Church of Fucito Closes?

by Dave Clark on Feb 17, 2012 5:01 PM PST in Life in the Sound

Mike Fucito's Church Will Look In New Directions

Every faith, cult, fan obsession or what not comes to an end. The Kid left me for Cincinnati. The Glove donned several other jerseys. Matt Hasselbeck is now a Titan. Players in this crazy sports business move on all the time. That doesn't mean that I have to like it. It doesn't mean that I'm not tearing up at the thought of Mike Fucito shedding his blood for the Montreal Impact in their boring blues.

It's probably appropriate that this happened on a rain-soaked Friday, because the dark clouds offer a sort of Seattle comfort for me. There won't be "Church is in session" comments, fist pumps after scoring in Mexico. No longer will there need to be prayer cards made for 2012. The jello knee of 2010 and the bloodied face of 2011 are only memories, no longer symbols of what a player can give to help his team win.

As I sip on the last of #2, an American interpretation of English Strong Ale, I think to myself about how I never got to see the game winner against Kansas City live because it was my day with ECS. Instead, that moment is burned into my head as a memory of a story and not reality.

I also think back to my second ever player interview with Mike after he got drafted. Or the practice where when I requested permission to talk to him, was asked the subject and responded simply "I'm going to ask him about the Church of Fucito." Or the origins of that phrase, as Fake Sigi made fun of our passion for Fucito's success in reserves, practices and scrimmages and the clamor for more playing time. Eventually Fucito would go on to score 10 goals in all competitions.

Sports kind of suck sometimes. Not always because of the loss column, but of the losses of players to injury, retirement and, of course, trade. Today, the Church of Fucito is no longer a Sounder at Heart phenomenon. It personally will not close, but the attention devoted to it will shift. I will still find glory in Fucito's successes in MLS and I now look forward to him winning the Voyageurs Cup in 2012 by crushing Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps.

So no. The Church isn't shutting its doors. It's just changing what it is - and maybe learning a little French.

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Comments

crying in my beer

Figuratively. I will be literally later probably.

by chrisperry1983 on Feb 17, 2012 5:13 PM PST via mobile reply actions

Good grief

C’mon man. This reads like Adrian stole your puppy. In 6 months this deal will either look like genius or idiocy, but let’s not throw ourselves off a bridge right now over Mike Fucito and Lamar Neagle. They are both nice players, but Fucito and Neagle were simply members of the pile of nice players that the Sounders have assembled.

In Eddie Johnson the FO is trying to acquire a guy who, at the top of his game, was a very capable striker. They may be wrong, but getting that maudlin over Fucito and Neagle is absurd.

by Choskasoft on Feb 17, 2012 5:18 PM PST reply actions

I am allowed to like players

I am allowed to miss them when they leave

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart | Follow Dave on Twitter @bedirthan

by Dave Clark on Feb 17, 2012 5:24 PM PST up reply actions 15 recs

Great tribute

Fucito deserved it.

I’ll continue to allow myself to become attached to players, a luxury that many higher up in the organization can ill afford, and an aspect of sports that some fans, sadly, just do not get.

by Thalas on Feb 17, 2012 8:22 PM PST up reply actions

Thats why I have a hard time following college sports.

by TS6 on Feb 17, 2012 11:16 PM PST up reply actions

I think you missed the part where

people have feelings for people that are not just based on how they perform at work.

by agtk on Feb 17, 2012 5:24 PM PST up reply actions 5 recs

Its deeper than that.

There’s a business side, a competitive side, and a personal side to the move.

I think there is widespread mixed opinions w/ re: the business aspect,
Mostly negative thoughts, spiked with huge amounts of hope, re: the competitive side,
And nothing wrong with so many of us, especially Dave, feeling gutted to see this happen.

That’s what the post is about. And I think it’s right on point.

"But who would listen to Little Old Me anyway?"
-by -Dave Clark
and -thehemogoblin

by Little old me on Feb 17, 2012 5:39 PM PST up reply actions

I doubt in 6 months this looks like genius or idiocy

Fucito and Neagle could have meh seasons on a bad team and EJ could similarly have a meh season. I don’t think it’s obviously a boom or bust trade.

by ubelmann on Feb 17, 2012 6:15 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs

Well said Dave.

