Glen Davis in the Deadly Toxin

My alma mater's newsrag (affectionately called "The Deadly Toxin") has a nice but brief article on Houston's own Glen Davis. I'm anxious to check out that soccer program Glen expects to air on TV later this year.

In other news, I know the results of friendlies mean little, but the 0-0 result the US earned with Guatemala (or Gautemala, as ESPN's graphics showed) is a sign that the US needs to develop better creativity in breaking down a bunkered team. No reason to panic of course, but we definitely need to learn the lesson and change our strategy (and maybe personnel) when facing such a defensive ploy. We will face Guatemala in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, so we'll probably face the same strategy again.

And regarding USMNT personnel, how many more chances will Eddie Johnson be awarded? I sure hope his game picks up for the KC Wizards, for his sake as well as for the Wizards'. It would be nice to have him as an asset for the USMNT, but let's start with the club that pays his bills first.

Check out this goal...

Last year in Bridgeview, DeRo had an amazing goal from midfield. It was an excellent combination of talent and vision. The weekend the EPL provided an even longer range goal, although it was founded more on good fortune, I would think. From ESPN...

Goalkeeper Paul Robinson scored an extraordinary goal from his own half to embarrass his England rival Ben Foster in Tottenham's Barclays Premiership 3-1 victory over Watford. [Jay DeMerit did not play, so was blessedly not part of the problem.]

Robinson wheeled away in celebration after his free-kick bounced over Foster, the young goalkeeper on loan from Manchester United who has been putting pressure on his as England's first choice.

"That's why you're number one," sang the fans after his goal, remarkably the second of his career after netting for Leeds before arriving at Spurs.

Bipolar Play Can Still Win Games

Work put me in Lake Charles, LA, this past Thursday, so I wasn't able to watch the game vs Pachuca. I managed to record the match, and when I got home at 9, I sat down with trepidation to watch.

The first half saw my (almost) worst fears confirmed: we were playing prosaic, pathetic, panicky soccer. We didn't concede a goal yet (that would be my worst fear) but a goal didn't look far off given our play. Our touch was off still, yes; but the worst part was the lack of awareness and the inability to display any game intelligence. As bad as they looked in Costa Rica, this was much, much worse. In Costa Rica, Dynamo looked exhausted; here at home, Dynamo looked amateurish. Horrible passing and horrible decisions weren't just the purview of the pseudo-newbies, like Kelly Gray, but of solid veterans like Eddie Robinson, and -- gasp! -- Mullan and Davis.

Dynamo's work rate was solid, which led to many good defensive plays, and these were often followed by a good pass. But the next decision was -- almost without exception -- a blind, Hail Mary pass easily intercepted by the Pachuca defenders, or a hasty, lazy pass to the Pachuca forwards.

Pachuca forwards Luis Landín and Christian Giménez had plenty of opportunities to grab a lead. Their poor finishing (perhaps due to nonchalance?) saved the day for the Dynamo. Zach Wells' solid goalkeeping also helped.

My halftime funk was pleasantly spoiled by a reversal of quality in the second half. Dynamo became aggressive, confident, and savvy, and we saw them stringing passes together. In the 57th minute, after sustaining increasing pressure from the hometown team, Pachuca did a poor job of clearing a Houston free kick, and the ball landed at Craig Waibel's feet on the right flank. His subsequent cross was clinically headed by Brian Ching and the game changed yet again. Dynamo's confidence amped up some more, as did their play. The crowd was even more energized and the Tuzos became unsettled.

Bully for Coach Kinnear, who much have said something at halftime (he sure was vocal on the sidelines too), and bully for him for keeping the foot on the accelerator by subbing in De Rosario and Chris Wonolowski late in the game. In the 84th minute they provided a much-needed insurance goal -- and equally needed was the class of the play that led to the goal. On a throw-in deep in Pachuca territory, Brad Davis finds DeRo, who displays outstanding vision in sending his pass into space for Davis to run onto. Davis penetrates further, and (with great peripheral vision) sends a crafty cutback pass to Chris Wondolowski, who easily slots the ball into goal. Game, set, match. That goal accomplishes much in its timing as well as in its caliber.

To cap things off, Alejandro Moreno has a pure-sitter of a goal in stoppage time that would have given us a 3-goal lead that would be difficult to overcome in the second leg. He missed the opportunity, but we'll call it even since Pachuca missed similar opportunities in the first half.

(Zach Wells provided the biggest boneheaded decision in the second half when he was caught out of position on a Pachuca foray...but Waibel was there, too, to head out the ball headed to goal, preserving the lead and bailing out Wells in the process.)

With the 2-goal lead we're sitting pretty, but we're definitely not out of the woods. The return leg will take place somewhere near the edge of our Troposphere (actually 8,000 feet above sea level), and Pachuca will probably not sit their effective attackers again. Their backs are against the wall and they won't take us for granted.

Better play will be needed by the Dynamo. Most of all, the team needs improved possession. A goal (or two, dare we hope?) would be nice...and it is comforting to know we have solid goalkeepers, regardless of who mans the posts (Wells or Onstad).

As difficult a road as we face in Pachuca, we still need to lose by 3 goals (or 2 goals and a PK loss), which puts us in a better position than DC United, who have to win at Guadalajara.

And, at least in the first legs of these semi-finals, it looks like the mojo-pendulum may have swung from United's Christian Gomez to our own DeRo. Gomez looked like a maestro in United's Quarterfinal matches, while DeRo was ineffective. In the semis, DeRo looked sharp in his brief appearance, whereas Gomez was neutralized for the most part by Chivas (or was it something else?).

Orange in Aggieland

The environment and the result was the complete opposite of the first leg. The field was pristine, the crowd friendly, the weather cool, and the result a shutout win, 2-0.

The play wasn't diametrically divergent from the first leg, but it was better.

The team's fitness was a bit better, and there was much better passing, possession, and ball control. But the finesse wasn't there, nor was the smart teamwork. In fact, they often looked disjointed.

In the 25th minute, Moreno and Dalglish fail to take advantage of a beautiful Mullan cross because they are in each other's space. One of them (Moreno, I believe) should have delayed his run to give the other (Daggers) room, and to be in position to make hay with the subsequent deflection.

We did well in the flanks, but our center play was spotty. DeRo is my biggest criticism, not because he's playing horribly, but because he's not playing up to his abilities. He is our playmaker -- our Tracy McGrady -- but his touch was poor and his vision was myopic. So goes DeRo, so goes the Dynamo usually -- but luckily not last night. Perhaps I'm being too harsh and should be more forgiving since it's the preseason, but blame DC United's Christian Gomez for setting my standards high for MLS playmakers.

