Kategorie H

Texans Top Colts

2010-09-14T17:00:00.001-05:00

I haven't set an alarm for work in over a year and a half. So today when my phone started vibrating early in the morning like a kid who forgot to take his riddlin, I was understandably confused... for about three seconds. Then I got that giddy, kid-on-Christmas-morning-feeling and lept to my feet, paid the hooker, made breakfast and camped out in front of the TV. From the second the pregame started, all the familiar stats started rolling off the lips of the talking heads CBS tricked into thinking they know stuff about football. 15-1 this, Peyton Manning that, blah blah blah. These are stats Houston fans know all too well. We've heard them spit at us by Colts fans and Texans haters for quite a while now. All the experts were going on and on about how Matt Schaub's golden arm was our only hope, and even that didn't give us much of a chance. Well, evidently, Arian Foster didn't get that memo. What he did get was 231 yds on 33 carries with 3 tds. For those of you keeping track, thats the most any one back has ever gained against the ponys. Thats also 2 yds more than Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson combined,and on 13 less carries. Not only that, its the second most yds ever by a RB on opening day (the record-holder is everyone's favorite wife-murdering parody of a human being, O.J. Simpson). Matt Schaub only let the ball fly 17 times, 9 of those were complete for 107 yds. If someone had told me before the game that Schaub would have than 150 yds, I would have laughed, punched them, laughed again, and maybe cried a little. But with a final score of 34-24, I couldn't do anything but grin like a cheshire cat.
While 2-15 isn't by any means a great record, its an enormous boost to this team. We knew better than anyone how big this game was. We sat and watched game after game turn in the last minute on some fluke fumble, missed field goal, blown call ect... Even a late 73 yd touchdown pass from Manning to Austin Collie couldn't dampen the spirits in Reliant Stadium. And it didn't do much to raise Peyton's spirits either, he was visibly distressed nearly the entire game. While I have always had a sort of professional respect for him, and admire his competitive spirit, I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the Sony-hawking millionaire pouting, yes, pouting, on the sideline in the 4th quarter.

Obviously the biggest suprise was Arian Foster, but he was by no means the only player on his A-game. Super Mario Williams came to do two things today, chew bubblegum, and kick ass. Evidently, he forgot his bubblegum. He had a sack and a half (though not listed as such on the Texans' website at this time) 4 tackles, and 5 knockdowns. Peyton Manning spent more time on his butt than I've ever been witness to, both on the turf, and on the bench. The Time of possession was only slightly skewed in the Texans' favor, 30:53 to 29:07, it sure didn't seem that way. The first drive of the third quarter alone was 15 plays for 66 yds and ate up 7:57. That was the drive that we will be looking to later on in the year when people are asking who the hell Arian Foster is, and why he's man-handling their defenses. Again, Foster is amazing, but you can't forget to give some extra love to our O-line (who thought we'd ever say that?) and FB Vonta Leach, who cleared the way for so many of Foster's game-changing runs. If this kid can keep it up, and our defense can play like they did yesterday, is there really any team in the league that can stop us?

Article by Chase
follow on Twitter @ChaserJames

HOU-NOLA Preview

2010-08-21T15:21:00.001-05:00

Hey guys, just a quick rundown of what we'll be seeing tonight as our boys take on the New Orleans Saints. They've been practicing against the defending super bowl champs all week are ready to get things going in the superdome tonight. Heres the three things I'm most interested in seeing tonight.
　
Trindon Holiday - All I've heard about this guy from most Texans fans is how he didn't do much in the return game against Arizona. Personally, I think its just impatience for th most part. People who judge a team or player based solely on one game must either not watch much sports, or still have a second grade reading level. The first time he ever touched an NFL football, he returned the opening kickoff for thirty yards. That is not what I'd call disapointing. The rest of the night was admittedly lackluster at best, but I expect to see big things tonight. The shellshock will have worn off, and he'll be looking to showcase his talents to anyone who will watch.

The RBs - Wow... ok, lets all take a deep breath before this one. I'm sure no one was more disapointed with last week's game that Steve Slaton. His fumble at the goal line was eerily reminiscant of last season. The simple fact is that he is an amazing player with an enormous, glaring weakness. If he wants to be remembered as anything other than a rookie fluke, he's going to have to learn how to hold on to the ball. Unfortunately, there isn't alot of ways to coach around this, he's gotta do it on his own. With Tate injured, the remaining four are going to get more touches than previously planned, and they're going to have to make them count. Its not unreasonable to hold these players to high standards. We had the number one passing attack in the league last year, and still missed the playoffs. That is unacceptable, plain and simple. A better run game will not only give the Texans something they've always locked, clock control, but it'll help the passing attack exponentially. It'll give Schaub a lil much needed rest, and the play-action will help get the receivers space down the field when the safteys and/or linebackers bite. Also, I'm enjoying watching Arian Foster, and hope he'll continue to impress.

Kareem Jackson - First round draft pick, Jackson, did not start the preseason opener against Arizona due to a death in the family. He's behind where he should be, but practicing against Andre Johnson every day is moving him along nicely. He'll see his first NFL game experience tonight, and he's going to have to step up in a big way to prevent Drew Brees from walking all over us.

Article by Chase
Follow on Twitter @ChaserJames

Texans Training Camp Update

2010-08-05T21:08:00.003-05:00

Hear that? The sound of helmets slamming together? The whistles and screams of coaches? The silence coming from the rookies, seeing as they're too busy carrying Andre Johnson's pads.... Well, that can only mean one thing; training camp is here. Our steel blue boys are back in pads, back to hitting eachother, back to getting paid way too much money to play a game. But I digress. To this fan, those wonderful sounds are better than Beethoven. Add in the fact that Andre Johnson has agreed to stick around till 2016, and I’m grinning like a cheshire cat. Bob McNair is even going so far as publicly expressiong expectations for Johnson to be the team's first Hall of Fame player. He may be the highest paid reciever in the NFL, but he didn’t make a spectacle about it like some people might have. On top of that, we’ve now signed every draft pick, as well as resigning Bernard Pollard, DeMeco Ryans, Kevin Walter, andOwen Daniels. (free angent tender)

The rookies getting the most attention in camp are first and second round picks CB Kareem Jackson and RB Bent Tate, as well as return specialist, Trindon Holliday. Jackson is lining up against Andre Johnson every day and getting the best education possible in the NFL. This is going to help to add experience to a very young secondary. Projected to start accross form Jackson is Glover Quin, who started twelve games for us last year as a rookie. His impact was undeniable, leading the team with eleven passes defended. He's going to need to maintain that level of intensity and skill in order for us to stay competitive. A couple interceptions wouldn't hurt my feelings, but hey, I'm not complaining. I've seen us start far worse CBs than Quin, and the kid is an extreme talent. Until the NFL allows Go-go-gadget type arms on defensive backs, we're going to need to have consistent top talent in the position as long as Peyton Manning is the king of the AFC South.

Ben Tate is looking good, but isn't quite where he'll need to be to at be considered worth the pick we used to get him. He, however, is pushing second and third year backs, Arian Foster and Steve Slaton, to live up to the hype surrounding them. Foster, for the breakout game against New England, (20 carries, 119yds, 2 TD) and Slaton for the amazing rookie year of 2008 (1,282 yds, 9 TD) Tate can be a fast, strong, and slippery guy, and will probably be given a great oppurtunity in the red zone to punch it in for six, where we fell short so often last year. (Not to mention, I'm looking forward to seeing Tate and former tennessee S Eric Berry go at it once again during the Texans-Chiefs meeting on Oct. 17th)

Trindon Holliday broke two punt returns for touchdowns in a single practice. He may not be able to enjoy many roller coasters or water slides, but he can have a grand ol' time on a football field eluding men twice his size. Said Joe Marciano "If you can't touch him, you can't tackle him." Truer words were never spoken, Joe. The real test for this tiny titan will be during pre-season where he'll be attempting to juke and duck people who aren't helping him stock his my-size Barbie garage. Hopefully, the recent hamstring injury won't keep him out of the August 14th pre-season opener against the Arizona Cardinals.

Speaking of injuries, don't count on seeing Owen Daniels this pre-season. While he's expected to play in the regular season opener Sep. 12th against Peyton Manning and the Colts, I don't think Kubiak will want to risk bringing him back any sooner. Xavier Adibi, who was expected to start in place of Brian Cushing during his four game suspension, unfortunately injured his groin. I got the chance to meet Adibi shortly after he was drafted by Houston, and he was an incredibly nice and funny guy, as well as a hell of a talent. Kub's comments aren't exactly what you'd call inspiring.

