With stars like Conor Casey and Pablo Mastroeni, the Rapids should have done better in 2009. (Getty Images)

Consistent play was always an issue in 2008 for the Colorado Rapids, and it turned out 2009 wasn't much different. The Rapids looked like a team that could contend in early on in 2009 but the ladder part of the season tore this group apart as injuries were racked up and the offensive production that was one of the best in the league at times turned into a pumpkin.

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Seattle's Kasey Keller is a finalist for numerous Major League Soccer awards, including goalkeeper of the year. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Major League Soccer released the finalists for the league's 2009 awards today. The winners will be announced starting Wednesday and ending Nov.

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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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It's do or die for Toronto FC. (Getty Images)

Big time weekend ahead for Major League Soccer. Four clubs have punched their tickets to the post season dance with four remaining spots left open to possibly all get snatched up this weekend.

You can pretty much put a playoff implication on every game this weekend.

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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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It has recently come to my attention that a few people are having trouble viewing ESPN videos here. A quick show of hands in the comments would be appreciated in the comments if you can't see Allen Hopkins stumping on the Coach of the Year, Omar "Jamrock" Cummings and the oh-so-tight fight for the post-season. Click to continue reading...

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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Plenty of MLS clubs will be interested in tonight's mid-week clash at Dick's Sporting Goods Park as the Colorado Rapids host the San Jose Earthquakes. Plenty of clubs want Colorado out of the playoff picture while San Jose is hoping to not just play the role of spoiler but go on a crazy run of wins to get them back into the playoffs for the first time in a few years.

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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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Seattle needs another big game out of Fredy Montero this weekend. (Getty Images)

There's not too many more weekends left in the 2009 regular season. Week 27 is a full one as we gear towards the playoffs in a few weeks. With so many clubs still in contention the action this weekend should promise to be very good.

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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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Random notes from the world of soccer in Colorado:

TIGER TOURNAMENT: The Colorado College women's soccer team hosts the University of Denver, Kansas and Texas Christian on Friday and Sunday. CC faces TCU at 4 p.m. Friday and Kansas at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The Pioneers meet the Jayhawks at 1:30 Friday and Texas Christian at noon Sunday.

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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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Today we hear from Regis University men's soccer coach Tony McCall, and we take a look at the Colorado School of Mines men's and women's teams, Colorado Rapids coach Gary Smith's comments on the Ugo Ihemelu trade, my votes for Major League Soccer player of the month, the Super Classico between Chivas USA and Los Angeles Galaxy and more!

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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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We've had a full day of interesting news with the UEFA Champions League draw, the US Men's National team roster announcement that took four hours to do, and random news here and there. Time now to close down the day with some links and thoughts on what's going on.

I wanted to get into some MVP race discussion.

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He's been on my shortlist for a little while, looks like others are taking note of Colorado's Omar Cummings play as of late. Eight goals and 10 assists, yeah, that's an MVP-type season right there.

What do you think? Should Cummings be on the shortlist right now for MVP or will his teammate and the league's leading scorer Conor Casey nab more votes from him?

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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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Colorado Rapids forward Conor Casey was voted Major League Soccer's player of the week for week 21 of the 2009 season.

Casey scored three first-half goals on Saturday in the Rapids' 4-0 victory against Chivas USA. It was Casey's second hat trick of the season, and this marks the third time this season Casey has received the MLS weekly honor.

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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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After the Colorado Rapids defeated his team 4-0 on Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Jeff Agoos, the sporting director of the New York Red Bulls, graciously took some time to talk soccer with me in the press box. We discussed the Red Bulls, the All-Star Game, the national team and the Gold Cup final.

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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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Dominic Kinnear named his five selections to the MLS All-Star Team this afternoon, adding a sixth pick as a replacement for Columbus Crew midfielder and reigning MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who will not take part in the game after suffering a hamstring injury.
Not surprisingly, the Houston Dynamo head coach named three members of his own squad to the team: forward Brian Ching, midfielder Brad Davis and goalkeeper Pat Onstad. Click to continue reading...

Rapids coach Gary Smith discusses his team's 1-0 victory over FC Dallas on Saturday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the effects of losing players to national-team duties and Wednesday night's international friendly against Club America.

How important was Saturday's victory?

On some occasions we've come away from less than full points.

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Rapids defender Kosuke Kimura was the man of the match on Saturday against Dallas. His goal late in the second half was the deciding moment in Colorado's 1-0 victory, but his energetic play throughout the game was a key component in the team's plan to keep the Hoops on their heels. Kimura took some time to talk about his attacking style of play against FC Dallas and the state of the Rapids' back line.

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Kosuke Kimura celebrates his winning goal with striker Conor Casey on Saturday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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When Colorado Rapids defender Kosuke Kimura arrived at his locker after Saturday night's game, nearly every member of the media at Dick's Sporting Goods Park was there waiting microphone, camera or pen in hand.

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Chicago's Wilman Conde, left, heads in the winning goal over the head of Rapids defender Kosuke Kimura and beyond the reach of goalkeeper Matt Pickens.
(photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

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The game was a dud, and so were the fireworks.

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I love a good holiday weekend. That's why these previews are coming today instead of it's usual Friday timeslot. Even with the holiday comes loads of extras for me to be doing and sitting in front of my laptop isn't going to be one of them.

After a couple weekends of SuperLiga play breaking up the flow of the season schedule the majority of the MLS clubs are back in play this weekend.

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With the Chicago Fire heading to Commerce City for Saturday's big Fourth of July match, The Tuesday List does a little comparison between the Fire's and Rapids' results this season.

The Colorado Rapids have been shut out two times this season:
1) Houston 1, Rapids 0, April 19 at Houston
2) Seattle 3, Rapids 0, June 28 at Seattle

The Chicago Fire, the Rapids' opponent on Saturday, also has been shut out twice:
1) Dallas 3, Chicago 0, May 31
2) Houston 1, Chicago 0, June 5

The Rapids have allowed more than two goals only once so far in 2009:
1) Seattle 3, Rapids 0, June 28 at Seattle

The Fire has allowed more than two goals twice so far:
1) San Jose 3, Chicago 3, April 11
2) Dallas 3, Chicago 0, May 31

And here's a little something extra.

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Even with only a few games this past week in Major League Soccer we still had plenty of quality goals to mention for goal of the week.

Order of video: Todd Dunivant, Fredy Montero, Nate Jaqua, Yura Movsisyan, Clint Mathis, Dwayne De Rosario, and Omar Cummings (no audio on his goal).

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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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The Colorado Rapids have waived forward Gregory Richardson.

Richardson appeared in one game for the Rapids this season, playing 11 minutes in the season opener against Chivas USA on March 21. He also played 90 minutes in Colorado's U.S. Open Cup play-in match against Seattle on May 26.

Richardson's rights were acquired by the Rapids in a trade with Toronto FC on Feb.

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