(Speaking of DC United, how about that new signing, Luciano Emilio? He looks to be the real deal. He's a potential golden boot contender. I'm interested to see how we handle him when we face DCU May 26.)

Rico played well I thought, but he seemed to disappear for stretches. In fact, I thought our usually strong spine was weaker than usual. I'm particularly disappointed in DeRo--not because he's playing particularly badly, but because he's not playing up to his form. He's our playmaker. Normally I might blame it on being the preseason, but Christian Gomez has set the bar high. (And speaking of DC, how about Luciano Emilio? He looks like he might contend for the golden boot this season. I'm looking forward to how we handle him when we meet in May.)

I was also disappointed with the decision (whether conscious or not) to bunker in late in the game after we got the lead. I hate when we do that without reason. (We had a reason in Costa Rica.)

We did well in the attacking third, but should have done better. I thought Ching (our Yao Ming?) did well when he came on. He definitely had the best contribution-per-minute-played ratio, earning the foul that led to the series winner, putting the ensuing header on frame, forcing the Puntarenas keeper to make a fantastic save, and giving Kelly Gray the opportunity to punch in the rebound and get us to the next round.

The referee let the most egregious and dangerous of fouls go -- but woe to the player to spoke harsh words!

Puntarenas is a good team and beating them was quite an accomplishment, particularly considering that we weren't playing on all cylinders. Our next opponent, Pachuca, will be much more difficult, though. First of all, they're a talented team (the defending Copa Sudamericana champions), secondly we face them away for the second leg, and finally we'll be playing 8,000 feet in the air when we do face them on their home pitch. Dom may want to have the team wear snorkels during practice to simulate the inability to gulp down oxygen.

The second leg is also 3 days before our season opener versus the LAGgers. How's THAT for timing?

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

Dynamo ran into a buzz saw down in Puntarenas, Costa Rico. In the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup matchup versus Puntarenas FC, Dynamo had to also fight the scorching heat, a pumpkin patch of a pitch (say that 5 times real fast), and a referee who was less than charitable.

I like good soccer, as does any fan of the game; but sometimes I enjoy gritty soccer too. This game was ugly and gritty. Beauty and harmony inspire, but there's drama in a train wreck.

Being that it was an international match there really weren't any surprises with regards to the field, the refs, the crowd, or the scheduling of the match. And that's exactly what the Dynamo needed to experience. It's easy to ignore the crowd of 2,500 in cavernous Arrowhead Stadium on a manicured field -- but can you play your game under adverse conditions? Well, the Dynamo found they can't yet play their game under the adversity of pre-season in Central America, but they found they could survive. If not for an unfortunate ricochet, they would have stolen a point from Puntarenas and left 0-0.

Zach Wells was undoubtedly the MOTM. Unexpectedly thrown into the fray early in the first half, he came up big with a PK save, and shut down the Puntarenas forwards for the full 90...until that blasted injury time garbage goal.

Houston offered little threat to Puntarenas, and eventually resorted to playing 11 men (and then 10 men after Robinson's sending off for unsportsmanlike bleeding) defending the goal.

As I said, it wasn't good soccer, and it wasn't pretty, but it was riveting drama and the result wasn't too bad.

Hopefully, the team learned some things, such as:

- Never give a foreign ref a reason to card you. Act doubly saintly when you're carrying a card. (I must say that, as bad as the reffing was, I was pleasantly surprised that he called back two of Puntarenas' goals -- not only the obvious one after the ball was knocked out of Onstad's arms, but also a very close offside on a set play.)

- If you don't close down your opponent, you give them the space they need to look at their options, to get comfortable, and to test your keeper. Caroms are more unpredictable when you are further from your opponent.

- Don't burn your subs early (which, in this case, was unavoidable after Onstad's injury).

- How one's usual play can be successfully adapted to compensate for bumpy pitches or -- and this will help in Houston -- hot weather. When it's hot, let the ball do the work with more passing, less dribbling. When a ball won't roll straight, put in your big guys and keep the ball in the air.

I think we'll do better in the second leg, which is a gimme prediction since we couldn't play any worse than in the first. The question is: can we play well enough to move on and put this horrendous leg behind us?

I wonder...

* How will we fare against international teams in the CONCACAF Champions cup and the SuperLiga Cup?

* Who was paid to change the uniform ... and is there a money-back guarantee?

* How will DynamoH employ "El Capitan" during our home matches vs. FCD? Will we be able to keep it? We meet one more time this year than we did last year to determine ownership of the Big Gun.

* How will the unfortunate Serioux be received when FCD visits Robertson? How will he fit into the FCD lineup? In fact, how will FCD as a whole react to the events of the off-season, losing Ronnie O'Brien and Coach Clarke?

* How will the new Dynamo Youth Academy enhance the team this season and in the long run?

* Will DynamoH eventually take advantage of the new "Designated Player" rule?

* How will Beckham fit into the MLS?

* Will DynamoH get the financial support AEG's favored Galaxy gets? Will we find a local buyer?

* And do we even need deep pockets to repeat? (Of course, great players will leave for greener pastures eventually.)

Dynamo's Jersey Sponsor?

Starting next year, MLS teams can generate revenue by selling shirt space to corporations. Red Bull New York and Real Salt Lake have already taken advantage of this new rule. Who will the Dynamo allow across their front?

Well, in this article there is a picture that shows "Gallery Furniture" across their chest:

I think the original jersey looks better; but the logo is subtle enough and it hopefully makes the club a bit more profitable (and, thus, stable). I think the La-Z-Boy logo would bring more irony. The Orange Crush logo would be more approriate. This Gallery Furniture one is less of a surprise.

Dynamo Quarterfinals schedule for CONCACAF Champions Cup

Friday the 2007 CONCACAF Champions' Cup fixtures were set.

Dynamo Houston will play Puntarenas FC in Costa Rica in the first leg of the Quarterfinals to take place sometime February 20-22. The return leg will take place somewhere in Houston sometime between February 27 and March 1.

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.

Farewell, Serioux, and thanks for the Cup

Well, Adrian Serioux was picked by Toronto FC in the expansion draft today, so he's no longer a Dynamo.

That's a bit sad, because he has been such a contributing player to our lineup. He's a regular at Centerback and seemed to be the only sub for Ricardo Clark as D-Mid. I think this works best for Kelly Gray, who now might have more opportunities as D-Mid, or Ryan Cochrane who might get more playing time as a back.

