Let's REstart this season, yo.

It's a new season and the Dynamo begin yet another "title defense" with its ceremonial Disappointing Performance. Time to shred the season tickets my friends. The season is over. No MLS Cup Championship. No tournament trophies. Our defense can't keep a Twellman-less Revs to fewer than 3 goals, or a J-League Osaka to fewer than 6. That's it man, game over man, game over! Maybe we could build a fire, sing a couple of songs, huh?

Or not.

It's hard to take any underlying truth from yesterday's game. Despite having the better, more challenging pre-season schedule, the Dynamo looked to have no chemistry for most of yesterday's match. The first half saw little rhythm, plenty of disorganized defending, and absolutely no offensive production. Great free kick by DeRo in the closing moments though.

The second half saw better play, but little in the way of solid opportunities. Much of our success might be due to switching to a 3-5-2 late in the first half. Though the half saw improved play, our defending was still shaky and we turned the ball over too often. And we had only 3 shots on goal to the Revs' 13. Sheesh.

The only thing we can definitely take away from this game is that none of this means anything except that the parity of the MLS means any team -- even so-called top-tier teams -- can and will lose. (Did you see DC United's loss today? They're still one of the most talented teams despite losing to KC 2-0. Did you see the sexy LA Beckhams lose? Broke your heart, I'm sure.) Sure, we've got to do better. And you know what? We will. Yes we need to get better rhythm in the midfield. Yes we need to get more creative up front. And, yes, we desperately need to get better organized in the back -- for the love of all that is holey (holey like your back line was yesterday), help out your GK, guys!

Besides the blithe "one loss isn't that bad," is there anything good that came out of the game?

Why, yes...
Dom is disappointed and will likely work on solutions. "We deserved to get beat tonight," he admits. E-Rob, the heart of our defense, is also not a happy soul; and he will work on the locker room solutions, no doubt.

Stuart Holden looked sharp for the most part, I thought. DeRo didn't command the game, but was dangerous. Ching didn't get hurt.

The ref was incompetent enough that we can complain about someone other than our defenders. How was Stuart's tackle, the one that resulted in Steve Ralston's departure, a foul by Stuart? I believe that call lost us the game right there. Or something.

Pat Onstad made some outstanding saves, including the two shots that rebounded to our defense. But wait! Where's our defense? It doesn't look like they're interested in getting to the rebounds? What are those blue shirts doing getting to the rebounds first? That is OUR penalty box, right? Aaaand, there's two goals right there. Game, set, match. Thanks, defenders. Oh, sorry, this is supposed to be the list of good things, which is that Pat did well and...uh...LA lost 4-0. Word.

Another good thing: Dick's Sporting Goods had an amusing commercial. Nonetheless, it'll be overplayed by next weekend, I'm sure.

There's no reason the pain should linger. The best way to move on from this loss is to win versus Saprissa at Robertson on Wednesday. We must win that one before we head to Costa Rica for the second leg. Also, and this is important: we host the vile FC Dallas in between the two CONCACAF matches, and we simply canNOT allow them to get their first ever win -- or even a draw -- in Houston. And that is the gospel truth, y'all.

Let's start this season, yo.

Today, finally, the MLS season begins in earnest. I've been in kind of a stupor the past few months. I guess you can tell that by the dearth of blog entries. But I'm genuinely excited that the season is finally here.

Sure, I've been following the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, even if I haven't been blogging about it. That's perhaps the best and most challenging competition the Dynamo face in the year. It's better than the SuperLiga because SuperLiga is comprised of one-match legs in relatively comfortable stadia (often our own) versus teams in their pre-season form. CONCACAF gets us into grueling environments with hostile atmospheres, and against teams that are in mid-season form. I'll also go out on a limb and state -- and do so with unequivocal certainty, even! -- that CONCACAF is better than the US Open Cup, although the Open does have a cool nostalgia factor.

Time will tell whether the new CONCACAF tourney that debuts this season will improve on the current Champions' Cup, which is in its swan song year.

Yeah, I think winning the CONCACAF Champions' Cup would be the best achievement of the Dynamo. It would far exceed the accomplishment of winning the MLS Cup, and would be further enhanced by the fact that this is the final Champions' Cup. So the winner will be the eternal champion, so to speak. That's kinda cool. Kind of like the Longhorns football team winning the final Southwest Conference Championship. They're also Men In (burnt) Orange, btw.

Yet, it always comes back to the regular season, which pits us against our fellows across North America. The season is often described as being without a sense of urgency, but it's the regular season that determines who goes to the tournaments -- the competitions that include CONCACAF, SuperLiga, the US Open Cup (although entry to it is pretty liberal), and the Pan-Pacific Championship should it continue past this year. Even the MLS Cup can be considered a separate tourney that is set up by the results of the regular season.

And when talking about the top teams of a particular season, it begins with the winners of the MLS Cup (that'd be the Dynamo the past two years, y'all) followed by the winners of the Supporters' Shield (that'd be DC United the past two years).

So, while I hope the Dynamo can expand their success into fields other than the post-season MLS Cup tourney, it's the regular season that is the basis for it all; and when it arrives you know that the stage has been set for every team to vie for all of the accolades and the rewards that come with them. In other words: everything hinges on the regular season. It's the hops in the ale. It's the apple in the apple pie. It's the walrus. Word.

My brilliant prognostication
So how do I think the D-Mo will fare this season? Polite of you to ask, seeing as I know you don't really care what I think. Nor should you. People get paid to come up with meaningless pre-season and pre-match analysis. And it turns out that what happens on the field is not affected at all by the words in print. Strange, that. Still, I'll give you my unabashed guesses. No one paid me to make them, but they're as accurate as anything else you'll read. And you can take it to Vegas; I just wouldn't recommend it, yo.

Well, the obvious conclusion of the salaried media literati (as seen repeatedly in the media links below) is that the D-Mo have a dominant defense (including Onstad between the pipes) and a skilled, veteran midfield. Thus, they already have the most important pieces set. The big question mark is the striker corps. Right now we have Ching and some unproven players, including Reserve veteran Wondolowski and the young Argentinean Franco Caraccio. Still, with a strong backline and skilled central machine, the Dynamo are expected to be one of the top-tier teams, along with DC United.

My thoughts are that the media has it right, but are a bit too simplistic in their assessments. I think that our vaunted defense looked pretty shaky in the pre-season, despite upgrading our backs with Boswell to replace Cochrane. It still needs to find its feet and tighten up where it's slack. And I think our goal-scoring options aren't as different as in past years. We've never had a particularly robust goal-scorer, yet we still manage to win. I think our forwards will manage to find the net this year, although it would help if they could get a speedy option to complement Ching's play. And! It turns out forwards aren't the only ones who score in this game. It seems that D-Ro and Holden can put a few away, and our big boys in the back (BBitB) convert their fair share on set plays. It's true.

So what am I saying? Here are my can't-fail prognostications. We don't break the defensive record we set last year. We go through at least one slump this season. We have some high scoring games and some games where we can't score on the weakest of MLS defenses who are a man down. We comfortably make the playoffs. And once we make the playoffs, anything can happen. At that point a team must win only a two-leg series then a single match in order to get to the MLS Cup. The Dynamo have proven they're among the best at this short tournament, and I think their season will be good enough that they'll be in that crapshoot of a tourney. Once they enter the post season, we'll deal with a renewed prediction; but they'll be in the playoffs, no doubt. Hopefully they do so with some other accomplishment under their belt. The Supporters' Shield? A tournament win? Something?

