tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-252663522011-10-31T08:51:39.043-05:00Never lost an MLS Cup...M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.comBlogger3111100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-29304969892160001112010-03-28T19:21:00.000-05:002010-04-02T16:54:52.616-05:00

Yesterday, the family took a trip to Pizza Hut Park for the first time. It was good to see live soccer again for the first time since last year, although both teams looked rusty. There was very little rhythm, very little creativity, and few passing combinations. The massive gusts of wind probably had a lot to do with that, and it also messed up the freestyle team from Toronto that performed at

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-73731044748496765082009-11-14T02:16:00.004-06:002009-11-14T02:45:52.583-06:00

While I've been following the Dynamo all season, I have kept my comments to the various blogs (particularly Benardo Fallas and Glenn Davis) and haven't spent time on mine. Worse: I've attended only one game this season. That's primarily because my weekends are spent coaching my son's Divison 2 team, and that's proven very time-consuming.The past two months have been painful because the Dynamo

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-64505956260700329122009-06-27T21:24:00.009-05:002009-06-28T16:54:51.895-05:00

Lots of good stuff going on with the Orange, so much so that I've not blogged. I've been trotting around enjoying other blogs though, leaving my opinions sprinkled about as I go. It's a good time to be a Dynamo fan ... and a US fan for that matter. The US has had its ups and downs, but the Dynamo are undefeated since my last post...maybe I shouldn't post...To recap what's happened since my last

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-83981668228526785882009-05-23T10:58:00.005-05:002009-05-23T11:25:09.722-05:00

In a stunning development last week, the Dynamo were able to score on a 10-man team. The MIO have an easier time scoring on 11-men than they do versus 10-men, but they did it. On the road. On green asphalt.The story of the game was really about our bench providing a spark when it was needed. The score was set up by a nice turnover in our half of the field (Boswell or Cameron was responsible for

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-14076930588226779452009-05-10T22:17:00.004-05:002009-05-10T23:06:51.060-05:00

I'm glad I went to the game yesterday, seeing as the first 19 minutes of television coverage was pre-empted by ESPN2's coverage of men's NCAA volleyball. (I understand that ESPN Classic carried the first few minutes of the Dynamo game.)The Dynamo-Dallas match went as expected. The Dynamo carried the run of play. Dallas had a few dangerous forays into our defensive third. A few tempers flared.

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-62257957610589228612009-05-09T10:48:00.005-05:002009-05-09T11:18:46.312-05:00

Today we meet Dallas in our first match of Operation Recapture El Capitan. As you know, we won the inaugural El Capitan in 2006 and retained it in 2007 then lost it in 2008 after we tied Dallas in all three matches. Because of the ties, El Capitan was awarded to the team with the highest number of away goals, which favored Dallas since they had twice as many away games to accrue goals. Still, the

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-84657068608662217952009-05-03T17:28:00.006-05:002009-05-03T18:16:05.930-05:00

The Dynamo have their first winning streak of the season after finally beating the New England Revolution at Foxboro. Holden scored from distance in the first half (via an uncharacteristic howler from Matt Reis letting the ball squirt under him and through his legs) then a patented Ching Snap-Header(TM) from a Davis corner kick in the second half sealed the deal. Add another Dynamo Clean Sheet(R)

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-13333408595449213992009-04-11T22:45:00.003-05:002009-04-11T23:19:46.696-05:00

RBNY came to town but little soccer was played.Most irritating moment: The 36th minute when Ching (who might have been offside anyway) was 1 on 1 with a cold, newbie keeper and decided to chip the keeper, but didn't adjust his touch accordingly. I see that in youth soccer too often -- players who don't realize that you have to adjust your shooting power when you're going for the crafty arc; but

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-46754297173284880252009-04-06T06:11:00.000-05:002009-04-06T09:20:20.896-05:00

The Dynamo are now 3 games into their fourth season and still searching for a win...just like last season! We're alongside fellow winless clubs FC Dallas and LA Galaxy from the West, and from the East last year's MLS Cup opponents: Columbus and RBNY. In fact, going back to last season and the CONCACAF tournament, Dynamo-Houston has won only once in their last 11 matches, and have lost five of

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-84747835585729638692008-12-30T18:25:00.003-06:002008-12-30T18:25:00.528-06:00

Goal.com has a nice month-by-month review of the Dynamo's 2008 season, from the Geoff Cameron draft in January, through the down then up then down MLS season and international competitions, to the trading of DeRo to Toronto in December.You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll reminisce.Man, 2009 is going to be a weird season for Dynamo fans. Not a bad season, per se...just weird.

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-35115421696553102682008-12-20T15:08:00.001-06:002008-12-23T14:41:17.857-06:00

Here's a roundup of some Houston-related topics that have hit the media. They discuss what Houston needs to do next year,Houston season reviewESPN has an article about the Dynamo still being strong contenders for 2009. It was written before the team unloaded DeRo. Here are some excerpts:"Houston is still, hands-down, the best team in Major League Soccer," said former U.S. international Eric

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-64948723115831214432008-12-12T18:11:00.004-06:002008-12-17T09:25:20.322-06:00

Aieee!DeRo is gone to Toronto! We get a young, speedy defender and extra cap space. But that's it?