Serioux seemed like a no-brainer pick for Toronto since he's Canadian and a proven contributor to a winning side in the MLS. Still, there is some surprise since the coach of Toronto, Mo Johnston, was the coach of the NY Red Bulls when they traded Serioux to us at the beginning of the 2006 season. The player we traded for Serioux, Danny O'Rourke, was also picked by MoJo.

I think this move brings Serioux closer to his family, which is one reason why he came to the MLS from Millwall, England, to begin with. Thus, this should be a good move for him.

Here's the list of who Toronto picked. They didn't pick anyone from Dallas or Colorado:

1. Paulo Nagamura (Los Angeles Galaxy) - Midfielder
2. Danny O'Rourke (New York Red Bulls) - Midfielder- He was with San Jose/Houston at the beginning of last season, and we traded him to the Bulls for Serioux from the Bulls.
3. Jose Cancela (New England Revolution) - Forward
4. Adrian Serioux (Houston Dynamo) - Mid/Defender - Bye, thanks for the Cup
5. Nate Jaqua (Chicago Fire) - Forward
6. Rod Dyachenko (D.C. United) - Midfielder
7. Jason Kreis (Real Salt Lake) - Forward - the MLS career leader in goals scored...for now
8. Tim Regan (Chivas USA) - Defender - He's the guy who fouled Ching (or tried to) as Ching headed the game winner with 3 seconds to spare in the 2nd leg of the Western Conference semi.
9. Ritchie Kotschau (Columbus Crew) - Defender
10. Will Hesmer (Kansas City Wizards) - GK

Follow up:
Aaargh!! Serioux has been traded to FC Dallas for Ronnie O'Brien. Serioux, my heart goes out to you. You are now only 4 hours closer to your family and you're stuck with the rival of Dynamo-Houston!

Who'd have thought that your MLS Cup win would be on your homefield for next season.

You can play with our shiny new ball when you come down and visit...

Britons on the MLS Cup

An interesting take by a Brit at the MLS Cup.

Dynamo get the silver ball

One of the results of the Dynamo's MLS Cup victory is that they'll get to play with the "+Teamgeist Winner MLS Ball" for all of their home games. This is the ball used at the 2006 MLS Cup, so only Dynamo and the Revs have any experience with the ball. Does that suggest that Dynamo will have an added advantage in their homegames since they'll be familiar with the game ball? Let's hope so. In post-game comments, Twellman mentioned that the Revs hadn't been able to practice with the ball before the match and that might have been responsible for their slow start in the MLS Cup.

Marry the unique ball with the unique narrow confines of Robertson stadium and the vocal, partisan crowd, and the home field advantage might be substantial for Dynamo Houston 2007.

Speaking of unique home advantages, how about our heat and humidity? Dynamo were supposed to be used to the heat and humidity (and no, it's not a dry heat) and that was to add to their home field advantage in 2006. Coach Kinnear and others have stated that the heat was just as hard on them as on their opponents, so no advantage there. Let's hope they adjust better in 2007, because I don't think the H&H will go away come Summer.

Hey, do you think that Dynamo-H will fare better than their northern cousins in the CONCACAF Champions Cup? There's that whole H&H adaption thing, where Dynamo will feel as at-home in the rainforests of Central America as in Robertson Stadium. There's also the fact that Dynamo has a solid core of players and an aggressive, attacking mindset. It's good to have international teams, but to have the Dynamo taking on the international teams? Now, THAT's awesome.

Here's hoping we still have that solid core of players in the new year. Hands off, Toronto! (And let's designate DeRo as our Designated Player just to keep him here.)

Drama, Destiny, and Dynamo

What a dramatic win for the newest group of Houstonians!

In yesterday's MLS Cup, Dynamo came out strong (against the wind too, from what I understand), and looked like they wouldn't be long in getting one into the net. The Revs eventually awakened from their stupor and began to control the run of play at about the 20 minute mark. That continued until the second half, when Dynamo again looked to be more dangerous, save for a scary point blank shot by Twellman that Onstad stopped. Perhaps the Dynamo's resurgence was due to the wind, perhaps it was due to the 3-5-2 formation they adopted, or maybe it was due to the Revs' fatigue.

If the later, then the Revs must've just been saving up, because they picked up their pace in overtime while Dynamo looked absolutely exhausted in the two overtime periods. With regulation ending in a 0-0 draw, and the threat of PKs against a solid Reis looming, the best bet for the Dynamo would be to finish things out in the OT period. But with their tired legs, it didn't look likely; and then with about 8 minutes left to play, Twellman slots a shot into the far netting and seems to seal the deal.

"That's the game," my son said, and I had to agree with him.

Luckily, DDR, Mullan, and Ching didn't think the game was over yet. Virtually unchallenged on the flank, Mullan sends a cross in to Ching. Though deflected, the ball is met by Ching in the air and, just a minute after the Revs' goal, we're again even 1-1.

It was an excellent response by Mullan-Ching after the Twellman goal, and with typical Dynamo drama.

Dynamo picked up their pace a bit after that, but no one really had an edge until the end.

And then we went to PKs. Everyone thought the Revs recent success with Penalties gave them the advantage. Yet, Gray and Holden looked like seasoned pros with their PKs. Davis' miss surely was in sympathy for Noonan's miss. Weren't they childhood teammates at Scott Gallagher in St. Louis?

As usual, it all came down to the last kick. DDR and Ching had made their shots (Ching's having to be driven through Reis' hands), and when Onstad stopped Heaps' shot to the left (Onstad's right), the stadium and our home erupted.

Not a perfect match, but a perfect result
It was not the prettiest of matches, but was perfect in terms of drama. A team that was solid throughout the season in its attacking team play (if not always in terms of results), and was gutsy when it needed to be, rightfully earned the first MLS Cup for which it vied. I'm glad to see the only MLSer who is older than me make the save that wins the Cup for my hometown. (And Pat's such a nice guy to boot.)

The two teams were equally matched on the field throughout the whole season. Both their league matches ended in 1-1 draws. Their MLS Cup ended in a 0-0 draw in regulation and a 1-1 draw in overtime. This was (surprisingly) the first MLS Cup to be decided on PKs. That is a testament to how equal these teams were, and is proof that the two best-matched teams met in the final this season.

Hopefully, this result leads to increase stability for the itinerant players of the Dynamo-Quakes, and entrenches them into the Houston sports culture.

One gripe: I can't believe ABC didn't broadcast the Cup presentation. Yes, the game went long...but the ceremony would have added -- what? -- an additional 15 minutes? At least send it over to ESPN2. Thank you 790AM for sticking with the coverage.

