[NDR] Pro and semi-pro soccer in Houston before MLS/Dynamo

Discussion in 'Houston Dynamo' started by brahmafutbol, Sep 7, 2007.

  1. brahmafutbol

    brahmafutbol Member+

    Jan 29, 2006
    East Bernard, Texas
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I like your avatar...

    "Look out, here comes the Hurricane,
    look out, the Houston Hurricane
    They're running down the field
    and they're running down it fast
    there's nothing more exciting than a
    swift kick in the grass!"

    :D:D:D
     
  2. bzygo

    bzygo New Member

    Mar 24, 2007
    Alief (Houston), Tx
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Dynamo Stadium -- Location discussion (site, access, parking, safety, etc.)

    Kicking it Old School!!!!!

    I love that I remember the old NASL and the Houston Hurricane!!!!!

    I have to say that my real introduction to soccer was from the Southeast Asia refugees that my best friend's parents adopted.
     
  3. dadcoachref

    dadcoachref BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 30, 2007
    Crosby
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Dynamo Stadium -- Location discussion (site, access, parking, safety, etc.)

    was digging through a box of memorabilia the other day and ran across a pack of NASL trading cards...bad thing was I was too young then to remember any of the guys on the cards...oh well, it was cool anyway...I am going to give them to my daughter...she loves soccer and the Dynamo...she plays her first game of the fall season tomorrow...starting at striker...
     
  4. brahmafutbol

    brahmafutbol Member+

    Jan 29, 2006
    East Bernard, Texas
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Dynamo Stadium -- Location discussion (site, access, parking, safety, etc.)

    I've mentioned this before, but I have probably all of the Houston Hurricane programs, I think I went to every game and got programs at every one. At least most of them. And I'm old enough to remember the players, at least by name. Remember Nicky Megaloudis (not sure how to spell it.) It was a pretty much unforgetable name. He was a good young player back then. I googled him a while back and saw his family had had a tragedy, I think he had become a soccer coach at a college somewhere over east of here, forget where, and his son and daughter both played, but his daughter died in a car accident. She was still in high school. (I think I got the details sort of right, but somebody will probably come back and correct me......). Whatever, it was sad.
     
  5. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: [NDR] College soccer in and around Houston [various Rs]

    Let us pretend you are right.

    Source?
     
  6. TX Bill

    TX Bill Member+

    Apr 3, 2006
    Sugar Land TX
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: [NDR] College soccer in and around Houston [various Rs]

    My own self. I was around at that time. How's that for you? As for sources, you might want to be careful asking for sources since you didn't bother with one to make your case that the Houston Hurricanes FC of the old PDL were the longest running pro soccer team in Houston.

    What. The Hurricanes were around about 5 years give or take a year?

    The old Houston Dynamo were around for at least 8-10 if memory serves. Circa early 80's to early 90's.

    Edit: Well I'll be.... Our own Houston Dynamo site has a very good piece on Houston Soccer.

    http://web.mlsnet.com/t200/history/

    A few quotes from the site:

    The Houston Dynamos joined the USL in 1984 and were led by Jose Neto - the "Babe Ruth" of a previous league called the American Soccer League. The Dynamos lost in the Championship finals to Fort Lauderdale and folded after just one season. Neto was League MVP and Gary Hindley was selected Coach of the Year. The League played only half of the following 1985 season before also folding.

    Shortly after the demise of the United Soccer League of 1984 , the Lone Star Soccer Alliance was founded in 1987 as a regional soccer league in the Texas area. The Houston Dynamos returned and joined the Dallas Express, Austin Thunder, and San Antonio International. The Houston Alliance joined the regional league in 1998. In 1991, with the league now also including teams in Oklahoma, the Dynamos changed their name to the Houston Internationals. However, both Houston teams folded following the 1991 season


    and

    Before the 1996 season, when the USISL made additional changes and added a new "Pro Select League", the Houston area saw the return of the old NASL team name - the Houston Hurricane joining the USISL Pro Select League. The team played for four seasons and folded following the 2000 campaign.
     
  7. anderson

    anderson Member+

    Feb 28, 2002
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Let's use this thread for discussion of all previous pro and semi-pro teams in Houston before the Dynamo and MLS arrived in 2006.