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-8975235347869706972008-11-29T00:49:00.005-06:002008-11-29T01:48:23.763-06:00

It was good to start off the weekend with a final Dynamo home game. It ended as I thought it would with a Dynamo win, but I was disappointed that the Dynamo didn't handle Firpo better. (Recap. Recap 2.) They should have had a second goal in the first half, and should have done a better job of creating opportunities that could lead to a second goal in the second half. In the end, they made the

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-12700019368343583842008-11-25T05:57:00.006-06:002008-11-25T14:50:22.457-06:00

It's a new era for Dynamo soccer. We're now fans of a team that is not the MLS Champion. But because the 'Mo is arguably the best team in the MLS, it's still a great time to be an Orangefan. Lark Howorth has stated in his blog that we will be tested as to "whether we support the Dynamo even harder and better next year, despite the MLS Cup sitting in a rival's display case." Supporters have to "

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-34113533725626884542008-11-09T16:02:00.004-06:002008-11-09T16:34:41.547-06:00

We opened the season with a 3-0 loss, and we closed the season with a 3-0 loss. What happened to the vaunted Dynamo defense?Dynamo get a first round exit. The best team in the league (no, not the team with the best record -- only the second best record -- but the best team nonetheless) got spanked at home. RBNY never does that. Houston never allows it to be done. It was, nevertheless, done.That

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-41127342583786303552008-11-01T23:40:00.006-05:002008-11-02T00:20:22.807-05:00

Thanks, Kei, for getting the dramatic equalizer in the 85th minute. (Recap. Recap 2.) We're tied up with RBNY so it's a simple matter of win and move on at Robertson next week.Other than that, the weekend sucked. My son's team lost 3-2 to a team they had beaten 5-3 on the opponent's home field. It was their first loss of the season and was one of those frustrating matches where you dominate

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-3997616067582095132008-10-29T06:36:00.000-05:002008-10-29T09:14:18.577-05:00

The Dynamo Reserves did what they had to do and kept the Dynamo in the mix for moving on to the knockout stages of the Champions League. But they were within mere minutes of being the first MLS team to win a CONCACAF match overseas this year. (Recap. Recap by Ives.)The second team carried the play of the first half and could easily have had another goal or two, but it conceded possession and

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-44597955484077886712008-10-27T23:02:00.002-05:002008-10-28T08:28:18.682-05:00

The Dynamo wrapped up the season with a nice win, an ugly loss, and a disappointing draw.A week ago, on a Saturday, the team racked up three quick goals in the first half to defeat the hapless Galaxy and lock up the Western Conference regular season "title". (Note: The Dynamo won't be called the Western Conference Champions unless they win the MLS Cup Semifinals in the post-season.) The past two

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-46744927958510247762008-10-15T23:20:00.000-05:002008-10-15T23:20:00.902-05:00

The Dynamo apparently have a lock on late-game heroics.Tonight, twice a Dynamo forward knocked the ball into the post, and twice Stuart Holden was there to clean up the mess -- in the 6th minute Stuie started the scoring and in the 93rd minute he sealed the game. (Recap.) In between, the Dynamo played 80 minutes with 10 men after Kei Kamara was red carded, but it was the Dynamo who looked

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-79492421908170310872008-10-12T22:41:00.007-05:002008-10-13T09:49:29.937-05:00

The lack of blogging isn't due to my lack of attention to the world of soccer. On the contrary, so much has been going on (in the MLS, World Cup Qualifying, and my efforts to be a decent coach for my son's youth team), that I haven't made time to write.But here I am. Since my last writing, the Dynamo have been very active.They beat Colorado in Denver (Recap) behind 2 goals from Ching (he had a

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-70171280456946497122008-10-04T14:06:00.005-05:002008-10-04T14:36:46.446-05:00

A mile high today the Burnt Orange are playing Colorado. And the Men In Orange are playing the Rapids. Both orange teams face the prospect of an upset, but the Dynamo have an advantage: the Rapids are playing well. If the Rapids were slumping and looking like a pushover, the Dynamo would get a draw at best. Why? Because that's how they roll.We have won only 1 time since August. Luckily, we

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-32958305606132728702008-10-01T06:41:00.005-05:002008-10-28T08:29:16.062-05:00

What a great result in Mexico City last night, bolstered by scoring 4 goals. (Recap! And another!) What an opportunity lost too, after conceding an un-Dynamo-like 4 goals. But the accomplishment of the Dynamo is nothing to sniffle at.The game started off with a scary moment: Fox Soccer Channel listed Caig as the man between the pipes. It wasn't until the first goal kick was taken that I was

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-29152644132763602652008-09-29T06:38:00.001-05:002008-09-29T09:44:08.146-05:00

This past week, the Dynamo got two draws in the first two countries of their four-country, 12-day stretch.The Panama game (recap) was a good result, I thought, given the lineup, the travel, and the field. The best part was that we got power in enough time to watch the game. The game seemed surreal though, after living in a dark, quiet house for 11 days. It was bizarre watching TV and seeing the

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-11915305896725430702008-09-17T10:00:00.007-05:002008-09-18T14:17:31.520-05:00

I hope Hurricane Ike has had as minimal of an impact as possible on you, your family, and your property. As for me and my household, we lost several tree limbs but had no property damage. We are still without power, but we have water and gas, so we can cook on our gas stove and take comfortable showers with our gas water heater. If the cool front hadn't come through, we'd be absolutely miserable

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-67813353708895860272008-09-11T07:08:00.001-05:002008-09-11T14:38:46.580-05:00

Nice game by the Americans, though I think our job was made easier by a timid (whether through mentality or personnel availability) T&T team. Recap.Ives has a take on Brian Ching. He isn't a goal-machine, and he isn't making anybody forget Brian McBride, but he can still serve a purpose on this team. Some folks get caught up in him being a target forward and thinking that the current U.S. team

