Training Observations:

• The players did some fitness today before playing short sided games
• Ross LaBauex was one of the top performers in the fitness drills.
• Andy Lorei is still training with the team. So far, the coaching staff likes what they see.
• Nick Cardenas is on a one week trial with the Rapids. Cardenas, a Colorado native, was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2010 Superdraft by the Kansas City Wizards. He’s a 6′5 center defender out of San Diego State University. He scored 10 goals for the Aztecs mainly off of set pieces. He was named First Team All-Pac 10 in 2009 and was the 2006 Pac 10 Freshman of the Year. He also spent a little time with the US U20’s. He looked ok at training today, he’s a big guy.
• Marvell Wynne wasn’t at training he’s back in Toronto getting his things.
• Colin Clark is looking sharper.
• Jaime Smith still has a sore hamstring but the staff is hoping he’ll train at full speed later this week.
• Oscar Murillo has some great skill but bad habits. I think Coach Smith wants him to simplify his game a little.
• Baudet is healthy.
• Kimura and Cummings, as always, were the last two players to leave training.

Notes:

• The Rapids face the Chicago Fire in their home opener this Saturday, April 3 at 2pm.
• Coach Smith and Paul Bravo have reiterated their desire to bring in an attacking or creative player.

Final Thoughts:

It is easy to see that morale is good at the moment. The win on Friday was their first win since September 5th and I know it must be a relief to get back to winning ways.

Although everyone is happy with the win, the coaching staff knows the team has more to offer.  Coach Smith is still waiting to get the best out of players like Larentwoicz, Mastroeni, and Clark.  All three missed a large portion of preseason with injury. Baudet and Smith are shaking of their injuries and hoping to debut this weekend against Chicago.  Newcomers, LaBauex, Earls, and Akpan are still finding their feet at the professional level.  In addition, the staff knows they are missing a creative player up top or on the wings.

The Rapids aren’t there yet, but they are taking steps forward.  Hopefully the team peaks at the right time and they end this playoffs drought.

FC Denver and the Green Army are selling $14 tickets on the terrace for the Rapids home opener against the Chicago Fire on Saturday, April 3 at 2pm.  The Rapids started the season on a high note, defeating Chivas USA on the road. The Fire, led by three time World Cup veteran Brian Mcbride, is looking for their first win of the season after falling to NY in the season opener.

Contact us at: dvalenzuela13@gmail.com if you are interested in tickets. Please contact us by Wednesday.

FC Denver is providing tickets at a low price because we want all the soccer fans in Denver to join us for a memorable afternoon of soccer.  Here is what people have said about the Supporters Terrace:

“The Rapids’ Supporters Terrace will be a perfect opportunity for us to take our fan experience to a new level,” said Rapids Managing Director Jeff Plush. “We believe that through our supporters groups and those most dedicated Rapids fans, the Supporters Terrace will create that truly authentic soccer experience at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.”

The new Supporters Terrace will allow each of the Rapids’ various supporters groups and other rabid fans a place to call their own in the stadium. Flags, banners, instruments, singing and other passionate support of the team at home games will all be encouraged, making the Supporters Terrance the place to be for Colorado’s most enthusiastic soccer fans. Special vending options will also only be available for Terrace fans.

“The Rapids have proved with the creation of the Rapids Supporters Terrace that their main focus is building an atmosphere that all supporters can be proud of,” said Mark Bodmer, Founder of Rapids Supporters Club Class VI. “The Supporters Terrace will allow Rapids fans to now become an influencing twelfth man. This move speaks loudly and shows the Rapids’ commitment to soccer fans.”

“What makes this such a big announcement is that the Rapids are involving the fans in the decision-making process,” added Patrick Quinn, president of the Centennial Firm Rapids Supporters Club. “The organization is showing that they are supportive of us and want to help us create an environment where we as supporters can grow and be successful.”

“The Bobbies are thrilled to join the other Rapids Supporters Groups in the newly-commissioned Supporters Terrace at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park,” said Jon Forget, President of the newly formed Bulldog Rapids Supporters Group, also known as The Bobbies. “The Rapids organization has put their best foot forward to help improve the gameday atmosphere at the stadium, and our group is looking forward to joining the other Rapids Supporters Groups in making the Terrace the epicenter of an elevated atmosphere at the park.”

