Just for kicks, I've been thinking the past few days about what I thought have been some of the biggest news stories of 2007. Here is a list that I thought of - by no means in order of importance or chronology. Just some headline grabbers:
1. The Surge/Petreas Report/Iraq
Although this has fallen from the headlines of late, I think this was probably the biggest story of the year to me. The President's decision to increase troop levels in order to provide stability to generate a political settlement; the unquestioned success of the military in acheving that increased stability/decreased violence; Gen. Petraus and Ambassador Crocker testifying solely to the security side of the equasion; and finally, the Bush Administration, politicians, and the mainstream media completely ignoring the fact that, again, our military's steller success is being squandered by politicians who are unable to find settlement.
2. The '08 Presidential Nomination Campaigns
It's been a fun race with a surprising number of contenders for the nomination in both party's keeping the race wide open.
3. Iran
Both the increasing leverage and threat Iran poses as a legitimate regional hedgmon, and the intelligence community's surprising uprising against the Bush Administrations drum-beat to war on a third front.
4. Upheaval in Pakistan/Bhutto Assination
Pakisatan was already devolving, led by a military dictator ditinguishable from Sadaam Hussein only in degrees. The assination of Bhutto was tragic to a new middle class seeking legitimate democracy. The Bush Administration once again demonstrates its utter incompetence and lack of wisdom by un-hedged support of an anti-democratic dictator.
5. Resurgance of the Taliban in Afghanistan
Fueled by drug profits that the Bush Administration (in an all too familiar refrain) does not have the competence or intelligence to curtail, the Taliban and Al Queada is finding renewed strength in Afghanistan, where the US troops are stretched thin by the Surge in Iraq.
6. Mortgage madness/Sub-prime lending mess
I'm not convinced this will end up being as bad for the average American as the "If it Bleeds it Leads" media's bold-typed headlines would indicate, but there is no question that financial mismanagement and over-reaching has taken its toll on some of Wall Streets biggest firms.
7. The VT Shootings
Just a tragedy that defies explanation.
8. Oil Prices
With all the volitility in the world, this should not come as a surpise, but it flat out does come with upside. The higher oil prices reach, the more cost-efficient research into alternative fuels and alternative transportation becomes.
9. The Final Chapter of Harry Potter
It was somewhat sad, to me, to read the conclusion of this wonderful series. I've enjoyed every moment of it, and will probably continue to do so long into the future through re-readings.
10. Baseball's Steroid Scandal/Bonds' homerun record
Just ugly. The Mitchell report was damning, but it feels more like the closing chapter on a nasty era than the beginning of anything. And Bonds got his HR record, but received as little media attention (for the record) as could possibly be imagined.
11. AG/AG - The Improbable rise, and Cataclysmic Fall of Alberto Gonzalez
Just a mess of an Attorney General, Bush's fiercest Yes-Man could not withstand the cascading pressure of scandal after scandal after scandal after scandal.
12. Houston Dynamo Repeat as MLS Champions
Okay, this is much more local, and just a personal favorite, but to me, the improbale journey of this team from mediocre, at best, to repeast MLS Champs was really amazing. I've never supported a champion in any sport - and now I get two back-to-back. It's great, and it's all the better to support an organization that builds its team as a team, and players who really do define hard-working, team-first attitude. Good on you Dynamo - let's get another next year!
Showing posts with label Dynamo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dynamo. Show all posts
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, September 09, 2007
MLS has a serious problem...
We were able to attend the Dynamo vs. Real Salt Lake match last night - the first Dynamo match myself or my family have been able to make in over a month. It turned out to be a very exciting match - four Dynamo goals with a hattrick by Nate Jaqua, and a late comeback by Salt Lake to see a final score of 4-3. It's not everyday you see a seven goal soccer match.
