in normal definition, mind you, not HD -- only serve to underline the special nature of this squad.
Dynamo fans know their players and coaches never give up and have a penchant for late goals. They are familiar with the pure determination unleashed by each player. But they may not know where that spirit was born.
"Cardiac 'Quakes," one announcer dubbed them, and it could not have been more accurate. In the 2003 playoffs, the San Jose starting lineup featured 35-year-old Pat Onstad, a fiery center back named Eddie Robinson, a bald-headed marking back named Craig Waibel, underrated central midfielder Richard Mulrooney, and an energetic Brian Mullan. Up front, everything ran through the talismanic 21-year-old Landon Donovan, with sparks from forward Dwayne De Rosario when Brian Ching was out injured.
After winning the Western Conference regular season title, The Earthquakes almost crashed out in the first round of the playoffs when they faced the defending champions and their biggest rivals, the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Earthquakes lost 2-0 in the brand new Home Depot Center and surrendered two early goals in the return leg at home to trail 4-0 on aggregate. But goals from Jeff Agoos, now the sporting director of Red Bull New York, and Donovan, now the league's leading scorer with the Galaxy, pulled San Jose back in it.
Parallels with the Dynamo are evident while watching the second half of that game. Early in the half, after a foul on the right, Mulrooney takes a quick free kick before the defense can react, leading to the third goal. After the Galaxy slow San Jose, the Earthquakes tie it in the 90th minute when Mulrooney whirls away from a defender to send in another cross from the right touchline, watches a teammate head it in, and sprints up the sideline pulling out his hair in disbelief, ready to celebrate with his teammates. After the Earthquakes pull out the win in overtime (sudden death, remember), the sight of Onstad jumping on top of the pile after running the length of the field brings a smile to any Dynamo fan's face.
"From the guys that were on the '03 team and even people that were in the stands -- [Nick] Hatzke and [Chris] Wondolowski -- the series against LA where we came back, that sticks with you for a long time," Mulrooney said. "After that game, I can tell you that ... I've never stopped believing, whether we're down a goal or down two goals. Guys remember that. I think that had a big effect on this league in general, not just on our team."
In the conference final against Kansas City (sound familiar?), San Jose trailed again before a clutch goal from Mullan (that name rings a bell) and a pair from Donovan, the second again in overtime, sent the Earthquakes to their second MLS Cup final in three years.
Watching video of the cup final, played on a perfect southern California day, the Earthquakes go in front on a subtly deceptive free kick, a trademark of the last two Dynamo teams. They add a second on the counter-attack, and suddenly a young assistant coach is jumping into bearhugs on the sideline. Three years later Dominic Kinnear will keep his cool at the finish, but on this afternoon he is jumping for joy in the first half.
When Chicago pulls to within 2-1 early in the second half, the 'Quakes respond by scoring just as television returns from showing replays. Three years before setting up Ching's equalizer in the 2006 MLS Cup final, Mullan catches Chicago napping by playing a long ball over the top to Mulrooney, who finishes and celebrates with surprising alacrity.
"The guys really take it personally when we get scored against," Mulrooney said. "I think you see it in practice in our little three-team games. When a team scores, the next thing you know, another team goes back down and ties it up. Dom just doesn't let us rest on our laurels. ... It's taught to us in practice, but at the same time, you learn through experience, and this team's been through many experiences."
As one of the league's best championship games continues, Chicago pulls to within 3-2 and has a penalty kick chance to tie the game. But Onstad, three years before stopping Jay Heaps with a dive to his right, sprawls to his right and latches onto the shot with his fingertips. He is immediately congratulated by characteristically charged-up screams from Robinson. In the final minutes, Mullan gets the ball to De Rosario wide on the right, and he bends in a perfect one-hop cross for Donovan to finish and seal the game. Minutes later, the Earthquakes celebrate their second championship.
Makes no mistake, the Dynamo championship teams are different squads. But the character remains the same. These Dynamo players are indomitable, unbreakable, and have - clichéd though it may be - the will of champions. They have shown it in 2006 and 2007, and they will show it in 2008, whatever fortune lies ahead.
But to know this team and understand its character, it helps to go back five years, when so many things were different yet some remained the same. In this new era, they remain the same champions.
