Matt Belser in a Red Bulls shirt? What could have been....

There's plenty of "oh, what could have been" moments in New York Red Bulls/MetroStars lore.

It's practically the team's entire history.

But take a look at this one: In the lede on Sam McDowell's great story about Matt Besler's post-World Cup transfer prospects, he mentions Besler expected to join the Red Bulls.

Instead, the Notre Dame prospect and suburban Kansas City native was drafted by his hometown team, the then-Kansas City Wizards with the 8th pick in the first round. The Red Bulls got Jeremy Hall three picks later at 11.

They'd also come away with Babajide Ogunbiyi -- who would turn MLS down for Denmark, only to come back three years later and fail a physical -- along with Besler's Notre Dame teammate Jack Traynor and Nick Zimmerman, all defenders.

The next year, they'd take Tim Ream in the second round, who would make a legitimate run at the 2010 MLS Rookie of the Year. Ream would depart after the 2011 season for Bolton Wanderers, after then-GM Erik Soler allegedly offered him a contract extension on the team bus. Last season, he was both the club's player of the year the and fans' at Bolton.

So just add the possibility of a Besler-Ream back line to the pile of "what could have beens" in team history.

Granted, the Besler half was Sporting Kansas City making a very good pick. Ream, on the other hand, was classic Soler Era incompetence.

But still...that back line. Christ...

File this one under speculative history.