But it all starts tonight, versus the New England Revolution. So what's the dealio about tonight's match. Here it is: it's a rematch of the last two MLS Cup finals -- blah, blah -- Dynamo won both -- blah, blah -- something to prove -- blah and more blah. Fact is, the Revs have a better regular season record versus the D-Mo because they are effective at playing negative soccer. But! Win or lose tonight will mean nothing for either team -- and it likely ends in a draw. Both teams should be among the last standing at season's end.

Here's some media links on tonight's game
The MLS game preview.

Another MLSnet article.

You should always stop by the Chronicle. Here are its Dynamo Notes. While there, check out the new look for the Chron's Dynamo coverage. As always, the Chronicle is the best place to start for D-mo info.

Highfalutin' pre-season assessments of the Men in Orange that surpass mine:
The Chronicle's Dynamo beat writer, B-Fall, always has the best scoop and excellent insight. He's a Saprissa fan, though, so turn a jaundiced eye on his assessment of our performance in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup Semifinal these next two weeks. For the season he picks the Men.In.Orange. to place first in the Western Conference.

MLSnet's "quick hits"

Kyle McCarthy of Goal.com has his take here. "As long as you're not looking for a striker, you can probably find what you need on the Dynamo bench… Houston is built for a deep run into the playoffs with its depth and experience. ... Don’t bet against a three-peat.

One of my favorite blogs, USSoccerplayers.com, has its summary of the bandwagon team of the season. That's us, yo. "It's Houston, a club that's known nothing but glory. They had you at hello."

Shaka Hislop -- wait a minute: Shaka Hislop? -- says "Neither LA nor Dallas, however, are favourites for the 2008 title. That honour goes to Houston Dynamo, who have won the championship for the last two seasons and now have high-profile financial backing in the form of Oscar de la Hoya. Their players tell me they enjoy playing for their decorated manager, Dominic Kinnear, and that is evident in their wholehearted performances. Such chemistry makes Houston the team to beat. Having been formed as recently as 2005, the Dynamo clearly show the kind of fast and fruitful development that the MLS as a whole is seeking." Shaka must know what he's talking about. He adds U's to favor and honor. That means he knows foutball.

Only slightly related media bits:
Goal.com has this observation about games that have an interesting side-story: In the April 19 match between Los Angeles and Houston, "Houston midfielder Ricardo Clark returns from his record nine-game suspension just in time for a trip to Lalaland to face his old nemesis Carlos Ruiz."

Kelly Gray won't appear in any more of Beckham's Soccer In The USA shows. He's with Colorado now. Good luck, Kelly.

Have you been been keeping up with the "10 hottest Dynamo games"? Here's the schedule on Channel 55:
Mon, MAR 24 - Game No. 10 - 8:00 p.m.
Tues, MAR 25 - Game No. 9 - 8:00 p.m.
Wed, MAR 26 - Game No. 8 - 8:00 p.m.
Thu, MAR 27 - Game No. 7 - 8:00 p.m.
Fri, MAR 28 - Game No. 6 - 8:00 p.m.
Mon, MAR 31 - Game No. 5 - 8:00 p.m.
Tue, APR 1 - Game No. 4 - 8:00 p.m.
Wed, APR 2 - Game No. 3 - 8:00 p.m.
Thu, APR 3 - Game No. 2 - 8:00 p.m.
Fri, APR 4 - Game No. 1 - 8:00 p.m.
My DVR channel listing doesn't have these listed, so you just gotta flip to The Tube at 8 PM yourself, I guess.

Golden Boy talk coelesces

Today B-Fall states that the Dynamo ownership issue is about to have some resolution. Boxer/promoter Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions shareholder Gabriel Brener (a Mexican investor with ties to the US real estate industry) will each take on 25% ownership of the team, with AEG maintaining a 50 percent stake in the Dynamo.

Ives G. believes this means that AEG will maintain ownership until the stadium is completed, then sell off the remaining shares.

Glenn Davis had an interview with De La Hoya on Davis' radio show this evening. You can eventually hear the podcast of the show here.

Interesting times. I'd prefer local ownership, but remote ownership is not a new thing in sports. I hope that any new Dynamo stakeholders don't try to tinker with a great organization in order to make it cater to preconceived notions or marketing schemes. Only time will tell what, specifically, the ownership news means. In the meantime, I guess we'll take it as it appears at face value: a sign that people want to invest in the team -- and hope for the best. In the meantime, let's get to some games to help us forget the 6-1 shellacking.

Speaking of Quake alumni being shellacked. This past Sunday, with the 6-1 debacle still festering in my mind, Fox Soccer Channel played a recap of the March 4, 1995 pasting that Manchester United gave to Ipswich. The 9-0 result is the most lopsided game in EPL history and Andy Cole's 5-goal game has never been equaled. The right back for Ipswich? Frank Yallop. He looked gassed and completely crestfallen as he picked himself up from the pitch between United goals. He looked like that a lot last season too, come to think of it. Ryan Giggs sure looked young though.

The Hawaiian Debacle

Last night the Dynamo were spanked -- and spanked thoroughly -- by Bare the Brazilian and 10 other guys, collectively known as Gamba Osaka. After viewing the game, B-Fall says we "were outplayed in every aspect of the game" and Jeff Carlisle of ESPN says we were victims of a team with "superior fitness, speed, and technical ability." It's hard to argue with either assessment, given the utterly lopsided score (and the 6-1 score could have been even worse, had the woodwork not intervened and Onstad not made some stellar saves).

The loss can't be blown off as us being in rusty preseason form. (It's preseason for Osaka too.) Nor because we were missing E-Rob and D-Ro. (Osaka was missing seven quality starters.) Nope, we were just plain beaten.

Still, I didn't see Osaka as that much better of a team than the Dynamo. Maybe it was the sleepiness in my eyes. To me, Osaka was like one of those U8 youth teams that has a single kid who has developed faster than everyone else. The team relies on simple mob ball -- and the usual mistakes of other teams at this age -- to win possession. The players are trained to then give the ball to the star athlete, who proceeds to run up the score on the hapless opposition who are trying to play like big people. The other U8 teams, populated with kids who have a regular growth and development rate, are working on the skills they need to prosper in the game: tackling, dribbling, passing, shooting, and not staring at the butterflies. Yet, for all their trouble at doing things right, they are mere speed bumps as Team Prodigy runs roughshod through the age group. (Meanwhile, the coach of Team Prodigy thinks himself a genius because he's too oblivious to the fact that he is setting his players up for future failure: his star's downfall comes when others his age catch up in physical development and he has no skills to fall back on; his other players' downfall comes sooner since they weren't instructed in the fundamentals.)

This was more or less the situation last night. Osaka can be complimented for playing a compact, disciplined defensive game that totally clogged up the middle. When they won the ball back, Osaka couldn't maintain possession for long, but if they could get the ball to Bare (it didn't matter where: at the halfway line, near the touchline, in the penalty box), he'd score. That was the situation in the first half, where Osaka played truly decent soccer only during a 5-10 minute period after the Dynamo were fatigued -- and this was after the 30 minute mark when Osaka had already got their 2-1 score line for the half. In the second half, it was more of the same: channel the Dynamo to the flanks, clog up the middle, and get the ball to Bare. The Dynamo weren't outplayed in every aspect of the game, because the Dynamo were still possessing the ball and generating the threats that could lead to the eventual equalizer. Only when Bare made the goal differential insurmountable (and the Dynamo had become too despondent to fight the fatigue) did Osaka find the advanced combination play that made them look like a quality squad.

For this reason, I think there's greater upside to the Dynamo as a team than to Osaka. If a team can shut down Bare (or should Bare get injured), Osaka is in trouble. They are a one-trick pony. But what a trick that pony does!

