If the De Ro trade is still getting you down

I'm trying to stay positive with the whole "Trust in Dom and Canetti" mantra ringing through my brain, pausing only for a quick repetition of "Moreno/Ngwenya! Jaqua! Kamara! WHOOP!"

However, I have found this video surprisingly helpful. Read more!

So long Dwayne. We'll always have DC.

First thoughts:

There was too much DDR is going to Tor chatter going around not to take it seriously. Hopefully, this will be another Moreno/Ngwenya deal, which you have to say in some way affected the outcome of the last two championships!

Ms. Thertek's first response: "What? Well, I guess Dynamo just got tired of winning."

Must. Resist. Negativity.

Must. Resist.

Look book over the last three seasons and find, I tell you, find a deal that went truly bad. The worst you can find is the Tony Caig as backup keeper thing. (Running slightly ahead of Franco Caraccio).

But, I will submit, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, that those are peanuts PEANUTS!, to the multiple examples of true brilliance from Messrs. Canetti and Kinnear over the years. Ngwenya/Moreno; Jaqua I; Boswell/Wells; Jaqua II; Kei Kamara;

Need I go on?

Like Bill Lee once said about the National League All-Star lineup in 1976 (yes, I AM that old), "I ain't pitching against them. These guys just don't make outs."

So, fare thee well Dwayne De Rosario. Enjoy your years back in your hometown, where we would always want to wind up in our lives. You have earned our love and respect and, and I mean this in all sincerity, I hope you take it as the deepest measure of personal respect and true love when Dynamo come to BMO Field next season and crush you like a grape.

In the spirit of true sportsmanship of course. Read more!

The past is prologue?

I've heard that the past is prologue. One can hope.



Here is the official press release:

HOUSTON, TX (Wednesday, December 10, 2008) – The Houston Dynamo were drawn against Mexican power FC Atlante for the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals when the draw was held today at CONCACAF headquarters in New York City.

The Dynamo will host FC Atlante in the first leg of the two-game, total-goals series on a date to be announced February 24-26. The second leg will be played in Cancún, Mexico March 3-5. The winner will advance to the regional semifinals. The tournament champion, to be crowned in late April, will advance to the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup, to be held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, in December.

Houston qualified for the quarterfinals by placing second in Group B during group play in the first edition of the Champions League. The Dynamo reached the semifinals of the tournament’s predecessor, the Champions’ Cup, in both 2007 and 2008.

The other quarterfinal matchups are:

Pumas UNAM vs. Cruz Azul, Montreal Impact vs. Club Santos Laguna, Puerto Rico Islanders vs. CD Marathon

Tickets for the Dynamo’s home leg of the quarterfinal series are currently available via Dynamo season ticket packages. The Dynamo have also qualified for the 2009-10 Champions League group stage, which will take place August 18-October 22.

The Houston Dynamo are a Major League Soccer franchise that has won two MLS Cup championships in its first three seasons and represented the United States in three consecutive regional championships. The Dynamo will begin their 2009 MLS campaign on Saturday, March 21, taking on the defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew. For more information, please log on to www.HoustonDynamo.com or call (713) 276-7500.

Read more!

Calling Joseph Ngwenya.. Where are you?

At the conclusion of the Dynamo/Firpo game the night before Thanksgiving, Mister3D and I were lamenting the loss of Nate Jaqua to the nor'westerners. Then Mister3d says this to me:

"No big deal as Joseph Ngwenya is coming back."

"Whaaa?!?" sez I.

"Just trying to start a rumor," he replies with a mischievous grin.

And that got me to thinking. Where is Joseph Ngwenya anyway? Last I heard, he was in Turkey, plying his trade, trying to get noticed after his high-profile tryout with Bayern Munich, of all teams, in the summer. So this morning, participating in this discussion over at Dynamo Planet, I set about looking for our man Joseph, and what I found is something of a mystery.

He supposedly was playing for ANTALYASPOR A.Ş. in Turkey, which currently sits just out of the relegation zone, at 15th in the 18-team Turkish Super League. However, looking over the team's Web site (which, unfortunately for me, is entirely in Turkish), I can find no mention of our man on the 27-player roster. So the mystery deepens... Where is Joseph Ngwenya?

And then, curiouser and curiouser. The Turkish Football Federation site still lists him as being under contract to Antalyaspor, but I can find no appearance by him with the Scorpions after October. Read more!

