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We were expecting that the Colorado Rapids would start expunging some of the loose gravel of the organization once the season came to a skidding halt, but I don't think any of us thought that that would include the team's beat writer. Kicking off an off-season (it's totally the off-season now, shut up) of what's likely to be big turnover for the team, Chris Bianchi tweeted yesterday on the @Rapids_News account that he was being let go from his job as MLSSoccer.com's beat reporter for the Rapids.
Him being let go wasn't necessarily the troubling part, though I am a bit sad since Chris is a great guy and was a fantastic beat guy for the team for years. The troubling part is that he seemed to imply that it was the Rapids themselves who forced the league's hand in firing him.
Due to difference in opinion in my coverage, the Rapids pushed for my release from my work as team reporter for http://t.co/cbmIUnt1dq...
— Chris Bianchi (@Rapids_News) October 15, 2014
...and my terrific editors had little choice but to comply (league site). Unfortunately, I won't be covering the Rapids. That said...(2/3)
— Chris Bianchi (@Rapids_News) October 15, 2014
...appreciate club + MLS for the opportunity, and mostly you all for following my coverage for 2.5 years! Best wishes and thank you all!
— Chris Bianchi (@Rapids_News) October 15, 2014
If it's true that Rapids interference was involved, this was one of the least intelligible moves I've seen the team make in quite some time. Coverage of a team on a 12-game winless skid is simply not going to be good, no matter how deeply shaded your burgundy colored glasses may be. We don't know all the details behind the scenes, but I have a hunch it has something to do with that 'culture' we keep hearing about getting disrupted by bad press.
As a result, our old friend the Streisand Effect is here providing even more bad press. Nice one, Rapids.