OK, its time to start making our predictions for 2012. Here are 3 from me: 1. The Rapids spend the season drifting in and out of the final couple of playoff positions but come up just short. The first year in switching to Pareja's new 4-3-3 scheme causes just enough waves to make us stumble enough to miss the playoffs. This will, of course, reignite the controversy over the decision to withdraw Smith's contract offer. 2. The schedule of the RMC (two games in SLC before the final game in Denver) works against us and FSL retains the Cup again. 3. The Rapids make an unexpectedly deep run in the USOC before being knocked out by a MLS side.
1. Casey, Cummings, and one other (the new no. 10?) each score 10+ goals. 2. Casey and Castrillon each contribute 10+ assists. 3. Because of our new found depth and the coaching of the reserve team, Rapids make it to the finals of the USOC. 4. Pickens ends his drought and saves 2 PKs.
One of RSL Seattle or LAG will suck this year and one of Portland, ChivasUSA or Vancouver will make the playoffs.
1) The summer swoon will still rear its ugly head 2) It will take Casey longer than everyone wants to get game fit 3) Flash seats will cause me issues 4) I'll eat too many mini donuts
1. 4th in the West 2. Conference Finals 3. Lose to non-MLS team in US Open Cup 4. Casey & Cummings in top 10 scoring 5. We don't finish the season playing 433 6. Pablo is going to play one more season after this. 7. Mullan retires at end of season.
1. Both Beckham games against LA will be sold out including standing room even if Beckham chickens out yet again. 2. Rapids will win the Open Cup. 3. Rapids will tank in mid-season only to miss the playoffs by 6 points. 4. Rapids will NOT get a jersey sponsor this year.
Without giving this a lot of thought I'll start with just one gimmee. 1. I will still need to smuggle in crushed ice for my wife's Diet Coke's.
1. There will be flashes of brilliance from the 4-3-3 but it will be too inconsistent for the Rapids to make the playoffs. 5th in the West behind LAG, SSFC, RSL and PTFC. 2. Increased depth will allow the Rapids to at least compete in USOC, but unwillingness on the part of ownership to buy any home games will cause them to crash out in the semis. 3. Davy Armstrong rises to prominence and becomes a go-to starter/super-sub. 4. At the end of the season Pablo retires then joins the coaching staff.
The team will do about as well as last year The BS dilletantes will praise the Rapids for playing the beautiful game The Rapids will get more goals from midfield, but no forward will break 10 goals Injuries will either make or break the season The Rapids will do better at the gate Fitting JL and Pablo into a 433 will prove that the 433 can be non-attacking, non-possession formation The days of Casey and Cummings being the best strike force in MLS will be a nice memory Mullan and Mastroeni will retire at seasons end. Papi will overhaul the strike force and we'll part with Cummings as well Janniere will emerge as an exciting player on the right
(1) Rapids will start the season with a win, but struggle in the first half of the season, as new players try to integrate, and the team as a whole tries to adjust to the new style/formations. (2) As a result, with a second half surge, the team will make the playoffs, sneaking in to the last spot (clinching in our last game of the year). IT will not be a deep run. (3) Omar will struggle and score 5 goals, making people wonder if he had the ultimate fluke - 2 career years back in 09 and 10 (hope I am wrong here). (4) Casey will be slow when he comes back, but will finish strongly and score 10 or more goals. (5) Though not being great, the Rapids will be entertaining to watch this year...like watching a 5 year old who has all of the puzzle pieces try to put them together. And as a bonus (as if the first 5 were worth something): (6) With the very first loss of the year, this forum will be overwhelmed by posters who will remind us repeatedly that we used to have Gary Smith, and how he single handedly won the MLS Cup for us, overcoming fire, wind, Mount Doom, and Volde-Bravo in the process.
And with the first win we'll have posters who will proclaim the success of Papi in correcting Smith's failures. Each purveyor of a position will wonder why their snarky comments get responded to rather than just letting things be.
Really? Man, I hope this playoff structure sticks around for at least a little while; I'm getting too old to keep having to remember new ones each season.
Here goes with my annual top 10 picks: #10. The 4-3-3 will become a 4-4-2 by the second Rocky Mountain Cup match. #9. Scoring will improve, leading to a decent start, but . . . #8. . . . Failure to upgrade the back line in the offseason will come home to haunt the Rapids by September and October. #7. We will need down parkas, hand warmers, and sunscreen in the same day at least twice this season. #6. Absence of CCL matches and ridiculously long travel will keep the team more refreshed and less injury-prone than 2011. #5. Memories of the Championship Season will continue to fade with roster changes, new fans, the realities of this season's 34-match endurance contest and the failure to develop consistency. #4. Game day roster turmoil and a few abrupt player moves will delay development of team chemistry until 2013 and cause more than a little grumbling on BS. #3. The Eastern Conference will produce the USOC champion. #2. The brutal competition in the Western Conference will make the Gals a former champion and produce more than a little excitement in the Pacific Northwest, eh. #1. A 10-9-15 season will snag a #4 or #5 playoff spot and a quick playoff exit.
1) Goto SLC and not remember being there 2) Have my shirt off more than on 3) Parents show up for a couple games and I embarrass them 4) Rapids make playoffs and exit early
Gees... I forgot that change. Why don't they just let every team in and make the regular season an exhibition season. Heck, why not let every team win an MLS trophy?
I wont make that kind of post until we lose 3 in a row... let's hope that it's not the first 3 games of the season.
I think we finish with more wins than last year and make the playoffs. I do think think the team is headed for a major over haul over the next few years. I really want to see us win the RMC but have serious concerns with the new scheduling format. And we all know the refs will help them out in whatever way they can in SLC.
11- Sounders will again out foul Rapids (season) by a wide margin 11a- Rapids again will be in bottom 3 of total fouls commited (season) 11b- Rapids will still be known as Thugs. 10- Fans are completely surprised by fact that players can move/ make runs without ball. Ending all Fussball style drinking games. 9- We exceed 2011 attendance #'s 8- Conor Casey misses more games then expected 7- No Jersey sponsor will be found 6- Pickens finishes in top 10 again in GAA 5- 2-3 quality minute players are not currently on roster (either trialists, summer window transfers or trades) 4- LB hole continues to be issue (Unless Wallace comes through) 3- Rapids start off slow from new tactics and searching for right player combos. 2- First win is 4/28 (Chivas) 1- Rapids can not overcome early season hole and miss playoffs. 1a- Pablo hangs up spikes after glorious sendoff by SG's. West predictions LA FC Dallas Seattle RSL Portland
Either Drew or Marvell gets hurt for an extended period of time and during that time Marshall gets hurt too. We continually drop points during this time. At the end of the season we view this as the reason why we weren't a top 4 club in the West. Less of a prediction and more of a fear after looking over the depth of the roster.
