US-England draw? Gallagher's the man

Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher says US-England will be a draw. Who am I to argue? Read more!

Waka Waka. Time for some smiles around here

Amid all the bad news surrounding all things Orange this week, I think it's about time to remember this is a game that we all love very dearly. So here's the song Waka Waka: This Time for Africa, one of the official World Cup anthems, sung by Shakira.

(Shakira and football at the same time. What, I ask you, could POSSIBLY be wrong with that?)

Read more!

Third jersey? If Fredy the Flopper can wear one, anyone can wear one better

That right there is Fredy the Flopper in Seattle's new third jersey, kind of a Mountain Dew, making-love-in-a-canoe ("you-know-what-ing close to water) yellow thing. You can read about it at this link right here.

In this very space, there have been many discussions about Dynamo potentially unveiling a third jersey. And if I'm remembering right, someone even worked up a mock uni with a predominantly light blue color scheme.

Let me just say right now that I completely down with that idea and would love to see one if for no other reason because let's face it, if those guys in Seattle, who think they are somehow or other God's gift to the American game, are doing it, anyone else can do it better.

To be clear, I don't hate Seattle. I just hate the attitude that permeates the fans of that organization. I for one cannot wait until Portland and Vancouver come into the league so that the Sounder fans will have to suffer the fate of not even being the best team in the Pacific Northwest. Though of course, since the Timbers beat those guys on March 11, isn't that true already?

Of course, there's nothing I can write that's better than what Dan Loney posted. Awesome. "ridiculous garbage" Amazing.

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?b=8287

And of course, Fake Sigi has it best:

"No. Just. Say. No." Read more!

A meditation on Lovel Palmer's wonderstrike from somewhere in the vicinity of the new Dynamo Park

Wow.

Or as Nordstrom put it:

Read more!

Nothing Rhymes With Orange. Video of the Dynamo Park vote

From Dynamo Supporters Alliance majordomo Eric Nordstrom:

Nothing rhymes with Orange
But I'm Orange til I die
From far away
once came to play
and always fight
like champions
there's nothing we can rhyme with
so we have to make it up
but Nothing Rhymes with Orange
May the Orange win the Cup!

Eric read that aloud today in Harris County Commissioners Court as the county voted to participate in the TIRZ, thus making certain that Dynamo Park can begin. Here's the Chronicle story right here.

April 13, 2010, on the 40th anniversary of Apollo 13, Houston no longer has a problem. Read more!

Dominic Kinnear's message to his squad

One thing's for sure, when Dynamo leave for the jungle wilds of Frisco this week, they'll be properly motivated.

Dale. Read more!

Serioux coming back to Houston

Just saw this on the WV Hooligan blog that Dynamo just traded to get the rights to Adrian Serioux. (And click here for the Toronto Sun's story on the deal.)

Personally, I think this is a great move as it really shores up the Route 1 defense while Geoff Cameron finds his footing in the CAM role. It also sends Brad Davis back out wide where his left foot can be put to the best use.

And, for those of you who follow the British media's fascination (and Arsene Wenger's whines about) with Stoke's Rory DeLapp's long throw-ins, here's the guy who did that before it was cool.

As long as Serioux can stay healthy, I think he'll be a beast in the center mid. Of course, my remarks the previous three seasons about him being an overly aggressive thug are now completely disowned. Lesson: Wear Orange and all is forgiven. :> Read more!

Pelada, a footy happening you don't want to miss

NEW Pelada Trailer from Rebekah Fergusson on Vimeo.

I have heard so much about this move Pelada (formerly known as The Soccer Project), and was further intrigued when I heard Glenn Davis talk about it on his show the other night.

If you haven't heard of it, the movie was filmed in over 25 countries and follows two former college players, Notre Dame's Luke Boughden and Duke's Gwendolyn Oxenham -- and filmed by fellow Dukies Rebekah Ferguson (herself a Blue Devil captain) and Ryan White (producer) -- around the world as they kick the ball, any ball, around with firemen, prisoners, bootleggers and anyone else they can find. Watch that trailer above and tell me you don't want to head to Austin to see it.

And if you're a Dynamo supporter, there is indeed an extra chance for you to see it, though not necessarily at the first showing. The film was selected for this year's SxSW Film Festival and will have it's World Premiere on Sunday March 14 at 7:15 p.m., which also happens to be about 15 minutes after the Men in Orange close out their home-and-home with the Austin Aztex at the capital city's Nelson Field (Kick off, 5 p.m.).

Now unless you leave early (I know. I know. But some people actually do things like that. Wild.) chances are you won;t make the show. But never fear. There will also be screenings on March 15 at noon and March 19 at 3:30 p.m.

What you're seeing up there is the new trailer. Here's the old one, which is also just as cool:

Pelada from Rebekah Fergusson on Vimeo.

Read more!

Worried? Who's worried?

David Agrell at the MLS Insider says Dom's not scared, so why should anyone else be? Well, to look further into that question after reading Agrell's great piece (see it here), I think there are no reasons why DYNAMO fans should be scared. But the rest of the league? They may just start seeming to the team like each of them looks like a certain Harris County Commissioner.

Agrell's piece itself is a little dated, as Diouf, Walker, Kaku and Saiko are all gone now. But Francisco Navas, about whom I will be shocked if he does not make the team, and Lovel Palmer are still in the potential mix. As for Palmer, I'm hoping to see him against the Aztex on Sunday (what, you have other plans for what will be a beautful late winter afternoon in Houston?), but anyone who scores against FC Frisco is a gentleman and a scholar in my book. And by the way, we haven't had that Caribbean feel on the team since honorary Reggae Boyz (Far North Chapter) member Dwayne De Rosario was here!

So here's hoping both Palmer and Navas make it. One thing's for sure, it'll bring some youth and perhaps durability as well to what is suddenly no longer an aging squad.

Here's the article from Agrell in text form:

KINNEAR'S NOT WORRIED, SO WHY ARE YOU?