Setting priorities for 2009

(Continuing the thread from El Naranja's "So...What now?" post on Dynamo Planet. Check that one out for a great discussion in it's own right.)

With the 2008 year now completely concluded for our Men in Orange, I think it's time to look ahead at the offseason on-field priorities (as opposed to Dynamo Park, which is Priority "All" off field I would think) for Chris Canetti, Dominic Kinnear and the rest of the Brain Trust.

Here, in no particular order (other than the first ones that come to my caffeine-addled mind) are several.

1. Re-signing Bobby Boswell. The man was to my mind at least the co-MVP of the season this year. He had a horrific start, but then picked it up around early May and clearly was the best defender on the pitch for long stretches. He anchored the best defense in the league. I know he can probably make much, much more money were he to go to Europe, but looking at the team, I would say bringing the Boz back to town would be among the first objectives.

2. Bringing in a new back-up keeper to replace Tony Caig. To be fair, Caig wasn't always awful this year and I'm sure there are many, many keepers out there who are worse than him. However, Zach Wells may be back on the market, and who wouldn't love the all-around punkjob that be to one day in 2009 beat DCU with Boz in the middle and Zach Wells in goal? Also, I'm thinking Troy Perkins and, especially, the out-of-contract Matt Pickens might be available. All would be improvements over Caig. Super Canuck is nto getting any younger in the No. 1 role, though he seems to indicate that he intends to go another year or maybe two (!). If his reaction time slows appreciably, this could become a HUGE hole for this team in a hurry.

3. Replacing Nate Jaqua up top. Don't get me wrong. I like Kei Kamara and don't want to go anywhere, but Nate was truly spectacular at times this season, clearly a better player than he was in 2007. It was shown this year that Chris Wondolowski is not the guy here, and neither is Kyle Brown. So the team will have to look elsewhere. (Though, wait a minute, who knows? Maybe Geoff Cameron in this spot?) He seems to be a head case, but perhaps Arturo Alvarez could be prised away from San Jose? I had a few other names on my mind when I started this paragraph, but they have flitted away. This is a big need because let us not forget that while Ching did play the whole season this year without an injury (an amazing feat for anyone, but for him, stunning), we can't rely on that all the time. Again, I'm thinking that this is the prime area for bringing someone in from outside the organization. Thoughts and ideas?

4. Time for you guys to fill in the blanks here..... Read more!

The date, it is circled. Orange ya glad you won't be yellow Mar. 21?

Of course, CONCACAF starts a month earlier than this, but March 21 is still a date to circle and DAMN! if I'm not already salivating over knocking out those Little Yellow Crewmen, who seem to think that holding onto our cup for a year means they own it or something.

It's Champions v. Champions March 21 here at Robertson Stadium, and since Mister3D and I have already re-upped for '09, we'll be there. And if you want to know what happened last time around, here you go.



And here's the whole slate for MLS First Kick opening weekend:

Thursday, March 19 (ALL TIMES CENTRAL)

New York Red Bulls at Seattle Sounders FC, 8 p.m. (ESPN2/Deportes)


Saturday, March 21

Columbus Crew at Houston Dynamo, 7 p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel/Fox Sports en Español)

Toronto FC at Kansas City Wizards, 7:30 p.m.

Chicago Fire at FC Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Colorado Rapids at Chivas USA, 9:30 pm (Fox Soccer Channel/Fox Sports en Español)

New England Revolution at San Jose Earthquakes, 9:30 p.m.


Sunday, March 22

D.C. United at Los Angeles Galaxy, 2 p.m. Read more!

How I felt after the Red Bulls game

Target Practice - video powered by Metacafe

Through after almost two weeks, I'm doing much better now and totally focused on Firpo Wednesday night.

Really.

(This is Michael Ballack in an adidas ad for the Predator boots.)

Though this one with Xavi Alonso and Steven Gerrard is even better:



Clay Pigeons - video powered by Metacafe Read more!

FCD notwithstanding, it's tough not to root for the big guy

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Kenny Cooper is the only FC Dallas player I fear. For me, he's completely shrouded in what I've always called the Pete Rose (pre 1987) Effect. The guy who you can;t stand to see playing against you, but who you'd give your left, er, arm to have on your side.