I hope everyone can make it out to the big match.

Matchday 1 has come and gone.  It was a great weekend for teams out west, 4 wins 2 ties and 2 losses. The East didn’t fair quite as well with only 3 wins and 5 losses.  Kansas and RSL picked up big wins at the expense of DC and San Jose.  Columbus, LA, Colorado, Seattle, and NY started the season off on the right foot. Houston and Dallas were the only teams to tie. Chicago were a little unlucky not to earn a tie. Toronto, Philadelphia, New England, and Chivas have some work to do.

Here are the Green Army’s first power rankings of the season:

MLS Power Rankings after Week 1

1.       RSL: Champs crushed San Jose, Morales is back.

2.       Kansas City: New and improved Wizards.

3.       Columbus Crew: Goal and assist from Schelotto.

4.       Seattle: Zakuani, Montero, and Ljungberg . . . enough said

5.       New York Red Bulls: Lindpere new comer of the year?

6.       Colorado Rapids: Big Wynne on the road.

7.       Los Angeles Galaxy: Sloppy but New England looked worse.

8.       Chicago: Unlucky, but they’ll bounce back.

9.       Houston: Missing Holden . . . maybe.

10.   FC Dallas: Happy with a tie and 8,000 in attendance . . . sigh.

11.   Chivas USA: They have talent, but need more time

12.   San Jose: Lost 3-0 at home, same old Earthquakes

13.   Philadelphia Union: Working class, bordering on no class.

14.   Toronto FC:  Things are different but results are the same.

15.   New England Revolution: No Joseph, no goals. Schilawski is good.

16.   DC United: Just plain ugly.

Share your thoughts on matchday 1.

Colorado Rapids win their home opener against Chivas 1-0. Goal scored by Omar Cummings in the 57th minute.

Here is a full match report by the Rapids: Rapids Defeat Chivas USA 1-0 in 10′ Season Opener

Here is a full match report by the Chivas: Cummings, Colorado Spoil Chivas USA Home Opener

A road victory is a great way to start off the season.  The Rapids played a smart game and got some brilliant performances from a few players.  Overall, I think the Rapids controlled the way match would be played and didn’t allow Chivas to play their style.

The Good:

• First road victory to open a season.
• New signings Earls, Larentowicz, and Wynne
• Colin Clark went 80 minutes and recorded an assist
• Ross LaBauex made his professional debut and almost got an assist
• Rapids put together some solid passing sequences
• Rapids defended and controlled the center of park
• Kept a clean sheet
• Rapids supporters representing at the local Denver pubs

Not So Good:

• The through balls and crosses were off the mark for the most part
• Midfielders had trouble moving the ball forward unless they went over the top
• No width for large portions of the game
• They were exposed a few times and needed Wynne to bail them out
• Finishing was off
• Because of so many new signings there was still some confusion among players about runs, marks, and showing to passes
• Pickens didn’t look confident with his hands

Player Ratings:

Pickens: 6, a little shaky, didn’t look comfortable using his hand but kept the clean sheet.

Kimura: 5, started the game a little out of rhythm but picked it up.  Not his best night but held down the right side of the field adequately.

Wynne: 9, great performance by the new signing. His speed and tenacity kept us in the game. He looked good at center back.

Moor: 7, great game by Drew. He cleaned things up and kept things organized as the verbal leader. Was beat by Galindo a few times but that is why they paired him with Wynne.

Earls: 6, not a bad debut by the young defender. Showed he can play at this level but did get beat a few times and his pass back to the goalie showed a little bit of inexperience.

Ballouchy: 6, wasn’t very influential in the match but he worked hard getting into tackles and making himself available.

Mastroeni: 8, defensively, it was a good night for the captain. He broke up plays and completely frustrated the Chivas midfield.  His touch was a little off, but I think that is the result of being injured for most of preseason.

Larentowicz: 7, a real presence in the midfield.  Looked a little out of sync at times and still a little rusty with the ball, but he got into some hard tackles. A little too hard sometimes, but I won’t complain.

