Well it is not often players or coaches come up with “smack”. But we might have a bit coming out of New York from the Red Bulls Dane Richards who played at San Jacinto College .
Richards is certainly grasping at motivation by saying the following about the Dynamo on artificial surface:

“That’s the good thing. They don’t like turf. Personally, I am going to try and run that left back to the ground because he don’t like the turf,” Dane Richards New York Red Bulls midfielder to Soccer by Ives.

Anytime players speak out like this it certainly can provide motivation for the opposition. In fact many coaches cringe when players say things like this. Locker room material, you bet. Now Richards went on to say that Brian Ching also doesn’t like the artificial turf.
WELL NO KIDDING DANE, FIND ME A PLAYER IN MLS THAT LIKES PLAYING ON ASTROTURF INCLUDING YOUR RED BULL TEAMMATES…..please. This may be a shot at riling up the defending champions but this could clearly back-fire.
Or maybe it just smacks of the Red Bull desperation with Seth Stammler, Jon Conway and Jeff Parke all out with injury and or suspension.
Lets face it, the Red Bulls were “gifted” the playoffs just like Houston was gifted “the Dynamo” but there is no doubt that Richards, Mike Magee, Dave Van Den Berg and Juan Pablo Angel must step up from an attacking perspective.
You better score goals New York because you are heading back to HTown………By the way, Richards it seems is shouting out to Wade Barrett……Richards , the Jamaican international did have one of his better games against the Dynamo during the regular season 3-0 win by the Red Bulls scoring a goal.
Not sure it was wise to call out the defending champions but we will see! Thoughts NY, thoughts Houston?

*Soccer fans don’t forget your soccer show is on the air tonite on Houston’s 55 at 9:30pm.
The Dynamo Soccer Report will preview the DYNAMO/RED BULLS playoff series, visit with a youth club who have allied themselves with the DYNAMO plus honor those in the community that are making STRONG youth soccer decisions and call out others.
We also take a look at some of the top plays of the MLS season plus hear from you the fan with a great viewer mailbag.
Set your vcr’s or tune in live tonite at 9:30 pm on Channel 55.

*More bad news from the NEW YORK RED BULLS camp as midfielder SETH STAMMLER one of their hardest working midfielders will be lost due to knee surgery for the series against the Dynamo. Surely this now must mean that Red Bulls manager JUAN CARLOS OSORIO has to start DANE RICHARDS formerly a player at SAN JACINTO JR. College under coach DAVE SANTESTEBAN.

*Good news from the youth community as EDDOA and PDF have both re-scheduled their volume of games on Sunday the 9th to allow youth players and parent the opportunity to attend or watch the game. Notice the word “opportunity”. This is player development and a great reminder that the top of the pyramid is professional soccer.
Now other associations must comply here and make “strong” decisions as leaders. BAYSA, HYSA and TYSA have got to step up to the plate and MAKE the decision as LEADERS in YOUTH SOCCER . Giving options is not decision making. Good decision making sometimes means some will not be happy.
Trust me when I say we need bold decision makers. If you can’t make this one happen by re-scheduling then you truly do not see the game and youth players in the big picture.
Another tip, starting planning and looking forward to the Western Conference final that the Dynamo will host if they beat NY because these will be historic moments.

* This beautiful piece of new from the Forth Worth area around youth soccer. A father in Lubbock, Texas was charged with aggravate assault with a deadly weapon after pointing a gun at the head of a coach’s husband during a dispute at his son’s youth soccer game. My guess is that this was over playing time? Just a wild guess…….Fools like this must be considered criminals and banned from ever being around youth. They also should be named publicly and shamed for this abhorent behavior. It is a youth soccer game.

* DIEGO MARADONA will amazingly be in charge of the ARGENTINE national team and will debut against SCOTLAND on November 19th.
This is still mind blowing to me but he has his back covered with CARLOS BILARDO on his staff.
So one of the first things out of Diego’s mouth about this match.
“I scored a goal there, on a tour with Menotti,” said Maradona in a 3-1 friendly win for Argentina in 79 when he was playing under Cesar Menotti.
Be careful with people who constantly say “I”. Especially football managers, clear indication of the ego.