Fortunately, being an American, I got that last night. And of course, that free kick from Freddy Adu was a marvel to behold. I still think Adu will not prosper abroad, though could have a Landon Donovan-style career in MLS.

Read more!

Dynamo Park demonstration Thursday

The season may have only one game left, but Dynamo fans are all needed to head out to the new stadium site Thursday. Here's an e-mail that is making the rounds.

PLEASE READ THIS VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO THE END AND RESPOND! THIS IS OF PRIME IMPORTANCE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE EAST END!

The final funding for the Houston Dynamo stadium to be built east of downtown surrounding the intersections of Dowling and Rusk depends on Harris County Commissioners voting to participate in TIRZ 15. (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone) The proposal is that the first $10 million of additional economic dollars generated by the stadium for Harris County taxes would be invested in the stadium. After that all the tax dollars generated for the County by the new development would remain with Harris County.

Harris County Commissioners want public support to encourage them to vote to participate in the TIRZ. (The County is presently participating in six TIRZ so this is not a unique request.) The negotiations to build the Dynamo stadium have been ongoing since January, 2007, and if WE DO NOT HAVE THIS FINAL FINANCIAL INCENTIVE APPROVED BY DECEMBER 31st, the Dynamo will be forced to consider alternatives offer outside of the city!

A Press Conference to show the County Commissioners that the public supports their participation in the TIRZ will be held THIS THURSDAY, November 13th from 10 - 10:30 AM on the stadium site at the corner of Dowling and Rusk Streets. PLEASE attend this short but VERY important conference and please encourage EVERYONE from your business or neighborhood to attend! WE NEED TO PACK the city block so we can make the County Commissioners comfortable to vote FOR the TIRZ! I cannot stress the importance of numbers at this event enough--PLEASE help us!!!

ALSO, we have a petition online that we ask you and ALL your staff, friends and neighbors to sign. Just click the link below and fill in the short form. It will take only a minute and it will directly impact the future of the East End!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keepthedynamoinhouston?e

We have more than 1500 signatures on signed petitions already, but we need THOUSANDS!!! PLEASE pass this note on to your mailing lists, and everyone you know and ask them to sign the petition and attend the press conference!

Help us give the County Commissioners the support they need to give us the stadium we need! Thank you--YOU ARE A TRUE EAST END FRIEND!

Read more!

Insert glowing commentary about the Dynamo here

I would love to, really, but seeing as how just about everyone handicapping Sunday's game in the blogosphere is talking about how the Orange will be dominant at home in front of 30,000+ fans, I think the best thing to do is repeat the winning mantra of earlier this week:

Fired Up!
Ready to Go!



and then there's this one from the May win over NYRB at The Rob. See you Sunday!

Read more!

What do you think about making Away Goals count more?

As most of you probably know, in most leagues around the world that play two-leg series, away goals are the first tie-breaker. This really does completely change the complexion of first-leg games. Now to be perfectly honest, I have always opposed implementing this rule in MLS games. But after reading this excellent, excellent column from Pat Walsh at Goal.com, I have changed my tune.

(And I am not just homering this because it would benefit Dynamo. The truth is we got hurt by away goals earlier this season by "losing" the mythical cannon (biggest open secret around here, it does not exist) to fc frisco due to away goals after all three games ended in ties.)

Check out this great column:

Walsh’s Word: MLS Needs The "Away Goals" Rule

By Pat Walsh

What a bland weekend of MLS soccer last week was. Four playoff games, three of which were nationally televised -- and just five goals.

In the past five years, the first legs of MLS’s Conference Semifinals series have never provided more than two goals per game. This is due in large part to the away teams playing defensively, looking to win at home in the second leg.

Of course, that’s their prerogative. Steve Nicol has been a master at this tactic over the years. As a result, New England has advanced to five straight conference finals, every single one since the current MLS playoff structure was implemented. Only once in that time did the Revolution play their first leg at home.

While the Midnight Riders can celebrate that success, it doesn’t mean the casual fans of the league are enjoying the ride. The rest of us around the country are subjected time and again to first legs in which each team seemingly would be just as happy to have the coin flip determine whether the game results in a draw or a one-goal win for the home team. Then each can go about preparing for the more important second leg accordingly.

But, unlike NBA playoff games, the first halves of these series can matter.