Clark: 6, looked like he was asleep for the first 30 minutes.  Once he woke up he started looking like the Clark of last season. Still isn’t 100% but there were glimpses of what he can do.

Omar: 8, scored the game winner.  He got in behind the defenders a number of times and was dangerous throughout the night. He needs to clean up his passing and ball handling but it’s the first game after preseason and I’d imagine the legs are still a little heavy.

Casey: 6, he needed better service but didn’t capitalize on the chances that did fall his way.  He was handful for the Chivas defense and created plenty of space for Omar.

SUBS:

Thompson: 6, he was brought in to hold the lead and did his part.

LaBauex:6, great debut for the young midfielder.  Did his part to hold the lead and almost had an assist.

Palguta: N/A he played, that is really good news after an injury layoff.

Coach Gary Smith: 8, had some players injured and a few guys out of position.  He got great performances out of the players he put his faith in.  He substituted intelligently to help kill off the match.  The Marvell Wynne move looks like a stroke of genius at this point.

The Rapids home opener is Saturday, April 3 at Dicks Sporting Goods Park.  The Rapids host the Chicago Fire.  If you don’t have tickets yet, the Green Army and FC Denver are selling tickets on the terrace for $16.  Email: fcdenversoccer@gmail.com for more information.

The word on the street is that Rapids just traded midfielder Nick LaBrocca and a draft pick to Toronto FC for defender Marvell Wynne.

I’ll post more details as they become available.

[UPDATE] Both the Rapids and Toronto are saying the trade is official.  The Colorado Rapids traded midfielder Nick LaBrocca and a 3rd round draft pick to Toronto FC for defender Marvell Wynne.

Here are Wynne’s vitasl:

Marvell Wynne

DOB: May 8, 1986 (age 23)

Position: Defender

Height: 5-9

Weights: 171

Last Club: Toronto FC

College: UCLA

He has 2 goals and 13 career assists in four seasons.  Colorado will be his 3rd team.  He was drafted out of UCLA by New York before being traded to Toronto in 2007.  He’s fallen out of favor in Toronto and is looking to get back on track with the Rapids.

Rapids Official Press Release:

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Thursday, March 25, 2010) - The Colorado Rapids have acquired defender Marvell Wynne in a trade with Toronto FC, the club announced today.

In exchange, Colorado send midfielder Nick LaBrocca and their third round 2011 Major League Soccer SuperDraft pick to Toronto.

Wynne joins the Rapids adding his lightning pace to the club’s backline. Over the last two seasons, he has developed into more of an offensive threat scoring his first professional goals in 2008 and registering a career high five assists with TFC last season. Wynne has three caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team and was a member of the Men’s Olympic Team that competed in Beijing in 2008. The former first overall selection in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft by New York has played in 96 career MLS games, 90 as a starter, and recorded two goals and 13 assists.

Wynne will join the team in Los Angeles ahead of their 2010 season opener against Chivas USA tomorrow, Friday, March 26 at 8:30 pm MT.

LaBrocca leaves Colorado having played in more games and in more minutes than any other Rapids player since 2008. He appeared in 61 games with 57 starts and scored four goals for Colorado after originally being drafted by the Rapids with the 35th overall pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft.

This is the third trade Colorado and Toronto have completed in the last three months. On January 21, the Rapids acquired allocation money from Toronto in exchange for midfielder Jacob Peterson and on February 10 the Rapids acquired TFC’s third round 2011 MLS SuperDraft pick in exchange for defender Ty Harden.

Transaction

MLS

Colorado Rapids - Acquired defender Marvell Wynne from Toronto FC in exchange for midfielder Nick LaBrocca and Colorado’s third round 2011 Major League Soccer SuperDraft pick.

Coach Smith discussed the trade with the Green Army:

I headed out to training this morning and got a few comments from Gary Smith about the trade.  LaBrocca was highly regarded by Smith and he is “extremely disappointed to lose Nick.”

The move comes as a surprise to most fans.  He was a key member of the team for the last few seasons. There might be more to the story than just strengthening the backline.

“There were some personal reasons for Nick, so the move took place, and I wish him all the very best.  He’s played nearly every minute for me. It’s disappointing to see him go but we are excited to have Marvel in return.”

