something that needs to be said

by malcontentjake on Oct 29, 2011 10:24 PM PDT in Sounders: Analysis

I believe that sports should be a meritocracy, that is the only way they can have any meaning, otherwise they are subject to the same random lottery that the rest of life is.

The only way you can separate the good from the average from the bad is through repetition, through a lengthy process that separates the wheat from the chaff.

In MLS play this year, every team played 34 matches over an 8-month span; it was an exhaustive competition in which every team played every other team both home and away. No other North American major professional sport plays such a thorough schedule. And beyond that, no other North American major professional sport has additional competitions that are gained through MERIT. The Sounders played a maximum number of matches because they EARNED them, by winning. Okay, take away the two qualifiers for CCL - which L.A. and Colorado didn't have to play because of merit - and we still won - WON - more games than any other team in MLS in 2011 during the season.

That is a fact. One shitty match does not change the quality that this team has clearly demonstrated for 8 months. We have suffered major injuries, that would prove to be debilitating for most MLS teams, and we were still as good a team as any that played professional soccer in the USA and Canada. This is just the plain truth.

…and this is what i am going to tell myself so that I can sleep tonight...

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Wife was practically crying at the end

and I’m so down I’m actually going back and forth in my mind whether those that said if we don’t win in the playoffs the season is a failure were correct.

Hurts so bad, just completely gutted, I know we’ve done great things this year, but that one hurt, can only imagine how much worse the players and staff are taking it on the ride home.

Still, it’ll be a great second leg at CLink that the wife and I will be yelling ourselves hoarse at, and if that’s where the season ends, well, it’ll be nice to see Kasey and the boys one last final time together again.

by Thalas on Oct 29, 2011 10:37 PM PDT reply actions

This hurts like hell right now

But no fucking way was this season not a huge success. Nothing is taking most of this season away from us, not even a game this awful.

by Son of Mecha Mummy on Oct 29, 2011 10:50 PM PDT up reply actions

But

I’ll admit that I’ve spent the last two hours in sort of an awful state of shock and basically eating my feelings. Gotta get my head straight and start working on my classwork but ugh.

by Son of Mecha Mummy on Oct 29, 2011 10:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Ummm, MLB

Baseball is 162 game season, 475% more games than MLS.

by look4wrd on Oct 29, 2011 11:11 PM PDT reply actions

The schedule is also ridiculously unbalanced

by Aaron Campeau on Oct 29, 2011 11:14 PM PDT up reply actions

what he said ^^^^

if I posted what I really want to say to look4wrd Jeremiah would ban my ass

...and you will hear us scream

by malcontentjake on Oct 29, 2011 11:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, OK. 4 AB's as a DH sure seems the same as running eight miles over 90 minutes.

by DaveValleDrinkNight on Oct 30, 2011 4:46 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

That's a 22.5 minute mile

Isn’t that a walking pace? Just sayin.

by Kaos_Rob on Oct 30, 2011 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions

no it isn't. My bad

11.25 minute mile.

by Kaos_Rob on Oct 30, 2011 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions

I hate playoffs

I have for a really long time now. Even when the USL Sounders won their championships, the one that felt really good was the one when we won the league as well. The other one felt cheaper, less honest.

Oh, well. I guess there’s next year.

by CarlosT on Oct 30, 2011 12:04 AM PDT reply actions

SO THIS IS HOW IT FEELS TO BE A TIMBERS FAN...... Poor Bastards.

by DaveValleDrinkNight on Oct 30, 2011 4:51 AM PDT reply actions

Not quite.

If it were how it feels to be a portscum fan, our season would’ve been done a week ago.

