Hello Colorado Rapids fans. Have you warmed up enough yet? This week on Holding The High Line, we are in person! Rabbi and Red podcast in the face on a couch that gets a name. We discuss all the storylines from the Concacaf Cold Cup on Tuesday. How about the Djordje Mihailović free kick? And was this the coldest Colorado Rapids game ever? We have thoughts.

The guys banter about some USL and For Denver FC news. We discuss the Josh Atencio trade and do some Rapids Math regarding the Moïse Bombito money. Then we look ahead to the MLS regular season opener against St. Louis CITY and the CCC second leg against LAFC.

We end the show with Matt talking to Fern Varela, the club's Fan Engagement Specialist about C38's sections being renamed "the South Bank."

We've partnered with Magic Mind to help the Rapids Community build on their pillars of health, including sleep, diet, exercise, and more. Magic Mind has launched their 24 hour pack, including focus and sleep shots in one. Get started with Magic Mind today with our special link. Use the discount code HIGHLINER20 at checkout.

Hello Colorado Rapids fans! It's officially Season 8 of Holding The High Line! Rabbi and Red sit down to discuss the XI questions that could define the 2025 season for the Burgundy Boys. We also preview the first leg of the Conca Champions with a special surprise for those joining us at the tailgate.

Here are our XI questions:

Will Chris Armas improve in his second year as head coach enough to overcome the Rapids being a more known quantity and a team to not underestimate?

Goalkeeper: Zack Steffen had a great run in Leagues Cup and just got his first start with the USMNT in almost two years. He had some howlers in 2024. There was so much talk about his post shot expected goals. Will he get back to his 2019 form with Columbus and is the lack of goalkeeper depth a problem?

Center backs: Moise Bombito and Lalas Abubakar are gone. Who's in the center back pair or treble? How do they play together?

Fullbacks: The Rapids have Sam Vines, captain Keegan Rosenberry, and Reggie Cannon. Who starts at fullback and can that position unit raise its level from last year?

Defensive midfielder: The Rapids took a flyer on Ali Fadal. Conor Ronan is still here. Jasper Loffelsend and Lamine Diack are gone. Who plays at the 6 and can the embrace the Rapids Thug Life? How ridiculous is it the Rapids might not be good at this position for the first time in a decade?

Wingers: Omir Fernandez is in year two reuniting with Armas. Calvin Harris is coming off his best MLS season. Ted Ku-Dipietro is in as a cash transfer or "cash-ver." KSB is healthy. Who starts at right wing and will they be good? What are expectations for Kevin Cabral given he might not be DP at some point?

Goal contributions: Djordje Mihailovic had 25 goal contributions. Rafa Navarro scored 15 and 5. Cole Bassett had a career high 16. No other player had more than 10 goal contributions in league play (Cabral had 9). Can those big three keep up their scoring rate? Who steps up to be the fourth wheel?

Armas has said the team will mostly play in the 4-2-3-1 and will deploy the 3-4-3 situationally. How will that go? Will it help the Rapids better balance their attacking impetus with being better defensively?

Once again, the MLS offseason saw teams spend big to raise the talent level. Meanwhile, there appears to be millions in the Moise Bombito transfer fee that doesn't appear to have been spent on the first team. Where did that money go? What does it mean?

No Open Cup. An all-Liga MX schedule for Phase I of Leagues Cup. The Rapids went for it in Leagues Cup and paid for it in the final week of the regular season. They're likely an early exit in Conca Champions. Is it regular season seeding or bust? Can the Pids finish top four?

Can the Rapids finally get over the hump come November and advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2016, talent and spending deficits be damned?

We've partnered with Magic Mind to help the Rapids Community build on their pillars of health, including sleep, diet, exercise, and more. Magic Mind has launched their 24 hour pack, including focus and sleep shots in one. Get started with Magic Mind today with our special link. Use the discount code HIGHLINER20 at checkout.

