MLSRumors, god bless 'em - and do note the title, people - posted the coolest damn rumor today about a delicious mega-deal in the works between DC United and the Colorado Rapids. Here are the details and, so far as I've seen, they're posted only on MLSRumors: "The buzz now is that there may be [...]

The streets in Denver are full of chatter these days. Most of it is folks talking about when they're going to go skiing because they have barely used their Colorado Pass this winter. But a few folks have been saying that the Rapids have signed Christian Gomez from DC United. It's a done deal and just a matter of making the announcement.

Tickle Michael Bradley is turning into a midfield goal machine and is almost certainly headed for bigger and better things in the summer with Premier League clubs joining the hunt for his signature. Will this finally halt the cries of nepotism in the Soccer Nation? . . . Big thanks to the friendly web-elves who allowed me to witness Wednesday's glorious victory over the Blades recently.

Time to check around the league, to make sure the movement has generally been normal and regular. - May as well start with the problem: the blockage keeping Taylor Twellman from leaving the New England Revolution for England's Preston North End. And, here I was, all set to bang out a "Free Taylor" post, only [.

Rating: 5 (Very good)
It is highly likely that by this time tomorrow the 2006 MLS Most Valuable Player will be a Colorado Rapid. According to Steve Goff the deal is pretty much wrapped up. DC will receive either Colorado's Designated Player spot or a bunch or allocation money and draft picks.

For those unfamiliar with it, I have dedicated myself to follow and, to some degree, conflate the relatively separate fates of the Columbus Crew and the Colorado Rapids for the 2008 Major League Soccer (MLS) season. The idea is to see which of these long-struggling MLS original clubs make progress this season.

He's a great reader of the game, smart with his passes and can kill you on dead balls and he's now part of DC United. Marcelo Gallardo has joined the club as the league's newest Designated Player.
He might not have the hair, fashion or following of Beckham, but Gallardo will be called upon to perform the same basic role of central playmaker.

Tucked in a bunch of other player movement items, Goff effectively buries the lead...at least so far as Colorado Rapids fans are concerned. Citing a "source with knowledge of a possible trade" Goff reports now-former DC United midfielder Christian Gomez's move to the Colorado Rapids only waits on the blessing.

Thoughts turn feverishly now to tonight's game between the Colorado Rapids and New England Revolution. Had to wait for full-time in England before concentrating on the Rapids. With none of the big boys playing at the top of the EPL, it was all relegation-focused. Fulham and Bolton secured vital wins, Fulham away to relegation rivals Reading.

I must thank Steve Goff for this. As usual, I did nothing...except type. And do some copying and pasting. Oh, and I hit the little link icon. Anyway, according to the latest from the Soccer Insider, the question of whether the Colorado Rapids get Christian Gomez is in the player's hands. What do I think?

First, as we've all been hearing all along and talking about but now its official, Goff reports that Christian Gomez's rights have been traded to Colorado Rapids. I'm not sure why we can negotiate trades so easily with Colorado. Its hard to cheer against them when they play other MLS teams since they love former DCU defenders.

Leave it to a DC United fan to be so full of themselves to ask such a question. Gomez was with how many clubs before DC United? 5? 6? And how large of a pay increase was he demanding at age 33? The man has to make a living. But surely no player that would live and die for a club's badge would let a few quid come in the way of finishing out his career with that club, would he?

Not a peep from the Rapids FO on this one yet. At least if Goff is right, and he usually is, the deal is still on track to be completed. http://blog.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2008/02/dcu_update.html Still no final word on the Christian Gomez negotiations with Colorado and the imminent trade with United for his rights.

As View From The Couch has mentioned, there is a Rapids press conference this Friday. It will be the official unveiling Christian Gomez. The question remains, how much are the Rapids giving up for him?

Speaking of signings, has MLS Rumors ever blogged anything worth printing? Just curious since Delgado missing practice hasn't seemed to materialize into his rumored signing with the Rapids.

Even though this deal is finished we thought it would be interesting to take a look at it given the details that came out today on what is likely to remain on of the bigger deals made during the off season as far as trades:
Anatomy of a Deal
From the announcement on the Colorado Rapids website:

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Is it unfair to say that Colorado got the better end of the deal in the Christian Gomez deal? Maybe, maybe not. One thing I do feel certain about though is that for the Rapids Gomez is worth every cent and then some. If you don't believe me watch his on-the-money assist on Conor Casey's goal yesterday against Dallas and then get back to me; if he's not the best CAM in the league then he's tied for the title (and it might not be with his succesor in DC).

Coach Steve Nicol added 5 players to the MLS All Star roster and commissioner Don Garber added his 2 commissioner picks to the squad that will face West Ham.

Nicol added Pablo Mastroeni, Juan Pable Angel, Jim Brennan, Christian Gomez and Pat Onstad. Garber choose Edson Buddle and Dwayne De Rosario.

The Colorado Rapids woes continued as they lost Toronto FC at Dicks Sporting Goods Park. Toronto hadn't won a game in 2 months. The Rapids had only won once in their last 10. But Toronto was missing players (Amando Guevara, Laurent Robert, Marco Velez, Carmelo Lobo) forcing them to start some reserves.

The Colorado Rapids go into Friday night's Rocky Mountain Cup showdown against Real Salt Lake with what amounts to a mini injury crisis. Pablo Mastroeni and Terry Cooke, two of the most influential players in the team, will not make the trip due to hamstring injuries.

One thing that may be sneaking up on everyone is next Monday's trade deadline. Yup, Major League Soccer is just like every other American sports league by having a trade deadline. The big question is who is left to be traded at this point? - New York is looking for a striker within the league. We've known [.