Wynne is an incredibly fast and athletic defender. Coach Smith is excited about the qualities he brings in right away as well as his potential.

“I think he’s a fabulous addition for us. We were very stretched in that defensive lineup. He not only adds good physical qualities, but in his present potential state we add someone for the future.”

Wynne will be with team at Chivas USA but Coach Smith is uncertain about Wynne’s participation.

“Marvel will be there for us in the weekend, obviously it’s a long journey, a bit of a time difference.  I’m hoping he’ll be in the right mental or physical shape to play a part in the game, but at this point I’m not sure how much.”

Most people see Wynne as the new starting right back. He has national team experience and brings athletic qualities that few players in the league possess.  Coach Smith thinks it’s a mistake to count out Kimura and is considering playing Wynne in different positions.

“Kosuke, I think, is one of those guys when the chips are down he’s always been there for us, I don’t expect that to be any different. He’s improved every year that I’ve been here.”

“I don’t necessarily think that Marvel is a given in that position. I’d like to explore the possibility of him sliding inside every now and then to offer us that extra bit of pace centrally, but only time will tell how that evolves.”

The Rapids are stock piling defenders and Coach Smith is happy with the players they’ve brought.

“We’ve put together a very exciting group of defenders.  There is some huge potential in some of those guys, some of them are yet to reach their peak, Marvel is included in them.”

Coach Smith isn’t done building his team and isn’t ruling out additional moves.  Coach Smith thinks the team needs to bring in “a body or two creatively, and a body in the back four.”

Coach Smith wouldn’t give me any hints on who they are looking at, but it’s good to know that the team is moving their attention to the offensive side of the ball.

Last year’s rookies really made an impact in the league.  Guys like Steve Zakuani, Sam Cronin, Omar Gonzalez, and Chris Pontius became key players for their respective clubs.  I think we’ll see more of the same this season.

This years crop of  newcomers boasts a ton of attacking talent.  There are always surprises in this category, but here is a quick look some of the players I think you should pay attention to.

Forwards:

Danny Mwanga: Mwanga was drafted #1 and will play a major role in the Union’s attack.  The young forward has the speed, strength, and skill to be an impact player this season. It looked like he would get the start alongside Moreno this season, but Sebastian LeToux might have slipped into that spot. Nonetheless, Mwanga is a top talent.

Teal Bunbury: The young forward is a natural goal scorer, something the Wizards haven’t had in a while.  His 17 goals for Akron last season were the highest in the nation but we’ll see if he can translate that form to the pros. The Wizards don’t have a proven goal scorer so the position is his for the taking.  He has some competition but he has the tools to succeed in MLS.

Andre Akpan: Akpan slipped in the draft and slipped in most people’s minds. He has shown glimpses of his potential during the offseason but needs playing time to beat the learning curve. Luckily, the Rapids recently waived forward Pat Noonan and have forward Ross Schunk out due to a long term injury.  That only leaves Akpan to back up Casey and Cummings. This isn’t good news for Rapids but its great news for Akpan, who could see playing time right away.

Jack McInerny: The U17 standout has done more than expected in the offseason. Most have him penciled in as a dominating striker in two or three years.  I think we might see him progress sooner than that.  Will he be the next Jozy Altidore? That might be a stretch, but I expect him to score goals this season.

Zack Schilawski: The Wake Forest product had a solid preseason leading the Revs in scoring with four goals and one assist in five games. The young forward will likely come off the bench but if Twellman isn’t ready to go, he’ll jump right into the starting lineup.

Midfielders:

Eric Alexander: Third round draft pick Eric Alexander is quickly and quietly becoming one of the key players in FC Dallas’ midfield.  The kid can flat out play and has put in some solid preseason performances. He has a solid work ethic and is a competent passer. He’ll serve as a backup to Daniel Hernandez.

Michael Stephens: The UCLA product couldn’t have asked for a better situation in his rookie year.  He is getting developed by one of the best coaches in the league, Bruce Arena, and gets to play alongside experienced veteran midfielders in Landon Donovan, Eddie Lewis, Clint Mathis, and Chris Klein. Stephens isn’t a finished product, but he’s shown glimpses that might make him the Galaxy’s third Rookie of Year in as many years.

