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It was a story that went viral early in the week, and then spread like wildfire through twitter on Wednesday. You'll quickly realize why when you watch the video above (warning, might need tissues), but I wanted to give another shout out to the Portland Timbers and their fans for this amazing show of compassion towards a young fan. If you're hearing/seeing this for the first time, here's how Portland described the day though a press release:
In front of more than 3,000 Portland Timbers faithful – converted for a day to support a special wish made possible by the club, the Timbers Army and Make-A-Wish® Oregon – eight-year-old Atticus Lane-Dupre netted four goals, including the game-winner in the waning moments of the match, to power The Green Machine to a 10-9 victory over the Portland Timbers at JELD-WEN Field Wednesday afternoon in Portland, Ore.
The Timbers teamed up with Make-A-Wish® Oregon to grant the wish to Atticus, who learned he had cancer last fall and missed his last soccer game of the season with his teammates on The Green Machine. Guided to victory by Timbers head coach Caleb Porter, The Green Machine faced a formidable Timbers side that included a Starting IV.
When Atticus had the chance to make a wish, he chose to scrimmage the Timbers at JELD-WEN Field, home of the Timbers. Prior to Wednesday’s game, Atticus was outfitted with his own locker next to Timbers captain Will Johnson, while he and his family were given a behind-the-scenes tour of the Timbers locker room and workout facilities.
After the game Atticus exchanged jerseys with Johnson, and then, in keeping with Timber's tradition, he held up a slice off the victory log for his four goals.
Until a few weeks ago I had never heard of the group, Rabbit, nor of their song, "In My Blue Jeans." But now I can't get the song out of my head.
I first heard the song in video called Soccer Walking New York, then in Soccer Walking Philadelphia, and Soccer Walking Chicago, and, you can see where I'm going...all across America!
Former MLS player Jared Montz runs his own soccer drills website called OnlineSoccerAcademy.com. Jared is using his site to promote Soccer Walking America - a 45 day, 15 city video series tour he created to raise awareness of the fight against malaria and encourage soccer players worldwide to juggle to save lives in the OSA World Juggle-a-thon for Nothing But Nets on April 25, 2013; World Malaria Day.
Jared came to Colorado to shoot his video on April 8-9. He was able to get a lot of footage before one of our now weekly snow storms, and then went to the Sports Dome to get Clint Irwin, Drew Moor, Tony Cascio, and Edson Buddle to join in. Jared also juggles with Academy midfielder Bryan Windsor and his brother and dad.
You can participate, too. Join the "Juggle to Get Better, Juggle to Save Lives" World Juggle-a-thon for Nothing But Nets on April 25th at 6pm from anywhere in the world.
Click here to become a Juggler and Fundraise
Or Click here to make a One Time Donation
Then go watch the rest of the videos from each of the other MLS markets on the OnlineSoccerAcedmy YouTube page and get that song stuck in your head, too. Hey, oh, oh!
Edson Buddle has only been with the Rapids a few weeks. 
But as a MLS and U.S. national team veteran, he's known some of his new teammates for some time, including Marvell Wynne. That has made the transition to the Rapids that much easier, as evidenced by the fact that Marvell trusted 
Edson to give him a new haircut.
On the right is what Marvell looked like at the start of preseason camp. On the left, a few weeks in when he saved his head before the group went to Vegas.
Apparently, he wasn't done with his new look. Here's the image Edson tweeted on Thursday:
I just gave ummdub aka Marvel that fresh line-up. mikestylezhof what you think? #sharp #1stlineup #rapids… instagr.am/p/WBL9LNF4i9/
— Edson Buddle (@EdsonBuddle) February 22, 2013
Obviously, Colorado is no stranger to snow, although it's been a bit sparce in the Denver metro area the past couple years. On Feb. 20-21, 2013 Commerce City received it's first decent snowfall since last October. So when I got to the stadium on Thursday I couldn't pass up the chance to take new photos of the new adidas Prime match ball on the field at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
The past few days have been a little unnverving for Rapids midfielder Martin Rivero. The 23-year Argentinian suffered a broken bone in his right foot just before the end of the first half of the first preseason game on Tuesday. It was the first broken bone that he's suffered as a professional, and the ensuing surgery was also a first for the second-year playmaker.