Speaking of 790...how great was it to hear Glenn and Charlie explode after Ching's goal and the Onstad save of Heaps' PK? Most soccer announcers are network announcers and exude an air of non-bias, but Glenn & Charlie's emotion was classic.

MVP
The MVP, to my mind, was either Mullan or Onstad. Mullan controlled his flank, created many opportunities, including the game-tying goal, and was indefatigable both ways, offensively and defensively. Yeah, he had that great look at goal in the first half that resulted in a shot that achieved orbit, but he was one of the best threats overall and kept us in the match when others were flagging.

Onstad is perhaps the best choice. He kept the sheet clean through regulation, including that wonderful block of Twellman's point-blank header in the first half. He directed his 3-man defense throughout the game and was instrumental in the final result with his game winning save on Heaps' PK.

Ching got the official nod for match MVP, and I can't really argue with that. He made the remarkably timely equalizer in extra time, and put away the final PK at the end. He also made a timely steal in front of our goal deep in OT, when Twellman looked to have an excellent opportunity. He also had an embarrassing whiff in the second half, which Kinnear amusingly mentioned in the post-game press conference, saying Ching should be commended for his "vision" in making that intention dummy so Wade would have a clear shot. Ching laughed at this and said "I'm a team player, what can I say." That humorous exchange (and the goal he eventually did get) erased the ills of that whiff in my mind at least.

I'm sure I'll have more in the days to come. Until then: Thank you Dynamo for a great season. I'm so glad that ONE of my orange teams won this weekend...

Orange Sunday

Today, we're going orange. The family is eating squash soup and pumpkin bread, and drinking Sunkist and Tangerine Cosmos. We're going to spend the beautiful afternoon with the windows open and the Dynamo game on. We're hoping for a victory, and I think we'll get it.

The talent is quite balanced between the teams. We have a hole with Ricardo being gone, but I think Adrian Serioux is actually better suited for a D-Mid role than his usual C-back role. Ryan Cochrane is generally solid in the back and will bring good defensive consistency to our back line. He even scored in the first matchup versus the Revolution.

With such balance between the teams, I think we have to look at the x-factor as the potential difference maker. In today's game, there are two such factors: Dalglish and fan support.

The Revs haven't faced Paul Dalglish, and brings a different dynamic to the Houston attack. He doesn't always work seamlessly with Ching, but he brings a level of unpredictability that is hard to defend. He's an excellent complement to DeRo and Davis-Ching-Mullan. Let's say Dynamo 2-1.

Regardless of the result, I think the game will conclude with a general consensus that the Dynamo should have won. Either this will be confirmed by the victorious result, or it will be another frustrating match where our domination of possession and the run of play is for naught. Either satisfied or frustrated, we'll be here in beautiful northern Houston, draped in Orange and filled with various orange comestibles. Go Dynamo!

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.

Confessions of a Dynamo newbie

Excellent article by Ken Hoffman in the Chronicle today. Soccer is a different experience live than on TV, and you don't have to understand every nuance to enjoy the sport.

Hope to see you, Ken, on Sunday...and hope to see Dynamo in Frisco next week!

Should I bring my bad Ju-Ju?

I am really wanting to go to the Conference final this weekend of course, but I'm worried. Am I wanted by the Dynamo?

Oh, I know they want fans in the stadium, but heed the facts: Dynamo cannot lose when I watch the game from afar; they can lose when I'm present.

They played 18 games at home (including the game at Reliant, and counting the 2 Open Cup matches). Their home record is 10-3-5 (W-L-T) in toto. When I'm in the stands, they are 5-3-1, meaning when I'm NOT in the stands, they're 5-0-4.

They can win when I'm present or when I'm absent, but they can lose only when I'm present.

Well, they'll have to overcome my Ju-Ju. My wife just informed me that she bought tickets for the whole family in Section 111, just behind the North Goal. Last time we sat on this end of the stadium was versus Chicago (let's not discuss that...), but it should provide excellent views of the goal.

Looking forward to it!

Fantastic Finish

Down 2-1 with three-quarters of the series gone by, Dynamo Houston were outplaying a physical and often gamesman Chivas USA...but had nothing to show for it. Into the 2nd half, another cheap shot -- this time in the penalty box against DeRo who was sighting up for a header -- resulted in a PK for Dynamo. I wonder if DeRo was feeling like he was in a slump based on his recent penalty result (saved in the first leg by Chivas' GK, Brad Guzan), because leftie Brad Davis took the kick and leveled the series.

But -- wow -- with the game at 1 minute and 40 seconds into the 2-minute stoppage time, Serioux passes the ball around the midfield to Davis, who goes wide to DeRo, who dribbles into the box, sends a beautiful, arcing cross to the far post where defender (defender!) Eddie Robinson heads the ball down hard. The ball takes a high bounce and (1:57 into the 2:00 stoppage) Ching ignores a body-slamming Regan and drills the ball into the net with his head.

Game, set, match. Dynamo caps off a terrific inaugural season in dramatic fashion. Now they get to host the Rapids next weekend for the Western Conference Championship. We'll be there.

I wonder, in retrospect, if Dynamo weren't better off going into the second leg down a goal. That position was the catalyst for Chivas to play against their own strengths, to ignore what got them to the playoffs in the first place, and shelve their attacking style of soccer for a negative, bunkered strategy. That isn't their style, and playing out of character took its toll. They had only one true challenge on our goal (and that was in the first minute of the game), had a frustrated player sent off in the second half, and seemed to be on borrowed time as Dynamo moved the ball at will and peppered Guzan. If Dynamo had been level or ahead in the differential, the roles may have been reversed and Chivas might have earned a trip to the Conference finals.

Excellent strategy, DeRo, missing that PK and forcing Chivas to play a losing game. You are strong with the Force.

Down 2-1 at Halftime

Dynamo went to the Home Depot Center, outshot Chivas 15-9 (with 5 on frame), were awarded a penalty kick with 5 minutes left in the game, and left town on the rotten end of 2-1. Chivas got both their goals off free kicks, and had only one other shot on goal besides those two free kicks.

With Guzan in goal, in is unbelievable that we couldn't score more on those 15 shots. It's even more unbelievable that Guzan beat DeRo on the PK too, which would have leveled the score.

All is not lost for the Dynamo, of course; but their work is cut out for them given their inability to translate their skill and their ball-possession into winning results. We need to make the most of our chances next weekend, and we need to remain solid on defense, particularly on deadball situations. We cannot tie the next game -- which will be, thankfully, at Robertson -- or our season is over. We must win by two to go to the Western Conference Champions and most likely face the Fakin' Cheatin' Divers.