    In addition to the page at the official Dynamo site that TX Bill links above, which provides a narrative of the history of those teams in Houston, you may also want to browse around the excellent site maintained by David Litterer -- it may not have everything about US soccer history, but has quite a lot, including the LSSA and other earlier leagues that had teams in Houston:


    Edited to add:

    Another good site with huge amounts of historical data is the RSSSF site - here's their page for historical domestic results, where you can find results for the US:

     
  8. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: [NDR] College soccer in and around Houston [various Rs]

    Ha ha ha. I freakin' love it Billy! I love the fact that you just refrenced the very good piece on Houston soccer on our Houston Dynamo web site!

    That's awesome! Just for the simple fact that the Dynamo FO and the old Chron writer who put all that together for our Dynamo's first Media Guide asked me to assist in putting the information together. So I did. Thanks for the compliment on the work.
    The Houston DynamoS played one season of "pro" ball at Butler Stadium back in 1984. Go take any other arguement up with Glenn Davis. He can set you straight as he speakes openly about being on that Houston team for that one season. I've never heard him speak of the Houston DynamoS playing on in pro ball until the early 90's. Of and on perhaps, but I stated very clearly that HHFC was the longest continiously run outdoor pro soccer team in Houston's history. 5 consecutive years in the USL Div-2 (as it is called today) and one year in LASA when the old owner did not want to go U-23 and amateur in the USL PDL. Jeez, you can't even get the PDL part right Bill. C'mon partner.
    Unlike you, I made sure the facts didn't get blurred with any Everton glasses, I guess that can happen when you have a EPL club as old as Everton and its fans have a hard enough time recalling the past glories....or lack there of in Everton's case.

    Keep on believing what you want my man....it's your option in life. If our Dynamo FO can trust me to help them on Houston's pro soccer history than maybe you can to. Again, you're free to choose amigo.
     
  9. brahmafutbol

    brahmafutbol Member+

    Jan 29, 2006
    East Bernard, Texas
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    I thought that was a great section in the media guide about previous Houston teams. I enjoyed reading all that.

    By the way, I was surprised at first that I had started this thread, but now I understand it.
     
  10. *rey*

    *rey* Member+

    Feb 22, 2006
    Houston
    Re: Dynamo Stadium -- Location discussion (site, access, parking, safety, etc.)

    "i was going through a box the other day......"

    and i found some trading cards from WC 94 that i bought in dallas outside the Cotton Bowl. as i was flipping through them laughing at all the hairstyles i had to do a double-take when i saw a picture of a long-haired hippie with a goatee named Dominic something or another. :D

    will be willing to trade with anybody who has a poster from 94. mine was squashed in a move 10 years ago and i haven't found a replacement. it used to hang in a poster frame with my Argentina vs. Bulgaria ticket.

    this should just be merged with the old-timers thread.......
     
  11. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Dynamo Stadium -- Location discussion (site, access, parking, safety, etc.)

    We should have an "Old Timers" section on our boards. But don't call it that. Just a section that would be home for talk of pro soccer over the decades since the Mundial 1970.
     
  12. anderson

    anderson Member+

    Feb 28, 2002
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  13. bzygo

    bzygo New Member

    Mar 24, 2007
    Alief (Houston), Tx
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I've looked some but haven't been able to find any good Hurrican throwback gear.
     
  14. Jasonian

    Jasonian New Member

    May 8, 2006
    If anyone has any old photos form the NASL Hurricane days in the Astrodome please post them.

    I've seen HS, College and NFL football, MLB, and concerts in the dome but never made a soccer game there.
     
  15. bzygo

    bzygo New Member

    Mar 24, 2007
    Alief (Houston), Tx
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Dynamo Stadium -- Location discussion (site, access, parking, safety, etc.)

    It would be cool if you would scan and upload that Dominic card.
     
  16. metroag

    metroag Da Bomb Diggity

    Mar 2, 2006
    La hacienda
    I'll trade you for an old Cosmos poster!:D
     
  17. TX Bill

    TX Bill Member+

    Apr 3, 2006
    Sugar Land TX
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: [NDR] College soccer in and around Houston [various Rs]


    Well then if the LSSA wasn't professional, then you are correct. But most assumed the Houston Dynamo to be a professional organization.

