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Club History
One of the ten original founding clubs of the MLS, the Colorado Rapids are entering their 26th year. Much like their riparian moniker, the fortunes of the club have ebbed and flowed throughout the years. They may have lost the 1997 MLS Cup Finals to D.C. United, but as the lowest qualifying seed upset a number of stronger sides to get there. The following year, in the U.S. Open Cup finals, they in turn were upset by the non-MLS Rochester Raging Rhinos (yes, that was a real team).
In 2001 they were the best home defensive team in the league, conceding only 8 goals in 15 matches and notching 27 home wins in 28 games. Following a decade of mediocre results, the Rapids won the MLS Cup in 2010 with an extra-time victory over FC Dallas.
Since 2010, the Rapids have only qualified for the Western Conference postseason six times, a poor record considering the club’s pedigree.
Ownership
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment is the sole owner. They also own Colorado sports franchises in basketball (Denver Nuggets) and ice hockey (Avalance), as well as controlling interest in the Premier League’s Arsenal and the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL. Stan Kroenke is estimated to be worth over $10B. Good for him.
Notable Players
Colorado has been around long enough that they have their own Gallery of Honor, which includes the first four players in this list (and others not on it).
- Pablo Mastroeni: Most appearances (245) during his stint from 2002-2013. Team captain for many years and head coach (2014-17).
- Marcelo Balboa: Defensive stalwart and USMNT star. His bicycle kick won Goal of the Year in 2000. Also a current academy coach.
- Conor Casey: All-time leading goal scorer (53); part of the 2010 MLS Cup-winning squad.
- Chris Henderson: Key midfielder in early years.
- Tim Howard: USMNT legend who ended career with Rapids.
Other Facts
- Their home field is the 18,000-seat Dick’s Sporting Goods Stadium (pictured above).
- At 5,200 feet above sea-level, it is the highest MLS stadium.
- Clinched a playoff spot in 2000 with a winning goal in the 97th minute of the final game of the regular season.
- Have a derby with Real Salt Lake, the winner of which takes home the Rocky Mountain Cup.
- The club’s colors are burgundy (Pantone 202) and sky blue (Pantone 278)
- The official theme song “Burgundy Sky” is from Scottish band Little Eye (who was fronted by the brother of former player Jamie Smith).
2024 Performance
- 11W – 9D – 14L with 42 points, 7th in the Western Conference and 12th overall.
- Did not advance out of the first round of playoffs, losing to eventual champions LA Galaxy 9-1 over two games. Yikes.
Who to Watch 2025
- Zack Steffan: With Zack getting a recent USMNT call-up, he’ll be keen to prove to Poch that he should be the #1 choice. He does that by excelling in the season.
- Andreas Maxsø: The Rapids brought in Chidozie Awaziem and Ian Murphy from FC Cincinnati in the same position. With five CBs on the roster, will there be a place for the Danish 30-year old?
- Rafael Navarro: A Designated Player and leading scorer in 2024 (15 goals), Navarro has to produce big, once again.
- Djordje Mihailovic: With the most scoring contributions on the team (11 goals, 10 assists), fans will hope for larger numbers from the 26-year old attacking midfielder. Also a DP.
First Match
Fans will get to see them host LAFC in a CONCACAF Champions Cup tie on February 18, before the MLS season opener on February 22 visiting St. Louis CITY SC.
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TODAY'S BEST
Rivals Ease Off as Arsenal Gain Ground in X-Factor Transfer Race
Arsenal fans will welcome the latest reports surrounding Chelsea’s pursuit of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, as it may ease pressure on their own long-standing interest in Eberechi Eze. Not long ago, claims emerged suggesting that Chelsea were considering a move for the Crystal Palace playmaker, whose £68 million release clause had reportedly attracted attention from west London. Despite being clearly interested in Rogers, Chelsea were said to be hesitant about Aston Villa’s £90 million valuation. That hesitation led to brief speculation that they might instead activate Eze’s release clause and offer him a significant wage package. Naturally, this triggered concern at the Emirates, with Arsenal keen to negotiate a more modest deal for the England international. Chelsea remain focused on Rogers According to TBR Football, Chelsea remain determined to sign Villa’s attacking midfielder and are actively exploring ways to make the transfer happen. One such strategy involves a player-plus-cash proposal, with the likes of Trevor Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Benoît Badiashile all mentioned as potential makeweights. Aston Villa are reportedly open to such arrangements and could even request striker Nicolas Jackson be included in the deal. Arsenal’s window of opportunity? With Chelsea’s attention firmly on Rogers, Arsenal may have a clearer path in their pursuit of Eze. Andrea Berta now has time to formulate a creative offer for the Crystal Palace star, who is widely viewed as the final piece in Mikel Arteta’s tactical blueprint. There is even talk that Arsenal could explore their own player-plus-cash solution to get the deal over the line. With the season fast approaching, supporters will hope the club finally secure the attacking flair they have long lacked. If Chelsea truly step aside, it may just be the opening Arsenal need to end their three-year wait for the Premier League title. Daniel O __________________________________________________________________________________________
Emerging Texans star likely to miss 2025 season
Texans wide receiver Tank Dell is likely to miss the entire 2025 season as he continues his recovery from last year’s brutal knee injury, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Dell dislocated his knee and tore his ACL, MCL and LCL in a Week 16 loss to the Chiefs in December. With such a severe injury, Houston’s focus is on Dell’s health and long-term career outlook. The team wants him to get healthy rather than rushing back to play this year. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said (via Wilson) that Dell is “crushing the rehab,” but declined to offer a specific timeline. His comments hinted that the team is not counting on Dell to return this season. Injuries were always the biggest concern surrounding Dell. His 5-foot-7, 165-pound frame was already undersized by college standards; in the NFL, it’s minuscule. Sitting out this season will set up a major contract year in 2026. Dell will need to prove that he is back at full health and can remain there for an entire season while maintaining his production. Dell was placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, along with teammates Trent Brown and Jimmie Ward.