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-71605375830861200102008-09-08T06:36:00.006-05:002008-09-08T15:16:33.688-05:00

What a hot, miserable time to play a soccer game. The players and coaches will say that everyone has to play under the same conditions, but the fact is, it feels a lot hotter when you're behind than when you're ahead.And, as B-Fall put it: Sunday's 3-1 home victory ... was as good as they come.Pre-game guide.Post-game recap.Says one article: Entering Sunday's match against the Kansas City Wizards

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-52970530988543609802008-09-01T10:40:00.005-05:002008-09-01T22:28:42.176-05:00

A great night for Dynamo soccer last night. With the creative Blanco in town and US international star (and one of my favorite players) Brian McBride, along with a solid Chicago defense, the Dynamo faced a formidable challenge. They were up to the task. Here's the recap, which points out: The Houston Dynamo have not lost back-to-back games all year, and they did not want Sunday night to be the

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-46492778162493426582008-08-24T21:53:00.004-05:002008-08-25T09:53:14.098-05:00

I don't speak Spanish well at all, but watching the Dynamo-RBNY game on Telefutura today, it looked like we lost 0-3. That sure looked like non-orange players shooting into the net. Was that Ashe scoring a speedy strike? Oh, that's Dane Richards. (Ives Galarcep said Barrett shouldn't feel bad being smoked by Richards; about 20 American have been smoked by Jamaicans this week.)Actually, the game

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-22400713925249224232008-08-21T06:29:00.001-05:002008-08-21T11:40:29.701-05:00

Well, that was easy.With most of Chivas USA back home nursing injuries, there was no surprise that the Dynamo got 3 points last night. We knew there'd be goals scored even without Ching and DeRo, but there was the worry that Chivas would get one or two past Caig as well. The surprise was that by halftime we had amassed a 4-nil scoreline (and we could have scored more). The second half saw a more

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-11315818238337466862008-08-18T21:55:00.003-05:002008-08-18T22:29:15.067-05:00

As I was out of town this weekend on a final summer fling before the kids go back to school, I didn't get to watch the game live (neither in person nor on The Tube). B-Fall's blog kept me in the loop Saturday night, and I got to watch the match a few days late when I returned home to my DVR.What an exciting match. Even an American would have to love the volume of scoring. Six goals in one half,

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-59437798441735899072008-08-13T06:19:00.003-05:002008-08-13T11:32:37.972-05:00

Good news from the Glass-Half-Full Department, we don't have to miss any more sleep watching early morning men's soccer and Holden and Ianni are set to return to Houston.A red card 3 minutes in and a Nigerian team playing loose and aggressive combined to deny the US the draw it needed, and ended a promising Olympic campaign by the Americans. (Official recap.) The Nigerians were a fun team to

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-6976904306313672522008-08-07T08:42:00.004-05:002008-08-07T09:39:19.770-05:00

This morning, I woke up early enough to catch the 2nd half of the US Men's Olympic team's match versus Japan. It was great to see the Houston Dynamo represented well, with our very own Stuart Holden scoring the winning (and only) goal for the US Team.So our own Hometown Holden is the scoring leader for the US team. Okay, so that's a weak stat at this point. I won't mind if another teammate (

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-52115067979201166362008-08-05T22:13:00.002-05:002008-08-05T22:49:42.233-05:00

How painful is it to not be able to win in regulation + extra time when you have 25 shots, 14 on goal, to the opponent's 15 shots, 7 on goal! And those 14 on goal don't even count the two off the left post! Arrgh! (Game preview. Game review.)I've written before that this is not the Dynamo of yesteryear. This one loses to the Revs in a Championship game. This one has ginormous defensive gaffes --

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-57292481353493073302008-08-03T21:30:00.006-05:002008-08-03T22:06:40.263-05:00

Two sweet goals in the first half, and another stellar performance by Onstad (among others), gave the Dynamo their first win over the Crew at Robertson. (Game recap. More on the win.)First, know that it was hot. Mostly that was thanks to the humidity. I don't think the heat and humidity helped us as much last night though; it seemed that being a goal behind got the Crew motivated. They had some

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-71403785682932394182008-08-02T13:00:00.003-05:002008-08-02T13:23:31.399-05:00

Back to the MLS for one game before we face off for the SuperLiga championship versus New England, which WE BETTER WIN.Here is the official preview for tonight's game. No ERob or Mulrooney (injury) or DeRo (too much yeller). The Crew will be without "Hey, Duck!"For the Dynamo formation, I'm thinking something like:Ching--JaquaAshe-Davis-MullanClarkBarrett-Boswell-Cameron-WaibelOnstadWith Cameron

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-56727784924474829932008-07-30T01:17:00.004-05:002008-07-30T02:09:53.468-05:00

What a night! What a result! (Game recap.)I should no longer refer to Bobby Boswell as BoBo. My wife suggests B-Swell has a more positive ring to it. And B-Swell's game winner comes a day or so after he says "For me, the goal is definitely to beat Pachuca, a team that [the Dynamo] played a lot last year. And if I can be a catalyst to help the team get past them and get into the finals, then

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-32949574363016625092008-07-29T06:03:00.003-05:002008-07-29T09:18:41.348-05:00

It's Tuzos vs Dynamo tonight. Here is the game preview. An essay by a fan. Another essay: It is the stuff of which movies are made. Pachuca will have to face the Dynamo at Robertson Stadium, in front of a crowd that bleeds orange. It will be impossible for Pachuca players to ignore their nerves for the game in Houston, because the Dynamo will be at home, the crowd will go crazy, and the team will

