Players' Impact

After last nights victory over FC Dallas to put us back into contention for the playoffs, I decided to do a little analysis of players to see what kind of impact they have on the team. Now all these stats were manually compiled - so I'm sure there some errors but here's what I found.

Not surprisingly, Pablo Mastroeni has the biggest impact on the team. When he plays, we pick up 60% of the possible points PP (pts gained/games played * 3 pts). He's been on the field for 22 goals for us and 15 against us and is the only player on the team that has seen more wins at 8 then losses at 7.

Next up for impact was Terry Cooke. I know you're not surprised that he has achieved a PP of 57% contributing 2 goals and 6 assists. But the perception that he's a defensive liability falls shallow when his Goal Differential (GD) is +4, second highest on the team.

Two players at the top of PP is John DiRaimondo (52%) and Ugo Ihemelu (50%). Ugo has a GD of +2 surprisingly and John -1.

Looking at two players that were shipped off Herculez Gomez and Rafael Gomes and the stats speak for themselves; Herc ranked 4th from bottom with a PP of 40% and Gomes at 14%! That's right, we were 1-6 with Gomes on the field. Herculez, often brought in at the end of the game, had a GD of +1 while Gomes was -1.

Two players that have seen significant time on the bench are Christian Gomez and Jose Burciaga, Jr. with PP of 41% for both. Gomez is -1 while Burciaga, Jr. is -4, third worst on the team.

So who who has a GD of worse then -6? Colin Clark and Conor Casey. We've lost 5 more games then we've won with Clark on the field, which is quite surprising for a player of Clark's popularity.

Touching on the other regulars: Erpen 47% +0, Cummings 47% -1, Kimura 45% +3, LaBrocca 44% +1, Ballouchy 44% +1, McManus 44% +3, Harvey 43% -2, Peterson 42% -2

I know stats don't tell the whole story in soccer but we're a nation of sports statistics so hopefully people will appreciate a little statistical analysis.

RAPIDS TRADE HERCULEZ GOMEZ TO KANSAS CITY

Colorado Receives Multiple Draft Picks and Allocation Money in Exchange for Fifth Year Forward

COMMERCE CITY, COLO. (Wednesday, September 3, 2008) – The Colorado Rapids traded veteran forward Herculez Gomez to the Kansas City Wizards in exchange for Kansas City’s natural fourth round pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, a first round pick in the 2009 MLS Supplemental Draft and allocation money, the club announced today. Per club and league policies terms of the allocation money are not disclosed.

Gomez appeared in 37 games for the Rapids during the 2007 and 2008 seasons after coming to Colorado in December 2006 following three seasons with the Los Angeles Galaxy. While with the Rapids, he scored six goals and tallied three assists. Gomez etched his name in the Rapids’ record books scoring the first-ever goal at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in a 2-1 Colorado victory over DC United on April 7, 2007.

Transaction

Colorado Rapids – Trade forward Herculez Gomez to the Kansas City Wizards in exchange for Kansas City’s natural fourth round pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, a first round pick in the 2009 MLS Supplemental Draft and allocation money.

Rapids at FSL Man Of The Match Voting

It was a disheartening loss for our Colorado Rapids. That said, who was you Man of the Match for the FSL - Colorado match Friday Night? Class VI members can vote here.

Friday Night Viewing Party

Tomorrow night our Colorado Rapids take on Real Salt Lake in Salt Lake City. The official Class VI viewing party and the official Colorado Rapids viewing party will be at the British Bulldog. The convention is over so it's safe to travel downtown. The location of the British Bulldog is here.

Kieran Cain talks to Class VI

by Becky and Daniel Clark

On July 15th, the Senior Director of Marketing and Game Entertainment, Kieran Cain, graciously allowed us the opportunity to conduct a Q&A session for Class VI.

What marketing changes have taken place this year from last year?

I would say we’ve been up against more obstacles this year in terms of budgets. Last year, one of the big challenges for us was the opening of the stadium. We had more resources available for that to push the grand opening. So, obviously we don’t have that. It’s year two of the stadium. Every team that has their own soccer-specific stadium goes through that. When you’re in the building the second year, the newness has kind of worn off. You can’t count on people just showing up to take a look around. We have to find specific things that we have to work on this year that are going to drive people to come to games.

Are you marketing towards the huge Latino population here?

I’d say the biggest thing we did this year was this Lucho Libre, combining the two passions of soccer and wrestling. Everybody knows that Denver is very highly Hispanic, but it’s also highly Hispanic-Mexican. We knew that and the partners we tend to work with in the advertising world tend to be newspapers like El Hispano and a couple of the bigger weekly papers. So, a lot of times I tend to market the games that are going to be around Hispanic events. The good thing is, being in the promotions department, we can plan those games and make Hispanic events out of them. So for instance, when we were setting our schedule this year, one of the things we decided was one, we wanted a game on Cinco de Mayo. We wanted to play DC United on Cinco de Mayo, which we got and we wanted to play Blanco and Chicago on September 14, which is El Grito (Mexican Independence Day). So, we set those up. For your average game, when we played July 27 versus Columbus, I’m not going to do a lot of Hispanic advertising. I’m not going to reach out and do ads in Spanish. But we definitely do have a platform and a message. We develop our brand, “experience the world’s game.” “Experimente el juego de mundos”? is our Spanish language brand name. So, we kind of have those two separate entities that go hand-in-hand.

What about the college crowd?

