Check out the "Rapids Weekly Team Update" news page! Sometimes you ask and you recieve... YEAH! Go Rapids and Go RFO! Tina
They gave a few good reasons to take us off there page for a while, not entirely happy-but something we will have to deal with. Untill both groups stop supporting the entire Fire Clavijo thing...
FIRE CLAVIJO! I guess what you are citing (As hearsay? Link?) is pretty good proof that we are not yet a Soccer Nation. Censorship of supporters groups? -- RFO: "Drink the maroon Kool aid, buy your tickets, buy our gear, but whatever you do don't try to be an informed consumer of our soccer 'product'. And don't say anything that frightens the children or that might be negative." FIRE CLAVIJO!! To expect blind support of Mr. 3-year-plan, no excuses, with his Bart Simpson-like 'wasn't me' after every lost match (or draw at home) is pathetic.
So the Rapids will support having supporters groups when they are winning and the supporters are happy. Get a ********ing clue guys. Here is an idea, Jeff. Read Fever Pitch and try to figure out why the author is so enamored with The Arse through good times and bad. I bet Arsenal never turned their backs on fans just because they demanded better from the team. Seriously, it is like the management of the club expects Disneyland in the stadium. You guys are ********ing clueless.
This is a great summary of the disconnect I think many fans feel. We want to be supporters of a sports team, they want to market Disneyland. All one has to do is to look at all the successful and well supported sports teams in the US and the world to see that the Disneyland model is not viable. I did not go see the Little Mermaid with my family with the same expectations with which I go see the Rapids. The escapism, entertainment and suspension of belief I desire for each is different. It is so obvious and I think that is why it is so exasperating.
Teddy is accurate in so far as they gave us reasons why they took the link away. But, having actually been in the meeting, I understand that the links to c-firm and class VI are coming back to the Rapids website, but, like all team websites, there will be a disclaimer saying that the views expressed on the supporters sites are not those of the front office. I believe that the supporters groups were also willing for their home page to be an introduction to the organization with content or substantive pages (i.e. fire clavijo) behind the home pages. Plush made a legitimate point that short of firing his coach (agree or not) that he has to support him, which cannot be done when he directs fans to fire clavijo websites.
First off, this issue was discussed with RFO, CVI, & C-Firm - and discussed at length and with full honesty between parties. It's being worked and thought on. I can understand the reasons given - I just have a different opinion of the situation. Second, I think the protest was also a contributing factor - because there is no reason to take down the C-Firm website. CVI's website has been the only one that has had content that posed strong opinions that the RFO may have seen in a negative light. Not C-Firm's (so far as I know). But it is being thought about and discussed at the next CVI meeting. And before I get all the "caving" messages - Jeff's concern only got me and others thinking about this very important point: NOT ALL CVI MEMEBERS are of the same opinions posted on the website. In fact, many do not. And that's the concern - having such strong opinons representing the entire 170 membership. So that's what we're going to try to address. Finally, let me also give Jeff credit - I've stayed in touch - and he's agreed to something very excellent for our website - so stay tuned. While I'm on the subject of this meeting let me share two quotes that I found very interesting (especially since I get CC'd on a lot of angry email that heads to the RFO): "People think we don't care, and that is just completely not the case. Have we made mistakes? Absolutely. But we care tremendously and everyone wants to win." "The players are behind Fernando. They're don't see the fire fernando message in a positive light." Do not take the above as direct quotes - they aren't - that's how I remember them - there were lots of BS posters there that can confirm. (I would be an aweful journalist - my memory is terrible.)
Why are we so enamored with what the FO thinks of us or does for us? I do understand we need their help to grow, but did anyone see Johnny Rotten (Sex Pistols) on Fox Football Fone-in last week? He had a great quote regarding the move to Emirates and the breaking up of thier supporters around the stadium. He said "we sing for no one" meaning they stand and cheer alone or together because they support the club. Its not about sounding or looking one way on tv and the club government has absolutely no affect on how they feel about the team. My challenge is that we sing for no one. We support and you can't stop us wherever or however we are. IF the FO supports us, great. If they don't, f 'em, what do we care, we sing for no one.
I gotta side with GoRapids on this one for a variety of reason... Do I agree with the FO's removal of us from their website? Yes. Do they have justification in doing it? Absolutely! If the Rapids FO starting ripping us in public we wouldn't want to have much to do with them either so I can't fault them for what they did. What I do have issue with (And what I have had issue with all season long) is the lack of communication. Just removing the links without any sort of communication is uncalled for. The FO must realize there is a growing perception amongst the most passionate fans that they just don't care. The way these actions are handled does little to alleviate those sentiments. TALK TO US! It's not that difficult...they have most of our emails, they know many of us post/read BigSoccer....let us know what is going on!
Never said I agreed with the FO's removal. What I meant to say is - I can understand the reasons given to us by Jeff ... I just don't agree with Jeff Plush. The communication thing you mentioned - was the solution that was discussed.