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-33946641598490547082008-07-24T22:47:00.007-05:002008-07-25T08:19:40.342-05:00

I wasn't really looking forward to the MLS All-Star game ... like most people, I'm sure. I wasn't sure if I would watch. Turns out I did, and I'm glad I did. The match was fun from beginning to end; and I even found it relaxing since I didn't care who won or lost.West Ham played well, but the players weren't going to hurt themselves in the process. That, and the fact that the Hammers probably

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-87713322944200134972008-07-24T06:13:00.000-05:002008-07-24T09:04:11.663-05:00

Well, THAT was probably the strangest match of the season. (Game recap. Quotes.) Dynamo-Houston went to DC on June 4 to begin the match (abandoned after 15 minutes), then was hours away from restarting the match on July 22, then finally began the replayed match on July 23 and finished it in the wee hours of July 24.I worried when I read on B-Fall's blog that the officials were going to restart

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-45657279598814922772008-07-20T21:42:00.003-05:002008-07-20T22:10:01.131-05:00

A nice win yesterday in DC puts us into the Semis of the SuperLiga. (Game recap.) DC looked to be saving their effort for the MLS matchup on Tuesday, and started subbing players early. The odd part was that once their key players were pulled, DC began to look more dangerous and get more opportunities on our goal. I don't know if this was due to us easing up a bit once we realized that DC was

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-7841684402525294152008-07-19T12:00:00.005-05:002008-07-19T12:55:27.870-05:00

Tonight the Dynamo face DC United in a do-or-go-home match. The good news is that we have DeRo, Ching, and ERob back in the lineup; but will Ching and ERob be match fit after their injury? We also have Ianni and (most importantly) Holden for the two DCU matches before they traipse off to the Olympics in search of honor and glory. We also have Nate Jaqua, though I doubt he sees action. Maybe in

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-74031241055160206402008-07-16T01:23:00.005-05:002008-07-16T08:55:05.468-05:00

They're back! After a one-game respite, the 2008 Dynamo returned in full force. The two telling traits were there for all to see:1. Solid defense except for a costly moment of confusion2. Chances aplenty up front but no goalsThat's the 2008 Dynamo, love 'em or leave 'em. And in a season of unpleasant firsts, we added a new one: losing in an international competition at home for the first time.The

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-13756892433054492952008-07-15T06:27:00.004-05:002008-07-15T10:20:18.936-05:00

Tonight the Dynamo take on the original Chivas in the 2nd match of SuperLiga group play. (Game preview.)Questions to answer tonight:Was the domination of Atlante a fluke?Can the Dynamo be creative and effective without DeRo?We will be missing some regulars; Who will step up tonight?Will Houstonians go to a game that begins at 9PM on a weeknight?Will the field still be crappy?And here's an

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-77756012420139737632008-07-13T10:09:00.003-05:002008-07-13T10:49:38.918-05:00

First things first: last night was awesome, destroying Mexican club Atlante 4-0 at Robertson. Simply awesome. Here are B-Fall's player grades. Nearly all A's, but just short even after a 4-0 win?We got goals from both forwards (DeRo and Mullan) and two from our attacking midfielder (yup, that's Holden, who serves when DeRo is not in). Cameron served up two assists, Davis served up one free kick

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-737776284318506552008-07-10T18:48:00.001-05:002008-07-10T18:48:19.102-05:00

There's an article in the Seattle paper about former Sounder, Brian Ching. Regarding the move to Houston: "It was a hectic first couple of months, and we really didn't feel settled until August or September. Having said that, the fans have really made us feel at home, especially on the field. But they inherited a winning team and that definitely helps."Who in the MLS is likeliest to break the

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-44559971817656624312008-07-10T04:30:00.000-05:002008-07-10T04:30:00.517-05:00

ESPN Classic is hosting a series on The Art of Football, hosted by John Cleese. Don't know much about it, but it looks like it's going to start this Sunday, July 13, so check your listings. Maybe. The page for the show included a cool quote by uber-referee, Pierluigi Collina: "A good referee must defend creativity on the pitch. That is a very important role. If you make mistakes in this role, the

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-40562585018876443542008-07-09T06:42:00.003-05:002008-07-11T08:19:08.862-05:00

As wordy as I can be, I won't waste time on prolix introductions. Here's a summary of some interesting articles that touch on all things Orange."Climbing the Ladder" has the midway stats for each MLS team. Last year Houston earned 1.73 points per game by the midway point, 0.48 higher than this year's 1.06 average. The reason for that drop is because we're only scoring 1.06 goals per game (0.37

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-89043921848325842842008-07-06T13:28:00.003-05:002008-07-06T14:50:00.934-05:00

Hope all had a great Independence Day weekend. I did. Except for Thursday.Thursday night the game started late, so I first watched a movie I had rented: "Be Kind Rewind." I didn't enjoy it much. It tried very hard, but had very little heart and passion. It was very choppy, with very little continuity from one event to the next. And the ending didn't seem to resolve anything and left me hanging.

