Jose Mourinho Watch 2008

After Tuesday's loss to Liverpool in the European Champions League, Inter Milan Coach Roberto Mancini aknowledged that he would be leaving Inter at the end of this season. While Mancini indicated this was a planned move on his part, it's hard not to suspect that Inter's inability to make much progress on the European stage is causing costernation in its front office and in the lockerroom.

So, with both Barcelona and Inter Milan looking for a new coach, where do you think the Special One will be next season?

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/football/03/12/inter.mancini/

http://goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=618344

http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldFootballNews/idUKL1155723120080311

Dynamo Schedule Corrected

Not sure what happened, probably just a glitch, but the Dynamo schedule has been corrected to reflect that the Dynamo are playing at FC Dallas in August:

http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/schedule/index.jsp?year=2008&month=08

Houston Dynamo Win Texas Pro Soccer Festival

This past week of MLS preseason included the inaugural Texas Pros Soccer Festival in San Antonio, Texas, featuring the Houston Dynamo, D.C. United, Chivas USA, and Toronto FC. The Houston Dynamo managed to win the tournament with a 4-3 win over Toronto FC, a 1-0 win over Chivas, and a 1-1 draw with D.C. United.

There was little time for the Houston Dynamo to savor these results, because they are headed to Guatemala City to tak on CSD Municipal this Wednesday in the CONCAF Champions Cup. During at least the first leg of the CCC, the Dynamo will be missing Stuart Holden and Patrick Ianni who have been called up for the USMNT U-23 team, which begins Olympic qualifying tomorrow night against Cuba.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/soc/5605267.html

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080310&content_id=142544&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5603224.html

New Episode of World Soccer Wrap Available

The latest episode of World Soccer Wrap is available on iTunes and at:

http://web.mac.com/rayharatian/iWeb/Site/Podcast/A7050C60-3BDE-4686-9F76-A15B8334BDE0.html

Dynamo at FC Dallas game moved?

The original schedule issued by the MLS showed the Houston Dynamo playing at FC Dallas on August 9, 2008, a Saturday, today as single game tickets go on sale, it appears that the Houston at Dallas game has been moved to Wednesday, May 28, 2008. Is this another example of the MLS allowing teams to take actions that limit or put a hardship on away fans?

http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/schedule/index.jsp?year=2008&month=05

http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/03/05/away-supporters-restricted-in-mls/

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=514368&root=mls&cc=5901

[NSR] The Judy's at SXSW

It's been over ten years since I enjoyed SXSW, back in the day before the suits tookover, I think it cost me only $50 for an armband that gave me access to all shows. I could be off on the number, but it was cheap.

Anyway, if you are heading to SXSW this year, may I recommend the return of the classic late 70s early 80s Houston group, The Judy's

http://www.austinchronicle.com:80/gyrobase/Issue/column?oid=oid%3A591648

The Judy's are reuniting for the 2007-08 Austin Music Awards, Wednesday, March 12, at the Austin Music Hall. "I don't know if we look at it as a reunion," clarifies bassist/keyboardist Jeff Walton. "It's more so just something we're doing." For those too young to remember, the Pearland-based trio was a pivotal part of Austin's original punk scene, forging its own genre between minimal New Wave and post-punk Dadaism. "That's where it all started for me," recalls frontman David Bean. "I was in a high school summer program [in Austin] in 1979, put on by the National Science Foundation, and I snuck into Raul's. That was the first time I realized I could play in clubs and be part of a scene." Outside of a private benefit in 2004, the last time the Judy's performed was at the Raul's reunion, one decade prior at Liberty Lunch. The band recently recorded a new song together, a commissioned theme for Japanese animé series Sgt. Frog, while Wasted Talent Records reissued expanded editions of the trio's first two albums, Washarama ('81) and Moo ('85). "The songs weren't meant to last through the ages," Bean says. "People don't know what snow on the TV is anymore. The information is being lost through the generations." Tickets for the Austin Music Awards are $15 advance, $20 at theatre and go on sale Tuesday, Feb. 19. Warren Hood, meanwhile, joins David Ball of Uncle Walt's Band, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and the Belleville Outfit for South Carolina by Birth, Texas by Choice: The Songs of Walter Hyatt, adding to an already stacked lineup that includes Rokkervil, a collaboration between Okkervil River and Roky Erickson, and a showcase by Honeydripper Gary Clark Jr.

City of Houston Approves Purchase of Land for Stadium

The Houston City Council met yesterday and approved the purchase of five downtown blocks located on the eastside of downtown. Although the City of Houston and the Houston Dynamo have not come to terms a stadium deal, this land is expected to be the location for a soccer specific stadium.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/soc/5596697.html

Dynamo Draft Kyle Brown

In that current effort to create depth up front, the Houston Dynamo have picked forward Kyle Brown in the 2008 MLS Waiver Draft. Brown, 24, was waived by Real Salt Lake. Brown actually scored a goal in the RSL 4-3 win over the Dynamo last September.

http://houston.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080304&content_id=141735&vkey=pr_hou&fext=.jsp&team=t200

Odds & Ends

Fox Soccer Channel continues to expand its coverage of the American game, it will be airing the U-23 Olympic Qualifiers:

http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_5406747.html

Among the articles concerning the new MLS franchise in Philadelphia, may I recommend this one, which features the great Walter Bahr - Captain of the 1950 USMNT at the World Cup:

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/other_sports/20080228_Walter_Bahr_welcomes_soccer_back_to_Philadelphia.html

Kyle McCarthy's take on the new MLS franchise, plus his view that Montreal, St. Louis, and Atlanta are the top contenders for the next franchise:

http://goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=607683

Latest Episode of World Soccer Wrap Now Available

You can download it from iTunes, or listen to it here:

http://web.mac.com/rayharatian/iWeb/Site/Podcast/3073CF3C-F67A-45D7-88FC-8CC542B75D9E.html