Gone but not forgotten.

by steveolambert on Feb 17, 2012 5:29 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

also

he had a really great song. how will we top that

by connorb3 on Feb 17, 2012 5:31 PM PST reply actions

Fucito you!
You got what I need.
and your Harvard boots contend.
Scores in the Brougham end.

FUCITO YOU!!!…

by The_Herbert on Feb 17, 2012 6:18 PM PST up reply actions 8 recs

This needs to be greened

in my opinion.

by BrooklynPreacher on Feb 17, 2012 7:18 PM PST up reply actions

1 good thing for both Neagle and Fucito

With Montreal’s, uh, massive corps of strikers, they’ll probably get a ton of time and chances to shine. Especially Fucito – they hve very few true forwards, if I’ve been keeping up on the Impact news well.

Still sucks to lose them. But at least they’ll be going somewhere they can excell, hopefully (and we can cheer for them a ton in the East).

by Nevtelen on Feb 17, 2012 5:31 PM PST reply actions

I assume both will be day one starters for the Impact

Not to mention they’ll be joining former Sounders Tyson Wahl and Sanna Nyassi. It’s like Sounders East over there.

by Dizzo on Feb 17, 2012 5:46 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

After the yelling and cursing stopped I had the same thought

Should be fun to see, and it might turn out to be great for their careers.

by Thalas on Feb 17, 2012 8:24 PM PST up reply actions

I bet Montano though he was free of the Sounders

Ha!

by PeterJH on Feb 17, 2012 10:00 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs

This sucks emotionally.

It’s probably a good strategic trade but I can’t help but feel like I just got punched in the stomach.

by DaveValleDrinkNight on Feb 17, 2012 5:38 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

This cinches the Impact as my team to root for in the East.

New, underdogs, four Sounders.

@ritual605

by Greg Pirkl Lives on Feb 17, 2012 5:57 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

I count 5

Montano, Wahl, Nyassi, Fucito, Neagle

by mikebelle on Feb 17, 2012 6:03 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Whoops, forgot Nyassi. I was thinking last year only.

@ritual605

by Greg Pirkl Lives on Feb 17, 2012 6:05 PM PST up reply actions

josh Gardner too

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart | Follow Dave on Twitter @bedirthan

by Dave Clark on Feb 17, 2012 6:35 PM PST via Android app up reply actions

but....canadian

by chrisperry1983 on Feb 17, 2012 6:04 PM PST via mobile up reply actions

I live to near the border to root for a canadian team. I'll definitely be rooting for the players though

by TS6 on Feb 17, 2012 7:14 PM PST up reply actions

They might as well rename their team

Sounders Canada. If Chivas de Guadalajara can do it, why can’t we? I’ll definitely be getting MDL again this year so I can watch their matches.

by Randy Meeker on Feb 17, 2012 10:30 PM PST up reply actions

Sondeurs du Canada

by bmvaughn on Feb 18, 2012 9:31 AM PST up reply actions

Shocked

Just glad I was able to get his autograph down in Casa Grade last week. Neagle and Fucito will tear up the weak East like no ones business

by AzVikeFan on Feb 17, 2012 6:04 PM PST reply actions

the best way to emulate the sounders success

Is to use former sounders players. Montreal figured out what Vancouver Portland and Philadelphia didn’t…

A sky of blue, a sea of green...(or claret)

by kelliott1527 on Feb 17, 2012 6:07 PM PST via iPhone app reply actions 6 recs

I will be really stoked if the Sounders can revive EJ's career

by ubelmann on Feb 17, 2012 6:16 PM PST reply actions

It worked for Rosales

In four years at River Plate, he scored 4 goals in 64 league appearances. Last year, he scored 5 goals in 26 appearances. It’s not all about goals, but I think it’s safe to say that coming to Seattle really rejuvenated his career. There are quite a few similarities. It was around this time last year that we started hearing about #TheTrialist. We also heard stories about a failed physical in Mexico.

by Randy Meeker on Feb 17, 2012 10:25 PM PST up reply actions

Rosales was a free making a minimum salary

Trying to link EJ and Rosales is grasping at straws.

