The Best of Both Worlds – 2013 FBM Super “Draft”

We've gone back and reviewed every pick from the first round of the Major League Soccer SuperDraft and picked drinks/beers from the players' college/home town to fill in for them. We'll call them our own “draft” picks”. All for fun, folks. Warning… many terrible beer puns ahead. Enjoy!

“Hello, everyone! Welcome to Indianapolis and welcome to the 2013 Major League Soccer Super “Draft”! My name is Sun King and I am the official representative of Indy's own, Sun King Brewing Co. I'll be your host for today's festivities.

We've got some of the nation's best “on tap” for “drafting” this afternoon. Each pick has EXCLUSIVE scouting profiles from Free Beer Movement experts.

Just in case anyone was worried about FBM's lack of presence at this year's Super “Draft”… we were definitely there.

I've been informed that a massive line has already formed 20 minutes before the free beer happy hour opens in the @nscaa exhibit hall. #beer — Charles Boehm (@cboehm) January 17, 2013

Alright. Let's tap these drafts!”

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1. New England Revolution (acquired in trade with TFC) — Andrew Farrell, D, Louisville (Generation Adidas)

Paired with Blue Grass Brewing Co. “Dark Star” Porter (Louisville, KY)

BBC hails this beer as “rich and robust” and the Revs can only hope that Farrell's contributions are equally “robust”. Coach Jay Heaps will need contributions from Farrell quickly if New England is going to have a look at playoffs or get shut out for another season.

2. Chivas USA — Carlos Alvarez, M, UConn

Paired with Half Full Brewing Co. “Bright” Ale (Stamford, CT)

If you're a Chivas USA fan it's easy to be pessimistic, but if you're still around after all these years of failure and mis-management chances are you're a “glass half-full” kind of person. Coach Chelis is hoping Alvarez's attacking mindset will “brighten” this team's fortunes for seasons to come.

3. Toronto FC (acquired in trade with Timbers) — Kyle Bekker, M, Boston College

Paired with Samuel Adams “Dark Depths” Baltic IPA (Boston, MA)

Sam Adams brewery is just down the way from Bekker's Boston College so hopefully kids there are crushing affordable craft beer from Jim Koch instead of Natty Light. TFC is certainly looking up at the rest of the Eastern Conference from the dark depths and with a new coach and a irritable, but still passionate fanbase this Canadian native son will have a lot of responsibility thrust upon him. Sink or swim?

4. Vancouver Whitecaps (acquired in trade with Toronto FC via Revolution) — Kekuta Manneh, F, Lake Travis High School (Generation Adidas)

Paired with Austin Beer Works “Fire Eagle” IPA

We could really show off our beer knowledge chops and pick a beer from Manneh's home country of Gambia, but then we'd miss a chance to feature a beer from FBM HQ's home city, Austin. ABW describes drinking a “Fire Eagle” like this: “Flavor swoops in (cue EAGLE SCREAM), grabs you by the face and flies you through the hop rainbow. At the peak of the ride it swoops back to earth and gently drops you back on your bar stool where you are refreshed, excited and ready to ride again.” Having seen Kekuta skip through opposing defenses live…. it's a similar experience.

“This is going to be a tough call. Another beer over here first.”

5. Whitecaps (acquired in trade with Union) — Erik Hurtado, F, Santa Clara

Paired with Heritage Brewing Co. “Menage a Singe” Black IPA (San Jose, CA)

Hurtado is built for speed and will add another body to the Whitecaps growing forward corps. Will one more front man make it a threes-a-crowd?

6. Colorado Rapids — Deshorn Brown, F, Central Florida (Generation Adidas)

Paired with Orlando Brewing Co. Blonde Ale (Orlando, FL)

We had to look up where Central Florida was and it killed us that we couldn't use Tampa's Cigar City Brewing Co. UCF is in Orlando and the craft beer scene is sparse. Also, apparently there's no Disney branded beer which seems like a terrible idea to anyone except the desperate craft beer enthusiast dad stuck in line for the tea cup ride for the fifth time. Turns out there are a few places in the Magic Kingdom that you can get a decent, local beer. OBC being one of them. That's the best you're going to get from us on this one.

7. FC Dallas — Walker Zimmerman, D, Furman (Generation Adidas)

Paired with Blue Ridge Brewing Co. “Rainbow Trout” ESB (Greenville, SC)

Zimmerman hails from Clint Dempsey's alma matter and so it was only fitting that we went with the fish-themed ESB from Greenville's only brewpub. Word is that FC Dallas got one of the best defenders in the draft. Quite a catch.

8. Montreal Impact — Blake Smith, M, New Mexico

Paired with Marble Brewery Red Ale (Albuquerque, NM)

Another Austin Aztex alum cracks into the first round of the MLS draft. A friend sent us a six pack of Marble's Red Ale and it was delightful (Thanks Zach!). The red had a surprisingly pleasant hop impact.

9. Columbus — F Ryan Finley, Notre Dame

Paired with Four Horsemen Brewing Co. “Hop Rush” IPA (South Bend, IN)

Last season Finley was second in the nation with 21 goals last year and had 56 in his career. The Crew hopes a similar goal rush will propel them into the playoffs this season.