We kind of tend to think about it when we’re thinking about our promotions based on the year. We’ve done the free beer night and those kinds of things. One of the main things that I tried to come up with this year was finding the right media partner to appeal to that crowd. I’m definitely past the college age, but the 20-30 year old males especially are who we tend to be missing at a lot of our games. To me, the right angle to reach that audience is through KTCL (93.3). We picked 5 games on the schedule that we wanted them to try to promote. They advertised us on the radio and in return get some stuff from us on the back end, but it really pumps up these certain games in the year that we think might be more appealing to the college age/alternative rock listening crowd. That is why we reach out to that station. A lot of times we partner up with things like The Onion and The Westward and those kind of papers and try to appeal to that. We also rely on our college students that are interns here with the Rapids.

Do you interact with the Denver Post? Or other newspaper outlets?

We actually have our media relations department. That’s their job. They’re always pitching them stories. I know they were talking to 9News yesterday about coming out here and doing a story about the complex and what’s going on this week. So, they’re constantly hitting them up. They’re in constant contact with Brian Forbes over at The Post and Brian Jennings at the Rocky Mountain News. They’ll take out the sports editor of the Rocky Mountain News and take him to lunch. We’re definitely putting them under pressure.

A lot of times, I would say, the writers get a bad rap, but it’s not them. They’re wanting to write more. Brian Forbes would love to write an article every day that goes to post. Honestly, it’s the editors that have the control over what runs. If you remember, we tried back in March of this year to get an e-mail campaign that we kind of put out there hoping the fans would take charge of that. What they tell us every time is that they base what runs on what fans want. They’re not hearing enough. They’re not getting enough e-mails asking about the Rapids. That’s why we kind of tried to put that out there and we intentionally leaked a bunch of their sports editors’ e-mails and kind of asked the fans to take over. It’s the fans that really drive that. People that write those letters to the editors are more powerful than anything we could ever do. We pitch them ideas everyday. We’re talking, even promotional stuff. There’s some buzz out there that our next game features a “Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament.” So, we thought about calling Drew Sourcher. He talks about that stuff on the news. He loves all those crazy types of things., so he’s already gotten a call from us. I’ve called all kinds of people. I’m sure they’re sick of hearing from us, because any time we have any scatterbrained idea, regardless if it’s just the team or just players, we’re always hammering those guys saying, “Hey, you guys, this is an angle you might want to run with.”

With the “Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament,” the hardcore fans think that you’ve run out of promotional ideas.

My response to them would be that it’s a little bit like looking a gift horse in the mouth. I mean, we’re just coming off a week where we’ve got the biggest 4th of July festival in the state of Colorado, we brought in a Mexican team, we brought in the US national team. That’s a week full of fantastic promotions. It doesn’t get any better than that. In my opinion, for us to get through last week where we had those three things going on, a third jersey launch, a big wine tasting event - to me, those are all promotions. Those are all coming through our promotions department. Yes, our next game features a Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament,” which is something our ticket sales department came up with because it did so well with the Minnesota Timberwolves. That’s actually where they got that idea Whenever we see something good, we’re not above stealing a good promotional idea. We had that Guitar Hero tournament a couple games ago. Last year we tried a “buy a ticket and get all you can eat in the stadium.” I’d say that’s a good example of a promotional idea that we tried and it failed. It wasn’t any good. We gave it a shot. Nobody did it, but we gave it a shot.

Just so the fans know how we kind of look at the games. Normally, I sit down once we get the schedule right here in January. It has all the home games listed for the season. So, what I do is sit down with our ticket sales department and my game entertainment director. We look at every single home game and we pick two or three promotions that are going to happen at each home game. For instance, our next game. I know we just talked about the “Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament,” but our next home game on July 27 also features a Rocky Mountain News Family Pack, which is 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 sodas for $69. It’s also Celtic Heritage Night, which I wanted to do, being of Irish heritage. I thought we should celebrate our culture and have some bands and stuff out here. That tournament is one of the six promotions going on at the game. It’s also McDonalds Family Pack Night.

But, just so everybody knows, every home game on the schedule has at least two or three promotions attached to it that are just different angles that are great for our ticket sales staff, because the one person heading up the “Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament” is something they can focus on to try and sell tickets. If they want to run with it and they want to go with it and it sells 500 tickets, then great! If there’s a “Rock, Paper, Scissors” freak-out there that has never been to a game, then why don’t we host it and bring them to a game? So, it’s stuff like that that there’s one person heading up. You know, the ticket sales guys as a whole kind of deal with the Rocky Mountain News Family Night thing. Our game entertainment department is really focusing on the Celtic Heritage Night. And then the team, obviously, is focusing on playing Columbus. The hope is that five different departments are all working together all to get more people to be going on July 27, which is what it all comes down to. So, if it’s stuff that’s not interesting to you, then there’s four other things going on that might get you to come to the game.

What if fans have ideas for promotions?

My e-mail’s right on the website. They can e-mail me. I know Mark has e-mailed me a couple times with different ideas. We’re trying to do a viewing party for a game in August that can generate some exposure for Class VI. It doesn’t necessarily have to be self-serving. It could just be an idea. We’re always open to that. Sure. I will say that we always try and think about the fact that it’s nice to have promotions and stuff going on at games, but the one thing we always have in the back of our minds is, how many tickets is this going to sell us or is there some sponsor money that we’re going to get out of it? The whole Guitar Hero thing didn’t sell a whole lot of extra tickets to the game, but we were able to close a sponsorship deal for the entire year through Comcast. We do a tournament and now they’re on for a multi-thousand dollar deal for the whole year. People that might not have known that just think it was a dumb halftime thing. So, it’s really about what kind of finances will be in it for the club, because we don’t want to be a minor league baseball team.

