save for Danny Mwanga, who pulled out of the Combine amid reports he is set to join Philadelphia Union as the top pick in Thursday's SuperDraft -- have come to play.
"You always have to showcase yourself wherever you are and whatever opportunity you get," Akron forward Teal Bunbury said. "If there's an opportunity, I'm going to try to showcase myself the best that I can and go out there and have fun."
Although their contractual future isn't on the line, those highly-touted players vying for draft position still have reasons to impress. MLS coaches and executives are still weighing their options and a consistent showing could cement the perceptions that have made these players sought-after commodities. The Combine also provides one last opportunity to dispel a few perceived weaknesses and show the type of professionalism required to make the leap to the next level.
"Consistency is a pretty big deal," Wake Forest midfielder Corben Bone said. "You have three games to show yourself. One of the big things with me is being consistent with playing both sides of the ball, starting with my defense. I want to make the players around me better, play one- and two-touch and get involved early."
The difference between the top prospects and others fighting for a spot lies in the cushion permitted for a less-than-stellar showing. This isn't a make-or-break weekend. If by some chance the performances don't match the hype, the highly-touted players can lean on the resume that has placed them at the forefront of draft speculation.
"My expectations are high, as always," Wake Forest defender Ike Opara said. "You don't want to put too much pressure on yourself because hopefully the teams won't just look at these games and they'll look at your overall body of work. You have to come in with that mindset and the rest will take care of itself. For sure, you can see these combines boost a player's stock and everyone wants to show well. A strong combine will only lead to better things."
With the pressure somewhat lessened with a contract in hand and a secure future ahead, the 17 players currently under contract -- 12 Generation adidas players including Bone, Bunbury and Opara plus five graduating seniors -- can focus on enjoying the opportunity to share the field with the assembled group of professional hopefuls.
"That's the biggest thing with me," Bunbury said. "I love playing this game. If it's training, a game or any little thing, I'm just out there trying to have fun with it. I'm going to go out there and showcase what I can do and do the best that I can."
Schedule change doesn't impact business trip: The players were expecting to take the field again at Broward County Regional Park on Sunday for the second of three doubleheaders, but the rainy conditions on Saturday forced Combine officials to postpone the proceedings until the scheduled off day on Monday.
The switch means the players will face a daunting schedule with doubleheaders slated for Monday afternoon (2:30 p.m./3:45 p.m.) and Tuesday morning (9:30 a.m./11:15 a.m.). The upcoming toil -- and the continuing cold snap -- meant the players spent most of the day taking it easy and preparing themselves for the rigors posed by the upcoming two days.
"My team went out on a walk and did a little stretch, but for the rest of the day I'll just lay low, relax and prepare for the game tomorrow," Bunbury said on Sunday afternoon.
Plains, trains and award ceremonies: Bone, Bunbury and Harvard forward Andre Akpan will need all of the rest they can get after a whirlwind 24-hour period.
The three M.A.C. Hermann Trophy finalists were in St. Louis for the award ceremony and banquet on Friday night. After Bunbury became just the third sophomore to claim the award, the three players caught an early-morning flight from Missouri to South Florida to join the Combine prior to its start on Saturday afternoon.
The itinerary didn't cloud Bunbury's joy after claiming the award -- the Canadian youth international heaped plenty of praise on his teammates for their contribution -- or his willingness to do whatever it took to join his fellow Combine attendees prior to Saturday's matches.
"I'm having fun and I'm doing the thing I love," Bunbury said.
Kyle McCarthy is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
