The University of Houston is trying to be a more ambitious university according to an editorial today in the Houston Chronicle.
The school has 29,000 undergrads and 7000 graduate students and they come from all walks of life and from lots of diverse background.
Amazingly the school likes to tout it’s international student base but fails to even have the international sport of soccer.
Yes, they have a womens program under Susan Bush at the NCAA division 1 level but one gets the message that the program is a stepchild in the sports hierarchy at the University under AD Dave Maggard.
Their is a mens club team coached by former American University division 1 player Michael Grinsfelder who played at Cy-Falls and is currently in law school.
So why does this University not embrace mens soccer in one of the top soccer cities in the country and use it as a vehicle of promotion to attract top student athletes?
It is almost criminal in that many just seem out of touch yet as quoted in the article, UH president Renu Khator wants to attract talent.
“And we want to attract talent. When households in Louisiana or New Jersey or India are discussing colleges, I want them to think ‘Houston”. We’re a global city. We ought to be a magnet,” said Khator.
Khator says 100 million a year in private donations is the goal with it currently at 37 million.
Soccer at the mens division 1 level would bring more attention to this university than they realize and relative to the investment they will get a fantastic return.
Each and every year top mens soccer players head out of Houston to get education around the country. They are talented, intelligent and great advertisments for their universities.
UH would do itself a favor to get on the ball. I am hoping for the day an alum will come in with millions and ask for mens division 1 soccer to be included.
Gender equity is not an excuse, the university is missing out and so are others like Rice, Texas and Texas AM. And they call themselves international universities………

It is not often that you see a player score four goals in a game. Total rarity. But in the English Premier League to boot?
Best coaches , best tactics, best players. A great lesson that mistakes remain a part of some of the most memorable matches that the game serves up.
Arsenal behind four goals from Andre Arshavin waltzed in to Anfield and took a point off of Liverpool and if Manchester United gets a win against relegated threatened Portsmouth today they will go three points clear of Liverpool.
Amazing how much space Arshavin finds in this game……On another note I was saddened like many to see Dikembe Mutombo go down with a career ending knee injury last night.
The Rockets brought this guy back to spell Yao Ming but to also galvanize a locker room which he did. Did you see his team rallying around him after he hit the deck?
In an era that has it’s share of self serving athletes like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez what an absolute breath of fresh air Mutombo has been.
He has tirelessly worked to build a hospital back in Africa among other charitable events but it is more than that. It is the way he conducts himself, deals with the media and clearly has genuine concern for his fellow humans. Now here is a man that I would like to talk to, to listen to and absorb his outlook.
In an era where athletes stick their names on charitable events and don’t really work at them, where rock stars salivate at the mouth to get PR playing in a benefit concert, this guy is the real deal and doing it for the right reasons. Mutombo you are a “real” man.

The crazed scoring summary looked like this:

Arshavin- Arsenal 36th
Torres-Liverpool 49th
Benayoun-Liverpool 56th
Arshavin- Arsenal 67th
Arshavin-Arsenal 7oth
Arshavin-Arsenal 90th
Benayoun- Liverpool 90th

What are your thoughts on this crushing blow to Liverpool and Arshavin’s four goal day?

The podcast of Dynamo All Access with Glenn Davis is up at 790 the Sports Animal, click podcasts, click Glenn Davis and listen to your heart’s content.
Pat Onstad has interesting thoughts on what went through his head after the penalty kick was awarded in the Dynamo/Rapids game this past Sunday.

Guests: Pat Onstad Houston Dynamo goalkeeper
Geoff Cameron-Dynamo defender
Dominic Kinnear -Dynamo manager
Tyrone Marshall- Seattle Sounders defender
Gustavo Rangel-Rumbo

Lots of good information on this show and lots of great “fanaticos” calling in on a variety of subjects.

EPL IN ACTION
The EPL is in action today as a depleted Arsenal visit Anfield to take on Liverpool.
Arsenal is without striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin Van Persie.
Tomorrow it is Manchester United home to Portsmouth and Chelsea home to Everton which ironically is the F.A. Cup Final in a few weeks time.

RESERVE GAME SHOULD BE VERY INTERESTING
The Dynamo will take on the Laredo Heat PDL squad in a reserve match this Saturday morning at Robertson Stadium.
What is interesting about this is that alot of regulars will be getting playing time in this game. Dominic Kinnear is slated to get minutes for new signings defender Andrew Hainault and striker Ade Akinbiyi.
This should be extremely interesting as the club has a bye week and the perfect opportunity for youth clubs to get their team out and up close and personal to see these players.
Will Laredo bring high school signing Felix Garcia of the Dynamo? Let me look into this.
The game is free of charge.

