Virginia Foxx: “Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of H. Res. 867 which congratulates the Houston Dynamo for winning its second straight…”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in favor of H. Res. 867 which congratulates the Houston Dynamo for winning its second straight Major League Soccer championship. Early in the season, the Dynamo team members weren't so much worried about defending their title as merely maintaining respectability. They brought a 2-4-1 record into Washington's RFK stadium, less than two miles from where we stand right now, on May 26. Though they lost by the score of 2-1 that night, to a man, they agreed that was the game when things turned around. The Dynamo did not lose again until July 10, a period that covered 12 games. After that, they went six more games without a loss. By then, they were back where they belonged, atop the MLS standings. The key for this team, from all accounts, was its defense. The Dynamo scored 43 goals in 30 games. Not outstanding for a league champion, but it allowed just 23 goals as opponents wore defenders from all three lines of the Dynamo attack like a cheap suit for most of the season. Brian Ching, Stuart Holden, Eddie Robinson, Ricardo Clark, Brad Davis, and Patrick Ianni formed the backbone of those three lines. Pat Onstead, who help the team set a league record for best goal-against average, 0.73 per game, provided other-worldly goalkeeping.”