On another note: I thought Charlie Pallilo did an admirable job calling the game on the radio, particularly for someone who knows sports but not soccer. He certainly understands soccer as a contest, and can read the flow of the game; but he does not understand some of the subtleties of the tactics and strategies, and he knows very little about the backstory and history of soccer that he can use to color his commentary. That's the first time I've listened to soccer on the radio (the only other broadcasts down here being in Spanish). It translated pretty well to the pictureless medium of radio...although I had to keep the TV on just to catch the big plays. Interesting that the radio runs about, oh, eight seconds faster than the TV.

Burgers & Celebs

So, I'm at Christian's Tailgate Bar & Grill today for lunch (formerly called Christian's Totem), eating a half pound of delicious mad cow, when a trio that includes Craig Roberts and Oliver Luck come in and pound down some burgers of their own.

Roberts used to be THE sports guy on the local network scene, calling it for the local NBC affiliate, KPRC TV-2. Don't know what he's doing know, other than reading the sports on the local rock station, 103.7, and hosting a show call "Sports Off Center" on Channel 55. (The show has a website with a dead link, but here's a small screen shot of the site by the designer.)

I wonder if there's a Dynamo connection between Roberts and Luck, or if Roberts is just hanging around a former Oilers QB, unaware that Luck has anything to do with a "forner's" sport like soccer.

More dang draws

On 10/07, Dynamo go to Salt Lake and see Dalglish get his first goal of the season, but Dynamo couldn't hold onto the lead, and end up tying RSL (who doesn't make the post-season) 1-1.

On 10/14, Dynamo hosts Colorado and the goals are piled up...unfortunately in equal amounts for both teams. Dynamo starts off strong, with Waibel scoring off a corner in the 2nd minute. Colorado ties it up in the 21st minute. Dalglish scores his second goal in as many games just before halftime. Colorado ties it up 10 minutes into the second half. Waibel -- on fire -- scores a late goal that should be the winner, but we let in the equalizer with two minutes left in regulation. Yes, the win wouldn't have mattered. Yes, we were resting many starters. But also: Yes, we have established a pattern of getting by with ties, of not being able to defend our leads or to completely run away with the game. Dynamo have dominated too many games that ended in draws (and a couple, losses). 11 wins and 13 ties...plus the 8 losses. That's not a particularly impressive record for such a dynamic team.

Hopefully this pattern is not revisited during the MLS Cup tourney, which begins next weekend vs. Chivas.

Ching-mac-bling-bling!

So there we are, in Section 117, with great sightlines to the north end goal. A good crowd is in attendance. There's the fabled Freddy Adu. There's Jaime Moreno. There's four minutes to go and another strong performance by the Dynamo looks destined for another tie.

Then Davis drives the ball down the far left wing. He crosses it. Dalglish (I learn later) pops the ball up with his head. Ching shifts out towards the edge of the penalty box to collect the ball. Only problem: he's facing the wrong way to head it in, or to strike it cleanly unless -- "Hohree Cow!" -- he ascends into the air and with phenomenal power, drives the ball 17 yards into the far net. He puts the Dynamo up 1-0. He wins the game. He puts the Dynamo into the MLS Cup.

In his excitment, he kicks one of the advertisment plackards and the metal frame pops off, but no one cares. They've seen, first hand, one of the rarest, most audacious goals in the MLS.

Question: who to vote for for Goal of the Year? DeRo had a goal from the halfway line last month. That's rarely ever seen. Ching had a bicycle -- which is rare, but not unheard of -- but one of such power and distance, and with post-season implications, that it just might put it over the top. It'd be nice for DeRo to have the GotY for three years in a row...but it'd be nice for Ching to get his name in lights as well...

Oh the decisions we fans have to face!

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.

Midfield Magic

It's the 59th minute, and DeRo hits a goal from the halfway line -- against the wind -- to put Dynamo ahead 2-1 in windy Chicago. That's a sure goal of the week winner, and a definite candidate for goal of the year.

If it wins us the game, then it also buys us a much needed 3 points. We're only 1 point ahead of 3rd place Chivas, and 3 points ahead of Colorado.

DeRo has the goal of the year in each of the two previous years, could he make the trifecta?

And now it's the 69th minute, and the ref (this time Baldomero Toledo) once again rewards the cheating defensive play of our opponent when it doesn't award us a PK when Sanneh trips Moreno in the box...and the ref even gives Moreno a yellow card.

Nice goal line clearance by Robinson. Thank you, Eddie.

But then the ref decides to steal the show, giving Chicago a PK and a point. Not even a week has passed and it's time for another blog clamoring for professional referees if this is to be a professional league. Poor officiating once again -- and in a game changing fashion once again. But worse: they are creating a league of defenders who don't have to learn finesse and defensive tracking as long as they can get away with bone-jarring slide tackles that trump any offensive dribbling prowess. Thanks, refs, for confining the MLS to a crude existence where athleticism is rewarded over skill. You are limiting US Soccer and we soccer fans will pay for your sins.

Alex Prus vs Dynamo

Dynamo lose to Chivas USA this past weekend. Chivas have been in good form of late, and they received help from their newest signing, .

They also received help from Alex Prus, the center referee.

First, in the 31st minute, Prus sends off Clark for pushing an opponent. The Daily Breeze, a California paper states: The shove earned Clark a red card and drew some laughter from the Chivas locker room after the match. "I slipped more than anything," Perez admitted. "When I ran in, the ref put his arm out and I stopped and had to hold on to the ref but he pushed me at the same time."

This decision was perhaps arguable, although how no cards were issued (not even a yellow) to the other participants is hard to understand.

Yet Prus was not to be outdone. In stoppage time in the second half, DeRo drove into the Penalty Box only to be hacked down by Jason Hernandez who failed to even touch the ball. The Daily Breeze: "Hernandez might want to consider it a birthday gift from Prus since he celebrated his 23rd birthday on Saturday."

The OC Register (also from California) notes that "Chivas USA got some help from an unexpected source Saturday night: referee Alex Prus."

ESPN states that Dynamo were "Hard done by the ref against Chivas."

Prus has ruined other games: Chivas v Fire this season and Galaxy v Earthquakes last season.

So the Dynamo lose...but who are the real losers? Soccer fans. We clamor for an improved product on the field, and most of the attention regarding this gets focused (rightly) on the players. But the referees are often amateurish and an embarrassment to the game. There is little accountability on their part. The MLS needs to institutionalize MLS referees so they can referee full time, receive quality training, and benefit from their successes while being penalized for their failures. They must also learn that if you make a mistake in a game, you don't make two in order to "balance" your mistakes. If the MLS can broaden its gaze beyond just soccer-specific stadiums, it might actually improve the game here in the States. It's not all on the player's shoulders.