While the Dynamo were doing the wall passes and overlapping runs, Bare-Osaka was scoring. In the end, that's all that matters in soccer: goals. So, while I'm arguing that the Dynamo weren't outclassed, they definitely were outscored -- and not by fluky goals.

Luckily, the Dynamo are a team that doesn't get too confident when things are going well, and doesn't get too bummed when they have a bad day. Also, Kinnear is no dummy and probably is relieved to see the glaring problems that need to be fixed before we face our CONCACAF opponents in the regional Champions' Cup.

• The most obvious deficiency is the center defense. I did not expect this to be said of the Dynamo squad. I'm of the mind that Boswell is better than the departed Ryan Cochrane, so we should be better defensively this year than last. We have arguably improved the pieces, but apparently they aren't working in coordination...yet. At the beginning of the match, Bobby Boswell was said to be the guy to shut down Bare. He shirked this duty if that was indeed his. We knew before the match began that Bare was strong, fast, and talented. Still, our back line played him soft and didn't seem to know who had him at times. Even after halftime, when we saw firsthand the danger embodied by Bare, we didn't adjust to do better at covering him. (This failure to adjust is my biggest aggravation of the game…but maybe Bare is just. that. good.) Only his final goal, where Barrett was challenging him for the ball and Bare was force to make a tremendous volley off the pressured dribble, did Bare score DESPITE solid defending; the rest of the time he scored in the ABSENCE of solid defending. When E-Rob returns, we should be better in the center, but frankly Boswell and Ianni should have been good enough. They weren't. The defense has to do better as a unit if it's to succeed, and they better start quickly since they're going to have to give a revamped offense some cushion.
• The offense was already understood to be a concern since we've lost Ngwenya and Jaqua. Hopefully the signing of the young Argentinean forward, Franco Caraccio, helps our punch. He hopefully brings the missing pace that our attack currently lacks. If he does, then that might be all that we need to open up defenses, which would enhance and be enhanced by our threats from DeRo and Holden from distance, Davis from set pieces, and Ching on crosses from the flanks. Last night, we were generating countless threats, but few turned into genuine shots on goal due to the congestion in the middle. This is a problem we had last year too: scoring on compact defenses and bunkered defenses. Even against 10-man opposition we couldn't score if the team bunkered on us. Hopefully we do better in this aspect this year.
• The midfield didn't play particularly poorly as a unit last night. We maintained possession well in the center and on the right flank. But! The delivery to Ching and Wondo (erroneously called "Stephen Wondolowski" all night by the accented commentator) was off target most of the night. Corey Ashe still exhibited excellent athleticism but poor soccer savvy. A few shots from range (Clark and Holden, I'm looking at you) were completely off target, but they were low percentage shots to begin with. We're still at our best with D-Ro in the middle and Davis/Mullen/Holden (pick two) on the flanks and Clark as D-Mid. I think Holden is the best option for D-Ro when the Canadian has to sit out, keeping Davis wide. Frankly, the midfield is the least of our worries, but that's a good thing because I think that's the hardest element to address.
• Goalkeeper isn't an issue yet. I can't blame Pat Onstad for the scoring frenzy last night. It all goes back to the defense for leaving him out to dry. We do need a solid backup though, because Onstad's age might become an issue by increasing the likelihood of injury.
  

LA supporters can feel better that, on the surface, their results are the same as their fellow MLSers' results: a loss to Gamba Osaka (and by only one goal!) and a win over Sydney FC. The difference is that the Dynamo dominated Sydney whereas LA backed into a victory, and the Dynamo looked dangerous (despite the story told by the goal differential) versus Osaka whereas LA looked like an amateur team playing a professional team. Where LA can feel good about themselves is that the team that played in the Pan-Pacific Championship won't be the one fielded in League Play. More of their starters played in their match versus the Dynamo reserves than in the actual tourney, which should embarrass the LAG faithful.

This year, unlike the last, we have had a good warm up before the Champions Cup. Let's hope it produces results in the CONCACAF Cup and other competitions we undertake. It'd be nice to have some trophies to accompany our MLS Cups in the trophy case.

Dynamo 2008 schedule

The MLS schedule came out yesterday. The Dynamo's 30 game include every team once at home and once away, and an extra match versus four of the six other Western Conference teams. We play Chivas and Dallas in an extra home game, and we play Colorado and San Jose in an extra away game. I think this works out perfectly: Chivas and Dallas have trouble getting results at Robertson, so it's good to have them come here to Houston (particularly given Chivas' strong home record). Colorado can be difficult due to the altitude, but the Dynamo often uses these trips to Colorado to recuperate at Philip Anschutz's nearby ranch -- assuming AEW still owns the Dynamo in June and October (brrr!) when the Dynamo venture to Commerce City. I'm sure the Dynamo also won't mind the extra trip to their old stomping grounds in San Jose either.

The week before that October date in Colorado (brrr!), Dynamo play in Toronto on September 27. That's my birthday weekend; maybe I'll use that as an excuse to travel to Canada.

Dynamo's first match is March 29 at Foxboro, MA. The first home game is the following Sunday, April 6, versus FC Dallas. There is only one Dynamo game scheduled in July due to SuperLiga, the US Open Cup, and the MLS All-Stars all occurring that month. The final game of the season is October 25 versus Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center.

The league schedule will be strained because of the usual extracurricular tournaments (such as the aforementioned SuperLiga), and international play will also be an issue. We host Chivas USA on August 20, the day the US is likely to play Guatemala in a semifinal round World Cup qualifier. (Probably means we'll face a Guzan-less Chivas.) We host the Wizards on September 7, when the US will likely be at Cuba. We host DC United on October 12 when the US will likely host Cuba.

B-Fall has some observations on the schedule in his blog at chron.com.

TV coverage is still being fleshed out, but hopefully Channel 55 The Tube will pick up some games to fill in those dates that are currently left to Direct Kick or HDNet.

Oh yeah, and the Galaxy come to Houston once: October 19. If you're a Beckham groupie and seeing him once is not enough, you can take a road trip to Frisco to see Becks play Dallas twice: May 18 and July 27. The other celebrity, Blanco, comes to Houston with the Fire on August 31.

In other Western Conference News:
Du Nord reports that former DC United center mid, Christian Gomez, is heading to Colorado. With him as the attacking mid and Beckerman (or Mastroeni) as the defensive mid, Colorado is now a much bigger threat in the West. It seems the quality of the opposition improves each season. Hopefully the Dynamo continue their trend of adapting and improving this season.

A tie with El Tri

It's always exciting to see international soccer -- particularly US international soccer, of course -- here in Houston. Last night Reliant Stadium was LOUD. The crowd was passionate but surprisingly amicable. Heck, in the final 10 minutes of the game, US and Mexico fans alike sent a few waves around the stands.

(But then this morning has reports of a shooting in a parking lot. Cue the xenophobic, bigoted rants on chron.com.)

I thought a 2-2 draw was a fair result. The US goals were quality goals (and they almost had a 3rd) and the US should not have conceded goals it did. On the other hand, Mexico could have easily had at least two in the run of play without relying on the US being uncharacteristically disorganized on set plays. Furthermore, the US was too often disorganized at the back and its flanks were weak on both sides of the ball. Thus, 2-2 was a result both teams should appreciate.

As for that 3rd US goal, it turns out Dempsey was offside when the ball was initially passed to him. It's unfortunate that the center ref waited for -- what? -- 10 minutes and an apparent goal before calling it?