You do all the work for us, Honey Badger, and we'll just eat whatever you find.

by mistuhp on Oct 30, 2011 8:04 AM PDT up reply actions

Actually

Portland got a result at Rio Tinto and played very well in the second half of that game.

by Spoonsky on Oct 30, 2011 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions

Portland got a "result" in the regular season

Seattle got a win

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Oct 30, 2011 9:05 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

That

is a good point.

by Spoonsky on Oct 30, 2011 9:10 AM PDT up reply actions

Not Really

Generally speaking we have realistic expectations and can enjoy the game for what it is, a game. Im sure that will chang when and if we ever ger into championship contention. But a couple things from an outsiders perspective. First off, the season isn’t over and if I’ve learned anything about the sounders it’s that they’re a resilient team and very special at home. This isn’t over. Second, Jake is right, one game shouldn’t define the season. I’d take one season like yours if it meant many more like the Timbers had this year. Don’t take success for granted and don’t let a loss diminish the joy this team has brought you. Good luck in the second leg.

by ledjom on Oct 30, 2011 9:01 AM PDT up reply actions 6 recs

This

Sounders Fanatic | Editor Nos Audietis | Follow me on Twitter

by dano_seattle on Oct 30, 2011 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions

Agreed 100% with both you and malcontentjake

I must say I’m stunned by the number of people over on the “official” SSFC forum screaming that, after this game, we have to “blow up the team” and start from scratch, because nothing we’ve accomplished this season (CCL knockout stage, USOC three-peat) has any worth whatsoever.

by regnaD kciN on Oct 30, 2011 9:26 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm not surprised to hear that

the SSFC forums have consistently proven to be a comprehensive waste of my time

...and you will hear us scream

by malcontentjake on Oct 31, 2011 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions

I've also seen plenty of misguided 'fire Sigi' comments

We’ve dug ourselves a big playoff hole, but it doesn’t diminish the success we’ve had juggling lots of games over three competitions. One of which we won again and the other we’ve secured a spot in the knockout stages.

The SAH Links Guy

by Dizzo on Oct 31, 2011 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions

and that's pretty much

what Seattle Sonic fans told themselves after every early playoff exit. Unfortunately, it seemed like RSL exploited every single weakness the Sounders had this season. They had their star (and he played really well, dammit) and we didn’t. I’m not sure we really learn anything from this….. but I’ve been screaming about defense for three years. Yes, our stats were VERY solid, but somewhat skewed by a certain keeper who has had a propensity for turning away one, often two certain goals per game and a certain D-mid who is good for breaking up a ton of attacks.

by swansuite on Oct 30, 2011 7:53 AM PDT reply actions

so your analysis is that we gave up 3 goals so our defense sucks?

Really? because what i saw was a systemic failure, a team that couldn’t string three passes together and as a result of that were constantly on their heals. You know we didn’t put a single shot on goal all game, right?

If there are any field players who I am tempted to say had at least a below-average game it is Hurtado and Parke; everyone else was somewhere between below average or shambolic.

Better fullbacks will certainly help this team, but its funny that back in August, when everyone was screaming about a star striker, I kept mentioning what we really needed was an upgrade at fullback. But it wasn’t just one position, or the lack of one player. The “blame game” will commence inevitably, but any rational analysis of what happened last night will begin and end with the fact that a subpar performance against a motivated and high-quality side like RSL, on the road, in an important match, will almost always result in failure,,,

...and you will hear us scream

by malcontentjake on Oct 30, 2011 8:21 AM PDT up reply actions

Truth

I would add complete systemic failure with one exception. Keller.

Sounders Fanatic | Editor Nos Audietis | Follow me on Twitter

by dano_seattle on Oct 30, 2011 8:46 AM PDT up reply actions

Uhhhhhh

no. You got that out of my post? Go back to remedial reading class at the local alternative school. I’ve been saying it all season long and I’ve also said we’d be exposed in the playoffs. I just never thought like this.

by swansuite on Oct 30, 2011 11:31 AM PDT up reply actions

the one where you empahised the weaknesses of the defense

which you’ve been screaming about for 3 years, all the while hinting that our two best defensive players, Alonso and Keller, clearly aren’t the problem (despite Alosno putting forth his worst perfromance in 3 years Saturday night)? You also seem to make hint at the importance of them having Morales, and us not having Rosales.

So i’m glad you feel good about caling our collapse because – god forbid – we aren’t a perfectly assembled super club and emply humans prone to error and bad games.

