Welcoming 2013 with most read of 2012

Let's welcome the New Year in by reminding you of the pretty neat 2012 that just happened. Here are the stories that were the most read of the past year. Not all are specifically about Seattle Sounders FC, as at least one rumor post made the Top 10.

1. Not too surprising was that the most read post of the year happened before the last season even started when Eddie Johnson was acquired for SaH favorites Lamar Neagle and Mike Fucito.
2. Levy Films upcoming documentary about the Sounders is generating a ton of interest and the initial post of their trailer was quite popular, until the trailer was pulled.
3. Our gamethreads might be the biggest symbol of this community. When Seattle appeared in their fourth straight Open Cup Final, and despite two of our three largest viewing parties ever, that match goes down in history as not just a close contest, but the most popular gamethread in SaH ever.
4. Open Cup action comes in fourth as well. Remember the "Butcher of Kezar?" and reports that Eddie Johnson punched a dude? You came, you saw and a meme was born.
5. That Kezar gamethread comes in just after the alleged punching. Despite a game that was more available via a fine man's cell phone and radio, you gathered and Seattle won.
6. Seattle's sixth ever Designated Player Christian Tiffert drew in your eyeballs and comments. Hopes were clearly high.
7. An EPL player wants to play in MLS and specifically Seattle. His agent even said so. The news that Benayoun desires to come to the USA wasn't just popular here, but gathered attention from places on both sides of the pond.
8. The Sounders Women were the most talented women's soccer team in North America in 2012, when they all played. But they played for free and that kind of stunned many observers.
9. As we prepare for a full 2013 Jeremiah pointed out just how tight the salary cap is, and then adjusted his estimate, and then again. Then we all cried, or got worried, whichever.
10. How the LA Galaxy are so good despite that cap garnered attention as well. This post still gets referenced regularly as a reminder that there are ways around the cap.

The next 10 were the SuperDraft Livethread, West Ham's training/trialing the Honey Badger, Jose David Velasquez Colon probably coming to Seattle with Crisanto, Searching for the Free 12/13, another post about the harsh realities of the Salary Cap, the report that Parke was negotiating to join the Philly Union, the recap of Seattle winning their first ever MLS Cup Playoff series, Jeff Parke slappy gif, Eidur Gjudjohnsen trialing here at Starfire and the interest that Ajax and Liverpool had in Fredy Montero back in April.

Those were the 20 most popular and in a way recap the year and preview this next. What were your favorite stories on Sounder at Heart in 2012?

Oh, and Happy New Year.