"I'm concerned right now with Adibi, I think everybody (else) will get back here pretty quickly, but he's going to miss some time. Obviously, we were counting on him very much so as a team. I feel bad for him because it seems like every time he gets on the brink, something happens. Hopefully, we can get past this and keep him healthy for a period of time."

Hopefully, like another famous Xavier he'll rebound just fine. I'd love to see someone really step up and fill the sizable void that'll be left by Cushing's absense. Fourth round pick, Darryl Sharpton, has been looking good and impressing people, and its a good thing with Adibi and Zac Diles both out with similar injuries.

So, after seven days of training camp, its still looking like the Texans are on track to have their best year yet. Will this campaign be the one to finally get us a ticket to the play-offs? Maybe, maybe not, but its looking good, dare I say, even likely? Thats right, "likely." Obviously, a few things would have to happen. Matt Schaub would have to stay healthy for all sixteen games for the second year in a row. Owen Daniels would have to recover enough to match his numbers from the previous two years. We've got to get the CBs on track to replace the hole left by Dunta Robinson, and have the LBs survive the four games without Brian Cushing. Of all these 'ifs,' theres none bigger than our widely publicized running woes. However, if Slaton or Foster can live up to their aforementioned hype, or Tate can rise to meet expectations, especially in goal line situations, than I'm sold. If I'm eating my words along with my humlie pie come January, I doubt I'll be alone. The fact that #80 is ready and willing to spend his entire career in Houston speaks volumes. So that begs the question, if he's willing to bet his legacy(?) on the franchise, aren't you willing to bet a couple hours on Sundays?

Article by Chase
Follow on Twitter @ChaserJames

Houston Dynamo vs New York Red Bulls

2010-08-01T15:53:00.005-05:00

A dramatic finish at Robertson Stadium saved a point for the Dynamo and sort of spoiled the Debut of New York Red Bulls Forward Thierry Henry's in his first MLS Game. The Dynamo still have not been able to win at home in League competition since May 22 but at least got a point after playing the entire second half with 1o Men after Lovel Palmers ejection late in the first half. Another ejection you say? Yes it appears that the trend from the late Summer swoon of last Season is making a reemergence for a team that has made it's share of mistakes and self inflicted wounds in games to numerous to count. Add to that a missed opportunity to go in front when Brad Davis missed a second Penalty Kick and in retrospect this point almost feels like a win.

A great never say die effort by the Dynamo after Juan Pablo Angel's second goal of the night put the Red Bulls in front was finally rewarded when Brian Mullan's header after a nice cross by Andrew Hainault found the back of the net just before stoppage time commenced. A Crowd of 24,750 came out to see the first League appearance of Thierry Henry and was not disappointed as he collected two assists on the New York Goals. The first assist came after a nifty piece of footwork allowed him to send a cross into the box that Angel collected and scored with a left footed Shot at close range in the 10th minute. On the second assist he slotted a nice pass into the run of Angel who turned and fired a right footed blast into the net past Dynamo Keeper Tally Hall in the 58th minute. Henry also nicked the post in Minute 42 and shortly thereafter Lovel Palmer received a Red Card from Referee Paul Ward after a "serious foul" on Carlos Mendes of the Red Bulls. Now I have to admit that it was a foul but I was not the only one who thought it was not a Red Card, both Dynamo Coach Dom Kinnear and Red Bulls Coach Hans Backe said after the game that they did not think it was a Red Card in their opinion as both players ran toward and attempted to play a loose ball. The Dynamo equalized after a sequence in New York's box saw Joseph Ngwenya awarded a Penalty Kick after being taken down. Brad Davis stepped up and took the PK and blasted it bast Nwe York Goalie Bouna Coundoul in the 24th minute. After New York's Defender Tim Ream took down Brian Ching the ball was placed on the spot and Brad Davis had a chance to give the Dynamo the lead but was unable to repeat his earlier feat when he shot the ball over the goal and into the stands. In the end many of the Fans in attendance where happy with the result and the effort displayed by the team. Let's hope the Men in Orange can turn this into a spark and manage to gain some points on the teams in front of them.

On another note: Maybe the two "Fans" that ran onto the field to welcome Henry late in the game are going to try to claim "Youthful Exuberance" as a reason for their excursion, not that it will or should work for them as an excuse but that episode did bring some smiles as the Security team tried to run them down. People in the stands took matters into their own hands to assist in their finally being apprehended.

Next up is Monarcas Morelia in the SuperLiga semifinal on Thursday, 5th of August at 7 PM.

Dynamo Notes: Goal Keeper Pat Onstad is out with an abdominal strain and may need surgery that will probably keep him out until the end of August. Midfielder Geoff Cameron continues to get healthier and has been practicing for some time, he might be able to take the field in the next few weeks.

Update

2010-07-16T17:40:00.002-05:00

Sorry there haven't been any updates lately, my computer crashed out. Hold on to your butts though, Astros and Dynamo state of the Union posts will be coming soon! Until then, you stay classy Houson!

Super Fans: The Art of Hometown Love and Devotion

2010-06-28T16:03:00.001-05:00

After spending five days in the great city of Boston, watching the Celtics lose a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Kobe Bryants, er, Lakers, I was afforded the opportunity to see the holiest of hallowed Baseball halls, the beloved, and oft beleagured Fenway Park. Everywhere I turned in the city, I saw a sea of Red Sox caps, Jerseys, T-Shirts, Shorts, Tattoos(!), jackets, strollers, beanies, etc… I admit, I became wrapped up in the idea of being a Red Sox fan, afterall, they are my adopted AL team. Winning atmosphere breeds a winning fan relationship. We as fans want our hometeam to win. Afterall, you all remember the bandwaggon jumpers during the 2005 NLCS. The entire city of Houston were Astros fans for 2 weeks. What’s the difference between them and us? The Red Sox experienced a drought spanning more years than the collective writership of Kategorie H writers have lived. They sold BABE RUTH! TO THE YANKEES! Imagine us shipping Roy Oswalt off to St. Louis for some AA player to be named later. Houston would riot.

The difference is Blind Devotion. Yes the Red Sox win. They have been a winning franchise in a very tough division for the better part of a decade. Theo Epstein is a phenominal GM and their scouting department makes very shrewd moves in the drafting department, having selected no lower than 8^th position since 2003. Jacoby Ellsbury, Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis… the list goes on. Bostonians LOVE their Red Sox. But what gives the Red Sox an advantage over the Astros (because let’s face it, the only thing these two teams have in common is the S in their names) is their fanbase. So here’s what I took away from being a Red Sox fan for a day.

Fenway Franks are the greatest Hot Dogs I have ever eaten at a ballpark. Fenway smells old and you can’t traverse the park in its entirety. Beer is expensive everywhere you go. The benefits of a closed roof stadium were not lost on my wife and I, who spent 2 hours in the rain. Respect to the Cask and Flagon for having decently priced beer. Booing a guy who helped you win a World Series (first in 80+ years) is definitely en vogue. American League games are WAY slower than National League games.

I have to admit. Wearing my 2007 World Series Jonathan Papelbon jersey (gift from my wife) and recently purchased Red Sox hat ($22) made me feel awfully adulterous. I couldn’t really enjoy the game because I knew my 59/50 Astros Hat and Home Brick Red Lance Berkman jersey were in my closet, secretly plotting my demise. I watched the game, making statements to my wife (who is almost as avid of a baseball fan as myself, I am a lucky dude) like “Pedroia stole 2 bases on that error. No way Carlos, or anyone other than Bourn could have ran that out. See how Youkilis is pulling his hands in to shoot the ball to right? Ethier is coming off an injury, he’s playing the percentages”. Where in Brad Mills, or for that matter, Ed Wade’s books is a statement even relatively close to those?

The Red Sox seemed to feed off of the crowd. When Fenway got loud, hits were produced. Clay Bucholtz got out of nasty, Brett Myers 1^st inning sized jams. The crowd seemed to be the 10^th man on the field. Where is that at Minute Made? Where is our blind devotion? Where is our, we may be out of it, but these guys represent our team and city EVERYDAY? The Astros are playing like they would rather be somewhere else. I can’t say I really blame them. Ask Roy Oswalt. The whole point of being a “fan” is to support, love, hate, cry and embrace with your team. We are experiencing a ship jumping phenomenon of a higher order this year. Yes the front office has shown ineptitude in signings. Drayton McClane is a notorious Name Collector. But we are making strides. Castro The Astro has FINALLY made his debut. Remember the last #1 pick’s debut that caused such a stir? The guy is the GM of the Rangers. Yeah, That Guy. Roy O is finally looking like he’s gonna get the trade he deserves.