THE “Houston Soccer Unsung Hero Award” brought to you by FIESTA goes out each week to an adult or youth in our area who commits to the game of soccer through volunteer work, coaching or just doing good for the sport and others. It might be your team mom or it might be a fan who organizes trips to games for youth players.
Give someone you know a pat on the back for their consistent and underappreciated efforts. Email me at gdavis98@swbell.net if you have a nominee, weekly winners receive a certificate of accomplishment from FIESTA noting their contributions.

This weeks “Houston Unsung Soccer Hero Award ” presented by FIESTA goes to JIM WALKER of the CY Fair Dynamos.

SPONSORS THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT: Sterling Bank- Pat.Robertson@banksterling.com, get financial advice you can trust from a Dynamo season ticket holder!

Houston Football Association- A top amateur football league in Houston

Mezzanine Lounge- Football, football, food, beverage and the direct kick package to follow the Dynamo.

Texas AM Womens Soccer- one of the top programs in the nation under G. Guerrerri

Mark West Pinot Noir- the best selling Pinot Noir in Texas. A fine wine!

Turquoise Grill- mouth watering Turkish food, ask for Jim and catch some cool games from Turkey on his screen!

Zukowski, Bresenhan and Sinex- The law firm sponsors the SOCCER UPDATE with GLENN DAVIS before Dynamo All Access!

San Jacinto College Coyotes- Nationally ranked JUCO program under Dr. Dave Santesteban

Give me your best and worst moments of the Dynamo/ Colorado match?

For me the best is easily Pat Onstad’s terrific penalty kick save sequence in goal after getting kicked in the head.
The worst moment was when the Dynamo were too soft with Conor Casey on the dribble and failed to tackle and contain him away from goal. Casey would dribble three players and earn the penalty kick.

Ok, what are your best and worst moments?

Robertson Stadium took a collective sigh when referee Mark Geiger pointed to the penalty spot after Colorado Rapids striker Conor Casey was brought down in the penalty area by Geoff Cameron. Casey had just beaten a few players down the left side of the field in the closing minutes of the match.
Would he produce another late goal similiar to last weekend in Columbus earning the Rapids points that they probably didn’t deserve?

THE PLAY:
Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad literally denied Colorado a share of the points Sunday afternoon at Robertson Stadium with an emotional penalty kick series of saves with minutes left.
Going to his right Onstad remarkably got his left hand up to push the shot from Casey up in the air off the crossbar, he then amazingly scrambled to the near post to deny Terry Cooke and then followed that save up by forcing a Colorado player over the endline. The reaction from Dynamo fans and Onstad was priceless.

THE OTHER PLAY: The Dynamo had staked themselves out to a 1-0 lead with some of their best soccer of the year over the first 20 minutes of this match.
The Dynamo goal included five players beginning with Richard Mulrooney finding the feet of Kei Kamara who checked back into midfield who then found Stuart
Holden who got it switched on the left to Brad Davis who was given room by Kosuke Kimura to cross. Davis delivered a beauty of a cross, driven and hit with.
pace.
Ching and the ball met at the perfect time inside the penalty area as he got across Rapids defender Scott Palgula flicking it in to the far side netting past
Preston Burpo.

THE NEAR MISS: Rapids second half sub Terry Cooke lashed a ball across the face of the goal to end the match.

SCARY MOMENT: Lets face it , now that I have looked at the replay again . In an era of protecting goalkeepers how was Omar Cummings not sent off for kicking Pat Onstad
dangerously in the head. As I said on the KHOU 11.2 broadcast, Cummings should have pulled out of this tackle and wasn’t even close to the ball.
Amazingly Cummings was given a yellow card for GOALKEEPER INTERFERENCE according to the final statistics in the 73rd minute by referee Mark Geiger.
Interested to see if MLS will discipline Cummings for this poor challenge.

GENERAL THOUGHTS: Dynamo get their first win of the season, get the elusive goal on a great buildup and finish.
Colorado did claw it’s way back in to the game during certain time periods but a win is a win.
Omar Cummings did look dangerous with his speed at times while wide midfielder Colin Clark was ghost-like.
For a guy that like to take people on we didn’t see much.
Workmanlike, determined by the Dynamo again on a surface not conducive to professional soccer.

Give me your thoughts on the match and the day at Robertson Stadium?