Hello Colorado Rapids fans. This week on Holding The High Line, Rabbi and Red are finally hyped for 2025 thanks to a new U22 winger singing! The guys talk all things Ted Ku-Dipietro trade.

We banter about some big picture soccer media stories. We have thoughts on why Daniel Chacón was a bust and got released. Mark tells you why preseason games down in Mexico do not matter. We're still made the Rapids won't get to represent in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Matt has some From Field 20 updates, including injury news on Darren Yapi and Sam Vines. We celebrate the club's 30th anniversary and Marcelo Balboa getting his #17 jersey retired. Then we have a smattering of Ask HTHLs.

We discussed NWSL Denver last pod if you missed it. Also, Rabbi was a guest on Soccer Wise with Tom Bogert and David Gauss and it was awesome.

January is National Mental Wellness Month. We've partnered with Magic Mind to help the Rapids Community build on their pillars of health, including sleep, diet, exercise, and more. Magic Mind just launched their 24 hour pack, including focus and sleep shots in one. Get started with Magic Mind today with our special link and the discount code HIGHLINER20.

Hello Denver Women's Soccer Fans! This is Holding The High Line. We normally talk Colorado Rapids. But on this episode, Matt Pollard and Brendan Ploen get together to discuss the Denver NWSL expansion.

We break down all the information we got from the various media availability this week. We discuss all the rumors and reporting on the club's potential branding, stadium and training facility location and more. Give this a listen and you will get fully caught up. Enjoy.

Congratulations to Jordan Angeli and everyone associated with For Denver FC. See the original interview we had when the project launched here.

January is National Mental Wellness Month. We've partnered with Magic Mind to help the Rapids Community build on their pillars of health, including sleep, diet, exercise, and more. Magic Mind just launched their 24 hour pack, including focus and sleep shots in one. Get started with Magic Mind today with our special link and the discount code HIGHLINER20.

Hello Colorado Rapids fans. Here is the fifth episode of Memories From Toronto. This week, Red speaks to Managing Director Jeff Plush.

Check out previous episodes of Memories From Toronto here.

January is National Mental Wellness Month. We've partnered with Magic Mind to help the Rapids Community build on their pillars of health, including sleep, diet, exercise, and more. Magic Mind just launched their 24 hour pack, including focus and sleep shots in one. Get started with Magic Mind today with our special link and the discount code HIGHLINER20.

Hello Colorado Rapids fans. Holding The High Line did not intend to podcast this week but then Extra Time Radio announced they were going away. Matt Pollard discusses some takeaways from Colorado Rapids first preseason friendly. It was a 2-2 draw with Celaya F.C. Then he gives his thoughts on ETR coming to an end. We close out with interviews with Ian Murphy, Alex Harris, and Charlie Harper over Zoom from Mexico.

January is National Mental Wellness Month. We've partnered with Magic Mind to help the Rapids Community build on their pillars of health, including sleep, diet, exercise, and more. Magic Mind just launched their 24 hour pack, including focus and sleep shots in one. Get started with Magic Mind today with our special link and the discount code HIGHLINER20.

January is National Mental Wellness Month. We've partnered with Magic Mind to help the Rapids Community build on their pillars of health, including sleep, diet, exercise, and more. Magic Mind just launched their 24 hour pack, including focus and sleep shots in one. Get started with Magic Mind today with our special link and the discount code HIGHLINER20.

Hello Colorado Rapids fans! Happy New Year and Happy MLS Preseason. Holding The High Line is back just as the Burgundy Boys have touched down in Mexico. Rabbi and Red pour one out for those affected by the fires in our native Los Angeles County. Also, rest in peace President Jimmy Carter.

We discuss a bunch of signings. Sam Bassett is officially a Homegrown. Mike Edwards has re-signed. Sebastian Anderson is likely gone. Nate Jones is reportedly headed to Las Vegas Lights. Also, there's some new faces with Rapids 2.