The roundabout point I am trying to make is this: Yes the Astros are making mistakes. So did the Red Sox. Yes the Astros are awful. So were the Sox. We are destined to fail this year. Imagine doing it with guys like Yazstremski or Ted Williams! Give the Astros a break. Give them some love. Support them in the hardest of times. Show your mettle as a fan. Be the 10^th man on the field. Eat the Minute Made dogs and drink the $9 beer. Don’t be a bandwaggoner. Love your team as much as you can, because let’s face it, in these dire times, is when they need you the most. Look what it did for the Red Sox.

Article By Phil

Follow him on Twitter @AllPhilla

A Note to the Houston Dynamo

2010-06-28T14:54:00.003-05:00

I'm concerned, home team, and I'm not sure if I have an answer for my problem. Watching the World Cup has given me a little perspective on our beloved Orange. I don't want this to be read as criticism or anger, more constructive frustration. I am a die hard, and as such we could lose every game and I would still wear the colors and show up at the games and cheer and yell just as hard as ever. This being said I have one thing to ask of the team.

Please do not continue to live up to the expectations of American Soccer.

Looking back, our season is comparable to the US National teams run in the Cup. We don't play to our level, we play the pace set by our opponent. Sometimes we pull out of it and make it work sometimes we don't. We play very well against good teams, and play very poorly against poor teams. This has to change.

I'm not what you would call a brilliant soccer mind. If you read the Free Beer Movement's webpage in the coming weeks you will see a story I sent in about only becoming a fan when the Dynamo came to the city. I'm not a strategist or a statistician, but I can see what is plainly in front of me. We need to go into games assuming we will win, assuming we deserve to win. We need to walk in with a swagger. We need to walk in with the pride of champions. Sure, this team is in transition. We've lost two world class midfielders, a GM who has been instrumental in our development and there are constant rumors about our Coaches being wooed away by other clubs. Life is tough when you're at the top.

All of this being said, we have an amazingly talented squad, passionate fans and a looming stadium deal. We have the pride of the third coast. It is time to start playing like it. We have looked downright timid at times this season and that is not acceptable to the fans. It shouldn't be acceptable to the players or staff either. We lost to dallas at home. Of course we will still support our team, but it is embarrassing to go out like that. The Houston Dynamo are better than that.

So home team, know that your fans will always be here. We will continue to bring our voices, drums, banners, confetti and any other accoutrements you will allow in the stadium. There will be nothing held back from your supporters, and even if we are last in the league we will still come out as if we were the best. But we don't have to go down that road. We have the talent and skill and support and atmosphere to have the top two teams in the league as long as we play like it. Check everything else at the door. We will sweat, we will cry, we will celebrate, we will blead with you. We are Houston. Let's start playing like it again.

Article contributed by Mike

Follow on Twitter @MikeP713 @KategorieH

Kategorie H "Fantasy" Baseball

2010-06-22T03:46:00.002-05:00

So Home Team, there's a reason you shouldn't mix sports and alcohol to a certain extent. Our illustrious Astros writer @AllPhilla (follow him on twitter), myself and good buddy and potential future writer Brent got together a week or so ago and got talking. As per usual, we talked baseball. We decided that we could pick a team as well as anyone in baseball and the following bet was made.

The terms of the bet are to pick a starting line up and a pitching rotation and the person with the best stats win. The two remaining "managers" must then draw for the losers reward. One must be photographed wearing a Cubs or Cardinals shirt. Person who wins the draw chooses either a STL or CUBS shirt. The other person just gets the left over. Pictures will be put on twitter, KategorieH.com, and must be our Facebook Profile pictures for ONE Week. So that's it. Here's the Scoring and the teams:

Scoring :

Pitching- K’s, ERA, WHIP, AVG. allowed

Offense- BA, OBS, SLUG, OPS, HR

Phil

1. U. Jiminez COL

2. J. Mauer MIN

3. A. Puljos STL

4. C. Utley PHI

5. A. Rodriguez NYY

6. H. Ramirez FLA

7. C. Lee HOU

8. A. Jackson DET

9. C. Crawford TAM

Rotation/Bullpen

1. U. Jiminez COL

2. A. Gallaraga DET

3. M. Cain SF

4. S. Strasburg WASH

5. B. Zito SF

6. W. Lopez HOU

7. M. Rivera NYY

Bench

1. D. Perdrioa BOS

2. J. Heyward ATL

3. T. Helton COL

4. M. Cebrerra DET

5. B. McCann ATL

Brent

1. R. Halladay PHI

2. Y. Molina STL

3. A. Gonsolez SD

4. B. Zobrist TAM

5. R. Zimmerman WASH

6. M. Scudiro BOS

7. A. Eithier LAD

8. C. Hart MIL

9. R. Braun MIL

Rotation/Bullpen

1. R. Halladay PHI

2. CC. Sabathia NYY

3. A. Pettite NYY

4. J. Peavy CHI

5. J. Lester BOS

6. B. Lyon HOU

7. M. Lindstrom HOU

Bench

1. R. Weeks MIL

2. K. Youkalis BOS

3. D. Jeter NYY

4. H. Pence HOU

5. T. Wiggington BAL

Mike

1. T. Lincecum SF

2. V. Martinez BOS

3. J. Morneau MIN

4. R. Cano NYY

5. E. Longoria TAM

6. T. Tulowitzky COL

7. M. Holliday STL

8. I. Suzuki SEA

9. J. Battista

Rotation/Bullpen

1. T. Lincecum SF

2. D. Price TAM

3. J. Weaver LAA

4. R. Dempster CHI

5. D. Harin ARI

6. R. Soriano TAM

7. E. Feliz TEX

Bench

1. J. Keppinger HOU

2. P. Fielder MIL

3. N. Swisher NYY

4. A. Huff SF

5. S. Rolen STL

There you have it. We'd love to hear your comments and thoughts on how brilliant or stupid we may be. Feel free to leave your potential line ups in the comments section. There's still a long season. The official scoring will be from now to the end of the season with a scoring update at the All Star break. Peace home team!

Texans Fans Time to Dance?

2010-06-14T20:04:00.002-05:00

“Leaping and dancing. Ecclesiastes assures us that there is a time for every purpose under heaven. A time to laugh and a time to weep. A time to mourn and there is a time to dance.” - Ren McCormic, “Footloose.”

Ladies and Gentleman, the time to dance is now! Once again, with the Astros heading downhill faster than a cheese-loving Englishman , people are once again looking around the room nervously and proclaiming “…how about them Texans?!” With everyone wetting their britches over the Andre Johnson contract dispute, there have been more than a few worried fans this off-season. But don’t fret, there have been far more positives than negatives this year, lets take a look at a few.

First, quit worrying about Johnson, he’s not going anywhere except straight to the end-zone. The dispute was just that, a dispute, and fans were way too quick to lump Johnson in with the other prima donna WRs in the NFL. He’s a class act and the front office appreciates everything he’s done, they’re not letting him go anywhere.

Secondly, our not-so-secret-weapon, Owen Daniels, is back. Maybe not back on the field just yet, but he has officially signed his free agent tender. This TE is one of the best in the business, as if you needed me to tell you that. He’s also second in franchise history with 2,501 rec. yards and 207 receptions. He’s a chain-mover and isn’t afraid to take a lick going through the middle of the field. Until tearing his ACL in game 8 last year, he’s been mostly indestructible. People in Houston are throwing around names like Tony Gonzales when referencing Daniels’ amazing talent. Something tells me we haven’t seen anything yet.

Ben Tate is healthy and on track to make up for lost time. Tate spent his down time memorizing the Texans’ playbook. “You’ve got to stay in the playbook, even when you’re not playing,” says Tate. “That’s an important part of the game, stay in my playbook and making sure I know what’s going on so I can start playing the game fast.” There’s not a whole lot else you can ask from a rookie like Tate. He knows his role, and he’s excited to do the work. He’s going to be the yin to Steve Slaton’s yang and hopefully kung-fu the hell out of opposing defenses.