Hope for Dynamo vs the Goats

Dynamo have struggled of late, particularly on offense. Chivas, meanwhile, have been able to put the ball in the net. The mid-week Open Cup victory over FCD should give Dynamo a little confidence, and so should Ives Galarcep's prediction:

The Dynamo are coming off a midweek Open Cup match and have to travel to California to face a rested Chivas USA team that is desperate not to fall out of playoff position. The Goats are unbeaten in six matches, but five of those have been ties. They need three points to hold off Real Salt Lake, and they'll find a way to get them courtesy of Ante Razov.
Chivas USA 2, Dynamo 0

Ives has a 39-53 success rate in his prognostications, so he's not particularly prescient. Good news for Dynamo.

And Dynamo could use the 3 points. We're only 3 points ahead of Colorado and 4 points ahead of Chivas. Being just 6 points from dropping out of contention for the MLS Cup, we need to create a little differentiation here...which we should -- Ching or no Ching -- based on our talent.

Dynamo Close Down Frisco in The Open

Dynamo Houston dominated FCD yesterday in the quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. With Ching out and the offense sputtering, I was surprised that Dynamo could get a 3-0 victory over the folks from Frisco, but they did. Of course, it took a defender (Eddie Robinson) to net the first goal, but then two forwards, Alejandro Moreno and newbie Chris Wondolowski, finished off the scoring. I didn't realize this until today: yesterday was the first Open Cup victory over an MLS opponent for Coach Kinnear as a head coach.

Props to Dynamo for getting such a result with a mix of starters and reserves against an opponent that was nearly full strength. We may have had an additional advantage due to the familiarity of Clark field and its dimensions, since it's the Dynamo training field.

Now if we can beat the LALA boys in the HDC on September 6, we're in the finals, in reach of the Dewar Cup and our first silverware.

It's good that a lot of starters could rest yesterday, because we're in for a rough week. Dynamo goes to LA this Saturday versus Chivas USA, then to Chicago on Wednesday, and then to Dallas next Saturday. If ever FCD will have a chance to pull out a win against us, it will be next Saturday.

I fared well with my other predictions on the Open Cup. DC United won as did the LA Galaxy. Chicago was the only team to win in defiance of my prediction, but that was the softest of my predictions. With their win, every home team won yesterday; hopefully that trend is broken in LA on September 6.

Predictions for Tonight's Open Cup Matches

Here are my predictions for tonight's Open Cup matches:

=
Colorado @ Los Angeles
Los Angeles continues its improvement, bolstered by the powers of darkness that eternally swirl at the heart of the club, and by Yallop's and Donovan's indomitable will.
=
Dallas @ Houston
Houston will overcome its doldrums. Its (predominantly) 2nd string team will continue our streak over FCD, spoiling Hinslop's debut. You will win, Dynamo. Did you hear me?
=
New York @ DC United
DC United is too good and RBNY is too mediocre. In the Open Cup, that usually guarantees RBNY will win, but I'll stick with DC United.
=
New England @ Chicago
I will stray from the trend of picking the home team, and will pick the listless Revolution to beat the inconsistent Fire. The Fire really hasn't done much with its home field advantage anyway.
=

I'm pretty ambivalent about the last two matches, but as for the first two matches (if the Lords of Soccer are tallying votes), I'd like LA to lose and Dynamo to win. Make it so.

A plea for proper narrative

In life there are so few opportunities where events lend themselves to proper narrative -- where the plot builds with the appropriate amount of conflict before the protagonist overcome adversity in a dramatic, cathartic event that leaves all spectators sated in the denoument.

I am hoping for a happy narrative tomorrow in the Open Cup match between Dynamo and FCD. Our offensive woes have not abated; if we're not all-out impotent, then we're certainly sterile at least. We have only scored more than 2 goals four times this year (five if you include the Cup match versus the PDL level Dynamo). We dominate play, but do not have the vision, control, and even the serenity necessary to get the ball in the net. We miss absolute sitters (Barrett? Moreno?) or provide ill-timed service...which isn't a workable tactic anyway with Ching out due to surgery. The goals we have recently earned are gifts from our defenders (Serioux and Waibel being the latest bestowers).

We need to cast off this dark mantle in which we've draped ourselves and allow our true nature to shine forth. We need to score, and to do so with gusto and proclivity. We need to continue the streak against FCD and leap into the semi-finals in this, our inaugural season. We need to banish the Mark of Cain that our forwards have engraved on the team and establish a talisman built on the effusive talent Dynamo has in spades.

We're playing in a new venue (Dynamo's practice field at the Carl Lewis Complex) in front of a small but dedicated crowd. Let's win this then reignite our league play as we make a run for the MLS Cup...and let's turn this around before the Scotsman, Paul Dalglish, arrives so we can claim the turnaround for our own. (But here's hoping Dalglish does well for us and becomes a valued member of the Dynamo family as well.)

And let's get this story told right.

Of course some could argue that the proper narrative result is that the hapless Hoops, having never triumphed over their in-state rivals, overcome the odds and triumph for the debut of their inspirational keeper, in a match that gets them into the semi-finals of the oldest competition in the US.

But that'd be just pulp fiction. I want a solid piece of story telling, and Kinnear is just the raconteur to tell the tale. Go Dynamo.

It is ours; Come and take it

Tonight, Dynamo Houston takes the unconventional route and beats the Frisco Cheatin' Divers 1-0. How was it unconventional?

• They scored only one goal, and managed to win.
• Usually they dominate play and are unable to finish. Tonight, they had the better of the first half, and got a goal. Then they were taken out of their game in the second half, but managed not to give up a goal.
• DeRo, while still the playmaker, was less jaw-dropping than usual; and our wingers were unable to control the flanks and pepper the box with crosses.
• Waibel scored.

With the win, Dynamo wins the first year's contest with FCD. Next year we get to keep the so called "El Capitan" howitzer. (Where was it tonight? Or has that tradition already been discarded?) Perhaps more significant, we move to within 4 points of FCD in the Western Conference and we maintain our distance with Colorado, Chivas, and the rest of the West.

The people who sat behind us at the game seemed pretty new to Dynamo, but they quickly caught on: the Frisco Cheatin' Divers rely on a game of deception and histrionics to try to get the refs to win the game for them. It almost worked: one excellent free kick was saved by the woodwork, while another was cleared off the line by Alejandro Moreno. Thankfully the bad mojo that seems to kneecap Dynamo's talent did not raise its ugly head.

I am content.