I too like this new feature. Since it had been non-existent for so long I never would have known it was even there if Tina hadn't caught it. This gives people a reason to go to the official website. I will still get most of my info from BigSoccer, as it is constantly being updates (some fact, some fiction) but at least it is constantly on the update. However, now that the Rapids are hopefully going to have someone throw together a few paragraphs once or twice a week, i will check in on the official site as well. Did anyone notice if this had any impact on the timeliness of the MatchUp page? I haven't looked at that for so long because it was so erroneous & out of date that I swear last time I looked we had Chung, El Pibe, Spenny and a few others listed as starting Any step forward for this organization is a good thing. There have been a few missteps, but as long as we end up going in the right direction I will keep the faith, as difficult as it may be sometimes. By the way - i did receive my season ticket renewal thingy in the mail. Still waiting to see how things turn out before I make any decisions - as the ticket prices appear to be going up to those of the price of a Broncos season ticket - or 2 Air Force Football season tickets per Rapids ticket. If they are going to be giving any of the supporters groups a discount - I suppose that will be covered elsewhere? Jeff
I don't know where else to post this. How can I see the website better? The info bar is hidden behind the pics and everything is not lined up correctly. I have cleared my cache. I am using IE 8. I have refreshed. What now? Oh and I will believe that this is an improvement when I see three weeks in a row and continued effort. Right now, I'm a little distrusting of anything the rapids say will be a constant.
Of course they do. Because the millisecond they show anything other than support for Clavijo, they're traded or waived. Regardless of how valuable they are to the team. I used to think that Plush was an intelligent man who chose his words very carefully, and was simply in a situation where his hands were tied because he simply wasn't granted the power to dismiss Clavijo. I used to feel that Plush was not only acutely aware of the problems on the field, but could recognize where they stemmed from. I used to feel that Plush was just waiting to be given the approval to get the right people involved with this team. No more. This statement is right up there with the idea that people support a dictatorship simply because there's a lack of visible dissent. No better way to improve your approval rating than to eliminate those who oppose you. It's understandable that Plush, Wright and the rest of the yokels at Klownke Sports Enterprises need to present a positive picture as possible. Even following a coach's dismissal, I would never expect any executive offer to openly criticize his contribution to the team. But claiming that the players all support Clavijo is not just ignorant, it's manipulative. Not to mention insulting, and not just to the fans but to the players themselves. I'm sure Herculez, Niko and Cancela have nothing but confidence in Fernando. Plush claims that the players don't like to hear "fire Clavijo?" Well let me tell you, the players don't like to hear management put words in their mouths, either.
Actually I have sent several love letters to the RFO lately. Then I was at the meeting with Plush and we talked about communication, website, etc. I keep suggesting links on the website for "What the Papers Say", "Transfer Speculation", and some sort of player status report, Jeff's response was that BS kindof covers those things. Then two days later I watched the game, Cookie was nowhere to be found. I checked Rapids & BS when I got home and there was a thread about Cooke that suggested several solutions to where he was, including a career ending injury possibility. At that point I sent a note to Plush & Marcus stating that this was a perfect example of the communication problem. I could believe the awful possibilities on BS, or just believe that Cooke was in the infamous "Clavijo Doghouse", which I explained to him. I also noted that this builds distrust among the fans. Both of them replied later that day reassuring me that Cooke would be ok. Plush also said he would look into communication, in particular the match up page. That was even fixed by the time I got his note. A day and a half later, I saw the item that this thread is about. I'm feeling listened to, it is only a step... But, it is a good step. Tina
How were people invited to this communication meeting? Interesting that some of the most vocal disenters weren't invited.
Three of the more involved CVI committee were involved. Tina, Myself, and Bill who wasn't able to come. Not sure how C-Firm was invited. I believe Chili initiated the entire meeting.
Sorry....I had a big ol Brain Fart....I meant to write: Do I agree with the FO's removal of us from their website? NO! I'll go edit my post now
Thanks for taking this forward and representing CVI. The three of you being involved is no surprise and makes perfect sense. Not only due to the level of each of your involvement with the group, but I think each your (plural) posts show diverse, intelligently stated opinions, without (or at least less of) the hyperbole often associated with Internet forums. Personally, I feel very fortunate to have you guys represent us.
I was actually standing with Chili when she and Jeff were planning the meeting. Somehow along the line I ended up invited and was able to go. I send plenty of email directly to the RFO, I believe they consider me pretty vocal. Thanks DavidJames for the vote of confidence!
I'm usually on the positive, pro Rapids side of things, and sometime criticize the negative tilt on Big Soccer, but.... I love the new info on the Rapids website. So simple, you'd think this would have happened years ago. But a funny thing on the supposedly newly fixed Match Up page - Tony Sanneh is starting in two different positions - both in defense and in the midfield. Gee Jeff, if you want to gain our confidence, couldn't you have a smigden of quality control on these things???