Speaking of Steve Slaton, I’m not worrying much about the third year rusher. Obviously, last year was anything but great, but its too soon to call that rookie season a fluke. Lets be honest, its not like he was out there getting lucky every Sunday two years ago. The raw talent is there, and going into his third year, he’s got more experience and better field vision. Look at Adrian “all day” Peterson. He fumbled the ball 99.9% of the time he came into contact with it. (I may have to check those numbers, but they seem accurate to me) It’s not the end of the world folks. Once someone hears you can’t hold onto the ball, your fumbles are going to spike exponentially. They smell blood, gang tackle, and do everything they can to rip the ball away instead of just trying to stop the play. Long story short, expect to see big things from this little man.

Most of all, look at the draft. These were carefully orchestrated and well thought out picks. Gary Kubiak knows his football, and knows his drafts. We plugged holes, we filled needs, we got the best players available. We basically did everything that a professional football team is supposed to do with the draft. Between our amazing coaching staff and the veterans on this team, these young kids are walking onto one of the most talented, mature teams in the NFL, and that’s going to take us a long, long way.

Kategorie H World Cup Bracket Challenge

2010-06-10T22:12:00.002-05:00

Thats right soccer fans, Kategorie H is jumping into the hype of the biggest sporting event in the world. As such, we have decided to join in ESPN's bracket challenge. Just search Kategorie H to join the group. You can submit as many as 5 brackets and it will compare points for everyone involved. If you like march madness, you will love this! Of course we're cheering for the Home Team but its possible that one of our founders may or may not have a small rooting interest in a certain German side. We won't hold that against him though! Follow this link and join in the fun, invite your friends and check back often for updates! GAME ON!!!

http://tiny.cc/KatHChallenge Share the link, pass it on!

Luck to Step Down as Dynamo GM?

2010-06-09T22:28:00.003-05:00

Latest rumor is that Oliver Luck will be leaving the Houston Dynamo at the end of the 2010 season. Widely considered the best GM in Houston sports, Luck will certainly be missed. It is said that the former Houston Oilers quarterback will be departing Houston for his alma mater of West Virginia to take on the Athletic Director position. While we in Houston will certainly miss Oliver Luck and the leadership he brought to the club (not to mention the work he did pushing the stadium deal) we at Kategorie H want to wish him Godspeed in his new endeavors.

Article By Mike P.

Follow Mike on twitter @MikeP713

Follow Kategorie H @KategorieH

An Open Letter From A Concerned Fan

2010-05-29T12:57:00.002-05:00

Dear Drayton McClane,

I am an Astros fan and would like to express to you some things that have been worrying myself and fellow Astros fans, in the hope you take some of our suggestions under advisement.

I am not a native Houstonian, like yourself, but a transplant via Detroit, Michigan, Binghampton, New York and Boca Raton, Florida. I grew up watching teams like the Darrell Evans era Tigers, Don Mattingly Yankees, the 1986 World Series Champ Mets, and even the inception of the Florida Marlins. I moved to Houston in 1996, and was priviledged to see some great Astros teams, i.e. the 1998-1999 Astros.

What really endured me to the team was the 2005 Houston Astros. I was a 23 year-old man/boy, still looking for an identity, when I found a team I could sympathize with. The 15-30 loveable losers. Guys like Bagwell, Biggio, Berkman, Ensberg, hell even Luke Scott. They were underachievers, much the same way I felt my whole life. I never really appreciated Astros Baseball until the 2005 season. Sure, call me a badwaggoner. I cried, bled, swore, hugged and rejoiced for that team. I even had a CD with the stupid Eminem '05 Astros remix of "Lose Yourself" on it. These were guys that made me feel good. Like even I could do it. They did it.

The first Houston baseball game I went to was my Senior Year of High School, the 3rd game played at Minute Made Park (Enron back then, but you know how that went).

I was there for the crazy '08 run that was derailed by two guys named (Hurricane) Ike and Bud (Selig). I was there for Hunter (against the Cubs haha) and Lance's only grand slams (a game where Tim Lincecum started. I can retell the whole inninng play by play). I saw also-ran Brian Mohler outduel Cy-Fair gunslinger and World Series Champ Josh Beckett. I took my Dad to see the Astros play against my HOMETOWN Detroit Tigers, and cheered on the Good Guys. I am an Astros fan.

Fast forward 5 years. I now have a family of my own. My 7 month old daughter watches the games with her Dada. She loves herJunction Jack outfit and mini Astros hat. I have a swell Astros jersey, t-shirt, hat and bobblehead, as well as autograph, selection.

My concern is, we Houstonians and beyond love "your Astros" as our own. When are you gonna love us back? How long must this misery persist? It makes my heart swell when you say things like "root our boys on to another championship" and "this guy will add depth and punch to our roster". We can't lose! It also makes me ill when I wake up in the morning and see that 48 games into the season, we are 12 games back. We can be (I know the front office loves this term, Astros fans live and die by it) mathematically eliminated by All-Star Break.

I knew fully that at the onset of the '10 season, we would finish towards the bottom of the Central Division. But I kept telling myself that Roy-O has 1 more Cy Young worthy year, Hunter and Bourn can repeat their great seasons, Brett Myers was the rotation answer!, Pedro Feliz will anchor great infield defense!

The point I want to make is this, Baseball is a business for you. Profit sharing, revenue, merchandise, brand recognition. For us, its personal. We adorn our garage and bedroom walls with pictures of Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee. We watched 15-6 drubbing by the Reds (the REDS? WE OWN THEM!) like we expected a different outcome. We swept the Cardinals! We can pull it together!

I know you're in this to make money. But if you can't get attendance to break 26,000 people, selling 10 game plans for $20, can't give away Astros merch, how can you turn a profit? Its time to face the music Mr. McClane, the best solution to this team is to suck it up, push down the proverbial plunger, and blow up the team.

We love our Vets. We also want to see our boys WIN. I'd relish in watching Big Puma in brick reds until he can't walk, but we deserve the shot at a Championship. I like to refer to Ed Wade as the little dutch boy with his finger in the dam. How long can you put band-aids on flesh wounds?

Trade Roy. He deserves it. Sit Carlos Lee down and tell him what he is doing to your franchise. I'll get the entire city of Houston, every citizen, to pitch in $20. Release or trade him. We will help defer the cost if it means we don't have to see him chase EVERYTHING.

We want to win. We want Our Guys to do it. They aren't getting it done. Do the right thing, Mr. McClane. It's time to rebuild, before it's too late. I am very close to trading my $45 New Era 59/Fifty On Field Official Astros Hat and Brick Red Home Majestic Lance Berkman jersey in for some Tigers gear. I'm from Detroit and at this dismal point in the season, no one would blame me.

Sincerely,

Phil Hodges
Astros fan since 1997

You can follow Phil at www.twitter.com/allphilla

Go USA Bid!

2010-05-25T16:49:00.002-05:00

So, Home Team, the good ol USA is in the running to host the World Cup. As such, they have nominated host cities and are having an online poll to see where soccer fans want to see the World Cup played. Not surprisingly, Houston is leading this poll and we want it to continue to rock on top of the US. So here's what we got to do. Go to http://www.gousabid.com/city/local/houston-tx/ and sign the petition to support Houston. We love this city, and it would be amazing to see the worlds largest sporting event right here in Space City. Vote early, vote often, vote Houston!!

Article by Mike P.

www.twitter.com/KategorieH

Photo by Nigel Brooks

Kategorie H Texans Draft Extravaganza!!

2010-05-24T16:19:00.004-05:00

Being a Texans fan has always been a dramatic series of ups and downs. A whole lot of "This is gonna be our year!" turning to "Well, there’s always next year." But, with two 8-8 seasons in a row followed by our first winning campaign in franchise history, things are really starting to look up. Matt Schaub was the pro-bowl MVP and Andre Johnson is back, despite a contract dispute. With any luck, Steve Slaton can recapture some of the magic of his rookie season (1282 yds, 80.1 ypg, 9 td) and the defense won't suffer too much from the loss of star CB Dunta Robinson and the 4 game suspension of Brian Cushing. Of all the things we had to contend with last season, probably the biggest surprise was the ineffectiveness of K Kris Brown. After missing just four field goals in both '07 and '08, he missed an astounding eleven last season, as well as an extra point. So, for the first time, Brown has some competition in the form of veteran Neil Rackers. But Rackers isn’t the only new face in battle red and steel blue, there’s a whole new crop of draftees to cheer for. With our recent success in the draft, there’s no reason to assume this year’s won’t have the same positive effect. Let’s take a look …

Kareem Jackson DB 5’11 192 lbs Alabama

Jackson was picked mainly to replace Dunta Robinson. How well he’ll fare is yet to be seen, but he’s certainly gonna get the opportunity to try. He’ll be starting for sure. While it’d be crazy to expect him to live up to Dunta’s performance, he’ll need everything he learned during last year’s championship season with Alabama to hang in the AFC south. When you play two games against Peyton Manning every season, your secondary is definitely important. Hopefully we can count on more than the five career interceptions he had in college.