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-34647125441916278272008-07-03T11:41:00.005-05:002008-07-03T13:03:05.680-05:00

Tonight the Dynamo play RSL for the last time on the astroturf of the University of Utah. That's a good thing. One pundit predicts Houston winning 2-1. B-Fall talks about how tonight's game is just the beginning of the more difficult 2nd half of the season. (Yah mean we only got 4 wins on the EASY half?) He also has some soccer notes that discuss the likelihood of Nate Jaqua being added to the

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-81096568895570504872008-07-01T21:23:00.007-05:002008-07-03T13:04:09.701-05:00

Well, we see that MLS Reserves can compete versus a top-tier USL team, but they cannot beat a top-tier USL team. Dynamo-R were the second best team in the first half. They managed to improve their play in the second half and, 15 minutes after the Battery went down to 10 men, Dynamo-R managed to find an equalizer. After the Battery went down to 9 men, Dynamo-R were out of creative ideas and the 11

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-37067950638170071102008-07-01T06:43:00.001-05:002008-07-01T09:15:05.072-05:00

Tonight the Dynamo begin their quest for the US Open Cup, the oldest cup competition in the United States. It was born in 1914, during Woodrow Wilson's term as president.Here is the game preview. The team blog is here. (Looks like the blogger had interned with the Dallas Burn prior to working with the Dynamo, but that's just my guess). You can watch the match online at USLLive.com.The Chronicle

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-14242193933415921452008-06-26T23:10:00.004-05:002009-05-09T11:24:02.903-05:00

The Season Of Mediocrity (SOM) continues. Tonight, we continued our chronic inability to shoot balls on frame. Add an amateurish coffee break by the usually stalwart defense (Ianni and Barrett not communicating, thus allowing Cooper an open header on goal). Sprinkle in spineless officiating by a ref who is afraid to force players to play quality soccer; on that note, it was a smart play by

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-1855199017263490782008-06-26T06:07:00.003-05:002008-06-26T12:42:16.691-05:00

Here's the gameday preview from The Chron (Ching: "At times we are (playing like a champion); we have glimpses of that." Kinnear: "It's been kind of a mixed bag.") and the associated notes.I'm not a big fan of NY City as a place to live, but there certainly are a lot of benefits. How about a "pick-up" game in the park with Steven Nash and Thierry Henry? Here's a blog that covers the individual

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-49916295201652873342008-06-25T06:18:00.003-05:002009-05-09T11:26:27.726-05:00

Tomorrow we face FC Dallas for the third and final time this year. (Game preview.) Each time we've faced them this season, they've been led by a different coach. The dull tactician (with a myopic sense of self-evaluation) Steve Morrow led the "Hoops" to a 3-3 tie at Robertson based on a lousy performance by Tony Caig in our goal, then the interim gaffer Marco Ferruzzi saw his team let victory

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-62761661976827502412008-06-21T16:40:00.006-05:002008-06-21T17:26:25.831-05:00

So tonight we're in Commerce City to face the Rapids on the biggest field in the MLS. (BTW, the bigger the better in my way of thinking, so I like the pitch at The Dick.) The worst news about tonight's game is that it's not on TV except for that mystical HDnet. I don't know any places on the north side of town that have HDnet and that would be willing to devote a TV to a soccer game, so it looks

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-30658744700182108422008-06-20T06:56:00.006-05:002008-06-20T13:33:28.936-05:00

Tomorrow the Dynamo take on Colorado in Commerce City, Colorado. The Dynamo tend to fare well on the large, mile-high pitch. I'll post all the pre-game links later (I like to have them available for future surfing). Right now I'll focus on some random links I've stumbled across that I find to be interesting.Remember Kelly Gray? Here's an interview with the defender-cum-midfielder. When the Quakes

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-4066717648408437512008-06-15T11:30:00.004-05:002008-06-15T11:56:03.563-05:00

Calm in quietude is not real calm; when you can be calm in the midst of activity, this is the true state of nature.Happiness in comfort is not real happiness; when you can be happy in the midst of hardship, then you see the true potential of the mind.-Huanchu DaorenA few days after the Dynamo defeat, and I am once again at peace. In rewatching the game, I see that we played quite well, except for

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-63902403803012335442008-06-12T23:55:00.007-05:002008-06-13T09:44:53.454-05:00

I can't think of a game much more aggravating that this one. The Revs play some of the ugliest soccer there is...but it's effective soccer. Particularly with Caig in the opposite goal.Conceding the whole field to the Dynamo, the Revs were happy with occasional forays into our end. That's all they've needed in the past, and that was all they needed tonight. We have an aggregate of 0-5 goals versus

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-42793373328130958292008-06-12T06:26:00.006-05:002008-06-12T15:21:05.229-05:00

See how I worked "Rev" into the title? And we're playing the Revs tonight? That, my friends, is how journalists create energy and relevance to introduce an otherwise routine story. No, my friends, I am no journalist.Ahem, tonight the Revs come to town. (Game guide.) Last we met, in blustery Foxboro, we were spanked by their newbie players for a 0-3 loss. Tonight's game will be notable for who

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-86565164271820817732008-06-08T22:07:00.004-05:002008-06-09T09:25:24.511-05:00

Excellent match tonight. Our first goals versus Toronto lead to our first win versus Toronto. DeRo, Ching, and Ching gave us the 3-1 edge over DeRo's hometown team, and solid play from back to front gave the MIO a well-earned 3 points. Great job by Pat-I to set up that second goal. Great job by Pat-O to make at least one superhuman save (a double save, actually) to ensure the victory.The Dynamo

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-84351736034888762332008-06-06T23:27:00.009-05:002008-06-07T00:21:26.097-05:00

On Sunday, Dynamo face Toronto FC. (Game preview.) We've never beaten the Canucks. Maybe it would be more accurate to say "we've never beaten Toronto FC" because we fielded as many or more Canucks than they fielded, so maybe we weren't really playing Canucks at all. Maybe we're the Canucks.Anyway, last year Toronto was a doormat, so we naturally lost to them in Toronto and tied them in a

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-46512703111532153912008-06-04T20:56:00.004-05:002008-06-06T08:21:38.860-05:00

