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In the two years that I have written for Burgundy Wave I have written several times about Dick's Sporting Goods Park. I will not ever be one of those that complain that it is in the middle of nowhere or that it lacks good food options or beer options. The park is where the park is and the food and beer are what the food and beer are.
But one thing I have talked about, written about, heard about is the (in)ability for the Colorado Rapids to turn Dick's Sporting Goods Park into a soccer fortress. A place where opponents fear coming to. A place where 5,280 feet means something. Drew Moor may have said it best:
Morning #Rapids96 fans, here's captain Drew Moor on #COLvSEA on Saturday night. http://t.co/weTKqqrMAF pic.twitter.com/2J43BCZYcb
— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) April 19, 2015
Captain Colorado is right. DSGP has to be a fortress. And in a conference where most teams have legitimate chances at the playoffs, the Rapids cannot simply keep dropping points at home. It erodes any chance that the Rapids have at making a serious and honest run at the playoffs and it begins to make supporters question whether the Rapids know how to win at home. The evidence:
Since July 4, 2014 the Rapids have:
- gone 1-6-4 at home (7 points)
- scored 12 goals in those 11 games (1.09 gpg)
- have been shut out at home four times
- have scored one or fewer goals at home eight times
- have given up three or more goals at home three times
- have given up two or more goals at home five times
- have given up 19 goals in those 11 games (1.72 gpg)
- there only home victory in that span is against a team that no longer exists