DYNAMO ALL ACCESS WITH GLENN DAVIS tonite on 790 The Sports Animal from 7-9pm, the show also streams live on the internet at mlsnet.com
Guests: Dominic Kinnear Dynamo head coach plus others. Check back here for guest updates.

The indications are there that today the Dynamo will face a deep, sit back defending Colorado Rapids.
Anything else at this point based on how they played in their 1-1 draw vs. the Columbus Crew last weekend would be a surprise to me.
Rapids manager Gary Smith indicated that this was the way they intended to play.
You may not know much about Scott Palguta but the tall defender who has played four years with Rochester could be Gibbs partner at the back and his aerial prescence will be noted .
So simply the challenge is there for the Houston Dynamo and Dominic Kinnear to break down the Rapids.

Easier said then done to break down deep, defending teams but a few things to keep in mind.
1. Circulate the ball quickly, it needs to move off people’s fit quickly so as to move a defense. Lets hope the field is better and softer at Robertson today. The rain could be a blessing.
2. Long range shooting- recognize opportunities to shoot, this is an area the Dynamo have been hesitant. Long range shooting can pull defenses out.

3. Break out quickly when it is on. One of the times in this game that Colorado will have players committed forward is on corners and set pieces.
A good defense clear or distribution can catch the Rapids pulled out and lead to additional space on the break.

4. Individuals beating people off the dribble and pentrating. It has to happen in order to unsettle defenses.

The Dynamo need one today with an off week next weekend. New York got their first win last night…Can the Dynamo get their’s today. Something tells me yes.

Don’t forget to set your timer at 2pm for the Boca/River match from Argentina on FSC and FSE and prepare for the 5pm Superclassico between Chivas and Club America.
Dynamo match today is on KHOU 11.2 if you don’t make it out to the stadium.

Give me a call with your thoughts on the Dynamo/Rapids match as I host the post game show on the radio on 790 The Sports Animal.
Call in at 713-212-5790…..

Now let me put out an initial disclaimer that before I write this preview I have no idea what the weather will do to the field at Robertson Stadium.
Forecast is for rain and right now it is pounding down on Friday afternoon and expected to keep raining tomorrow. Incidentally the University of Houston football team is expected to play it’s spring football game on the field. I have no idea if this will be cancelled. If it is it could be the best thing for the conditions on Sunday and in some ways could make potentially the worst field in MLS a little less than concrete hard.

COLORADO RAPIDS (2-1-1): The Rapids got four out of their first five games on the road in 2009 including Sunday’s game against the Dynamo.
After an opening loss at Chivas USA 2-1 they have produced point in three straight games; 2-1 win over KC at home, 3-2 win at LA,
and the most recent 1-1 draw at Columbus where they clearly had a stroke of good fortune.
Manager Gary Smith took over Fernando Clavijo and came within minutes of getting the club in the playoffs before being ousted at home
dramatically by RSL. He is assisted by former English player Steve Guppy who had a brief stint at DC United.
Smith put the team through double sessions in pre-season to prepare the club fitness-wise at altitude

STARTING POINT: Much like the Dynamo the starting point for the Rapids is a 4-4-2.

Goalkeeping: Colorado manager Gary Smith will choose between Preston Burpo and Matt Pickens and may lean towards whomever is better dealing with the aerial game
based on weather conditions and the fact that the ball on the shortened field gets in to the penalty area very quickly.
The proven veteran Pat Onstad will again get the call and lends experience and calm to his back four. He has been less than busy in their last two games against
New York and DC United.

Defenders: Big issue here for Colorado as it seems a long shot that Cory Gibbs will be able to play. Couple that with a probable listing for Ty Harden and Smith has his biggest
selection problem in this area. Does Ugo Ihemulu get moved central to play alongside Harden with Kosuke Kimura and Jordan Harvey out wide. This back four will
be under pressure with their defend deep tactics at Robertson Stadium and will have no room for error.
The Dynamo come off one of their best defensive games against New York but to be fair they have not really been tested against DC and the Red Bulls both whom
did not necessarily push the envelope of attacking soccer. Still the Dynamo were more organized defensively last week then they have been all year and dealt with the
pace of New York rather easily. Projected lineup for the Dynamo includes the back four of Richard Mulrooney and Wade Barrett out wide along with Bobby Boswell and
Geoff Cameron in the middle. New signing Canadien International Andrew Hainault is available for selection.