I remember it was a couple of years ago that we were playing at old Mile High that there was feedback from the fans that there was too much focus on the promotions and it was all about the giveaway. People would talk about free soccer ball night, but they may not know that we were playing Kansas City. The focus was more on the promotion, so we made a conscious effort over the past few years to move away from that. If you notice, it used to be that in ’99 and the early 2000’s, every Rapids game you came to, you got a giveaway. Whether it was a lunch box or it was a whatever. We haven’t had a single giveaway over the last two years that I can think of, besides the Lucho Libre mask. Just so you guys know and we want the fans to know, we do hear those kinds of comments and we made a conscious decision to change, and you definitely don’t hear about it around our office anymore. There’s nobody talking about free jersey night, which we used to talk about all the time and it was more, “how can we sell free jersey night? How can we get people to come?” Now it’s more like, “Hey, we’re playing Columbus in the next game. There’s also some other stuff that may be going on, but the focus is one the game.”

Is there any chance of getting a shirt sponsor any time soon?

Yeah. For sure. It’s a big priority for our sponsorship sales team to get that big deal sold. It’s going to go a long way to making us financially where we want to be. Actually, we were just working on some demographics stuff as a presentation, so there’s constant presentations out there. We wouldn’t just sell it to anybody. You wouldn’t see Marlboro or something like that as our jersey sponsor. It’s got to be somebody that fits into our belief and our brand system, which is “we are the world’s game.” Through what we bring to the table through our youth connections and our global partners with Arsenal and Pachuca, we’ve got some major backers that are the right companies with the same mindset. There are some people on the table right now that would be very interesting. I’d say the steps have been taken to get us to where we want to be, but we’ve got a ways more to go. We’re not going to do anything prematurely. It’s a big thing for Jeff Plush to get that thing sold, but to sell it right and not undervalue it. We rate ourselves at a certain level. We’re not going to take less than what we think we deserve. But the fans should know that it’s a very big part of our business and our sales team is working on it constantly.

Speaking of the fans, how do you feel about the Rapids’ supporters’ sections?

I like them. I much like the Class VI section because I think it’s unique to see a group that just wants to be able to be a sitting group. To me, that’s awesome. Our concern is that supporters’ groups aren’t growing on their own. We want them to be alive and grow. We want it to be like Toronto. We want it to be like DC. We want the boards of each of the supporters’ groups to get together and have meetings. We want to help you throw an event, like a fundraising event here at the stadium to raise money for the supporters’ clubs. Raise $10,000 and give it to charity or use it for whatever. The more things we can do like that, the club should be helping.

I can’t believe we don’t get requests. Nobody ever asks us for help. You’ve got to hit us up. Tell us you want the stadium for a field day or whatever to raise money. Put on a membership drive. Put something in our newsletter or put a story on the website about why you should join Class VI. Put a story in the programs or the handouts at all the games. It’s easy for us to do it, especially if it doesn’t cost anything. If our supporters’ clubs want our help, we’d be crazy not to do that. I just wish there were more requests. Let us know how we can help. If you guys have an idea, let us know. We can do anything from donated jerseys at the end of the seasons to writing articles for Free Kick to whatever. It’s much better for us to support you guys, because you support us than some other organization.

The one thing that everybody in the supporters’ groups should know is that everybody that works here is a fan. When I started off, I went to the first Rapids’ game as a fan. I went through the whole first year as a fan. I pretty much decided that’s where I wanted to work. I’m not going to go work for Dallas, DC United, or New York. I’m a Rapids’ fan. That’s why I came to work here. We go out of our way to find the right people. If they have a ton of great experience and they are a fantastic marketer, but they aren’t a soccer fan, we won’t hire them. You have to be a soccer fan to work here. You may not get paid all the money in the world. We’re not breaking the bank. I work here because I love it. I’m not a soccer fan, I’m a Rapids’ fan.

Rapids @ DC United - Man Of The Match

With excitement over Gary Smith taking over as head coach of our Colorado Rapids, it was difficult to swallow a 3-0 loss Saturday. Class VI man of the match of the match voting for the game is open here . It's a chance to take a look at some of the bright spots for the game. Was it new Rapids Corey Gibbs? The ever consistent Nick LaBrocca? Someone else?

Welcome to Class VI

So tomorrow is the foosball tournament with the Rapids! I'm very excited. I think it's going to be a very fun time. Right off, I want to thank Kieran Cane for making this idea happen. And really thank all the Rapids Players that are taking their time for us - to actually play foos with the fans! You guys are awesome. (Hopefully not too many of you are being forced into it!).

Hopefully, you're visiting http://NoFanAlone.com for the first time because you met some of the 160 Class VI members and are checking us out. 160 you say? WHERE? Well sir I'm glad you asked!

I've been a Rapids fan from day one. I was 21 when I went to my first Rapids game - I'm 34 now. Yeah, it has been a difficult ride. But man how MLS has grown, huh? I've been all about it from the beginning. Dragging friends to the game: "You gotta support US Soccer or it's going to end!" Yup, that early on and that ridiculous :D It's always been a different kind of sporting atmosphere. I grew up in upstate NY with minor league hockey. I went to high school with the son of Slap Shot's 'Clarence "Screaming Buffalo" Swamptown' and my father-in-law fixed the bus that got hit with the sledgehammer. These games in Utica, NY were crazy. One time a fan hit a coach with a cup of beer and the players came into the crowd and 14 year old me got caught in the middle!

It was exciting, but I don't want MLS to turn into THAT! Trust me. But come on! Soccer is passion. Soccer is exciting! In the early days I got yelled at a lot. Not because I was swearing or drunk or anything. But because I was up when Tritt would get a head on the ball or when the ref gave Pablo another card. I didn't stand all game, but I was loud and I was into the game. I was there for the game.

