Burgundy Wave Player Grades: Defender Bobby Burling

We have begun our look back at individual player performances for the 2015 Colorado Rapids. Each day we will look at a different player and see what went right and what went wrong. Please feel free to leave your comments below and let us know your thoughts.

Burgundy Wave Player Grades

Player: Bobby Burling

Position: Defender

2015 Statistics

Highlight of the Year: Burling scored  the lone goal for the Rapids in their 2-1 loss at home to Columbus Crew SC in August.  The goal itself was good but the celebration was better.  He looked so incredibly happy to score that goal that he looked like a kid in a candy store.  For a season that was going so dreadfully wrong, it was great to see someone so damn happy.

Lowlight of the Year: A player like Burling is always going to draw attention and pick up cards of one color or another in a season.  But the nine yellow cards were high and as a defender he needs to be more careful about this as cards in his position can lead to direct goal chances.

2015 Grade (B): Burling was solid the bulk of the season and provided stability along the new look Rapids back-line.  He was partnered with Drew Moor, Axel Sjoberg, Sean St. Ledger and Jared Watts at one point or another during the course of the season.  And he also wore the armband on several occasions.  Overall, a good first year in Colorado for Burling.

2016 Outlook: I don't know if the Rapids had planned on playing Burling as much as they did this year, but he was more than serviceable and at times was the Rapids best defender.  He is a player that I would like back in Colorado next season, but perhaps not at the amount of minutes that he got in 2015.