No Fan Alone Colorado Rapids Supporters

“Jamie!  You’re my favorite Scot!”

one of Bishop’s Rowdy Fan Posse members, August 28, approximately 8:30 p.m.

And so began the Jamie Smith Fan Buzz, which lasted into the week, in blogs, conversations and podcasts.  Gary Smith, who was reluctant to single out any one player for special props in the Houston game, admitted that he thought Jamie’s performance was his best for the club yet, and “we are starting to see what he’s capable of”.  Clearly, from the fans-in-the-stands perspective, Jamie Smith looked awesome.  In The Zone and On his game for all 90 minutes.  It’s easy to imagine opponents now thinking “oh no, now we have to worry about this guy, too.”  He may not be as tall as Casey or as nimble as Cummings, but he has his own technique for running the ball through opponents, and sending free kicks exactly where he wants them.

Bottom ranked Chivas is coming to Denver, but Gary Smith doesn’t want his team to assume anything.  Complacency is out.  The key is reproducing the same attitude they had last week.  During practice this week, he’s seen a lot of energy and creative drive.  He felt the Houston win was a great team performance.  Key words: Sharp (Cummings and Casey), Bright (Ballouchy), Came Up Big (Joyce).  He thought Pablo was getting more creative with scoring attacks thanks to his relationship with Jeff Larentowicz.  Knowing Jeff is covering his back, he can take on a more attacking role.

Houston was playing down a man for most of the game, but when Marvell Wynne left the field with a hamstring injury, the Rapids were figuratively playing down a man.  No, maybe it’s more a case of when he’s on the field they’re playing up a man.  The defense easily picked up any slack from his absence and held Houston off.  Wynne is doubtful for the Chivas game, so this might be our first chance to see Anthony Wallace play.  Pickens is back at practice, and says he’s good to go.  Certainly Ian Joyce showed he can fill in just fine, but he could be distracted by a new baby any day now, leaving pool goalkeeper Chris Sharpe as the default backup.

I gave Pablo the Class VI/supporters Rapids Pump It Up CD, and he seemed really pleased to get it, as were some random coaches and staff.  I got the impression that pre-game music selection isn’t always up to par, and there have been complaints.  Thanks to everyone who made suggestions.  I’m not going to release the playlist just yet.  We don’t want other teams stealing our inspirational creation.   Songs were chosen based on at least one of the following criteria:

1. High energy
2. Positive attitude
3. Use of the word “win”

It also helped if I could find them on the internet.  In case we need to create Rapids Pump It Up Playlist 2.0, forward additional song suggestiong to GPB Mark or me.

Personally, I was disappointed that the Rapids didn’t score 5 goals against Houston.  It sure looked possible.  Before the game, I had a discussion with a longtime devoted Class VI fan about the lack of scoring and winning.  He firmly believed it was just bad luck.  The talent was there, but they were always dogged by bad luck, and once they latched onto some luck, more success would follow.  We agreed we were waiting for that lucky break.  And then Jamie Smith took off down the side in the second minute and we knew this was going to be That Game.  And they hadn’t even listened to our CD yet.

Inquiring minds want to know: why isn’t the highly-praised Claudio Lopez in the starting lineup?  Why doesn’t he get more playing time, given the high expectations for his potential contributions?   He has loads of experience and technical skill, so why not capitalize on his talent from the get go?   I got an explanation for the current state of affairs, although not from any coaches or players.  According to these knowledgeable Rapids observers, Lopez is more of a attacking presence on the field.  The starting midfield must include a strong defensive element, and Lopez would not be able to fulfill that role.  Therefore he gets playing time later in the game, particularly when scoring chances become more critical than defense.

How is Gary Smith feeling after the loss in Columbus?   “OK”.  No, how are you really feeling.  ”Disappointed”.  He doesn’t think the scoring reflected the way the team played.  The statistics were all in the Rapids’ favor – except for the goals scored stat – but mistakes were their downfall.  ”We haven’t converted raw possession into goals.”  Smith is frustrated about those mistakes, which raise the stress level and wreak havoc on confidence.  The only possible good news would be that the players take this loss as a serious wake up call.  The bad news would be that the wake up call just creates more rattled nerves, stress and pressure.

