Jameson Night - Interim Edition

New England is in town which means its time for one of the great Rapid fan traditions, Jameson Night!  If you're new to this tradition that now enters its third decade you can read the background here.  In total the Rapids have won 8 of 13 Jameson Night games and there's never been a draw.

That record may be challenged tomorrow as both teams come stumbling into this one.  We've covered Colorado's issues extensively but the Revolution have had a chaotic week themselves.  After being suspended for over a month Bruce Arena stepped down as Revs coach, due to reported inappropriate and insensitive comments made to his coaching staff.  Assistant coach Richie Williams was name interim coach but it came out that Williams was one of the ones who reported Arena, and this happened after Arena had informed Williams this past offseason his contract wouldn't be renewed at the end of this season.  Williams had also clashed multiple times with the rest of the coaching staff this season.  On Tuesday the Revs players refused to practice and the leadership decided to name Clint Peay the interim interim manager, dismiss two other assistant coaches, and move Williams to an unnamed role away from the first team.

So we have interim Rapids manager Chris Little versus interim interim Revolution manager Clint Peay, both in their first games.  New England has been great this season, second best in the league, while the Rapids are still just as awful.  A reminder that many fans in Centennial 38 are wearing all black and will be walking out in the 20th minute in protest of the organization tomorrow.  Kickoff is at 7:30, so the walkout will time well for anyone who wants to watch the CSU-CU game.

Availability Report:

OUT: GK William Yarbrough (knee surgery), D Alex Gersbach (tendon surgery), D Aboubacar Keita (lower body injury), M Max (removed from team activities)

Other than Keita who is injured, again, that's a good injury report.  We knew none of those players would be available.

No lineup prediction on this one.  A bad team under a new coach, who knows what we're going to see..

Prediction: 0-0 draw.  I'm sure this week has taken a lot out of the Revolution so I'm not expecting them to play well.  Even with that though they're still a better team than we are.  Removing Fraser doesn't really solve the Rapids' problems.  We'll probably look a bit better but not enough to beat a team like New England.  A sloppy mess of bad soccer.

Starting With Jameson Night

If its Jameson it must be New England

Welcome back everyone, the 2017 season is here!  We start off with the New England Revolution, which means its Jameson Night (or Afternoon) at the tailgate.  Now in its 15th year (with a couple of gaps due to the unbalanced schedule) the Rapids are 7-4-1 all-time against the Revs when Jameson Night is held, but the one loss was the most recent edition in 2015.  We need to get back to our winning tradition tomorrow.  Kickoff is at 4pm so as always the tailgate starts 3 hours earlier at 1.  Same bat time, same bat place as last year.  Those who can't make it can watch it with Fleming and 'Celo on Altitude.

Player Availability:

Injury Report:

OUT: GK John Berner (wrist)

QUESTIONABLE: GK Tim Howard (right abductor); M Dillon Serna (knee)

No surprises here.  Because of the double GK injury the Independence's goalkeeper Cody Mizell has been loan to the Rapids for short-term cover.  While Howard and Serna are listed as questionable there's no chance we see them tomorrow.  Surprisingly Gashi is not on this list despite taking precautions with his Achilles this week.  NEw England is missing one midfielder due to injury.

Predicting the starting XI on opening day is always tricky, but here's my shot:

This seems to be pretty much what we were seeing in Arizona.  If Gashi can't go I expect we'll see Powers in his place.  The other question mark is Watts/Burling but Watts got more time with the "first team" in preseason so I'm going with him.  I think we'll see both Boateng and Gordon off the bench in this one.

Prediction: 1-0 win, goal by Gashi.  Season opener so I have to be positive but I wouldn't be shocked by a 0-0 draw.  I'm not concerned by New England's attack but I'm hopeful the home opener bounce and the power of Jameson will get us the three points.

Jameson Night 2015

Behold the power of Jameson Night!

It only happens every two years now but it is once again Jameson Night!  That means, of course, new England is in town for their regular beat down in Commerce City.  The full history of Jameson Night is here but the up to date states are the Rapids have won 8 and drawn 4 since the start of the Jameson Night tradition with 27 goals scored and 10 allowed in those 12 games.  The last time New England won in Colorado was in 2002 which was also the last time Jameson Night was not held before a New England game.

