Tonight the Dynamo play RSL for the last time on the astroturf of the University of Utah. That's a good thing. One pundit predicts Houston winning 2-1. B-Fall talks about how tonight's game is just the beginning of the more difficult 2nd half of the season. (Yah mean we only got 4 wins on the EASY half?) He also has some soccer notes that discuss the likelihood of Nate Jaqua being added to the roster for the remainder of this season then going to Seattle for next season. I think most people realize Jaqua's limitations, but are willing to try anything to turn the malaise around. Plus Jaqua is a good sub for Ching when (if) Ching is away with the USMNT or, should misfortune strike, due to injury.
Speaking of ex-Dynamos, B-Fall has a cool article about Dalglish who has definitely settled in the area. I think this is so cool because it is the first discussion of the lasting effects of having a professional team in the area: permanent colonization by professional players from afar. This will only grow the exposure as the new residents, and the relationships they still maintain nationally and internationally, bring an influx of talent and mentoring to the area. It expands Houston's footprint in the soccer universe. It also kind of makes one proud to live in an area where scions of the English soccer aristocracy say they "like it here" and are starting soccer camps (Braveheart Soccer Camps) "to give a little bit back to the community that was so good to me when I was here." Daggers, who is taking on several local youth coaching roles including with the Dynamo Academy, also talks about "beautiful Texas girls" who apprently "don't like to leave Texas." So it's good that Houston has some things that can overcome the heat, humidity, and mosquitos.
Ever wonder how the Dynamo's Season of Mediocrity is viewed in the national press, outside the sphere of Houston? How's is this for an assessment of the Dynamo's latest run of form: Football is my life and I could get excited about watching a U-8 AYSO game, but even I couldn't put a positive spin on the performances of Houston over the past few weeks of the season. This Dynamo team has been performing so flat that it makes it difficult to watch their games without finding myself nodding off. Fans of Houston will always tell you that their team will turn it on in the playoffs when it really counts, but on the evidence of their last few performances, I just don't see it happening this year. Ouch! That comes from Keith Costigan's "Power Rankings" on Fox Sports. He currently has Houston at #10. (That's a "power ranking" of recent form, not an overall assessment of the season.) He started the season with the Dynamo at #2 and has had them as low as #14. Yeah, there are only 14 teams in the league.
ESPN ranks the teams weekly as well. Let's see how the Dynamo have fared according to that Website:
Pre-Season: #1
Week 1: #5
Week 2 #9
Week 3: #11
Week 4: #10
Week 5: #12
Week 6: #12
Week 7: #9
Week 8: #7
Week 9: #8
Week 10:#7
Week 11: #4
Week 12: #6
Week 13: #6
Week 14: #6
During the break (at least in league games), I'll have to compare the halfway point of this year to past years. Of course the stats mean nothing; we all know this season has been less fullfilling.
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One point about the season to date is that we have 19 points thru 15 games, on a pace for 38 pts. Looking back at recent MLS history (30 or 32 game season), 40 pts. is about the level needed to reach the playoffs. Our 7 ties thus far are more than usual but you have to think we'll have 2 or 3 ties in the second half, giving us 22 pts and 12 remaining games to get 18 - or basically needing to win every other game. In other words, we need to start picking up 3 points at a rate higher than 1 out of every 4 games.
I think it is more likely that we'll make the playoffs at 3rd in the west rather than on overall points.
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