You know what I'm saying. I know you do! We can admit it: Rapids games just don't have the same atmosphere as a Donkey's or Avs game. See I'm a big time NHL fan, but I'll admit it - I miss the old days when fighting was part of the game's strategy. But hockey won't ever go back to those days. It's not that the direction it's moving is bad - it's just not the same and I miss it.

But MLS is different. You as a fan are different than fans of the big four now. You can help direct where this game is going. I'm serious! Look, the Rapids Front Office wants a great sporting environment. They'd love to have Toronto's atmosphere. I'm fortunate enough to have sat down with Jeff Plush, the Managing Director of the Rapids, a few times. I like him, he's a good guy. He wants it too. Come on are you crazy? This guy has sat in games in Europe. He's accompanied Arsenal's shareholder Stan Kronke to London - you don't think he has an idea of how big this game can be? If you're an American that has seen a game in Europe, you know it's impossible not to leave an impression!

All that to say, I'm a big fan and I want a true soccer atmosphere. So what did I do about it? I started Class VI. It's not a standing section with drums that stands all game. We started in 2005 and man getting the first 30 people to take the chance was tough! But right away, it was just different sitting among other people there that were there for the love of the game. People that know and love the game inside out.

It caught on. It took a while but it did. And something I didn't forsee happened! These people became my friends - they are such super people I'm lucky to know. And they believe in Class VI. Our tailgates rock! Among the best in MLS - no joke. And it's because people bring dishes to share with everyone else! I mean we provide hotdogs, soda, a keg of beer, and utensils - but it's the VIers that make Class VI so special.

And it's changed MLS for me. I don't have to deal with those balloon knockers or getting up and down a thousand times. I don’t have people giving me gruff because I yell at a player to get up. Lots of people have told me, when the Rapids are playing in the middle of say a ten game winless streak, it's Class VI that makes it fun for them.

You're still wondering where we are huh? Section 108. Yeah only a few games see all 160 members at once - but we're there. And we'd love for you to join us. Imagine the entire section filled with people? That's how you can direct MLS' future. The first 30 were the pioneers - but every new body is adding to the movement.

There are no dues. There are no meetings. We're 100% fan run by a lot of people that deserve way more credit than they’re given. We have a tailgate two hours before every game. We've traveled to SLC and LA for games. We get together in Denver and Windsor for away games for Rapids and drinks. We'd love for you to become one of us. We're passionate about soccer and we believe that there should be NO FAN ALONE.

KC Grades are in

by Josh Vaisman

Watching the Rapids v Wizards match from 108, here’s how I saw it:

Burpo – Played a very solid game with no obvious mistakes. Quality distribution, good positioning and made some timely saves. The goal he gave up was more the defense’s inability to clear the ball then his fault. Grade = 6

Erpen – Although it feels a bit weird for me to say it, Erpen played a good game. He made some very solid plays on defense, maintained his position well and the “good-for-at-least-one-bonehead-move-a-game” seemed to take a one game vacation. I applaud him. Grade = 7

Gibbs – I’ll admit I was worried when I saw him in the starting XI considering his lack of first team time the past couple seasons but he impressed. I don’t think he played exceptionally well but he didn’t do anything poorly either from what I could tell and I think as he gets more fit and builds chemistry with the other defenders he’ll get even better. Grade = 6

Petke – It was nice to see Petke’s calm demeanor and great positioning back in the lineup last night and I think it helped. But he is a bit rusty and I’d like to see him get more minutes. Played well, if unspectacularly. Grade = 6

Burciaga – As with Erpen he played well on the wing but didn’t do much of anything special I could see. He did cover his side of the pitch well, pushing up to help in the attack and backtracking to defense when needed. Grade = 6

Peterson – As he does so frequently, Jacob did a heck of a lot of running and put himself in some nice positions to create on the attack. But, his lack of vision and a left foot proved detrimental in this match and his energy wasn’t put to full use. He had an open shot on goal that he wasted by spending time switching to his right foot – had he felt comfortable enough to shoot lefty we may have had 3 goals. Grade = 5

LaBrocca – LaBrocca seemed oddly lost the first third of the match and I saw many times where he was running closely beside Ballouchy or Pablo, bunching up when he could have spread out to create passing lanes. To his defense, he did come on the last 20 minutes or so and I’ll mark this down to a subpar match for him. Grade = 5

Ballouchy – This kid drives me batty. He makes runs, sees things and has obvious skill on the ball but he doesn’t consistently string quality play together and makes blunders someone who has been playing professionally for as long as he has shouldn’t. I think he played fairly well in this match but the difference in creativity and ball control between him and Christian Gomez is vast. Grade = 6

Cooke – Yes he is relatively one-dimensional, and yes he is mostly a “one trick dog” but he does that trick so well and sees things most other players on the pitch do not. He showed that vision and quality passing in this match. His cross to Casey’s head for the first goal was pure quality and he sent some long passes through that only he could have seen. I could be wrong, but I feel like he put a little extra energy into the match…I’ll let other’s wonder why. Grade = 7

Pablo – Pablo played like a man possessed last night. He was a totally disruptive force at defensive mid and his runs into the attacking third were brilliant. Was there an Italian scout in the crowd? Grade = 8

Casey – Despite what some others have said on the forums I think Casey played a truly quality match. His runs were decisive and intelligent and he displayed some good skills with the ball at his feet and distributed well (yes, he does have a rock hard first touch at times, but I do not believe it is as frequent as others profess). His first goal was excellent and the second goal was purely the result of his energy and “no-give-up” attitude. He was another one that seemed to play particularly hard and his fatigue showed the last 20 minutes of play. Regardless, excellent match for Casey. Grade = 8

