August 22, 2009

Sounders vs. Revolution

I went to my first Sounders league game on Thursday night against the Revolution. Even though the final score wasn't one that I was hoping to see (1-0 to the visitors), I still thoroughly the experience. Here are my thoughts concerning the fans, the game and the league.

The fans:
- There are have been a lot of people (Portland fans especially) who have slagged Seattle for getting behind this team so strongly and wondering why it didn't happen sooner with the USL Sounders. I saw several fans with old USL jerseys at the game, Sebastian Le Toux received the loudest ovation of any of the players (he was the star of the Sounders their last few years before being "promoted" to the MLS) and the recipient of the "Golden Scarf" before the game was a member of the Nordstrom who helped found the NASL Sounders (I believe, I can't remember exactly). The fans are not naive about this club's long and storied history.
- It really annoyed me when the big screens would read "scarves up" as certain points before and during the game. For starters, the fans aren't stupid. Also, let us create our own traditions and customs, not have some technician or PA person dictate what we should do.
- The Emerald City Supporters, the group of fans behind the south goal, are led in song and movement by a couple of guys in black "XBox Live" shirts who don't watch the game. I'm sure their getting paid to do this...which really bothers me. It creates a cool spectacle, but it's all staged. I was disappointed when I found this out.

The game:
- David Beckham was right about the MLS referees - they stink. The ref let the game get out of hand with rash challenges and dives all over the place. The 7 yellow cards is a sign that he didn't do a very good job.
- The Sounders were better than the Revs, but we lack that clinical finisher who can bury a single chance.
- On a related note, Nate Jaqua isn't very good. Fredy Montero had an off day by his standards (and the paper certainly agreed), but I thought he looked very sharp...until he got in front of goal. And we missed Freddie Ljungberg

The league:
- MLS should've come to the Pacific Northwest a long time ago. The fans here know their soccer (a guy a few rows in front of me had a Wolverhampton Wanderers flag next to his Sounders flag tied to the railing...you gotta know your soccer to know much about the reigning English League Champions) and are passionate about it. It's so hard to get tickets, hence why I was only able to go on a Thursday night in mid-August when people are out of town. I can't wait for Portland and Vancouver in 2011.

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