Denver, CO, May 5, 2004 (CSA) - The Rapids office staff must have accidentally copied the wrong internal memo last week. Unfortunately, the team received the broadcasters staff memo, probably entitled "Front Office Not Paying for Your Appearance Today."

TV and radio crews didn't show. The team barely did.

After trending upwards the past several weeks with good play and stopping power, and finally getting their first win and shutout of the season against San Jose, the Rapids were surprised to find themselves on the wrong end of the stick in Kansas City as they flew to face the Wizards this past week, losing 2-0.

Injury issues
Injuries have finally bested the ability of the Rapids bench to fill big holes left in the forward and midfield lines. Referring to multiple lineup changes, Head Coach Tim Hankinson responded that all game formation changes have been forced on the Rapids due to illness and injury.

"I don't think we've made any new lineups that haven't been based on injury," he stated.

"Gary Sullivan started due to [Pablo Mastroeni's] injury. Antonio de la Torre started at right back and we moved him to midfield because Darryl Powell had a last-minute pull before the San Jose game. None of the changes have been because we are interested in monkeying with the lineup. We'd like to see a few games at a time played together, and we've only had our scheduled lineup on the field once."

With several strikers out, Hankinson decided to give Chris Henderson a chance up top.

"In this particular game," the coach said, "we tried Henderson up top because, a couple years ago, he had close to a dozen goals as a forward for us."

After the game against the Wizards, Hankinson is not positive this approach worked: "We've found we're better off sticking to our style of play and positions."

Defending questions regarding the depth of the Rapids bench Hankinson responded, "How do you replace [Carlos] Ruiz? [John] Spencer? Guys that are the best players in the league? Losing players of that quality is always going to test us. But the strength of the team is to ask the players to step into those roles and be ready and on their game and match fit and bring something."

Second-half slowdowns
Hankinson acknowledged that the Rapids have had letdowns in the second 45 minutes of play.

"A lot of the opportunities that [opponents] have had have come in the second half," he said.

"Our match fitness, our match sharpness as far as concentration, need to be consistent with our defensive shape. Our turnover percentage is much higher in the second half. All of these [issues] we are aware of and we are working on and I think will improve with more play."

The Rapids should have been able to dominate play after the Wizards' Jose Burciaga was sent off in the 44th minute for elbowing Matt Crawford in the head. That didn't happen.

"A team goes a man down, as KC did, their game plan is to sit back and defend and look to counterattack," Hankinson said. "That's not a weakness, it's just what any team would do...and we got caught."

"We have to be better than that. Our players know we've got to raise our game."

Rapids starting goalkeeper Joe Cannon agreed.

"It's a bad loss to take, but let's learn from it," he said.

"When we play the long ball, we're not a good team. Right now, it's a lot over our head and then we defend and then it goes over our head again..."

Hankinson realizes it is time for his veterans to let their experience guide the team's rebound. The coach singled out veteran U.S. National Team defender Pablo Mastroeni.

"One of my best moments as a coach with this club," said Hankinson, "was seeing Pablo step forward in the locker room after the game and express himself. It was true leadership before the guys."

"From the standpoint of pressure on the veteran players, our senior guys know what they have to do. I was glad to see a guy like Pablo express it in the way that he did. It will challenge all of us the rest of the year."

There were definite signs of frustration at the team practice this week. Still, it clearly was good to be back home and able to work out the tension of a poor performance.

"Everybody was just glad to come to work today and start new," said Cannon after their first practice since returning from the road.

Hankinson echoed Cannon's thoughts: "The guys had a great practice [Monday] and they responded the way I would expect them to respond."

Net perspective
Given the nonexistent broadcast coverage of the game, Colorado's netminder provided insight on the two second-half goals by the Wizards.

Cannon walked American Soccer News through the opening tally.

"The first goal, it was a breakdown on our part," he said. "[The Wizards' Chris] Klein opened up, got the shot, and it was going near post."

However, the shot was slightly deflected. Ritchie Kotschau told Cannon after the game: "It just barely hit the bottom of my cleat."

Kotschau's deflection redirected the ball to the keeper's right, and "I was unable to adjust," Cannon said.

"It was an unlucky goal, but at the same time, it could have been prevented by our play earlier," Cannon remarked. "Also, anytime you get a hand on a ball as a goalie, you always want that back. A [deflection] still leaves that bitter taste in your mouth."

Speaking to the second goal in the 84th minute by the Wizards' Josh Wolff, Cannon said, "We were pushing to get the goal we needed, and we did a terrible job of containing them on the sideline. [K.C.'s Diego Gutierrez] just broke through."

