The Broken Record

There were no records broken tonight, at least none of which I'm aware. But there is a scratched record that repeats the same refrain:

Despite controlling much of the match, Houston Dynamo gave up points.

This time it was against the lowest of the low: 6-win Crew.

DDR, the only consistent finisher for Dynamo, claimed yet another solid goal. This one was a 30-yarder in the 54th minute. Yet, once again, despite controlling the run of play in the entire first half and a majority of the second, and outshooting the opponent 18-10 (6-4 on goal), Dynamo gave up a late goal. The Crew's 80 minute tally locked both teams at a point each.

Chivas managed to win its game versus Colorado, so Dynamo is now in third place. Since Dynamo controlled its fate, this drop is completely justified give the team's inability to finish and obtain the results it needs.

Dynamo have won just twice in the last 12 games.

If Dynamo makes it to the playoffs, the slate will be clean. Let's hope they discontinue this underachieving trend though, or the MLS tourney will be a short one -- assuming we get to play at all.

DDR has the right attitude: "I don't care about the other games," he said. "We have to create our own destiny by winning. Once we do our work on our field then we don't have to worry about what anybody else is doing."

Au revoir, Michelle

Tonight the only lady on the Fox Sports World Report is departing. After five years, Michelle Lissel is off to Toronto to join the Media and PR department of Toronto FC who will be making their MLS debut in 2007. It's great that the newest MLS team is pulling out the stops to make its inaugural season a success.

But hands off DeRosario, Cannucks! :-)

Dragging this season out

This past Sunday, Dynamo continued to flirt with both genius and mediocrity. With Chivas in the house, and over 15 thousand in the stands, Dynamo managed to hold their own throughout the first half. The newest Dynamo, Paul Dalglish, should have scored when he collected the rebound of a Brad Davis freekick 10 minutes into the game. As it was, his miss traveled across an open goal that should have been tapped in by any of a number of enterprising Dynamo. Later, in the same half, Dalglish had an amazing run into the box, where he then unleashed a superb goal that also traveled across an open goal and should have been tapped in by any of a number of enterprising Dynamo. On the other end of the field, Onstad cleaned up any messes left by his defenders.

The second half was even more frustrating. Chivas went down to 10 men in the 60th minute. Up a man, Dynamo couldn't do what so many Dynamo opponents have shown themselves able to do: win versus a 10-man team. Dynamo had the possession, but (in the story of the season) had trouble finishing. Unable to score left Dynamo unable to create much distance between themselves and the other Western Conference foes.

Dalglish had some exciting moments in place of Mullan on the right wing. He worked well independently, but seemed to suffer from miscommunication with others -- most glaringly Dwayne DeRosario in the middle. Others think this isn't so much due to the fact that Dalglish hasn't had time to gel with his mates, but because he may be more creative than the rest of the 'Mo. I agree that the team's attack is a bit prosaic and overly reliant on set plays, but the team still has one of the better attacks in the league. And I think Dalglish might do better as a forward paired with Ching.

It's Dynamo at the Columbus this Saturday. The Crew is a bottom dweller that should provide Dynamo with 3 points on a platter -- not that this means Dynamo will get the result even if their play suggests they should. End my frustration, boys. With only 4 games left (2 away; 2 at home), you've lost your opportunity to waffle. It's time to finish your games or else allow the less talented but opportunistic bottom-dwellers to justifiably leave you behind.

5 Games Left...

MLS teams have all played 27 games (except for RBNY, who has 26, while KC has actually played 28). The top three teams are now thus:

DC United 52 points (Eastern Conference)
FC Dallas 46 points (Western Conference)
Dynamo 39 points (Western Conference)

Meanwhile, Chicago, Chivas USA, and Colorado are close behind with 38 points.

This puts Dynamo 14 points away from the Supporters' Shield, which we could do should DC lose every remaining game (tying one at most) and we win every remaining game. I'm going to be a pessimist and bet against this.

We are only 8 points away from the top of the Western Conference. This is doable – with help – but is really meaningless in terms of achievement. Still, we topped FCD this season, so it would be nice for us to top them in the standings.

In the end, with the Supporters' Shield and Open Cup out of our reach, we should focus our energies just on earning a berth in the MLS Cup postseason tourney. That shouldn't be a problem, but we would also want to position ourselves so that we don't have to face FCD in the Semifinals.

I am looking forward to seeing how the rest of this season plays out.

Reviewing my Prognostication

It is now really Monday. How did my hopes play out?

On a personal level...
No epiphany. I'm back at work. My life will continue to be one uneventful day after another until I slip, unnoticed, into my grave. (Me: 0-1)

I still need to fix the gate. If I weren't a perfectionist, I could do it in about 30 minutes. Instead, I want to completely replace it...which means I put it off. (Me: 0-2)

Saturday sports...
Chicago beat the Crew. That's fine. (Me: 0-3.) The Revs beat RBNY. That's fine too. (Me: 0-4.) DC United tied RSL, which doesn't help Dynamo one bit...and Moreno didn't even score to buoy my fantasy team. (Me: 0-5.) The Wizards clobbered the Rapids 4-1, helping Dynamo and my poor prognostication record. (Me: 1-5.) FC Dallas drew with Chivas USA. (Me: 2-5.) In college football, the Longhorns lose to OSU. Colt plays okay in his second game, but the rest of our team leaves much to be desired. (Me: 2-6.)