BY DAVID AGRELL

Houston boss Dom Kinnear has admitted his club is still in the hunt for a midfielder, despite boasting a roster stacked with veterans and
sprinkled with upstart talent.

The Orange (no, not the Oranje that yesterday trampled all over poor ol’ USA — and former Dynamo star Stuart Holden in particular) are
facing a 2010 campaign sans attacking midfielder Holden and defensive
general Ricardo Clark.

So, what about that holding position that Clark defined last season?

“We have Richard Mulrooney, who has played there before, and he’s one of the guys we missed at the stretch of the end of last year,”
Kinnear said. “I think Geoff Cameron can play in there, and he can also
play as an attacking midfielder.”

Cameron as an attacking midfielder? Cool — wouldn’t we all love to see more of those marauding runs?

“I hope that this year [Cameron] will be able to get a little more free and score some goals,” Kinnear added. “In saying that, you don’t
want him thinking every time he gets the ball he can run forward and
score goals. You want him to be involved in the build up. It’s
important that he does have some discipline in his game.”

Oh, ok. Maybe not all of us. Kinnear again:

“We’re also in the market looking for someone who can play in the midfield as well.”

Ka-ching! So, who have they had in camp this preseason? Who’s on the radar?

The breakdown:

Khadim Diouf (two-time All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention at San Diego State) … Léandre
Griffit (French player who last suited up for Crystal Palace) … Samuel Appiah and David Walker (draft picks) … Blessing Kaku (well-traveled Nigerian with awesome name) … Francisco Navas (straight from the Dynamo Academy) … Shaun Saiko (Canadian U-20s with time at Middlesborough) … Lovel Palmer (a Jamaican who, according to thereggaeboyz.com, is a “fleet-footed player [who] will run all day for the good of his team.”)

And let’s not forget 20-year-old Danny Cruz, who’s been in top form in preseason.

All told, something tells me the ‘Mo are going to be all right this season. More from Kinnear:

“It’s difficult, but it’s comforting to know that if the season were to start, we’re not exactly looking at a huge hole. There are people we
can put in the whole that I feel can do a good job there.”

‘Nuff said.

Read more!

By not striking, MLSPU may just win

Hmmm, are the players really this crafty? Consider these points:

Here's the statement from Bob Foose today:

“Effective at midnight tonight, our collective bargaining agreement with MLS will expire,” said Union executive director Bob Foose in a statement.
Foose added that, “while we expect that negotiations with MLS will resume at some point, there simply hasn’t been enough progress made in the negotiations to date to warrant an extension of the old agreement. We have advised our players to keep working for the time being, but as of Friday they will be doing so without a CBA. In the meantime, all options are being considered as the process continues. We are completely committed to forging real changes to the way MLS players are treated.”

And here's the statement from the MLS:

"During the last year, Major League Soccer has been negotiating with the MLS Players Union on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The current CBA expires today and the Players Union would not agree to a further extension.

"We have told the Players Union that the League does not plan to lock out the players and we are prepared to begin the season under the current CBA while we continue to bargain to reach agreement on a new CBA.

"We have listened to the issues raised by the MLS Players Union and the League has made detailed proposals that have addressed these issues, including in the areas of economics, guaranteed contracts, options and the ability of a player to move to another MLS Club if he is released by his current Club. These proposals, which represent substantial changes from the current CBA, will significantly increase our spending and provide substantially more rights to the players."

Pardon me, but I do not trust the owners' statement in any way. They're not a bunch of lying liars, but neither are they on the whole up and up here.

The players have far more powerful weapons than a strike at their command, legal ones. But the fact is that if they don’t follow these paths during the season at some point, then they lose them. I wonder if they’ll strike the All-Star Game. Too bad, since it’s here in Houston this year.

My personal feeling is that without a CBA, the players are essentially playing according to whatever contracts they have. That would mean that after the contracts are over, then they are free agents. As free agents, if they all demand in their contracts that they will not sign deals that contain MLS’ allocation, non-guaranteed and reserve rights language, then by 1,000 cuts, they could accomplish these same ends, free agency and guaranteed contracts, especially if they can get the nascent NASL to agree to the same contract terms. And all of this can be done with concerted action, but no strike.

What do you think? Read more!

A conversation on the state of MLS/US and a look forward

Recently, Playtherapy (in between his rounds of Football Manager 2010) and I have been having a conversation on the state of the league and the future. Here is that conversation, which hopefully can bring some more comments and additions from everyone else. The conversation began with Playtherapy talking about the fantasy financial restrictions in Football Manager and bringing up the larger topic.


PLAYTHERAPY: One knock many across the pond have with playing MLS teams is the league structure. One guy sold Beckham for 4.5 mil and only got 500k for LAG, the league getting the rest.

I'm sure I'm playing stupidly as well, as I'm used to investing in youth, then sell for big profits later. This worked for Stavanger in a big way in the Norwegian league and helped us to achieve Champion's League success.

MLS may have achieved security- avoiding the NASL debacle, but @ what price? Holden went from being worth 675k (got lots of bids from England) to 1.5 mil. If I sold, I wonder what I'd actually get???

It may keep us sustainable, but it cheats club's abilities to better themselves financially.

MARTEK: You are absolutely correct. It's almost impossible to get an independent economic analysis of the situation. Without a doubt, the single entity structure is responsible for MLS surviving for the first 10 years. But right know, I would say that it hurts as much as it helps, the Holden situation underlining that perfectly.

The fact of the matter is that neither I nor anyone else who hasn't seen the books know if MLS or Houston Dynamo could get into that kind of bidding and still be able to make a go of it if single entity, and more importantly the salary cap, were abolished. The obvious lessons from other American sports (free agency = good; salary floors = good; salary caps = meh; revenue sharing = good; positive relationships based on mutual respect between labor (millionaires) and management (billionaires) = very, very good) don't always apply because none of them have to compete in an international player market that covers so many economic situations prevailing in so many markets. The complexity boggles the mind, and since we don't know exactly what the finances of MLS, SUM and USSF truly are, there is no way to make a rational judgment.

