Attendance is a non-factor. Play on the field is the issue when discussing the top 5 teams in my opinion. No question, the Sounders had great fans to include yourself. I will give you the wins in the TransAtlantic Challenge Cup and the win over ManU, however, those were exhibitions. The Chicago Sting not only had two Soccer Bowl appearances, they won them both in 1981 & 1984. Yes, they had lousy attendance, however, the product on the field was more productive in NASL play during their tenure in the league. Something that can't be argued when defending appearances only in Soccer Bowl.
Seattle had many great players. Midfield general Alan Hudson, who George Best even once described as the best player at his position in England, Scottish internationals Tommy Hutchison and Bruce Rioch. Hutchison's play in 1980 (when he was 33 years old) was so impressive that he was signed by Manchester City and ended up scoring a goal in the FA Cup Final in 1981. Then you had Steve Daley, who once commanded the highest transfer fee in England. David Nish was a world class defender.
Well, this is my list and I am including attendance as a measure of a team's success. The Sounders had an incredible relationship with the fans and community and how a team is embraced by the city is a factor. The Sounders record breaking 1980 team was not one of their Soccer Bowl teams, but I would still say they were the best team in the league that year, just as the San Jose Earthquakes were the best team in the MLS last year. To make you happy I will elevate the Sting onto my second tier. And remove the Roughnecks.
No question Seattle had excellent talent! In fact, I would argue that the Sounders produced some of the best American talent back in the day... Jimmy McAlister Jeff Stock Chance Frye D'Errico,Dave ... to name a few that come to mind. Roger Davies Steve Daley were awesome talent! The Sounders were a solid/class organization.
Sounders all-time regular season record 151-124-3 (1974-1983) Sting...............................................150-132 (1975-1984) So, they were pretty even there. Sounders drew 2,546,731 fans in their 10 years, for an average of 18,321. Sting drew 1,147,819 fans in their 10 years, for an average of 8,141. Not so close.
Sounders had two hard fought, 1 goal losses to the Cosmos, one of them being Pele's last game. I don't remove them from great team status because of two games.
When great teams are defined, the measuring stick is championships. Not attendance, results in exhibition games, or playing well in the final in my opinion, thus, we can agree to disagree mate! If I were you, my boasting would be of the awesome talent that came out of the Seattle area rather than the Sounders... McAlister, Stock, Bartro, Durgan, Fry, Crook, et al. I would say that area was #1 for American talent in the NASL days without question.
Look here. http://soundercentral.com/trophy_case.htm and here: http://soundercentral.com/OriginalSounders.htm The NASL Sounders were a great FRANCHISE with very competitive squads. The developing of players continues into the new Sounders era with Brian Ching, Leighton O'Brien, Craig Waibel, Cam Weaver, Preston Burpo, Brent Whitfield. You'll also note that the current Sounders have won 3 league titles.
Have you read a damn thing that I have written? If so, what is your point? You will never convince me that the Sounders were all time top 5 in the NASL and I will never convince you that they weren't. I have already agreed with you that they were a damn good franchise with excellent players and homegrown talent. Let's leave it at that man!
Ah yes, I can see it now. In 20 years, we'll be subjected to threads where fans of the Atlanta Beat and Bay Area/San Jose CyberRays argue over which was the better team.
Um...this is my first post on this topic. You were having conversations with "GoSounders." I'm "Sounderfan."
I was going for the whole package. The Sounders played well on the field and drew well at the gate. When they came on the scene they were embraced by the city, there was a real love affair between the team and the community. Chicago may have won two soccer bowls, but, never captured the imagination of the city. See, more reasons why the Sounders were a great franchise. And don't forget 1980 Rookie of the Year Mark Peterson.
Chance Fry played for the SJ Quakes after the NASL folded in 1985 in the WSA/WSL.Fry was a goal scorer. I remember Jimmy McAlister played with the Quakes in 81-83. He quit because of Don Popovic I believe. He was an exceptional defender along with Mike Hunter. Jimmy was right footed and played left back very well. He was switched to the right side when Hunter came around. Last time I saw him he was hanging outside the Quakes locker room in 85 smoking a cig. Tim Hanley described Jimmy as the best American defender he ever saw in 97/98. Maybe some others have passed him up but he started in the Soccer Bowl and was rookie of the year. He held his own with far better players than the MLS has ever had. Too bad the league folded it when it did. Dave D'Errico was also a great defender for an American. Robert Iarusci and Bobby Lenarduzzi were also great Canadian defenders. The great Canadian GK was in my opinion Tino Lettieri.
This is the guy who put himself in a box or coffin, surrounded by explosives, and blew himself up? Yeah, I was at a San Jose Earthquakes game where he did that. Some kind of team presentation or ceremony or formal event at center circle before the game has always happened before at least important games in soccer, all over the world, so this isn't an American thing. In fact looking at recent World Cup and EPL games the whole American show business rah-rah thing still isn't done; the teams come out as a team, with youth players holding their hands perhaps, but not much of the big hype of individual players like you see before American sporting events. Not as much as you think. Apart from opening ceremonies at the World Cup and other major competitions, which have always been a bit overblown (mirroring the Olympics), most of the rest of the world still hasn't copied American marketing gimmicks. For instance I was recently watching the IRB rugby world cup final from 2003 on DVD. There were some ceremonies before and after the game (as you would expect in any cup final) but absolutely no half time show. The fans stared at the empty pitch, or went to get food or drink or to visit the toilets. No halftime "entertainment" and I suspect that's the case with the FIFA world cup as well (never having been to a WC final myself unfortunately). So really the US has not impacted the rest of the world quite as much as you might think. There is still some reluctance to over-hype things. The game is important enough in the rest of the world not to need much hype. Changes to the rules of the game are an entirely different matter from half time shows or other entertainments that don't affect how the game is played.