I realize that I am quite biased, but when the Dynamo are playing their best, they seem almost a cut above MLS. They have times of really beautiful soccer where they just slice the opposing team apart with quick, creative passing and smart runs. It really is fun to watch as a fan. Last night, for about an hour, they played like that. Given - RSL is the worst team in MLS, and have been for their 3 years in the league. But the Dynamo have shown that class in other games, against much better teams - a 4-0 victory over Chivas USA on a Thursday night springs to mind. Last night, I think the fourth goal (Jaqua's third) was evidence of the Dynamo at their best. Ricardo Clark took possession in midfield and played a quick, aggressive ball up to Dwayne DeRosario just to the outside and left of center of the penalty area. DeRosario turned nicely on it, and looked as if he might move to the center - but instead very quickly played the ball forward to the left, where Corey Ashe came running on it and played an early cross perfectly - it was a thing of beauty - to Jaqua storming in to the area. Jaqua very simply placed the ball in the back of the net for the goal. It was very fast, it was quick, one touch passing (there were a total of five touches from Clark to the goal - Clark's pass, DeRo's turn, his pass, Ashe's cross, the finish), it made RSL really look like amateurs - AND, it looked so simple. That's Houston at their best. If they can get healthy and harness that beautiful game for 90 minutes a night, they have a serious shot at defending the MLS Cup this year.
Having said all that - and watched a pretty exciting MLS match last night - MLS has a genuinely serious problem: The officiating in MLS is shamefully poor. No, I'm not just a fan railing about the bad calls his team gets. RSL got as many bad calls last night as the Dynamo, if not more. In fact, my concern isn't even due exclusively to Houston matches. I tend to watch quite a bit of soccer. Almost every MLS match I watch stands out because the officials are so poor - they are inconsistent, they do not keep tempers properly in check (which invariably leads to things getting chippy later), they consistently miss off-sides calls (both ways), and more than anything else - they just stand out. I've recently noticed that when watching English, or Italian, or Argentinean, or International soccer, I rarely if ever even notice the officiating crew. That is the way it is supposed to be. If they are doing their job professionally, they do not stand out, do not take away from the match.
MLS officials are rarely that way. The officials have simply not kept up to the professional standard of the league. The standard of play in MLS has grown by leaps and bounds over the past 12 years, the standard for the officiating has not. MLS leaders better take some steps to bring some professionalism to their officials, or this league will never achieve the respect it is pursuing.
I realize that I am quite biased, but when the Dynamo are playing their best, they seem almost a cut above MLS. They have times of really beautiful soccer where they just slice the opposing team apart with quick, creative passing and smart runs. It really is fun to watch as a fan. Last night, for about an hour, they played like that. Given - RSL is the worst team in MLS, and have been for their 3 years in the league. But the Dynamo have shown that class in other games, against much better teams - a 4-0 victory over Chivas USA on a Thursday night springs to mind. Last night, I think the fourth goal (Jaqua's third) was evidence of the Dynamo at their best. Ricardo Clark took possession in midfield and played a quick, aggressive ball up to Dwayne DeRosario just to the outside and left of center of the penalty area. DeRosario turned nicely on it, and looked as if he might move to the center - but instead very quickly played the ball forward to the left, where Corey Ashe came running on it and played an early cross perfectly - it was a thing of beauty - to Jaqua storming in to the area. Jaqua very simply placed the ball in the back of the net for the goal. It was very fast, it was quick, one touch passing (there were a total of five touches from Clark to the goal - Clark's pass, DeRo's turn, his pass, Ashe's cross, the finish), it made RSL really look like amateurs - AND, it looked so simple. That's Houston at their best. If they can get healthy and harness that beautiful game for 90 minutes a night, they have a serious shot at defending the MLS Cup this year.