    Everton glasses? I've been accused of a lot of things but never having Everton blue tinted glasses... :rolleyes:

    On a separate note, the Dynamo's participation in the LSSA back in the 80's allowed me to see Jeff Agoos play for the Dallas Express. All of the matches were at Strake Jesuit Stadium (or whatever it's called) and those of us on the U23 team got to get in for free and if some of us were really lucky (sadly I never was) a couple would get "called up" to sit the bench during the match.

    Good times though.
     
  18. TX Bill

    TX Bill Member+

    Apr 3, 2006
    Sugar Land TX
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I had an old Hurricane bumper sticker on my trombone case while in Jr. High. :eek:
     
  19. elementbr10

    elementbr10 Member

    Jul 5, 2006
    Texas City, TX
    Trombone case, Everton and Dynamo fan. The similarities between us keep piling up. Next you'll say you love Guinness and having chicken covered in bacon, bbq sauce and cheese.
     
  20. TX Bill

    TX Bill Member+

    Apr 3, 2006
    Sugar Land TX
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't drink but no problems with the chicken dish....:cool:
     
  21. bzygo

    bzygo New Member

    Mar 24, 2007
    Alief (Houston), Tx
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I used to have a plastic Hurricane cup, I think it was from a slurpee. Not sure what happened to it.
     
  22. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I used to have an Orange and White t-shirt with our old HurricanE logo, large and center front. That's it IIRC. NASL "Star" soocer balls were abundant however.

    I recall entering the dome for the Tulsa vs Houston match, but not much else. My teammates and I were quit young.

    I would like to think that if our NASL franchise had continued till at least '84 and the U.S. had gotten the Mundial in '86 instead of Mexico 16 years after they had just celebrated it already...my teammates and I woulda stuck with soccer and baseball as religions go. Sadly, once the NASL folded pro soccer and its effect on how we view what's cool in sports went with it. Baseball and the 'Stros never left and that sentiment remains for them. Oiler football and our Luv Ya Blue was a given for unmatched passion. It's been a long long wait for the return of pro D-1 soccer to Houston but with Dom, Chinger and the Dynamo it has made the wait and payoff that much sweeter sports fans!
     
  23. Caddman

    Caddman Member+

    Aug 18, 1999
    Houston, Texas
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Growing up my heroes were Earl Campbell and Hakeem (Akeem) Olajuwon. I played soccer exclusively because of a love for the sport and it was what I was best at, but it would have been nice to have a Rico Clark to look up to and model my game after. I missed out on seeing the Hurricane and seeing a D1 team live makes a huge difference. My nine year old sister is a Dynamo fan after taking her to one game. Can only help grow the sport here. Don't miss the dark days for soccer during the 80's :)
     
  24. brahmafutbol

    brahmafutbol Member+

    Jan 29, 2006
    East Bernard, Texas
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I remember going to the games at the dome, I was older than most of yall, I was in my early 20's back then. I don't remember any specific games, but I remember being at one game where there was a flood, the refs arrived late for the game, and walked straight onto the field in their rolled up pants after wading to the dome. And they kept announcing that if your cars were parked in different sections, you needed to move them before they floated away.

    I also remember the big homerun spectacular scoreboard, that they used for goals at Hurricane games, only sometimes it would go off then the goal would be called back for offsides, so it was like they pulled the plug on the thing, and it would wind down with a groan. That was always funny.

    I was really into the team back then, but I didn't know as much about the sport as I do now. I was fresh from playing it in college (at Southwestern, the college didn't have a team back then, but we made a team that played other schools, and we played every day in college amongst ourselves, with lots and lots of foreign students). But since in the 80's there was no internet, there wasn't so much exchanging of ideas, opinions and knowledge like there is nowadays (BigSoccer.com.... :rolleyes:).

    Like I said, I have probably every program from every Hurricane game. I should scan a few pics or something and put them here. I also had some plastic cups, but they've been thrown out a long time ago. I had a pennant, a cap, and a bunch of bumper stickers ("Hurricane Soccer: A kick in the Astrodome!"). Some of that stuff could be around somewhere.
     
  25. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    I for one, as a life long Houston sports nut, would very much appreciate any pics of what you have Brahma.
     

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