You couldn’t tell the players without a program, and your program was useless unless you arrived at the park early enough to hear the squad announced. That was the first lesson learned upon attending a British football match some 30 years ago. It was a brisk spring evening in Scotland, with dust swirling in a windswept, dilapidated ground of Stirling Albion (don’t ask).
Nicolas Lodeiro (Courtesy Jane Gersovich/Sounders FC)
There were no programs and not a lot of spectators either. Although Scottish in heritage this visitor didn’t speak the language. But I’m pretty sure the ol’ man in tweed a few yards away was suggesting I keep an eye on the No. 10. And ain’t that always the case?
Since the height of Pelé’s reign, the No. 10 shirt has been football’s most prized. In theory, it should be issued to a player of quality (at least compared to the rest of the squad). Ideally, it would be worn by an attacking player with a creative, cunning mind to go along with a quiver of skills for surgically dismembering a defense.
Enter Nicolás Lodeiro, Seattle’s new No. 10 and most recently of Boca Juniors. Talk about the pressure and expectation of wearing that number, at La Bombonera Lodeiro was tracing the footsteps of both a demigod (Maradona) and a recently retired legend (Riquelme). And Nico handled it with aplomb, settling in soon after his arrival and leading Boca to the domestic double.
As his father tells the story, Walter Schmetzer beckoned Alan Hinton to watch his vaunted Lake City Hawks to watch a player of promise. But it wasn’t his son.
Still, as is often the case when coaches scout young (in this case U18) players, the original target can be eclipsed by another aspirant sharing the field, and that’s how on spring day in 1980 Brian Schmetzer’s long association with Puget Sound professional soccer began.
Schmetzer’s first turn as a Sounders head coach was from 2002-08.
Over 36 years since, Schmetzer has been associated as a player or coach with virtually every entity where one could draw a paycheck. Of the 500-some players who’ve worn a Seattle or Tacoma shirt over the years, Brian’s probably watched, played beside or coached an overwhelming majority of them.
For those who have grown to appreciate the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for its history, gritty displays and penchant for upsets, the Washington chapter can deliver on all those counts and more.
When Sounders FC pulls into the StubHub Center’s track venue for the quarterfinal date with the Galaxy, it will almost be like old, old times. Like when a Seattle side first ventured into southern California for a quarterfinal that, incidentally, was 50 years ago. Spoiler alert: Seattle did OK. That day, anyway. But more on that later.
At the ripe old age of 90, Mr. Lipton stands up straight, and though he shows signs of obvious wear there is a gleam to his appearance. Women with flowing hair, goddesses perhaps, flank him on either side.
Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy, made solid sterling silver, stands nearly three feet and was crafted 90 years ago.
Lipton’s got it pretty good. Folks take care of him, and he’s got a room with a view. Unlike his prime, he no longer gets out much, if at all, and the notion of young people picking him up and jubilantly hoisting him skyward is certainly out of the question. Still, with proper care and attention, there’s no reason to think Lipton won’t outlive us all.
Such is life for the stately Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy, likely among the oldest surviving artifacts of a rich soccer history that reaches back to the days before Washington’s statehood. Lipton and other sterling relics of their kind are hiding around the Seattle area, some of them in plain sight.
While the brightly-lighted Sounders FC trophy case on Occidental displays our biggest, brightest and most recent plunder–a Supporters’ Shield plus four Open Cups–the bulk of Washington’s historical treasures reside in a couple ordinary offices.
Sir Thomas Lipton, second from left, during his 1912 visit to Seattle Courtesy University of Washington Libraries)
Beyond the spectacle of it all–the crowd, the goals, the unlikely outcome–many of us came away from then-Qwest Field that brisk March night seven years ago believing we had found our next Mr. Sounder.
In 2009, Ozzie Alonso had pulled on the 6 shirt and instantly made it his own. For all the flash of the Rave jerseys, for all the flair exhibited by Fredy Montero, Seattle fans have always held their highest regard for a man with bite. A player who competes, who gives no quarter, who wins ball after ball and tackles hard. He makes the nuanced plays, the runs to open space and close down runners. He plays hard but stops short of becoming a hard man, at least from the home perspective.
Never backs down
Alonso covers acres of ground in each appearance, and last week’s Vancouver derby marked his 250th appearance for Seattle in all competitions.
There are those players whom we never wish to leave Sounderland, if only because we never wish to play or cheer against them. And yes, of course we love that sort of competitor.
Jimmy Gabriel, the original No. 6 and the original Mr. Sounder, never played for another U.S. club and has long made his home here, near the Sound. Nearly 40 years since his last tackle, we still love Jimmy.
Fresh-faced Ozzie, 2009
Sounders fans can’t imagine Alonso ever appearing in opposing colors. Yet during the past winter, we were given pause to contemplate just such a possibility. The untouchable tag was removed and Alonso’s name was dangled for all MLS to see. For me, the thought of seeing Ozzie in purple or orange or red was repugnant.