Ben Tate RB 5’11 218 lbs Auburn

Tate is going to get a fair shot at starting this year, but will mainly be used in goal line situations. Too many televisions were destroyed last year by angry Texans’ fans screaming and throwing remotes in disgust to see Kris Brown trotting out onto the field. Really? Its first and goal on the two and you couldn’t punch it in?! Well, it would appear they heard us and drafted this guy to shut us up. He’s a one-move-and-gone type guy who won’t be making guys miss like Slaton, but once he starts running downhill he should get some great yardage.

Earl Mitchell DT 6’2 295 lbs Arizona

Mitchell is definitely more suited for pass rushing as opposed to defending against the run. He has a great first move and when one on one, can usually get the best of the situation. He’s a local boy, formerly playing TE and FB at North Shore High. He might be a little small for his position but I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt. Obviously not an every down guy, but between him and Amobi Akoye, they should get the job done.

Darryl Sharpton LB 6’0 235 lbs Miami (Fl)

Sharpton is a little small, but its not all bad. He’s got great speed and that can go sideline to sideline. Not the greatest run stopper, he’s more of a cover 2 kind of guy. That being said, once he gets a hold of a guy, don’t expect him to get shaken off like some guys his size.

Garret Graham TE 6’3 250 lbs Wisconsin

This guy is a chain mover. He’s got great hands and can get separation pretty easily. I’m thinking Kubiak sees another Owen Daniels and thought a fourth round pick was worth the gamble. I’m willing to wait and see. We’re pretty set on tight end, but if he’s half as good as Daniels, I’d say its more than worth it.

Sherrick McManis CB 6’1 190 lbs Northwestern

McManis is a good all around corner, with one glaring weakness. He’s got the balance of a drunken barmaid trying to do the cupid shuffle. His speed is amazing, but he tends to outrun his own feet, which could lead to some embarrassing situations if its not addressed quickly. He’s good against the run, but can get faked out with relative ease. Not the greatest in man to man, but, if he learns from veterans like Eugene Wilson and Jacques Reeves, don’t be surprised if this guy brings a couple balls back for six.

Shelley Smith OL 6’4 293 lbs Colorado St .

Not super excited about this pick, but, then again, what the hell do I know? Smith has good ability, but is relatively raw. He tends to get a little too upright in his stance and can wind up on his back because of it. More of a run stopper due to mainly lateral movement, which seems to be his strong suit. While in motion, he looks as natural as if he’s standing still.

Trindon Holliday WR 5’5 161 lbs LSU

“Jack "Soapy" Shapiro was 5 feet 1/2 inches tall and weighed 119 pounds. He played fullback for the Staten Island Stapletons in 1929.” Ok, so, he’s not the shortest player ever in the NFL, but damn, five foot five! That’s an inch shorter than Darren Sproles. While he’s listed at wide receiver, this guy is all special teams. He is fast. Really fast. He ran a 4.27 at the combine. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psWYfO7rp9A&feature=related ] LSU fans shouldn’t be too shocked about this guy, he’s that tiny yellow and purple blur you’ve been seeing the last couple years. This guy has the ability to score every time he touches the ball, and an ability like that can’t be ignored.

Dorin Dickerson TE 6’2 230 lbs Pittsburgh

A legit deep ball threat. He can get separation and pick the ball out of the air almost every time. However, he’s not a great blocker by anyone’s standards. He played a little linebacker in college and I’d honestly be interested to see if that’s something worth pursuing at the next level. He’s a solid seventh round pick who might be able to do some creative things on special teams, but being the second TE picked in the draft on a team that’s already strong in that position isn’t usually a great recipe for success in the NFL.

Update by Chaser, follow him at www.Twitter.com/chaserjames!

Kat H on Twitter!

2010-05-19T14:52:00.003-05:00

As it turns out, we have posted about our Twitter account on every possible outlet except our main page. So here is your official announcement! http://www.twitter.com/kategorieh or if you're already on twitter @KategorieH to follow us! Tell your friends, tell your family, tell that guy who's always talking sports too much at the bar. Spread the word home team and we'll continue our valiant take over of the City of Houston!

Midweek Soccer Update and Cheerleaders - GO TEAM!

2010-05-18T19:57:00.003-05:00

Almost the middle of the Week and here are a few options for the local Soccer Scene going on this week.

Dynamo Charities has a great event to raise some Money for a serious cause and have some fun with your favorite players in a different setting. Here are the details:

The Houston Dynamo will host a Celebrity Pour event at Lucky’s Pub on Wednesday, May 19. Dynamo players will be on hand to serve domestic beer and wine, with all tips benefitting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Defenders Bobby Boswell and Mike Chabala and midfielders Danny Cruz and Corey Ashe will serve as celebrity bartenders from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Through the Champions of Hope campaign, Dynamo President Oliver Luck, Senior Vice President Rocky Harris, and midfielder Richard Mulrooney have teamed up to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and its efforts to find a cure for cancer.

Additionally you can buy a package deal over at http://www.houstondynamo.com/LLS that includes a Ticket to the game against DC and a Dynamo Beer Stein. Donations are also accepted so don't be shy and do something for a great cause.

There was also something about the MLS Commissioner being in town today to talk about the MLS All Star Game against some team from England. Work precluded me being there so you will have to take in this Video report of the proceedings: http://www.houstondynamo.com/news/2010/05/videophoto-don-garber-press-conference
Speaking of the All Star Game, don't forget to Rock the VOTE for your favorite players, if not you will probably see a whole bunch of Seattle Players not named Freddy, Freddi or Kasey that no one outside of the Coffee Capital of the Northwest cares about: http://www.mlssoccer.com/content/mls-all-star-ballot Remember, don't bitch if you did not vote!

Dynamo Injury Update and Away from the Team News : Eddie Robinson (knee) is doing better and may be back on Saturday. Personally I would rather him sit this one out unless he is 100%.
Cam Weaver (knee) practiced this week and should be able to go on Saturday (barring any setbacks). Luis Landin (concussion) should be available and probably will start IMO.
Joe Ngwenya (ITC) is questionable. Chris Cannetti says that the Team is supposed to hear some feedback from FIFA on Tuesday. I hope so but would not count on it unless they need a diversion from the England bid scandal…
Brian Ching (with the US Team in Princeton) , Andrew Hainault and Pat Onstad (Going to Argentina with Team Canada) are out.

If you can't make it to Lucky's or just want to see a real good Soccer Movie, go check out Pelada tomorrow showing at the Studio Movie Grill over at 805 Town and Country Lane at 7 PM: http://www.pelada-movie.com/about/index.html

The Houston Leones settled for a 1:1 Draw with the Rio Grand Valley Bravos down in Richmond, stats and lineups can be found here: http://www.houstonleones.com/scripts/runisa.dll?M2:gp::72602+Elements/Display+E+46252+Page/Stats/+72011+1584781 Samir Pena went the distance.

Oh yeah, I did not forget the Cheerleaders so you have to check this out:

Futbol Fiesta at Reliant and other Soccer this week

2010-05-15T14:33:00.008-05:00

So this week brought us the visit of the Mexican National Team on it's current US Tour and Kategorie H was represented by yours truly as International Games are always an event, on and off the field. These types of tours are a way to make a lot of money for both the FMF and SUM and of course let the Fans get to see their beloved El Tri up close. The order of those priorities should be fairly obvious to everyone and is not the issue unless you want to bury your head in the sand and believe it is only about the Fans. Once again a tremendous crowd with the number announced at 70,099 which puts it as the third highest Soccer Crowd at Reliant Stadium. I was at both #1 Barcelona - Club America (70,550 in 2006) and #2 US - Mexico (70,103 in 2008) and I can't recall seeing as many empty seats as I saw on Thursday night. Maybe some people just stayed outside and partied in the parking lot or stayed away from their seats and close to the Beer Vendors inside as the game was obviously just another opportunity for Mexican Coach Javier Aguirre to experiment with how the players in Camp can come together prior to departing for the World Cup in South Africa next month. So outside of a few things like Blanco's Bunnyhop with the Ball, Guardado's goal and the sometimes rough fouls for a friendly exhibition (here's looking at you Torrado) there really is nothing much to say about the display on the field. The press conference with the Angolan Coach Renard (a Frenchman) answering questions posed to him in Spanish by replying in English and of course the Q&A with Senor Aguirre who never fails to captivate was almost as much fun. But the atmosphere at these International events is what people who have not attended an event like this need to come experience as it is at present as close to the World Cup as you will get (short of obviously heading to South Africa yourself). Atmosphere samples from Thursday can be seen at Anna Megan Railey's Vid from Thursday: http://blogs.chron.com/fanzone/2010/05/video_mexico_soccer_at_reliant.html
or Matt Musil's from KHOU http://www.khou.com/sports/Mexican-fans-show-up-in-masses-to-see-El-Tree-at-Reliant-Stadium-93734044.html