David Estrada: Seattle surprised everyone when they picked up Estrada in the first round.  The UCLA product has plenty of tools to make him an excellent player MLS. Estrada fits in nicely at Seattle because they play an attractive and skillful type of soccer. He will benefit from the talent around him and make an impact this season.

Tony Tchani: The incredibly talented midfielder had a slow start to his preseason but he’s the real deal.  The kid can play and should work his way into the starting lineup. Carl Robinson and Joel Lindpere look like the starting pair but Tchani isn’t far behind.

Defenders:

Ike Opara: Opara was the best defender in the draft.  The kid can step in and start right away.  He has a ton of athleticism and plenty of upside. The league is kind to young defensive players, meaning, Opara should excel this season.

Tim Ream: The Red Bulls second round draft pick looks like a lock as a starting center back.  Red Bulls new coach, Hans Backe, holds Ream in very high regard and stated that Ream has the potential to be a national team defender. Ream is a smart player and could work his way into Rookie of the Year contention much like Omar Gonzalez last season.

By: Eric Fulton (FC Denver)

MLS FIRST KICK IS TOMORROW NIGHT/THURSDAY @ 7:30PM MT on ESPN2. Watch it! Its the Philadelphia Union’s inaugural match! They play last years newcomers, the Seattle Sounders at the Qwest field in Seattle. Philadelphia has some very exciting youngsters that should be lighting the league up for seasons to come. This night though, is there first official night out as a team, so expect the Sounders to take the game to them. Either way, it will be an exciting to match to take in.

OUR VERY OWN COLORADO RAPIDS KICK OFF THEIR 2010 CAMPAIGN ON FRIDAY NIGHT IN LA AGAINST CHIVAS USA. Please join us at the BRITISH BULLDOG Downtown Denver at 2052 St for the Colorado Rapids Official Viewing Party starting at 7:30pm. Game starts at 8:30. The game is also televised locally on KWGN/Channel 2.

IF YOU ARE A SOCCER FAN AND LIVE IN THE TERRITORY KNOWN AS COLORADO, YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF TO WATCH THIS MATCH WITH THE FANS (or put that fancy DVR to good use and watch it by yourself)! We’ve got a very exciting season of Rapids soccer ahead of us.

DICKS SPORTING GOODS PARK 2010 SEASON HOME OPENER IS NEXT SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT 2PM. The Rapids play a strong Chicago Fire squad to open the year at DSGP. We (FC DENVER) will be there, will be loud, and will be joining in the festive pre-game SUPPORTERS GROUP tailgate. Lets pray that next weekend’s weather is nice!

We have 25 tickets to every home game for the Club members and our associated friends, family, and acquaintances at $16 each. Not only is the price right (where else can you go to a beautiful sport-specific stadium and watch a pro sporting event for that price!), but Rapids Coach  Smith looks to be putting the pieces together for an impressive season. Tickets are first come, first serve, so please contact me if you are interested in attending a game with us. I will have tickets at our FC Denver games and practices and can hold some aside for you until 48 hours before gametime.

The West looks tough this season.  On paper, every team is solid and it wouldn’t surprise me if five teams from the West made the playoffs. Defending MLS Cup winners, Real Salt Lake, and runner-up, LA Galaxy, are the two favorites in the West.  Seattle, Chivas, Houston, and Colorado will be fighting for a spot.  FC Dallas and San Jose could be contenders or flops this season.

The West is tough to predict because the teams are all pretty close. I think Landon Donovan sets the Galaxy apart from the pack.  Seattle, if they avoid the sophomore slump, have the talent to be first or second in the West.  Houston could end up in the top or bottom 3 this season depending on how they adapt to key losses.  Here is my best shot at a final standings prediction.

