It struck me that this could be the last official one of the season for the team at Starfire, depending on what happens Sunday.

Anyway, the team caught its flight this afternoon for Texas. I leave tomorrow.

Tyrone Marshall said he'll just have to "suck it up" and play. He went through all of practice today. When it was over -- before the rain came at Starfire -- the guys signed autographs.

Here's what coach Sigi Schmid had to say:

On Tyrone Marshall:
"He worked yesterday. He trained and then he did everything with Dave Tenney, our fitness coach. We wanted to see how he came back this morning. He had no problems and said that it felt better than it did yesterday. Today he went through the full training and he feels fine... He did more today again so we will see how it feels tomorrow. But if there are no setbacks he should be able to go. He's a very honest player. He was very honest with us. Early in the season, we had Ozzie [Osvaldo Alonso] get hurt in the warm-ups and he said he could try it and he had to come out of the game two minutes in. With Tyrone it was the same sort of thing but Tyrone was very honest and said 'Look, I can't go.' So he will be very honest with us and if he says he can go he will go and if he can't he will tell us."

On Sounders FC road play:
"I think we have had a good road record of late. I think we are a good team whether we play at home or away. Houston is a good team as well. They're not going to relinquish this thing easily. I think it's going to be a great game. It's going to be a game that is end to end. It's a game that is going to have a lot of drama attached to it. But I like our chances."

On Real Salt Lake beating Columbus Crew:
"Obviously it is sad for Columbus. I still have a lot of friends and people that I know on that team. But it shows what can happen in the playoffs. Over the course of a season and the Supporters' Shield, the cream rises to the top. Once you get into a playoff situation, it's like Fantasy Island - everybody's dream can come true. Last night, Real Salt Lake's dream came true. And we want to make our dream come true in Houston."

On penalty kicks: "We trained on penalties a little bit so we're ready. I don't believe in doing them a lot because for me penalties are a mental thing. Some guys take great penalties at practice and then they get out to the field and their knees buckle and everything gets shaky. And there's other guys who can't score one in practice but when the game's on the line they step up and bury it. If it comes to that point, we are going to be able to pick five guys who are going to step up and put five away."

Schmid said he has selected the two players he'd pick from in the event of a PK during the game, and the five players he'd go with if it goes to a shootout.