I get tired of hearing about people's trips to the Caribbean, Hawaii, Europe, blah, blah blah. BO-ring! I know how to vacation. Here's my story. Don't get jealous!The excitement begins yesterday. We have no air conditioning downstairs. The second story (where the bedrooms are) is quite comfortable. The ground floor (where everything else is): not so much. We call our friendly a/c repairman and he

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-61380611477288256692008-06-02T22:14:00.005-05:002008-06-02T22:59:45.591-05:00

So, as Mackeysgirl posited: what IS up with Daggers being back in Houston? Though he visited teammates, he's not here at the Dynamo's behest. B-Fall reports that when the Scot finished his 3-month stint with Kilmarnock in Scotland, his wife, Brandi, wanted to return to Texas. The dutiful husband complied and is "entertaining certain business propositions" in the Lone Star State. He also says he

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-73493804975627971352008-06-01T01:09:00.005-05:002008-06-01T01:34:47.963-05:00

Beautiful soccer is a work of art, but grinding out a result is important some days. The Dynamo did just that last night. They began the game with several starters missing (DeRo, Onstad, Robinson, and Barrett), controlled possession in the first half but did not generate any dangerous threats, then managed to put together the whole package in the second half: control possession, set the tempo,

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-77729769953877264272008-05-29T06:44:00.002-05:002008-05-29T10:02:59.894-05:00

What did you think about last night's game in Frisco? Another come-from-behind, last-minute draw with the Folks From Frisco. Because of the nature of the draw, it feels pretty good when it looked like the home side was about to snatch three points to our zero.I think I'm pleased all in all. I certainly don't think we deserved a win. The first 30 minutes saw us as the 2nd best team out there --

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-1351241614697269812008-05-28T06:58:00.000-05:002008-05-28T10:03:26.898-05:00

Dynamo-Dallas game previews:Official game guide.From The Chronicle. "The Dynamo have had to stomach the seemingly endless comparisons and similarities between this year and last ad nauseam. It is not like they are helping themselves by avoiding them."Pre-game notes from The Chronicle. Barrett is injured and will be a game time decision.From the Dallas Morning News.From the Seattle

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-16376934291907845602008-05-27T20:05:00.001-05:002008-05-27T22:20:06.971-05:00

Tomorrow, the Dynamo meet Dallas in Frisco in the quest for El Capitan. But before we look to the future, let's wallow around in the past for one more post.The San Jose Mercury News has a post-match analysis of the Earthquake victory over the Dynamo.There's nothing particularly insightful regarding the match itself, but there's some neat stuff nonetheless.For instance, "It was not only a win, but

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-58576735415001246112008-05-23T06:52:00.006-05:002008-05-27T21:38:35.544-05:00

I think I'm coming off my stupor from last night. Like millions of Americans do every Thursday night, I played the John Harkes Drinking Game where you sip your beer whenever Harkes says "As Well". He squeezes that phrase into any sentence, even when it doesn't make sense. Harkes was in rare form last night, so I, as well, finished a whole 6-pack by halftime and had to make a beer run as well to

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-56718006350684298172008-05-22T23:42:00.006-05:002008-05-23T00:39:45.506-05:00

A moment of candor here: My actual prediction for tonight was a 1-0 win for San Jose. I've mentioned many times this season, last season, and the season before, that this team gets weak results versus weak teams. I don't know if we ease up when facing bottom feeders, or if the bottom feeders are particularly revved for us. Or both. Actually, both of those reasons seem a bit too simplistic and

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-34349114393255280882008-05-21T06:11:00.008-05:002008-05-21T13:42:46.351-05:00

Ah, lovely San Jose. Much will be made of the first official face-off between the ex-Quakes and the neo-Quakes. Certainly there will be background interest, with the fan support likely being a little more vociferous. That might spur the neo-Quakes a little more, but the neo-Quake players (save Ryan Cochrane and maybe Ramiro Corrales and, to a lesser degree, Joe Cannon) have no vested interest in

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-31148509532679918682008-05-17T23:30:00.009-05:002008-05-19T08:43:51.574-05:00

I came to this game with some doubts, but the Dynamo's strong, aggressive effort was in solid form tonight and earned them a hard-fought 3 points. (Game recap.) Besides the 3 points, the best part was that the game was exciting with both teams playing strong. And the rain made it seem as if the match was being played in England.The first half saw two fluky goals. Ours came off Ricardo's foot,

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-23534705617698942502008-05-17T00:26:00.003-05:002008-05-17T01:19:53.767-05:00

The D-mo are in Chi-town to face the red hot Fire at Toyota Park. The Fire truly are red hot, that wasn't just metaphorical hyperbole; they are playing some of the best soccer in the league, and they're getting the results to boot.They are two points behind the Crew, and are second place in the East and overall. They have scored nearly twice the goals scored by the Dynamo, and they have conceded

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-15752069996785202772008-05-15T06:01:00.007-05:002008-05-15T12:48:25.741-05:00

The MLS has released the CONCACAF Champions League format. Here are how the slots are filled (and who filled them this year) for the US:USA1: 2007 Major League Soccer Champion (Houston Dynamo)USA2: 2007 Major League Soccer’s Regular Season Winner – AKA winner of the Supporters' Shield (D.C. United)USA3: 2007 MLS Cup Runner-up (New England Revolution)USA4: 2007 US Open Cup Champion (slot given to

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-36538508244885028782008-05-12T05:44:00.006-05:002008-05-12T08:39:37.620-05:00