Conor Casey suspended, Omar Cummings on international duty. Landon Donovan and David Beckham away internationally too. Add to the mix that the Colorado Rapids have only one half-fit true striker available and, at first glance, you have to wonder where the goals are going to come from in tomorrow's game against the LA Galaxy.

In general, I'm trying to wait on player announcements until there is something formal said by the club. That's why we kept Troy Perkins out of the Goodbye list for so long. And, sadly, my knowledge of the Argentine first division is not extensive, so other than the links to Clarin that have been posted in the comments (and my thanks for those) and today's story in the Post, there's not much insight I can add other than saying "how do you pronounce his name properly?

And "F-Bomb" refers to the "F" Ives Galarcep awarded the Colorado Rapids for their SuperDraft decisions. Let's go to the text: "Fernando Clavijo has always been regarded as a good judge of talent, but that didn't stop many from scratching their heads at the Rapids' two picks Friday. Clavijo passed on a top forward (Nyarko) [.

View From The Couch (VftC) pieced together a plausible starting XI for the Colorado Rapids from a report on an intra-team scrimmage. This came, as all communications regarding the Rapids, from official sources. By combining what looked closer to the first team from the two scrimmage squads with who he expects would take their place [.

There's a nice write-up about Bouna Coundoul in the Denver Post (link below) and how he is caught between a rock and a hard place both at home and with the Senegal national team. He's saying all the right things about being happy as a deputy to Preston Burpo but it is clear how frustrated he is at being on the bench both for the Colorado Rapids and Senegal.

Rating: 5 (Very good)
Where Christian Gomez is going we do not know, but Steve Goff has some details on the negotiations. Suffice to say he most likely will not be back in DC this season. Appearantly, he thought he was a million dollar player, DC instead pursued a million dollar player in the form of Marcelo Gallardo.

Lest I become a complete cheerleader for all things Kasper and Payne, let me suggest that the idea of Gallardo becoming a Designated Player selection, as hinted in this morning's writings from the Goffather, strikes me as a bit troubling.

... it is uncertain whether Gallardo will participate right away or wait until camp moves to Bradenton, Fla.

?
Rating: 3 (possible)
The guys on The Footy Show, which airs on Canada's The Score radio talked today about Toronto FC having a hand in the current negotiations for the MLS rights to the former DC United playmaker.
The price DC United was asking was a 2nd designated player slot.

...the Colorado Rapids FO has deigned to release their preseason training schedule to great, unwashed masses. In a case that looks a little like putting on airs, they play up the Arsenal FC connection quite a bit. Well, I once talked a random steward into letting me walk around inside Everton's Goodison Park (provided I [.

The Colorado Rapids have their playmaker. The question just how much did the Rapids spend to get him?

After agreeing to a trade with D.C. United for his rights, the Rapids signed Argentine midfielder Christian Gomez. The Rapids traded a first-round pick and, according to the Washington Post's Steve Goff, their designated player slot for two years as well.

I don't know how many readers will be able to access this - and I've got only a couple months left on my freebie trial - but Soccer America (SA) turned its pre-season attention to the Colorado Rapids this morning. And, typing as someone who only really noticed the Rapids when they de-pantsed FC Dallas [.

So, Christian Gomez...was it DC United pulling another one over on a desperate Western Conference club or a big fat win-win for all concerned? I have no idea. That's why we play the games, right? That said, I think there's some truth to Ives' point (who authored the "pulling one over" item) that Colorado was more than [.

Maybe I was dreaming it all but the Brazilian rumor has been replaced by cold fact. The Rapids finally offloaded Nico Hernandez and bought a defender from Columbus Crew, Tim Ward. I'm not really sure what happened to Hernandez. He seemed a good prospect earlier in the season last year but abruptly fell out of favor.

The San Jose Earthquakes have very dangerous forwards in Kamara and Glinton but, by the time they shoot at Bouna, their team may already be three down. I say this not in some marketing bravura but because Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo will be fielding a very attacking formation come the game Saturday night.

Maybe this is what Colorado Rapids' coach, Fernando Clavijo, thinks to himself when he's on the seat of his Harley approaching Estes Park. How am I going to get the most out of my big players and what is the best formation to fit the biggest of them all, Christian Gomez?

Wizards captain, Jimmy Conrad, is now all star winning captain, Jimmy Conrad. Conrad played all 90 minutes, captaining the MLS all stars tonight against West Ham United at BMO Field in Toronto. United put up a good effort against the MLS all stars. They grabbed the lead through Dean Ashton in the 26th minute.

View From The Couch is reporting that it's rumored that the Rapids will announce their new coach today at 1pm. Money is on it being Gary Smith as the Rapids have already signed one of Smith's friend Steve Guppy as assistant coach. In fact Sunday while I was at work eating bugs, Brian Forbes over at the Denver Post reported that short of an official announcement from the Rapids, everything points to Gary Smith including Guppy on a radio show stating that it'll be Smith.

I am not without pettiness. Part of me reads the story of the falling-out between Christian Gomez and D.C. United, and I want to be incensed at Christian for not showing enough loyalty to come back at the terms United offered. The terms offered were decent -- $300K to $350K per year in cap space.

This weekend was marvelously rewarding for neutrals. There was Fulham's nice comeback against Villa, an amazing Boca-River game that made me glad we missed out on Palermo, as well as that Super Bowl thing, and for once the Puppy Bowl was upstaged by the Kitten Half-Time show (last year... not so much).

Rating: 4 (Good)
The word is that the Christian Gomez to Colorado Rapids deal is done, and will be announced by the Rapids this Friday at a press conference. The attacking midfielder and 2006 MLS Most Valuable Player will wear maroon and blue this season and trade RFK Stadium for Dick's Sporting Goods Park.