Good Monday morning Caps fans, hope you all had a good weekend and are having some coffee and getting ready for the week ahead.

The end of last week was marked by the reveals of things we sort of already knew were happening.

Let’s start off with the kits, which we have a better idea about now that we aren’t squinting at leaked images on FIFA. And, boy do they look good. The color and design are fairly simple but the gold lettering and badge really pop, as does the throwback badge design.

Unlike a lot of other MLS teams, Vancouver haven’t been hurting for good kits in recent years. And while Adidas upped their game across the league this year, I think the Caps have one of the better looks once again.

A nice touch with the announcement was the inclusion of Caps players over the years, helping to lean into the anniversary theme with everyone from Tos Ricketts to Carl Valentine.

Now, God forbid you actually want to buy one for yourself, as an authentic kit will cost upwards of $200 and will possibly require you sell off a kidney in order to afford. A real slap in the face to fans who want to support the league and not buy knockoffs on DH Gate but for those of you who are able to splurge (or are under contract for the Caps), you’ll be looking good at matches this year.

The other major news on Friday was confirmation that Joe Bednik will be signed up for the next season as a break glass in case of emergency option in front of goal. All signs had previously been pointing in the direction for awhile, so this wasn’t a shock, and we previously broke down all of the ways in which Bednik is not a great goalkeeper anymore, so I don’t feel a real need to revisit them.

Injuries happen and I wouldn’t mind someone a bit better behind Yohei Takaoka in goal. But the Caps do have some academy guys they can lean on here too (especially in the Canadian Championship with its niggling Canadian player requirement) and Bednik probably will only start if multiple guys go down. Given that he’s a warm body on a cheap contract, there is probably no real reason to get hot and bothered on this one.

One of the more encouraging developments of the two legs against Tigres was that Takaoka seemed to be looking like first half Taka, rather than second half Taka. That would be one of the biggest ways the Caps’ defense can take a step forward, without having to make a new signing, and show some growth.

Shameless Self Promotion

What does the loss in Mexico mean for the season going forward? Our report card tries to answer that exact question.

Best of the Rest

Chime in on where the Caps’ new threads fall in the pantheon of past kits

MLS is back on their bulls–t, potentially forcing the cancellation of the U.S. Open Cup or trying to ensure only eight of their teams are included due to scheduling conflicts (of the league’s own making)

Meanwhile, the league will start the season with replacement referees after the PRO members overwhelmingly rejected the league’s latest offer

The Canadian women now know the full group they’ll be facing off against in the inaugural W Cup