P/I/P Black Diamond run #10, Rapids at Atlanta yet-another-United, Sat 4PM Mtn Time

I heard a rumor at the Houston game that Hudson had been given 4 weeks, including that game, to turn it around or be fired. It was a secondhand rumor that originally came from somebody I don't know which is why I hadn't repeated it up until this point. 4 weeks would have been after the Chicago game, but if you assume he got one more game with the Seattle rescheduling that means his time was up after this game. I wonder if his press conference comments were his parting shot knowing he's out this week. He can claim going forward, to future prospective employers, that he didn't have the talent to win in the league.

 

When I heard his post-game comments, the agonized, dying optimist in me thought this exactly. The comments essentially threw the whole roster and RFO under the bus. Why the hell would any sane person say this without knowing he's done? He wants to build a solid foundation for his excuses in future job interviews.

However, the staunch Rapids-induced pessimist in me says that he's not going anywhere and this is just the usual Padraig-Anthony talking point to claim they need another 73 seasons to build the roster to the perfect MLS squad.

 

THIS. ^^^

Objectively speaking (based on player pedigree/resume', stats, and prior successes), overall, Hudson's 2019 roster was of higher quality on average than his 2018 roster. And, with the same objective metrics, his 2018 roster was of higher quality on average than Pablo's 2017 roster. Remember, that's when the likes of Mike Da Fonte, Jared Watts, Mekeil Williams, Caleb Calvert, Josh Gatt, Saeid Mohammed made quite regular appearances. Most of them are now USL, in reserves, or on very small, low level clubs internationally. You get the point.

Hudson was granted *TWO* major roster revamps since that 2017 roster (in the pre-season of 2018 and 2019) to get the types of players he wanted. Even though they're not Real Madrid or Ajax caliber, they have rather worthy pedigree overall. Hell, as mentioned before, even his pet Tommy Smith was a very solid, fan favorite defender at Ipswich Town in the English Championship... a decent league. Yet, no matter what Anthony did with the many formations and many combinations of new players in 2018 and again in 2019 (big starting XI changes in both years), Hudson has found a way to fail with any and all of them. And fail miserably. Embarrassingly. Other than Tommy's horrible play in both seasons, Anthony personally is the true common denominator to the pure shite of both 2018 season and 2019 season... no matter what names and numbers are on the pitch in burgundy. So, even though the roster quality is improving, and is probably better than what any prior Rapids coach had to work with, Hudson finds a way to lead the team to the bottom of the table. Literally.

He is a pathetic coach. And his blatant "throw 'em all under the bus" comments now demonstrate he has very little class as a person, if any at all. But we knew that already starting in April of last year when he started this routine deflection of blame.

Prediction: Padraig keeps his wagon hitched to Anthony, with hopes that they use the next home game against the very lowly Whitecaps to prove that Anthony is "turning the corner". Just like August of 2018 (after a couple decent results) Padraig and Anthony claimed they were "turning the corner". Remember that? Yea, they sure turned the corner.

But let's not forget that Anthony claimed the same "turning the corner" at Newport County (when they drew a game or two), only to get sacked a few weeks later due to horrific results there as well.

 

I'm pretty sure one of L.A. Galaxy's Assistant Coaches could have this team (same roster) at 8 - 10 points right now and improving rather than degenerating. (Also pretty sure no one can prove that statement is incorrect -- any more than I can prove it isn't.)

 

In other news, I'm taking pilot lessons at DeVry this week so I can fly a banner over The Dick this weekend with a kind greeting for Anthony.

After all, he has proven to be "The Dick of The Dick".

#HudsonOut #AignerKnew

 

For any fans (or coaches or executives) who bemoan their team's potential lack of talent, I remind you of the Montreal Impact, who now sit 2nd in the Eastern Conference.

— Bobby Warshaw (@bwarshaw14) April 28, 2019

 

The cRapids Way ™️

 

My thought exactly when I read the quotes. CYA for future coaching prospects as context will be forgotten and he can bring the quotes up. I wish we could append the record that the players brought in over the off-season should have been enough for a competitive team.

 

Yep. And...

Remember the interviews of Hudson and Padraig in early February 2019 (or so)?
Remember how they acknowledged their 2018 "miscalculations" with bigger-money non-MLS players?
Remember when they vocalized the importance of pursuing perhaps less flashy MLS retreads as their priority given the proven MLS experience of these players?

Yet now, only a couple months later (with no wins in his satchel), Hudson essentially claims that the club must pursue big name, big money players from abroad in order to come close to competing in MLS.

Goes to show he'll say anything he can possibly say to cover his ass and deflect blame. That whole February come-to-Jesus moment interview with Anthony was a sham... and he's a grifter.

 

Sorry to pile on, but this is Rapids therapy, right? ANOTHER part of that interview that rankled me was this part:

If there was any merit to the comment (and I don't believe there is), a game where Atlanta earned its first home MLS victory is pretty bad time for it. That was not the 2018 juggernaut against whom you parked the bus (or parked two buses, in De Boer's words).