Having said all that - and watched a pretty exciting MLS match last night - MLS has a genuinely serious problem: The officiating in MLS is shamefully poor. No, I'm not just a fan railing about the bad calls his team gets. RSL got as many bad calls last night as the Dynamo, if not more. In fact, my concern isn't even due exclusively to Houston matches. I tend to watch quite a bit of soccer. Almost every MLS match I watch stands out because the officials are so poor - they are inconsistent, they do not keep tempers properly in check (which invariably leads to things getting chippy later), they consistently miss off-sides calls (both ways), and more than anything else - they just stand out. I've recently noticed that when watching English, or Italian, or Argentinean, or International soccer, I rarely if ever even notice the officiating crew. That is the way it is supposed to be. If they are doing their job professionally, they do not stand out, do not take away from the match.
MLS officials are rarely that way. The officials have simply not kept up to the professional standard of the league. The standard of play in MLS has grown by leaps and bounds over the past 12 years, the standard for the officiating has not. MLS leaders better take some steps to bring some professionalism to their officials, or this league will never achieve the respect it is pursuing.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
1836
Houston 1836.
That's the name of Houston's new MLS soccer club. I think that the name and colors are a very bold statement - not catering to the "market-research-focus-group" trends, but classy, classic, and ... well ... bold. It took some courage to go with a name reflecting the history and foundation of the city of Houston, and to go with orange - neither are instantly popular nor easily accepted. But, I think, both will grow on folks and build a very distinctive soccer brand in Houston and the U.S.
It is very exciting that this is all actually about to happen - camp opens on Feb. 1, and the season kicks off on Apr. 1. We almost there - It's About Time!
Thursday, January 12, 2006
MLS Houston
Now that we have an MLS team here in town - although we've got no name just yet - I thought I would go over a very brief history of the franchise, and spend a little time looking at the team we've got coming to town.
First off, the new Houston soccer club is the relocation of the old San Jose Earthquakes franchise. San Jose were an original member of MLS back in 1996, joining the league as the San Jose Clash. They spent the first few seasons as one of the worst franchises in the league (the positions below are total in league, not finishing playoff positions):
1996: 7th (of 10)
1997: 10th (of 10)
1998: 10th (of 12)
1999: 7th (of 12 - but missed playoffs due to 5th in West)
2000: 12th (of 12) - this is also the season that he franchise was re-branded as the Earthquakes
But then things got turned around...much due to a young 19 year-old kid by the name of Landon Donovan. In 2001, the Quakes finished 3d in the league overall (out of 10), and won the playoffs to raise their first MLS Cup, defeating their arch-rival LA Galaxy 2-1 in the Cup final.
The next season, 2002, the team stayed hot, finishing the regular season second in the league (out of 10), but were bounced out of the first round of the MLS playoffs.
In 2003, San Jose again finished the regular season second in the league (out of 10), but were able to crush the Supporter's Shield winner Chicago Fire in the MLS Cup final 4-2 to lift their second Cup in two years.
2004 turned into a down year for the defending champs, finishing 7th (of 10) losing once again in the first round of the MLS playoffs.
Coming off a down year, many expected the Quakes to really struggle in 2005. They had lost F/M Donovan - first to Germany, then heartbreakingly, to the LA Galaxy when Donovan came back to MLS. In addition, SJ had traded or lost many of the veteran leaders on the team for the past several years (including Richard Mulrooney, Jeff Agoos, Ronnie Ekelund, etc.). But manager Dominic Kinnear was able to keep the young team together, finishing 1st (of 12), winning the Supporter's Shield (regular season champion), and Kinnear himself took home coach-of-the-year honors. The season didn't end quite as well - losing in the first round of the playoffs to the rival Galaxy. But still, a very successful season overall.
But where is the team at today as it moves to Houston? Well, first, some general notes. The team is still quite young - with only 4 of the24 members of the roster over 30 years old.