New Third Base Trade Options For Yankees Emerge
The Rolling Stones knew what they were talking about while belting out "You Can't Always Get What You Want." It's very possible New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman will find himself humming that tune ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline. The Yankees, like several contenders, are shopping for a power-hitting third baseman. Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star slugger Eugenio Suarez sits atop everyone's list. Running a distant second and third are Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon and Pittsburgh Pirates Gold Glover Ke'Bryan Hayes. After that, it could be slim pickings. Should Cashman find himself scrambling to make a deal, here are a couple of new names entering the conversation. "Amed Rosario would be a good fit for Yankees," the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Monday. "Played a lot of 3B this year. .802 lifetime OPS vs. lefties (.845 this year). Suarez is top target but many would qualify as upgrades." Rosario is hitting .271 with five home runs and 18 RBIs this season for the Washington Nationals. But the nine-year veteran has big-market experience, making his MLB debut with the New York Mets in 2017. The 29-year-old is making $2 million this season and will be a free agent after the World Series, according to Spotrac. But wait, there's more. "Other possible third-base trade targets include Royals All-Star Maikel Garcia — in theory, Kansas City would have interest in one of the Yankees’ outfielders to play left field for them," The Athletic's Jim Bowden reported Monday. Garcia, who made the American League roster for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, is hitting .291 this season with eight home runs and 41 RBIs. The 25-year-old is in his fourth big-league season and is making almost $775,000 this season, according to Spotrac. Garcia still has four years of arbitration eligibility remaining, so he won't come cheap. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Linked To Red-Hot Reliever Yankees Linked to Former Outfielder in Juicy Trade Rumor Yankees Could Land Infielder With World Series MVP Comparison Will Yankees Use Red-Hot Prospect As Trade Bait? Yankees One-Stop Shopping Pirates?
Steelers' Mike Tomlin's Secret Comments About George Pickens Exposed By ESPN Analyst
The Pittsburgh Steelers, in back-to-back offseasons, traded away a talented wide receiver. Heading into the 2024 NFL season, the team made the surprising decision to move on from Diontae Johnson, sending him to the Carolina Panthers. It was a bold move that left questions about depth behind George Pickens, but the Steelers appeared to have a long-term plan in mind. This week, fans got a clearer picture. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky had told Louis Riddick a story and Riddick exposed it on Get Up on Wednesday and shared a never-before-told story about Head Coach Mike Tomlin’s relationship with Pickens. According to Riddick, Tomlin once passionately defended his coaching approach to Orlovsky when questioned about how he handled Pickens, offering a glimpse into the challenges the Steelers faced behind closed doors. "I sat in a TV production meeting where Mike Tomlin chastised Dan Orlovsky for asking about George Pickens and why George Pickens wasn't maybe being reprimanded a little bit harsher," Riddick said. "And Mike in no uncertain terms, said, 'Look, you don't give up on talent like this at this point.' So trust me, he knew what he had on his hands, too. As far as the upside of this young man." While the full story behind Pickens’ departure may never be known, it’s becoming increasingly clear that off-field concerns weighed heavily on Tomlin’s mind. The Steelers knew Pickens was a rare talent, and that’s why Tomlin didn’t punish him as much as he probably could have. It wasn’t because he thought Pickens was good enough to get away with it, but because his coaching style is different for every player. In Tomlin’s mind, he still had faith that Pickens would mature, but it appears that growth just didn’t happen fast enough. "We were all, were like, whoa," Riddick said of the panels reaction to Tomlin's secret comments in that production meeting. "Mike was not playing around. He was like, 'Y'all know how this business works now.'" Riddick described the moment as tense, and as the quotes are now being shared, Steelers fans are likely picturing exactly how that meeting went down. Tomlin is known for being a direct, no-nonsense leader. If something bothers him, he speaks up, and it appears he did not appreciate being questioned by Orlovsky about his coaching style when it came to Pickens. Steelers Fans Starting To Understand More Details Behind The George Pickens Trade According to Riddick, Tomlin firmly defended his approach during the exchange. He explained that his coaching style depends on the individual player, and with Pickens, he chose to be patient rather than overly critical. Tomlin believed Pickens could grow with time and guidance. In his mind, treating every player the same does not always produce the best results, and he trusted that Pickens would eventually mature. Despite Tomlin’s belief in his potential, that growth never fully happened. As a result, the Steelers chose to make a change. With Pickens now gone and Metcalf brought in to lead the wide receiver room, Pittsburgh is turning the page. Still, the story behind Pickens’ exit is one that will stick with fans, especially as more behind-the-scenes details continue to surface.
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