The remedy to this scenario is simple: the away goals rule. The widely spread reason for not using this tiebreaker is that the casual American fan will not understand the concept of the away goal rule. I don’t buy it.

This is a land in which NASCAR has grown dramatically in the past decade, roughly the same time as MLS has been in existence. Casual fans of the driving-in-a-circle sport have quickly grasped the complex system of bonus points for the sprint to the cup, or whatever it’s called these days. Is the away goals rule more complicated than that?

Here’s the real danger. After an amazing season that provided a great playoff race, the postseason is not building on that success and positive energy.

The playoffs are the time that the major leagues draw in the casual fans. Case in point, the aforementioned NASCAR amended its rules in 2004 to provide its fans with a playoff system. Even the PGA has jumped on board, instituting the playoff-ish FedEx Cup last year.

But in MLS, the playoffs -- especially the first legs of these conference semifinals -- are the worst of times, not the best of times.

In five years under the current format, only once have all four first-leg matches averaged two goals. Last year hit rock bottom as only three goals were scored on the first weekend.

This year wasn’t much better with just five goals over the four games. Of course, Yura Movsisyan’s cheeky backheeled goal will be remembered. And Steven Lenhart’s last-second tally provided a great finish in Kansas City. But those moments were too far and in between.

Let’s compare those numbers to the UEFA Champions League, which goes to two-legged series from the round of 16 through the semifinals. The past three years, the first leg has been the higher scoring leg, averaging well over two goals per game. That’s not to say there’s a flip flop and no goals are scored on the return leg as even those games averaged at least two goals per game. But it shows that if the team that plays away in the first leg has more incentive to score, they will look to get into the attack and the games will wind up with more goals.

This isn’t to say goals will lead to better games. But goals are good for the casual fan. More importantly, goals and the initiative to create more goals gives the games the kind action that draws in casual fans, like Javier Morales’s playmaking and vision in setting up Movsisyan’s goal. Then again, Real was at home, meaning they had the pressure to score, which helps explain their constant attacking mindset, especially compared with Chivas USA’s seeming reluctance to cross the midfield stripe.

Of the other away teams, Columbus and Houston went forward the most and were rewarded with the only two road goals, both after the 85th minute. Chicago rarely tested New England’s Matt Reis in their 0-0 draw, confident they would finish off the Revs this Thursday at Toyota Park.

Had Columbus, Houston, Chicago, and Chivas known that an away goal mattered even more, there is a good chance they would have pressed from the beginning. Instead, we didn’t see the best out of the some of MLS’s best teams because the risk was more than the reward was worth.

And it is the casual fan that loses the most.

Pat Walsh writes about Major League Soccer for Goal.com.

Read more!

Seven steps to Heaven

A quick detour to Scotland and the Bhoys. Those who know me know about my love for Celtic FC, the true Hoops ( My blood boils when people refer to Dallas as the Hoops. Morons.). This is a goal from the the Bhoys' 3-1 win over Kilmarnock in Scottish Cup play earlier this week. Seven passes (seven!) until Aiden McGeady slots it home. Even if you're a Rangers fan, you've got to appreciate how fun this is. Enjoy.

Read more!

The "I" in team

You wouldn't know it from looking at the results over the last month and a half, but we have three games left in what really is the worst stretch of the schedule all season for the Men in Orange. With games in no less than five countries, thousands of miles of travel, multiple games of high pressure, drama and significant consequence, Dynamo are meeting a challenge unlike that faced by any MLS team ever.

And now it's time for me to come clean on my reaction. No matter how tough it has been for the team, I have literally loved every second of it.

Now, to be perfectly frank, had Dynamo come to this stage of the Great Gruelfest with more losses than wins, I would have been screaming bloody murder. No one would have been louder than I in raging about the rank unfairness of it all, how the MLS schedule-makers are a bunch of no-brained morons who can't realize the obvious importance of international play in the growth of the MLS brand, how, despite all evidence to the contrary, the league refuses to accept the reality of the what growing the game here really means beyond adding a new squad in every podunk burgh in North America.

And I know all of that is true beyond a shadow of a doubt. But thanks to the team-making skills of Dynamo Chief Operating Office Chris Cannetti (i.e. the guy who makes every coin), the game management of Dom Kinnear (the guy ON every coin) and the total, unflagging commitment of our heroes in Orange (the coins in question), we enter the final three games of this stretch unbeaten, with the No. 1 seed in the west and on the verge of qualifying for knockout stage play in Champions League.

