Will The U.S. Open Cup Be A Breath Of Fresh Air?

The Rapids are in Nashville tomorrow night to see some old friends in the Open Cup.  Kickoff is at 6:3-pm MDT.  Fleming will be calling the game for Altitude radio, and the U.S. Soccer site says there will be a live stream.  The team is saying all the right things about taking this competition seriously this year, but I don't have to detail how many times we've heard that over and over again.  We haven't made it past the Round of 16 since 2006.

In my opinion the odds are against us.  First combine a team in a tailspin with an organization that doesn't take this competition seriously.  Then you put them on the road against a team getting their first shot ever at a MLS team in competition as they prepare to make the jump to MLS.  Then for the cherry on top, Nashville is coached by former Rapids coach Gary Smith and has Matt Pickens and Kosuke Kimura on the roster (not to mention 20178 draftee Alan Winn who skipped MLS to play in the USL).  Those three are going to want to show the Rapids what they're missing.

I never make roster or game predictions for the Open Cup, as I'm never really sure what mentality we're taking into the game.  If we put out a true best lineup (not what Hudson has been running out there during the 7 game losing streak) we should be able to beat Nashville.  Anything less than that though and I expect to lose.