On the other hand, I think Jozy Altidore's breakaway in the first half -- long before the game's first goal -- was wrongly whistled dead. Altidore won the ball off clumsy possession play by Rafael Marquez, then Marquez successfully covered his gaffe by flailing to the ground after minimal contact, and Altidore's one-on-one with Mexico's GK, Ochoa, was whistled dead before Jozy could show us what he could do.

Some rambling thoughts...

• I am surprised that Bradley never subbed out any of his defenders, given how pathetic the back line looked at times. I expected to see Parkhurst at some point, and hoped to see Robinson, but Parkhurst was the only defending option on the bench (other than Lewis, when necessary).
• Bad news: the Dynamo website states that "Brad Davis is out indefinitely after suffering a right groin strain while training with the US Men's National Team, the team announced today. Davis has been evaluated by Dynamo medical staff. Stay tuned to houstondynamo.com for further updates." That explains why he didn't play. I think he would've fared better than Bobby Convey.
• And what has happened to Bobby Convey? He used to be a "player of the future." Now he looks indecisive and clumsy. He's had a hard road recovering from his past season-ending injuries and surgeries.
• I've always been on the fence with Michael Bradley, but his recent club play converted me to a Boy Bradley supporter. But his game last night was weak. His tackles are always suspect, but his passing is usually his strength. Last night saw several errant and intercepted passes -- which is inexcusable given that he should be in mid-season form. He maintained good possession on several occasions and successfully won back a ball after he had lost it near our defensive third, but wasn't much of a factor (in my opinion) overall.
• Maybe it's because there was no true attacking mid to work with, but I thought Clark, like Boy Bradley, was limited in his effectiveness in the middle. He had a journeyman effort, but not the creative and even controlling role he can demonstrate from the middle.
• Dempsey is still playing out of position I think. He's better as a right midfielder, but that's not a position where we're lacking in options.
• I'm trying to think of who did impress me. No one with any consistency. Several had shining moments, including those who I whined about in this post. I'd have to say Oguchi Onyewu fared the best. I wondered why he was taking the one throw in, then as it flew 50 yards into the penalty box I said "Oh, that's why." Then he followed up with that quality long range header into goal. He held the center of the back line pretty well (defense had its issues, but the biggest weaknesses were the flanks and he wasn't responsible for the poor coverage on the two Mexico goals) and his yellow card was undeserved. Furthermore, without Dave O'Brien in the booth, we didn't have to hear the constant reiteration that Onyewu is built like a linebacker. Other thoughts: Altidore probably had more good than bad. Tim Howard too, although I partly blame him for the disorganization of the back line. He realized the noise made communication difficult (and nearly took his captain, Bocanegra, out of the game), but he never seemed to take the opportunity to take corrective action. He had trouble controlling the wall formation even after halftime. He was having so much trouble with that in the first half that I thought the break would see that easy fix made, but nope!
• I can blame the rustiness of Clark, Donovan, Moor, and Altidore (if he had any) due to the fact that they are in pre-season form (and Moor and Altidore are young). Feilhaber and Convey might be excused because of their lack of time on the field for their clubs (but if they're not good enough for their clubs, what does it say about us that they're part of the top 18 for their country?). As for the others: no excuses.
• Dynamo fans, take heart: both of Mexico's goals can be blamed on FC Dallas. Drew Moor of Dallas blew his positioning and his marking on both goals. On set pieces no less. To repeat: the US lost to Mexico on set pieces.
• Moor halfway made up for his error with the great service to Jozy Altidore for the 2nd US goal. But that only accounted for half of the deficit Moor put us in. Moor had good service to Altidore late in the 2nd half too, but the cross was slightly deflected which affected ALtidore's timing and made his header go wide. Moor's successes are described on the MLS recap of the game, but the MLS recap attributes Moor's gaffes to anonymous "defenders".
• Question, is Jonny Magallon, who scored the brace for Mexico, any relation to Consul General of Mexico Carlos Gonzalez Magallon? The Consul General attended a Dynamo function (a reception for FMF Secretary General Decio de María) the night before the US-Mexico match. He must have enjoyed seeing his last name on the scoring sheet for his national team, even if he's not related to Jonny.
• And finally, we got to see the new ESPN broadcasting team of John Harkes and JP Dellacamera. I like both guys in general. It sounded like they've still got some work to do on their integration and chemistry; they didn't combine well on some of their commentary. Harkes has apparently worked on eliminating some of his annoyingly overused phrases/tics. Maybe the sound wasn't too good in the broadcast booth, because JP seemed to be lost at times, particularly when play was stopped; this is where Harkes needs to step in. And Harkes, it's okay to decry a bad call when the ref deserves it! It may be that I like Harkes better as a person than as an announcer, with Wynalda as the converse.

Most surprising quote of the night, leading me to question the translation or transcription: "These are hard-fought games. As far as play, we probably deserved the win, but the result is fair because they capitalized on their style of play,which is one we have a lot of respect for." That was Hugo Sanchez who said that (with the italicized emphasis my own)!

A quality team behind the team

Today, Oliver Luck issued an apology for a picture that appeared in the e-newsletter issued by the team this week.

Dear Fans: On behalf of the Houston Dynamo organization, I would like to apologize for the fact that a picture of an upside down American flag was used in a recent e-mail newsletter that was sent out. It is completely inappropriate that this image was chosen. A third party vendor, which runs the website for MLS, is responsible for choosing the photo. However, we as an organization share responsibility for this because we have the obligation to proofread the newsletter before it was sent out and we failed. We apologize for this oversight.

By the way, for those that may not know, the International Charter of Flag Etiquette states that a flag may be flown upside down in cases of extreme distress. If you have been following the Dynamo since 2006, you will know that there have been no cases of extreme distress!

Oliver Luck, President/General Manager

This innocuous missive is yet another reason to respect the "team behind the team" of the Dynamo organization. I didn't notice the flag in the picture when I viewed the newsletter, but I still appreciate the message behind Luck's message. He demonstrated a respect for the symbols of our nation and showed that he is willing to be held accountable for mistakes, even those that are based more on perception.

Unfortunately, the picture demonstrated that some of our fans are either ignorant or uncouth. However, people come in all sorts of qualities, and when you have a group of them -- regardless of the reason for the formation of the group -- you will find at least a few individuals who harbor the lowest of characteristics.

And with that lame little post, I ensure that I didn't let a month slip by without a post. Tomorrow begins Dynamo training camp, albeit with a skeleton crew due to US and Canadian team callups. It will be interesting how this new season plays out with the new dynamic that will arise with the personnel changes on the team. This is something to discuss in a future post.

Blogs, Boswell, and Buh-Bye to Bachelorhood

Scattered blogs 'bout the 'Mo:
Stuart Holden and Pat Ianni have been writing a great blog from their tour with the U-23 MNT in China. There are some nice bits to the blog:

• Holden calls Ianni a "Meatball"
• Ianni calls Holden "Mr. Teen Houston"
• Ianni notes that in the game vs the Chinese Olympic team, "I'm sure Stu will tell you, but he had quite a few shots and a couple of really good ones."
• And the best line of all comes from Stu: "So now we are just relaxing at the hotel in Guangzhou about to watch a movie with our good friend Arturo (thanks by the way Arty for helping us in the playoffs!)." He's referring to this Arturo, not this one, of course.
  