CougCenter

by Brian Floyd on Feb 17, 2012 11:11 PM PST up reply actions

Not really. He is only coming in at 100k.

The part that hurts is the trade. Not much you can do at this point other than wish EJ the best. I’ll be following the impact this season to see how my guys do though. I’ll bet this lets the team sign Cato also.

by TS6 on Feb 17, 2012 11:24 PM PST up reply actions

No, he's not coming in at 100k

He’s coming in at 100k plus two young, serviceable players. And that 100k is more than double what Rosales came in at.

So to recap…
Rosales: Free to bring in, 42k salary
EJ: Fucito and Neagle to bring in, ~100k salary (we think)

That’s a pretty massive difference.

CougCenter

by Brian Floyd on Feb 17, 2012 11:57 PM PST up reply actions

They're similar

in that they cost little to bring in, are a little older, and have a ton of talent and upside that hadn’t manifested itself in a few years. To the extent that you believe Rosales indicates that the FO has a good idea of when such players are done for good and when they’ve still got a lot back in the tank, it bodes well for EJ.

by Tohoya on Feb 18, 2012 12:37 AM PST up reply actions

In what world did EJ just cost a little to bring in?

Rosales: Free. EJ: Two young, cheap and productive players who held significant roles. And, again, the salary difference.

Trying to draw parallels to Rosales is just praying lightning strikes twice. Except this time, it’s not a flier on a player coming to the team on the cheap.

CougCenter

by Brian Floyd on Feb 18, 2012 12:51 AM PST up reply actions

Neither Fucito nor Neagle were likely to play many minutes with our depth

Neagle especially. EJ will play more than both of them combined would have this season.

That’s what I mean by a little. Fucito and Neagle are good players, particularly for their cap hit, but their value to the Sounders is significantly lower than their value in the abstract because of our depth.

by Tohoya on Feb 18, 2012 1:10 AM PST up reply actions

You have to understand the difference in risk between the two

In Rosales, there was absolutely no risk. He cost nothing to bring in and had the exact same salary as Fucito — that is to say he was cheap. If the reclamation project didn’t work out, Seattle could wipe its hands and be through. No big deal.

In this case, there’s waaaaaay more risk. You’ve now traded away two relatively young players, right from the get-go. Say what you will about their playing time, but they each played significant minutes in all competitions — and the 2012 team will have plenty of competitions. Both were cheap and both had solid roles with the team. On top of that, you’re paying six figures instead of a minimum salary.

You don’t pay that kind of bounty for a scrap heap reclamation project. These things are typically cheap because the player has zero leverage and is hoping to turn their career around. They forgo an immediate reward, because they have to, in hopes of a future payoff.

And yet, Montreal grabbed the Sounders by the balls and fleeced them. That is the problem here and that is why this is, in no way, like the Rosales situation.

CougCenter

by Brian Floyd on Feb 18, 2012 1:23 AM PST up reply actions

Fucito was the starter

how is that little minutes?

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart | Follow Dave on Twitter @bedirthan

by Dave Clark on Feb 18, 2012 8:15 AM PST via Android app up reply actions

I mean that EJ can replace Fucito's minute on his own pretty easily

And even worst-case scenario EJ probably manages 2 goals in19 MLS appearances.

by Tohoya on Feb 18, 2012 9:46 AM PST up reply actions

We'll give back the US Open Cup and take away CCL success

performances in those matches don’t matter.

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart | Follow Dave on Twitter @bedirthan

by Dave Clark on Feb 18, 2012 9:53 AM PST up reply actions

I love this arugment that anyone who only refers to Fucito's MLS goals is throwing out his non-MLS goals

I met a possum.

by s0merand0mdude on Feb 18, 2012 10:10 AM PST up reply actions

10 goals in all comps

those games matter to me.

They don’t have to matter to you, but I like winning trophies. First half against Monterrey was a stellar game. Fucito isn’t to blame for the defense.

