The culmination of the season

Sunday night, at the final game for the Dynamo at home, we saw the storybook ending for this inaugural season -- a season that was an unexpected gift. A year ago at this time, the Dynamo didn't exist, soccer wasn't played at Robertson Stadium, and the Houston sports scene was far removed from the MLS universe. And now here we are: celebrating our heroes, while they applaud us as if we were lifelong supporters of their cause.

It seemed a weird experiment involving the transplanting of an entire team, the heart-breaking of a dedicated west coast fanbase, a marriage of attacking soccer with humidity, and a false start with naming the new creation. Somehow, it worked -- and successfully so.

As I sat low behind the North Goal, in Section 111, with my family and 23,000 of my closest friends, the volume of noise, the swath of orange, and the mass of waving towels were dazzling. As the teams took the field, the Rapids looked small and isolated, while the Dynamo took the field as 23 thousand and with bold clamor.

Yet, the game began inauspiciously. There was too much activity near my goal that first half. I saw Serioux's handball much too closely in those opening minutes, and was just a few yards away from Jovan Kirovski when he sank the resulting PK. (I did not, until later, recognize Kirovski without his mane.)

Paul Dalglish’s goals were salves for a worried heart, but it looked to me that he still does not work all that well with Ching, and that cost Dynamo a few more opportunities. Dalglish with his two goals was the obvious choice for man of the match, but I think Mullan earned that title in fact. His work on the wings helped break down the Rapids' defense, he assisted on the second goal, and he earned the third and final goal for the 'Mo.

Luckily, that third and most acrobatic goal was in the North End goal, and I could see it perfectly. Not quite as dramatic or as critical as Ching's bicycle versus DC United, but such power and timing...and that was the nail that broke Colorado's will. Dynamo, a team with no history, has written its exciting first chapter of what I hope will be a long narrative. Dynamo are the Western Conference Champions and are heading to the MLS Cup in Frisco to face the talented and hungry Revolution.

Quick Hits:

• As I was heading to the WC before the match began, I crossed paths with Charlie Pallilo. I said "Hello, Charlie" as he walked past. He took a few steps before he realized he heard his name, then cast a curious glance over his shoulder. I waved, but that was all.
• At the end of the match, the team sure looked excited with their hard-fought silverware (crystal-ware, actually). Their glee was great to see. Adrian Serioux stopped by the North Goal and tossed a shirt and a ball cap into the crowd. My son came up with the ball cap. He caught a t-shirt several games ago as well. How many sporting events have I been to in my life, and I have yet to catch anything...

• Dynamo's record when I'm present has climbed to 6-3-1. We went to exactly half (8) of the regular season home games, exactly half (1) of the US Open Cup home games, and exactly half (1) of the post-season home games. That's 10 of 20 games in toto, for you Aggies out there...
• If the MLS Cup were on a Saturday, we'd make the trip and pay the costs. Being that it's on a Sunday, that would make for an awfully long trip before a long school/work week. Dynamo will have to win at Frisco without me present...but I’ll be watching, beer in hand.