How about roster changes to date? One of the few veterans just retired last week. Mark Chung - 10 year veteran of MLS and former US Nat - called it quits on his career. He was still very effective last year - picking up 6 goals and 7 assists - and not one of the worse left sided midfielders in the league. Another off-season loss has been Danny Califf, an MLS veteran central defender. 2005 was Califf's first year with the Quakes, after having spent the previous five years of his career with the Galaxy. Califf is an occasional US nat, but he only played in 20 games (career low) last year due to injury. Califf has signed to play for a club team in Europe (I believe in Denmark) and provided excellent depth, but should not be a devastating loss for this side.
So let's take a look at the roster going into the 2006 SuperDraft at the end of this month.
GK - The starter, Pat Onstad, has been one of the better GK's in the league for the past four or five years. The Canadian national team member finished 2005 with the best goals-against average in MLS, and garnered the MLS Keeper of the Year award. So, the Houston club is pretty set in the nets. The one concern is that Onstad is getting older, he will be 38 years-old this season. Houston does not have a lot of depth at GK, with Robby Fulton - who has absolutely zero MLS experience - the only other keeper on the roster. Depth at GK is one area that will need to be addressed going into 2006.
D - The defense was one of the clear strengths of this side in 2005. The back line starts with probably the best left back in MLS, Wade Barrett. Barrett came back to MLS in 2005 after a few seasons playing in Denmark. On the right is young Kelly Gray, who came over from Chicago to kick-start his career and claimed the right-back position as his own. In the center, as noted above, the team has lost Califf, but returns solid defender Eddie Robinson, who after a couple of injury plauged seasons finally claimed a starting spot in the defense. Replacing Califf in the middle will likely be Ryan Cochrane, a rookie last year who played in 14 games (starting 6), Cochrance will have to prove that he is up to the high standard of this defense. The other defenders on the roster are primarily quite young, including: the one vet, Craig Waibel, who has been in the legaue since 2000; third year pro Chris Aloisi; second year Kevin Goldthwaite; second year Brett Rodriguez; and second year James Twellman. The unproven youth of the defense is a concern, and will need to be addressed either by acquisition, or drafting of a top-flight, can't miss defender in the draft.
M - The new Houston club will have one of the most exciting and up-and-coming central midfield pairing in MLS. Kinnear made a decision last year to move forward Dwayne DeRosario back into an attacking midfield role, and it turned out to be a perfect move. DeRosario is a Canadian international who brings excitement and big-time GOOOOOAAAALLLLLAAAAZZZZOOOOO!!!!!!!!'s to the pitch game in and game out...and he has won the MLS goal of the year honors two years in a row - including a absolutely incredible free kick strike last year that bent three different times before hitting the top corner of the net. Pairing with DeRosario in the middle is young two-way holding midfielder Ricardo Clark. Clark never really found his place in NY with the Metrostars, where he was restricted to a rightback, or exclusively defensive midfield role. But giving the freedom of playing both ways in central midfield brought about the emergence of his career, and callups to US national camps. Out on the wings, the Houston club is very strong as well. Left midfielder Brad Davis started the season as one of the hottest players in MLS after coming to San Jose from Dallas (SJ being his third team in four seasons). He even earned a call up the the national team before suffering an injury that ended the rest of his season...and also saw the acquisition of Chung who was very good for the Quakes on the left. With Chung's retirement, Davis becomes the starter once again. On the right is M/F Brian Mullan, who has speed and fitness to burn, and blazes up and down the wing. Second year defensive midfielder Danny O'Rourke, first round pick in last year's SuperDraft, provides solid depth in the middle. Ian Russell is a long time veteran providing depth on the right wing. The rest of the midfield is again, very very young with very little experience, including second year Tighe Dombrowski; second year Aaron Lanes, and second year Chris Wondolowski.
F - The big man up front for the Houston club is occasional US international Brian Ching - maybe the best target forward in MLS. Unfortunately, Ching has struggled with injury problems, missing large portions of 2003 and 2005. But when he is healthy, he is one of the most prolific goal scorers in MLS. His partner up front is generally Venzuelan Alejandro Moreno who claimed the starting spot after coming over from the LA Galaxy where he had spent the last few seasons as a super-sub. Off the bench, the team will have longtime veteran forward Ronald Cerritos, and second year Julian Nash. Foward is another area that although strong (especially when DeRosario and Mullen are considered forwards), the depth could be addressed in the offseason.
