Though the end results of the Colorado Rapids' 2005 and 2006 seasons were the same, the team's reaction to each campaign is markedly different.
A year ago, the Rapids were a hot team heading into the MLS Cup Playoffs, only to be derailed by the similarly resurgent Los Angeles Galaxy in the Western Conference Championship. For the Black-and-Blue, it was a golden opportunity gone by the wayside.
Fast forward to November 2006 and another defeat in the West final, this time to Houston Dynamo. It's much tougher this year for the Rapids to say they belonged in the MLS Cup Final when they struggled to find themselves all season.
"I think it was like a roller coaster," said goalkeeper Joe Cannon. "For me it was very disappointing. I don't think, throughout the entire year, as a team we could find our consistency.
"Over the course of three or four games, it just seemed like every time we started something special or were on to something, something else would fall apart a week or two later. It was frustrating, to be honest with you. It was very frustrating."
To be sure, it's difficult to say who the Rapids were throughout the 2006 season.
The week after defeating previously unbeaten D.C. United, the Rapids were shut out in a loss to the East bottom-feeders Columbus Crew. A home win against eventual MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo was immediately followed by 4-1 thrashings at the hands of FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake, the latter in Denver.
"That's the frustrating thing about this team," Cannon said. "We were able to beat teams like that - Houston at home and D.C. - but we just weren't able to get it done on the road and make those results consistent."
This year, the Rapids were never more than two games above nor two games below .500. They had neither a winning streak nor a losing streak of more than two games.
"We talked about it in the player meetings with all of the players," said assistant coach Steve Trittschuh. "It was an up-and-down season. We were pretty inconsistent. But I think that has a lot to do with, you know, bringing in new players, which we did again, and injuries at wrong times."
The Rapids' injury troubles started in the first game of the season, when newly acquired midfielder Clint Mathis went down after just 16 minutes. Through injuries and ineffectiveness, Mathis suffered probably the toughest year of his career, making 25 appearances and 15 starts.
Cannon missed four games early in the season as well, and Terry Cooke, the league's assist leader and a vital component to the Rapids attack, missed nine games late in the year.
In addition to injuries, though, the Rapids just couldn't stick with their opponents at times. A major question mark heading into the campaign was how the club would replace departing defenders Nat Borchers and Ritchie Kotschau. While the Rapids coped with Borchers' absence in central defense, at the fullback position they fall apart.
Hunter Freeman was a regular at fullback, Eric Denton lost his job late in the campaign, Chris Wingert started the first three games of the year before being relegated to the bench, Dan Gargan moved into the starting lineup late in the year, and Matt Crawford came off a long-term hip injury to start the season finale.
With such uncertainty at the back, the Rapids often found themselves in disarray. They allowed 49 goals, tied for most in the league with Real Salt Lake.
"We did struggle with consistency with our outside backs, trying different players and different positions there," Trittschuh said, "really trying to find a back four that is consistent and that we can put in there every game."
One bright spot in the Rapids defense was former Spanish international Aitor Karanka, who joined the club at the start of the season to helped fill the void created by the loss of Borchers. Even Karanka, though, had his difficulties, particularly in adjusting to the demanding travel in MLS.
For Cannon, it seemed like the club was forced into a choice between attacking or defending. Doing both at the same time was not an option.
"We couldn't find a system that allowed us to play a solid game in the back and still utilize our main strength up front," Cannon said. "It seemed like ... if we had to focus on playing defense, it really took a lot out of the team as far as creating opportunities."
If the Rapids are to escape their mid-table past - they've never finished above third in the Western Conference - there will certainly have to be improvements. Head coach Fernando Clavijo is in South America scouting and Trittschuh has focused his eye on college prospects.
Trittschuh doesn't expect a roster overhaul, though a certain amount of change is inevitable.
"Usually with every MLS team, they're changing three or four players a year. Add in the new rule now with bringing in a top player, that's going to change things also," he said. "For us, I think just maybe a few (changes). I think this is a decent core of players we have as a group. It's just building on that."
Next year more than ever, the Rapids will need their enhancements to take hold early. The club will open Dick's Sporting Goods Park, its new soccer-specific stadium in Commerce City, next spring.
"Starting out here as a player ... in '96, who would have thought we'd have our own place like this?" Trittschuh said. "The place is amazing. It's not even finished yet and I get goosebumps going there and visiting. That's going to be very special having a place we can call our own. I do believe that people are going to come now. It's going to have that quaint atmosphere for us."
It's no secret that the best way to sell tickets is to win games, and only two teams had lower average home attendance than the Rapids in 2006. The club hopes that the new stadium will help bring fans in and that an improved team will keep them there.
"With the new stadium coming next year, the time is right for a lot of positive things to happen," Cannon said. "To be honest, I think it's going to help the team take a little bit more pride in the organization itself. Any time you see owners dedicating so much resources and so much money to your sport, it makes you think. It's the kind of change this franchise needs. We need an attitude change around here."
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
