Now that the Sounders have gone down (fighting), who do you want to see raise the Cup?  Everyone will have different opinions and I look forward to hearing each of them.  However, only one team can help the Sounders by winning the MLS Cup - our arch-rival and Achilles-heel, the LA Galaxy.  Root for Becks and Landypants (when he's not wearing USA)????  Blech...I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.  But I will swallow it down and like it.  I will actively cheer on LA.  Here is why:

The United States gets 4 berths in Concacaf, and with the Sounders US Open Cup win, all of those 4 will be MLS teams.  2 bids go straight to group play.  The other 2 have to play in with a home and away aggregate  (which we have done the last two seasons vs. Metapan and San Francisco de Panama).  The 2 teams that go straight to group play are the Supporters Shield Winner (LA) and the MLS Cup Winner (???).  IF LA were to win the MLS Cup, they have both group play bids.   I BELIEVE  the team that then goes straight through is Seattle Sounders FC - runner up to the Supporters Shield.  Our play-in bid would then go to the next team in line - 3rd to the shield - RSL (this part is officially reported on mlssoccer.com ... RSL is in CCL no matter what).  So LA wins the Cup - we win a ticket into group play.  Go Galaxy!?!?

I, for one, would like to see LA vs. SKC with LA winning and MLS sending LA, Seattle, RSL and SKC to CCL next year.  What do you guys think?