But one thing that has kept him positive is the connection he's built with fans through his twitter handle. Rivero has chronicled and given fans - in Spanish and English - a unique behind the scenes perspective of his week, starting prior to the match, as he returned to Denver, on the surgery table, and afterwards. See below:
in friendly vs portland awhile! En un rato amistoso vs portland!
— martin rivero (@tinchorivero10) January 29, 2013
with a lot of anger and pain. now to get ahead! Con mucha bronca y dolor. Ahora a salir adelante!! twitter.com/tinchorivero10…
— martin rivero (@tinchorivero10) January 30, 2013
back to Denver. absolute rest. a shame not to make the preseason with the group.
— martin rivero (@tinchorivero10) January 30, 2013
a volver a Denver. reposo absoluto. una lastima no poder hacer la pretemporada con el grupo.
— martin rivero (@tinchorivero10) January 30, 2013
to rest! I am happy because now operate! A descansar! Contento porque mañana ya me operan! Good night!
— martin rivero (@tinchorivero10) January 31, 2013
to go to the hospital for surgery! God will be with me as always. thanks to those who support me hates
— martin rivero (@tinchorivero10) January 31, 2013
Listo para la operacion! Ready for surgery! ;) twitter.com/tinchorivero10…
— martin rivero (@tinchorivero10) January 31, 2013
Ya en casa despues de la operacion. Muy contento por que salio todo bien!
— martin rivero (@tinchorivero10) January 31, 2013
and then home after the operation. very happy that everything went well!
— martin rivero (@tinchorivero10) January 31, 2013
Ecarando la recuperación de la mejor manera y con el mejor animo!..Facing the recovery in the best way and with the best spirit!
— martin rivero (@tinchorivero10) February 1, 2013
Well, Colorado fans, if you didn't realize it then, you know now that when you attended the U.S. Women's National Team match at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in September, you were in the presence of greatness.
On Monday, FIFA announced that former USWNT coach Pia Sundhage was named the FIFA Women's Coach of the Year, and USWNT forward Abby Wambach became the first U.S. women since 2002 to be named Best Female Soccer player in the world (pictured above celebrating her goal at DSGP in a 6-2 win over Australia). That capped off a tremondous year for the U.S. ladies, who had won the 2012 Olympic gold medal.
Fans of the women's 2012 know already knew that Pia was known to break out in song, as she did before her last game as coach on that night in Colorado. So it was fitting that she thanked her staff, and sang one last time to her players when she accepted the award:
A few months ago we told you about Rapids Academy midfielder Bryan Windsor's trip to Barcelona, where he got to train at Barcelona's La Masia facility and receive first-hand instructions from the same youth coaching system that developed the world-player of the year, Lionel Messi, among others.
On Sunday, CBS's famed-program, 60 Minutes, profiled the story of Barcelona FC, giving arguably the best club soccer team in the world - in this era - a huge platform to be seen by millions of people in the United States. There's a lot of good stuff here, give yourself 15 minutes and watch it:
It's nearly impossible to tune out the Denver Broncos buzz, especially when "PFM," as Broncos fans and covering media have appointed Peyton Manning, is leading the team to the playoffs. And I suspect many Colorado Rapids fans are also Broncos fans, or least enjoy the local sports teams' successes, and are also optimistic for the Broncos' playoff hopes.
But for many Rapids fans, "PFM" was already in town quite a few years before the future hall-of-fame quarterback came to the Rocky Mountains. That's our own Pablo 'Freaking' Mastroeni.