West Final Standings:

1. Los Angeles Galaxy
2. Seattle Sounders
3. Real Salt Lake
4. Colorado Rapids
5. San Jose Earthquakes
6. Houston Dynamo
7. Chivas USA
8. FC Dallas

Team Previews:

Real Salt Lake returns its core players and a few additions to help them repeat.  RSL had a quiet season before storming through the playoffs to an MLS Cup. They’ll have a target on their back this season but I think they have the players to handle that pressure. Everyone knows RSL is good the question is whether they can put it all together sooner rather than later.  With fewer teams making the playoffs and more points required, RSL can’t have a repeat of last year’s subpar league play. Kyle Beckerman will lead the team from the middle and allow Javier Morales to create.  Robbie Findley and new strike partner, Alvaro Saborio, will provide a dangerous combination up top.  Olave returns to anchor the backline, alongside Borchers, Wingert, and Russell.  RSL added U17 midfielder Luis Gil to their roster.  He probably won’t contribute right away, but he’s an exciting young prospect.

The Galaxy won’t have Beckham at all this season or Donovan for a portion, if not most of the season.  If Donovan doesn’t depart MLS after the World Cup, I think the Galaxy are a sure bet to make another MLS Cup appearance.  With the exception of Clint Mathis, the Galaxy brought in mostly young players in the offseason.  Arena added a trio of young Brazilians (Alex, Juninho, and Leonardo).  Juninho looks ready to start in the playmaking role, while Leonardo and Alex will likely come off the bench to support the backline.  The Galaxy used their only draft pick this season to bring on UCLA product Michael Stephens.  Stephens has impressed this offseason and could get the nod centrally or out wide now that Beckham is out of commission.  Rookie of the year Omar Gonzalez will anchor the backline alongside Berhalter, Dunivant, and former Rookie of the year Sean Franklin.  Up top, Edson Buddle should be the player to watch.

Chivas USA lost several key players in the offseason.  Shavar Thomas, Jesse Marsch, Sasha Victorine, Claudio Suarez, Carey Talley, and Jim Curtin are no longer with the team. Additionally, Preki moved on to Toronto and new coach Martin Vasquez has stepped in. This is Vasquez’s first head coaching job, having served as an assistant coach for the Galaxy, Chivas USA, and Bayern Munich.  Vasquez has started to make his mark on the team, bringing in players like Salvadoran playmaker Osael Romero and Costa Rican defender Michael Umana.  The big question is the center midfield position.  Without Nagamura and Marsch, Vasquez will need to get creative.  Vasquez can choose any combination of Kljestan and Romero, his two offensive options, and Saragosa and Lahoud, his defensive midfielders.  Rookie Blair Gavin is also available to step in if called on.  Jonathon Bornstein will command the backline along with Umana, Jazic, and Trujillo.  Up top, Chivas have several options in the speedy Galindo, the Brazilian Maicon, and the workman like Justin Braun.  Keep an eye on youngsters Cuesta, Flores, and Mayen for breakout seasons. The overhaul will hurt the Chivas playoff hopes.  They’ve lost key players in the defense and the midfield as well as brought in a new coach.  I think they’ll miss the postseason this year.

San Jose had a great preseason, beating MLS and European competition. But let’s not forget that they also had a good preseason before the 2009 season and ended up finishing last in the West. Ryan Johnson has a new strike partner in Brazilian Eduardo.  Arturo Alvarez will need to step up his playmaking if San Jose wants to be considered a serious contender.  In the same boat as Alvarez is Bobby Convey.  While Alvarez showed moments of brilliance last season, Convey was completely ineffective all year long.  The Earthquakes had a great draft picking up a starting defender in Ike Opara, and two capable midfielders/defenders in Morrow and Beitashauer.  The team is good enough to make the playoffs this season but they need to execute.

FC Dallas had a strong finish to last season but we’ll see if they can pick up where they left off.  They ended last season in fantastic form but it was too little too late for the Texas team.  Dallas returns a strong defensive core consisting of Ugo Ihemelu, Heath Pearce, George John, and Benitez.  Jeff Cunningham will attempt to duplicate his golden boot winning performance in 2009, but he can’t do it without the playmaking of Dax McCarty and David Ferreira.  Brek Shea should have a breakout season manning the left flank.  The young and versatile midfielder has all tools to be one of the best players in the league. Dallas hasn’t added too many new faces in the offseason.  Rookie defender Zach Loyd and midfielder Eric Alexander should make an impact this season.  Alexander will push Hernandez in that defensive mid spot, and Loyd is ready to step in if needed on the backline.  Veteran goalkeeper Kevin Hartman was also picked up in the offseason.  Youngsters Byran Leyva and Ruben Luna, both 18, are turning heads in Dallas with their play this preseason.

