Billy bites the dust

OK, maybe that title was a bit dramatic, because he's actually well and healthy, but soccer writer Billy Witz got axed in the latest round of cuts at the Los Angeles Daily News.

Billy has consistently broken some important stories about both local soccer teams, the Galaxy and Chivas USA. He asks tough questions and doesn't sugercoat anything. It's always nice to have someone smart and insightful around the pressbox to discuss things with - I hope another soccer outlet or local paper picks Billy up soon, because he's straight-out good at his job.

Exhibit A: Billy's current items -stories he didn't get a chance to break before he was let go. He sent me a quick email, and as usual, he's right on top of the latest situations.

What the Galaxy've been up to - they'd been trying to trade Jazic to Columbus for Tim Ward, but when they kept vacillating, Columbus sent Ward to Colorado. They've been shopping Kelly Gray and Harmse around to several teams -- found a taker in Harmse -- and were trying to get a draft choice from Utah for Martino. Any interest in Martino is tempered because of concerns about whether he's really healthy. And since everyone knows the Galaxy is having to dump guys, most teams are just waiting until they're put on the waiver wire Monday. . .