My feeling is that depth is the biggest concern for this squad - depth at keeper, defender, and forward. But, going into 2006, Houston looks to have a solid squad with which to attack its first season in MLS.
First off, the new Houston soccer club is the relocation of the old San Jose Earthquakes franchise. San Jose were an original member of MLS back in 1996, joining the league as the San Jose Clash. They spent the first few seasons as one of the worst franchises in the league (the positions below are total in league, not finishing playoff positions):
1996: 7th (of 10)
1997: 10th (of 10)
1998: 10th (of 12)
1999: 7th (of 12 - but missed playoffs due to 5th in West)
2000: 12th (of 12) - this is also the season that he franchise was re-branded as the Earthquakes
But then things got turned around...much due to a young 19 year-old kid by the name of Landon Donovan. In 2001, the Quakes finished 3d in the league overall (out of 10), and won the playoffs to raise their first MLS Cup, defeating their arch-rival LA Galaxy 2-1 in the Cup final.
The next season, 2002, the team stayed hot, finishing the regular season second in the league (out of 10), but were bounced out of the first round of the MLS playoffs.
In 2003, San Jose again finished the regular season second in the league (out of 10), but were able to crush the Supporter's Shield winner Chicago Fire in the MLS Cup final 4-2 to lift their second Cup in two years.
2004 turned into a down year for the defending champs, finishing 7th (of 10) losing once again in the first round of the MLS playoffs.
Coming off a down year, many expected the Quakes to really struggle in 2005. They had lost F/M Donovan - first to Germany, then heartbreakingly, to the LA Galaxy when Donovan came back to MLS. In addition, SJ had traded or lost many of the veteran leaders on the team for the past several years (including Richard Mulrooney, Jeff Agoos, Ronnie Ekelund, etc.). But manager Dominic Kinnear was able to keep the young team together, finishing 1st (of 12), winning the Supporter's Shield (regular season champion), and Kinnear himself took home coach-of-the-year honors. The season didn't end quite as well - losing in the first round of the playoffs to the rival Galaxy. But still, a very successful season overall.
But where is the team at today as it moves to Houston? Well, first, some general notes. The team is still quite young - with only 4 of the24 members of the roster over 30 years old.
How about roster changes to date? One of the few veterans just retired last week. Mark Chung - 10 year veteran of MLS and former US Nat - called it quits on his career. He was still very effective last year - picking up 6 goals and 7 assists - and not one of the worse left sided midfielders in the league. Another off-season loss has been Danny Califf, an MLS veteran central defender. 2005 was Califf's first year with the Quakes, after having spent the previous five years of his career with the Galaxy. Califf is an occasional US nat, but he only played in 20 games (career low) last year due to injury. Califf has signed to play for a club team in Europe (I believe in Denmark) and provided excellent depth, but should not be a devastating loss for this side.
So let's take a look at the roster going into the 2006 SuperDraft at the end of this month.
GK - The starter, Pat Onstad, has been one of the better GK's in the league for the past four or five years. The Canadian national team member finished 2005 with the best goals-against average in MLS, and garnered the MLS Keeper of the Year award. So, the Houston club is pretty set in the nets. The one concern is that Onstad is getting older, he will be 38 years-old this season. Houston does not have a lot of depth at GK, with Robby Fulton - who has absolutely zero MLS experience - the only other keeper on the roster. Depth at GK is one area that will need to be addressed going into 2006.
