Well, this probably isn't an objective statement, but the Chicago Fire really have started off 2012 well...just in the same way that Quaker Oats breakfast products are a great way to start the day!

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

In all seriousness though, I can't remember a sponsorship providing such a boost to a club in general and to a fan base in particular.

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.

So, sitting here this afternoon thoroughly enjoying the Bundesliga back in action after an interminable winter break, I have come across a series of stories that might just warm the hearts of us Houston Dynamo supporters near and far.

First comes this excellent piece from Soccer America about Geoff Cameron in USMNT camp.

Let's play a little trivia. Name the Chicago Fire Career Regular Season Goal-Scoring Leader. If the name Ante Razov was not at the tip of your tongue, it's time to bulk up on your Chicago Fire history. Razov holds any kind of goal related record you can imagine; shots (617), hat tricks (2), offsides (184), game-winning goals (23), penalty kick goals (12), multi-goal games (16), and of course just goals (76).

The USL Premier Development League has existed since 1995 as the highest amateur soccer level in the United States. The name was changed and tweaked early on but by the time the Chicago Fire entered a team into the league in 2001, it was referred to as what it is referred to today: PDL. Chicago became the first Major League Soccer team to have a PDL team thanks to support from former Fire President & General Manager Peter Wilt and the direction of current Fire Player Development Director & Consultant John Dorn.

As Camp Junior Mint (U-23) gets underway in Florida this week, Jurgen Klinsmann should be shortly submitting his roster for who gets an Evite to the annual Camp Cupcake in Carson, CA.

This will of course be Klinsmann's first time selecting for the camp that normally sees predominant enrollment of fringe US and Nordic domestic league players.

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

The tradition of holding a January camp for mostly MLS players looking to break through into the U.S. naitonal team is going to be maintained during the Jurgen Klinsmann era and the German manager will be putting together his first January camp very shortly.

Duke's Andrew Wenger stands to be one of the top prospects in this year's SuperDraft. (Photo via Duke Athletic Department)

I know I've been slacking on my college coverage as of late. But have no fear, my SuperDraft items will really start to kick up in the coming weeks with the start of the NCAA tournament next week.

The final U.S. men's national team matches of 2011 are fast approaching, and with a pair of European road games on the slate, there is a good bet we will see plenty of familiar faces, but hopefully at least a few new faces.

The MLS playoffs could mean that some players don't make the trip across the pond, like Landon Donovan, though U.

Chris Rolfe continued his strong play for Aalborg with an assist on their lone goal in Sunday's draw against Brondby while Michael Parkhurst and Nordsjaelland were brought back to earth by Lyngby.

Michael Parkhurst and Nordsjaelland will try to keep their momentum running strong against struggling Lyngby while Chris Rolfe and Clarence Goodson square off when Aalborg visits Brondby.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Seeing German-Americans playing along one another on the U.S. men's national team is becoming quite the trend, but for one weekend we'll see a portion of them doing battle.

Jermaine Jones is set to face off against fellow United States pool players Danny Williams and Fabian Johnson when Schalke 04 and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim play on Saturday.

By Dru Boyer The Yanks Abroad's squads performed much better this week and won a majority of their matches. In addition, the Yanks scored a pair of braces, the likes of which hadn't been seen since...well (and nobody took a rock to the head.) Player of the Week honors to Chris Rolfe...because when does that [.

Chris Rolfe netted a pair of goals to finally get Aalborg back in the win column while Brad Rusin tested out a new role at forward for Koge in their home draw against second-place Midtjylland.

By FRANCO PANIZO

If Chris Rolfe is trying to make his way back into the U.S. men's national team picture, he did a good job of helping his cause this weekend.

Rolfe, who has not represented the United States since 2008, scored two goals in a 90-minute performance against Odense BK.

Chris Rolfe had a two goal game for Aalborg, beating Odense 2-1. Herculez Gomez also scored two goals, with U.A.G. beating Santos Laguna 5-2 on Saturday. Gomez opened the scoring in the 2nd minute and scored again in the 15th, with Santos going a man down in the 32nd. Gomez subbed out in the 68th with U.

After Odense BK knotted the match, Chris Rolfe struck again six minutes from time to give Aalborg a big 2-1 win. The former Fire man doubled his season tally to four, putting him tops on the team, as AaB snapped a five-game victory drought. The highlights are here, amid the Danish chatter.Still waiting on the Buddle clip, which I'll put in a separate post when it surfaces.

After Odense BK knotted the match, Chris Rolfe struck again six minutes from time to give Aalborg a big 2-1 win. The former Fire man doubled his season tally to four, putting him tops on the team, as AaB snapped a five-game victory drought.When I get these two and the Buddle clip, I will do the re-post trick so they come up in your RSS feeds (and such).

A pair of all-Yank encounters saw Michael Parkhurst and Nordsjaelland score a win over Chris Rolfe and Aalborg, while Brad Rusin and Connor O'Brien both saw sub action in SonderjyskE's win over Koge.

