After freshening up on my Colorado Rapids history, I have come to the realization that they are undoubtedly the worst side in MLS history. Despite being a founding member of the league, they have never won a trophy of any type. They did make it to two finals (1997 MLS Cup and 1999 US Open Cup), but they choked both times.
What has been their problem? Well, it sounds simple, but to win, you must score goals, and the Rapids hardly ever do so. Pablo Mastroeni has played in over 100 games for COL, but has only scored once. Paul Bravo and Chris Henderson were the only two real offensive threats this team has ever had. I don’t envy Gary Smith’s job one bit.
I do like the Rapids though and I wish they would overcome their terrible past. I have family in Denver, so I root for the squad, and I must say I think their sky blue away kits are perhaps the best in MLS. It’s hard cheering for an underachiever though, and maybe that’s why Colorado usually finishes near the bottom of the league in attendance.
The Rapids play at the Dick (Dick’s Sporting Goods Park), which has provided me with plenty of bawdy jokes on this site. The professor has one question for all of you though. What happened to Christian Gomez, the former MVP the Rapids acquired last year and then refused to play at season’s end? It’s an enigma, much like the Rapids themselves.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Actually the Rapids are tied with RBNY for the worst team in MLS history. Both sides have a loss in the MLS Cup and USOC as their final appereances, and are the only 2 teams from the 90′s not to have won a trophy.
Yeah, Pablo Mastroeni has only one goal, but he’s a dedicated D-Mid/destroyer who occasionally play on the back line. He’s not expected to score, or even set up goals, he’s expected to stop the other side from scoring.
You left out John Spencer and Ross Paule as significant scoring threats for the Rapids, they just did not have the tenure that Bravo and Henderson had with the team so their total numbers are smaller.
you are correct sir. i actually mention that they are tied as the only trophyless teams when i get to the NYRB post, which is scheduled to go up about a week or so from now. i put them as the absolute bottom team though because they haven’t really even been close to the top of the tables for a long time, unlike NYRB. I think they have fewer playoff appearances too.
i also agree with you about pablo’s worth as a def. mid, but i still think that is not really a great excuse for only scoring once in 100 games. heck, jimmy conrad plays the back line and he had 4 goals last year alone. the fact is simple, pablo doesn’t have a nose for the net. at all. he’s a great defensive player, but the rapids have been abhorrent on offense for years, so maybe they should think about coupling him with an attacking mid. but i guess that is supposed to be what C. Gomez is there for.
Until the last two years the Rapids were clearly better than RBNY. They finished above them every year since 1997 and had more playoff apperances. The last two years RBNY has made the playoffs while the Rapids haven’t, mainly due to coach Fernando Clavijo. Overall the Rapids still have mroe wins all time than RBNY and have finished ahead of them 9 of 13 years, but RBNY has been better the last two years and have made the playoffs one more time than the Rapids. I’d call the two teams pretty even in their suckitude.
Oh, 2 of Conrad’s 4 goals last year were against the Rapids.