photo by Stephen Brashear/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
Two years removed from winning their first MLS Cup, the Colorado Rapids have undergone some
major changes.
After a season in which it was the last Western Conference team to secure advancement to the
playoffs, Colorado dismissed head coach Gary Smith and team president Jeff Plush resigned.
So this is where we pick up the pieces and attempt to move forward. Prepare yourselves to be
amazed at how well we can play when our merry band of egotistical misfits decide to show up. More,
after the jump:
Taking the Throne
This is really becoming 'old hat' isn't it.
Earlier today draftee Joel Helmick tweeted this:
Thank you @ColoradoRapids for the great opportunity. Made some friends and learned a
lot. Hope to return sometime in the future.
From this I think its safe to say that the Rapids didn't extend him a contract. Not really a
surprise since he was our pick in the final round of the Supplemental Draft and we already had 3
keepers under contract.
Qatar advanced to the final round of World Cup qualifying while Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were
eliminated in a wild day of matches across the Asian continent.
The 2022 World Cup hosts, currently ranked 96th in the world, scored a late goal to draw 2-2
with Iran. The draw moved Qatar into second place in Group E at the expense of Bahrain.
A couple weeks ago we looked at six Eastern teams' off-season transactions. This week, I
continue the off-season review with six teams from the Central and Mountain timezones. I have
omitted the Fire from this preview as there will likely be a comprehensive roundup of the Fire's
off-season when the regular season approaches.
Photo: Courtesy of Philadelphia Union
Philadelphia Union
A few minutes before the Union was to play University of Central Florida in a scrimmage on
Wednesday, a message appeared on the club's Twitter account indicating that goal updates would be
tweeted. A few minutes after that, the tweet was removed.
While there's still no news out of Commerce City, there's a couple of rumors going around
Twitter:
- A journalist with unknown accuracy tweeted that he talked to Rosario Central's manager and
confirmed that Martin Rivero is being transferred to Penarol in Uruguay.
- Steven Goff, a journalist with a track record of pretty good accuracy, tweeted that he's
hearing the Rapids are in talks with former U.
After an offseason full of major moves, promise and tangible signs of improvement, the Portland
Timbers were hit with a sizeable dose of bad news Friday.
Colombian striker Jose Adolfo Valencia, signed as a Young Designated Player back in December,
requires knee surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his left knee and is going to be out for
anywhere from the next 6-to-12 months.
Changing coaches often means changing playing styles, and the decision to hire Oscar Pareja as
head coach means the Colorado Rapids of 2012 may look quite different from the teams of
2010-11.
Giving Pareja the reins of his first MLS team is going to create a roster shakeup. The
Colombian, a veteran of MLS campaigns from 1998 through 2005, has already talked about the need to
find a Carlos Valderrama-type playmaker for the Rapids.
Changing coaches often means changing playing styles, and the decision to hire Oscar Pareja as
head coach means the Colorado Rapids of 2012 may look quite different from the teams of
2010-11.
Giving Pareja the reins of his first MLS team is going to create a roster shakeup. The
Colombian, a veteran of MLS campaigns from 1998 through 2005, has already talked about the need to
find a Carlos Valderrama-type playmaker for the Rapids.
Losing Conor Casey was a major blow for the Rapids in 2011. (Getty Images)
A little programming note to kick things off today. Sorry for the radio silence yesterday
(except for Geoff's Champion's League previews), I was hardly even able to look at soccer stuff
until late in the evening when the two MLS playoff games were on.
Home-and-away series in MLS playoffs tend to play out like the company Christmas party: things
may start out a little slow, stodgy and cautious. But pretty soon furniture is being tipped over,
fights are breaking out, things are gettin' wacky and, by the latter stages, you just don't know
what kind of craziness may claim the night.
Sporting KC are back to business with a quick turnaround as they take on the Colorado Rapids in the
second leg of their Eastern Conference semifinal series at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park tomorrow. It'll
be interesting to see how Colorado comes out for this game. Three players that started the game in
Colorado are now done for the season, Drew Moor, Caleb Folan, and Kosuke Kimura all left the game
with injuries.