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart | Follow Dave on Twitter @bedirthan

by Dave Clark on Feb 18, 2012 10:39 AM PST up reply actions

I like the USOC and definintely the CCL, too

But you’re essentially covering up the fact that his two USOC goals were against Kitsap.

I met a possum.

by s0merand0mdude on Feb 18, 2012 11:04 AM PST up reply actions

Oh no he's not.

This is a really weird battle you’re choosing to pick.

by Aaron Campeau on Feb 18, 2012 11:24 AM PST up reply actions

I'm choosing to choose this battle?

Thank you, captain redundant.

Oh, and just so we’re clear, I’m being facetious in this comment.

I met a possum.

by s0merand0mdude on Feb 18, 2012 2:50 PM PST up reply actions

Oh goodness me I appear to have been accidentally redundant in an internet comment.

How ever will I save face! I am so humiliated! You were right to call me out on such a grievous error. You were absolutely right to call me out on it as opposed to responding to the actual point of my comment, that point being that you’re accusing Dave of doing something he’s pretty clearly not doing. Because yes, clearly the bigger issue is that I slightly misspoke in an internet comment thread.

And I am not at all being facetious in this comment. As always, I value your feedback immensely. Thanks!

by Aaron Campeau on Feb 18, 2012 8:22 PM PST up reply actions

Sad to see go, but good for all involved

Neagle and Fucito will be missed, however, remember, White and Zak will also be back, and getting a veteran voice and good finisher will also be advantageous to our squad, so as we say goodbye to good people, we welcome a new. Welcome to Soccer City USA Eddie!!

by Shannon Matthews on Feb 17, 2012 6:55 PM PST reply actions

White is not looking like he is coming back

by TS6 on Feb 17, 2012 7:15 PM PST up reply actions

The lesson learned here

don’t buy jerseys with players names on them.

by python6114 on Feb 17, 2012 7:16 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

If you do, make sure they are HOF quality guys likely to stay for a long time

I have Felix and Ichiro Mariners Jerseys (the Felix with the old number from his rookie year). Or buy a USMNT jersey. I’d love a Clint Dempsey Fulham jersey, but as he’s my favorite player on my favorite team; it would make me cry a little every time I wore it after he inevitably leaves. Therefore I bought a USMNT Dempsey jersey and a blank Fulham one.

by arbeck77 on Feb 17, 2012 7:24 PM PST up reply actions

I may be more likely to get a Fucito jersey now

than ever.

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart | Follow Dave on Twitter @bedirthan

by Dave Clark on Feb 17, 2012 7:40 PM PST up reply actions

True Story: after LeToux was sent to Vancouver

a bunch of folks (SoB presumably) were planning to get jerseys with “Allocation” on them. I thought that was pretty funny.

by Sobchak on Feb 17, 2012 8:24 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

I bought Ljungberg for my daughter

a week before his “ankle injury”

by PeterJH on Feb 17, 2012 10:02 PM PST up reply actions

There's definitely

a huge difference between a Fucito jersey and a Ljungberg jersey. I’d be ok with owning the jersey of any former player other than Nkufo and Ljungberg.

by Randy Meeker on Feb 17, 2012 10:27 PM PST up reply actions

I own a Nkufo jersey.

it hangs proudly on my wall, like all Fucito/Neagle jerseys should. You can’t help which players you love or if they will leave. (p.s. I now rock a Mauro jersey until he moves on)

by Iam333 on Feb 18, 2012 1:53 AM PST via Android app up reply actions

My Zags jersey is Pargo's #2, Morrison was #3. Pangos will end his Zags career as THE #4.

You still associate the number with the player. The only two jerseys I have with names on them are my Felix M’s and my Dempsey USMNT.

by DaveValleDrinkNight on Feb 18, 2012 12:51 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

#ChurchofFucito

Now and forever. I have loved this guy since he joined us and I will religiously watch him with the Impact and wherever else he might go. I literally did tear up. This isn’t goodbye, it’s good luck.

by semicharmedali on Feb 17, 2012 8:02 PM PST via Android app reply actions