A season of note

Dynamo-Houston have proven themselves a success this past year, and they've earned a well-deserved rest after their final MLS Cup victory. (While the players might be resting, I think the coaches and front office will be working just as hard this off-season. That's for another post.)

Winning the MLS Cup is certainly the ceremonial highlight of this season, but so many other events and achievements occurred this year. Here is some of what I remember:

* In what seems like another lifetime, I remember the announcement that the Earthquakes, my sons' favorite team and one of the most exciting teams in the MLS, was moving to Houston, our home of only a few months at the time. No new owner and no stadium deal? Then why is AEG moving the team here? And do you remember the radio buzz over the 1836 name?

* April 2: In the first match at Robinson stadium (late on a Sunday, so my family didn't go), Ching scores a Hat Trick +1 and Alejandro Moreno tacks on a bicycle kick/chileno at the end to cap off a 5-2 goalfest.

* April 8: Dynamo-H take on KC Wizards. This is the first match my family sees live. Ching starts off the scoring, but, in what looks to be a trend, the team allows a quick equalizer. DDR gets a red card and the team goes on to lose off a rocket of a strike from Jose Burciaga very late in the game.

* May 6: In another goalfest, Dynamo-H beat their in-state rival in their first formal meeting, 4-3. My oldest son and I sit behind the south goal, the locus of the first three Dynamo goals and all three of FCD's goals.

* Ching is selected to the US World Cup team. He scores in a warm-up friendly versus Venezuela on May 26, but gets no field time in Germany as the USMNT fails to get out of the group stage.

* June 3: Dynamo-Houston begins their "corporate restructuring" streak by beating the dastardly LA Galaxy. Their victory earns the Galaxy coach, Steve Sampson, a pink slip that week. Dynamo's victory vs KC on July 15 earns the Wizards coach, Bob Gansler, a pink slip the week following that match as well.

* July 22: Holden scores an equalizer versus the Revs in a match that see the visitors play boring soccer and Dynamo waste numerous changes. My oldest son catches a free t-shirt tossed into the stands. "I caught this at a Dynamo game" it reads.

* August 2: Dynamo vs Dynamo in the first US Open Cup match for Houston. Dynamo wins 4-2. The sprinklers go off too.

* August 5: Dwayne DeRosario, as the playmaker in the center of the field, scores the only goal in the MLS All-Star match versus Chelsea. DDR is rightfully chosen as the All-Star MVP.

* August 9: Dynamo-H fills Reliant Stadium and dominates the Galaxy, but new coach Frank Yallop leads his team to victory off a lone goal by recent transfer Santino Quaranta. Eddie Robinson scores an equalizer, but it's called back due to a hand ball. Barcelona follows, coming back from a 0-3 deficit to tie the game 3-3 vs Club America.

* August 12: Dynamo squeaks by FCD at home, 1-0, and wins the inaugural series versus the Toros, winning possession of "El Capitan" in their first year. My daughter gets several autographs after the game, including Craig Waibel (who scored the game winner) and Brian Ching.

* August 30: In Chicago's new stadium in Bridgeview, DDR scores a goal with the ball sitting on the halfway line. The 55 yard bomb eludes Zach Thornton and helps the team to a road 2-2 draw. Could this be DDR’s third consecutive Goal Of The Year?

* September 30: DDR doesn't get the GOTY because in this home match versus DC United, Brad Davis sends a cross into the box that is flicked on by Scotsman, Paul Dalglish, and almost 18 yards out, Ching skies into the air and drills the bicycled game winner into the net, propelling Dynamo into the playoffs. The marvelous, acrobatic kick earns Ching the GOTY. Can you see my orange family in the replays from the touchline?

* October 29: Things looking grim, down 2-1 in the aggregate Conference semifinals, Davis evens the tally early in the second half. It looks like we're headed to overtime when, 1 minute and 57 seconds into the 2 minute stoppage time, Ching knocks in the winning goal. Conference final, here we come.

* November 5: Again down by one to Colorado in the Western Conference final, the team comes back to win their first silverware 3-1, punctuated by a sliding volley by Mullan to seal the deal. Adrian Serioux throw a commemorative cap into the stands, and my oldest son catches it. Thanks, Serioux.

* November 12: Scoreless through regulation, Dynamo go down a goal (for the third time in the MLS Cup tourney) but equalize off the successive kickoff. Ching nets the final PK and Onstad stops the final attempt, and Dynamo bring the Cup to Houston, their new home.