A beautiful new stadium just outside of Denver and overlooking the Rocky Mountains will be the venue when the MLS All-Stars take on Celtic FC in Thursday night's Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game. Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City is the newest jewel on the U.S. soccer crown and the Colorado Rapids are proud to call it home.
But when the All-Stars take the field for the first marquee MLS event of what is sure to be many played at the 26,000-seat venue, just one solitary hometown boy will be there for the locals to cheer from, and that's Pablo Mastroeni.
"With a season so difficult like this, it's kind of awkward being the representative," said the U.S. international on Tuesday. "Our team has been struggling as of late and I think for me, I'll just try to represent the club the best I can and take it serious."
The 2007 season hasn't only been tough for the Rapids on a team level, but it hasn't been all roses for World Cup veteran Mastroeni either. In fact, he's still working to overcome an adductor injury and isn't expected to be in the starting 11 for coach Steve Nicol Thursday.
"I've been training the last four or five days doing fitness stuff with my club team here so I'll hopefully get a few minutes here in the second half and just enjoy myself."
Different look: While the MLS All-Stars held their first training session Tuesday, the Rapids worked out on an adjacent field, and missing was Mastroeni's longtime center midfield partner Kyle Beckerman, who was traded to Real Salt Lake on Monday for Mehdi Ballouchy. Mastroeni is still coming to terms with the fact that things will be different when he returns to his club.
"I've played with Kyle since his first few years in the league in Miami; we've played on the same team, played in the middle together and to have a guy who -- we've kind of grown up together in this league -- (for him) to leave is very strange for both of us I guess.
"But it's the lay of the land, it's an inherent part of the sport and it's something that is bothersome but at the same time you've got 28 other guys out there that are dying to get things going in the other direction, dying to fight for one another. Now we've just got to keep our heads up and keep finding a way to put a more consistent game together week in and week out."
Spencer returns: Former Rapids striker John Spencer has returned to the Denver area for the All-Star Game, but this time as a coach. The Scotsman and Houston Dynamo assistant coach was brought in by his countryman, Steve Nicol, to help out on the sidelines and practice field.
With a match coming up Sunday against Spencer's Dynamo, Nicol was forced to leave longtime partner Paul Mariner at home to help the club prepare.
"Obviously (the Revolution) have a game on Sunday and it just wasn't possible for all the staff from the Revs to come, i.e. Paul Mariner, which obviously he's gutted (about) and I'm gutted that he's not with me," said Nicol. "But John I know and I've known a long time. He's got a connection with Colorado and he's doing great in Houston so it's a good opportunity to work with him and bring him in and see him in close quarters."
It wasn't immediately clear if Nicol and Spencer will be comparing notes on the club level for Sunday's match in Foxborough, Mass.
A special honor: Dynamo midfielder Dwayne De Rosario is set to start on Thursday against Celtic and the occasion will be made a little bit more special when he accompanies son Osaze onto the stadium field before kickoff.
It is a tradition in the soccer world for young kids, commonly referred to as "mascots", to walk out onto the field as the teams are being introduced before kickoff. The younger De Rosario will be celebrating his sixth birthday Thursday, so De Rosario asked the league if his mascot could be his son.
"It's great for him to be able to experience what I go through at the highest level. It's important for him as well as me," said the Canadian international. "He may not realize it now but I think as he grows up he'll realize what a special moment that was and hopefully I'll be in the stands one day looking at him walking out some other kid."
Missing faces: Three of the MLS All-Stars missed Tuesday's training session but all are expected to arrive in the Denver area by Wednesday. Galaxy midfielders Cobi Jones and Landon Donovan stayed in California to take part in their club's World Series of Football opener against Mexico's Tigres, while New York Red Bulls striker Juan Pablo Angel was doing some personalized training before joining the rest of the squad in Colorado.
Jonathan Nierman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
