MLS Houston Dynamo FC

Houston MLS Unveils its New Name: Houston Dynamo

Published on March 6, 2006 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Houston Dynamo FC News Release


HOUSTON, TX (Monday, March 6, 2006) - Houston's new Major League Soccer (MLS), will be known as Houston Dynamo according to the team General Manager and President Oliver Luck who made the announcement at a press conference today at the Museum of Natural Science's Wiess Energy Hall.

"Dynamo is a word to describe someone who never fatigues, never gives up," said Luck. "The new name is symbolic of Houston as an energetic, hard-working, risk-taking kind of town." "To me, Dynamo has a blue-collar feel to it, as well as an association with the energy business, which is one of the things Houston is known for. We think this is a great name that Greater Houston can rally around."

The scientific genius behind the dynamo's invention is the rotation of a single magnet, whose North and South poles create electricity in a nearby coiled wire. "We believe a parallel can be drawn to the two major communities in Houston: English speakers and Spanish speakers, who together will create electricity at games unlike any other in MLS," said Luck. Another fitting word for this team is dynamic, and that certainly describes Dominic Kinnear's team. "This team can beat you in several ways, be it the powerful heading of Brian Ching, the lightning quickness of Brian Mullan or unpredictability of Dwayne De Rosario," said Luck.

Houston has landed a team that by no means is an expansion franchise. Many of the players who make up the Dynamo helped the squad win the MLS title twice when it was based in California - in 2001 and 2005.

The Houston team boasts star quality, as goalkeeper Pat Onstad was named the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2005, and helped the squad to a league-leading 31 goals allowed last season. Forward Dwayne De Rosario was runner-up as the MLS MVP last year and has twice won Goal of the Year in fan voting. Midfielder Brad Davis was an MLS All-Star in 2005. Kinnear was named MLS Coach of the Year in 2005, as the squad became the second in the 10-year history of the league to total at least 60 points with its 18-4-10 record. The team won the league title despite the departure of such internationally known players as Landon Donovan and Jeff Agoos from the 2004 squad. "This team had the best record in Major League Soccer in 2005. This is a team that went unbeaten at home, the first club in the League's 10-year history to not lose a game at home," said Luck.

"Finally, we'd like to once again reiterate that at no time did MLS or AEG ever want to offend any members of the community in Houston. We want everyone to feel welcome and become a part of professional soccer in Houston. Similar to soccer around the world and in our other MLS markets, the sport embraces all cultures and unites the community. We certainly believe this team will be a positive meeting place for the fabulous diversity of this city."

-The Houston-dynamo connection -

Some of the most significant breakthroughs in using dynamos to bring power into people's homes happened right here in Houston.

* Emmanuel Raphael's innovative electric plant - one of the first in the nation to use a dynamo - was built on the banks of the Buffalo Bayou, at the foot of Main Street, in 1882.

* Citizen's Electric plant was on Gable street, and in 1889 housed 15 dynamos and was the city's first continuously-operating power source. It evolved to include one, massive dynamo room, which -- amazingly -- serviced the city until 1983.

*The scientific genius behind the dynamo's invention is the rotation of a single magnet, whose North and South poles create electricity in a nearby coiled wire.

-Houston Dynamos connection -

There was a former Houston pro soccer team called the Houston Dynamos (with an "s") that the Houston Dynamo is not associated with. The Dynamos played professionally for one year, in 1984, funded by local businessmen John Gaughan and Peter Kane. That squad lost in the final of the 1984 United Soccer League Championship Series to the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Sun in a disputed shootout.

The league folded the next year, but the Dynamos continued to field a team to play exhibitions for two years until professional outdoor soccer died out in the United States. The Club was able to bring in world-class teams in those two years, playing friendlies against the U.S. national team, Sheffield United of England, Universidad Guadalajara of Mexico; Irish Cup champions Linfield and Glentoran, and matches against the Tulsa Roughnecks and San Jose Earthquakes.

The Dynamos worked with many clubs in Greater Houston, including the Cy-Fair Youth Soccer Club (www.cyfairsoccer.org), which paid the Dynamos trainers to work with their players. Cy-Fair had already adopted the Dynamos name for their select teams with the pro team's blessing.

Former Dynamos GM Jim Walker, also a GM for the Chicago Sting in the North American Soccer League, later was hired as director of training for Cy-Fair. He likes the idea of the new name and what it stands for.

"I'm sure the name didn't come from the Dynamos, but I am proud of the name they are using because it does pay tribute to the pro team that has roots here," Walker said. "Plus, I am pleased that they have a team here because it is of great value to the community. Soccer has grown so much more since the time we were here in 1984-86. I know that the Cy-Fair Club and the Dynamos' select teams will get behind them. It's going to be fun to know that they are the Dynamo and we are the Dynamos."

Added Kane, who still lives in the area: "Personally, I don't see any problem with that name. In a way it is a continuation of the efforts we put in with the Dynamos. It continues core soccer, which we want in the area."

Several former Dynamos still are active in the city. These include Glenn Davis, who is a soccer columnist for the Houston Chronicle and is a soccer commentator for ESPN; Bill McDonald, who is the athletic director and soccer coach for Strake Jesuit High School; and Tony Johnson, who directs the successful Albion Hurricanes club program in West Houston.

Walker retired as director of training at Cy-Fair in 2000, but still runs a goalkeeper academy at one of the Club's home fields at Dyess Park in Northwest Harris County.

Houston Dynamo individual game tickets will be going on-sale at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 7. Single game tickets will be available at any ticketmaster location, or by simply visiting www.houstondynamo.com.

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