For this week’s matchup, we simply must take a look at the International Scale of River Difficulty to truly understand what we’re coming up against. Here’s a quick explainer for those of you who aren’t intimately familiar with this universal rafting rating system: The ISRD rates rivers with roman numerals—because it’s fancy—from I to VI. That’s one through six for all of you non-Romans. The river increases in difficulty and danger as the number increases, meaning that a level one river is easy and a level six river is for experts only.
Why am I telling you all of this? Because if last year’s Colorado Rapids were on the scale, they would've been a one, no doubt about it. This year, though, the rocks seem to have gotten bigger, the drops are far steeper, and the difficulty has certainly been turned up. While I don’t know if I’d grant them level six status just yet, they’re at least a five. This week’s Storylines is here to do more than give you rafting tips; let’s dive in and see what’s made 2024 such a big comeback year for Major League Soccer’s favorite water feature.
What’s That on Your Shoulder?
Last time we played the Rapids, Storylines highlighted a few players that had returned to MLS from European leagues. They found mixed success in their time abroad, and while a homecoming is often seen as a failure to establish yourself or live up to the “European standard,” it never felt like these guys were coming back defeated in any way. In fact, they seemed hungry from the very start, and that’s a theme throughout this Colorado roster.
The list of Rapids players that didn’t find a foothold in Europe is longer than you might think. Djordje Mihailovic, Zack Steffen, Sam Vines, Reggie Cannon, and even Cole Bassett all had spells of various lengths across the pond, and all of them have earned call-ups to the USMNT in their careers. These are talented players, now led by a coach that likewise learned a thing or two while in Europe. As much as any of his players, Chris Armas has a proverbial chip on his shoulder, and he’s making the most of the underdog mentality, getting the best out of his team by choosing to see the best in them, rather than the failure that casual fans have erroneously latched onto.
But it’s not just the Americans back from Europe that have this mentality. Kevin Cabral has a chip on his shoulder after a move to the LA Galaxy never saw him find his feet. Rafael Navarro left Brazil to be the main threat for the Rapids. Every single Rapids player that was on the roster in previous seasons would’ve been forgiven for coming into 2023 feeling defeated, but they didn’t. They came in to prove something to the world, and regardless of how the rest of their season shakes out, they’ve done it.
Numbers Never Lie
In sports media, we all love to coin any new beginning for a team as a “project,” and for Colorado, a new project was definitely needed after a frankly abysmal 2023 season. The Rapids finished dead last in the Western Conference, with just 27 points from 34 games. A final goal difference of -28 was second-worst in the whole league, and they only managed to score 26 goals all season long. If you haven’t already said “yikes” under your breath, now is the proper time to do so.
With four games remaining in the 2024 season, every single measurable stat looks to have improved for Chris Armas and company. Their 50 points from 30 games leaves room for them to double (!!) last season’s point total, and their 58 goals scored are already more than double what they managed in 2023. The mentality, the execution, and the overall effectiveness of this team have completely transformed, and it’s been pretty shocking to watch.
Obviously, the season isn’t over. But let’s look at what this Rapids team has already achieved. They finished third in Leagues Cup, taking down some Liga MX giants on their way to Concacaf Champions Cup qualification. They’re currently the third seed in the Western Conference, clinching a playoff spot with four games remaining in the regular season. They’ve got three players with double-digit goal contributions (Navarro, Mihailovic, Bassett), and a fourth on nine (Cabral). I don’t know about you, but I think I’m bringing my life jacket with me when we face this version of the Rapids.
The Loons are riding a good run of form, but so is Colorado. Both clubs come into this match with head coaches in their first year, and while every project has its own timeline and definition of success, a win here could be the key to sustaining the positive momentum and propelling either team to the kind of finish that makes the project feel like an early success. Sure, the Loons have more to play for; Colorado is already qualified for the postseason and MNUFC is not. But pride and positioning still matter, especially this close to the postseason. Get ready for a bumpy ride, Loons fans; we’re headed for some whitewater.
