They should move it 40 miles South to Dallas!

Sad to see Mullan go. Colorado, you have a baller in Mullan. Yes, he's getting old but he gives 100% and leaves it all on the pitch. I hope Clark can stay healthy and help a soon to be rebuilt Dynamo in the coming years.

Excellent point! People bitch all the time about certain players and playing time. The coaching staff watch these players all week and then they decide who is in form.

Oh man, I'm like 0 for three in here today. My fact checking department will be fired right now! The pitch in Chicago had the same look as the one in NE, so I assumed wrong! I guess this supports the pro-polypropylene crowd, they say at least plastic fields are consistent.

I started watching in the 4th min. After numerous references to the pitch, I tried to Google information, I guess I failed at finding the correct info. I looked at the CCL web site and checked which field it was on and then looked up the field and the article said grass. It looked like it had been mowed in a circular pattern? Is it a plastic/grass hybrid? Either way, I would rather watch and or play on that field in Honduras than the ultra fast field in Seattle. I like the Sounders and they undoubtedly have the best atmosphere the MLS has to offer, I just think it would be better if they played on a grass field. The field at Robinson has the same problem as with Qwest I guess. The major tenant is a Football team and what they say goes. Hopefully the minor league college team that the Houston City Council forced on the Dynamo won't make much of an impact on their new stadium. Good luck to the Sounders in the remainder of the CCL!

Habit, sorry Jose!

Ives, Thanks for not adding #6, getting used to playing on real grass. The announcers last night kept bringing it up like the surface was horrible,"the surface, the surface, OMG!" Well, to me that pitch beats the hell out of the plastic pitch in Seattle. Speaking of horrible fields, how about the one at NE? I didn't watch the match but I saw the highlights. Clumps of sod all over by the end. I noticed that the field was in bad shape when I watched the Dynamo play there last week. Looked like a "puff" of green dust appears under each footstep. Pitiful.

I see it here in Dallas all the time. In order to play for a top club, its approaching $3,000 per year, if not more. This shuts out a lot of kids who's parents can't afford it. Sure, some kids get scholarships, but being involved in youth soccer, I see good talent dropping off each year to where by U16, there are only a few really good teams which may have 3 or 4 really good kids. If a team is regulated to D2 in the Classic league, it basically falls apart as parents pull the good kids to go try out for a club still in D1. US Soccer needs to step up youth development with a comprehensive plan. Not sure what that means but I feel change is a coming.

haha your right!, just re-watched both their games on TIVO this morning, must be on my mind. I am very impressed and would be surprised if one or the other were not champs.

I agree with your assessment of Bradley's choice regarding Clark and Findley. Findley's speed opened up a lot of space for the midfield and Clark always gets a bad rap here. Clark's give away at midfield was a dumb move but I would expect a decent back line to close that mistake down. No way do I fault Clark for the England goal either. A healthy Gooch would have moved to deny that goal. Gooch had no business on the team in my opinion, it was obvious he was not fit, but what were the alternatives?

"Eh. We will never (fully) embrace the development model in place everywhere else: it is pretty inconsistent with our laws and culture." True, but consider the number of kids who play soccer in the US now compared to in 1990 and extrapolate that to 2022. The melting pot is getting browner and this can only help to change that culture. I believe that great ball skills are developed at an early age with a ball played against a wall or the side of a house, and in the playgrounds against older friends, brothers and sisters. Much like basketball, soccer doesn't require a lot of equipment, just a ball, a little space and a love for the game. There is plenty of raw talent in the pipeline, we just need strong youth academies to develop that talent into great players. I think (hope) the culture will change.

A lot of USMNT fans (myself included), drank the Koolaid and believed that this team could go deep into the WC. Facts are that this team is not a great team. It has a few individuals that are very good and most of the team are overachievers. They were fun to watch but ultimately they were exposed as an average team in comparison with the rest of the field. I believe that the US will not move to the next level until our youth player development improves to the point where MLS teams are developing most of their talent through academies. The college system is no way to develop a player. I don't care who was coaching the USMNT in 2010, they overachieved to get as far as they did. A different line up might have gotten them past Ghana but I think beating Uruguay would have been a difficult task, certainly would have lost against Argentina or Germany. Good luck to Bob Bradley, he did an excellent job with the talent he had at his disposal.

Japanese anime sounding for sure. That keeper is terrible.

You are right, as the skill level of the team improves, we will see more beautiful soccer. I hate the long ball.

Tom I agree, Unless their are 10 other "possession" players on the field, it ruins chemistry. Torres is one of the most skilled individuals on the roster but I think his role will be as a sub in SA. I've seen this at all levels. On my girlfriend's team, there is a Mexican that holds onto the ball too much which basically ruins the attack. I've seen this individual play on other teams and he was brilliant. I'm not equating rec hacks with our USMNT, I'm just pointing out that team chemistry is very important at all levels.

Your assumption is correct. Crazy. Findley has been all flash, no substance. I hope that changes. I believe he is just a fast person to practice against.

:)

Thanks for keeping Herc on your radar Ives. I do think it should be noted that Puebla FC doesn't play on top of volcanoes at 3.5 miles up, but more likely at about 7500ft, which makes his fitness ideal for SA. I'm routing for him, he will, I hope, get a look on the 30 man roster.

Vamos Narange!

DALE!

In Dom we trust! I think by the end of the season all will be well with the Dynamo. Might not compete for the Supporters' Shield but I think they will have a good chance for the cup. Vamos Naranga!

The poor guy has epilepsy and his medication causes him to gain weight. Citation please?

I'm looking forward to Dom retooling, yet again, a team that has lost top players, into a team that is fighting for the cup. Vamos Naranga!

I hope you are right regarding his fitness. He needs to step up this season when and if Ching is called up.

From beautiful give and goes with young talent like Rodwell to having to chase down shanks from the Galaxy back line. For the love of humanity Bruce, let him stay!