The Rapids have scored fewer goals so far this year compared to last year, when the team was falling apart thanks to injuries.  When asked about his own stats this season, Omar Cummings observed that they need to be making chances as a team.  Are the missed chances getting to him?  He said that, as a professional, he should be able to immediately erase the missed shots from his mind and play on.  But sometimes it’s difficult.

The Rapids need at least 4 wins to have a chance at the playoffs.  Supporters to the rescue!  We have a great list of suggested songs for the inspirational CD, some of which are, well …. interesting.  Most of your suggestions will be used, as long as the tracks are available for download.  Once the CD is finalized, I’ll publish the list for everyone to see.

The Brazil vs. USMNT friendly on Tuesday was another awkward soccer moment for the US (the other one being the MLS all star game).  The US team always looks grim.  Perhaps this is a reflection of coach Bradley’s general demeanor and they just pick up on it.  Whatever the reason, they never look like they’re having fun.  By contrast, the Brazilian players were always smiling and laughing.  Maybe it’s helpful to have fun while playing.

The Rapids haven’t looked like they were having much fun either recently, as if there were a big figurative storm cloud of doubt hanging over the pitch.  As Gary Smith observed: “I’ve always thought the group are just a bit of confidence away from being a really successful team.”  There is such a thing as trying too hard, so perhaps we fans can help lighten the mood and boost that confidence.

1st plan: a CD of fan-selected Get-Pumped-Up songs, for the team to play in the locker room before games.  I’m soliciting suggestions from all you supporters, some of whom have already provided ideas, such as:

• theme from Top Gun
• Knock Me Down (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
• Winner (Timberlake and Foxx)

Country, rock, hip hop, pop, soul.  Whatever.  Send your ideas to our Grand Pooh Bah Mark.  I’d like at least 12 good choices, no lurid lyrics or profanity please.

2nd plan: Gary Smith shook things up by wearing a shirt and tie last week.  It was a new look, and don’t discount little things like that for shaking up the status quo.  He should continue the effort, but clearly needs some new ties to spice up team spirit and inject some fun into the proceedings.  With that in mind, we can help by suggesting new ties for Gary to wear.  It’s easy to search online, if you don’t have a handy supply at home.  Send your suggestions (link to the photos if possible) to GPB Mark.

You can go with a soccer theme:

He hit the post AGAIN???

This will get their attention.

With Conor Casey on the uncertain list, I asked Gary Smith how Andre Akpan might fit into the lineup.  He plays a similar position, is a tall guy and has obligingly shaved off his dreadlocks, so we can more easily imagine him subbing in for Casey.  Smith responded that Casey has the experience, strength and physical presence to successfully cope with 2 or more defenders.  He feels Akpan, along with Quincy Amarikwa, is better as part of a striking pair.  Casey has the experience, but Akpan has youth and energy and fortunately just returned from a month-long stint in Tampa, playing for the Rowdies.  When I spoke to him in June, he was eager to contribute to the Rapids, but with no friendlies or tournaments, playing time was nil.  With valuable playing time in Tampa under his belt, he may be ready at just the right time.  He cited Conor and Omar as his mentors, and described his attacking style as being in the middle of their two distinctive styles.

Speaking of ‘no tournaments’, Bring Back The Reserves!  Here’s a plan: have reserve or second-division teams play each other periodically on the fields next to the tailgate parking lot, on home game days.  The tailgating fans get to watch a game, and check out the rookie talent.  The reserve players get to play meaningful games, and they get fans cheering them on.  It’s a win-win.  The only objection I can imagine is what if one of the reserve players is needed as a sub during the MLS game?  Well, except in extremely unusual circumstances, they usually don’t sub in until late in the second half.  At which point they’ll have rested and refueled, and will already be pumped up to play.

Thoughts of tailgating lead to thoughts of food.  I asked Julien Baudet about whether he misses French cooking.  He noted that he’d spent years in England before coming to Colorado, so anything was an improvement.  He’s found some decent French-style restaurants to satisfy that craving, but mostly sticks to a healthy sports/fitness diet, with lots of vegetables, carbs and protein.  So at the moment, thoughts of creme brulee and croissants take a back seat.

