Aloha. It’s been good to be back into US National Team camp. Getting to know some of the new guys and then seeing some old friends is always enjoyable. It’s funny because when you play against some of the guys, you really don’t like them on the field. But then you get to know them, you find out that they are great guys.

What I enjoy best is hearing some of the differences in approach that various MLS coaches have. Every team has a different approach to the preseason and every team has their own dynamic. Some teams run to get into shape while others play their way into shape. Some teams have plenty of two-a-day practices while others have very little. After comparing notes, I’m definitely not going to complain about the way we handle things with the Dynamo.

One thing that I am really enjoying is the weather here in Los Angeles. It has been fantastic compared to what we’ve had in Houston this month. The sun has been shining and the temperatures have been in the 60s and 70s. I guess I’m lucky because the guys have said that January was rainy and cold in LA.

Hope everyone had a great Valentine’s Day and a Happy Chinese New Year!

Today was the first day of training for the Dynamo and it was good to see everyone after a long break.  It was actually the first time that I got to see most of the guys since November. Everyone was excited to be back and share their off-season experiences.

Practice was short and intense.  It consisted of a warm-up, a five-v-two session, a passing drill, and then a small scrimmage.  We were using new MLS game balls and the grass was wet so, there were some long touches. haha. These are the same soccer balls that they will be using in the World Cup. All in all things went well and no one got hurt.  It was a good first day.

After practice we had a press conference and I was one of the players speaking to the media.  One of the questions that I was asked numerous times was about the proposed soccer stadium, so I will share my thoughts about that.  It has been a little frustrating for us as an organization because we were under the impression that we were going to get a stadium built soon after the team moved here from San Jose. With that said, I do understand that things like this aren’t easy to get done especially when the economy has taken a hit. When you look at how the other stadiums were built in Houston, it kind of makes us scratch our heads because they were built mostly using public funds where the Dynamo Stadium would be using mostly private funding.  I don’t want to speak too much on this topic because I don’t know much more about the subject than the general public.

I would love to see us push through with the proposed site downtown next to Minute Maid Park and the Toyota Center.  However, this new plan B site seems like a good alternative if things can’t get done downtown. The new site, on 59 and 610 near the Galleria, would be a location that I would still consider centrally located.

Before I go I just want to thank everyone who has been pushing for us and helping us get a stadium.  It would mean a lot for our players to have somewhere we can call our own.  More importantly, it would be a great place that our fans and our soccer community can call home.

Aloha

Hey everyone, it is getting close to that time of year again when we kick off preseason. It has been a great off-season for me. I got to check out a different country for the first time, visited family back home in Hawaii, and managed a quick trip to one of my favorite places, Costa Rica.

My first trip was to Australia, a place that I have never been before. It was an easy country to fall in love with because of the beauty of the beaches and its people. I spent some time on Bondi Beach and then traveled up into the Blue Mountains to see some kangaroos and do some hiking. Then I traveled south to the Great Ocean Road where I got to see the famous Bells Beach and enjoyed the views from the Great Ocean Road. This is where I saw the Twelve Apostles which are an amazing geological phenomenon (pictured here).

From there it was a flight to Hamilton Island. This is a resort island near the south of the Great Barrier Reef. As I snorkeled around the reef, I was in awe of its size and abundance of life. It is truly something one should must witness. Lastly it was on to Byron Bay. To me this is what every surf town should look like. There were so many breaks, the town was small and it had a real beach feel. I am thinking about going back there again next year.

After that was a trip back to Hawaii for the holidays and my annual soccer camp. A couple of buddies and I rented a house near the pipeline where I was able to get in the water a couple of days (check out my photo page). I was amazed by our house and how it reminded me of my childhood where I could hear the waves crash all day long. The Bulls soccer camp was fun as usual and the staff treated Clint Mathis and me with the Aloha spirit.

As soon as I returned to Houston I was greeted by a cold front! When you’re in warm weather for a while and then you are hit with the cold weather, it really makes you feel chilled to the bone. Almost immediately, I was off to PLEX, the gym where I train, to work on the thing I need to prepare me for this year, speed. I have been pulling tires, lifting weights, and doing cardio to get ready.

I was able to get away for a few more days of sun and fun. It was a quick trip down to Costa Rica where I was able to take part in some fishing and surfing, probably my two other favorite things besides soccer. This just reminded me how much I love it down there and how similar it is to Hawaii.

Now the off-season is over I am ready to start our season and hopefully a run at the World Cup and another MLS Cup.

Aloha