Sayonara, Petke

The trade we've all been waiting for is finally here! So first it was Steve Jolley, an allocation, and a #5 pick for Pope, Moreno, and Williams. Then all of the sudden the deal falls through and Jolley resigns for four years at $120K. A well deserved raise. Then we start hearing that instead of Jolley it's Mike Petke now that is going to be sent over to the Scum... DC.

Only one problem. The deal couldn't go through until Marco Etcheverry resigned, as DC would have had to re-think their options if Etcheverry didn't. Well this was back in the good ole days of early December 2002. And at about the same time Marco "Maricon" Etcheverry gets a call from his friends at the UAE out in the Middle East. Apparently there is a shortage of mullet-haired Bolivians in the Middle East and were wondering if he could go over there and bring his sense of style to one of their teams. So Etcheverry in true DC Scum fashion decides to play off of this sudden demand for his mulletdom. And there goes the Metro-DC deal, down the toilet, just like Thomas Rongen's career.

So anyways along comes December 23rd and Etcheverry finally signs with MLS. YEAY! Just in time for Christmas! The Metros will be getting long time national team center back Eddie Pope who lately has been injured but can very well be worth it if he stays healthy as there is no better center back in the league. We'll also be getting a rejuvenated Jaime Moreno who is said to be "pumped up" to start with his new team. And finally there that little munchkin of death, ex-Metro Richie Williams.

Petke leaves us as one of the most popular Metros since Rhett Harty. But since he signed that contract 2 years ago Petke had been on a downhill trend. He was often out of position and even got beaten one on one quite a few times, something that NEVER happened. You can say it was because of OZ but either ways with the new coach in town it was either him or Jolley and since Jolley gets paid less, out da door Petke goes.

"It's a very sad day for me, one I hoped would never come but realistically knew would one day," said Petke. "I'll miss the fans and all the support they've given me over the years, and I'll never forget my time with the MetroStars."

And we will never forget you Mike. Like the time you went at it with Mamadou and had that t-shirt that predicted revenge. That was classic. And then there was the time you tried to imitate that kid from the adidas commercial by kissing the ball only to be sent off. Ah those were the days Mike where you wanted to know if the MLS ball had a "sistah" and the hair dye flowed freely. But now we must say goodbye.

So here at MetroFanatic we give you the one finger salute as you take the Greyhound bus to the piece of s**t stadium that is RFK and say to you....

"F**K OFF DC SCUM!!!"

Nothing personal Mike you're just on the wrong side now.