Category Archives: Know Your History

Know Your History, MLS Sounders

A thanksgiving for soccer

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For as long as there’s been footy on this side the world, Thanksgiving has held special significance on the American soccer calendar. The fourth Thursday in November has long served as a demarcation, sometimes the starting line, sometimes the finish., but always something special.

There was once a time when the U.S. rotated on the same axis as the rest of the world, when football was played here in the worst of conditions, from late fall through early spring.

For sure, our forefathers were hearty souls. In the days of 10-hour shifts and 6-day work weeks, they pressed on; they persevered. For the miners who first brought the grand game from the Old World to these environs, the labor was extremely difficult and dangerous.

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Going back more than a century Thanksgiving has provided an extra playdate for the area’s soccer pioneers.

This time of year, in Newcastle and Black Diamond, they would rarely see the light of day, sinking into the earth before sunrise and not emerging from coal shafts until after nightfall. They had but 1.8 hours of leisure time. Continue reading A thanksgiving for soccer →

Know Your History, MLS Sounders, Washington Soccer

USMNT: Grown in Washington

So exactly when did DeAndre Yedlin become an old man? Answer: The moment this list of of the youngest capped homegrown Washingtonians was compiled.

Tuesday night in Dublin, Mercer Island native Jordan Morris became the ninth Evergreen State native to play for the US Men’s National Team while under the age of 21. In fact, at only 23 days past his 20th birthday, Morris is the second-youngest on the list, behind Everett native Chris Henderson. Now Sounders FC sporting director, Henderson (19 years, 119 days) is the only teen on the list.

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On Tuesday, Sounders FC Academy product Jordan Morris became the second-youngest Washington native to earn a full cap for the USMNT (Courtesy Sounders FC)

Morris is currently a Stanford sophomore and product of the Sounders FC Academy. In the U.S. loss to Ireland (4:1) he came on in the 76th minute for Timmy Chandler.

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Know Your History, NW Collegiate Soccer

Supporting Your Local Collegians

It’s times like this, these raw, dark nights of late autumn, when Seattle comes out in numbers to support our local collegians.

November traditionally marks the start of the postseason at all levels and the conditions, either soaking or frigid, seldom frighten away the fans.

It’s likely to be more so the latter for the next few days, so bundle-up. Beginning Thursday, Seattle University hosts the WAC Championships at Championship Field. On Friday, the Washington women entertain Rider in an NCAA tournament opener. Interbay will light-up Saturday night for Seattle Pacific’s second round D2 playoff, and Sunday is Senior Day on Montlake for the Husky men versus Oregon State.

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Three of the largest local college attendances came from the NCAA championship games held here from 1984-86

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Know Your History, MLS Sounders

Winning Combo: Ahead & At Home

It’s a detectable difference. Bouncing out of bed on match day with belief is much better hitting the floor with faint hope.

That’s the big, big difference between Monday’s series-deciding clash at the CLink and those home playoffs that came before it.

For the first time in the MLS era of the Sounders, they are playing a second leg at home without the handicap of a deficit. In fact, Seattle is an away goal to the good following the first-leg draw to FC Dallas. So, if nothing moves the nets, that’s good enough.

In the postseason, it’s all about surviving and advancing to play another day. Ultimately, that’s the name of the game: Taking care of business. There are no style points.

Continue reading Winning Combo: Ahead & At Home →

Know Your History, MLS Sounders

That Special Someone

Hours after Allen Chapman blew full time in Frisco, my mind took a walk.

With enough memories and data stowed away from years of watching the locals, it’s inevitable that my brain will begin processing things like, say, ‘Hey, Ozzie’s goal reminds me of back when…” and so on.

Truth is, the goal was very un-Ozzie. A header? Off a set play? After all, he’s usually parked near the D. Weak clearance comes out, and he bashes it.

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Was Ozzie Alonso’s improbable header in first leg just a sign of good things to come? (Courtesy Sounders FC)

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Know Your History, MLS Sounders, NASL Sounders, USL Sounders

Pause for Revisionist History

At last, away goals are weighted in MLS.

Why it took so long, who knows. But once again, (North) America has joined the world, our fans apparently now savvy enough to figure it out.

Actually, most folks probably could’ve been entrusted with understanding away goals and, for that matter, aggregate series scoring long, long ago. And, if so, who’s to say there wouldn’t be more banners, more trophies, more history to celebrate?

Some say away goals rule only erodes the home-field advantage of the higher seed. Others, myself included, contend it makes the playoffs less of a crap shoot, and that’s a good thing, because local Sounders history is framed by the randomness of a shootout. I’ll explain.

Screen Shot 2014-10-31 at 12.49.42 PM Continue reading Pause for Revisionist History →

Know Your History, MLS Sounders

With Shield, Will Sounders Become Unstoppable?

As the countdown clock winds down toward first kick, I’ve gone through 40 years of Seattle pro soccer. History seems to repeat itself in some way, shape or form.

But in the case of this winner-take-all, season-ending match (OK, a draw will do it for the home side) for the Supporters’ Shield, there’s never been anything quite like it: the league’s top two teams vying with one another for a major prize as they cross the finish line. Never happened, not in 18 years of MLS, nor dating back to ’74 for the Sounders.

Continue reading With Shield, Will Sounders Become Unstoppable? →

Know Your History, NW Collegiate Soccer

Promotion/Relegation: Been There, Done That

It’s been a hot topic of late, the notion of bringing promotion/relegation to America. But believe it or not, it’s already been here and people have done that.

One instance of promoting a top team into an upper division while relegating a bottom finisher was accompanied by little fanfare 25 years ago, when it was practiced in the Pacific Northwest, not by professional clubs, mind you, but by collegians.

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Know Your History, MLS

The Test of Time

Records are made to be broken.

Of course, the author of that saying assumes the team or league remains viable into the future.

Anyone who’s followed the struggle of professional soccer to gain a lasting foothold in America knows that you can fill a dustbin with all the acronyms–USA, NASL, MISL, ASL to name a few–that would rise and fall in the past 50 years.

And when a league and its members are laid to rest, the personalities adapt and move on. The records, however, remain behind. Never to be matched or overtaken. However, those records, those standards, can still provide a valuable service.

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Seattle broke a longstanding US Open Cup attendance record in 2010 with a ‘below-average’ crowd (Courtesy US Soccer)

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Know Your History, NASL Sounders

Mike England: A Most Decorated Defender

In a way, Mike England was the first Sounder whose reputation preceded him. That is to say there were high expectations, and then he exceeded them.

Two weeks prior to his Seattle debut in 1975, England walked off the pitch a winner at White Hart Lane. That was nothing new. His nine years with Tottenham were filled with fanfare and silver. He played nearly 400 matches for Spurs, winning an FA Cup, two League Cups and the North London club’s first UEFA Cup.

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England was a unanimous All-NASL Era selection and Sounders’ only 4-time NASL Best XI choice (Frank MacDonald Collection)

“I used to watch him play as a kid,” says David Gillett. “He was a big time international center half, representing his country and playing for one of the better teams in the country at the time.”

Continue reading Mike England: A Most Decorated Defender →