TODAY IN STADIUM P0RN: Houston Dynamo Edition

There isn't much to see yet, but here's what's poppin' at the Houston stadium construction site by way of what appears to be a camera attached to balloon. It might not be nestled amongst the skyscrapers like Seattle's multi-use building but this is definitely in the downtown core even if it is a little on the edge. Good stuff Houston. Whatcha got San Jose, D.C. and New England?

You Know You are a Baller If...

You know you are a baller if you give interviews on a golf course and you are not a player in the PGA. Check out The Don getting all Big Willy and talking expansion, the D.C. stadium saga and various other messageboardy topics in between working on his short game. Play on boss.

Remember Rochester?

I wish someone would do a documentary on the rise & fall of the Rochester Rhinos. 7 or 8 years ago they were the darlings of the U.S. second division with a U.S. Open Cup title to their name, outdrawing a few MLS teams at the gate and getting a SSS at a time when few big-league clubs had one. It seemed like only a matter of time before they got the call to join the promised land of America's first division.

And then the dream got blowedthehellup. Ownership issues, a decline in attendance, the USL-NASL debacle and so much more leave the club in a place where joining MLS now sounds damn-near like crazytalk.

It's not the film that I want but this piece outlines the saga --including quotes from The Don and details of secret meetings with Uncle Lamar about moving the then-Wizards to town-- as well as I've seen. Great Sunday reading.

Long Live LIVESTRONG Sporting Park

So I spent a good part of yesterday at the new park in Kansas City and the place is a palace. So in the interest of sacking up and stating that I was wrong, wrong, wrong I hereby rescind my previous statement re: LIVESTRONG's place in my personal SSS pecking order. For me this place is in a dead heat with RBA for the number one spot. Can't wait to see what it's like tonight with a crowd inside.

Kansas City, I'm Coming For You

Just booked my flight to KCK for a double-dip at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park: the Sporting KC v. Chicago Fire match to open the building on June 9th and the USMNT's Gold Cup match v. Guadalupe on June 14th. If you are going to be in the area shout me a holler because I need some proper BBQ. Can't. Wait.

BTW if you're feeling the poster above you can download a full-sized version of it on SKC's Facebook page. A framed version of it might make a nice addition to your soccer tchotchke collection or man-cave wall.

Things I Meant To Address Yesterday But Didn't Pt.2: JELD-WEN Unveiled

So after months of renovation work --which followed months of civic debate-- The Stadium Formerly Known as PGE Park™ is ready to open for business tomorrow. I visited the newly macked-out stadium last month and even in an unfinished state the place was pretty dope. Also dope is the fact that a baseball stadium has become a full-time soccer stadium; take that Jim Rome, SportsCenter and assorted talk radio shows hosted by the soccerphobic.

If you want a deeper dive than the video above --or this video-- can offer, take a trip to Dropping Timber where Paul Sepp has more Timbers Media Day articles, videos and photos than I am prepared to post at this time for fear of being called a "Timber Lover" again (not that there is anything wrong with that).

Out of curiosity, where would you place JELD-WEN Field on the MLS Stadia scale? I'd like to put it in the top five for reasons of location, unique layout and noise-capturing roof but the turf thing is a big bummer. What do ya'll think?

TODAY IN STADIUM P0RN: PGE PARK EDITION

THE PGE PARK RENOVATION IS MOVING WITH ALL THE PACE OF USAIN BOLT ON A 4-DAY NODOSE BINGE. HAVING LAID DOWN THE NEW CARPET AND WITH NEARLY ALL OF THE NEW SEATING COMPLETED, THE FOOTBALL STADIUM-TURNED BASEBALL STADIUM-TURNED SOCCER STADIUM IS ALMOST READY FOR GUESTS. WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE I'M COMING TO TOWN FROM MARCH 16TH TO 18TH FOR THE DAY JOB AND I WANT A PEEK AT THE PARK. AND GOOD BEER.

IF YOU WANT TO CHECK OUT THE NEW-LOOK PGE BUT AREN'T ON A SUBSIDIZED SOCCER-TRAVEL BUDGET, TAKE A TRIP OVER TO DROPPINGTIMBER.COM TO SEE THE LATEST IMAGES FROM THE ONGOING RENOVATION; IT'S MUCH CHEAPER BUT SEVERELY LACKING IN HOPS.

Dynamo Stadium Marketing Video-Thingy

When I grow up I want a voiceover voice. Those things rule. Except for when you're trying to talk dirty I imagine, then it would just be weird. But when you are selling the virtues of a soccer-specific stadium to interwebs it's just down-right awesome. Almost as awesome as this stadium is going to be.

Today in Stadium P0rn: Dynamo to Break Ground on Saturday

Houston, are you ready to holla & pop bottles on Saturday? Hope so but even if you aren't a whole lot of us around the "New Soccer Nation" will be doing it on your behalf when the Dynamo break ground on your new downtown stadium. The place looks like it'll be pretty hot (both temperature & design-wise) and I honestly couldn't be happier for you.

So that just leaves San Jose, D.C. and New England to go. Not to get all "I remember when" but I do remember a time (2005) when there were only 3 SSS in this league, not three only 3 teams in need of an SSS. Baby's growing up fast.

Morning Show Features Hot, New England Stadium Talk

Should the Rev's local Fox affiliate be known as "Boston FOX25: our source for not-quite-breaking-but-still-quite-interesting New England Revolution news"? I think so but I'm kinda random like that. It also seems random that the Revs are on TV at this point in the off-season but hey, we take what we can get.

Still though you have to give FOX credit for giving 8+ minutes of air time to an MLS club; there's not a lot, if any, teams that have been the recipient of that kind of broadcast TV love in recent memory.

Miami Just Making Up MLS Stadium Ideas Now

Although I'm personally not on board with the idea of a MLS redux in Miami, I have to give credit to those South Floridians who are trying to keep the flame of hope alive because those guys will not give it up. But judging by the one of the latest ideas to surface they have reached the creatively-desperate stage of their quest because someone down there is talking about turning the disused aquatic stadium pictured above into this.

Check out the Football in Miami & Beyond blog for more details on this interesting, yet flawed idea (the flaw is not the notion of a floating stadium, the flaw is the notion that a city in Florida will turn out for a sport that is not college football). Hate on me if you want but I'm just not convinced that the Sunshine State is a good market for any sport that is not Florida St. or U. of Florida football.