Dynamo and the Rockstars

Tonight, Dynamo Houston takes on the LA Galaxy. This is an opportunity to get some much needed points as the LAGgers are at the bottom of the Western Conference, but I can see Dominic's former mentor, Frank Yallop, sneaking out with a draw...particularly if Donovan is on the field...and particularly since the RBNY red card keeps DeRo off the field. Dynamo has been one of the better teams in the MLS (with only DC United possibly playing better soccer...but that's a big maybe), but their results haven't matched their quality. This needs to end now that we're starting the second half of the season. A new trend begins tonight.

Truth be told, taking first place in the League is the only place that matters. That earns a team the Supporters' Shield, which now has more prestige than in year’s past. (The winner earns the first berth in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.) After first place, it really doesn't matter what you rank as long as you're in the top four in your conference and can go to the postseason. The postseason really doesn't reward any team for its regular season position (except for completely excluding those below 4th place in each conference); and, as the lowly LAGger proved last year, it is like an isolated tournament of its own that is totally separate from and hardly affected by the regular season.

After Dynamo seals the fate of the Galaxians, the rockstars take the field when Ronaldinho, Messi, and the rest of FC Barcelona take on Club America. I just found out that Barca are staying in the St. Regis hotel across the street from my office. There is a small crowd of fans in jerseys and carrying signs and soccer balls. They're cordoned off from the hotel, but were present even during the monsoon that hit yesterday afternoon. Barcelona's buses are telltale indicators of when the team is present. Yesterday the players took time to tour NASA.

Here's hoping that the games live up to their billing, and that my kids are pleasant through the long evening.