Questions: With the second half such a struggle, why did Coach Kinnear wait so long to bring in a sub? Why did the usually classy Texian Army stoop to childish obscenities in their chants? (Because that's what English fans do? They do a lot of things we shouldn't. My children and the families around us in the stands surely did not appreciate the puerile crudeness.) Why can't the stadium clock keep running into stoppage time so we'll know where we stand?

The evening ended with my daughter getting the autographs of Waibel (game MVP), Holden, Ching, and Mullan. She was ecstatic with her coup; she even forgot about the obscenities her fellow fans shouted.

A Pact

Dynamo:
I'm pretty bummed right now. It'd sure help me out of my doldrums if you would beat FCD tomorrow...preferably by a lot.

Let's continue the strong play you've shown throughout the season, but let's add scoring to your repertoire, okay? And don't slip into the brief defensive lapses that occasionally creep in when things seem to be going well (particularly just after you score).

But most importantly: score. In bunches.

Sincerely,
Me

Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me

New chorus, same refrain: Dynamo Houston plays a top notch game. They control the pace and possession. The midfield is ours. Our defending third is a fortress. Our attacking third? What is that? I thought that was just an extension of the midfield...an area where we maintain possession. You mean, we're supposed to unload the ball into that net thingy? Is that allowed?

Moreno completely and inexcusably misses the frame in the first half, and the woodwork and well placed defenders/GK cover the rest of our threats. We keep the LAGgers in the game until a fast break, a wide pass, a fluky bounce result in a goal for the visitors. Dynamo give away points -- again. Only this time they gave away the whole thing: 3 points and all.

It looks nigh to impossible to win the Supporters' Shield this season. Luckily, it's nigh to impossible that we don't get through to the post-season, so we've got that going for us. And if you're not #1, it really doesn't matter all that much where you place as long as you're in the MLS tournament.

After this disappointing result, it was fun watching these Titans of the sport, FC Barcelona, play Club America. Thriving on counterattacks and solid finishing (were you paying attention, Dynamo?) C.A. managed to go up 4-1 with less than 10 minutes left to play...but the second half Barca was essentially their A-Team, and the Catalans managed to equalize the game in the final 5 minutes. An outstanding result (4-4 final) driven by skill. Goals by Mexico International Marquez, Brazilian Ronaldinho, and Cameroonian Eto'o were the most appreciated by the 70,550 enthusiastic spectators (although the hat trick by the C.A. forward was certainly commendable). It was fun watching the displays of skill...and my wife had done an outstanding job securing the seats we had: Section 129, Row G, seven rows up, about 30 yards into the field from the goal line, on the side opposite the benches.

It was surreal watching these international stars just a few dozen yards away from us. (They are, in fact, 3-D!) It was a night I'll never forget.

Ciao.

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.

Recapping the All-Stars

Yesterday's All-Star Game proved to be quite entertaining. Does the 1-0 victory over Chelsea demonstrate that the MLS is now on par with the EPL? Of course not; nor would anyone suggest that. (Although the cynics will think you're suggesting this very thing if you don't take the opportunity to lambaste the MLS.) What the game -- and, to a lesser extent, the result -- does suggest that one can find quality soccer here in America, and that we can be competitive versus quality European teams...under certain conditions. Eventually, we should progress to the point where (at least some of the) MLS teams can be competitive versus quality European teams on a regular basis. Until that day, let's be pleased with the progress we've made so far.

The best parts about the game included our ability to maintain possession for long stretches (due in part to the low pressure play Chelsea employed to conserve their energy). I also enjoyed seeing some of the creative flair from our midfielders in their dribbling (attacking dribbling as well as possession dribbling), their passing (which included some saucy backheels), and their overall control. Dynamo Houston was very well represented, led by DeRo who played a magnificent 90 minutes in an attacking midfielder role. He controlled the pace of the game nicely, worked well with his temporary teammates, and had the only score of the game (a scorcher of a shot after settling an O'Brien throw-in, spinning, then pulling the trigger in the 70th minute). The best defensive play of the game came with Eddie Robinson sliding to clear the ball off the goal line to maintain the clean sheet. Ricardo Clark played confidently in a defensive mid role and Ching had several good looks at goal...too bad he didn't get some time on field in the World Cup, eh?

Those who I felt did not acquit themselves well were Nate Jaqua, Freddy Adu, Facundo Erpen, Jimmy Conrad, and to a lesser extent Alecko Eskandarian. Jaqua had an indefatigable run into the defensive third to win a ball late, but looked lost in his role as a forward. Adu boldly tried to take on opponents, but his success rate and timing suggested an overly confident kid who holds onto the ball too long because of a lack of vision/wisdom and perhaps of dearth of self-awareness. Erpen's miscues may have been due to fatigue in the second half.

I thought Toyota Park looked nice -- it's nice to see an American soccer stadium without an empty concert stage consuming one goal line -- but the pitch looked a bit ratty. (And, hey: shouldn't Toyota Park be near Toyota Center? Instead, one is in Chicago and one is in Houston. That's one problem with venues sporting corporate appellations rather than local monikers: the names lose relevance.) I also thought the endgame celebration was unnecessary and even a bit embarrassing: we had just beaten a team in its preseason; we didn't win a hotly contested tournament. We should have treated the occasion as an expected outcome rather than a Sally Field "You really like me!" moment. Toss the stage; the players should have instead trotted around the pitch applauding the crowd. (I like Ives Galarcep's comment: "Major League Soccer's fans and players should feel a sense of pride about Saturday, but calling the win a landmark moment is an injustice to a league that deserves more respect than that. Let the MLS doubters be the ones who are surprised by results such as Saturday's.")

Well, you've read my impressions of MLSers who did well and those who didn't. If you read the game summaries by pundits (such as on espn.com and foxsports.com), you’ll find that "media experts" have different ideas of who did well and who didn’t...but note that their opinions don't just diverge, they are in fact in direct opposition to each other (and, in places, with mine).

Pundits love to write about what's wrong with soccer in this country, but perhaps they're overlooking a significant failing: themselves. Our league and its players are improving, and the fanbase is slowing growing, but the pundits continue to demonstrate a lack of perspicacity and savvy. Those who analyze the game (including fans like me, perhaps; but fans shouldn't be held to the same standard as journalists) are unable to discern anything beyond the obvious when evaluating the culprits behind a loss or the heroes supporting a win. In other sports there are, of course, differences about what may have been the key play in a particular game or what are the key characteristics of a team or player, but rarely do analysts have diametrically opposed opinions about the same matters. Yet this happens all the time in US soccer journalism, one writer will list his heroes and his goats of a game, while another (even when trying to make the same argument) will list the same players as goats and heroes, respectively. This organized ignorance cannot be pinned to just one journal or just one "school of opinion." It strikes the national publications as well as most local rags, and can be found amongst the overly sanguine MLS apologists as well as the eternally cynical MLS-detractors.

