Any time I go to Mexico it is a great reminder of how fervent the soccer culture is and how much room their is for it’s growth in the United States .
Signs of soccer are everywhere. Even in the largeness of Mexico City small fields are carved amongst the landscape of buildings, cars and concrete.
Media coverage is amazing and reminds us how far it has to go in the U.S. one day.
So here are a few of the hot topics as of late.
Of course player movement at this time of the year takes the top priority and here are some of the key moves as of late:
*Jared Borgetti has come back from somewhere in the Middle East to sign with Cruz Azul. Just a reminder that moves to the Middle East are all about grabbing a quick buck. Nobody ever wants to stay there long term with their families and that is the reason Borgetti says he is returning. He also made it clear that unless he produces this will be his last season. Looking forward to seeing him team up with Chelito Delgado who also says he is Euro-bound if possible next summer. So much for seeing him in MLS.
*Cuauhtemoc Blanco- caught him on some cheesy comedy show the other night basically being humiliated to some degree by the two hosts. Don’t you just love how media and personalities just thirst off each other.
*Kikin Fonseca-wanted $140,000 a month from Club America according to his agent father. He is headed back to Benfica in Portugal where he reminds us he is well respected and loved. So much that he tried to carve out a better deal back in Mexico. Money talks just ask Oswaldo Sanchez who left Chivas and is now at Santos.
*Lots of interliga talk down here with Club America wanting to use this tournament to get back on track and into Copa Libertadores. Tigres and Rayados will be a can’t miss night at Robertson this week.
*Jorge Campos reminds us that Hugo Sanchez will look towards youth and not be influenced by the press or ‘name’ players.

These guys know their soccer.

It’s the Dynamo against Puntarenas. It’s the U.S. vs. Costa Rica.
A chance for MLS to gain credibility. A chance for the Dynamo to gain credibility.
Do we realize only the Dynamo and DC United have meaningful international competition in front of them?
Fans this is rare.
Sadly this game most likely will not be played at UH, lost is a distinct home field advantage for the Dynamo. Also lost most likely in the general sports media is the seriousness of this match.
Dynamo knock off Puntarenas then they get a shot a Pachuca which is even a higher profile match.
According to Dynamo team president Oliver Luck their are the options of playing the Puntarenas match in the valley possibly Corpus Christi or McCallen, at Texas AM ,UH or even Butler Stadium on South Main.
Now back in the day playing for the Houston Dynamos (notice the plural) we played teams like Sheffield United, Guadalajara, Linfield of Ireland, as well as Ft. Lauderdale in the USL Finals and I can tell you unless dimension changes have been made this is a small field which just might suit Dominic Kinnear and the Dynamo.
The winner of the Concacaf Champions Cup gets to go to the World Club Championship’s and a shot at playing for instance a Barcelona like Club America of Mexico recently got.
This is important stuff and sadly a smaller venue is going to make it look amateurish just underscoring the need of a new stadium.

Four teams in MLS next year will have artificial surface: Real Salt Lake, Toronto, New York, and New England.
Playing in the Eastern Conference means you will easily play the majority of your schedule on the fake stuff since Real Salt Lake is the only Western Conference team using it.
Now mind you it is far better than the stuff I played on back in 1983 in the Pontiac Silverdome but lets face it.
The game is far less watchable on an artificial surface and few players endorse playing on it.
For front office personel it is tough to sell a product that plays all it’s games on artificial surface.
Can you imagine if the Houston Dynamo had to play on artificial surface this past season. One would even have to wonder if they would have had the season they did with Brian Ching playing on a beat up knee. Artificial surface in Houston during 90 degree to 100 degree weather?
Players need to start stocking up on the liquid glucosamine (by the way it works) for the new year.
Playing on natural grass was a monster move pulled off by Oliver Luck and Houston fans will have to remind themselves that this was a significant happening in the one year history of the MLS Cup Champion Dynamo.

It is with great disapointment that we had to call off tonite’s Cancer Awareness match.
My thanks to all who helped spread the word about the game and all who committed to play in it.
All in the media a heartfelt thank you for your help in creating awareness.
A number of players visited the Texas Childrens Hospital on Wednesday and I can only say each and every visit there has a profound effect on me and I am sure the players yesterday.
Happy Holidays to all and thank you for the support of this great cause.
Glenn

Players were banned for between two and 12 months for their various parts in the disturbance.

