2008 Predictions

FC Rocky has predictions for the 2008 MLS season from a slew of folks. They can be seen here.

Rapids Opening Day Weather

Looks like it'll be nice tomorrow evening for the match. Just keep in mind that it's going to get chilly once the sun goes down.

View From The Couch looks at the Rapids first game
We Want Rapidman touches on the injuries the Rapids face for their first game

The Soccer Gods Are Smiling

Denver is one of the few places where the old saying "If you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes" is actually true (at least for 2/3rd-3/4th of the year). This time of the year, spring, we have some absolutely wonderful days and some chilly ones (after all, March is the month where we get the most snow despite having normal highs in the mid 50s).

After last years chilly home opener at the then brand new Dicks Sporting Goods Park (what did it get up to? 33F? 35F that day?), we were all nervous about the MLS moving up the opening day by a couple weeks. We had great weather earlier this week but some chilly air has moved in down onto the high plains here. Despite that it still looks like the WX for tomorrow's home opener against the Los Angeles Cosmos Galaxy will be about as good as we could can hope for this time of year. Go Rapids!

Betis Bottle Thrower

Ever wonder why they take that cap off the bottle of Pepsi or water you get when you go to the game? Unfortunately we can see it all too well from an incident during the Real Betis - Athletic Bilboa game a couple weeks ago. The goalie received several stitches TO HIS EYE. At the end of the video you can most fans weren't willing to put up with bullshit like that and made sure security got the guy. The Spanish FA awarded Bilboa the win for the game because of the incident. Surprisingly though it looks as though the police haven't arrested the perp. In pictures of the incident you can clearly see Armando Riviero's eyes bleeding.

Props to The Offide for this one.

Bloggers MLS Fantsay Competition

Just wanted to make sure this got out there for those interested : The three amigos (Martek, mr3d, and playtherapy) at the Nutmegged Blogspot http://nutmegging.blogspot.com/ have decided to host the 1st Invitational MFLS Fantasy League Bloggoff- using Mark Wheeler's excellent MFLS system. This competition will be comprised of a fantasy league and a prediction league. Bragging rights for the whole kit and kaboodle will mean having the most points combined from both competitions. Each blog can only have one team- though decisions can be made by a collective (as we will do). 1. Should you decide to join, go to http://www.mfls.com/, and create a team. Name the team after your Blog Site. When choosing players, printing off the spread sheet of players' salaries and 2007point totals is helpful. 2. Then pick the Division "Blogger MFLS Invitational Champs". The password for joining our division is- bloggy Email me if you have any trouble. playtherapy@hotmail.com Results will be published at the Nutmegged Blog site but feel free to write about the competition on your own site. Cheers Jeff (playtherapy)

Davis Is Wrong About Kenny Deuchar

I'm not sure where Steve Davis got his numbers on for Kenny Deuchar his recent column looking at Real Salt Lake's upcoming 2008 MLS season. He says that Deuchar has scored 10 goals in his last 21 Scottish Premier League matches. The thing is Deuchar hasn't played 21 matches in the Scottish Premier League! This year with Gretna is the first time that he's played in the Scottish Premier League. While 6 goals in 15 games for Gretna, including a recent brace against Beasley's Rangers, Deuchar is 28 years old. He hasn't racked up the stats refer to in Davis' column. Worse he's spent nearly a decade in the lower leagues in Scotland just to get a shot in the Scottish top flight.

Kenny Deuchar spent a large portion of this season on loan at St. Johnstone in Scottish Division 1 (2nd division). The year previous, when Gretna was in the 2nd division, he spent the last 2/3 of the season on loan at Northampton in League One (England 3rd division). Previous to that his numbers look great but much of that time was with Gretna and East Fife in Scottish Division 2 (3rd div.) and Scottish Division 3 (4th Div.).

Not having a sparkling CV doesn't preclude Deuchar from doing well in the MLS. But he hasn't hit the numbers Davis refers to nor does it seem like that in a maturing MLS Deuchar is going to be the guy to net goals for RSL. That may not matter as Kreis is likely looking for a foil for Findley and Espindola. But if he fails to put in decent performances don't be surprised to see Deuchar concentrating on medicine (he's a doctor) and RSL making a mid-season trade for another big body to put up top.

Fred's 3 second goal

The Fastest Goal Ever - video powered by Metacafe

Will Beckham Appear In Colorado?

The Colorado Rapids season opener is less than a week away. It's at home against the Los Angeles Cosmos Galaxy. Naturally speculation is rife over David Beckham and if he will play. The Wednesday before the Rapids-LA match, David Beckham will be with the England squad in Paris to face France in a friendly. If he plays, it will be Beckham's 100th cap for his country. Beckham has been named to the squad of 23 so baring a last minute injury he will be in Paris. As you can imagine it's quite the haul to fly from Paris to Denver for the game Saturday evening. That leads to the speculation over him making an appearance for the Galaxy against the Rapids.

I'm with FC Rocky on his guess that Beckham will earn his 100th cap for England as a sub. And that given the length of the trip back, he won't be starting for the Galaxy but will make a substitute appearance. Given that the game will be televised that seems a reasonable guess.

What do you think? Will Beckham show up in Denver? As a guest in a executive suite? Will he suit up and be a sub? Or will Gullit push things since it's early in the season and name him a starter for the match?