* Tough start to the season, with road trips out to LA and Salt Lake. We're going to see just how good this new-look team is at handling adversity really quickly. I'm thinking March might just wind up being Hell Month this time around, though nothing looks as arduous as last year's July did.
* A couple of national TV appearances, that can't hurt.
* This season's July 4th match will be a re-match of the 2010 campaign's July 4th game, facing the New York Red Bulls on a Thursday. I suppose emulating the 2010 campaign can't hurt.
* There don't appear to be any obscenely long International breaks like we saw last year — the Rapids longest breaks are 14 and 15 days.
* Closing out the season with two straight games against Vancouver, one of the teams that was fighting the Rapids for that last playoff spot last season, will provide an interesting dynamic assuming the Rapids get their proverbial shit together and Vancouver remains floating above water without a San Jose-like tear through 2013.
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Matt Pollard 