The weekend concludes with the Dynamo's 3 points putting them right back in the race for the Western Conference. They're 1 point from second and 2 from first. Go figure. Only DC United trails them in the Eastern Conference though.As with any win (or loss), a little luck was involved. Still, the win was a deserved one.I agree with others that Bobby Boswell played well. Onstad says "I thought Bobby

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-62542629194651767662008-05-10T23:10:00.004-05:002008-05-10T23:59:03.869-05:00

Dynamo get their first win tonight, thanks to the Rapids and their poor record at Robertson.This game seemed to be one of irony. I thought we played one of our weakest matches, yet we got our best result so far this season. The ref seemed to have trouble calling the game, but his decision in 87th minute set us up for the winning goal. We have some of the best shooters in the league, but had only

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-16168910193385164222008-05-08T20:11:00.007-05:002008-05-08T21:01:40.015-05:00

To whet your appetite for the Dynamo's first victory this weekend (Yeah, you heard me: victory. That means: scoring.), here is an MLS article about the similarities between the MIO's start last year and this year. As long as that equates to a third MLS Cup, deja vu is fine with me. Here's the official game preview. In three meetings at Robertson, we've won twice and tied once.And here's an

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-4238577288175060602008-05-05T20:05:00.009-05:002008-05-05T21:38:11.547-05:00

Did you see this article about the most famous of our owners, Oscar De La Hoya? "I can't wait, once I hang up those gloves, to be at every single soccer game, cheering on the Houston Dynamo." The article talks about how OdlH may or may not mesh with the political arena of stadium negotiations.And here's an article about the fight itself. How about that slick shield on them shorts?Source: Wally

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-10683516596756813332008-05-03T23:47:00.004-05:002008-05-04T13:22:35.918-05:00

Have I got a quote for you. It's a doozy that I just happened to stumble upon. I can't believe I haven't seen it before, because it is a completely new perspective that perfectly sums up Dynamo games. The first sentence in the second paragraph of the MLS game recap has this unique description of last night's draw with Chivas: "The defending champions controlled the tempo yet again, had most of

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-32945356257081026192008-05-03T10:13:00.009-05:002008-05-03T13:04:57.530-05:00

Chivas is coming to town, having about as much trouble in the young season as the Dynamo are. Thing is, Guzan is a good keeper who can shut us down, Kljestan is a proven goal scorer as is the Razov/Galindo combination. And that Galindo? He's fast. Our back line? Not so much.Last year we managed to keep a clean sheet versus Chivas in all three of our matches, while we scored 1, 4, and 0 goals in

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-51861220986008450362008-04-30T06:13:00.003-05:002008-04-30T10:58:49.684-05:00

Steve Davis, the north Texas MLS correspondent, says The Dom may have to start considering changes if we don't start seeing results soon. "Dominic Kinnear has probably forgotten more about soccer than most of us could ever learn. As a player, he studied under Serbian-born tactician Bora Milutinovic. As an assistant, he apprenticed under Frank Yallop during the San Jose Earthquakes' first

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-53482847221649012702008-04-27T08:53:00.002-05:002008-04-30T11:05:52.612-05:00

One of the irritating things about soccer is that class and quality don't always translate into 3 points. Sometimes not even to 1 point. Last night, from the opening kickoff, Dynamo-Houston played like the home team. They were confident. They were creative. They played like professionals, particularly in the midfield. They controlled possession and territory. While Columbus was hesitant and

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-36116280655654641012008-04-26T01:24:00.008-05:002008-04-30T11:05:23.470-05:00

Dynamo-Houston trek to Columbus, OH, tonight. The Crew aren't their usual pushover selves, especially when Guillermo Barros Schelotto is on his game. In the 4-game history of the two teams, the Dynamo have won only once (in Columbus, not The Rob) with the remainder being draws. It's hard to predict who wins tonight, although one might think that Houston is due its first win of the season, but I

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-30331127097615678472008-04-23T06:24:00.001-05:002008-04-23T16:30:05.212-05:00

The US Soccer Players blog has a take on the Houston Stadium situation from an outsider's viewpoint. "This hasn’t gone down well with anyone. From the Mayor who said he doesn’t respond well to threats, to the fans who have supported their club at Robertson Stadium, and even the far removed from Houston neutrals like this Grown Man. The prestige of the league would suffer a blow if its second

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-14356047611826804702008-04-21T22:22:00.004-05:002008-04-22T08:55:07.231-05:00

Tonight on Glenn Davis' excellent weekly radio broadcast, he brought up the Donovan-Ianni exchange that took place after Donovan shook off Ianni to head in an excellent goal off an excellent feed from Lord Beckham.The outline of events:~60th minute: Barrett heads a long ball back to Caig. Ianni runs with the ball to make sure it makes it to his keeper's hands. Donovan pursues the pass with the

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-63753796193010814372008-04-20T09:18:00.005-05:002008-04-20T11:00:01.722-05:00

The Dynamo let 2 points slip through their fingers last night. Twice. As the only winless team in the MLS, our draws have kept us tied with DC United and San Jose for last place. We're behind Toronto, RSL, Colorado, and Columbus, among others. That's pretty embarrassing, but the season is young and I still don't see us being out of the top 8 teams that make it to the MLS Cup post-season tourney.