Although Houston returns some key players in Davis, Ching, Boswell, Mullan, and Cameron; the Dynamo will struggle without Stuart Holden and Ricardo Clark.  The Dynamo still has a strong squad but the quality in the West will make it difficult to qualify for the playoffs without a real game changer on board.  Coach Kinnear is one of the best in the league and will keep this team competitive.  Knox Cameron could replace Stuart Holden in the playmaking role.  New signing, Jamaican midfielder Lovel Palmer could fill in at defensive midfielder. The addition of Adrian Serioux adds a skillful and veteran defender to Houston’s backline.  The team also signed academy product, midfielder Francisco Navas Cobo.  The key player for the Dynamo is Luis Angel Landin.  Houston’s DP signing has been completely ineffective and is starting to look like an embarrassment to the franchise.  That doesn’t mean Landin isn’t a quality player.  He has the skill and ability to become a real impact player in the league now that he is injury free.

The Colorado Rapids are looking to prove they are a playoff team.  Last season, the club was on a roll until a host of injuries derailed their playoff hopes.  Talk is cheap in the Mile High City and the Rapids have leaned on the injury excuse since October.  It’s time for them to show league and the fans that this team is a real contender. I see them taking the fourth or fifth playoff spot this season. The team isn’t 100% yet but players are slowly returning to form.  Right now the Rapids are in the middle of the pack and have the quality to make the playoffs. The team returns a strong core of players in strikers Connor Casey and Omar Cummings; midfielders Mastroeni, Clark, and Labrocca; and defenders Drew Moor and Julien Baudet.  Jaime Smith didn’t have much of a chance to impress last season because of injury. This season he hopes to show everyone why Coach Smith believes he is one of the best wingers in the league.  Ballouchy also needs to step up his playmaking and prove his worth now that Jeff Larentowicz is on board. In addition to Larentowicz, Coach Smith also brought on Wells Thompson to add depth to the midfield. Defenders Oscar Murillo and Danny Earls were brought onto add depth to the backline.  Rookies Andre Akpan and Ross LaBauex should play major roles this season as the two have impressed in preseason.  Rob Valentino is another player that could have a breakout year.

Seattle is facing the dreaded sophomore slump this season.  Last season the Sounders defied expectations and made the playoffs.  Things might be different this time around.  I think the playoffs are in their future, but it won’t be an easy road.  The Sounders had an uneventful offseason. Their only big loss was Sebastian LeToux in the expansion draft.  Influential offensive players Freddy Ljungberg and Fredy Montero return for a second season.  The club also returns a solid midfield trio in Brad Evans, Steve Zakuani, and Osvaldo Alonso.  James Riley, Hurtado, Marshall, and Gonzalez make up one of the best defenses in the league. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller is also back to captain the team. The Sounders brought in rookie David Estrada who is challenging for time up top or in the midfield.  The Sounders also picked up Swiss international, Blaise Nkufo. Nkufo is a big strong striker that will arrive in the summer.  He is likely to challenge Nate Jaqua for a starting spot.  Another exciting addition to the squad is 18 year old forward Miguel Montano.  The young Colombian isn’t ready to make an impact this season but everyone expects him to be key player in the years to come.

The morning session looked like it consisted mainly of the players making the trip to LA on Friday. The rest of the squad was scheduled to participate in the reserve scrimmage that was canceled due to the weather.  There was a ton of media out at training today.  The television news crews were out as were several newspaper journalists.  Nick Thomas, former writer of the blog WeWantRapidman, was out reporting for his new gig with MLSsoccer.com.  Brian Jennings from Soccer365 was also out there getting in some comments from players.  So there should be plenty of Rapids stories popping up in the next few days.

