MLS Off Season: The dreaded Designated Player Rule

Here's looking at the developments of the MLS off season:

The Designated Player Rule (aka Beckham Rule)

This has already been talked to death about. Is it the death of MLS? The return of the NASL? Will it provide the boost to quality of play and attendance? Will it actually help the NY Red Bulls?

My personal opinion is that, no, it will not be the end of MLS. I really don't see it making that big of a difference as far as one team suddenly becoming a super-club because of 1 or 2 new, high-earning players. Soccer is one of the few, true team sports in that while 1 or 2 players can make a significant difference, they can't do it all by themselves. It's great to have someone like Beckham to send in a picture perfect cross but you'll still have a stock MLS player on the end of it.

One interesting development, though, is that Chivas USA has already traded away their DP spot to RBNY in exchange for Amado Guevara. This is a club that many of us had pegged as on the the teams not only ready to use theirs but possibly grab another. My only guess is that they're about to sell Juan Pablo Garcia off, get an allocation, then trade that and a draft pick or two to a team like Columbus in exchange for their DP spot.

Another thing to keep in mind as well is that along with the DP spot, the salary cap had also received a boost to around $2.5 million I think. Hopefully this will mean that players like Bobby Boswell and Troy Perkins from DCU will be able to get their salary bumped up to somewhere near what they're actually worth.