The DP and $$$ issues are still floating around.  Nick Thomas spoke to Jeff Plush about it.  Gary Smith would like one, but there’s that money issue.  Real Salt Lake doesn’t have one, and they seem to be fine.  What’s your thought?

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Picture Dick’s Sporting Goods Park transplanted to LoDo, next to Coors Field, next to a lively downtown neighborhood full of sports bars, restaurants and condos.  Picture all those bars and restaurants flying Rapids flags on game night.  Picture a giant parade of Rapids fans marching down one of the streets to the stadium, waving flags, blowing horns and singing fan songs in unison.   This is the kind of environment that encourages fandom, and this is what the Seattle Sounders have.  That they also have a larger stadium is almost beside the point.  Everything works together to create a fan-friendly experience, which reinforces fan support and makes the whole going-to-the-game experience fun.

My daughter and I braved the Sea of Green – fans’ jerseys, scarfs, hats, Sounders murals painted along the Qwest Field walls (what do they do when football starts?), flags adorning all the local bars, green hair and face paint – to cheer on the Rapids.  As the Rapids starting line-up was announced, we learned that the team has a new player: “Jeff Larentowsky”.  Then we had a Star Spangled Banner mass sing-along, conducted (with a baton) by a guy in a Sounders jersey, who may have been one of the players.  For those lyric-impaired fans, the words were scrolled on the Jumbotron.

The game started and Seattle scored really quickly.  The Rapids defense looked somewhat confused.  We endured the predictable loud celebrationl, and then couldn’t believe our eyes, when Omar Cummings immediately ran down the field and planted the ball in the back of the net.  It almost looked too easy, one of those goals you’re sure is going to be called back for some mysterious infraction.  But no!  A real goal!  Shocking!  We jumped up and cheered and waved our scarfs, traitors In The Sea of Green!  An angry lady behind us said we spilled her beer.

That was as controversial as it got.  I’d been warned that Sounders’ games are extremely loud and crazy, so I was surprised to find that it wasn’t.  One large section of fans on the south end functioned like the Seattle version of the Terraces, with a non-stop barrage of singing and chanting, accompanied by coordinated arm waving.  Given the hot sunny weather, everyone had bare arms, so the section frequently resembled a giant sea creature with waving tentacles.  By contrast, the fans around us were practically silent, possibly because they were so far from the action that yelling random comments at the teams would be pointless.  They all jumped up once more for Seattle’s second goal and then stayed seated and quiet for the rest of the match.

The Rapids didn’t give them much chance for any more cheering.  After allowing 2 quick goals, the defense had a mini-virtual-conference during the run of play and tightened up.  The Sounders couldn’t get through.  Some fans around us were heard muttering in exasperation: “C’mon, do something with it!” when a Sounder briefly got the ball.  My daughter, who hadn’t seen the Rapids play this season, marveled at Marvell Wynne’s ability to jump 10 feet off the ground to deflect incoming passes with his head.  The Rapids pressed forward and again failed to convert fabulous chances.  The fans around us were worried right up to the end.  But that’s small consolation for losing.  All the Rapids need to do is (1) start games with the defense all on the same page and (2) put those lovely shots into the actual net.

#1: Are Designated Players worth it?  With all the hysteria over recent DP signings and speculation about future picks, it’s worth asking the question – is this worth it?  It depends on what your goals are.  If your goal is…well … goals, then maybe it’s worth it, if your DP can score goals.  However that doesn’t always translate into winning, which is probably the real goal.  If your goal is selling jerseys and making money off fandom, then a DP might be a great asset, regardless of whether or not he even plays games (see: Beckham).  Ives Galarcep has an interesting take on the MLS spending wars, asking such important questions as “What did Blanco ever do for Chicago” or “What did Ljungberg do for Seattle?”  Possibly the only sure payoff is that big name signings give the MLS more publicity.  The most sane approach I’ve heard is from the Philadelphia Union, which plans to stick with developing player talent rather than spending big bucks on some splashy name player.