SUBS:

Herc – Herc had some great passes and runs down the sideline but, once again, his lack of speed showed. He still tries to outrun defenders too frequently and I don’t think he has the speed he once did. Still, he played well and used his center mids intelligently. Grade = 6

Dalby – Wasn’t in on the action enough in his 10+ minutes of play. Grade – Incomplete

McManus – Was in for just a few minutes but it sure was great to see him out on the pitch again. Grade - Incomplete

Lost in the Supermarket - Toronto FC vs. Rapids, August 9th, 2008

by Geoff McPherson

Friday night as the booming thunder and spectacular lightening show of mid summer night thunder storm rolled through my neighborhood I sat back and relaxed in my basement with a blank Microsoft Word document steering back at me waiting for any form of data input for this weeks report. I cracked open a bottle of red wine, popped in an old Clash cassette (yep…I said cassette) with the very familiar sounds that I hadn’t listened to for who knows how long.

As Mick Jones belted out the lyrics to “Lost in the Supermarket” it made me ponder on will we do any wheeling and dealing with the remainder of the transfer window? Will we upgrade? Buy some things that are soon to expire? Will continue to wear last year’s fashions (like Colin Clark’s “Ritchie Cunningham sweater”)? Or try to get by buy something on the discount rack? Or has Clavjio exceeded the limits of his Rapids corporate credit and “can no longer shop happily” in soccer player market.

For me I’m just happy that I haven’t been traded yet to some random USL2 fan site as my writing has been spotty and inconsistent to say the least, fortunately Senor Bodmer has as much faith in me as Clavjio has in Erpen and his fluorescent yellow boots.

This week both teams have the unfortunate stat of winning only 1 game in last 8 with Toronto’s last win against us back on June 16th. In the same period Toronto had to endure the embarrassment of not winning the Canadian qualifying of the CONCACAF Champions League which resulted in Montréal taking the honors.

Toronto limp into Denver with 5 players missing due to Olympic duty, injuries, and suspensions including the skillful loose cannon\part time cage fighter Amado Guevara out for his off the ball antics against FC Dallas last week. It all seems to have an air and smell of the pregame feel for this writer similar to that before we played Red Bulls and DC United, that these teams were ready for the taking.

With the help of the consistently insightful investigative beat reporting of We Want Rapidman I have the pleasure of know that I will not have to endure the pain of seeing Mastroeni wasted talent as the lone central defender before entering the gates of DGSP on Saturday. This move allows for the creativity of Ballouchy to work with Gomez but no room for one of the fan favorites Herculez to disrupt defenses. On the flip side it does provide yet another chance for Cummings to prove that he is a true out and out scorer. Jose Burciaga Jr slots in for Mastroeni to make up the back three.

I can sit here and go through all the line ups discuss the rhythm and pattern of the game but I’m sorry the game was just mismanaged from the beginning, it was Columbus Crew all over again. Its like if we can’t play fast pace two touch football we have no plan ‘B’, a simple plan be would be chipping the ball over their back four, get them turned around make them loose their shape but we didn’t even have that.

Mastroeni was playing to high in the early part of the game which resulted in Ballouchy looking out of place, Ugo was in his more familiar central roll at the back, Burciaga Jr it had to be said was one of the positives that came out of the game. Erpen played in Neon yellow shoes in the first half and then his Dorothy’s red shoes in the second half; even clicking his heels together didn’t help.

McManus came on late in the second half and showed his class, rightfully he was in the face of his own players from the get go, especially when Omar Cummings didn’t pick him out unmarked in the box and shot high and wide instead. Omar has the skills but his decision making lets him down at the best of times.

Cooke is class but his style is just not designed for the 3-4-1-2 formation we have settled on, it’s not in his blood, if that is going to be our continued direction we need to swap out with someone that fits the system. I’m sure there is a 4-4-2 team out there that would allow him the space and time to cross balls all day, I know for some of you this is just sacrilegious crazy talk.

For the second week we out played the other team, for the second week we were unable to adapt our game plan when things did not go our way, for the second week we were beaten by a team that had two chances on goal, and for the second week we showed our lack of maturity and patience on and off the pitch to be able to beat a lesser team

It all reminds me I need to sign up for Aug 20th Foosball competition, to win all I need to do is play defensively slow and it will get the players out their rhythm. Frank Yallop worked out how to break us down when the Earthquakes came to town earlier in the season and now every team that can’t compete with our speed has successfully applied the same tactics to our detriment

Frustrating to no end for all of us, I don’t even know even if Clavjio gets an increase in his credit card limit with his “giant hit discothèque album” haircut that he can get “that special offer” that will enable us to make a run for this division. Some may say we have the players but we just don’t seem to have the ability to make adjustments on the field when a game that unfolds.

Besides all my frustration as a slightly bewildered fan at the moment the last words this week (and wise words they are) go to our inspirational fan Preston who will always remind us if you keep going, you focus on the good things, and when you do good things will happen just as they did on Monday August 4th when Preston turned 6 cancer free.

Rapids - Toronto Aug 8th Man Of The Match

Who was your Class VI Man Of The Match Saturday against Toronto? Class VI members can vote here.

If you're a member and do not have access, contact Mark. Let him know your first name, last name, and username at the Class VI Boards.