* Disappointing crowd and atmosphere last night in NE. No excuses, don’t tell me it is cold. Don’t tell me players are injured and that hurt the gate. So tired of excuses being the first thing out of everyone’s mouth. Tell me how you plan on fixing it. This also makes people wonder if the KRAFT family are just doing lip service on a new stadium more central to Boston. I love that they support the game and have a team but will they make the effort to grow the sport and the team or sit comfortably in their rent free stadium.
Great position to be in and you can continue to tell people you are diligently working on getting a stadium, great fall back position.
Incidentally, the two main players in the Houston stadium issue now are Sylvia Garcia (we need one of our own on the team) and El Franco Lee who has parks and buses emblazoned with his name all over them. What a cast of characters.
Now more than ever fans need to be making their voices heard on a stadium that will support more than just soccer.

*The Dynamo will play on Robertson Stadium a day after the UH football team plays Tulane. Football lines and a torn up surface could be the norm.
This series between NY and the Dynamo needs to be named the “We need our stadium series”. Red Bull Park is in progress while the stadium cost for the Dynamo goes up daily as city politicians are slow to move on this.

*San Jose fan, enough with the emails to me. Go back and read my articles, they never gloated in the fact that you were losing your team to Houston.
They only pointed out that this was a great soccer city for MLS soccer. Few people , myself included were happy to see your team torn away.
Get over it, you got a new team with great owners and leadership , so move on. For the record I was always sympathetic to the strong fan base in San Jose on my radio shows, tv shows etc. Let it go once a for all and start talking about Darren Huckerby and a great manager in Frank Yallop. Or better yet start a campaign to keep FRANCISCO LIMA in San Jose real quick.

* Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson recently claimed that REAL MADRID think they can get whatever they want the same way they did in the days of General Franco. Real Madrid’s president Ramon Calderon suggested Ferguson is the one who resembles a dictator….hmmmm

Give me your most beautiful thoughts on the great game of soccer.

Here is what the typical opening game in an MLS , home and home series produces. Calculated teams, little risk from the “road team” . Very rarely these games are decisive in nature and things don’t get good until game two.

*Of course these games are going to be physical in nature. For god’s sake it is the playoffs.

* I would call this game a win for NE because missing such influential players like TAYLOR TWELLMAN and STEVE RALSTON this is a huge task for STEVE NICOL and his squad to get past Chicago. The good news for the REVS is that they have now made it a one game series and we all know that a one game series means you can sometimes expect the unexpected.

* CHICAGO didn’t risk that much at the REVS predictably .

*The two teams cancelled each other out and now the FIRE have the onus them to get the expected win at home. Don’t ever count out a STEVE NICOL side even without key players.

*It is a good thing that NE has depth at the striker position. Injuries to TWELLMAN and ADAM CRISTMAN have left them with the youth of KENNY MANSALLY and KHELI DUBE……

I would expect more conservative type play in opening games. I do believe teams like New York and KC are going to need to produce more than a one goal win in their opening games if they expect to get past Houston and KC…….

*Thursday night remains a tough dilemma for MLS and last night the sparse crowd in cold weather did nothing to hype up the opening of the MLS playoffs and what in the end will be some very exciting games.

GREAT MOVE BY MLS TO CREATE THE NEW TIFFANY TROPHY TO HONOR PHILIP ANSCHUTZ WHOM WITHOUT HIS INTEREST AND FINANCIAL BACKING THERE WOULD BE NO MLS.

The Chicago Fire head to Gillette Stadium looked to avenge last year’s loss in the Eastern Conference Final to the Revolution.
The Revolution are clearly hurting in this one with the loss of key elements STEVE RALSTON and TAYLOR TWELLMAN due to injury.
They also will be without KHANO SMITH how came up with the “bonehead” play of the year trying to produce “payback” for the world to see on HERCULEZ GOMEZ of Kansas City this past weekend.
Khano truly not the most cerebral of players that is for sure. Gabriel Badilla will also miss due to red card as well.
The FIRE have a combined 9-1 scoreline over the REVS this season and are in poll position yet I am wondering how much we should take out of that result against NEW YORK a week ago?