Friday the US submitted its Official bid for World Cup 2018 & 2022 (the latter the more likely target as 2018 will probably be in Europe) and Houston is in the mix as a Host City should the US get chosen. So show your support for the Bayou City by going here: http://www.gousabid.com/city/local/houston-tx/

At the same time as this was going on the Dynamo did not exactly get a Rocky Mountain High as they fell to current MLS Champs Real Salt Lake 3:1, Goals scored by US National Team Selectee Robbie Findley and 2 by Alvaro Saborio while Brian Mullan got one late for the Hometeam. The Roller Coaster ride this season continues as the mostly dominating win in Los Angeles against Chivas was followed up by a performance that probably would not have qualified for Cash for Clunkers. To be fair to the guys it was the 4th Game in less than two weeks and since the teams is also coping with injuries the available player list is shorter than usual. Speaking of the available players for next Saturday against DC we will not only be without Brian Ching (Congrats on the US Team Call Up) but also Iron Man Pat Onstad and Defender Andrew Hainault as both have been called up by Team Canada for a trip to South America: http://www.houstondynamo.com/news/2010/05/dynamo-duo-get-canadian-call maybe Forward Cam Weaver can help if his injury recovery is complete as Joseph Ngwenya's situation is still not resolved.

Another local team, the Houston Leones of the PDL is set to kick off it's season tonight with a game against the Rio Grande Valley Bravos at the Soccer World Center in Richmond. Complete schedule for the PDL side can be found here: http://houstonleones.com/Schedules/index_E.html

This week in Astros ball...

2010-05-14T01:04:00.003-05:00

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

We began the 10 game road stretch by doing the unthinkable, sweeping the Cards in St. Louis. The Good Guys are currently on a 4-game winning streak. We're not out of the woods yet, but the Astros are showing signs of life.

The Good:

Is anyone pitching as good as Roy Oswalt? Roy knows something is gonna happen this season. Either we make a hard run at the NLCS (yeah right) or he's going somewhere else. Lance Berkman reached base 8 straight times against the Cards. Hunter Pence and Lance Berkman alone hit 5 home runs against STL. Fortunately, the bats are waking up. The bullpen has been dazzling as well. Matt Lindstrom continues his perfect save season, Brandon Lyon has thrown consecutive scoreless frames in his appearances. And don't forget Chris "I wanna talk to" Sampson. The man induces inning saving ground balls. Let's face it, who really wants to pitch to Pujols and Holliday?

The Bad:

Bud Norris can not beat a team that's not from St. Louis. Brett Meyers is gonna pitch his arm off. Any bullpenners not named Matt, Chris or Brandon are still shaky. Roy Oswalt, Felipe Paulino and Wandy Rodriguez (in that order) are leading MLB(!) in lack of run support. Roy O should be 4-1 at least. Michael Bourn is facing a 2 game suspension for a little "bump the ump". We're heading into the NL West buzzsaw before we have to face (gulp) the Kings of the AL East Tampa Bay Rays. We may be screwed.

The Ugly:

Minus the now hot Lance Berkman and Hunter Pence, other than Michael Bourn, our hitting is still pretty attrocious. I know pitching wins games, but our starting 5 need run support. Pedro Feliz, Kaz Matsui,Carlos Lee, Tommy Manzella and that new catcher are all around .200 batting. Keppinger continues to have GIDP problems, but at least he's hitting. Hey, Q is batting .250. Whatever his and Paulino's wife did this offseason, its working. At least for Q.

Next up is, in my humble opinion, the best starting 3 pitchers in baseball, San Fran Giants. At least we only get Matt Cain. I hope. The good news is they're almost as poor as us offensively, and Tim Lincecum has 3 no decisions in his last 3 outings, all 3 of which he left with the lead.

Here's hoping we are the team that can finally solve Barry Zito's horrendous 12-6 curve.

Phil

Cushing Update

2010-05-12T14:10:00.003-05:00

This just in, Brian Cushing will retain his Defensive Rookie of the Year award. The AP revoted and Cush won with 18 votes, five votes ahead of second place Jarius Byrd. Congrats again to Cushing, hopefully this will all be put behind us now.

Cushing and the Texans, this blog is JUICED!

2010-05-10T17:03:00.004-05:00

What's up sports fans? It is my privilege and pleasure to introduce you to the newest member of the Kategorie H team. Chase is an avid sports fan and home town boy with a love of writing. When he's not piercing people in Tomball, he's watching any sports he can get his hands on, and today we're happy to expand the Kategorie H scope to our beloved Houston Texans. Check it out, give him some love and a big thanks for our first american football story here at Kategorie H!

Looks like the honeymoon is over, folks. Its been two years since steroids and our fair city were mentioned in the same sentence. (thanks, Roger) The latest culprit, Brian Cushing, isn't a 100 mph hurler at the tail end of his career though. He's the NFL defensive rookie of the year and a leader on what many consider to be an up-and-coming defense.

Cushing led the team in tackles (134), tied for first in interceptions (4) with stand-out saftey Bernard Pollard, and finished second in the passes-defended category with 10. Tack on the two forced fumbles, five sacks, and an amazing judo-esque tackle for a saftey against Oakland, and you've got Ray Lewis style numbers. Unfortunately, those numbers aren't what people are talking about when they mention the Texans' first round pick of 2009. The focus has shifted to the four game suspension handed down by the NFL for testing posative for performance-enhancing drugs. Exactly what those drugs were has yet to be determined, but is that an excuse? The list of banned substances isn't written in Klingon or any other language that could be deemed indecipherable by the former USC student-athlete. Players are informed well before they ever step foot on the field that several over-the-counter items conatain these substances. Cushing swears up and down that what he took wasn't a steroid, but gives no explanation for what would have triggered the positive test. [ed. note: Since this article was written, it was revealed that the banned substance was a blood thinner.]
　
"I was substance-tested randomly by the NFL during the 2009 season. The results of those tests indicated the presence of a non-steroidal banned substance. The League acted to suspend me based on those results, which I challenged in my appeal of the suspension. I believe we presented compelling evidence during the appeal process to challenge the test results, and I disagree with and am disappointed by the suspension. Bound by the decision of the League, I regret the situation it presents to the Texans’ organization, my teammates, and our fans. My dedication to a championship season in 2010 continues undeterred."

This isn't the first time that Cushing's name has been associated with PEDs, either. The allegations started in high school and followed him through his college career. What has yet to be determined is whether it was another case of "oops, i took what?" or simply an athlete trying to gain an edge. Cushing's rookie campaign was marred with injuries that kept him off the practice field later in the season. So its not entirely out of line to question whether this situation is a one time fluke, or something thats been going on a while. Cushing's body could have simply not been able to deal with the NFL's tough 16-game schedule.

One thing that is certain is that he will be sorely missed. With Dunta Robinson gone, the Texans are going to need equal help from both their veterans, and the fresh crop of recent draftees. Of the nine players the Texans drafted, four are defensive players, and one, Darryl Sharpton, is a linebacker. While no one is expecting Sharpton to match the numbers that Cushing put up, it might be interesting to see how well he can compete for a starting job. The job in question is the weak side linebacker position that will be vacated by Zac Diles. [Ed. Note, Since this article has been written, Texans head coach Gary Kubiak has been quoted saying Diles is only one consideration, that the team hopes to leave him as the weak side linebacker.] Diles is moving to strong side during the four game string (against Indianapolis, Washington, Dallas and Oakland) and will need help from DeMeco Ryans and the rest of the defense to make up for the loss.

Let's Talk Baseball

2010-05-07T14:33:00.004-05:00

As promised Home Team, we won't just be talking Dynamo over here, we've searched the greater Houston metro area to find the finest sports bloggers around. This search has produced scores of candidates clawing their way to the top of the pseudo-journalism world but only one has earned the title of Kategorie H's Senior Astros Correspondent. Without further ado, here is our good buddy Phil with his Astros Update.

