and trade their best player for a couple of average players.



I’ve interviewed Joe Cannon many times in the past two years. He’s always honest and critical of the team. I think this is why coach Fernando Clavijo allowed him to be traded.

He had his worst statistical year this year, after the equally stupid mistake of allowing central defenseman Nat Borchers to ‘escape’ to Norway. Ironic side note: After the first home game of the season, a loss, I asked Joe Cannon if he thought Nat would be missed. He said, ‘It’s time to move on.” After the final home loss of the season [Rapids were last in goals against in 2006], he said that maybe the Rapids missed Nat more this year than they thought. Duh.

The two guys they got in return are classic Clavijo players – a hispanic striker Hercules Gomez, with tons of potential and an ‘up-and-coming’ defender, Ugo Ihemelu. Both of these guys played for the Los Angeles Galaxy for the past several years. The Galaxy won the MLS Title and the US Open Cup in 2006.

Gomez was ‘discovered’ on the beach leagues of San Diego and took the league by storm in 2002. It’s a nice story, but he’s not been productive – 16 goals in 53 games. To me Gomez is just another Rapids striker who is diminutive in size and won’t be able to consistently score.

The jury is out on Ihemelu since he is basically a novice, with two years in the league.

I’m not sure if Coach Clavijo or the GM Charlie Wright are making these ‘decisions’ on player personnel. But, in addition to their already well-known issues at backline, midfield, and striker, they have just blown their only decent position by trading Joe Cannon away. The keeper has been the best position since Cannon came to the Rapids 4 years ago.

If I were the GM of the Rapids, I would:

1. Get rid of Mike Petke – his attitude on and off the field sucks. Replace him with another Aitor Karanka or Nat Borchers.

2. Pay for a real midfielder who can captain the team. Pretending that oft-absent Pablo Mastroeni is the ‘captain’ is a joke. He’s a great stopper, but he is not an offensive player. Teams that win consistently have at least one great midfielder who controls the offense. The Rapids haven’t had one since ‘big hair’ Carlos Valerrama retired. And despite Kyle Beckerman’s offensive improvement in the midfield, he still has not show any vision or consistent ability to distribute the ball. In short, he’s no Valderrama.

3. Get rid of the ‘starting’ strikers – Thiago and Kirovski. They are both ineffective, scoring a whopping 7 goals in 2006. Give Niko Hernandez one more year to prove his worth [he scored 7 goals in 2006]. Keep the young guns Jacob Pederson and Fabrice Noel and play those two guys a lot more next year. Give the starting nod to Gomez and Niko but be prepared to substitute with the young guns.

4. Trade Clint Mathis. He seems disinterested in helping play the Rapids win the MLS Cup. Trade him while his perceived value is still high. When the Rapids let traded Jeff Cunningham for Mathis last year, I thought he would be the ‘field general’ who would direct and control the offense. Nope.

Another irony: RSL featured Jeff Cunningham and he won the MLS Golden Boot with 16 goals and 11 assists. Why is it that Coach Clavijo couldn’t get this production from Cunningham in 2005? Sure, Jeff can be petulant, but obviously he can produce. What did Mathis produce? Two goals.

It’s not too late to make the 2007 season great for the Rapids. They have a new stadium and we are ready for the franchise to take it to the next level.