Cannon said the team "were all surprised that Gutierrez was able to get through three of our guys on the sideline."

Gutierrez was a bit surprised himself.

"I was actually struggling to keep my balance," said the Kansas city midfielder after the game, "and tried my hardest to make contact with the ball so [Josh Wolff] could get on the end of it. By the time I passed off to Josh, I was about on my knees."

Cannon realized he was in trouble

"Then I knew it was a one-on-one," he said, "and Wolff slotted it well to the far post."

Reacting to the accuracy of the short video review of the goal on the television show "MLS Wrap," Cannon said, "The replay and one-camera angle didn't [effectively] show it, but I don't think Ritchie's at fault there. It looks like Pablo and Ritchie are there and everyone's kind of standing around. That's not the case. Wolff has all the time in the world, and could play the ball at any time. He's looking up and he's ready to bury it."

"I'm not worried about that last goal. I feel that just Wolff getting there was a huge mistake...mistakes that happened well before [the shot]."

Added Cannon: "But we've got time, as a team, to fix these things. Honestly, I'm pretty happy with our team right now."

Over their heads
Midfielder Mark Chung hammered home another perspective on what has held the Rapids back.

"When we play the long ball, we're not a good team," Chung explained. "Right now, it's a lot over our head and then we defend and then it goes over our head again."

"Last year, myself and Chris [Henderson] and John [Spencer], we got the ball a lot to our feet, and then we could take people on, and we got [the ball] in good position," Chung said. "In practice we're trying to keep the ball on the ground so we play that way in the game."

Chung sees progress and believes their efforts will pay off.

"When we do get back to playing on the ground, you're going to see a lot of creativity and exciting play - and goals," he predicted.

Revs visit Friday night
After a poor effort in Kansas City, winning the home game this Friday against New England takes on added urgency. In 2003, the Rapids provided a weak 3-10-2 record on the road, earning just 11 of their 40 points away from home. This season they have taken just one of six possible away points.

"This becomes an extremely important game for us," Cannon said. "We need to get the points at home where we are playing stronger right now."

In continuing their dominance at Invesco Field at Mile High, Colorado has pushed their regular-season home undefeated streak to 14 and could tie the MLS record of 15 this Friday. The Rapids have an excellent all-time home record against the New England, 7-3-0, which they hope to improve upon.

The Revs also face injury woes, as veteran defender Rusty Pierce is out for six to eight weeks with a severe contusion to his right quadriceps.

Chung sees a need to stick to the Rapids game plan.

"If we play our game, and not theirs, we'll win," he said.

Rapids Notes

Player debuts
On a healthier note, Seth Trembly made his first appearance in 2004 after coming back from serious injury. He replaced Antonio de la Torre in the 69th minute in Kansas City. By several accounts, Trembly had a decent performance for his first 20 minutes on the field.

On coming back from rehabilitation, Trembly said, "It's always good to come back from an injury and feel that you are 100 percent, and tonight I felt that I was."

Forward Jordan Cila recorded his first MLS appearance, subbing in for Jean-Philippe Peguero in the 77th minute.

"It felt great to get called upon," Cila said about his debut. "The result leaves a bitter taste, but I'm glad that I finally got a chance to get in."

"I felt real comfortable, real good. I had a lot of touches, given that I was out there, what, 13 minutes? I had a good flick-pass to Seth, and he almost scored."

TV & radio blackout — why?
The game against KC was the first of several entertainment blackouts the Rapids have deliberately scheduled this season. In discussing why, the organization inevitably plays the money card: it's expensive to air away games.

This raises another question: What's the cost of losing fan interest (interest = money) because fans do not have an opportunity to follow their team consistently?

If this is a short-term issue to be resolved by Kroenke's upcoming ASE television network, then the Rapids should take the fan-friendly action: suck it up and broadcast these games.

Injuries…a debilitating issue
-- Captain John Spencer will be out for this Friday's match, and a possibility for the following game, which sees an eight-day break for the Rapids.

-- Darryl Powell is also out this Friday and is being evaluated along with Spencer on a daily basis. He is probably slightly ahead of Spencer in recovery, according to the Rapids fitness staff.

-- Zizi Roberts, right knee bone bruise, will be out another week.

-- Michael Erush, skull fracture and concussion.

-- Surprise opening-game starter, rookie Gary Sullivan, is still less than 100%. The staff believes they are beginning to get a handle on the condition, possibly exacerbated by the altitude and dry air.

-- Jeff Stewart remains out.