R&R touch on Rapids Media Day, the preseason roster, some USMNT news, and some new MLS rules including cash transfers within MLS. We talk Lalas Abubakar officially joining FC Dallas and Robin Fraser being hired by Toronto FC. Neil Emblen and Jonathan Lewis might be joining Robin.

We've got Ask HTHLs on when MLS clubs will be leaving Twitter for Blue Sky, Rapids transfer targets, what SuperDraft picks may still come to preseason camp, ideal 2025 away days, and Keegan Rosenberry in the 4-2-3-1.

Holding The High Line is brought to you by Magic Mind, the world’s first performance mental shot. Check them out using our special link and use the discount code HIGHLINER20 at checkout for 20% off your first order or 48% your first time subscription.

Hello Colorado Rapids fans. Here is the fourth episode of Memories From Toronto. This week, Red speaks to Technical Director Paul Bravo.

Bravo played for the Rapids in the 1990s and was a part of that team that made MLS Cup 1997. He served in the Rapids Front Office from 2009 to 2016. We discuss his time at the club, his philosophy as a member of the FO, and his much discussed relationship with Head Coach Gary Smith.

Get ready to learn the behind the scenes details on some key player acquisitions, his post-MLS time at the club, and why he listened to classical music alone while watching home games. This is some classic HTHL inside baseball (soccer) content. Some of this is information Bravo has not previously discussed openly. Enjoy and be informed, High Liners.

Check out previous episodes of Memories From Toronto here.

Holding The High Line is brought to you by Magic Mind, the world’s first performance mental shot. Check them out using our special link and use the discount code HIGHLINER20 at checkout for 20% off your first order or 48% your first time subscription.

Photo Credit: Colorado Rapids

Happy Holidays Rapids fans. Goodness it was a busy week for MLS. Holding The High Line podcasts to discuss the 2025 Rapids SuperDraft that was as well as the following:

The Colorado Rapids MLS regular season and preseason schedule. MLS releasing all the GAM totals for each team and what it says about the Rapids, with backend accounting from Rabbi. For Denver FC getting close with NWSL expansion and why they beat Cleveland and Cincinnati per Red. The Leagues Cup schedule and what it means for MLS teams in U.S. Open Cup. Wayne Brant and Lalas Abubakar leaving the club. Also, we pour one (nonalcoholic drink) out for Mitch Carroll who was laid off by DNVR/ALL CITY. Jasper Löffelsend went to San Diego FC in the Expansion Draft. Then we do Ask HTHL.

This week was such a mess we forgot about Miguel Navarro transferring. You probably did too.

Holding The High Line is brought to you by Magic Mind, the world’s first performance mental shot. Check them out using our special link and use the discount code HIGHLINER20 at checkout for 20% off your first order or 48% your first time subscription.

Also, we made the Feedspot's top 45 soccer podcasts of 2024. You should check them out here.

Note: We had some errors in this episode. Colorado will host the second leg of the first round of Conca Champions, not the first. Also, Matt might have said eight figures instead of seven figures when referring to Miguel Navarro's purchase option.

Happy Holidays Colorado Rapids fans! This week on Holding The High Line, there is so much news.

The guys banter about LA Galaxy winning MLS Cup and how that changes how we feel about the Rapids losing to them in the first round of the playoffs. We then discuss Colorado acquiring FC Cincinnati center backs Chidozie Awaziem and Ian Murphy. Also, Colorado getting all of Philadelphia Union draft picks for three years is the most MLS trade ever.

We then preview the upcoming SuperDraft, discuss the future of past Rapids draft picks, and Sam Bassett hype! Oh, there's a few guys exposed in the MLS Expansion Draft. Red has some scoops on Miguel Navarro potentially staying with Talleres on the purchase option and Andreas Maxsø potentially going to the Middle East.

We end the show with some offseason Ask HTHLs. Oh, and Colorado drew LAFC in Conca Champions.

Holding The High Line is brought to you by Magic Mind, the world’s first performance mental shot. Check them out using our special link and use the discount code HIGHLINER20 at checkout for 20% off your first order or 48% your first time subscription.