Training Observations:

• Jeff Larentowicz trained with the first team in the morning but was scheduled to get a few minutes with the reserves this afternoon. The word is that he is ready to play but it still isn’t clear if he will start.
• Colin Clark should make the trip to LA and play some part in the match.
• Scott Palguta is recovering from his Achilles tendinitis but probably won’t make the trip to LA. He was scheduled to play 60 minutes in the reserve match.
• Jaime Smith and Julien Baudet are shaking off a few knocks they took over the weekend but should be available on Friday.
• A few of the players had already gone back inside by the time they opened up training to the media but this is who I recall being out there : Earls, Moor, Kimura, Balluchy, LaBrocca, Pickens, Pablo, Cummings, Casey, and Larentowicz

Notes:

• The Rapids need to have their roster set by 3pm tomorrow
• Pat Noonan was waived
• MLSsoccer.com is supposed to launch tomorrow afternoon. (Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed)
• The word is that coach Smith is looking at a few players that have or might get waived from their MLS teams in the next couple of days. Busch? Elliot? Van den Bergh? DiRaimondo? Talley?
• The Rapids kick off the season at Chivas USA this Friday, March 26, at the Home Depot Center. Game starts at 8:30pm.

Final Thoughts:

Everyone is excited and anxious to get the season started.  Its been a tough preseason and the guys are ready to start playing some games.

The new 5 year CBA was signed on Saturday and the details were announced today. Take a look and let me know what you think.

TERM: 2010 - 2014.

GUARANTEED CONTRACTS: The CBA provides for guaranteed contracts for all players who are at least 24 years old with three years of MLS service. The majority of the players in the League will have guaranteed contracts each season.

SALARY BUDGET: An increase of the salary budget from $2.315 million per club in 2009 to $2.55 million in 2010 (10.15%) and an increase of 5% per year thereafter.

An increase of the minimum salary for senior roster players from $34,000 in 2009 to $40,000 in 2010 (17.64%) and an increase of 5% per year thereafter.

PLAYER MOVEMENT: While there will be no bidding by MLS clubs against each other for out-of-contract players, the League will establish a “re-entry draft” for players who are out of contract. Although the specific parameters of that draft are being finalized, it will address players in each of the following categories:

Option Not Exercised

A player who is at least 23 years old with three years of MLS service and whose option is not exercised will be placed in a re-entry draft and made available to all clubs at his option salary.

Contract Terminated

A player who is at least 22 years old with one year of MLS service and who is asked to take a pay cut after contract termination will be placed in a re-entry draft and made available to all clubs at his current salary.

Contract Expires

A player who is at least 30 years old with eight years of MLS service and whose contract has expired will be placed in a re-entry draft unless his team makes him a qualified offer that must be at least 105% of his last salary. If placed in the re-entry draft, the player will be made available to all clubs at a salary equal to 105% of his last salary.

A player who is at least 25 years of age with at least four years of MLS service whose contract has expired will be placed in a re-entry draft unless his team offers him a base salary of at least as much as the base salary paid to him in the last year of his contract. If placed in the re-entry draft, the player will be made available to all clubs at a salary equal to the salary in the final year of his contract.

OPTIONS IN PLAYER CONTRACTS: A limit on the number of options in player contracts to two for players who are at least 25 years old with four years of MLS service. Contracts for all other players may have up to three options.

For players whose annual compensation is less than $125,000, the minimum increase in base salary will be 10% for players who play in at least 66% of his club’s games and 12.5% for players who play in at least 75% of his club’s games.
PLAYER BENEFITS: The CBA includes a package of benefits that include increases in 401K contributions by the League, appearance fees, per diem when travelling and relocation expense reimbursement. Among the additional player benefits in the CBA are full health care benefits for every player and his family at no cost, 401(k) contributions and expanded insurance benefits.

BONUSES FOR WINS AND EXHIBITIONS: The CBA includes a package of bonuses for wins in MLS games and international tournaments as well as appearance fees for international exhibitions.

GROUP LICENSE: The League and Players Union reached agreement on an extension of the Group License that will run through 2015 (a year longer than the CBA).

RESERVE DIVISION: MLS and the Players Union will establish a joint committee to study the re-launch of a Reserve Division. In the event the rosters are expanded, the salary for those players will be a minimum of $31,250 with additional annual increases.