It's not soccer but it still should be fun. I'm off in awhile to see Brother Ali in concert. I think this is the third time in 9 months he's came through the Denver / Boulder area. The only way to see him live more often would be to move in with him.
I enjoy Steve Davis' columns over at Soccernet. And in a recent one on the Colorado Rapids [click here] he's painfully spot on when pointint out that the Rapids have not brought in a goal scorer. He's also very correct in pointing out that a bit before bringing in Christian Gomez, the Rapids had traded away young USMNT midfielder Kyle Beckerman for Medhi Ballouchy to spice up their attack; a change that didn't work.
The issue I have in his latest column are the key loses. Zach Thorton, a backup goalkeeper that barely got a sniff in the first team, is a key loss? And Nicolas "Niko" Hernandez is a key loss? He had a single goal last year and wasn't good enough to hold down a starting job as a striker. And at that a starter for a front line that Davis goes on to comment performed like crap in 2007. The same holds true for Cancela. He had 3 starts for the Rapids in 2007. How is he a key loss?
Thanks to FC Rocky for putting together all the gains and losses in players the Rapids have had the last couple of days. The 3rd was an MLS roster deadline so it was the usual time in the spring to cut players.
Yesterday, March 4th, the MLS held a waiver draft for those players that were cut. Brandon Prideaux was picked up by the Chicago Fire [Red Card on Prideaux, here]
Of note the Rapids also signed a Brazilian player they were pursuing. It wasn't Reinaldo. He was signed by a team in Korea's K-League, Busan I'Park. The Rapids Brazilian signed midfielder Rafael Gomes. Gomes last played for CD Santa Clara in Portugal's 2nd division. He's known as a defensive midfielder. Could Pablo still be on his way out? Or has Clavijo already gone back on his claim that the Rapids don't need to DMs (the one he made when Beckerman was traded)?