As I thought more about the two local pros and their impact on their respective teams, I came across a few more similarities than the PFM acronyms, their 36-years of age (Peyton is five months older than Pablo), or that both of their team's missed the playoffs in the same year the respective superstar was forced to sit out with head / neck injuries.
Here are some I came across...post in the comments if you think of others.
Mastroeni began his professional career in 1998.
Manning began his professional career in 1998.
Mastroeni has one League championship - the 2010 MLS Cup.
Manning has one League championsip - the 2007 NFL Superbowl
Mastroeni was the first overall pick in the 2001 MLS Allocation Draft
Manning was the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.
Mastroeni was named an MLS All-Star in 9 consecutive years
Manning was named an NFL Pro Bowler (all-star) in 9 consecutive years
Mastroeni's last Final appearance was in 2010 (Nov)
Manning's last Final appearance was in 2010 (Feb)
Mastroeni was the 2012 Team Humanitarian of the Year, nominated for MLS award
Manning won the 2005 NFL Humanitarian Award
Mastroeni has played in at least 14 games for his team in 14 different seasons
Manning will play at least his 14th game for his team in his 14th different seasons (Dec. 16, 2012)
Mastroeni has 65 international caps and played in two FIFA World Cups
Manning has won four NFL MVP honors
Mastroeni missed nearly all of 2012 with concussion symptoms before announcing he's coming back for Major League Soccer's 18th season in 2013...
Manning, who brought back the retired #18, missed all of 2011 with a neck injury before returning this year to lead the Broncos back to the NFL playoffs...(and TBD)
Next month, Broncos fans will be pulling for Peyton to advance past the first round of the playoffs for the 5th time in his career. When Pablo advance past the first round for his fifth time, in 2010, he advanced all the way to the Cup...
The debate of who is the best soccer player of all-time usually brings quite a few opinions. But for me, it's easy. It's Lionel Messi.
See, I never had a chance to watch Pele, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Franz Beckhenbaur, or Johan Cryuf play - at least not live or at an age where I could remember how good they were. Of course I've seen video highlights, and, like others, can't help but be impressed.
With today's technology we can watch pretty much watch every game in the world, club and international. I did watch Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho, Zinadine Zidane, and other stars the more modern era play, and until recently, Diego was the best I'd seen. I've also been lucky to watch Messi and Christian Ronaldo play in person. And while Cristiano is awesome, given one choice, I take Leo.
Last Sunday Messi scored his 86th goal of the calendar year to pass Gerd Mueller's 40-year-old record for most in a calendar year. Mueller scored 85 for Bayern Munich and West Germany. Leo scored 74 in 57 games for Barca (still has three games left in 2012) and 12 in 9 games for Argentina. Here are some more Messi stats and all 86 goals from 2012:
Nicknames are fairly common among soccer players.
We've heard of Lionel 'la Pulga' Messi, Carlos 'el Pescado' Ruiz, and even our own Jeff "the Ginger Ninja" Larentowicz and Luis "el Morumbi" Zapata.
And today I heard a nickname that I think will stick with Colorado Rapids fans.
During Wednesday morning's training session I heard Stew Ceus call for the ball by raising his arm and shouting "Patrón, Patrón." That's the spanish word for "Boss," or a figure of that nature.
Hendry Thomas looked up, saw Ceus, and delivered the ball.
And there he was: The Boss, El Patrón!
Afterwards I asked Hendry how that name came about. He explained that in Honduras he was often called "El Doctór," because of his use of glasses. But this time, he said it was the Colombian duo of Zapata and Jaime Castrillon that started calling him that, and then many of the English speaking players and even some of coaching staff followed.
"I thought it was funny," Hendry told me, laughing about it. "It was funny but I still had to ask them why they gave me that name and why it has stuck."
Zapata clarified.
"We named him that because whenever he talks, everybody listens. He's is el patrón, the boss."
I'm thinking his dominating play may also have something to do with this name...