Hasn't he been at a few games at PPL Park already? I think his knee rehab (surgery?) has taken place down in Delaware somewhere, so he's pretty close. I remember seeing a tweet someone put out - to Stuart himself - saying there was a Holden-look-alike at Stoney's Pub one morning, and it was actually him.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/10/11/richter-looks-make-best-second-chance-union Here is Kerith Gabriel's Trialist #2 article involving ex-Union Ryan Richter. In terms of Holden, I recall that the head USMNT trainer was based at Christiana Care Hospital in Newark which is why there have been lots of Holden sightings. Holden should still be Houston property since he Bolton signed him on a free transfer without Houston declining an option on him - no different thant Houston bringing Ricardo Clark back this season.
It isn't a one year deal. MLS would never approve a pay increase to a player that has multiple years left on his contract to a new single year deal. Correct. They made a qualifying offer to him but he wanted to go play in the EPL, so Houston still holds his rights.
Let's trade Party Rock to that band for the guy with the fro. He can't possibly be as terrible as Lopez is.
re: holden in delaware: this is where he is/was rehabbing. most of the US guys go there, including gooch and davies most recently http://www.elitept.com/about-elite-pt/staff/james-k-hashimoto-mpt-atc
But neither Gooch nor Davies have attended Union matches and stood in TRE, so we couldn't possibly start rumors about them. Hell, there should be a Hugh Jackman signing rumor too.
Thanks slitz ... I knew Huge Ackman was there, saw him on the jumbotron hanging with Sugarman, and chants of WOL-VER-INE echoing around PPL Park. Hadn't seen, or heard of Chuck D being there.