Fox Soccer Channel really know its soccer. I love the cable network, and I love the broadcasting duo of Max Bretos and Christopher Sullivan, who worked Saturday's 3-0 Real Salt Lake victory over the Colorado Rapids.

And although they don't work every Rapids game, the offered keen insight into the team and its playoff fortunes throughout Saturday night's telecast from Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.

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When the Major League Soccer schedule was released many months ago, the first game that stood out was the last one: Saturday, Oct. 24, at Real Salt Lake.

RSL knocked the Rapids out of the playoffs (and put itself in) in the final minute of the final game of 2008. And the league set up a similar showdown by pairing the two in the 2009 finale.

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Even if Real Salt Lake win in Toronto (unlikely, but you never know), the Colorado Rapids can still clinch a playoff position tonight with a win in Dallas if New England fail to win their game. The beauty is that Gary Smith will know the results of both the Salt Lake and New England games before the kickoff tonight against FC Dallas. Click to continue reading...

It may have been a quiet week for the Rapids but all the noise from the other MLS games has left their task very clear. A win in Dallas and they could be in the playoffs. Such a scenario will take place for sure if the Rapids win in Texas and Real Salt Lake fail to beat New York tomorrow night, something they haven't done in the past 10 games against the Red Bulls apparently. Click to continue reading...

New England goalkeeper Matt Reis starts to lean to his right as Rapids striker Conor Casey takes aim for the other side of the net in the 58th minute on Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

On Sept. 18, Rapids striker Conor Casey scored a second-half goal on a penalty kick at San Jose.

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Random notes from the Colorado Rapids' third draw in nine days, a 0-0 tie with the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday night at Community America Ballpark:

SIZE MATTERS: The official dimensions of the pitch at Dick's Sporting Goods Park are 120 yards long by 80 yards wide. In contrast, the fields surrounding Dick's are 110 by 70.

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Colorado's Jacob Peterson goes flying after colliding with Andre Luiz in the first half Wednesday. (photo by Tom Auclair/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

You've got to be kidding. For the second time in less than a week, Conor Casey scored on a penalty kick deep into extra time as the Colorado Rapids tied the San Jose Earthquakes 1-1.

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Imagine the array of emotions for Ryan Johnson on Friday night. The San Jose Earthquakes striker scored his team's only goal in the eighth minute of a 1-1 tie against the Colorado Rapids. Then the 24-year-old committed the foul deep into extra time that produced a penalty kick for Colorado and the Rapids' only goal.

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The Colorado Rapids traveled to California yesterday to prepare for tonight's game against San Jose before, bizarrely, playing the same team again next Wednesday at DSG Park. What an important game tonight's game is. After losing at Toronto to record their fourth straight away defeat, the Rapids know that a point tonight against a struggling team will be the least they can come away with before, hopefully, picking up three points at home next week. Click to continue reading...

If you didn't watch the Colorado Rapids' 3-2 loss to Toronto on Saturday, don't be fooled by the score. This was no five-goal explosion of offense. It was a 1-1 struggle blown open by two quick Toronto goals midway through the second half.

Substitute Michael Holody scored his first Major League Soccer goal in his second Major League Soccer game, but by that time (the 89th minute), the deed was done.

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Colorado Rapids striker Omar Cummings puts a bicycle kick on goal in the second half of the team's 1-0 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday. (photos by Tom Auclair/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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Colorado striker Conor Casey wasn't supposed to be at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday night.

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Rapids midfielder Jacob Peterson outleaps Houston defender Wade Barrett during Colorado's 1-0 victory over the league-leading Dynamo on Sunday in Commerce City. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

A little more than a month ago, Rapids defender Julien Baudet was lying on the field at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, his wrist and hand pointing one way, his forearm pointing another.

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Random thoughts and ideas from the Colorado Rapids' shameful 3-2 loss against the Fire on Sunday evening in Chicago.

OMAR'S FIRST GOAL: Two things went right on Omar Cummings' goal in the first five minutes of the second half. First, Jamie Smith's shot was difficult enough that Chicago goalkeeper Jon Busch couldn't handle it cleanly.