I will look into those remedial reading classes, as I am clearly an idiot who can’t read or write. Thanks for the tip!

...and you will hear us scream

by malcontentjake on Oct 31, 2011 10:46 AM PDT up reply actions

For me, the big question is...

…was this just everyone on the team (except KK) managing to have their worst game of the season at the exact same time, or was it SLC “figuring out” the Sounders in a way other teams have been unable to do and coming up with a strategy that completely disarmed our strengths and capitalized on our weaknesses?

If the former (which is what I suspect), well, it sucks, but that’s the way things happen at times. If the latter (and I assume we’ll find that out soon enough), I hope Sigi and Adrian can figure out an answer by next season.

by regnaD kciN on Oct 30, 2011 9:23 PM PDT up reply actions

One terrible game should not undo a wonderful season

.. but it does. Playoffs damnit. This is America, you show up for playoffs. We couldn’t string 3 passes together, and how many times did we pass right to their guy in midfield. What was the point of Ochoa if all we do is lob ineffectual passes to him, 10 yards outside the net, to be pushed wide yet again.

This team earns respect in CONCACAF and US Cup, then gives it right back in MLS playoffs. Maybe we should elect not to play in the playoffs if we aren’t going to take them seriously. Oh, wait, its America, we can’t.

I don’t believe its impossible to compete on 3 competitions at once. I don’t, but damnit Sounders, you just gave ammo to every idiot naysaying pundit out there, as well as every chump coach who doesn’t care about US Cup… you gave them all ammo, and cover, and now you are going to be cited as the shining example of what happens to a club that takes tournaments too seriously and ignores the MLS playoffs.

Unless of course, we rally historically on wednesday night. I’ll be there. Will you?

by luckystriker on Oct 30, 2011 7:59 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

i think too many people look for

Deeper meaningsto losses. Like the Man U loss, everyone was saying how the sounders set back mls x amount of years. Now the sounders lose 3-0 and it sets back the open cup and ccl 10 years. Jesus.

I noticed 3 things.
1. Thank God Alonso is a beast 99 percent of the time. Unfortunately this is what would happen if it is the other 1 percent.

2. If RSL can win 3-0 why can’t the Sounders?

3. It is almost statistically impossible that every Sounder player would have their worst match of the season on the same day. Its even more statistically impossible to think all of RSL will play their worst game ever next wednesday.

by python6114 on Oct 30, 2011 8:35 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

honestly

If a team was paid to throw a match, they’d pretty much look like the Sounders did Saturday Night.

by python6114 on Oct 30, 2011 8:36 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

No

They would have played much better than that to avoid making it look obvious.

by mark_s on Oct 30, 2011 10:14 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

The thing I keep telling myself...

… It’s one goal every 30 minutes of the game (obviously without letting any up)

Somehow if you break it down as one goal every 30 min, it doesn’t seem insurmountable

We know we’re better than how we played last night, just a matter of how much better.

by BaltimoreIslander on Oct 30, 2011 9:34 AM PDT via iPhone app reply actions

I don't mean to be the negative nancy, but they have to score a goal every 30 minutes WHILE shutting them out

by Agent_J on Oct 30, 2011 6:49 PM PDT up reply actions

The odd thing about last night

was that I was simply looking for a well-played, competitive match from two very good teams. I didn’t really need a win or even a tie out of it; just wanted to see good football. Instead, it was so one-sided for the entire match that it wasn’t even enjoyable to watch, outcome notwithstanding.

If they get knocked out at the CLink, I hope it’s a match that the team (actually both teams) can be proud of.

by wmknickers on Oct 30, 2011 9:36 AM PDT reply actions

False equivalency is false

i think too many people look for

Deeper meaningsto losses. Like the Man U loss, everyone was saying how the sounders set back mls x amount of years. Now the sounders lose 3-0 and it sets back the open cup and ccl 10 years. Jesus.

That was a meaningless friendly.

Last night was the playoffs.

by luckystriker on Oct 30, 2011 9:45 AM PDT reply actions