DeRosario is also blogging, as he ventures to Mali for humanitarian purposes:

And the newest Dynamo has had a longstanding blog that was popular with DC United fans, and ladies in general. That Bos is a funny guy. Now that I've had a chance to digest the Wells-Boswell trade, I have to say that I think the Dynamo may be the biggest beneficiaries of the deal in the short term, which may be all that matters in the MLS. We lose a solid keeper who probably wouldn't see much field time due to being behind Onstad, and we gain a solid defender who probably will see a lot of field time. He had a stellar year two years ago, and I think Coach Dom has shown that he can bring the best out of a player, if the player is willing to give an effort. And Bobby Boswell seems to be that type of player. He's definitely saying and doing the right things:

• He says, "To end up in Houston is just unbelievable, it's awesome. I've heard nothing but good things about the organization and the coaches, and I know a lot of the guys, from playing against them and playing with them on the national level. I just think overall it's a good fit for me and I think I'm a good fit for them as well."
• He has been spending his off-season dedicated to a bulked-up strength and conditioning regimen, including "grueling" workouts with a boxing trainer as he focuses on adding weight and strengthening his legs for what promises to be another long, arduous year.
• Perhaps best of all, he's an Austin boy (sorta). He was born there, but raised in Tampa. "It's just that Texas mentality -- even though I didn't grow up there, I still got a little bit of it, and I'm looking forward to heading down and living there," he said. "The weather, they talk about how hot it is there, and I just kind of smile, because I'm like, 'man, in Tampa it's the same way,' you know? That humidity is kind of what I grew up on," he said, adding, "'Don't mess with Texas,' I'm going to start adopting that one right away."
• He's ready to compete for the starting XI for the team with the best defense in the MLS: "It's competition -- it makes everyone better," he said. "We had a lot of success here at D.C. with that, and I realize going into that system, that's how it's going to be. But like I've always said, all you can really do is work every day to improve and become a better player and eventually, you hopefully get an opportunity, and it's what you do with that opportunity. So I think that I'll be given a fair opportunity going in there, and I like my chances."

Of course, evaluating the trade also depends on Onstad remaining healthy, or on Dom finding a solid 2nd to Onstad. And the deal might not have a positive effect beyond this season, because we've lost a good longterm prospect in Wells, and Boswell has already said he wants to try his hand (foot?) at a European league after this next season. Still, the MLS is so fluid personnel-wise, that it's really only practical to look at the coming season; we can wait to deal with the issues of future seasons once those issues are upon us.

Wrapping up the blog theme, you should check out the satiric Beckham video posted on Glenn Davis' blog.

Grassroots recruiting:
Houston Dynamo brought a recruiter from the USMNT to the Valley, and are looking at untapped talent for themselves as well.

It's wuv, twoo wuv:
Do you remember Paul Dalglish? He sometimes wore Orange the past couple of years. Remember? Scored a couple of important playoff goals? Yeah, him. Injuries and a high salary (compared to the salary cap) implies that Paul won't be in the Orange next year, but that hasn't stopped him from setting down some roots in our fair city. It looks like Daggers found true love in a Houstonian art teacher. Congratulations to the happy couple. Rich or poor, quick or slow, may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.

Final of the Dynamo Jersey Trilogy

The final strip in the short saga that was Cleats' Dynamo Jersey Trilogy.

Specials, Comics, and a little math work

I'm back from another business trip to California (I smelled more manure in the San Joaquin valley than I did in all my years in Texas). I didn't get to visit any soccer cathedrals this time, and I also see that I missed a Dynamo Dynasty special on the Fox Soccer Channel. From the press release:

Fox Soccer Channel will chronicle the Houston Dynamo’s incredible run to a second consecutive Major League Soccer (MLS) championship during Dynamo Dynasty, a half-hour special premiering Thursday, November 29 at 11:00 p.m. ET.

Hosted by Max Bretos, this insider’s look at the Dynamo’s road to glory will feature highlights and interviews, beginning with the team’s semifinal performance at the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup last spring and culminating with its second straight MLS Cup victory over the New England Revolution on November 18.

The Dynamo, led by head coach Dominic Kinnear and star forward Brian Ching, were featured prominently on Fox Soccer Channel in 2007, with seven MLS Saturday on FSC appearances, including their Western Conference finals victory over FC Dallas earlier this month.

If it doesn't rebroadcast (and I doubt it does), then I'll just have to console myself with the opinions of many BigSoccer posters, who opined that the show wasn't very special.

Speaking of BigSoccer, El Naranja has a nice compilation of the stats behind the Dynamo's year. His numbers include all Dynamo competitions, and it includes only the Dynamo-specific stats of the comers and goers this season. It seems DeRo did alright for himself when you look at his whole body of work, not just the league play (and he acquitted himself quite nicely even then when it mattered).

I had seen this during the playoffs, but I never commented on it. According to an EA Sports FIFA Soccer 08 simulation using the Xbox 360, Houston Dynamo were destined to win a second straight MLS Cup. Some of the details didn't come to pass (it was to be a 3-2 victory over the New York Red Bulls), but the bottom line was correct.

You can really tell win a team has arrived when it infiltrates pop culture. The LA Galaxy have benefited from this solely due to the arrival of Beckham, but Houston has also slipped into the public consciousness, and due more to merit and on-field performance. Check out these strips from December 3 & 4 (click for larger image):

More ownership rumors-Oscar De La Hoya

Almost exactly one year after AEG said (fooling no one) "The Dynamo are not for sale," KHOU is reporting that AEG is trying to sell the team for "$35-$40 million" with the price predicated on whether there is a stadium deal.

And from the I don't like the sound of this department, KHOU reports:

"Boxer Oscar De La Hoya is interested in buying the Dynamo with his company Golden Boy Productions. Representatives of the company have visited Houston, attended games and are very impressed with the way the franchise is operated along with how the team has played."

I don't think I want our team dragged into that soap opera.

Feting the Orange

It was a great turnout at City Hall last night. I managed to get there, albeit a little late due to circling downtown searching for a parking spot. Note to self: don't head into downtown without cash for parking in the future; quarters won't cut it.

I was crossing Walker Street just as the first Dynamo ("...your captain, Wade Barrett!") was being introduced by Glenn Davis. Throughout the proceedings I walked around to view the stage from different angles. It was a well done event. I thought Coach Kinnear's speech was great -- and I'm glad to hear that he's getting along with his neighbors. He thanked them for the free beer and something else, I couldn't hear what, but the bottom line is this: One of the virtues Texans have is their friendliness, and apparently Dom is fortunate to live near some friendly folk. I'm always pleased when I hear our adopted team is enjoying their adopted home.

I'm sure many fans who read the Chronicle blogs understood the inside joke when Dom thanked Bernardo Fallas and referred to him as "teacher."

The chants for a new stadium were well received by officials. It would be nice to have a permanent home for the team and for the fans, and it would be a boon economically with regards to bringing in international competition.

Great quote by Mayor White, "If you don't like Dynamo soccer, you don't like sports."

Mike Jones had a spirited rendition of his Who? Houston Dynamo! ("Houston Dynamo (Don't Play)") song. (Download here.) I left after the team departed the stage and the salsa band struck up their tunes. Salsa should be played at every practice to establish the proper playing rhythm, by the way.

I arrived at home in time to listen to Glenn's show. Stuie was his usual chipper self. (I heard him on 790AM at 8 AM as I drove into work...long day for him...I wonder if he managed to squeeze in his daily run?) Kinnear sounded absolutely wiped on Glenn's show and seemed more terse in his replies to callers and, to a degree, to Glenn as well. I can't blame him.

He and his team have been going non-stop since the end of January. That's nearly 10 months straight, and includes travel to different time zones and different countries. His players have been physically bruised and battered weekly over that time, and still keep coming back for more. Enduring punishing games and intense practices, Dom and the players have still found time to zip off to countless fan meet-and-greets, media events, and official meetings with officials and politicos. They faced praise as well as criticism from the fans and media, and have been (mostly) unfazed by either, and stuck to doing their jobs. Family priorities have been placed on the back burner while they focused on their overarching goal, winning a second MLS Cup. And, in the end, their sacrifices and pain and perseverance saw them achieve that goal.

