Back in the day, we would call this a “MacGyver” bit.
“MacGyver” was a TV series that became a cultural icon in the 1980s and early 90s, based on a spy guy’s preternatural problem solving and improvisation with materials at hand. You know, the guy who could disable an armored personnel carrier using nothing more than his girlfriend’s super cute capri pants, an extension cord and a half-eaten box of Twinkies.
Well, Colorado Rapids manager Oscar Pareja and his Rapids are pulling a serious “MacGyver.”
In MLS circles, we are all talking a lot about Seattle rising. And about Portland rising. And about “Jack Mac” in Philadelphia. And about the streak busters at Sporting KC. All rightly so, by the way.
But isn’t there some room to talk about the Rapids, a team that is (quite anonymously) 4-1-1 since March?
The only loss in that time has been to Seattle, which was getting it together at the time and is now playing as well as any team in MLS.
Here’s where the MacGyver comes in: The Rapids are getting it done despite horrible injury luck, through improvisation and sheer will. They are slowly gaining collective health but remain measurably depleted. Martin Rivero just made his first start of 2013, for instance, and his ability to keep possession in midfield means so much.
Pablo Mastroeni got on the field for 10 minutes over the weekend, but he is far from ready to make a steady impact.
Edson Buddle is back after missing six matches, and scoring now. He had the opener in Colorado’s most recent flourish of success, Saturday’s 2-0 win at Columbus. That was the Burgundy’s first win in Columbus since 2004. Heck, the 44-year-old Pareja was still a key midfield man for FC Dallas back then.
He’s a man with lots of answers right now. Because Jaime Castrillon has yet to play, and he was a key midfield building block around DSG Park in 2013. So was goalkeeper Matt Pickens, who now remains sidelined long-term. And Hendry Thomas, who was making the DSG Park midfield so uncomfortable for opposition in Mastroeni’s absence, is on the injury shelf now.
So, what’s the story here? Guys like Dillon Powers have stepped in forcefully; he must be a Rookie of the Year leading candidate with two goals, an assist and lots of defensive grit out of Colorado’s midfield.
Speaking of rookies (who may deserve some ROY consideration), how about goalkeeper Clint Irwin, who has four shutouts in his last six matches? Don’t forget, Irwin had exactly zero minutes of MLS soccer (or even big-time college soccer, no offense to you good folks of Elon University) before Pickens broke his arm back in March.
Left back Chris Klute (pictured left), 23, has been a wonderful surprise, brimming with potential and having delivered some big nights this year, although certainly still lacking some consistency.
The versatile Nathan Sturgis is showing what everyone always thought he could be when healthy.
Mostly, though, this is about a stubborn mentality that prevented Pareja or any of his men from ever feeling sorry themselves through the most ridiculous stretch of that injury woe. The second-year manager never talked about those injuries, even though it was obvious how much his team suffered for them.
And it’s about adjusting. Pareja came to Colorado with visions of flowing, possession soccer, probably a lot like the good stuff we’re seeing flourish in Portland. But they can’t do that at the moment around DSG Park, so they wisely got stingy and more protective in the back and became adept at winning the 1-0 tight ones.
The Rapids, by the way, are .500 for the first time in more than a year.
