Sunday’s reminder that the Sounders are in Western Conference Finals again

Making the Western Conference Finals is a signal for a pretty good year. The Seattle Sounders finished 2nd in the regular season and are now assured of at least a top two finish in the West’s playoffs. But, because MLS is MLS, the games are a long way off.

As of today their first game is 15 days away. That’s 15 days for you to forget about the playoffs and the Sounders. We’re here to make certain that doesn’t happen.

Today’s reminder that the Sounders are in the West Finals (another two-leg, aggregate-goal series with an away goal tie-breaking mechanism) is:

Clint Dempsey

No, seriously, it’s Captain America, the Legend of Nacogdoches, Deuce.

He scored two goals in leg two, the only two goals scored against Vancouver, enough to both win the series and to take over the lead as the Seattle Sounders all time MLS Cup Playoffs goalscorer with five goals.

Last year Clint didn’t play. In 2015 he scored two, in 2014 he scored a single goal, and way back in in 2005 he scored a MLS Cup Playoffs goal with the New England Revolution (that was back when they were good). He also has three playoff assists.

Dempsey’s career is a hell of a thing. Let’s just look over his individual awards (per Wikipedia);

• Fulham Player of the Season: 2010–11, 2011–12
• Confederations Cup Bronze Ball: 2009
• Confederations Cup Team of the Tournament: 2009^[137]
• CONCACAF Gold Cup Top Goalscorer: 2015
• U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year: 2007, 2011, 2012
• Honda Player of the Year: 2006, 2011, 2012
• MLS All-Star (4): 2005, 2014, 2015, 2016
• MLS Rookie of the Year: 2004

It is nearly certain he will be the 2017 Comeback Player of the Year.

He’s Clint Dempsey. He’s a Seattle Sounder, and he’s today’s reason you will not forget that the Western Conference Finals start on Tuesday, November 21st.