Injury Report:

OUT: D Axel Sjoberg (foot); M Carlos Alvarez (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE:  D Drew Moor (ACL); M Dillon Serna (back spasms)

Bad to see Sjoberg out again but good to see Moor upgraded to Questionable, though there's no chance he'll play.  The Revs have 3 players questionable including Jermaine Jones.  My guess at our XI:

There's some talk in the Post that Pablo may go with Sanchez and Torres out wide with Badji up front and Powers and Ramirez on the bench but I can't take that seriously.  Surely Pablo's learned better by now hasn't he?  

Strategic Consideration: Score a goal, preferably before the 53rd minute so we don't set a new team scoreless streak record.

Prediction: 1-0 win, goal by Sarvas.  I called it in preseason and I still believe that this is the game where we break the winless streak.  Our defense gets to 300 minutes without conceding but we get the goal and the win, behind the power of Jameson.

Behold The Power Of Jameson!

To any that doubt the power of Jameson, an own goal to get the win should convince you otherwise. :D  The Rapids played a lousy first half and a better second half, with a bit of luck, to get a 2-1 win and continue their undefeated Jameson Night streak.  That said, the first half was pretty bad soccer.  Buddle had a weak shot on target and that's the closest the Rapids got to a goal (though Brown had a couple of dangerous chances that once again he failed to get on target.  New England had one shot on goal, but they finished it.  After a foul for an unlucky handball Toja lined up the free kick form outside the box.  In a clearly pre-planned play Bengston peeled off and ran across the top of the 6 yard box as Toja struck the ball.  Bengston leaped over the oncoming ball and it found the back of the net for a 1-0 Revs lead.

The second half was a significant step up for the Rapids.  On target they outshot New England 4-1, and in the 62nd minute they made one count.  Powers played a square ball in the attacking third to LaBrocca.  After shaking his defender he hammered it from about 20 yards out and beat the keeper in the near lower post to tie the game.  5 minutes later the Rapids struck again.  Wynne picked up a loose ball in midfield and found Powers on the right side near the box.  Dillon pushed the ball to the end line and crossed it through the box.  Revs defender Goncalves tried to play it out past the near post but actually redirected it into the net for a 2-1 Rapids lead!  After that it was a matter of good defense snuffing out a couple of Revs chances.  Brown got in 1 on 1 with the keeper but couldn't finish, as did Klute, but the good guys got the win.

My key to the match was putting the ball in the net.  New England idd it more than us, but we still won 2-1. ;)

Random Thoughts:

• The Rapids are now 8 wins, 4 draws and 0 losses when Jameson Night is held, outscoring New England 28-12.
• LaBrocca had a woeful first half that improved significantly in the 2nd, especially after the goal.
• Bengston's flash across the box may have distracted Klute on the goal but it was bad read by him.  Bengston was offside but since he didn't actually play the ball it wasn't called.
• Powers play for the own goal looked a great deal like Kandji's play for the own goal in MLS Cup.  Without the blown ACL of course.
• Apparently the GK decision has been made, and Irwin is now the #1.  I bet he's on a short leash though.
• Thomas really struggled in the first half, taking him out for Harris actually helped the game a lot.
• Did anyone see Buddle last night?  I was at the game and he was in the starting XI, but I didn't see him.
• Brown's weakness is apparently 1 v 1 with keepers.  He blew another great chance, he's got to figure that out if he's going to make it.
• Klute also blew the 1 v 1 he had, but as a defender that's a little more understandable.
• After going almost exactly 8 years without winning a regular season game we were losing at half we've done it twice in the last 4 games.
• A great start to this critical 4 game stretch.  If we can go .500 over the next 3 games now we'll be in good shape.

Player of the Match: Marvell Wynne.  Any danger we had in the offense int eh first half came through him it seemed, and he had the (easy) pass to set up Powers for the own goal.  A good match for him returning to the starting XI.  His return also marked his 100th appearance for the Rapids, the 15th player to hit that mark.

Jameson Night Is Back!

After a year off its the (almost) Annual Jameson Night!

