MLS First Kick 2011: Seattle Sounders v LA Galaxy - It begins

by Dave Clark on Mar 15, 2011 6:08 AM PDT in Sounders: MLS Regular Season

It begins tonight. A third season in Rave Green, a third season on the premier national tv partner, a third season searching for a greater trophy. Tonight, Hollywood and Madison Avenue and Bristol all come to Seattle. Tonight, under floodlights 36,000 stand proudly.

It begins with Arlo White, and Adrian Healey calling the action. Thirty minutes prior, setting the scene for a game between six designated players, two amazing 2009 Rookies, and two aging keepers. A match-up of the two greatest coaches the league has yet to see.

It begins with a March to the Match. Spawned out of dozens it has grown to thousands. Borrowing from traditions, European, American College, Latino, it is ours. It is Emerald City Supporters, Gorilla FC, North End Faithful. It is not fans, not supporters, but Sounders.

It begins as we gather. In public houses, bars, restaurants, office building and parking lots we will assemble. We will commune with our friends, our neighbors, our seatmates, our wives/husbands/partners. In some cases it has been months since we were last together.

It begins in the morning. We select our apparel. Some will be casual, some in inspired garb. Some in authentic, others in replicas. All in that outfit that says "I am a Sounder" whether I play or not. Scarf in hand or on the neck, it is our talisman.

It begins tonight with another whistle. With a roar. With a boom. This is the most anticipated season in MLS history except for the first. It is a league looking to its North and its West. It is a league seeing many greens and blues. We are but one of those teams. We, Sounders are the eldest of our Cascadia brothers. We will lead with trophies.

Tonight it begins - MLS 2011

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Rocking the green shirt with blue slacks today.

SOUNDERS!

Unofficial Sounder Fan Club President - South Dakota Division

by JWAY on Mar 15, 2011 7:07 AM PDT reply actions

The March to the Match began when I stepped out of bed.

by joesz on Mar 15, 2011 8:02 AM PDT reply actions

God, soooo excited for the game… too bad I can’t be there (the march from Michigan would be prohibitivly long). GO SOUNDERS!!!

by Yellowdart00 on Mar 15, 2011 9:07 AM PDT reply actions

Very very very excited!

This site has been amazing this off-season helping me keep track of what’s been going on. At the beginning of last year I would have described myself as a casual fan. My wife and I decided, year one of the Sounders, that we’d take this opportunity to develop a common interest in soccer. We both liked the sport from afar, but knew little about it in detail and didn’t have a team to follow.

We did our best to get to games on a limited budget during the first year, then, around the time of the Sounders turn-around in the second half of last year (really, during the World Cup) I somehow got directed to this site (I think via LookoutLanding)… Wow. This place has transformed the way my wife and I follow the Sounders. I recommend it to EVERYBODY. My appreciation for the game and fandom are as vigorous for this sport as they are for the Mariners (my first love – though it oft seems unreciprocated)…

I think the moment I became a REAL fan was during the US Open Cup semi-final match against Chivas last year. I remember the Jaqua goals, watching it stream online, reading the game thread, and I was hooked. I read the site daily after that. My wife’s bosses treated us to the US Open Cup Final match. I obsessed over everything this off-season (which, honestly, is a great time for fans as there are so many changes that take place; it’s fun to watch a team come together).

The problem for MLS is that its rules and systems are so obtuse that even fans have difficulty following them (let alone busy mainstream journalists for whom this is a second-tier American sport). When I was limited to mainstream media, I couldn’t get into it. I couldn’t follow it because the coverage was so thin. Match times, television schedules, and even a consistent radio broadcast were hard to find.

SaH changed that. Now I have one place where I can get REAL, up-to-the-minute Sounders coverage with DEEP analysis designed (at least in part) for newbies like me. I still stick my foot in my mouth enough to embarass myself – but you folks are fantastic.

So I’m excited in particular because this inaugurates my first FULL season following the Sounders with this fantastic community.

Thank you for making a fan out of me.

by Orothar on Mar 15, 2011 9:22 AM PDT reply actions 8 recs