Month: February 2019

Does that mean he's going to keep up that form? Of course not. One game is about as small a sample size as you can get, and he'll be gone with the Jamaican National Team for a while so he won't be able to pick up exactly where he left off when the Rapids play the Quakes. However, if the Deshorn Brown we saw against Seattle shows up for the next few games he plays in, the Rapids will have a real chance to make noise in the league all the way until December.

Are you going to be in Kansas City to watch the Jamaican national team try to salvage their Hex campaign against the US Men's National Team? If you are, you may end up seeing a familiar face out there. According to Chris Bianchi, Oscar Pareja made a mention in his post-game press conference last night that Deshorn Brown is going to be getting a call-up to the Reggae Boyz.

Obviously, this isn't Colorado's first rodeo with a Jamaican national team player, having seen Omar Cummings get called up a couple of times over the years, specifically during his two best seasons of 2009 and 2010. Either way, it's great to hear that Deshorn's hard work is paying off. Good luck to Deshorn, though obviously not too much good luck if he suits up against the Yanks.

Well, how the heck do you figure out who the Man of the Match was in a game where you completely destroyed the competition to the tune of five goals for, a scoreline that could have been six or seven on a luckier night. (That sounds really weird to say, but no complaints that I can say it!)

So, I'm just gonna throw some names on the pot here:

Deshorn Brown – A nice two-goal performance which was notable not only for the speed and strength he showed, but the uncharacteristically calm finishing. Is this the birth of the Deshorn we've been hoping to see?

One of those four? Someone else? Who's the man of this match? TOO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM!

Martin Rivero's introduction for Dillon Powers proved to be the elixir that the Rapids offense needed to get going again, as he hit the crossbar on a beautifully taken free kick and earned an assist on the final goal of the game. More notably, that goal was the first for Gabriel Torres in a Rapids uniform, and it was a pretty one. That would prove to be one of the final notable touches of the game, closing off a superb evening at The Dick.

Believe it or not, Colorado is somehow still in the Supporters' Shield race. Bring on the Quakes.

SaH: Dempsey has been more of a morale boost than anything. It was proof to everyone that this team is going for everything. Not only is Dempsey doing crazy moves, it spread down through the roster. Fancy little moves and goals are getting scored throughout the talent level of the squad. The only real change was adding Clint.

It's kind of odd that the highest paid player in the league is basically a talisman, but let's rewind to the beginning of the season when the Sounders were already on people's short lists to win the MLS Cup. Many already thought the talent was there (or is that here?). The team got a bit healthier and added the shiniest of things.

BW: Since we gave you the story on Klute, how about some history on Yedlin?

He's the first of a bright future coming up through the Academy ranks.

BW: Similar to the Rapids, you guys seem to have a goals by committee thing going. (Of course, yours has scored more overall.) Who would you say is the most dangerous man on the attack when the Sounders are fully healthy?

Who is the best? I don't know. The one that scores this weekend.

Significant Absences (injury, suspension, etc): Shalrie Joseph. Leo Gonzalez. Djimi Traore. Clint Dempsey, maybe.

Projected Lineup: Gspurning; Burch, Hurtado, Scott, Yedlin; Alonso; Neagle, Evans, Rosales; Johnson, Martins.

Thanks again to Dave, head over to Sounder At Heart for everything you need on the Sounders.

I already pointed out how lucky we are to even be in the position we're in right now a week ago. Still technically a Supporters' Shield candidate? A few wins away from a record number of points and a playoff berth with a team that seems deeper and stronger than the injury-rattled team that got creamed in the 2011 playoffs? Let's just savor the moment here. This is a good Rapids team no matter what happens, and it's going to get even better as the years go by.

That said, it's October, and the Rapids could have a real chance to hoist a trophy at the end of it all if they can make their way into the playoff mix. That, unfortunately, is easier said than done. They'll be playing the likely Shield winners, one of the hottest teams in the league at the moment, and a team that will be in full-on desperation mode, twice. That's no cakewalk of a four-game stretch, and unlike last year it doesn't seem likely that every other team from 4th-7th in the West are going to suddenly crash and burn to give the Rapids an easy road into the playoffs.

Every game is important at this point of the season. 12 points are on the line. Gaining any fewer than six of them could spell disaster. Let's take a look at what we're dealing with in October.

10/27 @ Vancouver Whitecaps – In a perfect world, this game would be meaningless. It's likely not going to work out quite like that, but hopefully this won't be a one-game playoff for the final spot in the league.

BW Prediction – 1-1 Draw

That in mind, it looks like this is going to be a six-team race for those five spots. Two of Colorado's last four games come against those teams, and it could quickly become a seven-team race regardless of form if the Rapids overlook those two games against Vancouver. It's going to be a tight one.

You'll notice that there's no Daily Wave today. There probably won't be one tomorrow, either. That's because Bryan and Greg have lessened their presences on the site (Bryan's been one of the longest tenured writers on the site other than Ben and Richard, the man deserves a break!), and we need people to take on the Thursday & Friday Daily Waves.

With that in mind, we're looking for a few new faces around here, specifically two enterprising folks willing to do a single post a week on either of those days. Or Monday, I suppose. We've spread the writing love around here a lot more since we brought in our latest group of contributors back in February, but we've always got room for more smiling faces. Or frowning faces.

It's worth noting that this is an unpaid position. Trust me, if I was making any money from this, I'd gladly share it with my contributors, but we're not quite at the 'rolling in bank' stage yet over here. This is a labor of love for all of us.

If you're interested, email me at uzandthegang@yahoo.com.

You'll notice that there's no Daily Wave today. There probably won't be one tomorrow, either. That's because Bryan and Greg have lessened their presences on the site (Bryan's been one of the longest tenured writers on the site other than Ben and Richard, the man deserves a break!), and we need people to take on the Thursday & Friday Daily Waves.

With that in mind, we're looking for a few new faces around here, specifically two enterprising folks willing to do a single post a week on either of those days. Or Monday, I suppose. We've spread the writing love around here a lot more since we brought in our latest group of contributors back in February, but we've always got room for more smiling faces. Or frowning faces.

It's worth noting that this is an unpaid position. Trust me, if I was making any money from this, I'd gladly share it with my contributors, but we're not quite at the 'rolling in bank' stage yet over here. This is a labor of love for all of us.

If you're interested, email me at uzandthegang@yahoo.com.

The game is going to be on December 13th, which may mean it could be the last appearance in any MLS-type game ever for Mullan. (The retirement whistles may be sounding on him soon, with his lack of appearances for the Rapids since the beginning of the season.)

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