They have the names with CHRIS ROLFE, C BLANCO and BRIAN MCBRIDE……they have self confidence while NE is seeking answers and will use tactics as a way of attempting to absorb the loss of so many key players.
They have not looked particularly good in a 4 back system but will employ it tonite supposedly.

The player to focus on right now is CHRIS ROLFE coming off a hat trick against New York. Revs must find a way to get a win at home going back to Chicago.

Economy is on the mind of everyone but how does this potentially influence MLS.
In the NHL of all of sudden we see hockey players concerned with attendance. So with record home foreclosures, job losses, and a weak stock market how will this affect Major League Soccer?
I know MLS Commissioner Don Garber has to be concerned about the next couple of years as we are as citizens. This can be turned into what I believe is a huge opportunity for MLS and it’s quality and value. Time to pound that drum of value, quality of the league, professionalism. Here in Houston the Dynamo are clearly the best professional sporting value in town bar none.
So fresh on the thoughts of MLS and economy come the Kansas City Wizards in America’s heartland offering up the good faith gesture due to economic times by lowering their prices for season ticket holders. This is the first MLS team to come out acknowledging the tough economic times.

DIEGO MARADONA TO COACH ARGENTINA

What is the fascination with MARADONA BEYOND his PLAYING career. He has been less than successful in his post playing years. Sadly battling addiction problems , irrational behavior and quite frankly looking like a comedic buffoon. So now ARGENTINA hires MARADONA to be their national team coach. Not the coach of BELIZE but the coach of one of the most successful soccer playing nations on the planet, ARGENTINA!!!!!
Not to mention his huge self absorbed EGO but this is a man that can’t manage his personal life and has no coaching success. HUGO SANCHEZ of MEXICO at least had done good work with UNAM PUMAS before being named the coach of MEXICO yet his ego crushed his attempt also.
Now apparently CARLOS BILARDO is on this staff with MARADONA which may have been the only reason that MARADONA was hired. So that BILARDO can do the actually WORK with this team. Or he is there as a safety net for MARADONA once he implodes?
I can’t see this working out and truly question the ARGENTINE FA and Julio Grondona their PRESIDENT.

DAVID BECKHAM
*The LA GALAXY and AC MILAN have come to a loan agreement with the Galaxy midfielder that becomes effective during the January transfer window. Beckham remains under contract with the Galaxy of MLS and will return to the club for training and the start of the 2009 MLS season. The two clubs have also agreed to a technical partnership yet as ALWAYS the terms of the agreement will remain confidential.

Check back later today as I put up my overviews of the playoffs…….

What are your thoughts?

Dynamo All Access with Glenn Davis last night featured MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Dynamo head man Dominic Kinnear and New York Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio.
Here what Don Garber has to say about Kroencke Sports and the Rapids challenges, Dominic Kinnear and Juan Carlos Osorio on the Red Bulls and Houston Dynamo playoff match-up.
GO TO WWW.790THESPORTSANIMAL.COM, CLICK ON PODCASTS, CLICK ON GLENN DAVIS.

Glenn weighs in on everything MLS and the possibility of the Dynamo making MLS history winning a third straight MLS Cup plus is astonished that DIEGO MARADONA is the new coach of Argentina.

POLL QUESTION: ARE THE DYNAMO WORTHY OF THE WORD “DYNASTY” NOW OR DO THEY HAVE TO WIN A THIRD STRAIGHT MLS CUP? SHOULD THEY BE REGARDED IN THE SAME VEIN AS THE HOUSTON ASTROS, HOUSTON TEXANS AND HOUSTON ROCKETS?

MLS leader Don Garber, Juan Carlos Osorio of the New York Red Bulls and Dominic Kinnear join Glenn Davis tonite on Dynamo All Access from 7-9pm on 790 The Sports Animal………the show streams live on 790thesportsanimal for those around the country.

Call in number 713-212-5790

*Playoff ticket giveaways
* Podcast available at 790thesportsanimal, click Glenn Davis

The dynasty is a rarity in sports these days.

With free agency and salary caps, fans many times barely get an opportunity to get to know players.

