of Ryan Powell, but we feel like we've positioned ourselves so we can withstand the short-term hit by not having Ryan and it allows us to really try to strengthen our midfield over the next two years by using those picks or trading those picks for players to build up in that area. Every team in the league, save a couple, will be looking for midfielders. It's a midfield game and you've got to have the horses in the midfield to be successful."

What is not conveyed in his quotes is Locker's tone. While he is trying to keep an upbeat attitude, he's not whistling past the graveyard. He's well aware of the gravity of this trade and the potential perils it holds for his franchise. The feeling of unease about the unknown is not going to subside anytime soon. Because the entire picture won't be painted until the end of the 2009 season at the earliest, Locker and the Dragons will have to operate with the Powell transaction hanging over their heads.

"It was a pretty stressful time and a lot of sleepless nights before we made the trade, but now the question is what do we do with it? We're not dealing with a name that you can attach to the trade quite yet," said Locker. "At the end of the day we acquired two first round picks and a little bit more for Ryan and I think that's a very fair trade."

Before we label Locker a savant or a fool, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

There may have been behind-the-scenes factors that Locker had to weigh in addition to the obvious issues. How would Powell fit into the plan of new coach Tom Slate? Was Powell happy with the direction of the franchise? Will the MLL add a franchise in the Pacific Northwest (Powell's current home) in the near future, forcing the Dragons' hand? How long will the star keep playing?

Also, it's tough to bet against Locker. He has defied conventional wisdom in the past and come out on top. He broke the common perception of NCAA lacrosse on the West Coast, building a national power at Whittier (Calif.) College. He then became the athletic director at Notre Dame de Namur and made Division II lacrosse work in the Bay Area despite major obstacles. And most recently he built the Dragons into instant MLL contenders since their inception.

Who's to say his vision on this trade won't follow the same course?

I'm rooting for Locker. Not because he got rid of Powell - the Syracuse product has given back to the game as much as anyone, is the prominent face of the outdoor game, and deserves all the praise he receives. I'm rooting for Locker because he's a good guy and no one has worked harder to promote the game in the West. For this his legacy will always be safe in my eyes.

Many people, however, will judge Locker through the narrow lense of the Ryan Powell trade and there will be no middle ground. Right or wrong, he will be viewed as either a genius or a lunatic.

Contact Jac Coyne at jcoyne@uslacrosse.org.