We know… it's not the “amber” like we said.

10. Seattle Sounders (acquired in trade with Toronto FC via Vancouver) — F Eriq Zavaleta, Indiana (Generation Adidas)

Paired with Upland Brewing Co. “Rad Red” Amber Ale (Bloomington, IN)

All-Big Ten. His 18 goals tied him for third in the country. Assisted on the sole goal to give Indiana their eight NCAA title. All-College Cup team. Soccer America MVP first time. Just a sophomore. The Sounders got a pretty “rad” player. Yup we went there.

11. Colorado (acquired in trade with Chicago) — M Dillon Powers, Notre Dame

Paired with Four Horsemen Brewing Co. Irish Stout (South Bend, IN)

For the Austin Aztex (three players from a USL PDL team.. how about that?) Powers was stout in the center of the pitch. Fueling the high powered attack of coach Paul Daglish (yup… that Daglish family) while also tracking back to break up opponents attacks. A solid player in the Michael Bradley mold.

12. Real Salt Lake — John Stertzer, Maryland

Paired with Flying Dog Brewing Co. “Raging Bitch” Belgian IPA (Frederick, MD)

With RSL's possession style tactics they're going to need another box-to-box midfielder much like Will Johnson. Stertzer will be “flying” for this side.

13. Houston Dynamo (acquired in trade with Portland via NY) — Jason Johnson, Virginia Commonwealth (Generation Adidas)

Paired with Hardywood Park Craft Brewery “Hardywood Hoplar” Imperial IPA (Richmond, VA)

This spring seasonal (just in time for MLS kickoff!) is a dry-hopped Imperial IPA conditioned on Virginia Tulip Poplar Wood and has been described as big-boodied and hop-forward. About the same description could apply towards this Dynamo who will pair with Will Bruin. Wonder what we should pair that beer with?

14. Sporting Kansas City — Mikey Lopez, M, North Carolina (Generation Adidas)

Paired with Carolina Brewery “Sky Blue” Golden Ale (Chapel Hill, NC)

The sky's the limit for this diminutive midfielder. The former Tar Heel and Generation Adidas player is “golden” with the ball at his feet.

15. San Jose Earthquakes — Tommy Muller, D, Georgetown

Paired with D.C. Brau “The Public” Pale Ale (Washington, DC)

Muller was solid at the back for the Georgetown Hoyas holding the line for 10 shutouts and propelling them to the 2012 NCAA Final (a 1-0 loss to Indiana). San Jose's supporters (“the public”) will hope the skill, experience and depth of the Earthquakes' defenders (with the likes of Steven Beitashour, Ramiro Corrales, Victor Bernardez plus newly acquired vets Ty Harden and Dan Gargan) will rub off on Muller.

“Kid has a good head on his shoulders,” said one MLS scout.

16. Toronto FC (acquired in trade with Sounders FC) — Emery Welshman, F, Oregon State

Paired with Oregon Trail Brewery Brown Ale (Corvallis, OR)

Toronto FC's journey since their introduction to MLS in 2006 has been like a series of failed journeys across the American West (why would a Canadian team travel across the U.S….. shhh…. the logic isn't important). Dysentery, sunken covered wagons, shooting too much food that you can't carry it all back to the wagon… you name it Toronto FC has suffered it. Will this late-round pick fix any of that? He's got athleticism, but sounds like other parts of the game need working on. Hey…. athleticism was definitely needed to survive that long journey from Independence, MO.

17. D.C. United — Taylor Kemp, D, Maryland

Paired with Flying Dog Brewery “Under Dog” Atlantic Lager (Frederick, MD)

Kemp's travels from Maryland to D.C. will be short, but his journey to break into the starting XI won't be so easy.

18. Montreal (acquired in trade with Houston) — Fernando Monge, M, UCLA

Paired with Golden Road Brewing Co. “Golden Road” Hefeweizen (Los Angeles, CA)

If Montreal can find the right position for him on the pitch the athletic Monge will have a golden road to MLS.

19. LA Galaxy — Charlie Rugg, F, Boston College

Paired with Harpoon Brewing Co. “Harpoon” IPA (Boston, MA)

Even though Rugg went to BC with TFC's number three pick Bekker we wanted to make sure we tipped the cap to one of Boston's other famous craft breweries, Harpoon. Harpoon's IPA started out as a seasonal when the brewers wanted to bring the West Coast IPA to the East Coast and is now their flagship beer. Rugg is returning the favor; East to West now. Hopefully this target forward (Harpoon.. get it? Sigh….) can help overcome the loss of firepower on the front lines for the Galaxy.

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“And that concludes the first round of the FBM/MLS Super “Draft”. It's been great having you all here in Indy, but after nineteen beers the world is starting to spin. Don't forget to support your club's newest picks by trying to find the delicious brew that we've paired them with. Of course all the other ones are darn fine as well so feel free to drink your way through the whole thing.

A big thanks to Jeremiah Oshan and his SB Nation MLS Draft re-cap for a little scouting help on the players. We owe you a beer (or nineteen!) Mr. Oshan.

We'll be back next year in…. uhhh…. wherever the NSCAA Convention is…. clearly the beer has gotten to me.

Good night!”

Tags: The Best of Both Worlds

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