What we do know is that Association football in America is strong and growing stronger. From ESPN's commitment (sometimes questionable, but the dollars don't lie) to the sport, to the hundreds of thousands that turn out for international country and club friendlies, Americans are responding and the sport is clearly ready to burst onto the consciousness, or at least more ready right now than it ever has been since the Cosmos/NASL glory days. It is a fact that MLS attendances outdraw Serie A, as well as Ligue Un and almost every other league in Europe with the exception of the Bundesliga (NO ONE outdraws the Bundesliga. Bundesliga uber alles!!). If there's a successful World Cup this year (Two measures of success for American markets: 1. Great tournament with no shenanigans, terrorist, crime or otherwise; and 2. USA does well. Having just No. 1 might MIGHT be more than enough to make it a success in US markets.), then money could flow, and pressure might be exerted by ESPN and others to get MLS to loosen up and let teams spend more and grow more and compete in the international player market more.

If. Could. Might. We'll been down versions of this path before. Is this one different? You have more of a historical perspective than I. What thinketh thou?


PLAYTHERAPY: I agree- it's time for MLS to go beyond rules created for sustainability @ infancy. Soccer will surpass second tier sports in the next few decades. All it has to do is survive as the minority demographic change, making those WASP surburbanites so eagerly sought in the late 90's the minority.

When this translates into Nielsen ratings- we've arrived. This is the argument to just hold on and keep expanding- creating more TV markets.

Yet MLS has to evolve with what's going on in the outside. Clearly, the US marketed to the wrong crowd, to the soccer moms with the shootout and the game clock stopping during the stoppage of play. The thought was that us fans weren't sophisticated enuff to accept ties or the mystery of stoppage time.

This alienated us fans seeking soccer, not some PR fast food version. Soccer lovers have always been here, hence the enormous crowds @ friendlies- both club and international, or WC 1994. it's not the love of soccer that's missing- it's interest in the MLS.

That's key= especially with Fox Soccer, GOL TV, Mexican football, ESPN deporto (or whatever it's called), and other cable soccer offerings. Soccer lovers want to love soccer, not wince @ a poor quality facsimile.

The 2nd generation of those immigrants- legal or not (don't think Nielsen or advertisers care) are the key. SkyTV made the EPL what it is, and until MLS can deliver the TV and advertising numbers, having good attendances that beat other noteworthy ligas matter little.

Yet current league rules discourage quality home grown talent staying in the MLS once they've got a name. This is muy importante. For ongoing growth, we need to find a way to:

1. Keep americano talent here. This means some middle ground towards the labor union.
2. We need Mexican players!

The first problem may take a while but incremental steps need to be taken toward creating the foundation for keeping the Clarks, the Holdens, and the Dempseys here a few years longer. Keeping Donovan here as long as we have has been a major accomplishment.

As for Mexican players, we need to be very careful signing Mexican national team players far past their prime. For every Blanco or Suarez, we get several more Hermosillos, Campos' or Hernandez'. Mexican flops decrease interest. Who wants to wince as they see their favorite idol fail in a league thought to be weaker???

Houston hads the right idea with Landin (though I greatly disagree with the DP designation and think that's why he's still here). MLS teams need to sign quality Mexican youth. I would even add a provision for signing Mexican youth which is similar to the Gen Adidas players. Canada needs to be added to this as well and, in the spirit of NAFTA, Mexican and Canadien players should not be counted as internationals. While this might decrease the quality of our national team in the short run, it would greatly enhance the quality of the MLS, especially with expansion. Furthermore, it would improve interest, especially TV ratings.

Considering the Canadiens, it's only fair. I'm unsure if this rule has already been changed or not since Mo Johnston's lobbying.

It's TV where we have to compete. A good 2010 US world cup showing PLUS the WC retrurning here in the next few years would greatly increase interest temporarily, yet quality is what will make fans stay tuned in.

I like Jimmy Conrad's off season musing about promotion/relegation. The naysayers, forever worshipping @ the US sports model, forget:
1. Soccer is unlike other sports
2. We are starting from scratch in that we have a young league.
3. Unlike other sports, soccer here competes with the rest of the world. All I have to do is buy cable and switch channels to watch soccer abroad.
4. The same naysayers said we had to have shootouts, no ties\, and no stoppage time. We have actually done better without this.
5. Creating a relegation/promotion system actually creates a more solid domestic professional infrastructure top to bottom.
It also cements healthy ties between amateur and professional, something missing in the US purely becuase it does not need to exist.
6. Difference offers something new. The big three US megasports have lost touch with their audiences.
7. Maybe we should be open to other perspectives and possibilities. Remember, the critics said we'd never make it past the 5 yr mark. It wasn't the Americanization of the sport that caused this. It was the fans' love of soccer, which should always be kept in mind.

MARTEK: Hmmm. I still think the WASP suburbanites must be part of MLS' diverse audience. Don't cater to them, but they need to be made welcome. Lots of money in them burbs!

Good news from Mike Chabala's Twitter feed: ""I can't wait for training tomorrow, I'm gonna kick 6 people....It's gonna be awesome." -Eddie Robinson (my teammate)"

Now that's some Johnny Rocco action for you (Edward G. Robinson from Key Largo)!

All tweaks to the rules are stupid, which the NCAA must learn if the colleges are to be a true training ground of US talent. That's a whole other can of worms, and I hate that structure, but I honestly do not see any other thing happening right now.

Unless, unless, unless, unless, unless....

The new NASL/USL structure makes a truly viable second, developmental, tier.

But that being said, I still do not see promotion/relegation happening here. I think the truth of the matter is that if leagues around the world were being created from scratch, there's no way, NO WAY, that any owners would agree to that structure. In the US, relegation would not be a demotion for a year or so, with hopes to play well and return, ala Newcastle in 2009-10. It would be a death sentence. Do you think FC Dallas, were it to get relegated, would be able to survive that financially? Columbus? Kansas City? Or for that matter, Dynamo? (Maybe the latter. Maybe.) In order to have p/r, the league would have to guarantee that teams facing the drop would not lose more than a token amount of cash from league-wide rights fees and broadcast rights. In short, the second tier would have to be as financially solvent as the top. Can you see that happening? No way.