D - The defense was one of the clear strengths of this side in 2005. The back line starts with probably the best left back in MLS, Wade Barrett. Barrett came back to MLS in 2005 after a few seasons playing in Denmark. On the right is young Kelly Gray, who came over from Chicago to kick-start his career and claimed the right-back position as his own. In the center, as noted above, the team has lost Califf, but returns solid defender Eddie Robinson, who after a couple of injury plauged seasons finally claimed a starting spot in the defense. Replacing Califf in the middle will likely be Ryan Cochrane, a rookie last year who played in 14 games (starting 6), Cochrance will have to prove that he is up to the high standard of this defense. The other defenders on the roster are primarily quite young, including: the one vet, Craig Waibel, who has been in the legaue since 2000; third year pro Chris Aloisi; second year Kevin Goldthwaite; second year Brett Rodriguez; and second year James Twellman. The unproven youth of the defense is a concern, and will need to be addressed either by acquisition, or drafting of a top-flight, can't miss defender in the draft.
M - The new Houston club will have one of the most exciting and up-and-coming central midfield pairing in MLS. Kinnear made a decision last year to move forward Dwayne DeRosario back into an attacking midfield role, and it turned out to be a perfect move. DeRosario is a Canadian international who brings excitement and big-time GOOOOOAAAALLLLLAAAAZZZZOOOOO!!!!!!!!'s to the pitch game in and game out...and he has won the MLS goal of the year honors two years in a row - including a absolutely incredible free kick strike last year that bent three different times before hitting the top corner of the net. Pairing with DeRosario in the middle is young two-way holding midfielder Ricardo Clark. Clark never really found his place in NY with the Metrostars, where he was restricted to a rightback, or exclusively defensive midfield role. But giving the freedom of playing both ways in central midfield brought about the emergence of his career, and callups to US national camps. Out on the wings, the Houston club is very strong as well. Left midfielder Brad Davis started the season as one of the hottest players in MLS after coming to San Jose from Dallas (SJ being his third team in four seasons). He even earned a call up the the national team before suffering an injury that ended the rest of his season...and also saw the acquisition of Chung who was very good for the Quakes on the left. With Chung's retirement, Davis becomes the starter once again. On the right is M/F Brian Mullan, who has speed and fitness to burn, and blazes up and down the wing. Second year defensive midfielder Danny O'Rourke, first round pick in last year's SuperDraft, provides solid depth in the middle. Ian Russell is a long time veteran providing depth on the right wing. The rest of the midfield is again, very very young with very little experience, including second year Tighe Dombrowski; second year Aaron Lanes, and second year Chris Wondolowski.
F - The big man up front for the Houston club is occasional US international Brian Ching - maybe the best target forward in MLS. Unfortunately, Ching has struggled with injury problems, missing large portions of 2003 and 2005. But when he is healthy, he is one of the most prolific goal scorers in MLS. His partner up front is generally Venzuelan Alejandro Moreno who claimed the starting spot after coming over from the LA Galaxy where he had spent the last few seasons as a super-sub. Off the bench, the team will have longtime veteran forward Ronald Cerritos, and second year Julian Nash. Foward is another area that although strong (especially when DeRosario and Mullen are considered forwards), the depth could be addressed in the offseason.
My feeling is that depth is the biggest concern for this squad - depth at keeper, defender, and forward. But, going into 2006, Houston looks to have a solid squad with which to attack its first season in MLS.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Better Late than Never...
I have not posted in a couple of weeks now. If I had any sort of a regular readership, I'd probably be worried about that...but the past weeks have been very busy with the combination of finals, gearing up for the holidays, a really tremendous legal opportunity, and the end of my employment and accounting career.
But, in the midst of all that, last week was ONE GREAT WEEK. I've resigned my job, and will no longer be working as an accountant - but will be going to school full-time, along with several school projects on the side, and an exciting opportunity to get some actual experience. I finished up with my finals for Fall 2005. And - probably most exciting:
HOUSTON HAS AN MLS TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wonderful. Here is the website:
MLS Houston
Exciting developments. The (as yet un-named) team will play at Robertson Stadium on the campus of the University of Houston...and it is not an expansion team. The former San Jose Earthquakes are re-locating - so this is a team stocked with talent, and that finished first in the Western Division standings last year, and won MLS Cup two of the past five.