Thankfully, Alonso’s only offseason travel was the previously-thought-to-be impossible and emotional trip back to his island homeland. By first kick he was right back where he belonged, wearing the Rave Green 6 and in very fine form in the middle of the park.
Ozzie at 250
When the Honey Badger’s at the top of his game, he gives Seattle the best chance to win. Fans have rated him a solid 7 through the first five matches. Clearly, Alonso is not only back but performing as well as ever. Now if only the rest of the pieces can fall into place, the Sounders can begin climbing the table.
Seattle appreciates a ball-winner
While Zach Scott is the faraway leader in combined Sounders (USL and MLS eras) appearances, at 336 and counting, Alonso is the first to log 250 for any Seattle top flight entity. Scott Jenkins played 262 times in the A-League and USL-1.
Two-hundred fifty becomes all the more impressive when taking into account Alonso’s traits: increased mileage as a midfielder, tackling and his overall tenacity. Almost always he goes the full 90, full-on.
Without knowing whether the club marks these occasions with plaques or maybe a few platitudes in the locker room, it just feels right to acknowledge such a milestone, especially knowing the amount of commitment and passion Ozzie puts into it. Keep on doing your thing, Mr. Sounder, for many years to come.
If it seems of late that Sounders FC are getting off on the front foot, it’s no illusion.
Not only is Seattle in a unique position (for them) of owning a lead going into the second leg of an MLS postseason series, the Rave have scored more goals in the first 10 minutes than any season in Sounders history, dating to 1974.
Normally, the initial stages of a match are fraught with caution. Square passes, back-passes and generally a sorting out of what tactics the opponent is bringing. Only, Seattle has increasingly used this time to go for the jugular.
To date, Seattle can claim nine goals during the first through 10th minutes. That more than doubles the total of the past two seasons and it’s also twice the norm for local pro clubs going back four decades.
In a perfect world, America’s soccer history would have a permanent home, with an engaging strategy of telling the story of our long and often difficult path to reach this point in time. Hopefully Frisco can become that place, but in the meantime the thousands of National Soccer Hall of Fame artifacts are locked away in a rural North Carolina warehouse.
In a near-perfect world, U.S. Soccer would choose to take the Hall of Fame party on the road, particularly when two of the three inductees currently hail from the same city, and that’s exactly what’s in store for Kasey Keller and Sigi Schmid.
Sigi and Schmid and Kasey Keller are to be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Saturday evening. (Courtesy Sounders FC)
Saturday promises idyllic weather in Seattle, where by the shores of Lake Union, inside the Museum of History and Industry, the Sounders’ iconic keeper and coach will be honored that evening. The late Glenn Myernick (incidentally, teammate to Alan Hinton and coach to both Marcus Hahnemann and Chris Henderson) will be inducted posthumously.
Much of the focus on Obafemi Martins this season has been about his prolonged absence, followed by his form upon returning. Less conspicuous has been his scoring rate, which is remarkable.
Obafemi Martins’ sprint to 10 goals is the fastest in 13 years. (Courtesy MLS)
In terms of goals per match, Martins is accumulating goals at an astonishing rate, the likes of which haven’t been seen in Seattle in 13 years. He reached 10 goals in just 14 games–faster than any previous player for Sounders FC (Clint Dempsey did it in 16 MLS appearances last season).
And so it’s come to this. Ten MLS matches remain for the Sounders to right themselves, reclaim their dignity and reach the playoffs.
Yet we Rave are a greedy fan base. Can’t help it; the Sounders made us this way. Six playoff berths plus five trophies in six seasons does that. This year, we were told, the objective was once again qualify for the postseason and then eliminate all in our path, an MLS Cup triumph making it truly a December to remember.
If MLS Cup is the ultimate objective, then making the playoffs is primary, short-term goal. (Courtesy MLS)
Technically, that plan’s still good to go. Seattle clings to the sixth and final playoff slot in the West. However, given a league-worst form of five straight losses and Houston’s game in hand, it’s hardly an iron grip. More like a fingernail dug into a ledge.
After a couple trips back east and a bus ride to BC, the Sounders get to make themselves at home for the rest of May.
A three-match home stand featuring visits by Sporting KC, Colorado and the Red Bulls presents no rollovers as they are a combined 3-3-9 on the road. The low-riding Rapids are actually unbeaten (1-0-4) and miserly (2 GA) away. Go figure.
Of course fans will settle for nothing less than nine points, preferably with two of the games lighting the flames on multiple occasions. Historically, that’s not too much to ask.
Each of the past two seasons Seattle has taken all the points from three-match stands, scoring eight times a year ago against Colorado, Philly and Dallas. That started a string of six straight home wins and set the Rave on a course for the Supporters’ Shield.