In the NBA, one might call the San Antonio Spurs a dynasty. In the NFL, the New England Patriots come to mind.

There are many great dynasties in the history of sports. How about the legendary Boston Celtics and Red Auerbach, the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan or the Los Angeles Lakers with Magic Johnson?

The New York Yankees would surely qualify, as would the Wayne Gretzky- led Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens on the ice. If you consider NASCAR a sport, you can also weave in Jimmie Johnson.

Here in Houston, the term dynasty might just apply to the Dynamo if they can pull off winning a third straight MLS Cup. Not only would that term apply, but the achievement would also make history because no team in MLS has accomplished that feat.

D.C. United won two straight Cups in 1996-1997, but lost the 1998 final to the Chicago Fire.

Some might even argue the degree of difficulty in winning MLS Cups has gone up with the improved standard of the league, and that is not taking anything away from United.

Some in the mainstream media might not consider the Dynamo worthy of being mentioned in the same category as the aforementioned teams, but I beg to differ as these players are as honed at their craft as are the talents of the NBA, NFL and the major leagues.

Dynamo players have represented their countries

It wasn’t artistic but it was a huge result buoyed from many young players that were in the biggest game of their lives.
The 1-1 draw in San Salvador, El Salvador leaves the Dynamo with one game to go at home in Concacaf Champions Cup and the chance to advance.
Stuart Holden got the games lone goal for the Dynamo while Firpo countered in the second half.
Sure it was choppy, sure they could have managed the game better but consider the effort of these younger players in getting the “mission accomplished” which was to draw or win to set the squad up at home on November 26 to advance in the CCC. If you can’t beat Firpo at home then you don’t deserve to advance.
Weigh in on last nights match….

Dynamo All Access tonite features head coaches DOMINIC KINNEAR of the DYNAMO and JUAN CARLOS OSORIO of the NEW YORK RED BULLS.
Tune in from 7-9 pm tonite on 790 The Sports Animal. I also have a few surprises in store for you plus we take a look at the playoffs and you the fan tell me who is prime to get to the MLS CUP FINAL. Call in number is 713-212-5790
I will also be giving away DYNAMO playoff tickets tonite.
Don’t miss this show!!!

So it is off to the CUSCATLAN STADIUM tonite for the Orange and a very important match in CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP play.
One would think this is a huge game for an EL SALVADORIAN club for the mere fact that they can advance with a win against the CHAMPIONS of the U.S.
A measuring stick type game for FIRPO, absolutely. Also a rare visit from a team from the U.S.
The Dynamo have clearly focused on Saturday afternoon’s playoff match against the NEW YORK RED BULLS leaving their top players at home.
The most experienced players heading down to SAN SALVADOR include STUART HOLDEN, COREY ASHE, PATRICK IANNI, CHRIS WONDOLOSKI and KEI KAMARA along with goalkeeper TONY CAIG.
The DYNAMO must pull of a draw or a win to stay alive in the CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP with one home date remaining against FIRPO.
UNAM PUMAS have already advanced.
The squad tonite will be coached by JOHN SPENCER . Catch the game on the FOX SOCCER CHANNEL.

*CHIVAS win SUPERCLASSICO
When the final whistle blew CHIVAS coach EFRAIN FLORES crossed himself in front of 110,000 fans at AZTECA STADIUM. The 2-1 victory is always a stand alone result for bragging rights in what is called the SUPERCLASICO. OMAR ARELLANO bagged both CHIVAS goals and despite an indifferent season up to this point the club has re-knewed hopes to get in the playoffs. Meanwhile look what a tournament like the COPA SUDAMERICA can do for a club. CHIVAS might be struggling in their league play but in this tournament they have a shot at getting to the semi-finals when they host RIVER PLATE next week. These games bring the best out in teams.
Will good results be enough to save EFRAIN FLORES job. Has the loss of OMAR BRAVO and MAZA RODRIGUEZ just been too much?
Weigh in CHIVAS fans as I know AMERICANISTA’S probably won’t after the loss. But if you are brave enough CLUB AMERICA fan tell me what is wrong with this proud organization.
Vision? Leadership? Player selection? Coaching?