Sunday sports...
Dynamo beat the Gals 2-1, with goals from DeRo and Waibel offsetting a lone goal by Donovan. We played our usual 10 man formation for the last 30 minutes of the game, but still managed this well-timed result. And the goal scorers all help my fantasy team, Balder Dash, improve its lead in the division...while increasing Dynamo's chance at a berth in the post-season tournament. I'll give myself 2 points for this one, since it makes me so joyful. (Me: 4-6.)

My record as a seer wasn't all that great this past weekend, even with the illicit bonus point I tacked on in the end. The Dynamo result goes a long way toward consoling my spirit since I got that one, the most important one, correct. (That Longhorn miss was pretty painful though...not to mention the ones I missed on the personal level...but no worries about my inability to lift myself out of my mediocrity: Dynamo beat the Galaxy!)

I'm pulling for a few more things to happen this soccer season. First, the Dynamo make a miracle run and win the Western Conference. (A second place finish is not too bad though.) Second, the Galaxy don't make the playoffs. Third, the Galaxy lose the Open Cup final after having eliminated us from that tournament. That would do my heart good. Make it so.

The Day After Tomorrow

It is Monday, the day after tomorrow. Let's look back at what the weekend has wrought.

Early Saturday, I had an epiphany and quickly outlined a narrative that will, within a few months, become a novel that will be the voice of a generation. My wife was so moved by my conceptual plot that she coerced me to quit my job and work on the book full time.

Oh, I also fixed the gate to the backyard. It's a beaut.

Later that same day, Columbus beat Chicago and the Revs tied the Red Bulls. DC United, buoyed by a brace from Jaime Moreno, beat a scoreless RSL and the Wizards gave their new ownership something to celebrate by beating the Rapids (though Beckerman does manage a goal). FC Dallas managed to eke out a tie with Chivas USA; but Carlos Ruiz, who sat out the match due to yellow card accumulation, will be forced to miss his next match on Wednesday because further video review of past games proved he's a chronic cheater. Ruiz cries pitifully on camera and eventually becomes a fine, upstanding forward who scores goals without flopping.

In college football, the Longhorns beat the Buckeyes 28-17. Colt McCoy shines and our defense is dominating.

On Sunday, Dynamo beat the Gals 3-1, with goals from Ching (2) and DeRo offsetting a lone goal by Donovan.

So here it is, Monday, the day after tomorrow. I've complied with my wife's wishes and have quit my job. Now I'm sipping Kona coffee in my leather chair, having just written the first three chapters of my novel. UT is now #1 in the college rankings. The MLS Western standings are now thus: FC Dallas has 46, Houston has 39, Colorado has 35, Chivas USA has 35, and the Gals and the RSLers remain at 32. (Unbeknownst to me, FCD is about to begin a horrible slump and Houston is about to begin a powerful winning streak.)

Oh my Fantasy Team? Balder Dash? It has further distanced itself from the others in its division.

Now I think I'll go eat a piece of apple pie then take a nap before taking a walk in the 70 degree weather. Cheers.

Video Review 101

The MLS acquited itself this week. Its disciplinary committee, using post-game review of game video, fined Carlos Ruiz $500 for acts of simulation in FCD's game vs Dynamo on September 2nd.

This is terrific use of video review to punish those who kill the game with skill-less cynicism. I believe repeated violations should merit game suspensions as well.

The disciplinary committee also fined Dynamo defender Eddie Robinson $500 and suspended him one additional game for violent conduct. This is completely warranted, but I think proper review would show Ruiz used an equal (if less effective) flurry of elbows. Ruiz should have been fined and suspended for his violent conduct IN ADDITION to his diving fine.

When diving is outlawed, only outlaws will dive...or something like that.

A wiser wag once quipped: When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.

Our Final Hope

In the US -- and particularly in the MLS -- there are three prizes to be had. The MLS Cup is the most visible and most heralded. The Supporters' Shield is, in my mind, the most prestigious, and I'm glad that the MLS is taking steps to improve the benefit that goes with winning this recognition. The least visible and least prestigious is the Open Cup.

With the 1-0 loss last Saturday to FC Dallas, Dynamo pretty much eliminated their chance to get the most prestigious of the triumvirate: the Supporters' Shield. The race is now between FC Dallas and DC United, which is in a bit of a slump of late. The reason for the Dynamo loss has become the all too familiar in recent matches: poor decision-making that led to a red card -- this time it was Eddie Robinson in the 30-something minute. For the 2nd time in 3 games, Dynamo had to play a man down for more than an hour. The other reason for the loss is one that has plagued the side the entire season: poor finishing despite terrific ball possession and controlling the pace of the game.

With the 3-1 loss yesterday, Dynamo eliminated their chance for what is perhaps the easiest prize: the US Open Cup. Again, lousy finishing -- including a missed DeRo PK, of all things -- led to our demise. The game should have been 2-2 at halftime, resulting in a tie at the end of regulation since we wouldn't have been desperately pushing forward.

Now all of our hopes rest on making it through the post season MLS Cup tourney. But first we have to earn a place there. It would help if we could create some distance between us and the other Western Conference teams this Sunday versus the Galaxy -- yes, we play them twice in one week. Win and we are at least temporarily 4 points from 3rd, 7 points from not qualifying for the MLS Cup tourney. Lose and we are likely in 3rd place, 2 points from not making the post season.

Is there a bright side to Dynamo's recent form? Yes: DeRo's solid play (including his spectacular 55-yard goal of the week, but not including his failed PK) and the return of Ching. Paul Daglish's appearance with the team might also be a good thing, but time will have to prove that.