Winners so far :

March 29 LA Galaxy Win 4-0 - Terry Cooke
April 5 @ KC Wizards Loss 2-3 - John DiRaimondo
April 12 @NE Revolution Win 1-0 - Bouna Coundoul
April 19 SJ Earthquakes Loss 0-2 - Nick LaBrocca
April 26 @ Chicago Fire Loss 1-2 - Tom McManus
May 4 DC United Win 2-0 - Christian Gomez
May 10 Houston Dynamo Loss 1-2 - Omar Cummings
May 15 Fake Salt Lake Win 2-0 - Erpen/C.Gomez
May 24 Chivas USA Loss 1-2 - Tom McManus
June 1 FC Dallas Win 2-1 - C.Gomez/McManus
June 7 @ LA Galaxy Loss 2-3 - Colin Clark
June 14 @Toronto FC Loss 1-3 - Christian Gomez
June 21 Houston Dynamo 0-0 - Preston Burpo/Colin Clark
June 28 @Columbus Crew Loss 1-2 - Nick LaBrocca
July 4 New York Won 4-0 - Colin Clark
July 12 @San Jose Earthquakes 1-1 - Terry Cooke
July 19 @FC Dallas 2-2 - Herculez Gomez
July 27 Columbus Crew Loss 0-2 - Colin Clark

World Cup Qualifier at Dick's: Ticket Prices

Are you excited to see the US Men's National team play in a World Cup Qualifier right here in Colorado? Have you wondered at all about tickets?

Well, tickets are being handled by US Soccer, and while they haven't released information about DSG Park yet, we'll warn you know, you can expect the price of your seats to pretty much double what you pay for to attend a Rapids match!

Let's compare ourselves to Toyota Park in Chicago, where US Soccer has released their ticket prices:

I would guess section 108 prices may shoot up to between $50 and $60 so start saving money by getting your fill at the tailgate this weekend!

Tailgate starts at noon and is among the best MLS has to offer.

CVI Questions with Coach Clavijo: Everton FC

What a treat to have watched the Rapids play Everton right here in Colorado. Coach Fernando Clavijo takes time to answer some questions about the friendly against the Toffees and the Rapids Season.

I. What does the team gain from playing Everton in a friendly in the middle of the season?

I believe that every time we have an opportunity to play any International games is a venue for our players to show well and compare our self to other professional players.

II. What kind of experiences did you gain from the visit from Everton Manager David Moyes?

Was very complementing of our stadium and the level of play of our team, it is rewarding to hear good things about the team from people that they don’t have any hired agenda.

III. Why didn't more players get a chance to see the field against Everton?

Our plan was to see how the team did against a EPL team, there was a couple of things that I felt we could work on, and allow players like Conor and Christian to get a little more time and get fit, something that both players need,

Those changes we made most likely will be changes that may happen against Toronto

IV. While the team isn't far from playoff qualification, they are second to last in MLS standings. What measures are being taken to turn the season around?

We are aware of the situation we are in, and scoring at least 30 % of the chances we create will be a good beginning.

I believe the team is playing well, possession is better than ever, we need to score more goals and also not allowing easy goals the way we did.

V. When the season starts hitting a difficult stretch, how does this affect the training sessions and player interactions?

We have a good group of players, the influence we have right now is very positive, it was crucial getting the negative influences out of the team and only time will tell.

VI. Facundo Erpen seems to be at the center of an increasing number of vital turnovers. Tells us what you think of the progress he's made since he's joined Colorado, and how do you feel his play has affected the team's play this season?

You know I will never blame any particular player for mistakes, Facundo is getting better by the day, he is a great professional and his contribution outweigh anything else.

If I compare this team with the team I took over when I started, this is team is better, stronger, younger.

Watching the Rapids in Luxury

by CVI's Josh Viasman

For many sports fans, enjoying a live game from the comforts of a luxury box is much akin to being the hall monitor in middle school; you get to look down at your peers from your “throne” on high. Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to view a recent Rapids match from one of these noble seats.

My passion for the Rapids must be rubbing off on my boss at work – apparently he knows a guy who knows a guy who knows someone in the Rapids Front Office who gave us 5 free seats in the luxury box at the south end of the stadium. So, on the night of July 27th, I accompanied my boss and 3 of my work-mates to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for an evening of MLS action.

We arrived at the stadium 45 minutes before game time and were welcomed at the luxury suite entrance by two exceptionally dressed, Secret Sevice-esque gentleman. We were directed upstairs and to the right to our box. We entered our box to find 4 Rapids employees who greeted us enthusiastically. A quick scan of the inside portion revealed 5 plush, leather chairs surrounding a fine wooden table, the surface of which was empty except for a hard covered copy of a book commemorating the first 10 years of MLS. The rear of the room had a kitchenette, a small refrigerator and plenty of cabinet and counter space. To our right was what I was really after – the spread of food.

We were treated to fried shrimp, spring rolls, BBQed ribs and fried chicken as well as fruit, salty snacks and various cakes and sweets. Soda, bottled water and beer were also provided and let me tell you, one beer is all it took for my boss to truly enjoy the game!

Along the windowed wall facing the pitch were several comfortable high chairs as well as a door leading to the outside seating. All in all, I was impressed.

I stacked a plate with grub, grabbed a couple bottled waters and found a prime seat outside. As I sat down I watched with a smile some of my Class VI peers trickle in to Section 108. I wanted to wave but my hands were full of RFO provided food and I didn’t want to drop any!

The game began and my excitement was quickly drained by the combination of Hesmer’s quick reactions, Erpen’s ineptitude and my co-worker’s total lack of enthusiasm for the game and the sport. It wasn’t long before I missed 108. Thankfully, after the Crew’s second goal, my party left the stadium and I was able to sneak down to the bowl to be with my fellow depressed souls.