Quite a Christmas present, huh? Yes, more 'important' things have been going on the past two weeks - but this was mighty exciting to me.
But, in the midst of all that, last week was ONE GREAT WEEK. I've resigned my job, and will no longer be working as an accountant - but will be going to school full-time, along with several school projects on the side, and an exciting opportunity to get some actual experience. I finished up with my finals for Fall 2005. And - probably most exciting:
HOUSTON HAS AN MLS TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wonderful. Here is the website:
MLS Houston
Exciting developments. The (as yet un-named) team will play at Robertson Stadium on the campus of the University of Houston...and it is not an expansion team. The former San Jose Earthquakes are re-locating - so this is a team stocked with talent, and that finished first in the Western Division standings last year, and won MLS Cup two of the past five.
Quite a Christmas present, huh? Yes, more 'important' things have been going on the past two weeks - but this was mighty exciting to me.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
We're getting closer...
It looks like we may be getting closer to getting an MLS club in Houston.
MLS targets city for move of franchise
League sets deadline for San Jose
Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope this comes through. This would be great for Houston, and great for MLS. Oh, and it might be good for me too.
MLS targets city for move of franchise
Major League Soccer announced Tuesday that it has cleared the way for the San Jose Earthquakes to relocate to one of a number of potential cities, with Houston the likely destination.League commissioner Don Garber said in a prepared statement that the MLS Board of Governors granted approval to the Anschutz Entertainment Group, owner of the Earthquakes, to relocate the franchise. The decision came at a meeting Saturday in Frisco, site of the MLS Cup. Houston is the only city specifically mentioned by Garber as a possible new home.
"In order to ensure the team will have the appropriate time to prepare for the 2006 season, a final decision on the location of the team will be reached within the next 30 days," Garber said.
...
AEG president Tim Leiweke said Tuesday that the company is in the process of finalizing a move to Houston following months of evaluation and negotiations.
"We're really overwhelmed by the support and excitement we've gotten from our various options on facilities and of potential partners on an ownership group. In particular, (Houston)'s a great soccer market," said Leiweke.
He cited the success of events such as InterLiga, the Gold Cup and Mexican national team appearances at Reliant Stadium among reasons for AEG's favoring of Houston.
...
The news is encouraging to Harris County-Houston Sports Authority head Oliver Luck, who has been involved in efforts to land a soccer franchise for more than a year.
"It's clearly an important step," Luck said. "From our perspective, it's validation for what a great sports town Houston has become."
...
The Earthquakes have considered playing in at least five venues short term. Leiweke described them only as "high school or collegiate facilities."
Aside from UH's Robertson Stadium and the Cy-Fair ISD complex in northwest Houston, Rice Stadium and the Galena Park ISD complex could be in the mix, said Luck.
He wouldn't rule out the Astrodome or Reliant Stadium.
Leiweke said a decision must be made quickly.
He acknowledged that there have been negotiations with a San Jose-based group, and he suggested that if the Earthquakes don't move to Houston, the city would be first in line for an expansion team in 2007.
...
"We wouldn't have made this announcement at this point if we didn't think it was more than likely that Houston was the right place to go," Leiweke said.
League sets deadline for San Jose
Houston has long been rumored to be a possible new home of the Earthquakes, with the University of Houston's Robertson Stadium mentioned as a temporary home for the club until a soccer-specific stadium is built. Many of the Houston rumors in the past have included Mexico's Club America as a potential buyer, but Garber said Saturday that the league has not had any recent discussions with Club America.
In addition, five cities with investors interested in playing host to an MLS club had representatives in attendance at MLS Cup this weekend: Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Atlanta and Tulsa, Okla.
Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope this comes through. This would be great for Houston, and great for MLS. Oh, and it might be good for me too.
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