The suspension of Josh Wicks came down as fairly hefty (5 Open Cup games, play in don't count).

Considering what the USSF determined were his total offenses it seems fair. He was violent when he stomped on Fredy Montero, berated an official and honestly I won't miss him in next year's tourney. I will thank him though for helping Seattle earn their first trophy.

It will be intriguing to see how this factors into United's decision to retain his services when he gets his health back (and Mr Wicks I do want you healthy).

DC United proudly display the word "tradition" on their back collars. There isn't another MLS club that could do so. They have earned it. There was an idea that they carry 12 trophies means that they deserve the 13th and that expansion franchises will never deserve respect propagated on the net, somewhat based on this tradition concept.

But they forgot a key element.

Tradition is earned through victory on the field of play.

Last night, Seattle Sounders FC started what they hope to become a tradition. They won a trophy.

It wasn't because their front office wanted to host the Final more. It wasn't because they chartered a plane and flew every player out, regardless of status for the match.

It was because of players. It was because of Kasey Keller in the pipes. It was because of two fill-in centerbacks standing in front of him. It was because of James Riley's best defensive game in the Green-Blue-Green.

It was because of a small tactical adjustment and a unique starting lineup by Sigi Schmid. Maybe it was because I wanted so badly to see it, but I thought I saw the 4-3-3.

Vagenas was certainly a deep lying midfielder. Zakuani, Ljungberg and Montero stretched across the front, matching up perfectly with the 3 defenders in DC United 3-5-2. Alonso through his defense acumen and Seb Le Toux through his work rate controlled the central midfield.

In the first half the United attacks that threatened primarily came from set-plays, generally handled by the back four with Keller more than capably stopping what came his way. The DC squad had to either punt, or get their forwards the ball at the centerline. It was a stop-and-go method of attack, it particularly stopped when it encountered Alonso. He could then passback to Vagenas who could distribute forward, or to the rushing Leo Gonzalez and James Riley.

We saw flow again offensively from the Sounders. Completed on target passes were the norm throughout the pitch. Box-to-box took only a few seconds, and DC United was faced with waves of Green. Only Josh Wicks prevented the half time score from being 2-nil or worse. An average keeper on an average night would have been beaten. Wicks wasn't average in the first half. He was as good a keeper as the league has.

Then the defining moment of the match occurred.

He got beat. He got angry. He lashed out.

The right call was made, and Seattle was up by 1 (goal and man) with 20+ minutes to go. They could bunker.

They didn't. There was no soccer version of the prevent defense. They continued to play their game. The waves of offense didn't stop. Seattle realized that its best defense is quality possession and continuing threats to the opposition keeper. They kept up ball pressure in all thirds of the pitch - especially one Sebastien Le Toux.

He pressured; he ground it out; he met his forward mate of two years with a great cut across the 6-yard box. The French Connection was called into Open Cup service once again.

While United made it interesting in the end, with a late rally, the game was decided by Sounders 2.5 (USL). Version 3.0 (MLS) earned its first trophy. They have tasted their first Cup. A handy little speech to have in pocket for Sigi and staff during the next 6 matches.

Last night we saw something generational.

MLS 1.0 ceded ground to MLS 3.0
Sounders 3.0 scored the first goal in play of two heading to Europe in their future with the connector being one who came here to end a career while still a solid talent.
Sounders 2.5 had the game winners.

Today, Seattle Sounders FC are Champions. They didn't do it with the strongest lineup "taking the match more seriously" than their opposition.

They did it with 7 starters, 2 rotationals, 1 sub and 1 reserve to start the match. Later a reserve and a sub entered the game. It wasn't the most talented line-up that could have entered the game.

It was the one that WON it.

This is actually the hardest sports post I have ever had to write. It is so difficult to focus on the words that are appropriate.

Early tomorrow morning Sounders FC will land at Boeing Field as Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Champions.

Throughout the day they will be on radio, they will be on TV.

Tomorrow night they will be part of the Seahawks preseason game.

But right now, I can't focus on tactics, lineups and formations.

Right now all I taste is Victory.

Tonight, a Wednesday with many school districts in their first week out here Seattle will travel a few hundred people to DC to watch the Open Cup Final.

Mid-week, cross-country, hundreds.

Here are just two of those.

From ProstAmerika

6.40 We can hear the Sounders fans before we see them. There were about 100 in the RFD pub about two hours ago. In good form, and getting ‘prepared’ for tonight’s match.

Hurtado is out due to his Card situation. Now today we find out that Marshall and Graham are out as well.

So the Sounders in their quest for their first Cup in year one MLS have a significant situation. Three of their four CB are out, the central midfield has passing issues and the Interchange is broken. On top of these issues a team that is nominally better than they, and with a more significant history (12 Trophies as an MLS team v 7 trophies as a USL/ALeague team) stands in their way.

The environment will be hostile, of the original clubs DC is probably the best for having supporters and not just fans. Tomorrow at 4:30 PM Pacific Seattle Sounders will do something they have not done before, they will take the pitch with an out of position defender, or a three man back line.

What is the solution?

Continue reading this post »

Earlier this week the Alliance Council had our monthly conference call with Bart Wiley (Director of Business Development) and we discussed many things (I have to leave it at that because our blog entry at the team site is going up soon).

The thing that concerned me the most was a conversation about where Sounders FC should play its US Open Cup matches next year. The result of that decision will likely be the answer if SSFC is lucky enough to make the CCL next season as well.

If we look at DC United's efforts to get their MLS average crowd, we can see how one team would make the attempt to get 15,000 fans or more.

Continue reading this post »

1 - Make the Final

2 - Win the Final

Sounders just completed that first step. Their next step is to win at Houston. They will do so without Jhon Kennedy Hurtado due to his double Yellow. The good news? That's one international unavailable. Does that mean that the Swede will take the pitch?

MLS 1.0 (pre-contraction) will meet the best of MLS 3.0 (DPs and rapid expansion). East Coast v West Coast, but today, MLS 2.0 fell to a team that had 3 USL players on the pitch when the tying and winning goals were scored.

Today, an Expansion Team advanced to a Final in year one. An expansion team in year one made it to the Cup Final. Chicago, you have company.

The Color is Rave Green, the direction is North and West, the Goal is the 2011 Club World Cup

Ok, the lineups have been updated, and Pat Onstad isn't starting.

Seriously.

The only keeper in MLS on par with Keller, and he's sitting.

How do I know this is current? Because the OTHER Canadian (Haniaunlt) is starting fresh off the Gold Cup.

Video link active at 7:10PM PDT according to the Sounders.