I’ve been to a few stadiums in my day and had the opportunity to sit in a handful of luxury boxes. To be perfectly honest, unless you started Google or won the lottery, the luxury boxes we’re apt to be in are essentially one in the same. Once the game got going all I really wanted was to be with my friends berating Schellotto and the refs. Don’t get me wrong – the next time someone offers me a free ticket up there I’ll take it without a thought. I mean, the food was delicious. But you can bet, minutes before the starting whistle, I’ll be sitting back in Section 108. I may even still have some BBQ sauce on my face.

Player Ratings: Everton Friendly

by CVI's Josh Vaisman

Burpo – He didn’t really stand out to me positively or negatively. His distribution was decent and he wasn’t really tested much on frame. I think he was in a good position on the goal he gave up and maybe someone with a little more athletic ability would have gotten finger tips on the ball for a save but I can’t really fault him for it. Score = 6

Burciaga Jr. – He had a pretty poor game. He seemed almost uncomfortable moving with the ball at his feet and many of his passes lacked crispness. Worse of all he completely vacated his defensive position repeatedly and I believe it led to the Toffee’s second goal. He did have some nice crosses including on a corner kick. Score = 4

Ihemelu – People knock him a lot and I will concede he does make mistakes from time to time but in many ways I think that’s the nature of being a defender; the blame of a goal has to go to someone and you rarely get to score a goal to help subdue the fans’ memories of your blunders. Having said that, Ihemelu was solid, though unspectacular, at center fullback tonight. He shut down a few attacks with his aggressive play and utilized his speed frequently to chase down some pretty solid passes from Everton’s midfielders. Score = 6

Erpen – Quite simply, I can’t stand Erpen, and tonight’s match is just further proof to me what a liability he is. He was, without a doubt, the worst player on the pitch tonight. His decision making is suspect on a good day, many of his passes are errant at best and he simply will not stay back on defense. Worse, when he pushes up to the attack, he is often slow to return to his position. It seems to me that players often have to cover for his ineptitude. His ability in the air may be his only saving grace. Score = 2

Clark – Relentless running, as always, and aggressive play that kept Everton’s back line on their toes throughout the night. I’d like to see him get some more air on some of his crosses and he still occasionally makes a pass that leaves me dumbfounded but I like what he brings to the game. When he managed to not outrun his touches he was brilliant as evident by his 50 yard run through multiple defenders into the box that was unfortunately snuffed out by a horrible Herc move. Score = 7

Ballouchy – If Erpen was the worst player on the pitch, Ballouchy was a close second. This guy seems unable to play within his abilities and his vision is really not that great. I admired his willingness on the defensive side of the ball tonight, but the regularity with which he dispossesses the ball scares me. Score = 3

Mastroeni – I’m not sure if Nick Thomas (http://wewantrapidman.blogspot.com/) had it right but Pablo came to play tonight. It was fun watching him try and be aggressive and hold back due to the “friendly” nature of the match. I can only imagine the havoc he would have wrecked had this been an actual competitive meeting. He also seemed to have an extra hop in his step and was quick and decisive on the ball. He distributed well and helped cut down many attacks. Score = 7

C. Gomez – I feel bad for Christian because opposing teams know the only chance to stop him is to surround him with multiple defenders and beat him up and even then, he frequently finds ways to escape and distribute the ball. I even saw him sprint back on defense a couple times. I was happy to see much of the play go through him and I think he spread the wealth quite well. When he’s fit, he really is a step above most everyone else. Score = 7

Cooke – Terry, as always, had some brilliant crosses including the assist on Casey’s goal. His corners were up and down tonight, though, and he seemed to revert back to some of his lazy defensive play. I liked his creativeness during the run of play tonight and felt like, though he still focused on the old “run toward the corner and cross” bit, he attacked the middle of the field more than usual. Score = 6

Cummings – Omar played pretty well tonight, pushing hard and making intelligent runs. One aspect of his play tonight that I hope is a sign of things to come was his confidence and possession on the ball. He made some quality moves in traffic, maintained his footing and, most importantly, held on to the ball. His shot was off though, but I still would have liked to have seen more of him. Score = 7

Casey – Was awarded Man of the Match and it was well deserved. He was our best player tonight and, much like against Columbus, had the opposing keeper not made some world class saves, Casey would have had a multiple goal game. But it wasn’t just his shooting (which, by the way, was spectacular as evident in his one-timer for net) – his runs, headers and vision were exceptional. He makes some very clever passes in traffic. I hope he is a Rapid again next year because I believe when healthy and in form he is our best forward. Score = 8

SUBS:

Herc – It pains me to watch him try to run past people when he has clearly lost a step from that knee injury. Score = 5

Bouna – Seems to be gaining his confidence back. Was good, but not great. Score = 6

Dalby – Wasn't in for long and didn’t get many opportunities. Score = Incomplete

Labrocca – I really like this kid and look forward to watching him grow. He is very calm on the ball, has some good moves and quick feet, is solid defensively and has a killer instinct. He showed all those qualities tonight in his limited playing time. Score = 7

Event Tailgate Today: 3 Hours

Kick off is at 6 PM and the tailgate is going to start at 3 PM as the Rapids are set to take on EPL's Everton featuring Mikel Arteta, Tim Cahill, Phil Neville, Yakubu, Andy Johnson, and American Tim Howard.

We hope to see you at the tailgate!!!

Today's weather forecast says 93 at the start of the tailgate and 87 at kick off with it being Mostly Cloudy.

Click Here for Tailgate Details. Please join us!!