#2: What does PID Army stand for?  As you may know, the C-firm reorganized into the new PID Army, so inquiring minds wanted to know: What does P.I.D. stand for?  Answer, courtesy of Quinn, who is in charge of these things: it stands for nothing.  It’s a convenient one-syllable word, a shortened form of Ra-PID-s, and used frequently in fan songs when the entire two-syllable Ra-Pids won’t fit.  In fact, PID Army was chosen from more than 50 possible names, by popular vote.  If anyone feels taking this further and creating a meaningful name out of P.I.D., feel free.  Such as Play In Denver.  Lame.

#3: Can the Rapids get out of their recent funk and beat Seattle on the road?  The recent Bleeding Burgundy podcast, recorded pre-KC game, but heard post-KC tie, included much prognosticating about how KC wasn’t likely to do well, as they’d just played an away game vs. Columbus.  Which they won, but they can’t possibly win again on the road.  Clearly attempts at rational speculation about a team’s likelihood of winning or losing is useless.  You could also make the case that, having won an away game against a top team, they’re energized and feeling confident.  So who can predict.  One thing I can predict is that I’ll actually BE at the Seattle game, one of perhaps only two Rapids fans in the whole stadium, so I hope our faint cheers aren’t in vain.

The post World Cup MLS is on the international radar screen again, with the recent Red Bull$’ $igning of the uber-talented Thierry Henry, who unwittingly bought the French national team a trip to the World Cup plus a suitcase full of bad karma, with his hand-ball-in-the-box assist in the qualifying match against Ireland.  He is nevertheless very talented, and a soccer superstar, as opposed to Beckham, who may have more pop culture fame.  Henry himself liked the fact that he can visit New York City or LA and not be mobbed by fans and paparazzi.  Well, those days may be limited.

The MLS buzz is now all about how money is playing a bigger role in player acquisition.  Is this a good thing?  A Bad Thing?  Or just inevitable?   “Can’t Buy Me Goals?”  Not according to Gary  Smith, who basically said money buys goals.  The Red Bulls just shelled out big bucks for goals.  And the Rapids don’t have the kind of money the Red Bulls have at their disposal to buy a proven goal scorer.  The Rapids need someone who can predictably churn out goals, but it’s not going to be anyone that expensive.  He thinks Henry is good for at least 6-8 through the end of the 2010 MLS season.

Meanwhile the Rapids were slipping into a bad case of Tie-itis again, until it ended with a loss last week.  We saw this last year, end-of-season Tie-itis, which is officially called “not losing”, but I personally don’t like it, and I don’t think fans like it either.  Smith denies that there’s any complacency on the squad right now; they’ve got a “buoyant edge” in practice.”  Then the discussion returned to frustration with $,$$$,$$$.

The first edition of Bleeding Burgundy discussed the need for (1) scoring and (2) winning, as well as the elusive quest for a fan-friendly player.  You know, someone who relates to the fans and whom the fans love and flock to games to see.  The Rapids seem to be lacking a personality player right now, although one Rapids insider suggested that, if they had a reliable goal scorer and a string of wins, fans would get behind that player regardless of whether or not he interacted with fans at all.  And there’s the other side to this issue: a player who doesn’t contribute much to the team, but interacts really well with fans.  I don’t think the Rapids have that either right now.   Teams can’t train someone to be a Personality Fan Favorite player.  They also can’t buy it.  It just has to happen.

Out of curiosity, I tediously picked my way through the MLS league roster to see just how many international players are here in the US.  It’s apparently up-to-date, since Henry is listed.  Assuming I didn’t lose track of what I was doing, or mistakenly count alumni players, here are some random facts:

• 395 players are listed, of which 224 (57%) are from the USA.
• 60 countries are represented
• team with lowest proportion of US players: Toronto (29%)
• team with highest proportion: Los Angeles (68%)
• Last names begin with “U” are all foreign
• Last name begin with “V” are all USA
• Countries contributing second-most players: Brazil and Canada (13 each)
• Number of countries contributing just one player: 29
• 2/3 of Rapids players are from the USA.
• The Rapids have the only players from Ireland, Japan and Morocco.
• World Cup semi-finalists Germany and Uruguay have no players here.  Spain and Holland each sent only 1.  That probably says something, but I don’t know what.
• There are no players from: China, Korea, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Peru or Chile.