Don't get me wrong. I would love it, and I think American fans, both casual and not, would love it as well. But no one would love watching those teams go out of business, which I think is what would happen unless financial guarantees are made. And if those guarantees are made, what would be the incentive for teams to spend and win? So it gets circular. I think that it's a false equivalency to conclude that saying no to p/r is the same thing as saying yes to no ties/shootouts and clock stoppages. P/R speaks to the very solvency of clubs, unlike those other items. It is organizational, not game-related. If you can guarantee teams will not go out of existence due to p/r, then yes, make it happen. If not, then no.

You are correcto in that all NAFTA players should be counted the same. That to me is so obviously in MLS' interests, I am very surprised it has not happened. That should happen hand-in-hand with higher, or at least somewhat competitive, wage scales, the resumption of the reserve league and expansion of rosters. Also, teams should have right of first refusal to players developed in their academies (though perhaps losing this if those players instead go to college and play there?). If refused, then those players get to go in the draft along with collegians. Said academies should exist as an alternative to colleges and teams from academies should all play in the PDL at least, maybe higher in the pyramid. Have another draft that is high school only to give all teams equal access to the same players and prevent hiding, swooping in and hoarding. If the drafted high schoolers don't want to go to the academies/teams, then they can always go to college and reenter the SuperDraft a few years later.

Unlike many, I like the idea of drafting and think it is a cost effective and fair way to get unproven players in need of development into the system. I like the idea of socialistically leveling playing fields when it comes to development and revenues. Establish a salary floor to ensure that all teams have to pay out a certain amount in player salaries/compensation/development and make the only difference be who is better at using their equal resources. Make the differences be ones of coaching, playing, etc., not T-shirt sales, local TV revenues, gates, etc. Then the best organization wins, or at least comes close.

But all of this is money, money, money. Does it exist? I think it does, though I have no proof of same. What do you think? Read more!

Dynamo Park to the Houston Galleria?

So Dynamo have begun looking to build a stadium on the city's near West side.

And Channel 13's report can be seen here:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7240711

Right now this looks possibly just too good to be true. I don't trust it somehow. But maybe I'm just being paranoid.

A truly fascinating idea and equally as good in many ways. This is not a suburban site, or at least not now. (It was a suburban site when I was growing up in Meyerland in the 1970s, but the only thing that proves is that I am old.) It's very urban and the one advantage is that it would not be competing with Minute Maid Park for parking on nights when both Ds are playing at the same time (Dynamo and the Dis-astros). It's also very close to many ethnic neighborhoods, of both affluence and not. And the freeways make it easily accessible.

However, would it be on or near a Metro rail line? I am not familiar with the Metro rail designs for that area, if indeed there are any. Anyone know?

I still prefer the downtown site, with the buildings rising in the background, but this is an intriguing idea to say the least.

TSU's involvement is part of the city's deal, right? Does this mean the city would be out of the picture? Or TSU? Do we really want the city out of the picture? That could be a good thing or a bad thing.

I really, REALLY hope this does not muddy the waters. The Westpark location is good, actually very good, but the downtown location would be better, though right now, I'm at a loss to go into a whole lot of detail on why exactly it would be better. So maybe this is something rare, some actual good news. Pardon me while I cower in fear and do not wholeheartedly believe that.

There is a discussion on the possible Galleria area site at http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=19778004&postcoun... Read more!

Landon Donovan in Mexican commercial

If you've not seen this yet, you should. Landon Donovan starring in a Mexican Lottery commercial. They loves our Landycakes south of the border something fierce! I am rolling over this. Read more!

SBI sez: MLS has offered Holden BIG contract

Soccer by Ives correspondent Franco Panizo is reporting that MLS has offered our man Stuart a big contract to keep him from moving to Europe, reportedly "ten times his current salary."

Check out the story here: http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2009/12/holden-offered-big-mls-contract.html#more (from whence comes that photo above), or read it here:

After enjoying a dream year for club and country, Houston Dynamo midfielder Stuart Holden is largely considered to be the next player in the U.S. pipeline to make the jump from MLS to Europe during the upcoming winter transfer window. But that potential move seems to be in jeopardy after MLS made an unexpected move.

According to reports out of Europe, Holden has been offered ten times his current salary by MLS, and could snub a move abroad to stay in the U.S. This report claims MLS commisioner Don Garber held talks with Holden last week in an effort to keep him from going to Europe.

"I was pretty flattered," Holden told the Evening Times. "It shows the commitment the MLS has in keeping me in the league. I know this decision is going to impact my career."

Holden has not ruled out a move abroad, stating he is considering overseas offers. Scottish Premier League clubs Rangers and Aberdeen have been linked with the U.S. national team midfielder.

Holden enjoyed a career season with the Houston Dynamo in 2009, scoring six goals and assisting on three others in 26 league games. Holden also made his national team debut this year, playing in 12 games.

What do you think of Holden possibly staying in MLS? Surprised by MLS's offer? Think Holden will decide to play abroad anyway?

Personally, I could not be happier with this news. I still think Holden will stay for at least one more year. In any event, I'm not sure a move to the SPL, especially to financially-uncertain Rangers, would be a good move. As an ardent Celtic supporter, I'm biased against the Strangers to begin with. However, assuming he makes the game day roster at Ibrox or in Aberdeen, I just don't think his game shows off its best qualities there. France would be a far better location.

That is, assuming he plays. I think that regular first team, starring duty on one of the elite teams in MLS positions him far better to make the South Africa roster than taking a gamble on landing first team, starring roles anywhere in Europe. Take this deal. Take the money. Stay in the States. Play in South Africa for the US. And then next year or the year after at this time, take the flyer and go.

