Heading into Saturday's matchup against Orlando City SC, we sat down with longtime MLS broadcaster Max Bretos. The play-by-play man has called a wide variety of matches over the course of his career, including in 1996 when MLS had its start in the United States. Bretos will be on the call for Saturday’s match alongside Warren Barton on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Having been around MLS since its inception, do you have a favorite memory specifically related to the Rapids that comes to mind?
I remember, during a time when the league was so insecure, we didn't know what was going to happen and there were very few teams with their own stadium. When DICK’S Sporting Goods Park opened, I think it was a sign that more and more of these places could be built. So, looking at it now, in 2007, how many stadiums were around then? Three or four? I just think about that and the unknown—wondering where it was going to go, and what the future of these stadiums was. I enjoy my trips up there. I look around, and you have this great history, not just of what the Rapids have done, but what other sports teams have done. Including those peripheral fields where you can see guys playing rugby. This has been an important anchor for Colorado. It still looks majestic. It has stood the test of time as a stadium. It looks nice with the tectonic plate roofs. I just remember that day, I remember watching that game, and I didn't know how it was going to turn out. It feels like it has matured very nicely. To me, my favorite Rapids memory was that first game at DICK’S.
Nico Hansen has impressed in his starts filling in for Zack Steffen. In your opinion, how important is it to have a guy like that when your star goalkeeper misses matches?
It's a very well-timed question. I called the game against St. Louis a couple weeks ago, and at first, you're thinking, ‘Okay, this guy is just filling a gap until Zack Steffen comes back,’ but then, I was re-watching the game against Austin, and you see a guy just growing in confidence. I always like to gravitate towards those stories because this sport is about seizing opportunities, and you don't know when they are going to come. Nico obviously had his. He could have fallen flat, but he's doing the opposite. Not only is he performing at a high level, but he is giving his coach, and whoever else, food for thought about his ceiling or how good he can be. It is a small sample size, but I don't think these opportunities come that frequently. I mean, you certainly can remember when somebody has come in and grabbed an opportunity, specifically as a goalkeeper, but I would put Nico in that higher percentile, and I hope it ends well. Zack is obviously the number one, but Nico has already moved from, possibly not making the roster, to a clear number two.
Do you view inter-conference matches any differently?
I think the majority of all the business that happens in Major League Soccer is in the Eastern Time Zone. The majority of the clubs are in the Eastern Time Zone, the majority of the viewership is in the Eastern Time Zone. So, for the west, while people in Denver, Seattle, Portland, or Los Angeles watch their teams, the majority of the fan base is probably not tuned in because of the hour, whereas western fans will tune into the east. So, I think, obviously they're all very well scouted, but there is something different that I think they have to take into consideration. Even more so when they come to Salt Lake or Colorado, because of the mystery of the altitude, because, by and large, all these teams are dealing with it for the first time. I haven't gotten to call a lot of Eastern Time Zone games. I've had a few this season. There is certainly something about playing a home and away match against an opponent that always rings true. There's also a fragility about the eastern teams. I mean, generally, they don't win when they come here. So, I think there is a bit of trepidation. They are heading into the unknown a bit when they come here because these teams play each other so infrequently. But, because of the mystery of the west, for lack of a better word, you definitely see that it gives the Western Conference teams an edge.
When looking at this match, what Rapids player do you feel can have an added impact against Orlando specifically?
With Orlando having not played in a couple of weeks, I think Colorado probably wants to speed things up. I know they did in the game against Austin, but that was because they were trailing. I think there was some good progress from the fullbacks. I thought, even though it was a defeat, that Jackson Travis and Reggie Cannon had some nice moments. I'd like to see that develop. I think Chris [Armas] is probably really locked into those guys. I think the situation with the central midfield is the same. You know, we thought Connor Ronan was going to play a role here, but no, it really is Oliver Larraz and Josh Atencio. I think the fullbacks could cause a problem. They're both really talented. I think it's something that Chris feels he has an edge in. To a lesser degree, and I don't know if he's going to play, but I want to see more of Darren Yapi. Rafael Navarro is back, but how do they find a way to get Yapi in there? I think he is a difference maker, whether he scores goals or not. Obviously, when he scores goals, it's huge, but with his physical dimensions, I think he could be someone that could, either as a complimentary piece or as a second forward, be somebody who makes some noise against Orlando.
How do you see Saturday’s match playing out?
These games are always fun because it's been a minute since they last faced off. Orlando City is a good team coming off a difficult result and have had to stew about it. They have three excellent Designated Players. I don't think many teams can say that. This is a team where things have gone really well. I think it's a huge game for Colorado, because they think they can't afford to drop too many points at home. I mean, they were such a good home team last season. They have four home games in five, and you want a good haul of points, especially at the position that they are in. So, I think Colorado has to be aggressive and be a bit of a bully, especially against an Orlando team that was the flavor of the month two to three weeks ago but are struggling to get the results they had. Certainly, when you look back when they beat Inter Miami, which was the height of what they were able to do, can Orlando find some goals? Can they get a result? They’re away from home, a little rusty and not playing well, so I think the ball is certainly in Colorado's court, and they've got to flex their muscles here a bit.
