Morning Morning Centre Back: E2

by Zach Woosley on Oct 24, 2011 9:25 AM CDT in Monday Morning Centre Back

If you haven't rode a roller coaster at any point in your life, you likely can't truly appreciate the 2011 Dynamo season. All the thrills and exhilaration has been there, those stomach lurching moments as well, it's been both fun and maddeningly frustrating all at the same time. In the end, the depth of the journey certainly leads to the end result being even more fulfilling.

Normally, finishing in second place isn't something that everyone would get really excited about. However, when finishing in second means that on the final day of the regular season you got a huge win that catapulted the team from the wild card round, things feel a lot different. Considering there were points during the season where even making the playoffs was a doubt, things feel a lot different.

Basically, finishing in second place is not too shabby.

As a result of the Dynamo's 3-1 defeat of a weakened Los Angeles Galaxy team, Houston will face the Philadelphia Union in the Easter Conference semifinals. The Union will host the first leg of the tie on Sunday, October 30th, while the Dynamo will host the second leg on Thursday, November 3rd. Much better than having to travel to Colorado or Dallas to play a single elimination wild card game.

In addition to the team victory, Brad Davis passed David Beckham (who did not play) to finish as the top assist man in the league this season with 16 (a single season career high). It was a final punctuation mark on was could potentially be an MVP season for the Dynamo midfielder. The assist was the 80th of Davis' career, tying him for ninth place on the all-time MLS assist chart.

Oh yeah, Carlo Costly finally scored! Everyone is fully aware of Costly's goal scoring ability and there would be no better time than the postseason for the Honduran forward to catch fire and start putting balls in the back of the net. In addition, I feel Costly was wrongly yellow carded for removing his shirt in celebration after the goal. Clearly, the amazing nature of Davis' curling pass blew his shirt off. Bad referee.

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Dynamo getting it together at the right time

I’m not sure they can go all the way to the Cup game but haven’t other MLS teams gotten hot at season’s end and won it all (RSL, Rapids)?

by icepickphil on Oct 24, 2011 9:40 AM CDT reply actions

OK, I will commit the cardinal sin of reposting

As it actually fits better here than in the previous thread. Quite simply:

After this past six games, this team looks for all the world like a playoff threat. I am not saying that they are the best team in the league, but funky tournament logic does not always equal regular season logic. (See Rapids, Colorado, 2010 and Lake, Real Salt, 2009.) It’s always nice to go into the playoffs riding a hot hand, and despite a home win in front of a packed house against the Gal C team, this is also the same squad who took apart Portland in as daunting an atmosphere as there is in this league. There is no doubt that the team has a hot hand right now and is gelling at just the right time.

Fun stat: In 2006 and 2007, Dynamo finished second in their conference in the regular season. Result: MLS Cup wins.

In 2008 and 2009, Dynamo finished first in their conference: Result: No MLS Cup wins.

I love math.

(To be brutally frank, in 2009, Dynamo finished level on points with the Gals, but since I don’t recognize the head-to-head tiebreaker (Gal advantage that season) as a legitimate way to determine anything, I look instead at goal differential, +10 to +5 in favor of Hou. So, Hou finished first. Nyah, nyah, nyah. To say otherwise would be to defeat my point, and that is an offense up with which I shall not put!)

"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie

by Martek on Oct 24, 2011 11:05 AM CDT reply actions

One more basic math point

Also, in 2010, Dynamo finished seventh. Result: No MLS Cup win.

So, as I learned in taking SATs and GRE’s all those years ago:

Finish second:MLS Cup win::Finishing first and seventh:No MLS Cup win

Or at least as far as Houston Dynamo is concerned.

"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie

by Martek on Oct 24, 2011 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions

Why is this math thing not a story Marty? glare

Lol. Seriously though, stats can be bent to reflect whatever you want them to reflect…
But I like the particular reflections you happen to be pointing to.

-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog

by Fuzion on Oct 25, 2011 2:29 AM CDT up reply actions

I do not expect this team to win MLS Cup, they make far too many defensive mistakes. That said, there is more than enough talent on this team to go on a run and win the whole damn thing. The playoffs are never about the best team, it’s about which team is playing the best.

--
"You live and learn. At any rate, you live." -Douglas Adams

Managing Editor of Dynamo Theory
Yo si le voy, le voy al naranja!

by Zach Woosley on Oct 24, 2011 11:37 AM CDT up reply actions

My point exactly Ginge. Our motto should be, In a world where Colorado can win the MLS Cup, all things are possible.

"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie

by Martek on Oct 24, 2011 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions

Right now on World Football Daily

Grant Wahl: “I think Houston is one of the most dangerous teams in the league right now.”

"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie

by Martek on Oct 24, 2011 11:44 AM CDT reply actions

Wahl: “Given the way the playoffs can shake out, the Dynamo have as good a shot as anyone at winning this thing.”

"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie

by Martek on Oct 24, 2011 11:45 AM CDT reply actions

Wahl: “Dallas looks like a team out of gas.”

“I think New York wins on Wednesday night.”

“Dallas doesn’t have any kind of home field advantage at all.”

Agree completely.

"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie

by Martek on Oct 24, 2011 11:48 AM CDT reply actions

Wahl just also picked Brad Davis to be the MVP.

"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie

by Martek on Oct 24, 2011 11:56 AM CDT reply actions

I really hate agreeing with Grant Wahl

--
"You live and learn. At any rate, you live." -Douglas Adams

Managing Editor of Dynamo Theory
Yo si le voy, le voy al naranja!

by Zach Woosley on Oct 24, 2011 12:33 PM CDT up reply actions

I know what you mean, but sometimes we just have to man up. Y’know, broken clocks and all that.

"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie

by Martek on Oct 24, 2011 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Excellent game

If there was ever a time to take your shirt off and get a yellow it was last night for Costly. A symbolic ‘getting the monkey off my back’ gesture and a punishment that will be wiped clean before entering the post season. Let’s hope he gets hot now.

by DynaNole on Oct 24, 2011 12:23 PM CDT reply actions