For the 12th time in 12 seasons the Rapids supporters will hold Jameson Night.  Held every time New England has come to down since 2002 (save once) the Rapids have never failed to get a least a point after the annual whiskey tailgate.  I wrote up the history of the tradition in 2010, since then we've added a 3-0 win and a 2-2 draw.  For a favorite event like this the tailgate will stick with its normal 3 hour format tomorrow, despite being a weekday, with the grills (and probably the Jameson) starting at 4pm.  Those who can't make it can watch the game on Altitude at 7.

Injury Report:

OUT:  DF Diego Calderon (R knee Surgery)

Disciplinary Report:
SUSPENDED AFTER NEXT YELLOWS: DF Shane O'Neill; MF Hendry Thomas
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOWS: MF Dillon Powers

Ineligible:

FW Charles Eloundou - Still waiting on International Transfer Certificate

Reportedly Calderon (and obviously, Eloundou) was the only player not available for training yesterday, which has to be a first this season.  The Revs have a player suspended and a couple injured, so they're actually in worst shape than us.  My guess at the XI:

Of course with so many players healthy there's a whole lot of guessing in this one.  Pickens, Mullan, Wynne, Rivero, and Castrillon could all get starts so we'll see what Pareja rolls out there.  My bet is that Rivero doesn't get the start though, being the most recent recovery from injury.

Key To Look For: Putting the ball in the net.  The Revs have the best defense in the league while their offense is only slightly better than the Rapids.  With some of our shooting issues, we need to take full advantage of any opportunity we get.

Prediction: 1-0 win, goal by Brown.  This won't be a pretty game with a couple of stingy defenses on display.  New England will tire, having played on the weekend, traveled, and them playing at altitude, which will allow Brown's speed to get him in for the winning goal.  A goal fueled by the power of Jameson. :D

The History Of Jameson's Night

Saturday is the 9th Annual Jameson's Night at the Supporter's Tailgate. Jameson's Night is the held at the tailgate before the home New England Revolution game every year, sometimes multiple times a year if the Revs visit more than once. I took some time this week to figure out the beginnings of this tradition.

In 2002 the Rapids got off to a slow start, the team was slightly above .500 (4-1-3) and had only scored 9 goals in those 8 games. A couple of the supporters decided they needed to change things up and decided the next game would be Jameson's night at the tailgate. Its unclear if the choice of Jamesons was intentional to tie into New England being in town and Boston's Irish background or if it was just a coincidence. Those 2-3 supporters brought the Jamesons to the tailgate and a few other die-hards joined in. By the end of the tailgate some people were pretty hammered as they headed into Invesco (this was also the Rapids inaugural year at Invesco by the way).

Well the Rapids won, and they didn't just win, they won 5-2. Remember that the team was averaging 1.125 goals per game leading into this one, and hadn't scored more than 2 in any game. It was an offensive output the fans hadn't seen since the team scored 5 against Chicago at Mile High Stadium in 1998. Of course, those that partook most heavily in the Jamesons didn't really remember the game. ;) Not only that, but the next game the Rapids scored 3 at home against LA. Suddenly the Rapids offense was on fire. New England came back 3 weeks later, which was too soon to organize another Jameson's Night, and the Rapids lost 2-1.

In 2003 the Rapids started even slower than 2002. By the time of the New England home game the team was 1-2-6 with 4 goals in those 9 games. Obviously it was time to try the Jameson's Night again. Sure enough the fans got sauced and the Rapids won 4-1. The Rapids hadn't scored 4 goals since the prior Jameson's Night. As Jason Greene, one of the 2-3 supporters that originally came up with the idea (and one that doesn't really remember that first game), puts it, "I'm not normally a superstitious person, but after going 2-0 with 9 for and 3 against over our first two Jameson's Nights, it was clear to us that keeping up tradition would be worth every blown chunk.". After the successes of the first two Jameson's Nights, the tradition was on.

Including that first Jameson's Night the Rapids are 6-3-1 against New England at home since that game, outscoring them 21-9 with 4 shutouts. The only loss was the second game in 2002 when there was no Jameson's Night. The Rapids have never lost when Jameson's Night was held, let's hope that streak continues on Saturday night!