The Colorado Rapids go into Friday night's Rocky Mountain Cup showdown against Real Salt Lake with what amounts to a mini injury crisis. Pablo Mastroeni and Terry Cooke, two of the most influential players in the team, will not make the trip due to hamstring injuries. Click to continue reading...

The value of hard work and the value of a deep roster. A week may be a long time in politics, as they say. A few weeks may actually be a very short time in professional sport. Last month wasn't looking great for two very skillful players on the Colorado Rapids team. At the beginning of July, both Mehdi Ballouchy and Herculez Gomez were wondering whether they would be able to find their way back into the starting XI. Click to continue reading...

There's a growing sense that the Colorado Rapids may be able to take advantage of a weakened Dallas side this weekend and further consolidate the good momentum which started with the July 4 victory against the New York Red Bulls. Contrary to the doubters out there, last weekend's 1-1 draw with San Jose was a point well won. Click to continue reading...

Holy Jesus as they might say down in Colorado Springs! Pablo is really moving to Spain or Italy? According to the local paper, which, judging from its lack of Rapids' coverage, made its annual trip to Dick's Sporting Goods Park July 4, Colorado Rapids' midfield dynamo and veteran international, Pablo Mastroeni, will seek his fortune in southern Europe once this MLS season is over. Click to continue reading...

The relatively inexperienced midfield for the Colorado Rapids may have to inject a little more cynicism into its play to avoid making the kinds of mistakes that saw the team allow a similarly inexperienced Columbus player last week waltz through it and score the winning goal. Goalkeeper, Bouna Coundoul, said in this week's radio show, "From The Pitch", that Emmanuel Ekpo should have been fouled further up the field. Click to continue reading...

Borussia Moenchengladbach, one of Germany's most historic clubs, will be visiting Denver to play the Colorado Rapids in July, according to a report in the New York Times. The German giants, who have won the Bundesliga five times, may be a second tier club right now in Germany but their promotion looks virtually assured and they will be back in the top flight when they trot out at Dick's Sporting Goods Park this Summer. Click to continue reading...

Good evening folks. For those of you interested, I will be appearing as a guest on Marcelo Balboa's radio show, From the Pitch, tonight. I will be on along with Chicago Fire head coach Denis Hamlett and Colorado Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo.

The show is on from 9pm to 11pm Eastern, I should be on around 10pm Eastern.

Click to continue reading...

From The Pitch is a good radio show. I know, this has nothing to do with youth soccer but it does have to do with the fact I've been appearing on From The Pitch with Marcelo Balboa. Last night's show was one of my favorites, so take a listen. You can catch the show on-line, over the AM airwaves in Denver or via podcast on Apple iTunes or MLSnet. Click to continue reading...

Tune into From The Pitch with Marcelo Balboa tonight. I'll be one of the co-hosts along with Colorado Rapids U-23 owner, Peter Ambrose.

Guests include:
- Nick Sakiewicz - CEO / Operating Partner of the new MLS team in Philadelphia
- Jason Linscott - Senior Director Ticket Sales, Colorado Rapids
- Jack Huckel - Director of Museum and Archives National Soccer Hall oF Fame Museum

Topics of Discussion:
- MLS Wavier Draft Today at 3 PM
- Philadelphia - It's Official
- Top 20 Players in MLS
- MLS Off-Season Club Transfers
- Glen Davis interview with Oscar De La Hoya

Tune in live, 6pm - 8 pm mst. Click to continue reading...

From The Pitch w/ Marcelo Balboa


presented by Soccer Stop and adidas


Tuesday Jan 22, 2008, 6-8 PM (MST)

Tuesday night's guests include:

* John Harkes: ESPN Broadcaster and former National Team player
* Joe Machnik: Major League Soccer's Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner for On-Field Competition
* Bonji: Writer and Contributor to From College to the Pros

What's on Tap for Discussion? Click to continue reading...

You've already figured out that I can't keep up with the MLS Rookie of the week business. I'm sorry, I really am. Today I am officially declaring that feature is dead. I gave it a good go but it is too tough as the MLS season wears on and work gets busy. If anyone out there wants to join my "staff" and take over the honor of scouring match write ups and trying to make an educated decision on who the best rookie was this past week, please write me or comment below. Click to continue reading...

From College to the Pros will be getting some airtime tomorrow evening on From The Pitch, hosted by Marcelo Balboa. We'll be talking about college soccer, up and coming players and more. If you're in Denver you can listen to yours truly waxing poetic on soccer over the airwaves - AM 1060. In fact, many Colorado residents will be able to hear my beautiful voice over terrestrial signals. Click to continue reading...

In the most recent NSCAA Men's Soccer Poll the pre-season #1 UCLA Bruins have fallen out of the top 10 after a rocky first weekend. They were playing some of the best teams in the country away from home. Meanwhile Wake Forest takes over the top spot for soundly winning two games against lower level opponents. This is the age old debate...do you play tough teams early to prepare for the conference games or do you schedule games that will make you look good? Click to continue reading...