The Recent Results: The Colorado Rapids almost made the playoffs last year despite the fact they flat out sucked at the Dick. Notice I said “at the Dick” and not just “a dick”. They ended up 4th in the West, and they scored the fifth most goals (shocking!) but their usually stingy let them down and they finished eleventh in the league in goals against.
The Man in Charge: Gary Smith is the coach and he did pretty well down the stretch for them in his interim role last season. I think he will do a decent job playing the hand he has been dealt, but I will also tell you he’s not holding too much. Smith seems like a good guy and a hard worker, and no matter what he has to be better than Clavijo.
On the Offensive: Well, the Rapids scored more goals last year (finally), but their offense still needs some tweaking. Terry Cooke is a fine gent and he still has a nice cross. Conor Casey and Omar Cummings are improving, and Colin Clark is a great grinder. Mastroeni will never score, but they don’t pay him to. They pay him to play stifling defense.
For the Defense: Pablo is great, we all know that, but who will man the backline for the Rapids this year? Well, Erpen is a lock to play but the rest of the guys seem to lack significant minutes. All in all, the Rapids defense could actually be worse this year than last. Will Gibbs reemerge? I don’t know. Who will play goalie? I have no idea.
Movie They Resemble: As you can tell, despite a few rising star forwards and Pablo perpetually in defensive mid, the Rapids don’t look so good. In fact, it looks like 2009 is going to be exactly like the last 13 years when Colorado just couldn’t do enough to make a run at the Shield or the Cup. So, what movie best exemplifies this sort of eternal exercise in inefficiency. You may have guessed it by now, but the Rapids are Groundhog Day.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
“Well, Erpen is a lock to play ”
Except for the fact that the Rapids declined the option on his contract for this year and he left the team in the offseason…
Yeah, I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago. They didn’t officially waive him until yesterday. I am not sure what they are doing. Their defense was deplorable last year, so I don’t know why they would dump Erpen.
Maybe not officially, but they announced that they declined his optionn when training camp opened in January.
Erpen was horrible is why he got dunped. At least one complete brain fart a game. And if you look at the defense under Gary Smith it was much tighter once he settled down the lineup and stuck with a set back 4. We lost Petke and Coundoul but picked up Pickens and Harden to replace them.
Sorry, I am not as in tune with the goings-on at the Dick as you. Keep up the good work on your blog.
Smith did have them playing better at the end of last year. I like Pickens and think he will be a good addition, though I never really thought Coundoul was terrible. Is Gibbs looking any better?