PODCAST – Hello Colorado Rapids fans. This week on Holding The High Line, it’s all about the press access. After releasing the full audio from the Pádraig Smith Rapids press conference, Rabbi and Red get together. We briefly talk some R2 news, final transfers, and the LAFC game on Sunday. Then we break down everything from the 25+ minute press conference.
Holding The High Line with Rabbi and Red is a podcast centered around the Colorado Rapids. We started in January 2018. Find us at your favorite podcatcher. We’re on pretty much everyone you’d want. Follow the pod on Twitter @rapids96podcast. Email the pod at rapids96podcast@gmail.com if you’d like to ask us a question or use the hashtag #AskHTHL on Twitter.
Matt Pollard is the Managing Editor of Burgundy Wave, having overseen the site’s move to being independent in April 2023. He moved to Denver in 2015 and has covered the Rapids since 2016. An engineer and environmentalist by day, when he’s not watching or writing about soccer, he’s hiking or skiing in the mountains. He also writes for Last Word on Soccer, covering MLS and the USMNT.
Mark Goodman, known as Rapids Rabbi or Soccer Rabbi, lived in Colorado from 2011-2018. He became an MLS Sicko after seeing Lee Nguyen of the New England Revolution pull off some silky moves at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. He’s a professional rabbi during the day and the author of the well regarded Backpass series, which started at Burgundy Wave. He watches the Pids from a far, having moved to Pittsburgh. He also covers the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the USL Championship for Pittsburgh Soccer Now.
Photo Credit: John Babiak.
Thank you for reading Burgundy Wave. If you want to support us, join our Patreon starting at $5/month. Also, we’re always looking for new talent to contribute to the site, develop, and give opportunities to. If you’re interested in covering Colorado Soccer in any way, let us know.
2 thoughts on “Podcast: Rapids Press Conference Analysis”
You hit some points on Pablo Mastroeni. Pablo was hired in a no win situation. He had no coaching experience and a roster that wasn’t really good. It took him two years to learn how to coach. 2016 was a great year after two horrible ones. It was defensive and ugly, but it worked. I don’t think Pádraig really gained control until after the 2016 season. So in 2017, Pádraig and Pablo were clashing on style of play and the way Pádraig was handling the play acquisitions. Obviously, Pádraig won with the position that Pablo’s way was not sustainable. As you said, Pablo’s way is probably a lot more sustainable as everyone wants to play attractive soccer. It would be a lot easier to get the undervalued defensive players. The first few years with Robin in charge, Pádraig had caught lightning in a bottle. He had the right players for Robin, but it wasn’t sustainable. Vines and Trusty were too good and young to stay in the MLS. K Acosta wanted more money than the Rapids were willing to pay so they got rid of him. The use by date expired on Price. Pádraig has missed on replacing all these players as well as others. So in the 7 seasons since 2017 the start of the “Rapids Way”, there have been 2 good seasons and 5 bad seasons. (or 4 1/2 – 2019 was almost salvaged by Connor and Robin) The Rapids Way doesn’t seem very sustainable to me. I think it is fair for the Rapids Fans to demand the Pádraig be relieved of his duties. Unfortunately, I don’t know who will listen to these demands as KSE is pretty blind to what happens with the Rapids and that is not changing.
[…] or more people at the club. President Pádraig Smith had a press conference on Monday afternoon. It was much anticipated after an outcry by some in the fanbase for accountability and media criticism of the club’s […]
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Brendan Ploen 
You hit some points on Pablo Mastroeni. Pablo was hired in a no win situation. He had no coaching experience and a roster that wasn’t really good. It took him two years to learn how to coach. 2016 was a great year after two horrible ones. It was defensive and ugly, but it worked. I don’t think Pádraig really gained control until after the 2016 season. So in 2017, Pádraig and Pablo were clashing on style of play and the way Pádraig was handling the play acquisitions. Obviously, Pádraig won with the position that Pablo’s way was not sustainable. As you said, Pablo’s way is probably a lot more sustainable as everyone wants to play attractive soccer. It would be a lot easier to get the undervalued defensive players. The first few years with Robin in charge, Pádraig had caught lightning in a bottle. He had the right players for Robin, but it wasn’t sustainable. Vines and Trusty were too good and young to stay in the MLS. K Acosta wanted more money than the Rapids were willing to pay so they got rid of him. The use by date expired on Price. Pádraig has missed on replacing all these players as well as others. So in the 7 seasons since 2017 the start of the “Rapids Way”, there have been 2 good seasons and 5 bad seasons. (or 4 1/2 – 2019 was almost salvaged by Connor and Robin) The Rapids Way doesn’t seem very sustainable to me. I think it is fair for the Rapids Fans to demand the Pádraig be relieved of his duties. Unfortunately, I don’t know who will listen to these demands as KSE is pretty blind to what happens with the Rapids and that is not changing.
[…] or more people at the club. President Pádraig Smith had a press conference on Monday afternoon. It was much anticipated after an outcry by some in the fanbase for accountability and media criticism of the club’s […]