We praise the stars of the Dynamo, and rightly so, but the whole team deserves praise. Ianni won us 3 valuable points with his goal at Kansas City this year. Wells helped us along our winning streak when Onstad was away on international duty (and Wells helped us at the international level when Onstad was injured at the beginning of the year). Ashe got three assists --every one of them needed--to give us 3 valuable points versus Real Salt Lake this season. Chabala, Hatzke, Hayden, James, and Ustruck helped our starting XI stay sharp at practice, worked behind the scenes to improve their own game, and kept the Dynamo flag flying in the local community (not only at social events, but also by rolling up their sleeves and helping their neighbors), and did so anonymously, for the most part. And Holden -- ah, heck, he's not in the background anymore; he's become one of the stars! He's an inspiration to reserves everywhere.

When Dom was on the radio show last night with Glenn, Glenn would ask callers if they had any questions for Dom. Most of the callers just had congratulations to pass along, but would squeeze out a lame question when pressed. And why were these questions lame? It's not because fans didn't care about the accomplishments, nor because fans were in a "what about next season?" mode. It was because Dom and the team have answered every single question before them. And the answers were for the most part satisfying.

Was 2006 a fluke?
Will the Dynamo have the depth to endure a long season that includes several extracurricular tournaments?
Could the Dynamo hold its own against high-quality international competition?
Could the Dynamo compete without DPs against MLS teams that have evolved?
Can the Dynamo overcome a slow start?
Would the Dynamo be able to make the personnel changes to adapt to a changing league?
Can the Dynamo hold onto its talismanic player, Dwayne DeRosario?
Would Dynamo's stars continue to perform well in the big-stake matches?
Will there be any reserves that make an impact?
Will the Dynamo have another serious contender for goal of the year?
Will the Dynamo be wrongly cheated out of several individual awards by the national media and/or fans? (Last year, it was DDR for MVP; this year it was the defense and/or GK, plus GOTY.)
Will the Dynamo Girls and Diesel be able to integrate into a soccer environment?
Will we see additional financial backing of the team?
Will the strong fan support continue, or even expand?
Can the Dynamo hold on to El Capitan?
Winning the Cup is like capturing lightning in a bottle; Can the Dynamo win it twice in a row?

The answer to the "fluke" question was, thankfully, "no." The answer to every other question was unequivocally "yes." Even the question about individual awards was positive, because I think this team feeds off an esprit de corps and rises to the occasion when it is underestimated and when the chips are down.

There were two additional questions that still linger:
Will there be a change of ownership? (No, but stay tuned?)
Will we have a decision to start construction on a new downtown home for the team and its fans? (No, but I think work has progressed in a positive direction.)

Dom, players, front office: you've answered the questions, you've passed the test, now go get some rest. Go Dynamo!

New Title = New Ownership?

How about this interesting snippet from Don Garber in an interview he gave on November 17 to the NY Times: "...we have our growth in front of us. A few years ago Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake paid $10 million to enter the league. Last year, Toronto paid $30 million. Chicago was just sold for $35 million. Houston will soon have a new owner. The asset continues to grow in value, which speaks to the investor community that believes soccer has a long-term value as a sports investment."

I took the liberty of boldfacing the comment in question. Houston will soon have a new owner?!

In sad news, USSoccerPlayers.com, a blog I just recently discovered, is stopping its regular MLS coverage due to issues surrounding access and basic media relations with the MLS. The site will treat MLS the same way it does the Premier League, focusing on the play of US National Team players.

Another Year with the Silver Ball!

Another perfect ending to the season: Dynamo Houston crowned MLS Cup Champions again. (Game recap.) Another year with the silver ball and scudetto, only this time we do it with a star over our shield.

As a Legend In My Own Mind, I correctly "predicted" it'd be a 2-1 victory with us either (1) going ahead 2-0 then conceding a late goal to halve the lead or (2) going down 1 goal then replying with 2 unanswered. Of course this was no true prediction, it was merely a wild guess, and I would gladly have been wrong as long as the Dynamo carried the day. Regardless, by following the above option #2, the Dynamo created a better storyline and further entrenched themselves as the never-say-die team of the MLS.

The first half was fairly even, I thought, with the Dynamo unable to capitalize on their opportunities. I'd say the run of play was tilted a bit in New England's favor, a fact that was highlighted by the 0-1 halftime scoreline. The second half (thanks in part to a switch to 3-5-2) saw the field tilt to favor the orange, leading to Ngwenya's "determination goal" and DeRo's excellent rocket of a header. In the final 10 minutes we resorted to withstanding the spirited barrage from the desperate New England side. The highlight here was Onstad's reaction save of Jeff Larentowicz's point blank header around the 86th minute.

Okay, time to correct the history books: it wasn't the switch to a 3-5-2 that turned the tide tonight, nor was it individual brilliance on the part of the players. No, it was me subbing out my untried lucky shirt and bringing on a veteran to seal the deal. It was about the 60th minute when I did this, and our fortunes changed immediately thereafter.

No, I'm not forsaking the rookie shirt. It'll get its chance again next season. But sometimes you need experience in a big game. The rookie shirt may get there someday.

Overall, it was a very even contest -- just looking at the stats will confirm that. This is to be expected with these two teams that are both forged on consistency and teamwork. The only real differences between the two is (1) the Dynamo, while playing a 4-4-2 (compared to the Revs' 3-5-2), are more attack minded in general, and (2) the Dynamo individually seem to step up in the big games.

As close as the game was, it was a deserved win for the Dynamo. Khano Smith should have been sent off. Zidane's head butt was fiercer, but was to the chest. Smith's was to the face -- and in front of the ref no less! He should've been sent off for being stupid if nothing else. (Or maybe incessant diving?) Also, I felt that Jaqua was indeed fouled in the box around the 15th minute. Had it been anywhere else on the field, it'd been free kick Dynamo. Perhaps the referee thought it was too early to make a game-changing decision like awarding a PK -- okay, this line of reasoning from commentators always confused me. When a call is justified, the referee isn't the one making a game-changing decision; the fouling player had made the game-changing decision with his foul.

(On the reffing topic: Alex Prus, the center ref, is not one of the four full time professional MLS referees. Why wouldn't the MLS pull from this corps for the championship game? Do they feel these aren't really the best of the crop? I guess Jair Marrufo didn't impress with his reffing of the Dynamo-Wizards playoff game.)

It's great seeing the Dynamo on the awards platform. The guys sure looked happy (and exhausted), with even the most stolid players breaking out in wide grins. And Don Garber, after missing the Western Conference Championship, was present for the award.

Was it me, or did Don Garber seem a bit unenthused to be awarding the trophy to the Dynamo? Was he sad for his buddy, Sunil Gulati, who still is the President of Kraft Soccer for the New England Revolution, while also being the president of the United States Soccer Federation? The potential conflict of interest has been noted by many, but the MLS is still a small cabal of insiders. That's one great thing about the new teams and new ownership: it's bringing new blood into what can be perceived as an inbred family.

Enough cynicism from me.

I saw the news reports on Channel 2, Channel 11, and Fox-26. All good, and all positive, and all with the Dynamo victory as the lead item. There were some flubs -- like Matt Musil reporting that Ngwenya's goal came via a feed from Ching, but he knew Ching was on the bench and even wrote as much in his blog. Still, he cared enough to attend the match on a day when the Texans were playing, and for that he gets my respect -- even if he gets free kicks confused with penalty kicks.