I know that 10x his current deal still only puts him in the 300-400K range, which is less than what he could make in Europe right now. But money is money and playing and progressing while seeing regular first team action is playing and progressing while seeing regular first team action. If this wasn't a World Cup year, then maybe now would be more attractive. But as it is, and with his position on the US squad not 100 percent assured, then play it safe and take a very good deal.

What do you think? Read more!

Haiku d'Group C: Belo H as long as we've got it

Time to break out the haiku-ometer

Back in the 5-0
B'Belo Horizonte
1 to nil, you lose

Twas a cock you say
As Gaetjens had no passport,
But still, the goal stands.

Revenge on the veldt,
As Three Lions surround US,
No hope for escape.

But with one Jersey
boy, our hearts beat, since all you
Have is David James.

So bring on your best
John Bull, and as the game goes
on, we will hold true.

A hearty hurrah
as all that's red, white and blue
makes the English fears

Come true with a pain
In the gut as they see that
Belo was Act One. Read more!

Back, Belo the H, Group C and World Cup 2010

After a couple of weeks off to R&R and get this holiday madness under way, I am back on the blogging scene.

I thoroughly enjoyed the World Cup draw last week, and for once as a US supporter, I can finally say, "Hey, at least we're not in that group over there."

And by "that group" I mean Group G, as in Golgotha. Brazil, Cote D'Ivoire, Portugal and the North Korean Little Sisters of the Poor. My favorite Tweet after that lineup was decided was (and I don't remember who this was) "What kind of coverage are THOSE games going to get in the North Korean media next June?" That is a brutal group and will easily yield some of the most amazing games. My early pick to get through from there: Brazil and Cote D'Ivoire. See ya Christiano, and try to keep your shirt on next time.


That's not to say that the US' path to the knock-out stages is secure. Slovenia did knock out Russia after all, which is a better team than the US. I'm not that worried about Algeria because, after all, we're not the Egyptians. Still, I don't dismiss them either. Only Arab nation in the tournament, playing on African soil.

I still think the US is the second best team in that group. I like starting off with England because you don't want to play them needing a victory later in the round. And Holy Belo Horizonte Batman, if the Snakes DO start with a draw, it would be epic to say the least. Easily, it will be one of the most-watched soccer matches in US history. That is still a mighty big if, win against Spain last year or no. But hey, that's what makes this tourney so fun year in and year out: Improbable victories, catastrophic English failures and, my early pick, a Brazilian run to the championship.

Fun fact, courtesy of Beau Dure, Tim Howard's amazing spot kick save against Jermaine Defoe yesterday has the English media already getting all weak in the knees about a possible Belo Horizonte repeat. Read this report here and see if you can spot the fear and nervousness. I love it!

That being said, anyone who thinks the US is suddenly a World Cup contender needs to have their head examined. My expectations remain low, though my hopes of getting through the group stage are high. Right now it wouldn't surprise me if the Americans finished second or third in that group, though first or fourth would. I do expect our first victory since 2002 and would hope that at least one commentator would point out that the US was the only team to get a point off the Italians in 2006. Party poopers may justifiably point out that it was via an own goal from the Azurri, but we takes what we can gets around here. And we also got the iconic image of Brian McBride's bloody face in that game, so we'll take it as a marketing win at the very least!

Ah moral victories, the Laffy Taffy of sport!

Some people making great points about this draw that I will not bother to plagiarize because you should read/hear the whole thing:

Jamie Trecker and Kartik Kirshnayer on the US' precarious position on the MLS Talk podcast. Click here.

The inimitable Dan Loney. Click here. My favorite part of that great post from Dan:

10:16. What is this Eng...land of which you speak?

10:17. Yeah, our draw is pretty much over, now. BECKHAMLAND and two other countries, here's some college football.

10:18. Per comment, yeah, Grant Wahl's book just went into another printing.

Simply put, if you don't read Loney regularly, well then I don't know what to call you, but I do pity you.

The indomitable Bill Archer. Click here. If you don't read Loney AND Archer regularly, then take one of those classes at Kumon or somewhere and get your literacy skills up to snuff podnah.

Here's some trademark Archer genius:

As noted a couple weeks ago, CONCACAF Supremo Jack Warner has pledged the full support of the Confederation - and all three of it's votes - to the USA World Cup bid.

then about ten days ago Warner left a meeting with British PM Gordon Brown SAYING THAT "IT'S ENGLAND'S TIME and apparently promising to back that bid as well.

Of course he got what he has been lobbying for, a private meeting with the Queen, although Warner said afterward that the meetings were "not for (his) ego". My guess is that Her majesty was touting the quality of the hotel food or possibly Londons' nightlife. Hopefully that drooling dolt of a son of hers was someplace else at the time.

So it would appear that Jack is done and done, his ballots practially cast, right? I mean Jacks' word is his bond, right?

Right?

Last week, after attending a cocktail party thrown by Australia for him and three other FIFA VPs PRESS REPORTS ANNOUNCED HE IS BACKING AUSTRALIA

"If there is a country that truly deserves to host the FIFA World Cup, then it is the island continent of Australia".

Of course there are only two World Cups being awarded, and to a lesser man this might seem to be a roadblock to endorsing three bids, but for jack Warner it's all in a day's work.

And, oh yes, last week he told reporters that he felt Spain/Portugal was "in the lead" for securing a World Cup.

He's scheduled to visit Russia next month. Good thing they're well known for open and above-board dealing.

I stand in awe (and doubled over in laughter). Read more!

Getting Real with RSL

Congrats to RSL and Nick Rimando, one of my favorite players in MLS, for reasons that I have never been able to articulate. I just like the guy. And big props to Cletus on winning his one and only MLS ring. Who would have thought that 10 years ago? And also big props to Jason Kreis. That team had the front page treatment in the Deseret News or Slat Lake Tribune, one of those, right before moving into Rio Tinto last year talking about how they were, in real “Man on the Moon” huge type, THE WORST TEAM IN MLS. Since then, that team has been in two Cup semifinals and now won a Cup Final. Remarkable.

