ΒΕΤΤΙΝG NEWSLETTERS: Kick Off: Rocky Mountain Cup kicks off Rivalry Week

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Kick Off: Rocky Mountain Cup kicks off Rivalry Week | Hoilett to FCD?

Here are the top soccer stories everyone's talking about this morning:

Rocky Mountain High

Heineken Rivalry Week kicks off on Friday night, when Real Salt lake welcomes Colorado to the RioT for a Rocky Mountain Cup decider (8 pm ET; UniMás in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada). That won't be the only rivalry on display, though. Old friends and competitors Tim Howard and Nick Rimando share mutual respect, but neither wants the loser tag when they meet up after the match.

Cascadia Rematch

Defending MLS Cup champs Portland expect to return a few players when they host arch nemesis Seattle on Sunday (5 pm ET; ESPN in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada). The Timbers certainly need a boost, argues Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle.

401 Derby Time

Saturday sees the 401 Derby come roaring back as Montreal head to BMO Field to take on Toronto FC (7:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE in the US, TSN in Canada). One star says Giovinco is the best player in MLS history. Ignacio Piatti, meanwhile, will be looking to make his own mark. Learn more about the Impact's Argentine dynamo here, including how he counts his grandpa and legend Gabriel Batistuta as massive life influences.

Down Memory Lane

Before New England drop in on the Red Bulls for a nationally-televised scrap (2:30 pm ET; ESPN in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada), you can take a rear-view mirror look at 10 moments that shaped the rivalry. Oh, and check out MLS Insider's deep dive with Lee Nguyen while you're at it.

Cyle Style

New York City FC will close the weekend card with a visit to Orlando City on Sunday (7 pm ET; FS1 in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada), and coach Patrick Vieira is hoping young ace Jack Harrison can emulate the path blazed by Lions striker Cyle Larin. Jason Kreis, of course, knows a little something about both teams. He joined ExtraTime Radio on Thursday to chat about his Big Apple exit and the future of Orlando City.

Junior Associate?

While Supporters' Shield front-runners FC Dallas get ready for a road derby tilt against Houston on Saturday (9 pm ET; MLS LIVE), a report has emerged claiming that the Hoops are in talks with free agent Canada attacker Junior Hoilett.

This Is A Call

As the LA Galaxy prep to host Vancouver (Saturday, 10:30 pm ET; TSN in Canada, MLS LIVE in the US), Steven Gerrard has advised young English players to come check out MLS.

Muscling Up

With Columbus Crew SC set to host San Jose on Saturday (7:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE), a local scribe discusses how an overlooked summer pickup has given the club some needed sizein attack.

Setting the Table

Rounding out the weekend slate are a pair of important Saturday bouts. Chicago visit D.C. United (7 pm ET; MLS LIVE) and the Philadelphia Union welcoming Sporting KC (7 pm ET; MLS LIVE). With all 20 teams still alive in the playoff race, there's plenty at stake.

Vacancy For One

Our Sam Stejskal provides an update on the head coach hunt down at Atlanta United. Plus, how much allocation money did Real Salt Lake snag when Carlos Salcedo left Chivas for Serie A?

In International Waters

Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle takes a stab at predicting the roster soon to be called up by US boss Jurgen Klinsmann for the next set of CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers. Meanwhile, Canada have called in six MLS players for their upcoming qualifying matches.