As for Thierry Henry, I was about to bet someone in the vicinity of DSGP good money that Henry won’t score that much here.  But I think betting is verboten in that vicinity.  So I’ll just predict that he doesn’t immediately find so much success here.  Soccer is a team sport, not a star showcase.

MLS Power Rankings return for week 13, and the Rapids (now #5) swapped places with the Red Bulls (now #4), which will make for a tough game, according to Gary Smith.  He sees the New York team as confident, in decent form, and under no pressure because they’ve got nothing to lose.  The Rapids, on the other hand, have a lot on the line, such as winning at home and being able to enjoy the post game fireworks.  Smith summed it up this way:

If we win, I’ll enjoy the fireworks.  If we don’t, I won’t.

By the way, I have it on good authority that steps have been taken to make necessary changes to the fireworks situation, so that fans have a reasonable expectation of watching them this year on July 4th.

Meanwhile, Smith is sort of quoted in the Power Rankings as saying Conor Casey is back in form (”found his groove”).  Other than Casey’s recent goals,  what else supports this conclusion?  Casey is “brighter in front of the goal” and “now playing with confidence”.

Speaking of all-stars, you can vote for the MLS All Star team here.  There is a complex formula to choose the actual team, as usual, so fan votes don’t count for everything.  If they did, it’s pretty obvious that only players from large metropolitan areas with devoted fans would be All Stars.  Unless you’re an exceptional aficionado of MLS soccer, you aren’t likely to distinguish the finer points of talent to vote for either Peter Lowry or Clyde Simms or any of the other dozens of players, so you just vote for who you know.  Voting ends Tuesday July 6th, and the game is played July 28th in Houston.  Frankly, I’d pass on hot humid Houston in late July, but I’m assured that the game will be in a roofed-over stadium, so that Manchester United players don’t wilt completely.

With the US team out of the World Cup, people are already speculating about the 2014 team, which is rather premature, but two Rapids got some nice props from one writer on MLSsoccer.com.  Matt Pickens was mentioned as a good pick for keeper, and Marvell Wynne was practically handed a roster spot.

I spoke with Scott Palguta, who is starting for the still-injured Julien Baudet.  Scott is excited to be back playing alongside his old Rochester teammate Danny Earls, and he says they still are able to get a good read off each other, despite now being on a different team at a different level of competition.  He noted he hasn’t had much time playing next to Drew Moor, and we may have seen some of that initial lack of communication early in the Houston game.   Hopefully the glitches have been worked out because Gary Smith’s ability to enjoy the fireworks depends on them.

Disappointment #2: the Rapids couldn’t hold on to the lead in the Houston game.  But fans have to be glad they at least came home with another point.  The good news is that, again, even though they were scored on first, they held their composure and scored the next two goals, with a different mix of starting players, in withering heat and humidity, playing an away game.

Disappointment #1 is of course the US loss the Ghana.  I watched the game at the Alley Cat bar in downtown Louisville.  Before game time, I chatted with some of the other fans, decked out in face paint and flags.  A few members of the Boulder British Club — a social group dedicated to all things British, such as their sense of humor — were US fans-for-a-day.  When I asked one about Team USA’s chances, he said “My heart says US 2-1, but my head says maybe not.”  He added it was going to take a big slice of luck for the US to pull it off.

When the Star Spangled Banner was played, everyone sang along.  When Bill Clinton showed up on the TV screen, some people booed.  A table full of little kids, decked out in face paint, turned out to be the loudest fans, keeping up almost non-stop chanting

Go U.S AAA!  Go U.S. AAA!

Save IT!  Save IT! (corner kicks)

Booo Gha NA!  Boo Gha NA!

At half time, I asked two self-proclaimed Rapids fans about whether Conor Casey belonged on the US team.  This was a rhetorical question of course, and I got the obvious answer of ABSOLUTELYYESNOQUESTION!   Especially after watching U.S. forwards scrambling  to make chances, and then wasting them by slamming close-in shots wide.  Casey himself later gave us a classic demonstration of how to score close in with finesse: fake out the keeper and defenders, stay patient, use fancy foot work and (most important – make a note) don’t indulge in heroics by wildly slamming the ball.  And so, as OT started and Herculez Gomez subbed in for Altidore, the fans gave a BIG cheer.  Unfortunately Gomez couldn’t also fix the defense.  As the game ended, someone yelled “Go England!”