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Rapids striker Conor Casey scored his ninth, 10th and 11th goals against Chivas USA on Saturday. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

When defensive midfielder Pablo Mastroeni scores, the Colorado Rapids need to make it count.

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Rapids striker Omar Cummings kept Columbus defender Chad Marshall, right, off balance throughout Saturday's game — but couldn't find a goal for Colorado. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Call it yellow-and-black magic.

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Nick LaBrocca celebrates scoring in the second half of the Rapids' 4-0 victory over New York on Saturday night in Commerce City. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Four players scored as the Colorado Rapids poured water on a drowning team, dousing the New York Red Bulls 4-0 on Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

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Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero combined on all three goals as the Sounders beat the Colorado Rapids 3-0 on Sunday afternoon in Seattle.

Jaqua had two goals and an assist and Montero logged a goal and two assists in sending Colorado to its third loss of the season. The defeat snapped the Rapids' eight-game unbeated streak.

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Ugo Ihemelu of the Rapids nearly scored on a corner kick in the 81st minute, when the Rapids were trailing FC Dallas 1-0. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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There seemed to be no end to the goal-scoring chances the Colorado Rapids created on Wednesday night.

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You know when you head down to the Four Corners and you stand on that one spot so you're in Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico all at once?

That's how far Omar Cummings was inside the penalty area when he was tripped by Albert Celades just inside the hour mark of the Colorado Rapids' match against the Red Bulls on Saturday in East Rutherford, N.

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Because of the holiday (and a busy week previewing the season opener for the Colorado Force) this week's Tuesday List comes on Friday and (as a bonus) comes in two parts.

Today we take a look at the Colorado Rapids' leaders in minute played.

810: Colin Clark
810: Jordan Harvey
793: Conor Casey
791: Ugo Ihemelu
785: Omar Cummings
711: Mehdi Ballouchy
710: Nick LaBrocca
697: Pablo Mastroeni
559: Kosuke Kimura
509: Scott Palguta
492: Cory Gibbs
450: Matt Pickens
360: Preston Burpo
210: Terry Cooke
173: Jacob Peterson
34: Ty Harden
11: Gregory Richardson
5: Greg Dalby

Observations: This is just a snapshot of where we are after nine fixtures, and this order will shake up considerably in the coming weeks.

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When you get goals from Kosuke Kimura and Nick LaBrocca, you've got to make them count.

And the Colorado Rapids did just that, beating Real Salt Lake 2-0 on Saturday night at a rainy Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

In the 11th m inute, LaBrocca a midfielder who is usually asked to play a defensive role on the team (last week he actually replaced Kimura on defense), scored to give the Rapids a 1-0 lead in the first game of the Rocky Mountain Cup series.

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The starting lineups for Saturday night's fixture at Dick's Sporting Goods Park:

LOS ANGELES GALAXY

Goalkeeper: Donovan Ricketts

Defense: Todd Dunivant, Omar Gonzalez, Gregg Berhalter,

Midfield: Chris Klein, Stefani Miglioranzi, Dema Kovalenko, Eddie Lewis, Sean Franklin

Forward: Landon Donovan, Alan Gordon

Tonight's Galaxy starters: Donovan, Gordon, Lewis, Miglioranzi, Kovalenko, Franklin, Berhalter, Gonzalez, Dunivant, Ricketts

COLORADO RAPIDS

Goalkeeper: Preston Burpo

Defense: Ugo Ihemelu, Jordan Harvey, Kosuke Kimura, Scott Palguta

Midfield: Pablo Mastroeni, Colin Clark, Mehdi Ballouchy and TERRY COOKE!

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Here are a couple of confirmations that defender Julien Baudet will be leaving Crewe Alexandra of England's League One when his contract runs out.Â

The BBC reports that The 30-year-old Crewe captain announced last week that he is ending his three-year stint with Crewe Alexandra to join Rapids this summer.

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I had my nose in a book too long and had to make a stop before catching the game in the 28th minutes. Speaking of things after that, in general the Rapids didn't have a bad game. It wasn't a possesion oriented match for either team. Not that we've come to expect Clavijo's Rapids to do much when it comes to holding onto the ball and working it around the pitch. Click to continue reading...