It seems like just yesterday the Dynamo played for the MLS Cup in Los Angeles, in fact it was only 66 days ago, but time waits for no one and the new season must get underway. Yesterday at the team's training facilities, the Dynamo did just that, kicking off the 2012 season with the opening of pre-season camp.

Valencia's stop in the United States is proving quite successful.

More than a week after defeating the Portland Timbers, the Spanish club beat the Houston Dynamo, 2-1, in a friendly on Thursday night. Valencia rode two early goals from forward Aritz Aduriz to victory against a mostly first-choice Dynamo team in front of a soldout crowd of 22,039 at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Houston Dynamo past and present has been on parade over the last week. On the same day the reigning MLS MVP Dwayne De Rosario inked a new deal with DC United, the person those of us with an Orange persuasion consider the real 2011 MVP is back at work.

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Brad Davis has been cleared by doctors for "all soccer activities.

Power Rankings are nothing more than good fun, particularly in the pre-season. Taking fan support, previous season rankings, player movement and the SuperDraft into account, I took a shot.That said, here's how I see the Eastern Conference playing out.
1. Sporting Kansas City: This squad has done nothing but get better.

One of the shames of the unbalanced schedule is that teams that were developing a strong on-field rivalry are now split apart. Houston Dynamo v Seattle Sounders FC matches birthed zombie Jaqua, the Dynamo were the first team to beat Seattle in the MLS Cup Playoffs and only the LA Galaxy have played Seattle more in the MLS era.

Any question whether Futty Danso would play against Chicago has been answered by Major League Soccer and their disciplinary committee. Danso was suspended for one match for hitting Houston midfielder Calen Carr in the head during a collision in the 82nd minute of their May 15 match in Houston. Danso will sit out the May 20 match against the Chicago Fire, although his availability was questionable because of a hamstring injury he suffered on the same play.

Judging by the general content of the comments around here (and in other places), the main concern going into the 2012 Houston Dynamo season is that team has dipped in quality with the loss of Brian Ching and Danny Cruz. The fear seems to be that we are in for yet another long season of middling to above average results with the possibility of a serious drop in form.

Forward Calen Carr, who played a key role in the run to the MLS Cup final, has been limited this week while rehabbing from the left knee surgery he underwent late last month. "I had to get a little work done on my knee," he said. "It was nothing major. Just cleaned up some things." [...]

Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com

The Houston Dynamo are still actively trying to improve their forward options, and they took a step in that direction by swinging a trade Wednesday night.

The Dynamo traded a conditional 2014 draft pick to the Colorado Rapids for Macoumba Kandji, adding the athletic, Senegalese striker to a stable that currently has Calen Carr, Will Bruin, Cam Weaver and rookie Colin Rolfe.

The Dynamo continue their season opening sojurn as they await the completion of BBVA Compass Stadium with another trip to the west coast. This time, they head to Northern California to face the San Jose Earthqukes at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Both team got their 2012 campaigns off to a winning start last week and will be looking to continue the positive mojo in the second weekend.

By THOMAS FLOYD

Come Saturday, the city of Montreal will officially introduce itself to Major League Soccer.

After starting the season on the road last weekend, the expansion Impact will play their home opener against the Chicago Fire at Olympic Stadium.

Wow, a match two weekends in row! We're going to get spoiled.

The Dynamo's stretch of matches against Eastern Conference foes continues with a trip to Columbus to face the Crew. Robert Warzycha's side have lost two straight matches and will be looking to rebound against the Dynamo in the friendly confines of Crew Stadium.

In the last two games, the Brian Ching and Will Bruin partnership up top has really been impressive for the Dynamo, combining for two assists and three goals. One week after serving the assist for Bruin's first goal of the season, Ching scored his first goal off an assist from Bruin to tie the score [.

The Dynamo fell 1-0 at Red Bull Arena last night in a match that was pretty frustrating for all of us to watch. It sucks to lose a second straight match against a conference opponent, but there's still plenty of time left in the season. Thankfully, as we learned last season, MLS can be very forgiving to poor starts, though considering all the road games it's not really a poor start.

The emotional home opener at the newest cathedral of soccer in America is passed and it's time to get down to business. The Dynamo have limited time to recover and prepare themselves mentally and physically for a well rested Portland Timbers team that is desperate for points.

It's been a hectic week for the Dynamo, the dreaded side effect of having to compress the season's home schedule in a shortened amount of time.

Tuesday night's game between the Houston Dynamo and Portland Timbers will be memorable for it being the first night game at BBVA Compass Stadium. But that's about it.

The two clubs combined for few chances in a sluggish 0-0 draw in front of a sellout crowd at MLS' newest stadium.

Well that was not a match to write home about. It happens in every sport, not every game is great and while last night's nil-nil draw between the Houston Dynamo and the Portland Timbers will not make any highlight reels, it wasn't the worst match we've ever seen. It's a little disappointing to leave points on the table against a struggling Timbers side but considering the lineup changes and the insanely busy schedule the Dynamo are facing right now, a point is a point.

Futty Danso received a one game suspension and a fine for an undisclosed amount for striking Calen Carr in the head while tackling the ball away from him in the Portland Timbers game versus the Houston Dynamo on Tuesday. During the game the play in question was ruled fair play as Futty got the ball before colliding with Carr, but upon further review the MLS Discipline Committee ruled that Futty's challenge warranted further action.

Maybe Chris Penso should be disciplined as well?

MLS announced today that Mamadou "Futty" Danso will be suspended one game and fined for the vicious hit to the head he delivered to Calen Carr (who is wearing protective headgear for goodness' sakes!!) late in the 0-0 draw on Tuesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.

OK, here is the view of the incredible hack that Futty Danso put in on Calen Carr Tuesday night. Danso was rightly suspended today for a game and fined for the foul, but like in the previous post, the question has to be asked: Why doesn't the MLS Disciplinary Committee mete out justice to referee Chris Penso and his unnamed AR as well?