FYI: I asked one of the Alley Cat owners whether Rapids fans ever showed up to watch games.  She said that they sometimes had a table or two of Rapids supporters, and since there are plenty of TVs, it’s easy to accommodate them.  So East Boulder County fans have another place to gather.

The Boulder British Club must be glad they don’t live in my neighborhood.  On Sunday at 7:45 a.m. – Power Outage!  So the England-Germany game was a no-show around here.  Instead of watching, I mused about the nature of soccer.  Of course, I can catch highlights later: a goal scored or a save.  For the non-soccer fans, that’s what games are about: scoring and points.  The rest is meaningless.  But of course, if you understand soccer, you understand that it’s about all 90 minutes of play:  passing sequences, attacks even when they fail, balls taken away from the opponents feet, tackles both good and bad, throw ins, fouls, cards, shots that fly just wide, penalties and bad calls (What? Yet another goal that was denied by a ref?).  It’s all part of the drama.  None of that can be captured adequately in 5 seconds of highlights that focus only on goals.  So I’m sorry I missed seeing the game, but there’s still 2 more weeks of World Cup excitement, not to mention 4 months of MLS ahead.

Thanks to Donovan/Howard & Company, Rapids fans can look forward to a Soccer-licious Saturday.  I asked some of the Rapids players what World Cup teams have surprised them so far.  France and Italy were mentioned frequently, and not in a good way.  In fact, they were the only two teams with bad reviews.   One player said he wasn’t surprised by the French team’s dismal performance.  Julien Baudet (jokingly) tried to run away from a reporter who asked him for an opinion about Les Bleues.  Jamie Smith thought the whole level of play so far in the tournament wasn’t up to expectations of what World Cup games should be, but he did think Argentina was playing better than expected.  Others agreed that the first round of group play was snooze-inducing, but one player thought the parity showed how far soccer has come in the world.

Teams that were impressive: Slovenia, New Zealand and Australia.  Even though they didn’t make it through, they played surprisingly well.  One name that came up frequently: Slovakia.  The Slovakian players shut down Italy, at least until the very last minutes of the game, with technical skill and disciplined teamwork.  Kosuke Kimura, who was back at practice, was especially impressed by the Slovakian defensive players, who worked together very effectively as a unit.  Wells Thompson summed up team success as Playing the 11 Best vs. Playing the Best 11.   France was clearly fielding the 11 Best – described as spoiled millionaires elsewhere  – who unfortunately couldn’t work together as a team, and so, Adieu.  Japan?  I interviewed players before the Japan-Denmark game, so I probably would have heard some props for the Japanese team, from Kimura at least.

Speaking of Best 11, Gary Smith was asked about the starting line up for the Houston game, particularly the ever-changing wide midfield positions.  While he won’t give specifics, he did note that he was happy to have players who could sub in with quality fresh legs, not just with plain fresh legs, which is a vast improvement over last year.  He believes the Rapids have stayed in shape, as the days off have been spread out over the last 2 weeks to avoid big gaps in training.  When asked about the World Cup, he agreed that it seemed to have started off slow, and then speculated for awhile about the English team’s – referred to as “us” – prospects.  He was hopeful about “our” chances against Germany, but concluded that going up against Argentina after that could be bad.

As for that other “US”, no one I spoke with expressed surprise at the US Men’s success so far.  There were times they didn’t look much like the Best 11.  More like the Best 2 + 9 of the Best of The Rest.   Landon Donovan is operating on a different plane of super-human intensity: he’s going to the knock-out rounds and the rest of the team better come along for the ride.  But, as we have seen too frequently, even super human intensity can’t overcome a Worst 4 referee team.  Unfortunately, FIFA doesn’t seem to have that “Best” concept down yet when it comes to identifying refs.  I’ve got two words for them: Instant Replay.