 

Saw a classic Twitter post after the match this weekend (can't cite it specifically off hand, sorry). It said something along the lines of [paraphrased]:

["During the match, Hudson parked the bus (or TWO buses, per De Boer). Then, after the match, Hudson threw all of his players and the RFO under the bus."]

 

I always assumed that the Rapids and Hudson would drift along through 2019, maybe win a game or two, and claim they were making progress. But there's no way the RFO can continue to employ a coach who talks down about his team and his players like that.

It's almost like the guy is asking to be fired. Kinda makes sense really. Things are not getting better in Colorado and his record is only going to get worse. So why not get dismissed and have a year and a half of paychecks while he looks for a job somewhere else?

 

Yea, kinda like how a late 19th Century snake oil salesman made his way from town to town.

But seriously though, it's rather shocking that a move wasn't made today (when you couple the horrendous 8 wins out of 46 and downward trajectory with those absurd anti-club comments on Saturday night).

Of course, it's still possible Padraig is holding out to save face on his vows on the "process", given that this was HIS hire (ie, he may be fully hitched to the Tony Train).
OR, perhaps Padraig has had more than enough with Hudson and would love to jettison Hudson, but is not being allowed to by KSE (due to triple coach salaries that would result). If it's the latter, I would guess that Padraig will forever be attached to Hudson, and they'll both be fired by KSE together in tandem... at some point...whenever that may be. Like never.

 

Dunno. Here's what Padraig said when he hired Hudson:

“The way he articulated his vision and plan was very impressive,” Rapids sporting director Padraig Smith said in an interview. “He is an incredibly detail-oriented person, very knowledgeable. He knows the league very well and knows our players very well. He sent me a video of how the Rapids play and how he could tweak certain things very quickly and turn things around and execute our vision.​

Source: Goff, Steven. "Colorado Rapids Hire Former New Zealand Coach Anthony Hudson." Washington Post, November 29, 2017.

Maybe next time, the Rapids can hire a coach who does more than send an audition video and make wild promises of tweaks producing quick results.

 

Between the lack of results and the Trump-esque diatribe following the Atlanta loss it would be on the surface logical that that Hudson were sacked. But I think there are a number of issues at play here. In terms of money, I am wondering if beyond having to pay three salaries at the same time, having to do so would mean giving up signings new DPs come the winter transfer windows? What I am thinking here is that the Rapids' budget(set by KSE?) is x number of dollars and if it's eaten up by coaching salaries then there is nothing left for DPs.

Still it's just plain hard to imagine that a line hasn't been crossed with those comments. It will be interesting to see if someone (Burgundy Wave, Jake, etc.) can chat with Pádraig and get his reaction.

 

OK, folks. I'm gonna throw some wild speculation at you in hopes that some of you may know more about this.

RE: Disparagement and morals clauses in coaching contracts

Could it be remotely possible that Hudson's contract contains some type of "morals clause" that prohibits disparagement of the club or MLS?
Could it be remotely possible that Hudson's disparaging commentary about the club on Saturday might be interpreted as a violation of this clause (if it exists)?

How frickin' awesome would it be if both were true... and we find out Hudson's contract is getting terminated with no need to pay it out? I know. Wishful thinking.

But I just can't get around the question, "How could the club possibly keep him on board after such statements Saturday?" (despite the coach payment problem) And, thus, why was there silence today on Monday? (Envisioning KSE lawyers scouring contract law to confirm they have grounds to terminate!)

Out of curiosity, I just Googled "disparagement in coaching contracts". Several things out there. Here's just one academic summary of the "morals clause" in collegiate coaching contracts. Not exactly the same, but the principle still applies.
https://law.marquette.edu/assets/sports-law/pdf/Greenberg.9115.pdf

 

Yes he probably has one in this day and age. No, I would be shocked if this came anywhere close to triggering it. Those are designed to allow for quick removal of a person who reveals themselves as a racist, or child/spouse abuser, or other such acts that society has determined to be unacceptable in the world at large. This is just a bad press conference.

 

That was my realistic thought as well. You’re probably right. The only reason I raise this is because the “average”, “boilerplate” non-disparagement clause in legal contracts is very very grey on where that line/threshold is. You basically cannot say anything that would be publicly interpreted as a negative statement about the other party. Have seen this firsthand. If the morals clause is anywhere remotely near the standard legal non-disparagement clause language, this would borderline trigger it.

Anyway. Again, it’s just wishful thinking, as something (anything!) needs to be done... particularly after his recent absurd comments.

Sidenote: various statistical analysis sites now note Rapids playoff chances dropping to 2%. It’s not even May yet.

#HudsonOut

 

"We are fighting at the bottom with a bottom group of players and we have to find a way to pick up results whilst also being a team that tries to play a certain way. And we just have to find that balance.”

A good workman never blames his tools

 

Thus implying he was not a good workman. But he's gone.

 

and thank goodness for that