You Can't Go Home Again

052108_dynamowin.jpgBut that's exactly what the Houston Dynamo will be doing tonight when they face off against the newly-reopened San Jose Earthquakes franchise at Buck Shaw Stadium in neighboring Santa Clara.

Soccer fans will remember that our Houston Dynamo club originally came from San Jose, where it had a bright ten-year history including two MLS Cup wins and the honor of being the first team in the MLS to score a goal, in their inaugural 1995 match against D.C. United.

However, when San Jose failed to secure a stadium deal for the Earthquakes, the MLS decided to move the team part and parcel to Houston where they became the Dynamo in late 2005. Within less than a year, San Jose proposed a deal for a soccer-specific stadium to be built and soon after, the MLS made the official announcement that the Earthquakes would be born again for the 2008 season.

Many of the original players from the 2005 Earthquakes are still playing for the Dynamo, including Dwayne DeRosario, Brian Ching, Eddie Robinson, and Pat Onstad. The manager for the original-recipe Earthquakes, Dominic Kinnear, also made the transition and still leads the Dynamo today. Needless to say, this homecoming should be interesting for both sides, as they play once again on their old pitch and against some of their former teammates who have since rejoined the Earthquakes.

If you're interested in watching the long-awaited confrontation between new and old, the Texian Army -- one of the two Dynamo supporters clubs (along with El Batallon) -- will be hosting a viewing party at the Mezzanine Lounge on Greenbriar tonight, May 22. The Mezzanine Lounge is the official away-game viewing location for Dynamo matches, with plenty of loud, entertaining and engaged supporters cheering their team on to victory. They also have good drink specials and hamburgers, so there's something for everybody!

Kickoff is at 9:30 p.m. tonight, but drink specials at the Mezz end at 10:00 p.m. For more information on the viewing party, visit the Texian Army's website.

---
Mezzanine Lounge
2020 Southwest Freeway
713-528-6399

Contact the author of this article or email tips@houstonist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

Email This Entry


To increase the security and stability of our sites, Gothamist has decided to stop collecting or storing commenter logins. To comment, please login with Disqus, Facebook, or Twitter. If you want to claim your previous comments, please create a Disqus login, and then claim them using these instructions. Thanks!

Comments [rss]