Truth be told, I've always remembered midfielder Dema Kovalenko more for his temper and two crunching tackles that broke the legs of Dallas defender Brandon Pollard (ending his career) and Ronnie O'Brien (almost ending his) than his work rate on the field.

Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena, who had Kovalenko in his team with the Red Bulls, was I'm guessing looking for a bit of steel in what was on occasion a rather limp midfield last season and looked even worse this year with the departures of Pete Vagenas and Alvaro Pires.

I should really have called this post "Catching up with Danny Califf."

For some reason I don't think I had talked to Califf at length since he left the Galaxy after the 2004 season (outside of grabbing a few comments at a packed mixed zone after a national team game).

He was in an ebullient move on the opening day of the U.

At age 37, former U.S. international Tony Sanneh is on trial with the Galaxy in a bid to extend his injury-riddled career.

Sanneh began his MLS career winning back to back titles with Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena at D.C. United. But Sanneh has battled injuries of one sort or another ever since moving from MLS to Hertha Berlin in 1998, where he managed just 31 appearances in four years.

A prophetic statement by Omar Gonzalez' college coach on his Maryland player profile at the start of the 2008 season came true and the huge central defender was made the Galaxy's top draft choice.

Born and raised in Dallas, Gonzalez learned just a couple of days before the draft that the Galaxy were interested in him.