Hello Kategorie H denizens, this is allphilla reporting in for my first Astros blog. Not very timely but hey, we all gotta work. The Astros 2010 season is looking pretty bleak at the moment. About the only bright spots in the organization are Gold Glover Michael Bourn (leads the team in BA and steals), the back end of the bullpen (Sampson, Lopez, Lyon and Lindstrom, who has 100% save record) and our front 3 pitchers. Jim Deshaies said yesterday that the Astros front 3 have the 7th best ERA in the Nat'l League. We are dead last in batting average, runs scored, home runs, and many other hitting categories. Roy Oswalt is pitching for his life this year, Brett Myers has been downright dazzling. Bud "The Stud" Norris has been inconsistent, but stellar when he's on. And Felipe Paulino? The guy mows 'em down, but can't get run support.

Fret not Astros fans, there is still some hope. Its early in the season, its a marathon not a sprint, blah blah blah. Let's be realistic. Astros can compete for real in 2013. The longer we play .300 baseball, the faster Jason Castro comes up (soon! Please!) Tommy Manzella is starting to figure it out. Michael Bourn is, well, Michael Bourn. And Hunter Pence is just slumping. He rocked it in Spring Training.

We have a nucleus of some solid young talent, and our Minor Leaguers are getting better, between Castro, Jordan Lyles, TJ Steele, etc. So hopefully this year I can provide some funny insight to the organization, high five the wins, scream at the losses, and enjoy Astros baseball. Remember, real baseball fans love teams no matter how bad they are.

allphilla http://www.twitter.com/allphilla (Follow me for tweetcasts!)

Countdown to El Capitan

2010-05-03T14:34:00.003-05:00

It's that time of the year again, Houston fans, Houston vs. dallas. I don't care which sport is your favorite, I don't care if there's a sport you don't like. The one thing all Houston fans have in common is a hatred of all things dallas. And this Wednesday, May 5, 8pm, the Houston Dynamo will welcome fc dallas and their "throngs" of fans.

Coming off of a dominating victory over KC the Dynamo are showing the importance of depth as they fight through injury and suspension. The Men in Orange have proven the success of their development of young talent with Lovel Palmer scoring in his first MLS start, and Samuel Appiah netting a goal in his first MLS appearance. With Brian Ching rumored to be eying Wednesday as a potential time to return, the Dynamo have quite a bit going for them.

What can we say about fc dallas? After five games, they've tied 4 including the first matchup with Houston, and lost one. They have never looked threatening or even cohesive through the beginning of this season. That being said, I fall back to what I always have to say about rivalry games. Take momentum, record, skill, and results and throw them right out the window. When teams with a history like that of Houston and dallas play, nothing else matters. With El Capitan on the line, rest assured both teams will be bringing their best.

My prediction: Houston 2-1 dallas. My worry is the Orange come out without taking dallas too seriously. They won't play with the immediate intensity we expect and dallas will net an early goal. Dom will light a fire under them at halftime and they will come back out, dominate, and score 2 capturing the victory and keeping El Capitan where he belongs. Just remember, there's only one team in Texas.

Cheers!

Tickets on the Cheap!

2010-04-27T02:09:00.002-05:00

Check it out Houston fans, the Texian Army is offering discount tickets for the Houston Dynamo. If you've never been to a game, aren't impressed with soccer, are curious what all this World Cup talk is about or just love the city and want to support its teams, go on over to http://ow.ly/1yUuW and take advantage of the rock bottom lowest prices you are going to find on Houston Dynamo tickets. You can not beat the deal. It's next to nothing to experience one of the most exciting sports atmospheres in the city of Houston. Come check it out and when you love it, remember your boys at Kategorie H are the ones who suggested it first. If you hate it, take it up with Craig Waibel.

Cheers!

Rockets Wrap Up

2010-04-15T12:31:00.002-05:00

So the Rockets finished up their 2009-2010 campaign last night falling to the New Orleans Hornets, missing the playoffs and finishing just barley over .500. It would seem like a welcome end to a rough season, but around the city optimism seems to be flowing freely. In a year without Yao the Rockets have seemingly exceeded expectations of a miserable season and given hope for next season.

The Good

Aaron Brooks has come alive in the absence of TMac and Yao leading the rockets in points, averaging over 20 per game. His skills and performance landed him the Most Improved Player award.

Luis Scola continued to shine as a leader of this squad averaging just over 16 points a game and leading the team in rebounding, averaging 8. Look to Scola to continue to be a force for the Red.

Trevor Ariza had a break out year notching his first triple double in last nights losing effort to the Hornets. Since he came to Houston in the Artest trade, we have seen him develop as a player and contribute more and more each game. His leadership will be key as the Rockets mover forward.

The Bad:

With Yao injured and TMac traded (finally) the Rockets seemed to lack upper level leadership. We had an amazing group of core players with no driving force behind it. With Yao returning, the game play that has given the Rockets success this year will need to change drastically, and Yao's future with the team will need to be decided. The rumors swirling around the Rockets acquiring Chris Bosh from Toronto will play heavily into this. If we land Bosh do we move him to a big forward position, or do we put Yao on the block and build our team around Bosh? Time will only tell but if Rockets GM Daryl Morey has proven anything in the past, its that he is not afraid to make the big moves when needed.

The other main concern for the off season home team is defense. The Rockets performed miserably defensively this season and will need to find a way to address that situation. They've been dynamic in scoring but have lacked in their ability to stop the opposing teams. The rest of the league will most certainly be watching Rockets videos and will have an answer for their run and gun style of offense, it would be good if the home team could change it up a little and come out swinging not only in scoring, but in defending as well. With a few key pieces lining up for the Rockets, I see a play off run in the very near future. Until next season, Cheers!

Dynamo offer Tax Relief for all!

2010-04-14T21:17:00.003-05:00

Tax time have you stressed? Just what the hell is EZ about the 1040 anyway? Credits, Deductions, AGI and Exemptions. Anyway even if you are a Tax Procastrinator (yeah me too) you need to get that done on time or the Fed's could really mess up your day. Your Houston Dynamo understand and have an offer for this weekends game that does not need Accountants and Attorneys to figure out if it's fiscally responsible. So check this out:

Dynamo offer Tax Day ticket discount
$10.40 ticket prices available on April 15 only

HOUSTON, TX (Wednesday, April 14, 2010) -- In recognition of Thursday’s deadline for federal tax returns, the Houston Dynamo are offering some relief in the form of a special ticket promotion. The Tax Day Dynamo Discount offers tickets to Saturday’s match against Chivas USA at Robertson Stadium, which kicks off at 3 p.m., for just $10.40 in honor of the Internal Revenue Service’s 1040 individual tax form.

This one-day deal is available only on Thursday, April 15, and tickets can be purchased by logging on to HoustonDynamo.com/tax or by calling (713) 276-7500.

“This promotion is a light-hearted stab at relieving some of the stress associated with this time of year,” Dynamo Senior Vice President Rocky Harris said. “We hope that many tax-paying Dynamo fans will take advantage of this stimulus and feel it is a perfect way to put tax day behind them.”

The Dynamo are unbeaten in their last nine games against Saturday’s opponent, Chivas USA, and are looking to bounce back from a 2-0 home loss last Saturday.

The Dynamo will host the 2010 Major League Soccer All-Star Game this summer at Reliant Stadium, and tickets are available in Dynamo season ticket packages, on sale now at HoustonDynamo.com or by calling (713) 276-7500.

The Houston Dynamo are a Major League Soccer franchise that has won two MLS Cup championships in its first four seasons and represented the United States in four consecutive regional championships. For more information, log on to www.HoustonDynamo.com or call (713) 276-7500.

So get some good tickets for a great price and Support the Orange against that other team from LA this weekend! If you always wanted to check out what the Supporters Sections are all about, the Texian Army has the same deal here: http://texianarmy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=9&id=95&Itemid=68

Joseph Ngwenya - Full Circle?

2010-04-13T18:35:00.006-05:00

The last time most Houston Dynamo Fans saw Forward Joseph Ngwenya was after MLS Cup 2007, a game in which he scored the equalizer and helped Houston win their 2nd Title in two years. After that game Joseph decided the time was right for a move to Europe to ply his trade. Apparently he had some interesting experiences in the last few years.

I caught up with Joseph Ngwenya after the Houston Dynamo – LA Galaxy game last Saturday and we talked about his journey in the last two years.