That's Jamie Smith dressed up as the Mad Hatter for Halloween yesterday.Another quick turnaround as the Rapids face the end of their season tomorrow in Kansas City. Down 2
goals Colorado mus win by 2 to force overtime and PKs or 3 to win and move on. On top of the other
problems a storm is rolling into KC tomorrow night (probably the front edge of what's rolling into
Denver tonight) which could make the game sloppy.
photo courtesy of Jarred Donalson
Sporting KC took a big first step in the playoffs on Sunday night in Colorado as they took out the
Rapids 2-0 in the first leg of their home and home series. With the second leg at home at
LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, KC is firmly in the driver's seat in the series.
Teams that can't score don't make it far in the postseason, and the Colorado Rapids are a team
that can't score.
The latest evidence came Sunday evening as the Rapids fell 2-0 to Sporting Kansas City in the
first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Colorado, which edged the Columbus Crew 1-0 in the wild card match on Thursday, couldn't
generate legitimate threats as Sporting spent the evening shoving them around the field.
The Colorado Rapids' uphill battle in the Eastern Conference Semifinals just got tougher.
Kosuke Kimura, Drew Moor and Caleb Folan are all expected to miss extended time after picking up
injuries in the first leg of the home-and-home series against Sporting Kansas City, the Rapids
announced Monday.
People don't like Kenny Cooper. He is probably used to it by now. They didn't always like him in
Dallas where he racked up forty goals in ninety games. They didn't always like him in England or
Germany where he he was busy with a broken ankle. They didn't always like him here in Portland
where he was the Timbers leading scorer.
By AVI CREDITOR
The Colorado Rapids and Columbus Crew have taken different roads to get to this point, but
ultimately they're right back where they were a year ago.
Colorado eliminated Columbus in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season en route to
capturing its first MLS Cup.
If you need any evidence of the uneven season the Rapids have endured so far in 2011, look no
further than this season's golden boot winner.
On a team with Conor Casey, Omar Cummings and Caleb Folan, it should have been that one of them
would win the title as the team's top scorer.
Surprises: However, it was not to be.
Tomorrow its on. Rapids - FSL with the Rocky Mountain Cup on the line! Need I say more?
OK, I will, but only because the tailgate is almost as impressive as the game. About 5 hours from
now the crack Class VI/Pid Army chefs will be arriving at the Dick to start the grill on the
biggest tailgate they've ever done, a full pig roast!
"No disrespect to the Eastern Conference, but tonight was the championship" -- Dallas defensive
midfielder Daniel Hernandez after winning the Western Conference Championship in 2010I just wanted to throw that in as a "friendly" reminder about our guests tomorrow. I expect him to
get the official Class VI welcome for 90 minutes!
Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com
The Colorado Rapids could advance to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League by
winning both of their last two group matches. Even so, it looks like club is throwing in the towel
on its tournament run.
Colorado sent a reserve-heavy squad to face Isidro Metapan in El Salvador for Wednesday's match,
and head coach Gary Smith didn't make the trip, either, instead leaving assistant coach Steve Guppy
to handle the team.
By JOEY SAMUEL
Just when the Colorado Rapids needed a win the most to hold serve in the Western Conference
playoff race, they came up short once again.
Despite a late goal off a corner kick from defender Drew Moor, the Rapids' winless streak was
stretched to five games as they tied the San Jose Earthquakes, 1-1, in front of their home
fans.
Teams earn a share of the points in a tie, but rarely do they toil for it like the Colorado
Rapids did on Saturday night.
The record book will show that Chris Wondolowski scored an unassisted goal for San Jose in the
18th minute, and Drew Moor delivered an unassisted equalizer in the 71st. What the stats line will
fail to show is the frenzy and oddity on display at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Teams earn a share of the points in a tie, but rarely do they toil for it like the Colorado
Rapids did on Saturday night.
