Today the Rapids had a fan event on the 16th St. Mall to announce their new initiative and club slogan. The new slogan is 'One Club' and to celebrate it they announced that anyone who buys season tickets for the 2012 season by March 1st will have their name printed on the authentic home player jerseys in 2013 and 2014 (example above).

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.

This used to be everyday at BMO Field. Sigh.We love us a transfer deadline day. The MLS one is kind of fun for trades but with the multiple windows it can get a bit muddled. On the flipside, when UEFA shuts its window twice a year - it is quite the spectacle. Teams scrapping it out for the title trying to bring in a useful mercenary while minnows try to avoid relegation with a timely loan signing or keep the club alive by selling an asset for big money.

There are many cool things in the world, but I think it's safe to say that none are as cool as this graph of the Philadelphia Union's pass attempts and accuracy that the Tumblr blog Propagandarama put together from the stats PSP's Ed Farnsworth compiled. For those who like to analyze trends in graphs, here is some more info.

Greg Seltzer claims the USMNT will be in Genoa February 29th for a friendly against Italy.

The Union are up for 4 postseason awards: 1) Faryd Mondragon for Goalkeeper of the Year, 2) Michael Farfan for Rookie of the Year, 3) Sebastien Le Toux for individual Fair Play, and 4) the Philadelphia Union for team Fair Play.

Gary Smith, who led the Colorado Rapids to an improbable championship in 2010, was shown the door on Monday.

The coach, who had agreed to a new contract, and the team announced a parting of the ways on Monday afternoon. The departure came the same day that Rapids players cleared out their lockers following a 4-0 aggregate loss to Kansas City in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

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.

Today the second leg matches of the Major League Soccer playoff quarterfinals begin. An ailing Colorado Rapids side visit Sporting Kansas City while everyone's favorite neighbors to the north, the Seattle Sounders, will try to dig themselves out of a three goal hole at home against Real Salt Lake.

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.

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.

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.

Sporting KC kicks off their playoff campaign tomorrow night in Colorado against the Rapids in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals. KC split the season series with the Rapids, drawing both games 1-1. In the game out in Colorado Conor Casey scored in the 13th minute after a poor back pass.

A quick turnaround for the Rapids as they are back in action tomorrow. The first leg of the conference semi-finals sees the SporKC's coming back to town. It will be the final home game of the season, no matter what happens, so let's go out with a bang. The tailgate starts at 2:30 with kickoff at 5:30.

The Colorado Rapids flew under the radar last season en route to capturing their first MLS Cup championship.

Despite holding that distinction, the Rapids find themselves in a similar position in 2011. The defending champions are again quietly still very much alive after defeating the Columbus Crew in Thursday night's wild card match to advance into the Eastern Conference bracket.

Columbus hopes to knock off Colorado tonight. (Getty Images)

I hate being quick with playoff previews but this one will have to end up being the case. Time has not been on my side today.

Tonight is the second wild card game of the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs. Last night the New York Red Bulls upset FC Dallas on the road and tonight the Columbus Crew hope to do the same against the defending MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids.

The Colorado Rapids kick off defense of the 2010 MLS Cup tonight in conditions reminiscent of the night the team won the title in Toronto in November.

It will be chilly in Dick's Sporting Goods Park for the 8 p.m. battle with the Columbus Crew. But there will be plenty of heat on the field for the Rapids.

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.

Last night the New York Red Bulls beat FC Dallas 2-0 to move on to the Conference semifinals. Due to them being the 10 seed they will take on the top seeded LA Galaxy. That means that the Eastern Conference's top seed, Sporting KC will play the winner of tonight's game between Colorado and Columbus in cold and snowy Denver.

The Rapids start the playoffs tomorrow night at the Dick against the Columbus Crew. 4 games in the next 11 days separate them from another trip to MLS Cup. Tomorrow night its simple, win or go home. There will be 30 minutes and, if necessary, PK's to decide a winner. Of course last year when Colorado started their run to MLS Cup they did it by beating the Crew in the first round.

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.

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 the MLS Cup playoffs kick off when New York takes on FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park. The following night Colorado takes on Columbus in Denver. So the question is, which of the 3 teams (Dallas, Colorado, Columbus) do you want to see Kansas City play on Saturday and next Wednesday in the Eastern Conference Semifinals?

The MLS playoff schedule was set late Sunday night (it's down below here).

We'll review with a thorough handicapping later this week, but for now...here's our quick odds, brief summary and the schedule.

Please lend your voice to the odds and we'll republish on Wednesday or Thursday:

Evans for Seattle (and previously for Columbus)

TSG's MLS Playoff Odds:

Seattle Sounders: 3 to 1* (pending Rosales injury update)

Los Angeles Galaxy: 4 to 1

Real Salt Lake: 6 to 1

Philadelphia Union: 7 to 1

Sporting KC, FC Dallas: 8 to 1

Colorado Rapids: 10 to 1

Houston Dynamo: 14 to 1

New York Red Bulls, Columbus Crew: 15 to 1

-

TSG's Pick (may change by Thursday): Seattle

TSG Skinny: There are a just few basic things you need to reach the MLS Cup Finals after journeying through its playoff gauntlet.

The wettest fixture in the league happens tomorrow as the Whitecaps and Rapids face off in the rainy Pacific Northwest. Its also the final game in what has been a somewhat soggy season for the Rapids. Colorado has clinched a playoff spot though, and with a win they will clinch home field for the wild-card round.

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!

The starting all-around forward for the Rapids All-Time Team is John Spencer.
How Acquired: Transferred for free from Scottish side Motherwell.
Years In Colorado: 2001 through 2004
How Departed: Retired after the 2004 season.
For the final player pick on the All-Time team I went with possibly the biggest heart the team has ever had (though Kimura gives him a run for his money) the wee Scotsman John Spencer.

"No disrespect to the Eastern Conference, but tonight was the championship" -- Dallas defensive midfielder Daniel Hernandez after winning the Western Conference Championship in 2010
I 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!

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.

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 starting speed forward for the Rapids All-Time Team is Omar Cummings.
How Acquired: Drafted in the 3rd round (31st overall pick) in the 2007 Superdraft.
Years In Colorado: 2007 through present
This was the trickiest pick of the team. I went back and forth between a 4-4-2 and a 3-4-3, but eventually Cummings won out.

The starting target forward for the Rapids All-Time Team is Conor Casey.
How Acquired: Acquired from Toronto FC in exchange for allocation money, allocation position, and the rights to Riley O'Neill .
Years In Colorado: Early 2007 through present
This was an easy pick.

Quotes:

Portland Timbers Quotes:

Head Coach John Spencer
On the overall result:
"I think we scored a great goal to go 1-nil up. From there, I think the Whitecaps came into the game and pushed us back a little. We managed to dig deep. It wasn't about tactics tonight, I don't think it was about coaching.

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.