So the "only" person on this thread to see the game live will be ME! I will be in Houston tailgating and sitting in the Dynamo STH section. I was there 2 years ago when Moor smacked that header in just before halftime. In the replay, note me and the Rapids flag raised in the right of the clip with the goal. R
Wrong! I'm in Orlando (sadly on a family emergency) so I'm outside the blackout range and can watch on MLS Live. But to answer @commercecity's question, yes, bars and viewing parties are also out of luck. MLS Direct Kick and MLS Live will be blacked out in Altitude's region because they have the rights, even if they're tape-delaying the game. This is purely in Altitude's hands, the league and the team have no power on the blackout rules. The team has been working with Altitude but due to the sponsor contracts Altitude has signed for the coverage they don't want to lift the blackout. Apparently it would cost them "significant" money. The Rapids even talked to Houston about moving kickoff time to make it possible to show live coverage but couldn't work it out.
PRO just posted the officiating assignments: REF: MARCOS DEOLIVEIRA AR1: Kermit Quisenberry AR2: Kyle Atkins 4TH: Juan Guzman A bit of a surprise. This appears to be deOliveira's fourth MLS regular season match. Except for his first assignment (which must have been just a tad chippy from the cards), he hasn't called many fouls or issued many cards. His Fourth Official for this match is certainly one of the most experienced MLS center refs, and no stranger to Rapids matches. I like seeing some new blood among the refs. I'm just glad we didn't draw Bazooka Fists or Toledo.
This is mind boggling. With all that Houston is going through at the moment, I'd like to think we can steal one here, but this stat is too much for me. 1-1 Even a blind squirrel can find an acorn from time to time and our offense can find the goal in this one.
The key, IMHO, is that the Rapids play their style as they did v NYCFC. I know it's a road game and there was that stinker in Philly, but the Rapids do have the horses to dictate the tempo and style. So, let's hope Pittinari picks up where he left off as does Powers and Torres, etc. And if Sarvas is healthy that gives them more options. Really the biggest concern I have at this time is the availability of Sjöberg. If he isn't healthy (and it seem like PM would prefer to rest guys that aren't 100% early in the season) then we really are looking at a pairing of Burling and Watts at CB which isn't optimal. Yes, the Rapids need to figure out how to score. If they play with confidence and a plan as they did last Saturday they will have the chance to do so.
HIGHLIGHTS: Houston Dynamo vs. Colorado Rapids - April 28, 2013 at 2:09 in real time, not on replay, note the Rapid flag up on the far right, a few rows up.
I feel the need to comment on what a completely empty and meaningless statistic that is. It's like something you'd hear in an NFL broadcast... "The Detroit Lions have never scored a touchdown in the first three minutes of the second quarter during a rain storm when playing an NFC West team on an even numbered day during a leap year."
How's this, we've only beaten one playoff caliber team on the road since Sept. 9th, 2013, and that was in BC Place on artificial turf, not outside in a Houston spring on grass?
When you have an ongoing "record" like the Rapids, there are a lot of ways to negatively portray it. I'm not sure why though, it pretty much speaks for itself. Even if the team wins on Saturday, there will still be negative ongoing stats to "crow" about. It's the Internet, it's what it's for.
That is a somewhat more meaningful statistic...but we're effectively just splitting hairs trying to rephrase different ways of how the team hasn't been very good, without actually helping us to reach a meaningful conclusion on why they haven't been very good. Completely irrelevant. We rarely play on turf and there is no way to accurately correlate playing surface with team performance in the way you present it. Mentioning Houston by itself is also completely irrelevant, since they were an eastern conference team in 2013 and 2014, so we have played them on the road a whopping ONE time in the last two years. And who gives a shit if the match is in spring, summer, or fall? That has literally no impact on the team's ability to win or lose a game. Statistics can be useful if the data can provide a meaningful representation of what is happening. However, just because something can be made into a statistic, doesn't mean it's actually valuable information...or at least information that is represented in a way that can be valuable.
It does in that a Houston spring is a significantly different (and generally more taxing) environment than a Colorado spring, or a (mostly) indoor game in BC Place that it was being compared to. Forecast for Houston on Saturday is 82 degrees as a high (though the game will kickoff right at sunset, almost to the minute) and a humidity level of 79%.
82 degrees with 79% humidity really isn't outlandish, and certainly not different enough that it would have any kind of noticeable impact on team and player performance. Also the fact that it would be 82 degrees with 79% humidity really has nothing to do with the game being in spring...you could just as easily see that weather in the fall. This really isn't meaningful information. It's just background noise. There are other factors that have a much greater bearing on the game. What do the squads look like? What are the tactics? How have the teams performed this year? How do the players and play-styles match up? Are both teams well rested? Is anyone injured/suspended? Is the visiting team fatigued from travel? Are any key players on a run of good/bad form?
My thoughts for the game tomorrow is that we can win 2-1. Based on the info from Houston's supporter's group (http://www.dynamotheory.com/2015/3/27/8293959/houston-dynamo-colorado-rapids-2015-matchday-4), they are *really* short handed. And in some key areas. I see our defense playing well, although asking for a third clean sheet in a row is asking a bit much. So, Houston scores 1. The Rapids manage to take nearly as many shots, but slip a few more by. They can't keep taking that many shots without *something* going in. Particularly against a short-handed side who may not be used to playing together. They should be starting to gel on their third game with the offense playing together. Give the Rapids 2 goals. And just like that, our non-win streak is over and the Rapids faithful have some hope again! rod.
MORE GAME PREVIES! John Babiak provided photos and Brian Jennings wrote a match preview about bench selection for road trips on my new Web site. I interviewed Pablo and Tritt and wrote a dual-story about both Colorado teams heading to Texas. Let me know what you think of my site: Currentofcolorado.com/# We launched on Wednesday with pictures, text, and video to cover all soccer in Colorado.
1-1 draw, goal by Powers. Yes, this is the 3rd game in a row I've predicted that scoreline but to be fair, the last two games were draws. Both defenses are too week to expect shutouts but I'm not yet ready to predict a road win for this team. http://view-from-the-couch.blogspot.com/2015/03/i-will-avoid-obvious-houston-joke.html
Probable lineup, from MLS via the Post: Burling and Watts at centerback At least they have should have more help than last year with Sarvas, Cronin and Pittinari in front of them. Or even if it's just two of them.
I Burling and Watts are CB's, then I change my 2-1 Rapids win to 2-1 Rapids loss. My hope is that the preliminary lineup changes...