RAPIDS ACQUIRE INTERNATIONAL ALLOCATION AND DEFENDER FROM KANSAS CITY FOR PETER VERMES AND MATT MCKEON"

COLORADO SETS TABLE FOR MAJOR FOREIGN ACQUISITION;
ADDS PROMISING DEFENDER SCOTT VERMILLION

DENVER (Thursday, February 3, 2000) - The Colorado Rapids today acquired an international allocation, defender Scott Vermillion and a 2000 second-round draft choice (#20 overall) from the Kansas City Wizards in exchange for defender and co-captain Peter Vermes, midfielder Matt McKeon and a 2000 second-round pick (#15 overall).

An international allocation gives the Rapids the acquisition money from Major League Soccer to purchase the contract of a major international star. Rapids coach Glenn "Mooch" Myernick said the team has already targeted a select group of players from which they hope to sign an attacking player. "Our goal this off-season is to bring in some major firepower and this move opens the door," said Myernick. "We have some extremely lofty goals for the level of player we are pursuing and this move gives us the financial opportunity to make that acquisition."

Vermillion, 23, has played in MLS for two seasons after leaving the University of Virginia following his junior year to join MLS' Project-40 program. A highly-touted defender since joining MLS, the Kansas native has started 22 games in each of his first two seasons in the league, "Scott is a strong, young defender who will only get better with experience," Myernick said. "He will give us some great depth at the back with his versatility."

In Vermes and McKeon, the Rapids dealt two starters and players who contributed to the team's significant defensive turnaround in 1999.

Vermes, 33, played in every minute of every game at central defense in 1999 and co-captained the team along with Marcelo Balboa. The New Jersey native joined the Rapids prior to the 1997 season from the NY/NJ MetroStars.

McKeon, 25, gets traded back to the Wizards one year after coming to Colorado from Kansas City in a November, 1998, trade for Chris Henderson. McKeon, an imposing presence in the defensive midfield, led MLS in fouls committed in 1999, a year which saw his first-ever call to the full U.S. National Team.

Myernick said that giving up two starters of the caliber of Vermes and McKeon is a significant subtraction, but was a move necessary to acquire the valuable allocation.

"International allocations give you the chance to bring in the kind of world-class player that we want to bolster our attack," said Myernick.

"Peter and Matt were part of a very good defense and they will both be missed, but sometimes you need to sacrifice to make the kind of move we are planning."

COLORADO ACQUIRES:

*	2000 Foreign Allocation
*	2000 Second-round draft pick (#20 overall)
*	Defender Scott Vermillion
Position:   Defender -- Height:  5-11 -- Weight: 175 -- Born: December 23,
1976 -- Hometown: Olathe, KS -- College:  Virginia -- How Acquired:
Project-40 Allocation to Kansas City

SCOTT VERMILLION CAREER MLS REGULAR SEASON STATISTICS:

YEAR  TEAM                        
GP GS  MIN  G  A PTS SHT SOG GW GA PG PA SG SA BK  FC  FS  OF  CK  C  E  CP
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998  Kansas City Wizards         
22 22 1955  1  3   5  10   6  0  1  0  1 0  1  0  31  18   3   0  2  0   8
1999  Kansas City Wizards         
24 22 1630  0  3   3  13   1  0  2  0  0 0  0  1  35  12   1   0  1  1   4
Two-year totals                   
46 44 3585  1  6   8  23   7  0  3  0  1 0  1  1  66  30   4   0  3  1  12

KANSAS CITY ACQUIRES:

*	2000 Second-round draft pick (#15 overall)
*	Midfielder Matt McKeon
Position:  Midfielder -- Height:  6-3 -- Weight:  195 -- Born: September 24,
1974 -- Hometown:  St. Charles, MO -- College:  Saint Louis University --
How Acquired: November 19, 1998 trade from Kansas City Wizards for Chris
Henderson

MATT MCKEON CAREER MLS REGULAR SEASON STATISTICS:

YEAR  TEAM                        
GP GS  MIN  G  A PTS SHT SOG GW GA PG PA SG SA BK  FC  FS  OF  CK  C  E  CP
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1996  Kansas City Wizards         
12  9  823  0  1   1  10   9  0  0  0  0 0  0  0  14   7   0   0  2  0   0
1997  Kansas City Wizards         
31 30 2737  4  1   9  15   7  1  0  0  0 2  5  3  75  28   2   0  8  0  16
1998  Kansas City Wizards         
22 21 1875  0  0   0  14   8  0  0  0  0 0  1  1  40  24   0   1  4  1  18
1999  Colorado Rapids             
28 27 2415  0  2   2  29  10  0  1  0  0 3  8  2  80  31   0   0  9  0  34
Four-year totals                  
93 87 7850  4  4  12  68  34  1  1  0  0 5 14  6 209  90   2   1 23  1  68

*	Defender Peter Vermes

Position:  Defender -- Height: 6-1 -- Weight:	 175 -- Born:  November 21,
1966 -- Hometown:  Delran, New Jersey
College:  Rutgers University -- How Acquired: February 3, 1997 trade from
NY/NJ MetroStars for Kerry Zavagnin 

PETER VERMES CAREER MLS REGULAR SEASON STATISTICS:
YEAR  TEAM                        
GP GS  MIN  G  A PTS SHT SOG GW GA PG PA SG SA BK  FC  FS  OF  CK  C  E  CP
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1996  MetroStars                  
30 30 2700  1  1   3  40  16  1  1  0  1 0  3  2  59  40   5  12  8  0  18
1997  Colorado Rapids             
26 25 2206  6  4  16  29  12  2  0  0  0 0  2  0  37  42   1   2  1  0   4
1998  Colorado Rapids             
31 31 2675  2  5   9   9   3  1  1  0  1 1  1  3  32  32   1   2  3  1  13
1999  Colorado Rapids             
32 32 2880  0  2   2   7   0  0  1  0  0 0  2  1  29  38   2  35  5  0  18
Four-year totals                 
119118 10,461 9 12  30  85  31  4  3  0  2 1  8  6 157 152   9  51 17  1  53

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