Seattle Sounders FC

I think a short story is in order. Somewhere in the middle of the week, my oldest daughter saw me watching a game and, as usual, taking notes on a laptop while I did. On seeing this she said, “You never watch soccer for fun anymore.”

Ah, out of the mouths of babes….shame she says so much stupid shit in between. (Kidding, I have limitless love and respect for my daughter….just like cheap shots nearly as much).

In all seriousness, today marks...

My notes going into this game started with, “a game when 0-0 will say a lot.” How does the proverbial non-statement final score swing that order? By providing some answers on the state of Seattle Sounders FC’s offense; by revealing something about the strategic approaches both clubs seem to have adopted in the end-run to the 2009 campaign; by saying something about both clubs’ standing-tall defenses: that’s a lot to put on a score, but it’s bearing the burden admirably. That’s the what, but one has to watch the game to get the how....

Back to normal this weekend in terms of volume of games, which keeps me plenty busy. Nothing to do but dig in to the results; the road ahead for all – or, rather most – the teams in MLS follows from. Enjoy…but with a caveat. The thinking on the results is highly contextualized by the teams each club will play down the road…and in how many competitions. Put another way, it’s all one and it’s all groovy…ahem! Something stuck in my throat again…

Wait. One more thing to add: I like that we’re at the point in the season...

Before: What do you get when two teams voted likely to limp into the playoffs tangle in the long grass? I’ll tell you in about 90 minutes. That said, the Seattle commentating crew wasted little time in putting the obvious frame on this game: Seattle has been to RFK before and they walked out with a trophy (the U.S. Open Cup as it happens). As for DC, they don’t have the look of a team one expects to wear the heavy days ahead lightly…makes one almost thankful they face San Juan Jabloteh in the CCL this week instead of the group heavy-hitters....

Big picture, and I’m typing this right at kick-off, count this one of those games that checks the health and virility of your team’s collective won-tons. Both teams need this one – though I’d argue Seattle needs it more….home-field and all. For what it’s worth, I like what they’ve lined up with. Let’s see how it goes…or, rather, went.

Concerning Seattle, not so good: had he watched the first half, the doctor just grabbed their collective sacks, giggled to himself and then left the room – presumably to go share a laugh...

Just a shjort (whoa...is that Swedish or something?), ahem, short preamble this week.

As threatened a couple weeks back (may or may not have actually happened, as these things do...or don't), I slipped Mad Lib sentences at the end of each of the match reviews you may or may not read below regarding the games I only caught through the highlights. Provided you had friends, you remember these things from way back when....at least I don't think that's so far back...surely, these now exist on-line...yep. At any rate, count...

No, I don’t try like I used to in terms of keeping the score secret….at least it’s not posted in neon. And I won’t tax your patience besides – had to watch this while cooking a big ol’ Southern dinner for the family (ribs, greens, corn, etc.) – which is good seeing as I have a lot to do before bed.

If you’re looking for this game’s defining moment, consider Kyle Beckerman running into (I believe) Osvaldo Alonso. Not tackling, not even in the futbol Americano sense of the word; I mean, Beckerman literally just caused...

The hic-coughing television feed presaged the start to this game. It kind of sputtered, started for a while, only to stall again on the back of this foul or that. And yet that doesn’t make complete sense, what with the San Jose Earthquakes going up due to an own-goal by Osvaldo Alonso before the two minute mark.

Kevin Calabro and Greg Vanney, FOX Sports Northwest’s commentating team, picked up on the stutter-step start and laid the blame for a physical start on San Jose. Now, that could very well be how...

To make sure I don’t forget it – and I rarely, if ever, condone this kind of thing – but something magical happened in last night’s Third Round tie in the U.S. Open Cup between the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC. With the Sounders two goals up and things looking grim for the large, boisterous home crowd, a Seattle player went to the ground and stayed there. As he lay on his back looking skyward – and looking for all the world like he was faking it – a water bottle lofted from the stands onto the field…and landed...

“I’m not looking forward to the second half.”
- Me, Sunday, June 28, 2009; A bar in Hillsboro

Or I said something to that effect right before the second half of U.S. v. Brazil kicked off. And the bartender seemed to acknowledge the statement, or at least he momentarily set aside his quest to steer my father and me onto the one, true path of lacrosse (listening to a “come to Jesus” pitch from a fan of another “minor sport” makes for a weird experience, by the way; I feel more aware of how we must sound as soccer fans...