Brian Ching Selected in Expansion Draft by Montreal Impact

Well, here we go.

Brian Ching has been selected in the expansion draft by the Montreal Impact. In order for Ching to finish his career in Houston, something he's stated he wants to do, the club will have to work a deal with the Impact to reacquire him. Will they do it, who knows.

There's the sentimental part of me that says give Montreal allocation money or a DP slot, hell even a player, to get Ching back for one more season. Sentimentality is not always the best choice though. The business side of me says let Montreal pay Ching's just below the DP line guaranteed contract and watch him get elective season ending knee surgery. Ching sits out the season, retires and joins Houston's front office and robs Montreal of nearly half a million dollars.

Look, we all love Brian Ching, but let's not forget the fact he's a 33-year old forward with injury problems. Sometimes you have to separate the emotion from the business of sport, but I'll be the first to admit that is not easy. The Dynamo made a calculated risk to expose their captain and team icon to selection by an expansion team and they got bit in the ass. I expect they had a contingency plan if this were to happen but who knows where this goes at this point.

You can genuinely make a solid case as to why the Dynamo should do whatever it takes to get Ching back and while letting him go is a smart business decision.

Needless to say, there are a ton of upset Dynamo fans right now with anger directed at Impact head coach Jesse Marsch (who helped keep Ching off the 2010 US World Cup team), the Impact organization and the Dynamo organization. In the end, Montreal called Ching's bluff. Brian has said before the draft he would retire before playing in Montreal, Marsch admitted talking to Ching this morning and being told that again by the man himself, but proceeded to select him anyway.

Shrewd move honestly. Now to get Ching back in orange next season, the Dynamo will have to pay up. Otherwise it'll be on Ching's shoulders whether to stand by his statement or go ahead and play for the Impact in 2012.

The next few days should certainly be rather interesting.