The record book will show that Chris Wondolowski scored an unassisted goal for San Jose in the
18th minute, and Drew Moor delivered an unassisted equalizer in the 71st. What the stats line will
fail to show is the frenzy and oddity on display at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
The last time the Earthquakes were in town the Rapids sent them packing after a crazy goal by Koz
and the trophy celebration to the left sent Colorado to MLS Cup. The stakes aren't quite so high
tomorrow night but if the Rapids have any hopes of repeating they need to repeat the result from
that night to solidify their playoff position.
Do not believe that the Rapids lost to the suddenly resurgent Toronto FC on Saturday night.
No, Colorado managed only a scoreless tie at home against the worst team in the league at home
earlier this season. The 2-1 loss in Toronto was merely the latest stanza in a the mediocre medley
of 2011.
Do not believe that the Rapids lost to the suddenly resurgent Toronto FC on Saturday night.
No, Colorado managed only a scoreless tie at home against the worst team in the league at home
earlier this season. The 2-1 loss in Toronto was merely the latest stanza in a the mediocre medley
of 2011.
The last time Colorado was in Toronto they left with their first ever win at BMO Field, and more
importantly, the MLS Cup! Tomorrow they try to make it two in a row North of the border. The Rapids
probably need 1 more win to really assure themselves of a playoff spot and their best chances are
tomorrow and next week when they host San Jose.
A muggy night, a sparse crowd (hello, prep football) and Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena has the squad
rotation in full effect.
Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts returns from injury for his first start since June, Bryan Jordan
slots in at right back for his second start of the season, Paolo Cardozo starts up front in his
third start of the season and Chad Barrett is alongside him for his first start since, um,
Monday.
The Rapids come off their two week break with a trip to LA to face the Galaxy. It wasn't all rest
though as Ceus, Cummings, Larentowicz, and Nyassi played for their National Teams. Ceus and
Cummings got 2 full games, while Nyassi only had one and Larentowicz was on the bench for one and
got 15 minutes in the second.
The Rapids traveled to Chicago on Saturday, but everyone might have been better served by Colorado
forfeiting the game and staying home for the rest. A 2-0 loss where Colorado was outplayed and
out-hustled all night wasn't any better than the 3-0 forfeit score line and added rest would have
been.
I'd break down the play and the goals, but honestly they're what you would expect for a tried Mile
High Club.
The Colorado Rapids roster is being tested by CONCACAF Champions League and MLS play, and it is
being found wanting.
The latest evidence came on Saturday night as the Rapids fell to the Chicago Fire, one of the
worst teams in MLS, 2-0 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.
While it was the most disastrous result in the latest string of games, it was also further proof
of the mounting fatigue for a squad battling in two competitions.
Had enough of 'keepers trying to distract penalty takers? Caleb Folan has, and he's taking
measures. Image: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/Daylife.
We never complain about supplying a necessary ego stroke once in a blue moon around Kickette HQ
but today its your turn,
passionate-MLS-readers-who-send-e-mails-daily-lobbying-for-the-American-soccer-league-to-get-some-regular-play-around-here!
Isidro Metapan's Alfredo Pacheco (left), watches as Colorado Rapids Andre Akpan (top), uses the
back of Pacheco's teammate Alex Escobar during the CCL opener, Aug. 17. (Photograph by Jessica
Taves/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)
The Colorado Rapids players have to stop thinking about the three points at home that got away
in the 86th minute on Saturday and turn their attention to a Honduran champion.
Twice Colorado led on Saturday night, and twice Chivas USA came back, eventually claiming a
share of the points at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Goals from Caleb Folan and Jeff Larentowicz, both clinical strikes, were countered by the
visiting Goats, who exploited the few openings they found on the night.
Twice Colorado led on Saturday night, and twice Chivas USA came back, eventually claiming a
share of the points at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Goals from Caleb Folan and Jeff Larentowicz, both clinical strikes, were countered by the
visiting Goats, who exploited the few openings they found on the night.
After a successful Champions League match in mid-week the Rapids are once again back in MLS play
which the Under-a-Chivas coming to town. Along with the game Class VI and the Pid Army are holding
their second annual home brew contest! Tailgate starts at 4pm and all are welcome to sample the
entries and vote for your favorite.