Anyone know why the team refers to the "voice of the Dynamo" Steve Mark as "Screech"? They did so on the 790 postgame report.

With the Cup in the books, now Coach Kinnear needs to settle on his protected lineup and hope we don't lose anyone too vital to San Jose in next week's expansion draft. Then Dom is apparently going to Britain and Spain to reconnoiter. Then we have to prepare for the CONCACAF Champions Cup in February (and onward, hopefully), and also the Pan Pacific Cup in February. We'll be exhausted by time the season starts and will, thankfully, have a while before we have to worry about the US Open Cup and the SuperLiga. Here's hoping that our League schedule is kind, given the extracurricular competitions in which we'll be expending our energy.

But that can wait. Before worrying about the future, let's celebrate this season at the Houston City Hall on Tuesday at 5:30.

How about this Hot News?...
Hot news: Fox Soccer has as one of its top news items the breaking story that Beckham says he wants to play in the World Cup in 2010. This is indeed breathtaking insight. Unreported is news as to whether any Americans want to play in the World Cup at this time; however, it has been rumored that both Tom Brady and Peyton Manning say they want to play in the Superbowl at the end of the season. The Houston Astros say they want to win the World Series next season. The Houston Dynamo haven't said, but are presumed to want to win the MLS Cup next year. Off the record, I believe that there are a few players on the Revolution, DC United, RBNY, Chivas USA, KC Wizards, FC Dallas, [insert your favorite MLS team name here]..., and FC Toronto who also want to win the MLS Cup next season. If I can confirm this, I'll be sure to let everyone know. (Well lookie there: I did have some more cynicism in me.)

Go Dynamo! Back 2 back champions!

DYNAMO WIN!

WOO-HOO!

More later...

Let's Go Dynamo!

It's almost H-Hour of D-Day. Let's seize the day and the Cup. You've had a season's worth of practice with that silver ball -- you've got more time with it than any other team does. Let's show the league that none are better than the Dynamo at crunch time.

Go Dynamo!

MLS Cup: 1 Day 2 Go

The official game guide for the MLS Cup is up. Interesting tidbit: "Dynamo have yet to defeat the Revolution when full-time has been reached since the club's arrival in south Texas. In the four league meetings all-time, the teams have played to three draws (including a pair of 1-1 draws in 2006) with one win for the Revolution, and the teams ended last year's final tied after 120 minutes before Houston claimed the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy on penalty kicks."

Yahoo Sports mentions Dom's off-season plans. "...His mind will not switch off from soccer when the season ends. He has already scheduled a soccer development trip to Spain to visit Real Madrid and spend more time in Britain." Don't know what will come of the trip, but I like the idea that the wheels keep a-turnin'. I'm not sure what I would consider the greatest need for the team next year. I don't think we could improve much (or couldn't afford to improve much) on: GK, at least 2 of our backline, D-Mid, A-Mid, wingers (which includes 3 people now with Holden ascendance), and Ching. Perhaps another high profile striker? Not much else needing improvement or worth spending a lot of money on. Things may be clarified a bit over the off-season as we are bound to lose someone to the San Jose expansion draft, if nowhere else. What matters is that we currently we have the personnel to win the MLS Cup.

As for the Cup, USSoccerPlayers.com has its take on the coaches (Kinnear and Nicol, y'all) and the wingers (Mullan & Davis vs Smith & Thompson).

Tino Palace at MLSnet actually hopes NE will win the Cup. Maybe he just wants the Revs to win it so they'll stop going to the final. Steve Davis, the Dallas-area journalist for MLSnet, says it's too close to call.

First Greg Lalas, and now another SI writer thinks New England is going to win.

Jeff Carlisle of ESPN says it'll be Houston.

So does Goal.com.

Is there a "formula for success" for getting to the Cup? Hey, is that Twellman who's saying nice things about the Dynamo? Stop it. I don't want to like you.

For the record, DeRo's post-goal strut is called a "the shake and bake." I was one guilty of calling it the "funky chicken." "Shake and bake" sounds too much like Talladega Nights...but I guess "funky chicken" doesn't ring of elegance either. Ah, well; what's in a name? I like the funky strut and hope to see it more than once tomorrow. Heck, how about a beaver trick?!

My Take
The teams are too close to make a failsafe prediction, and not being able to foresee the future, I have to rely on the past to predict future results. Thus, Houston 2-1 in regulation. Our defense is just too good, and the only real question mark is how our finishing will be on the day. I will assume it will be better than usual because the squad knows this is it, and their experience from SuperLiga and the CONCACAF Champions Cup will carry them through the big game. Houston gets the goal it needs, forcing New England to open up, and we get another. We can't withstand the relentless pressure and do concede one goal.

I think it'd be more dramatic if we go down 0-1 then come back 2-1. If the lads want to do that, that's fine with me. Just carry the plot out to its happy resolution.

Other MLS news:
Cuauhtémoc Blanco's sweet left-footed volley from Week 20 won Goal of the Year. It was a good goal, but I think Ngwenya's was the better goal, and a better representative of what we want other leagues to think of when they think of our players' offensive prowess. Ngwenya can be consoled that his teammates Robinson and Onstad also got screwed out of deserving awards. I think at least one of the two (E-Rob or Pat-O) should have one, given our record-setting defense this season.

3 days to the MLS Cup

Pep rally at Gallery Furniture tonight, 5:00 to 6:30. No players will be there (which begs the question: who will benefit from the peppiness?) but there will be free t-shirts.

USSoccerPlayers.com is doing a series on the MLS Cup. Yesterday it was Jaqua vs Heaps. Today it's Twellman vs Robinson. More to come, I presume.

Jaime Trecker, perennial critic of the MLS, has an article focusing on New England. He slips up a few times and reveals some compliments about Dynamo-Houston. He mentions that the Dynamo deserved last year's victory, notes that Houston is one of the teams with a large following, and says the Dynamo have "one of the most explosive attacks in American soccer." That is all effusive praise coming from the curmudgeonly Trecker.

The blog, Climbing the Ladder, has a pre-MLS Cup quiz where you get to voice your opinions.

Goal.com compares Boston and Houston. Boston (the city) edges Houston (the city), BTW.

Did you know that Nate Jaqua's dad played for the Washington Redskins in RFK, the site of this year's MLS Cup? I didn't.

MLS Cup - Newsclippings

An essay on the similarities and differences of the Cup contenders, Dynamo-Houston and the New England Revolution.

Here's an article discussing the philosophies behind the two teams. It has some opinion about the benevolence of Jair Marrufo when dealing with Nate Jaqua's foul on Jewsbury.

This piece by Greg Lalas in Sports Illustrated has more on the philosophies going head-to-head in this "mouth watering" match. So, we're the artists who play with heart, and we're facing the technicians who play methodically? I can handle that. Right brain vs left brain. Dionysus vs Apollo. Brazil vs Germany. (Okay, that last one might be a stretch.) I like the concept behind the article, and I even agree with it to a good extent, although the dichotomy is probably a bit more subtle than the metaphors suggest.

Like the previous article, the SI article concludes with criticism for Jaqua not receiving a red. Greg Lalas (brother to Alexi) even beseeches the Powers That Be to suspend Jaqua from the final, kind of like they did to excess with Clark, you know? If they could successfully plunder the Dynamo's squad by getting both Jaqua and Clark out, and add to that Ching's injury, we'd have ourselves a right boring contest for the League's marquee game. But that's okay because maybe Sunil Gulati's team would win.

Not surprisingly, current Rev Jay Heaps agrees with former Rev Greg Lalas. Heaps said, "Jaqua shouldn't be playing in the final. That was not just an elbow, he followed through with it." It's one thing for columnists to lobby for a suspension, but a player? That's poor sportsmanship at best.

