L'Affaire Henry ... and other points from a real talker

Last night’s MLS match in Dallas was full of more talking points than a political candidate’s stump speech.

Let’s get started:

What could Brek Shea have been thinking?  As one college basketball coach used to say, “The devil must have got up inside him!” That kid is going to be really good, and he's having an outstanding season – but if coaches can’t trust him to control himself any better than that, they won’t have much use for him.

Juan Pablo Angel’s place on the bench? Don’t read too much into it.  Hans Backe said after the match he just wanted to see how his team would look in a slightly different set-up. So he wanted to see newly arrived Medhi Ballouchy play in the hole behind Thierry Henry – rather than having Henry play in the hole behind Angel. Backe also wants to look at Ballouchy playing behind two strikers (Henry and Angel, of course). I’d guess we’ll see that soon. “Sometimes the 4-4-2 can become a little too static,” he said.

I’m writing a tactical piece for MLSSoccer.com with more info and further insight from Backe (and me!) that will be posted later today … I assume. (And assuming I can escape a lunch meeting in short order and get the fingers a’flyin’ across the keyboard.)

(For much more, including thoughts on Henry v. Hartman, please click on ...)

Your 2010 MLS Coach of the Year was in the house last night!  (How's that for a bold opinion?)

Dallas may be without Daniel Hernandez and Kevin Hartman for a few weeks. Hartman appears to have an MCL strain, which means he’ll miss 2-3 weeks. Hernandez told me he would get an MRI on his pulled hamstring today. That one is far more concerning. Hernandez said he never has had hamstring trouble, so this is unchartered waters. David Ferreira is very important to this team, of course. But I would argue that Hernandez is just as important because he plays his role to perfection and because of his leadership and desire to keep everyone accountable.

On the other hand, Dallas is not going to get caught in the playoff race.  They've created enough of a cushion. Even if they lose the rest of their matches (highly, highly unlikely given the mental strength of a side that has lost just twice this entire year) the Red Stripes would still make the playoffs, I believe. So, Hartman has time to heal up before the playoffs (still six weeks away) and, with a little luck, Hernandez may as well.

Last night’s result was huge for FC Dallas. I know a 2-2 tie at home may not seem ideal, but given the circumstances (a man down, Hartman and Hernandez both off by halftime, starting two rookies and playing with two center backs who really aren’t center backs) this was a morale booster and confidence builder. This is a match most FC Dallas teams past would have lost.

I saw Ugo Ihemelu after the game. He said he’s still getting headaches, but is doing some running at least.

I wish every MLS manager was like Hans Backe. He’s polite, approachable, smart and candid. He answers questions thoughtfully. There’s no dancing around, word parsing or verbal thrust-and-parry. In fact, both managers at Pizza Hut Park last night say what’s on their mind with little or no calculation for the politics or it all. That sure makes my job a lot easier. Seriously, these guys aren’t dealing with state secrets. Backe and Hyndman seem to get it.

I talked to Red Bulls assistant Richie Williams. He hasn’t been contacted by Toronto – but I’d be just a little surprised if he isn’t. Williams will get his shot someday.

He also had some hot sports opinions on the managerial flux this year. You can read more about the early dismissal here. Williams said he didn’t have any particular insight on the situation at Toronto. But he was clear that I could go on the record with this one: “What happened at D.C. United was ridiculous. You have to give guys a chance.”

Fans who leave a match when their team is bravely battling to hold a 2-2 lead don’t deserve the right to attend professional soccer games. (Last night, PHP actually seemed like a proper ground, as most of the crowd got loud near the end to urge on and inspire a tired team. But those of you who left … tsk, tsk.)

Now, for Henry …

I have no doubt that Henry meant no harm. On the other hand, he had absolutely no business running up toward a ball at Hartman’s feet and whacking away at it. Honestly, it wasn’t malicious, it was just goofy. That’s why you don’t do something like that – because no real good can come from it.

Was Hilario Grajeda wrong not to show Henry a yellow card – a second yellow card that would have evened the match?  Probably, but that’s hardly the worst decision you’ll see all weekend, believe me. It’s one that you can argue either way, honestly. That said, I find his explanation a little unsatisfactory. (And by the way, more reporters on site should take advantage of the MLS regs that allow a pool reporter to question referees.)

“Basically, from I what I see, right after they scored the goal, they both go to kick the ball at the same time,” Grajeda said. “They never connect knees or anything. They just nailed the ball at the same time. It happens, you know.”

Yeah, it happens. So does a lot of stuff.  And some of it deserves a yellow card or even the occasional red.  Which is why you have those cards in your pocket.  Right? ... I'm glad we could get that cleared up.

If Grajeda didn’t feel there was enough there to warrant yellow, fine. But both players didn’t  "go to kick the ball at the same time.”  It was sitting at Hartman’s foot.  Henry went out of his way to go slam the ball … well, uh … somewhere. “I guess he was going to try to score again,” Hartman told me, tongue in cheek.

Someone alert  U.S. Soccer's weekly Referee Review. Methinks we might see this one hashed out next week.

Here’s Major League Soccer’s problem. This one looks bad. It looks like “big star gets away with something.”  I don’t think that’s necessarily the case, but that’s how it will bounce around in the public echo chamber.

And it had to be Henry! How delicious. The same guy guilty of one of the most notoriously naughty handballs in World Cup qualifying history goes and does something like this?

Like I said …lots and lots to talk about in this one.