And it has been brutal on the guys, no question about it. But if it were up to me, and I had to have them do it all over again, I have to come totally clean here and admit that as a supporter I wouldn't change a thing. (Other than the hurricane part of it. I mean, I'm not crazy.)

How many times have we all left Robertson Stadium wishing there was another game tomorrow night? How many times have we Just. Not. Gotten. Enough. of watching and cheering the team on to wins? How many times have we just wanted the feeling at Robertson to last on well into the night, to keep going and going until the last bit of juice has been squeezed out?

Well fellow Planeteers, since Sept. 23rd, we have gotten all of that and more. And make no mistake about it, it has taken all the Dynamo can give to make it happen, and over the next five weeks, they are going to have to keep going to make it even better, to find the pot of gold again that makes this all worthwhile.

After all of this, there are four home games remaining, Wednesday against Pumas, the first playoff game Nov. 9, the Western Conference championship match Nov. 16 and the rescheduled CL match against L.A. Firpo Nov. 26. (Add to this four away dates, to las chivitas Saturday, El Salvador next Tuesday, the first playoff game Nov. 2 and one last little date in Carson, California on Nov. 23rd.)

Eight games in five-and-a-half weeks, right on the heels of eight over the last four. Call me a torturer, call me unsympathetic, call me one who delights in the hardships of my beloved team, but among all other things, call me There.

And as a wonderful postscript, walking into the Dynamo game Saturday, enjoying the heck out of the great giveaway scarf that my 11-year-old says is "The best giveaway ever.", season book partner mister3d takes a look at the tag on the scarf and says "Hey, that's me!" And there he was, the guy holding up the scarf with a towel over his head (maintaining his secret identity) on the tag. And even though my first reaction (to be totally and brutally honest here) was "Hey, I was standing right next to him there. Where am I? (I know, I am a cad.), I have to say that I am absolutely thrilled about the whole deal. I think I'll frame the tag after I get him to autograph it! Read more!

Dyna-tunes for sale

Saw this post over at Dynamo Planet. For those of you who just can't get enough of those rockin' Robertson tunes from El Battalon, now you'll be able to hear them at all times. I'll definitely by hookin' up with one of these beauties.

As some of you are aware, we (EB) have been working on getting a CD out for a while now. The CD features 7 tracks from songs we sing in the stadium performed by a group that plays Cumbia Villera music direct from Argentina. Im not trying to oversell it but its like winning the 2006 MLS Cup in Frisco and the 2007 MLS Cup in DC combined, so you should get a copy! Its only ten bucks and we will be selling it in front of the stadium by the ticket booths or you can find us at our usual tailgate spot at the north west corner of the parking lot, accross the street from Popeyes on Scott.To hear a sample of some of the songs included on the album you can check the EB site at http://www.elbatallon.com or you can check out our EB Music Myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/elbatallonsongs. Profits from the sales will fund EB efforts in supporting the Dynamo.

And here's a little taste:

Read more!

Dynamo MVP talk

With just three MLS regular season games remaining, I have yet to see much talk about the season MVP. Perhaps it's my background in baseball, but I think the MVP of the season should be distinct from the whomever might be the MVP of the playoffs. So in that vein, here we go.

When you take the team down to the areas of the field, I think 4-5 realistic candidates emerge.

FORWARDS


First, let's take a look up top. Brian Ching leads the team in goals scored and I think there' no getting around the fact that he has bee a monster up there all season. Even when he isn't scoring, the Flyin' Hawaiian is drawing the attention of the defense, creating openings for his teammates and then passing to the open guy. If a major element of MVP consideration is making your teammates better, then Ching has that in spades. In pure numbers, let's look at this: 12 goals and five assists in 22 games, 21 of which he started. He has three game-winning goals and one game-winning assist. Only Brad Davis (more on him in a sec) has a better combined total there (1 GWG and 4 GWAs). From the forward corps, Chingy clearly is the representative in this discussion.

MIDFIELD


Brad Davis has been a real force when he's been in the game. He's played in 23 games, tied for fourth on the team with Captain Wade-merica, and has been an assist machine. The consistent quality of his deliveries into the box both in the run of play and on set pieces has been devastating to opponents. He instills confidence in his teammates and is a constant threat. He leads the team in assists with eight, three better than anyone else.