And as the Revs lobby for the Dynamo squad to be depleted, I've got to wonder: Shouldn't they at least pretend to want to settle it on the field? Their best versus our best?

Western Conference Champs: 2007

It certainly was enjoyable seeing the Dynamo-Houston prove their reputation this season has been warranted. They have acquitted themselves well all season -- particularly in the vaunted international competitions -- but have brought home no additional silverware yet this year. Last night, they brought home some glassware in the form of the Western Conference Championship. Now they just need to get that silver trophy.

Last night's Western Conference face-off versus KC had its ups and downs, but and Dynamo-Houston looked like they should win the game, and that's exactly what they did. Chalk up another set-piece goal (Nate Jaqua's header off a Mulrooney corner in the first half) and another master strike from DeRosario in the second half (although it's been a while since he's sealed the deal with one of those).

Despite our quality, had the referee taken a harsher view of Jaqua's elbow on Jack Jewsbury, we might have been playing a man down for much more than 45 minutes, and that would have changed the complexion of the game. And if we still managed to win, it would prove to be pretty devastating if we had to face playing the MLS Cup without Jaqua AND Ching (assuming Ching's injured calf is severe).

Despite Jimmy Conrad's pointed and acerbic post-game remark ("I think Jaqua probably played more physically in those 90 minutes than I've seen anyone play in three or four years, so that's exciting for him."), both teams were very physical. For his part, Jaqua wasn't overly-physical except for that errant elbow on Jewsbury -- but it was that elbow that will be remembered by many, including the Wizards. There was plenty going around from both sides -- Garcia, Morsink, and Marinelli weren't above knocking down a player or two either.

Oddly, one of the least physical players was E-Rob, no doubt due to the yellow card he was carrying. Nevertheless, he and Cochrane were solid in the center of our back line. I have criticized Cochrane a lot over the course of the season, but he was a difference maker last night and looked out for his yellow-tinged wingman.

(On the other end, Conrad himself managed to do well enough without being particularly rough. Then again, he almost gave us an own-goal late in the game.)

Despite the fact that we out shot KC 11-3 (6-0 on goal), KC had some really good periods of possession. That could be due to their ability or due to our strategic decision to play soft for periods in order to rest up for the next inevitable surge. Either way, there were some scary moments.

I thought the rookie Harrington did extremely well in neutralizing Mullan on the flank. However, in focusing on the flanks, it seemed that the center was softened enough for us to take advantage there. On the other side of the ball, I thought Arnaud was giving Barrett everything Barrett could handle. I didn't realize Arnaud was that fast -- outrunning Barrett more than once?! I didn't think anyone could do that repeatedly. Luckily Barrett is quite capable and still managed to keep the flank service to a minimum.

Despite all of the "if's" and "almosts," the Dynamo truly looked to be the better team and deservedly left with the 2-0 clean sheet. Better yet: none of our yellow card carriers added to their collection, so our squad should be full strength as they meet the Revs.

Okay, almost full strength. What about Ching? The way he limped off the field in the second half was extremely disconcerting. He said he felt something "snap" in his calf as he lunged toward a cross that Brad Davis fought (and fought well) to get to him. If that calf is half as bad as it looked when Ching limped away (even after the game during the award ceremony), then he won't be playing next Sunday. Drats.

There were several aspects of the game that were unequivocally good:

My wife decided to ignore fashion traditions and wear orange boxers over her leggings (in addition to the usual orange jersey and Dynamo hat). That was a fun change of pace, and I think it created the necessary orange mojo aura that kept the Dynamo on top.

I sure got a charge seeing Craig Biggio's recorded well-wishes on the Jumbotron before the game. It's great seeing a Houston sports icon pulling for the newest members of the Houston sporting fraternity.

I never get tired of seeing Oliver Luck in his Orange blazer.

Great words from Wade Barrett on the awards podium after the match. He said everything that needed to be said. I loved seeing him crane into that tall microphone stand too. He is a mighty little man. It was great seeing the elation of the players.

Hey, what was with Don Garber not making the game? He awarded the Eastern Conference Championship to New England, but we get a presentation by a play-by-play guy? Max Bretos, the voice of the Galaxy? Was there something more soccer-related going on in Garber's (and every one of his fellow East-coast suits') schedule? Does he only attend if ESPN can broadcast his visage? Does he only attend if his pal Sunil Gulati's team is involved? Does he like to insinuate preferential treatment and bias at the league's headquarters? Or was he afraid to share the stage with Ricardo Clark? I hope there is a good explanation for the oversight.

But what was NOT an oversight was the inclusion of the Caledon 3 Tenors into a second consecutive match. I guess they were well received at the FCD match last Friday, because last night they again sang the Star Spangled Banner. Maybe the front office was so pleased with the results of the FCD match that they didn't want to change anything -- just in case. Caledon even expanded their role last night, as they were on the pitch at halftime singing "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)." Outstanding fare, that!

The fallout of the Caledon halftime song was that the Dynamo Girls were doing their Michael Jackson tribute as the teams were returning to the field, forcing the D-Girls' song to be cut off early. It might have been better had the dance captain/leader/whatever worked out something with the girls so they wouldn't have to collapse into chaos when the music stopped prematurely. I was waiting for the bigger disaster to strike as the players from both teams were walking right by the pyrotechnic box. It took forever before a technician started steering the players to a safe distance.

Speaking of danger on the pitch: what was with all of the slipping players? Players were skidding right and left. I particularly remember DeRo trying to cut in the KC box, then slipping and losing the ball. E-Rob slipped as Sealy cut past him once (luckily Barrett was there to cover). This is something that the equipment manager should realize during warmups: what kind of cleats are necessary for the turf conditions. This is particularly true when it's one's home field.

Speaking of DeRo, I thought he did extremely well overall. He was the conductor for most of the game, setting up some great opportunities for others. He had an excellent through pass for Ching in the box. He had an excellent drive bearing down on the far corner that was saved by Hartman and led to the corner that resulted in Jaqua's game winner. In the second half, DeRo looked fatigued. He lost the ball a few times when he looked indecisive (or, more likely, was too tired to do what he wanted to do). I thought he showed poor judgment in the second half when he was driving to the goal with only the GK in front of him, but he chose to pass the ball off to Jaqua. The ball didn't make it to Jaqua; it was intercepted by Conrad in what nearly became an own-goal. DeRo needs to take responsibility on these occasions and take the shot -- and that's exactly what he did the next time, when he beat Hartman at the near post with a low, hard blast from the edge of the box. Fatigue can certainly be understood and excused, and he had a great game overall. Welcome back DeRo!

Perhaps the best aspect of the game was the enormity (and the zeal) of the fan support. An announced 30,972 showed up, and the Chronicle reported that some had to be turned away at the gate. Curt Onalfo, the KC Coach, said, "When we see crowds like that, it makes you realize that you've kind of arrived. The crowd was wonderful, and I thought they certainly helped their home team." His team captain, Jimmy Conrad, agreed, "Obviously, the crowd plays a big part, and if we had our crowd behind us as opposed to getting booed every time we touched the ball, that would probably make a big difference. That's our first thing, is that our goal next year is to make sure that we have home-field advantage going into the playoffs."

The significance of this connection between the city and the Dynamo was recognized even by "mainstream" sports columnists.

Perhaps this is the best legacy of the game, not only the quality on the field, not only another chance to win the championship, but the realization of how soccer is to be appreciated (as compared to other sports) and the confirmation of the integration of the team into the fabric of our international city.

I'll have some thoughts about the MLS Cup soon. Must rest.