And now reality: I think RSL in 2010 will be the first defending champion since the 2006 Galaxy to miss the playoffs entirely, though this is hardly a unique analysis. That team is good, but nothing more than that. Though of course, they were clearly the better team last night. Next year they have no Movsisyan, and we all know that over the course of a whole season, a date with the Royals is usually one Dynamo at least expect to win, either here or at Rio Tinto. Championship or not, I don’t see that changing next year. I don’t mean to be brutal or anything, just honest. This is a team that just got hot at the right time. Let’s not make them out to be anything more than that. That is, until they prove it over the course of a whole season.

That being said, I do not join the chorus of opinion that says that RSL is proof positive that the playoffs are a crock and that MLS does not crown their true champion.

The solution to these “problems” (if such they are) is to stop this ludicrous Supporter’s Shield title and name the regular season champion something a name that’s befitting, like, oh I don’t know, how about “Season Champion”? Get a trophy befitting the status of champion. Use the name champion, whatever. Just like with the Supporter’s Shield now, the team gets a berth in the Champions League, and in addition, a scudetto to wear all of next season.

Then use the regular season to seed a postseason tournament of eight teams, the MLS Cup Tournament. The winner of that tournament is the MLS Cup Champion.

How so very precedented is a format like this? The regular season champ is the champ, the MLS Cup champ is a champ and the USOC champ is kind of like a champion. You could have a domestic triple, a domestic double or three separate trophy winners. That is just fine by me. We are often accused of being to Anglocentric in our soccer here in the US. Well here is a situation where it works. The USOC = FA Cup. The Season champ = Premier League champ. MLS Cup winner = Carling (League) Cup.

The reason I want to keep the playoffs is that I like tournaments with all of their silly internal logic. Anyone can beat anyone on any given day and upsets happen far more frequently than during the marathon of a regular season run. The regular season does not produce undeserving champions, while it is true that tournaments do. However, this is only a problem when the tournament presents the only title to win. So keep the playoffs. Keep it all. It’s fun and entertaining and leads to debates and discussion and upsets and favorites and the whole shebang. Keep it all. Read more!

Slowly out of the shell: MLS Cup, Ireland and an Orange Future

OK, after taking this week off to mostly just troll other blogs and not comment too much on MLS or soccer in general after letting last week’s loss sink in, I do have some thoughts on a rash of topics:

(But before I begin, I have to tell you my favorite lines from anyone about events so far this week. Dan Loney, who is my absolute favorite blogger out there (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?u=7720) said that a strike or lockout in February would “put the damn in Gotterdammerung.”

Meanwhile, Bill Archer (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/blog.php?u=20531) on the Thierry Henry handball controversy “Soccer is a lot like life: it's unfair. Your heart breaks for Ireland, who've gotten the shaft in this whole deal from Day One, and after 500 or so years of misery you'd think the Irish could catch ONE break in something but I guess that's not to be.”)

(Though, an Irishwoman got to marry Playtherapy, so I guess Bill isn’t completely right on the never catching one break thing!)


As for MLS Cup predictions, I was listening this morning to an interview that Dominic Kinnear did yesterday on World Football Daily. They nailed him down on making a prediction for the final. He said that he had been wrong about every one of his predictions so far, which makes him not much worse than me, as I’m sitting on 3-7 right now, which puts me BELOW blind chance!


But even though I suck, I am going to go with the conventional wisdom here and pick LAG for almost the same reason that Kinnear did, Donovan. And while he meant the new MLS MVP (How is it that this is the FIRST time he has won that award? He is the best American outfield player ever, and there is no one even close to him on that score. Weird.), I’m not talking about Landon, who is perhaps only the second most valuable Donovan on his own team. Donovan Ricketts is going to keep that team in the game. The LAG back line is going to be tested by a strike force that partners much better than Ching and Oduro (or Ching and Landin, more on that later), with speed, creativity and power in the attack. However, frustration will mount as Ricketts pulls their ass out of the fire over and over and over again. It’s always dangerous to place everything on a keeper, but the combo of Ricketts and LAG being so quick in transition means that RSL will be back on their heels after each miss or save from the Jamaican.

Everyone loves Nick Rimando and I count myself in that group, but we all know that Rimando has his flaws and can be fooled and wrong-footed just as often as he can be spectacular. As much as I am rooting for RSL to take the upset win, I will not predict it. LAG wins their third star 2-0. (And no, I do NOT fancy them winning a third star before Dynamo. I am not happy about that and Hainault’s goal should have counted and we should not even be HAVING this freakin’ conversation since with two power outages and a ridiculous call we’re sitting at home and tell me what the frak was the difference in all the banging and falling down in the box between Hainault’s goal and Berhalter’s anyway?!!!? What a CROCK!!...

Ummmm. Hmmm. Wound still fresh I guess.

Where was I?


Oh yeah, Ireland and the Hand of Frog. You know, I don’t blame Thierry Henry at all, not one bit. You play to the whistle and that’s that. If the ref didn’t call it, then that’s where the Ire of Eire should fall. He was his usual classy self after the game when he said that it was indeed a hand ball (contrast that to Maradona’s comments in 1986. What a puerco.), but that he was not the ref. There were four things that happened on that play, any one of which should have called it back. Two French players were offsides (though not Henry), and Henry touched the ball twice, once on his upper arm and once with his hand, bang-bang. I can understand the AR and ref being blocked from the handball, but the AR was not blocked from the offsides. And if he was, how could that have been true? It was a free kick. If you’re not positioned to make an offsides call on a free kick into the box, where the hell are you?


I do not agree that the game should be replayed. Anelka was clearly taken down by Shay Given in the box earlier in the game, which should have been a penalty. No call there, so where exactly is the FIFA conspiracy to get France in and Ireland out? However, ultimately justice is served if (A) that crew does not work FIFA matches anymore and (B) some form of technology review is implemented. It does not have to be like the debacle that is replay review in American pointyball. It could be a simple, simple, no more than 30-second review by a fifth official (or by the fourth official because if he’s not waving in a sub or signaling time remaining, what exactly is he doing over there?) in certain situations that lead to a goal. Kinnear mentioned that in his interview, as have many others. Replay is not evil, but it can be implemented poorly. Avoid that and you can use that power for the good.