Midfield: Colorado’s main danger man is Colin Clark who plays wide on the left and relishes taking people on with his energy. It would only take one run from him to inflict
potential damage to the Dynamo especially if they play for the counter attack which is likely. Can Clark finish plays if he gets the chance in this one. Dynamo midfielder
Brian Mullan will match up on the same side of the field as Clark and this could be a war. Mulrooney as a right back will have to deal with Clark as well.
Pablo Maestroeni of Colorado and Ricardo Clark of Houston will balance things out as holding midfielders and both are vying for a trip to South Africa with the U.S.
National team. Maestroeni on Dynamo All Access this week reminded listeners that the Dynamo deserve the ultimate respect.
Stuart Holden of Houston will be expected to bring more creative edge in this one and Cory Ashe is pushing for a start. Nick LaBrocca a two way midfielder rounds out
the wide area if you want to call it that.
Both sets of wide players will be expected to bring width to their squads but also come inside to create match-up problems and make space for outside backs.
Whose wide midfielders will penetrate?
Playmakers need a big game. Brad Davis was less than involved in the last game against New York as the Dynamo could not create space for him and Mehdi Ballouchy
has pressure to score goals this year and add alot more to the attack.

Strikers: Both teams will play with two strikers . The Dynamo are scoreless in two games and need the first goal to take the ball of frustration and tentativeness off their back.
A shot of self confidence will go a long way. Ching and Kamara have had few chances to attack crosses facing the goal which is their bread and butter.
Some strong definitive runs in front of their midfield is needed and on a poor field they have to hold the ball enough to draw defenses in and then combine with
a supporting midfield.
Colorado has the hottest pair of strikers in the league with the bald headed Conor Casey coming in with 4 goals which leads MLS. Direct, strong and healthy but a favorable
match up for Dynamo center backs. The pace of Omar Cummings is unsettling and can pull defenders in lots of directions.
The Dynamo can take the edge off Cummings with good ball possession and awareness as a unit as to where he is when the ball is lost.

Tactics: Expect defend deep and counter attack from Colorado who would love a point against a team they have had little success with over the years. They are 0-3-1 at Robertson
Stadium. To pull off this result they will have to be mentally strong , patient and timely with their break-out play. Are they really coming to win?
The Dynamo will have what seems to be the dubious honor of once again breaking down a team that’s first instinct is to be defensive. Quick circulation of the ball in
possession, no hesitancy to shoot from longer range to pull the Rapids out, and a few individuals breaking people down off the dribble can help.
Patience will be required at times in attack for the Dynamo but also the recognition to break out and break out quickly when those rare opportunities arise is key.
That time might be when the Rapids earn corners or free kicks and commit people forward.
The Dynamo seem hesitant on the attack but one goal and hopefully for them the first one could lead to the regaining of confidence.

Bench: Jacob Peterson can add pace and energy off the bench for Colorado, Ivan Guerrero is good in possession while Scott Palgula could play a role.
For the Dynamo Cory Ashe is consistent as a late sub stirring games up and Chris Wondoloski can be inserted up front.

Unknown factor: In this case it is the weather. Rain is forecasted through tomorrow and if it rains and the University of Houston football team plays on this field it could
be an absolute nightmare surface all around. The flip side is the silver lining best case scenario. UH cancels their game, field gets softer and better for the players
come Sunday at 2pm.

Additional note: Eddie Robinson was working out with the trainer on the side of the field at Dynamo practice. Striker Ade Akinbiyi will not be available due to VISA problems
for the Dynamo and he remains in England for the time being.

What are your thoughts on the game and will the Dynamo break out and get their first win of the year against Colorado?

*This is a Saturday afternoon addition to the blog. UH football team cancelled their red and white spring game after 5 minutes due to the inclement weather.
The Colorado Rapids are stuck at the Denver airport and will not arrive to later tonite.

Chivas is a huge soccer club in Mexico.
Many compare the fervent support to the fans throughout the country of the New York Yankees baseball team in the United States.
Chivas has a huge following and coming second to Club America this Sunday in the Superclasico is unthinkable.
There is not telling how people get jobs sometimes in the world of soccer. I have often scratched my head at many of the hirings in MLS . Some have repeatedly secured jobs after poor results and efforts but still seem to land on their feet. I won’t name names. Just figure it out.
So the ” Frankie Hejduk face slapper” Francisco Ramirez is now the new coach of reputedly the most important club in Mexico. The timing of his hiring today is interesting as it lies ahead of the Superclasico this Sunday against Club America that will see an entire country captivated by one game.
Now Ramirez is the same guy that embarrassed Mexico by slapping U.S. player Frankie Hejduk in the tunnel after a U.S. 2-0 win in World Cup qualifying recently yet his hiring is lauded by owner Jorge Vergara.
“He knows the players, he has the discipline we are looking for and he can exercise leadership over the players,” said Vergara.
Sell us Jorge…..This may be a short term signing prior to the biggest game of the year for just the sake of change. Ramirez will not lead Chivas to the promised land.
Hejduk was befuddled by the behavior as was most everybody.
Ramirez, 44, was recently fired by the Mexican Soccer Federation after Sven-Goran Eriksson was let go and replaces Omar Arellano who had replaced Efrain Flores who was in the job for only 18 months.
Is this a knee-jerk reaction from Chivas owner Jorge Vergara?

