Happy Independence Day!

This was a picture I took of the fireworks display at Dick's Sporting Goods Park last night following the Rapids game. The Rapids teamed with Commerce City to put on the largest fireworks display in the State of Colorado. And it was . . . spectacular . . . all set to music, from James Brown, to Bruce Springsteen, to John Philip Sousa, to Lee Greenwood, to Colorado's favorite adopted son, John Denver. . . . . It was so much fun to be singing "Rocky Mountain High" at the top of your lungs with 18,000 other people on the field! Even Bug, who's only 10, knew all the words . . . apparently they sang it at sunset on Saturdays at Sanborn. :)

Here is the big screen at Dick's that showed patriotic images while the music was playing and the fireworks were . . . shooting . . .

It was a great evening. We returned from Steamboat in time for a nap and then headed for the game. The Rapids beat New York 4-0. Tom McManus, Omar Cummings, Colin Clarke, and the new guy, Mehdi (can't remember his last name) all scored. One of the funniest highlights of the evening is when all of the mascots from the pro and college teams in Denver and Boulder took the field at halftime and played soccer. Rocky, from the Denver Nuggets, scored 2 goals, but our favorite was the Wooly Mammoth (LaCrosse) . . . he was so cute and chubby and played goalie. Since he couldn't move so fast, he turned the goal over so no one could score. It was hysterical when the other mascots noticed and tried to get him. It was really great to see all of the mascots together in their uniforms, trying to play soccer.

Pablo Mastroeni, my favorite Rapid, drew a yellow card last night for arguing with the refs. We did get horrible calls all evening. Our players were getting beat up and no fouls called, but if our guys touched the other team, a foul would be called. Pablo finally had enough and had his say. :)

Here are some more fireworks pics. Will write about Steamboat trip later.

I finally decided . . .

. . . who it is that is my favorite Colorado Rapids player. My eyes are constantly drawn to him. He's probably the oldest player on the team (at the ripe old age of 31), but he is so skilled on the field and gorgeous to boot. His name is Pablo Mastroeni.

He's from Argentina, and I think has been picked for the World Cup team twice. Soccer is such a great game. My other favorites include: Bouna Coundoul, who is out for the next month or so as he returned to play for his native Senegal in some national games. Bouna is an unbelievable goalee; Tom McManus, a recent recruit from Glasgow, Scotland, who's goal against Chivas was voted MLS Goal of the Week last week; Christian Gomez, another Argentinian hotty who's tremendous in the midfield; and two Colorado natives, Collin Clarke and Connor Casey.

Today, the Rapids beat FC Dallas 2-1. It was a fantastic game. Can't wait for the next one. My daughter will be at a camp taught by Rapids players for a week in July. Hope Pablo is one of her coaches . . . . I may just have to have some one-on-one parent/coach conferences! :):):)