On to the Orange, I absolutely agree with many that Dynamo will have an overhaul in 2010. Clark is almost certainly gone, which the team announced earlier this week. I think it’s about 60 percent (maybe more?) certain the Goalden One is gone as well in January. Holden might just stay because of his roots here in Houston, close to his family and he didn’t exactly set Denmark on fire with his performance there on Wednesday. However, he did make MLS Best XI, which I find to be a little surprising, and has established himself as among the favorites to go to South Africa. We’ll see what January brings, but I think it’s safe to say that he’s possibly gone as well.

So where does that leave us? I think it best to assume both are gone, which leaves us with options like this:

Ching-Landin-Weaver-Oduro-Thompson
Mullan-Cameron-Davis-Mulrooney-Cruz-Ashe
Hainault-Robinson-Boswell-Chabala-Barrett-Mulrooney-Waibel
Onstad-Hall

Starting at the way back, Tally Hall has proved himself this year to be a more than capable replacement eventually for Onstad, should he ever decide to remove his age-defying Ring of Power and throw it into Mount Doom. For the first offseason that I remember, replacing Onstad is a settled issue.

Moving up, I think Wade Barrett is through. If John Spencer gets one of these head coaching jobs (and I’ve said all along that DC United is a perfect fit for him. Pity poor De Rosario that he has to play for that punk Preki now. That honeymoon is going to last until maybe President’s Day. Playing at home has not exactly been a bed of roses for Dwayne, now has it?), then I think Barrett would be an ideal pick to replace him on the bench next to Kinnear.


Of course, that leaves us with Hainault, Eddie, Little Boswell and Chabala. I do not include Cameron here because even though he was an MLS Best XI as a center back this year, with Eddie back and the hole we have in midfield, Geoff, with his speed, toughness and range moves up to holding midfielder. That drops Mulrooney and his shaky health back to defense. But where does he play? Clearly, the opportunity is at Chabala’s spot. Chewie has all kinds of pace, and had maybe his best game as a pro in the return leg against Seattle, but his passing leaves a hell of a lot to be desired. Work on that, and he’s a stud. Waibel, sad to say, is also pretty much done, though he might be valuable as a part-timer like this year.


Midfield without Holden and Clark is not exactly a disaster with the cast of characters I’ve got listed there. Cameron will be a great holding mid in this league, maybe equal to and with a better passing touch than Rico. He clearly needs to work on his dribbling skills, as he overruns the ball on occasion, but hey, he’s only been in this league for two years and is already an MLS Best XI. If South Africa was coming in 2011 instead of 2010, he’d be getting some serious run for national team play.


Davis in the middle is where he always wants to be anyway, and where he winds up playing most of the time. Just go ahead and put him there. A left-footed CAM could be a force there. He’s a better distributor than Holden, though not quite what DeRo was. And he’s not afraid to pull the trigger on a shot (unlike Holden). Playtherapy and I thought that Davis was the best player in orange at the HDC last week. He has creativity, great delivery and a deadly shot. With Holden gone, CAM is his role.

On the wings we have the fearsome threesome of Mullan, Danny Cruz and Corey Ashe. Cruz, when he played, was fearless and had an impressive work rate over there. He was a terror when the joke that is Thomas Rongen played him in the U-20 World Cup this summer in Egypt. He is exactly like Brian Mullan, and is benefiting greatly from having Mulls as his teacher. Same for Corey Ashe, who credits Mulls with helping him develop his cross. So we have three players for these two spots, which I think is at least one less than we need.

Midfield depth is an area of great need. I don’t think either Mulrooney or Mullan can get through an entire season without injury, though Dynamo will be playing far less games next year with no CONCACAF in either the spring or fall (I think that’s right, isn’t it?). I think they’ll probably be in SuperLiga (if they play that tournament) and put in their usual half-hearted USOC run, so there may be some fixture congestion in the summer, but nothing like what we’ve seen the last few years. Danny Cruz is good, but I doubt he’ll be an effective full-time starter just yet. Ashe is a great sub, but I question his effectiveness over a full 90. Sometimes he's fantastic, and sometimes not. Still, he is getting better and better and I think would have been a strong player in the playoffs if he had not gotten hurt in the Rayados friendly.

This team needs a creative and powerful midfielder to complement this corps. If Holden stays, he’s that guy. If not, then this is a serious hole needing filling between now and April. Jon Michael Hayden and Eric Ustruck are in-house choices, and both looked good at times in CONCACAF and USOC games, but neither seem to be setting any worlds on fire, so I think it’s best not to plan on them being the answer to any questions any time soon.


Up top, oh boy. Another offseason, another set of questions about how to fix the Dynamo attack. Ching is another year older and just had surgery on Wednesday on his knee. Minor surgery, but still. I believe Luis Angel Landin will be an impact player in the league next year, training with this team from Day One, fit and in the flow. He is the best ball-handler on the squad, bar none. If you didn't, you should have seen what Mister 3D and I saw in the Seattle game. For a guy nursing a bad knee, he left it all out there. Now, it’s also true he was awful at the HDC. No question there. I just think that by Memorial Day we’ll know, but there’s plenty there to like. His touch, positioning and presence are impressive to say the least. Two months is not enough time, especially if he’s hurt for a significant part of that time, to assess this guy.

Oduro needs to go. I think we’ve now seen the best we’ll ever see from Dominic Oduro (the Seattle game), as well as the worst (every other game). The pace is great and until he develops a finishing touch, he is a late-game sub stretching a tired defense with amazing pace. Ask anything more from him and you might as well install protective glass in front of the stands on either side of the field because there is not a goalmouth wide enough for this guy. Now I might very well be wrong here, as I didn’t see his Seattle performance coming at all. But we learned in LA not to expect that performance from him. And that’s the deal, when you’ve got someone in his role and with his pace, a solid performance SHOULD be expected. If he can’t deliver, then sayonara, you’re better off without him. With his pace, he’s going to get the ball, and in dangerous areas. Constantly getting it to him there and having him fail throws off and misshapes Dynamo’s entire attack.

