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The Colorado Rapids were one of the ten founding clubs of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996, but that inaugural season was probably better off a forgotten one for Colorado. Despite fielding experienced players like Shaun Bartlett (9 goals in 1996-97), Chris Henderson, Chris Woods, Roy Wegerle, and American-born defender Marcelo Balboa (151 games and 24 goals from 1996-2001), as well as English Head Coach Bobby Houghton at the time, the team finished dead last in the Western Conference with the worst record in the league. Balboa went down in Rapids history as the first player ever to score for the franchise and also the first player to ever record a goal at their home of Mile High Stadium in their first home match in 1996.

With a beautiful new stadium and a number of new players, the Colorado Rapids still find themselves competing in a changed and more competitive league than back in 1996 when they joined as one of the original clubs. Although Colorado's solid play has regularly kept them in contention in the past, it just hasn't been enough when going up against some of the newer clubs, who may just be a bit hungrier than the Rapids, and looking to make their mark in the MLS.

The Rapids need to regain the mental toughness and drive to compete well with everything on the line, something which has seemingly eluded Colorado recently, and it will be up to veteran team captain Pablo Mastroeni (25 games, 1 goal, 2 assists) to be the glue that holds this squad together as they try to reverse their fortunes. While it has been bad enough that the Colorado Rapids keep missing out on the postseason, after having formerly been regulars in the MLS playoffs, but what makes it worse for their loyal fans, however, is how the Rapids keep on slipping out of the playoffs at the very last minute, leaving only deep disappointment on the final weekend of play.