Former Southampton forward Agustin Delgado, who has played in two World Cups for Ecuador, was banned for a year for his role.

Subsequently, Delgado apologised for taking part in the melee in which he was filmed kicking and punching opponents.

The player claimed he was provoked by opponents who he said targeted his injured leg.

The flare-up occurred in LDU’s 1-1 draw at home to Barcelona, with the latter team suffering injuries to four players as a result of the brawl.

What: Soccer Match for Cancer Awareness

Where: Pin Oak Middle School (for directions go to www.BellaireSoccerClub.org)

When: 7:30 Pm tonite

Tonite will be a special night. Last year I came up with idea of a soccer match for awareness.
A game where all in our rich soccer community could come together and celebrate all’s contributions and passion around a sport that so many here in Houston are connected to.
Fast forward. After visiting a friend of mine who was a patient at the Texas Childrens Cancer Center and meeting the amazing staff and doctors I was asked to get involved. For me it was simple.
Make the game a game promoting cancer awareness.
MLS players have come to play in support of the event along with ex-pro’s and top amateur and college stars.
Yesterday MLS players Chris Gbandi, Arturo Alvarez, Stuart Holden, Josh Gardner, Craig Waibel, and Davey Arnaud joined me as we visited patients at the Texas Childrens Hospital. The MLS players were awesome and the children and staff awe inspiring.
An event we will never forget.
Some facts:
*Texas Childrens Cancer Center is the largest pediatric cancer and hematology program in the U.S.
*Patients come from Texas and 34 other states and countries.
*In 1960, the overall survival rate for children with cancer was only 10 percent(a virtual death sentence). Today, more than 70 percent survive.
Special thanks: Dr. Poplack, Dr. Thompson, Lisa Heresford at Texas Childrens Hospital.
Pat Ankney, Tom Mitchell, Steve Long for all your help at the Bellaire Soccer Club.
Bill McDonald at Strake Jesuit for arranging for PA
Soccer 4 All for donating uniforms
All who have spread the word about the game and who will show up tonite.
Most importantly the awesome staff at the Texas Childrens Hospital whose selfless nature is amazing and inspiring!
All the courageous patients and their families!!!
I know I have missed some people here so please forgive me.

Happy Holidays

Glenn Davis

Recreativo knocked off giants Real Madrid on the road at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium 3-0 today.
Now clearly a Fabio Capello influence has been felt by the ‘Galacticos’ but this defeat bordered on embarrassing.
Goals from Pongolle 35th, Uche 52nd, and a stunning free kick from Viqueira in the 90th minute sealed the win on a day of mourning for Recreativo who lost three supporters in a bus crash.
In Italy Inter Milan defeated Lazio 2-0 behind goals from Esteban Cambiasso and Marco Materazzi for their fifth consecutive shutout as they remain atop of the Serie A. They did it with ten men following Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s second yellow card and sending off.
Locally Davey Arnaud of Nederland and the Kansas City Wizards got the phone call to come into U.S. National team camp but impending surgery on his knee has cost him his chance this time.
Arnaud still had the time along with other MLs players to visit the Texas Childrens Hospital with me today.
Now that is class.

U.S. National team coach Bob Bradley has selected Dynamo players Eddie Robinson, Brian Mullan , and Ricardo Clark for the upcoming January training camp roster that will begin workouts on January 4.
The group will be preparing for the U.S.A.’s first games of 2007 vs. Denmark on Jan. 20 .
Two out of three starting Dynamo midfielders eligible for the U.S. National team were selected reminding us of the strength that the MLS Cup Champions have in that area of the field.
Defender Eddie Robinson also was selected and will bid along with his teammates to make an impression in a time of opportunity at the international level with such stalwarts as Eddie Pope, Claudio Reyna, and Brian Mcbride retiring after the last World Cup.
All proven entities at the MLS level the talented four have will look to make an impression during this national team cycle that leads to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The selections are great reward for the Dynamo and the city of Houston.