Cam Weaver possibly could be a Nate Jaqua type, and if he stays healthy, could provide solid, solid play when Ching heads to South Africa in the summer (assuming he does). I think Weaver, who’s still pretty young, could be the heir apparent to Ching as target forward. Abe Thompson is a sub and that’s all he’ll ever be.


So clearly, help up top is a need. Ching-Landin and Weaver-Landin are the top two choices right now with Oduro as a late sub and Abe Thompson as an even iffier sub. That brings up major ifs and buts, especially about Landin. If he’s a true bust, then Dynamo are screwed and a midseason replacement becomes crucial. Replacing Oduro and adding another forward with pace and presence would be ideal. Conor Casey is apparently very unhappy in Colorado (who wouldn't be?). How great would he look in Orange?

I am not conversant enough about options that are out there to know who can fill those roles, but I do know that Dynamo right now, even without Holden and Clark, are a playoff-caliber squad in MLS. Though of course, just being playoff-caliber is not the goal. The talent triumvirate of Luck-Canetti-Kinnear, Inc. have their work cut out for them. They don't have the problems some clubs have (Did I mention Colorado?), and that is all to the good, but there are serious issues out there to be addressed to be sure.

The offseason is going to be a long one and the tendency is to jump to conclusions. But just hold solid and have faith. By this time next year we could be looking at both work on the construction site that is Dynamo Park and an impending MLS Cup. Orange-colored glasses, you are my friend. Read more!

Orange I have been, Orange I am and Orange I shall remain

Regardless of this result, regardless of any strange non-goal goals, regardless of anything, I remain



Absent the Hainault goal, the result was a well-fought one and deserved, just really, really not what I wanted.

More to be written on this at another date. For now, I sleep late tomorrow and the offseason begins. Read more!

Orange in the stars

I was starting to write a long piece on magical thinking and sending orange-colored positive waves westward for tonight's game. Then I read the stories in the Chron today (listing of the stories and Bernardo's blog post here) about how the entire world seems aligned against Dynamo in favor of the Galaxy, including Alexi Lalas (which actually fills me with something like relief. When that guy picks your team, you know you're in trouble.) And you know what I have to say to that?

Well, take a look at that picture there, and instead of a sunrise, imagine a moonrise.

As a long-committed magical thinker, I have often looked to superstitions and portents when it came to important events in my life, like say the births of my children, engagement to the my wife and (equal in importance here?), major Dynamo games.

So this morning, I was looking at the predawn sky, and one thing I picked out was the spot where M31, the Great Galaxy in Andromeda, lay. I looked over to the Big Dipper and found several more galaxies. Looking at my star chart I saw the presence of many, many more galaxies and know from just a cursory understanding of astronomy and the universe that anywhere I look, if I looked hard enough and with the right equipment, I would find that the sky was suffused with galaxies. They are everywhere on the sky.

And then, faintly, almost imperceptibly on the east, came a slight glow. Before I knew it the eastern horizon was awash in color, and one color in particular.

Orange.

An orange that blotted out the view of all galaxies, everywhere.

Of course, it's a sunrise and it happens every day, yadda, yadda, yadda. But I know an omen when I (want to) see one. Orange wins, Galaxy loses.

This brings up the subject of superstitions, good luck charms, etc. We all have them. I have a set ritual for home games, and when I alter it, I walk into Robertson Stadium far more nervous than perhaps I should be. For road games, I have had a hard time developing much in the way of a ritual because there are so many different situations in which I will watch a road game. But here's the deal, this morning, I'm looking for something appropriate to wear for today at work as I wait and wait and wait for the game to begin tonight. And what do I find? A completely unused and unworn Dynamo T-shirt from 2007 that had slid back behind the other shirts. This shirt has one star on it, but most importantly, the last time Dynamo were in a Western final, THIS WAS WHAT THEY WORE! And what happened? Let's all look here in the Way Back Machine below and see:



Wow. Nice. I think I like what I see there.

More good signs and lines I am finding around the interwebs:

The Keeper: Tonight the Galaxy have a date with destiny ... or should we say a date with A DYNASTY! Our Dyna-men know what it's like to win at Away Depot Center ... a win tonight and they'll be headed to the MLS Cup next weekend in Seattle.

Away Depot Center. Nice.

Fallas' prediction in the Chron: Dynamo 2-1.

Commenter on Ives: Matchups aside I think Houston's resiliency comes through and Houston wins the match. Also, I think Seattle is better than LA and Houston really controlled that series. I see a 1-0 Houston win.


My prediction: Despite the fact that I am a mere 3-5 in the playoffs so far in predictions, just one game less than random chance would provide, I continue on unabated, secure in my knowledge that I am 2-0 in postseason Dyna-games.

Dynamo 2-1. I'm going with Bernardo.

And oh by the way, did anyone else notice that the Chron today had an extensive front page treatment of the game, as well as making it THE major feature in the Sports section. Huge kudos.

LA Times? Check out the main page online here. Notice something missing? Like ANY MENTION AT ALL, EVEN ONE, OF THE GAME TONIGHT? Now by the time you look at it, the page may change, but at 12:42 p.m. Central, 10:42 a.m. Pacific, the LA Times main page is completely silent about the biggest game in their coverage area today. There's a story about Miguel Cotto, about the Lakers (natch) and another about the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cincinnati Bengals?

It's worth saying again about how much better Houston is as a soccer town than just about everywhere else in the United States.

In the other semifinal (Oh yeah, that.) I like RSL, I like Jason Kreis. I like that team, really I do. And when their offseason begins late Saturday night, they should be able to start a project to be a force in this league in 2010. But earlier Saturday evening, Chicago wins 2-0. Not much drama there. Read more!