Yes, the game still has a way to go here in the States, at the youth level as well as at the professional. But those in their ivory towers have just as much growth before them, and a little humility in respect to that would be most welcome.

MLS vs EPL

Tomorrow's MLS All-Star game seems pretty interesting as it depicts an All-Star MLS team against FC Chelsea of the EPL. Chelsea can be considered an international all-star team of sorts. The team boasts names like: Michael Ballack, Joe Cole, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Arjen Robben, Andriy Shevchenko, and John Terry.

Dynamo Houston is fairly well represented on the MLS side, with Ching, DeRo, Ricardo Clark, and Eddie Robinson.

As usual, many pundits see this as an opportunity for the MLS to show its quality or lack thereof. The ever-humble Jose Mourinho, Gaffer for Chelsea, seems to be moderate in his praise of the MLS.

"What I really enjoy when I come here and I play is that they always play with a very good tactical approach. They play like they are the same level you are. Of course, they aren't, but the way they play — by a tactical point of view — is like they want to play really top quality football."

When asked if the relationship between Chelsea and the LA Galaxy could lead to player exchanges, Mourinho shook his head and said, "I'm not saying player exchange because, you know the level of Chelsea players for sure they're not very, very keen to come and play in the MLS, but we can cooperate in many aspects, this is just a start."

Dutch forward Arjen Robben, who had an assist in Chelsea's 2-1 win over D.C. United last year, is expecting a difficult match against the best the MLS has to offer. "The football here is developing and I think the level is getting better and better, so I think we really can expect a difficult match. That's ... good for us, and also good for American football."

I don't think the game's result will serve as a great barometer of the league's progress. For one, the all-star team has never played together. Secondly, the Chelsea team is in its preseason training. I am hoping to see some creative play; that will be the true measure of the league's quality. I'm also looking forward to seeing the new Bridgeview Stadium (called Toyota Park, I guess...what a creative moniker). It seats a whopping 21K people. I assume it'll be filled to capacity, which would make it seem like a low-turnout game day crowd for Chelsea, I'd imagine.

My fervent hope is that DeRo and Clark show the ball magic of which they're capable (but not too much that they find greener pastures than Dynamo next season...), while Ching demonstrates his finishing abilities.

Dynamo tops Dynamo

Last night, the family saw its first Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match. Except for the finals (and even then only rarely) these games are rarely televised, and no cup match has been played here in Houston (or in Austin, my previous residence). This tourney traces its lineage back to 1914, so I'm glad I got to a match before a hundred years have passed.

Dynamo Houston played the Carolina Dynamo, a PDL team out of Greensboro, NC. Trekking in from work in the Galleria area, we didn't settle into our seats until almost 10 minutes into the first half. No worries, because both teams waited until we arrived to really gear up.

Carolina seemed to get the first break. The home crowd was still paltry and quiet when Carolina earned a PK halfway through the first half. This was to be backup 'keeper Zach Wells' first test...and he passed it smashingly, diving to his left to block the well-placed, if anemic, shot. Robertson was so jazzed about the stop that it shot off a water sprinkler (or was it a water cannon?) that arced over the field for -- what? -- two minutes? Play was stopped until the spray could be shut off. What a great goal celebration that would be on a regular basis, particularly on a hot day...
Houston's play amped up a bit after that; seemingly energized by their GK's accomplishment. Less than 10 minutes after the PK, Moreno sailed up effortlessly and nodded home a Mullan cross. About 5 minutes later, a Davis free kick was saved and Moreno picked up the rebound and knocked in his second. A 2-0 lead at half thanks to Moreno; this is what we like to see from our forwards!

At halftime I stood in the beer line for a $7 domestic brew. Glenn Davis walked by and was called over by the guy (a manager at Saltgrass steakhouse) in line before me. They talked for a bit before I saw a hawker with no line nearby. I still had to pay $7, but at least I didn't have to wait for it.

The second half continued the good fortune of our forwards. Ronald Cerritos scored (off a Holden corner) about 10 minutes into the second half. Cerritos had not scored all season, so this was well worth it...and ended up being the winner after Carolina exposed some lax clearing and/or defending to make it a 3-2 game. This was fortunate timing not only because it broke Cerritos' slump, nor because it gave us a much-needed goal, but because Cerritos is from El Salvador and the crowd (which had grown steadily to a healthy number) included a highly partisan (orange and black) Salvadoran crowd who was there to see CD Águila take on the Honduran CD Olimpia (and their red and blue clad fans) after the Dynamo match.

Eddie Robinson provided the necessary cushion after the 80th minute when he headed home another Holden corner. Holden, a hometown player, has done well for himself the past few games. His two assists helped us to the 4-2 win.

Our family sat up in Section 200. This was the first time we sat on the West stands. I've sat on both goal lines and numerous times on the East stands. These seats were the farthest from the field I've ever sat, but the views of the South Goal were excellent, without forsaking the views of action at the North Goal. We clearly saw our first two goals and both of Carolina's goals, and we had no trouble seeing our two second-half goals either. One complaint: there was no replay on the video screen for this game, so you couldn't see different angles of the goals, of great plays, or of fouls.

We left not long after the game ended. I wanted to see the two Central American teams play. The crowd seemed passionate and vocal. There were lots of club colors and banners (on our way out, I heard a Dynamo security lass telling another that she had confiscated all of the flags from one section). But we had another 45 minutes to wait until the second game started, and the kids were getting restless and I knew I had more of my life-sucking workweek to go, so we headed home.

As we walked out, we saw Aaron Lanes, Dynamo player and rock guitarist, dressed in his street clothes. Apparently he didn't suit up for this game. Hopefully we'll see him soon; seeing the reserves advance is one of the joys of this game.

Had we stayed, we would have seen (according to the Chronicle) "a benches-clearing brawl, a pair of ejections, two late penalties and a last-minute goal." With the score tied at 2-2, Olimpia of Honduras (who had lost to Águila in its last two attempts) netted one in stoppage time to win it in regulation, 3-2.

We relinquished all this excitement for an easy trip out of the parking lot (that's a first!), still warm with the pleasure of having increased our stash of Dynamo coozies and, oh yeah, seeing our team progress to the quarterfinals of the tourney to face none other than FCD (Fakers, Cheaters, and Divers of Frisco).