CVI Questions with Rapids U-23 Player Brandon Tucker

I. Give Rapids fans a little background about how your experiences that lead up to you getting a shot with the Colorado Rapids.

Well I have trained with the team for the past two summers when I was back from college. In doing so, I was able to practice and learn from the team everyday allowing me to become a better player. This also allowed me to show the coaching staff how I was developing as a player and whether or not I could become an asset to their roster and team. So I was very lucky in the sense to have had the experience with team already before getting the shot I have today.

II. What was it first like stepping onto the playing field with a historical American Player like Pablo Mastroeni and other big Rapids players such as Christian Gomez and Terry Cook?

It's just an honor to watch players like them play, let alone getting to step on the field and interact with them. You learn the little things that make you a true professional by playing along side players like them. Their work ethic and professionalism are way above the normal player and any young player should try an imitate them.

III. How did you find out the Rapids wanted to sign and what did that feel like?

I was actually just waking up one day and got the call from Fernando, saying that he wanted me to come in and sign a contract to allow me to play in the reserve game against Chivas. I cannot explain to you the feeling I had and the smile that was on my face that entire day. It was a feeling of success that all of the hard work had finally paid off.

IV. Can you tell us a bit about what a contract like yours is called and how it works?

My contract is a form of a developmental contract with the MLS itself and not with the Rapids. The Rapids have no rights to me but I am currently under the club. If another club wanted me to come to play for them, I am allowed to go to try to receive a full contract. This allows me to receive the best possible deal any club can offer.

V. Your proud papa told me you got your first appearance fee! Congratulations! Are you going out and buying a new Hybrid?

I wish I could but unfortunately I don't really make that much as of right now, but if I could I would.

VI. What's the biggest difference for a young player turning pro and tell us a little about yourself as a player.

The biggest difference is learning the lifestyle of a professional athlete. Taking in the right fluids and having a balanced diet that allows you to perform every single day. I feel as though I am a player that can contribute to the team, day in and day out, in whatever way they need me. I am very versatile, with a very strong work ethic and undeniable determination to make it, and that is what has brought me this far. No matter what I think of myself as a player, there is always room for improvement in every aspect of my game and I am willing to do whatever it takes to get there.

Thank you for your support,
Brandon L. Tucker #32

7/27 Man of the Match Voting

Voting for Sunday's home game against the Columbus Crew is open. To vote, click here.

Columbus Comes To Commerce City Sunday

Unless something happens before then, this Sunday will be the 15th day in a row that we've reached 90+ here in Denver. This morning the predicted high for Sunday is 99F. Thankfully it's not predicted to be a 100F, right?

Luckily our Colorado Rapids won't be kicking off against the Columbus Crew until 7:30pm. Class VI will be starting it's tailgating at 5:30pm. We invite all fans to join us. If you join us for the tailgate, please send us a . What's $5 for some nice food and a couple wonderful Wynkoop beers?

If you're wondering where the tailgating occurs, click here. Given the weather predictions, I advise against bundling up like the folks in the picture!

After winning only once in 5 tries in June, our Rapids have scored 8 goals in their last 4 games. With the 2nd stingiest defense at home in the league, only having given up 5 goals at DSG Park, we should be watching a win this Sunday evening, right? Let's hope so. The 2008 Crew have finally learned to win under Sigi Schmid. They have the 2nd best record in the MLS. But they have only won once in their last 5 games. Worse for Columbus, they'll be missing width in their midfield with Ekpo gone with Nigerian Olympic team and Robbie Rogers joining the US team in their Olympic preparations.

VI Questions with Coach Clavijo: Half Full/Half Empty?

Coach Clavijo and the Rapids had a frustrating tie against Dallas with Dallas gifted a goal from the referee and wild play on each side of the field. Clavijo answers some questions about the emotional roller coaster of a 2-2 tie.

I. What was the strategy, with the game tied up by Conor Casey, of the subsitution of Striker Herculez Gomez for Defender Jose Burciaga, Jr.?

Dallas was finding a little easy way to get in on both side of the field, I believe the heat had lots to do with it; the team got a little fatigue at the end.

Going 4 in the back also allowed Colin to be a little more free to go forward.

II. Why was Christian Gomez substituted out of the game?

Was all tactical, and also trying to kill the last 2 minutes of the game.

Still Christian is not 100% and always I am looking in taking care of him.

III. The team is undefeated in July, with a three game homestand coming up, and yet currently out of the playoffs. Do you think fans should be concerned or optimistic about the current state of the Rapids season?

I think the fans should be very optimistic of what is going on and the 3 homes games coming.

Depends how positive or negative we want to be, 2 points and you are in first place and 4 points you are in last place.

That goes with every team in the west.

IV. Pablo Mastoreni publically expressed his desire to play abroad in the midst of the current season. Does this have any affect on the team and what does Pablo mean to the Rapids?

Pablo is a very important piece of this team, his interest of playing abroad is valid and should think that way after the season.

Today we don’t have any offer for Pablo but after the season he is a free agent and I can see many teams interested on him

V. The game was tied up 1-1 with what many fans feel was a very weak penalty kick against the team. What do you think of the idea that Penalty Kick calls are reviewed by video before they are taken to catch dives and wrongful calls that determine the outcome of the game?

Without looking at the replay I thought was a very soft penalty and the same thinking after watching many times.

I believe that sooner or later FIFA will implement video to be able to see very critical calls during the game, something I will support,

VI. With the next three games at home followed by three on the road, what does the team have to do to stay in playoff contention?

Our first job is to get 9 points at home and keep playing the way we have played for the last month.

Posted by mark at 12:55 PM