Dwayne De Rosario's immediate impact on any game could be best seen in the San Francisco clash last week. That goal he scored in the 88th minute will forever be etched into my mind. As soon as he came on, both teams had a charge put through them. We all just knew that the game had been elevated. How many players in MLS can you say that about? His numbers have been pedestrian -- second on the team with five goals and he also has only two assists. But his influence clearly goes beyond the numbers. Easily on just about anyone's Best XI in MLS at anytime. He's also the only Dynamo player to actually convert a penalty kick this year.


Brian Mullan was a co-winner of this award last year, and deservedly so. Mully's runs are amazing, but all too often you wind up with "Wow, what a move!" quickly followed by "Damn, what happened?" As a generator of chances, he's unparalleled. As a finisher, well.... Numbers-wise, three goals and five assists is nothing to sneeze at, but Ithink he'll wind up in Honorable Mention this year.

Also getting votes: Ricardo Clark. He and Shalrie Joseph are the best holding midfielders in the league. Simple as that.

DEFENSE


It's time for me to come clean. After the Pan-Pacifics, the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the first week or two of the season, I was ready to call a quick and nasty end to the Bobby Boswell era. Well folks, that's why Dominic Kinnear is where he is and I'm sitting over here at a computer. Boswell has become the anchor for the second-best (maybe even THE best at this point) defense in the league. The guy is a titan of toughness in there, has been impressive at shutting down so many opposing threats and lighting a fire under the rest of the defense. He's still prone to the occasional brain fart, but how many time have we seen him make up for it on the very next play with a fantastic stop or put down of opposition attack? Earlier in the season, when the offense Just. Could. Not. Score. it was Bozzie that kept us in game after game. No one else on the defense (other than perhaps Wade Barrett?) has been so consistent, so healthy and such a monster.

GK

What more is there to say about Pat Onstad, the best keeper in the history of this league? Maybe he's been a little slower of step than last year, but with a second-best in the league GAA of 1.08 on a team that started as slowly as they did this year, folks, you are looking at excellence personified.

MY VOTE (FOR NOW)
If I had to rank these candidates right now, I'd go;

1. Ching
2. Onstad
3. Boswell
4. Davis
5. De Rosario

When you score more than twice as many goals as the second place guy on your team while still being away for US MNT duty and maintaining your health the way Ching has never done in his career, you get my vote. Still, there are three more MLS games for these other guys to come up with some amazing heroics that could alter my vote. What do you think? Read more!

Offsides explained

Would that I could use all of my journalistic know-how to explain offsides half as well as this.

Read more!

1-2-3-GO!

One of these days, someone's going to do an MLS version of Slap Shot. Right now, though, here's to the best actor of all time.

Read more!

The Sarah Palin of golazos

OK, OK, I take it all back. Even Abi Okalaja wouldn't have screwed up this call.

Or maybe he would

Hmmm.

The point is, he didn't.

At least not yet.



The Ghost Goal Watford Linesman Referee - video powered by Metacafe Read more!

Becks is the man

You know. my estimation of David Beckham goes up every time I see more of him. The guy is an ultimate competitor, and his defense of Marc Burch here illustrates that.



There's no way that's a red card, even though I think Burch is a punk overall. Becks' defense of him is a slap in the face to MLS officiating, and a well-deserved one at that. Good thing it wasn't Abi Okalaja, though, or Burch and 2 or 3 DCU players who weren't within 30 yards of the play would have been sent off as well. Read more!

I do NOT like Ike, but I do love these golazos

The storm blew and blew here at Nutmegged World Headquarters, and even though Dynamo will somehow have to fit a rescheduled L.A. Firpo game into their criminally crowded fixture slate, Houston still is surviving well.

Power is still out across most of the area, but the energy from Brian Ching's little "Hey, we're responsible for the stars on your jersey as well as our own" performance as a late sub in drawing even with the Bay Area Wanderers last weekend ought to power up Robertson all on its own this weekend. Assuming the game is on. Word is imminent about that.

In the meantime, here's some wondergoals that I ran across while wasting my still-very-limited Internet time today. Enjoy.



And try this one at home, especially the second one!:



And of course, this great golazo from Gorgeous Giorgio was a sight to see:




Then finally, just for grins, there's this one, which has a nicer result than the real thing!

Read more!