Offe: Joe, the last time we saw you here in Houston was after you won MLS Cup 2007 with a big smile on your face obviously. Can you tell us a bit about what happened after that?

JN: Yeah, you know I wanted a change in scenery and it’s every Players dream to go play in Europe whether it works out or doesn’t. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t but I wanted to give it a shot and it did not work out as I had planned it to be. It was a great experience and I learned quite a bit and I am just back now.

Offe: When you initially left Houston you trialed with Alemania Aachen in Germany?

JN: Yeah

Offe: And then you actually had a chance at a trial with Bayern Muenchen, how was that environment there?

JN: It was really absolutely incredible, the Players and the Facilities were great. World Class Players.

Offe: So it was like a dream come true just to be there?

JN: Yeah, just unbelievable.

Offe: That was the feeling many of us had here when we saw the pictures of you there. After that you signed with SK Kaernten in Austria?

JN: No, I actually signed with them before.

Offe: So you signed with Kaernten before the trials?

JN: Yeah, I signed a six month contract with them and after that I signed in Turkey.

Offe: With Antalyaspor correct? How was that experience?

JN: It was a good place to play but you know, Turkish teams have their problems with finances and so on.

Offe: Are there many problems with finances in the Turkish League?

JN: Yeah it just did not work out.

Offe: When you were in Austria what happened there?

JN: It was ok, I signed only on a six month contract but after my first game the Coach was fired and the new Coach came in.

Offe: Right, the Coach that signed you was Schachner I think and then Schinkels came in?

JN: Yeah, Schinkels did not have me in his plans and since it was only a six month contract so I just rode it out.

Offe: We were all wondering what happened since you practically disappeared after 53 Minutes in that first game, even the Kaernten fans were speculating what happened. Different Coach different mentality I suppose?

JN: Yeah, but that’s Football you know?

Offe: And then the move to Antalyaspor were you say there were problems with the finances. Does that happen a lot in Turkey when the Club is smaller than say Galatasaray or Fenerbace?

JN: Actually it was funny because Frank Ribery played in Turkey and also he had problems with Galatasaray so it happens.

Offe: But you got to follow your dreams and try to make it happen…

JN: Exactly, that’s life. You take what life gives you, ups and downs. Just like you said, we just won the MLS Cup so I was up and then I was down.

Offe: What did you do when you left Turkey?

JN: I just left now and it has been a legal battle just to get free so that’s what’s been happening and I trained for a little while with Carolina.

Offe: Carolina Railhawks?

JN: Yeah, I went through the Pre Season with them….

Offe: Just to get back in shape?

JN: Yeah, you have to get back in shape.

Offe: So how is the Trial here going?

JN: It’s good and it’s nice to be back and see the guy’s and the Coaching Staff. We will see what happens.

Offe: Thanks for the time Joe and the best of luck with the trial.

JN: Danke schoen!

Since then it has been confirmed that the Dynamo have made an offer to bring Joseph back to the team once the paperwork is finalized.

http://www.houstondynamo.com/news/2010/04/dynamo-ngwenya-agree-contract

Welcome back Joe, full circle indeed!!

One Step Closer!!!

2010-04-13T15:09:00.002-05:00

This morning the Harris County Commissioners approved the Dynamo Stadium deal 5-0. Amazing times. Here's the word according to the Houston Chronicle.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/soc/6956695.html

Shortly afterwards team President Oliver Luck issued a thank you via the Dynamo website. In the words of Luck: "Dynamo fans, you have been rock-solid in your support of this effort. On behalf of the team, I want to thank you for taking the time to communicate with and appear before City Council and Commissioners Court. Your unwavering belief in the project did not go unnoticed by our elected officials, and because of your dedication, we are on the cusp of something very special. Thank you!"

http://www.houstondynamo.com/news/2010/04/lucks-letter-dynamo-fans-supporters

It's a big day Houston fans. As Oliver Luck said, we are on the cusp of something very special and it's going to be a day beneficial for the entire city of Houston. It's a big step in the development of the east end of Downtown and a move in the right direction moving the City of Houston to a truly world class level. Cheers to the city, the Dynamo, and yes, even the County Commissioners.

Back at it

2010-04-12T15:19:00.002-05:00

So, the blog thing never really caught on once we got moving with making shirts and trying to run our website. That being said, we're bringing it back. I'm going to try to get back going updating you on all things Houston. So apologies for the time we've spent away but thanks for checking it out now that we're back. Here's a little bit on the state of sports in Houston.

Houston Dynamo:
Starting off the season 1-1-1, the Dynamo have had moments of brilliance and moments of sheer garbage. A tie in Frisco against the hated rivals of FC Dallas (whose supporters, I hear, enjoy sharing stadium space with their opponents) started the season on a predictable slow note. An incredible 2 penalty kicks lead the Orange past defending Champions Real Salt Lake and a downright miserable performance against LA rounded out the first three games of the season. With holes needing filling in midfield and on the defense, and question marks in the forward position, the Houston faithful are holding on to the old adage "In Dom We Trust" hoping our fearless coach will lead us again to the Cup.

Houston Rockets:
It's been a long injury prone season but with 2 games left the Rockets are promising to finish over .500. At 41-39 the Rockets won't make it to the playoffs, but will finish strong especially given the lack of leadership on the team. That isn't to say certain players haven't stepped up, but the Rockets are certainly lacking in the superstar role. The off season should be interesting and rest assured that the return of Yao Ming will have an incredible impact on a roster that would be considered one of the best supporting casts in the NBA. I have to believe that once the free agent dust settles and Lebron and DWade land where they will, the Rockets will be making major moves towards building a championship worthy team.

Houston Astros:
Not much to say here. We knew coming into the 2010 season that it was going to be a long one, but I'm not sure anyone knew exactly how long that meant. With a 5-0 loss today, we have officially started the season 0-7. Granted, our first three series have been against the best teams in the National League, we have shown very little attempts at offense and never looked dangerous. Just between you and me, if Roy O, Puma, and Carlos Lee are all still on the team by the all star break, I will take that as a sign that something is terribly wrong with our club. It's going to be a long year, but as any good Houston fan knows, there's always next year.

That's the update folks, thanks for reading! Hopefully we'll keep this thing going including visiting contributors adding their Houston related expertise. Check back regularly and we'll keep this thing going. See you around town.

Calling all Fans

2009-02-04T16:10:00.004-06:00

One of the things we want to do here at Kategorie H is to enable the Fans to speak about their experiences at Games and also provide a platform for Fans to exchange information. If you want to tell someone about your favorite Sport and what makes it so great then this is the place. We are not looking for Sports Reporters as there are plenty of those out there that cover the Teams, we are looking for Fans as we are here for your perspective. We want to know what makes the atmosphere special, what you do to get pumped up for the game and what teams you love to hate. If you have some information that will make the game experience more enjoyable for your fellow fans that would be great as well, for example: Where is the best parking; who has the best beer or food etc. More to follow as we flesh this out.

Introducing Kategorie H

2009-02-04T15:25:00.003-06:00

In Germany, fans are classified into three different categories. Kategorie A is the average beer and hot dog type of fan. Kategorie B is a little more extreme and has and eye kept on them. Kategorie C is the radical hooligan fan base that needs constant watch to prevent any outrageous incidents. In the city of Houston, Kategorie H is the next level of fan. Kategorie H defines those who take their pride and dedication to the teams of Houston to the next level, separating us from the dull, drone class of fans in other cities. This isn't just the Dynamo, or Astros or Rockets, but for every fan in Houston. Kategorie H is for all proud Houstonians who won't settle. Kategorie H is the pride of the third coast and all that is great about the City of Houston.

With Kategorie H, we're not only Houston based street wear and apparel. Its our goal to promote all things Houston. All Houston sports teams, local music, local bars, local beer. Any group as proud to be a part of Houston as we are are welcome to be a part of Kategorie H. We want to do everything we can to promote ALL facets of life in Houston.

Soon our website will be up and running, and even sooner we'll be out promoting our first line of shirts. We'll be at the Houston vs. dallas friendly at Robertson Stadium, Friday Feb. 6 at 10am. We will also be at the USA vs. Mexico National team game watch party hosted by the Mezzanine Lounge 2200 Southwest Fwy at 7:00 pm Wednesday Feburary 11th. On Monday, February 9th we will be guests on the 1560AM The Game on the Soccer Badasses show. More info to come! Come on out and join us for any or all of these, and stay tuned for more opportunities to catch Kategorie H in action!