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-51781608308566255042008-04-19T00:03:00.003-05:002008-04-18T23:45:46.366-05:00

Tonight it's Houston vs Hollywood. The LA Beckhams will pit their offensive prowess against a Dynamo defense that will be playing without ERob and has yet to prove it's up to the standards it set in 2007. On the other end of the field, the Dynamo should have plenty of opportunities on goal due to a porous Galaxy defense.The official game preview. Not-so fun factoid: "In seven games in all

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-68314982834061640712008-04-18T18:21:00.006-05:002008-04-18T22:33:32.326-05:00

All this hullabaloo about the stadium has got me to thinking: once we get a stadium, what do we want it to look like? What are the qualities of a good stadium? What do I want to see in the Home of the Dynamo?Here's what I want.First, I want Dynamo Stadium to be a soccer-specific stadium (SSS, or, as they're called in England and elsewhere where soccer is the primary sport, "stadium"). There

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-30395784500581977812008-04-16T20:30:00.014-05:002008-04-17T19:52:07.987-05:00

Within perhaps minutes of the announcement that the team-formerly-known-as-the-Earthquakes was coming to Houston, there began talk of a new permanent stadium for the eventually-to-be-named-Dynamo. As we know, "talks" continue. Occasionally we'll hear something positive from Oliver Luck, but then someone from the soulless AEG conglomerate will speak out of both sides of his mouth. First they will

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-15272574601392429112008-04-13T17:25:00.005-05:002008-04-13T17:52:24.983-05:00

I like to think of myself as an independent thinker. A guy that doesn't jump at the latest trends. A guy that isn't stuck in the childish phase of needing to have the latest toys. In other words: I don't have HDNet and couldn't watch the Dynamo last night. Some might say that makes me more of a Luddite than a man of principle, and really the truth does lie somewhere in between.I also was unable

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-70988494974320223102008-04-12T00:01:00.005-05:002008-04-12T00:20:56.244-05:00

Tonight, Dynamo-Houston treks to Kansas to face the Wizards. (Game preview.) This'll be the first time we face KC in Kansas, with previous meetings being held at cavernous Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri. We play at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, a minor league baseball park that is home to the unaffiliated Kansas City T-bones. How's that for a team name?The park should be an intimate affair with fewer

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-5426990223543392972008-04-11T06:29:00.001-05:002008-04-12T09:42:12.287-05:00

Young Geoff Cameron, the rookie Orangeman from the University of Rhode Island,* won the adoration of the Dynamo faithful with his stoppage time equalizer versus FC Dallas last Sunday. Turns out, he also won goal of the week honors with this same strike, his first ever MLS netting.There were some good goals up for the award, but Cameron's was the justifiable winner for a variety of reasons.1. It

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-15232293800700178352008-04-10T06:41:00.004-05:002008-04-11T23:50:24.502-05:00

Once again, there won't be an MLS team in the CONCACAF Champions final. Dynamo lose to Saprissa 3-0 last night. Saprissa's win is a fair indication of the performance on the field, but the magnitude of the result doesn't quite tell the story. I felt Saprissa played well enough to win, but I think the Dynamo acquitted themselves quite well, especially if you consider how they seemed to be forced

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-14985153856799287332008-04-09T06:51:00.004-05:002008-04-10T10:33:04.209-05:00

So let's get this straight about tonight's match:1. The Dynamo have had troubles on defense, and the two brightest spots (ERob and Onstad) are out injured. BoBo is out due to yellow card accumulation, so we will have to start our backup centerback and a non-centerback at centerback. And they'll be in front of a new goalkeeper who may be a bit shaky.2. The midfield has a banged up Mullan who

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-44162605938682847612008-04-07T06:10:00.005-05:002009-05-09T11:30:30.895-05:00

Sunday, Dallas got their first point in Houston. The 3-3 draw came as blessed relief for the Dynamo faithful, because we were looking at no points until the rookie Geoff Cameron hamered home the equalizer in the 90+ minute. Relief aside, the result is actually a poor reflection of how dominant the Dynamo were, except for some overly lax defending and an inability to handle the fast break.Fact is,

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-27015795653563153152008-04-06T00:10:00.000-05:002008-04-06T00:06:45.162-05:00

Dallas visits Houston today. Dallas has lost every match it has played here in H-town, including 4 regular season matches, a US Open Cup match, and a playoff match where Dallas had a 2-0 aggregate lead. (Game preview.)It's up the the Men In Orange to keep this streak alive. We need to do this not only to maintain dominance over our fellow Texans, and not only to keep El Capitan, but just to stay

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-47192770135459691822008-04-03T00:10:00.003-05:002008-04-10T10:33:43.991-05:00

Last night the Dynamo played one of their most stylish, dominating games ever. They maintained possession and did so not just around the halfway line, but in the attacking half of the field for a vast majority of the game. They revived their Dominating Defense (© Dynamo). They displayed creative back-heels and passing combinations.What didn't they do? Well, yeah. There's that scoring thing. They

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-25164271392770333482008-04-02T06:48:00.003-05:002008-04-10T10:35:10.991-05:00

Tonight, Robertson hosts Deportivo Saprissa, the most storied team in Costa Rica, in the first leg of the semifinal round of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. Nothing short of a win tonight, an preferably by multiple goals, will be considered a success for the Dynamo. By all accounts, getting a win in San Jose is very difficult.The Chronicle has its pre-match article from B-Fall. Bad news: we'll be

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-53561528998007449172008-03-30T00:53:00.005-05:002008-03-30T01:47:34.226-05:00

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

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-91948102703805331072008-03-29T17:02:00.004-05:002008-03-29T23:46:28.270-05:00

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.

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25266352.post-68721897315618246992008-02-25T21:26:00.004-06:002008-02-25T21:52:49.547-06:00

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

M@http://www.blogger.com/profile/16702371596835006609noreply@blogger.com0