The Dynamo join local youth clubs Texas Rush and Texas Soccer Club as a club that is a part of the U.S. Soccer Academy League..
Much of the basis of this league was put together by a U.S. Soccer group including National team coach Bob Bradley, U20 coach Thomas Rongen, former coaching education director Bob Jenkins, Princeton coach Jim Barlowe and DC United executive Kevin Payne among others.
The Dynamo youth development system is sponsored by StatoilHydro.
The Dynamo join the Kansas City Wizards as the 10th and 11th MLS clubs to join the Academy following the Chicago Fire, Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Los Angeles Galaxy, New England Revolution, and New York Red Bulls.
Dynamo clubs recently participated in the Dallas Cup under youth director James Clarkson.
“We’re excited about joining the program,” said Clarkson. “We feel it’s going to provide some outstanding opportunities for our players and accelerate their development toward a professional standard.”

If you want to get a glimpse of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy in action with area clubs (Texas Rush, Texas Soccer Club) against the Colorado Rapids Academy team you can see them in action Saturday and Sunday. Go to ussoccer.com for the schedule.
So do you see the Dynamo taking the mantle of youth soccer development in Houston? Is this their responsibility and do area youth clubs see the Dynamo as an ally or competition?

ESPINDOLA re-joins

Fabian Espindola has re-joined RSL and now adds another weapon to their arsenal on attack.
Espindola had returned to South America after not getting the financial package he wanted. He now returns and this move is one to be watched.

Remember Laurent Blanc the French World Cup winner in 1998?
If you don’t currently follow French football he is the manager of Bordeaux and he might just become the next manager of Real Madrid.
Former French and Real Madrid great Zindine Zidane apparently is recommending Blanc for the position and has the ear of Florentino Perez who is the favorite to become Real’s president on July 5th. The Spanish media reports that Blanc is being strongly considered for the post.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS

Arsenal vs. Manchester United

Chelsea vs. Barcelona

So once again it is English teams that dominate yet not stocked with English players. What is your take on the draw?

DYNAMO ADDITIONS COULD BE IMPACTFUL
Now of course it will all come down to player performance but the Dynamo finally getting the paperwork of Andrew Hainault sorted out and Ade Akinbiyi in town is a huge potential.
The two players will clearly add to the depth and competition of the team which is essential at this time.
Akinbiyi will increase the competition up front and bring depth to absorb abscences from Brian Ching with the U.S. National team.
Hainault now will provide manager Dominic Kinnear opportunity to move Geoff Cameron into midfield with his energy. Julius James, Hainault all must push harder to play next to Bobby Boswell in central defense.
The question do the Dynamo bring Hainault right into the lineup this weekend against Colorado if they deem he is ready or do they continue with Cameron.
The Dynamo have a bye weekend after Sunday’s encounter with the Colorado Rapids.
What is your ideal Dynamo lineup and should Hainault start?

FUTBOL WITHOUT FRONTIERS sponsored by Fiesta and to take place at MAYA Park this weekend has been cancelled due to impending weather.
The event will be re-scheduled.

Manchester United got it done.
A lone early goal in the 6th minute from Cristiano Ronaldo was the difference as they produce a 1-0 win and a 3-2 aggregate result.
Porto pushed at the end but United had moments where they proved they were superior on the ball and in the end had the better of possession.
Much of the press focused on the fact that Porto had never lost to an English team at home which may have proved the perfect motivation not to mention moving closer to defending their European Championship.

GREAAAAT HIT: Ronaldo’s goal was hit with power and accuracy from long range for the lone goal. About 35 yards out I might think.

MISSED chances in the first half from Nemanja Vidic and Ryan Giggs could have provided the cushion for United. In the second half United looked more conservative in defending the lead and ultimately was successful.

So is it still Barcelona that have the inside edge to win the Champions League?