Michael Parkhurst and Nordsjaelland will look to continue their run up the Superliga standings against Chris Rolfe and Aalborg while Clarence Goodson and Brondby face off against second-place Midtjylland.

Chris Rolfe helped to set up Aalborg's lone goal in their draw with Silkeborg while Michael Parkhurst and Nordsjaelland jumped into the top three with a win over SonderjyskE.

Chris Rolfe and Aalborg will look to end their slump with a visit to struggling Silkeborg while Michael Parkhurst and Conor O'Brien will square off as SonderjyskE visit the Wild Tigers.

Marco Pappa scored a hat trick starting with a goal in the 9th minute of play. Less than a minute after his first goal, Daniel Paladini provoked Kyle Beckerman into a vicious headbutt that lead to Beckerman receiving a red card. The quick Fire score and Beckerman red card gave the game the same momentum as a red card/penalty kick scenario.

A rough weekend in Denmark saw no Americans register a win, with Chris Rolfe playing a sub role in an embarrassing Aalborg loss to Lyngby and Clarence Goodson and Brondby rolling over to Copenhagen.

Chris Rolfe and Aalborg face perhaps their toughest game of the season when they visit unbeaten FC Copenhagen while Conor O'Brien and SonderjyskE will look to take full points on their visit to Midtjylland.

Michael Parkhurst and Nordsjaelland put on a strong performance to hand Chris Rolfe and Aalborg their first loss of the season while Clarence Goodson and Brondby inflicted a lopsided beating on Koge.

Brad Rusin returns from suspension for Koge's battle with still-undefeated Aalborg BK and Chris Rolfe, while Michael Parkhurst and Nordsjaelland will try to wipe their Europa League tears on lowly Lyngby.

If this is the best team possible, I'm Han Solo. Not that I mean offense to any player listed below or even have any great complaints... though I'm again dismayed to see Mikkel Diskerud and Chris Rolfe not invited, for at least Belgium. G - Bill Hamid (DC United), Tim Howard (Everton) D - Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Edgar Castillo (Club América), Timmy Chandler (FC Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo

Chris Rolfe went the distance on the right side of Aalborg's midfield on Monday, as they were unable to make the most of their scoring chances and were forced to settle for a scoreless draw at SonderjyskE.

There's an eye-opening article on SI.com about Americans abroad having a chance to impress new United States men's national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann--a clean slate if you will. The author makes the point that Klinsmann's philosophy is going to be so radically different from Bob Bradley's that anyone has a chance to make an impact with the #USMNT.

Chris Rolfe's second goal of the season helped Aalborg move into second place while Michael Parkhurst went 90 minutes at left back for Nordsjaelland as they shut out Brad Rusin and Koge.

A: A winner winner winner chicken dinner. Duh. I'm still hunting for the elusive clip, but Chris Rolfe did in fact fire Aalborg up to second place with a 2-1 decider against Odense BK. The guy I hope to see in Brussels next month capped off a counter attack 11 minutes from time to put his side up two, rendering OB's late strike as mere consolation.

A: A winner winner winner chicken dinner. Duh. I'm still hunting for the elusive clip, but Chris Rolfe did in fact fire Aalborg up to second place with a 2-1 decider against Odense BK. The guy I hope to see in Brussels next month capped off a counter attack 11 minutes from time to put his side up two, rendering OB's late strike as mere consolation.

The second round of the 2011-12 Danish Cup was drawn on Friday afternoon, giving Chris Rolfe and Aalborg a tough local derby against Viborg and Nordsjaelland an easy start to their quest for a third straight trophy.

Chris Rolfe and Aalborg have their eye on a jump into the Superliga's top two spots when they host Odense and Conor O'Brien will look to help SonderjyskE earn a result on their trip to Clarence Goodson's Brondby.

Chris Rolfe started and played 80 minutes for AaB in front of 9,313 fans at the Aalborg Arena on Monday. Nicklas Helenius scored the game's only goal in first-half stoppage time. Nicolai Larsen recorded the shutout for Aalborg. Marcus Tracy is recovering from injury and did not play.

Chris Rolfe netted the winner for Aalborg to help them join the heap atop the league while Michael Parkhurst and Nordsjaelland held off Horsens for their first point of the season.

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The game is not over yet, so we have no clip at this time, but Aalborg forward Chris Rolfe has opened his season account with a chest-down-and-fire against visitors AGF.Twenty minutes remain with AaB up 2-1. If it stays this way, Rolfe gets the winner. Naturally, we will have a clip before too long..

Photo by Francisco Vega/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Most of the big European leagues are still in their preseasons, but that doesn't mean there isn't a portion of the Americans Abroad already in action.

Clarence Goodson began his first full season with Brondby IF by starting and going the distance in the club's 2-2 draw with Aalborg BK.