Category Archives: USL Sounders

Features regarding the A-League and USL-1 era of the Seattle Sounders (1994-08)

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

Best & Worst of Seattle Openers

Now that the all-clear has been sounded for Sunday’s Sounders opener against New England, it’s time to look back on some of the best and worst first games for Seattle clubs. Ready, let’s roll.

Best Theatre

March 19, 2009 – Sounders FC 3:0 New York

Seattle_Sounders_FC_First_Game_ECS_OverheadFrom the unfurling of that first tifo to Montero’s bomb (see below)–all before a national audience–it was more than anyone could’ve imagined, pulling Seattle’s soccer community together again.

Best Home Team Performance

March 28, 1981 – Sounders 3: Los Angeles 0

It was nearly a 7-month wait to get payback after a dreamy 25-7 season ended in premature playoff elimination in a shootout loss to LA. Sounders made short work of Aztecs, scoring three times in first half-hour.

Worst Home Team Performance Continue reading Best & Worst of Seattle Openers →

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

A Few of My 2014 Favorite Posts

Over the past year it’s been a privilege to share some stories both from Seattle’s vault of soccer history and reconnect with those giants who guided us to this point in time, when football’s support here has reached historic levels.

To give added oomph to celebrating this Sounders anniversary I was invited to share what I’ve experienced and what I’ve learned. And when an invitation was lacking, sometimes I made things happen, and starting this blog was among those measures.

In closing out 2014, I’ve curated the XI posts I most enjoyed researching and writing, then linked them below. Also, because I can, I named another seven to be dressed and ready on the bench.

Thanks for reading. And feel free to let me know what kinds of things you’d like to see going forward. Because the great thing about history is that we’re always making a fresh batch.

I. A Stand-Up Character

Sounder at Heart’s Jeremiah Oshan suggested it, and it was truly an pleasure asking his family and former coaches what makes Marcus Hahnemann so unique, words that I wanted him to see.

II. Mike England: A Most Decorated Defender

As a Centralia high school senior, I requested a Sounders appearance at an assembly. They sent four starters south, 90 miles to Centralia, and they blew away the students with energy and showmanship. Among them, Mike England was simply pure class in how he engaged everyone. I began our interview by making sure he knew the difference he makes, then and now.

III. 1995: When Seattle Stood Atop America

What if, I wondered. What if MLS had brought Seattle into the fold from the start? The Sounders were not only predominantly homegrown but a side that would’ve instantly challenged for the title in the league’s inaugural season. If they had, how many trophies might we possess?

IV. Zach Scott at 300: Epitome of Improbability

Three-hundred appearances is a mean feat even if you’re a star. Having seen Zach put into the extra work during and after training, and knowing there still far more to it, I wanted others to share why they think he’s been able to meet every challenge and continue to grow as a player.

V. Sounders at 40 (Seattle Times three-part series)

NASL Sounders, When the Love Affair was Born

FC Seattle Leads the Way, Goes Organic

USL Sounders: Champions, But Nobody Got Rich

The Seattle Times , sports editor Don Shelton and beat reporter Matt Pentz were ideal partners in providing a platform to both tell the Seattle pro soccer story and honor those on whose shoulders Sounders FC now stands. As Matt’s fine feature illustrated, the local soccer community really doubled down and invested in the game’s future here when pro game was at its ebb. There’s no way to objectively compare players of the different eras over 40 years, so I went directly to coaches and let them pick teams for the ages.

VI. Sounders at 40: A Fairytale of Sorts

Asked to condense the ‘How did we get here?’ story into 2000 words, I sought to share little nuggets and elements the Sounders’ founding fathers felt were integral to Seattle becoming a bastion of of the sport.

VII. The Breakthrough Kid: Jimmy McAlister, Seattle’s 1st Homegrown Player

Today, it’s DeAndre Yedlin coming through the academy system, a top college program, the Sounders first team and then being sold to Spurs. But in the beginning, Jimmy McAlister made it big with little infrastructure or a road map.

IIX. ’96 Sounders: They Shall Overcome

True grit got Seattle its second title as the Sounders overcame injuries and loss of key players to MLS to repeat as A-League champs.

IX. When Pepe Plays, Love Is In The Air

No Sounders personality over 40 years is more joyous than Pepe Fernandez. His love for the game and its people is infectious and he’s truly a Seattle treasure.

X. Alan Hudson Homecoming (Three-part series)

Hudson Comes Home

How Huddy Won Seattle Over

The Trip of a Lifetime

I had long wanted to see original Sounders come back from Britain to witness the effect of their early devotion to building the game. Against considerable odds, Alan Hudson got that opportunity and I was grateful to share both his story and his reflections.

XI. What’s in a Captain?

Part of the Sounders Anniversary series, here’s a look at the qualities of a team skipper, from Jimmy Gabriel to Brad Evans.

In The 18

Sounders Coaches: They Did It Their Way

It’s an exclusive club: Only 11 men have managed the Sounders since their inception, and each did so in their own, distinctive way.

A Gift of Inspiration

I can’t thank my parents enough for what they gave me, and I miss them dearly. Learning that this story from 2009 was well-remembered, I brought it back for the Christmas season.

A Thanksgiving for Soccer

There’s a significance to playing on Thanksgiving that goes back to our forefathers gathering to play or college teams going deep into the national tournaments.

Promotion/Relegation: Been There, Done That

Believe it or not, promotion/relegation was once tried in Northwest collegiate soccer, and it proved a springboard for one program first becoming a champion at the small-college level, then a playoff contender in Division I.

S2 Investment is Groundbreaking for Starfire

From the ol’ Fort Dent days to Starfire’s initial opening to the addition of the Sounders HQ in 2009, it’s been amazing to see the transformation of this soccer park. With the S2 investment, it can jump to a whole new level.

They’ve Come A Long Way

How fun it was to hear stories from the gentlemen who actually were there at the start of local collegiate soccer in the Sixties. Ron Jepson (UW) and Joe Zavaglia (SU) are true community treasures.

The Best of Times

Seattle Pacific’s remarkable four straight trips to the NCAA D2 final (three championships) becomes all the more special as nearly 30 years have passed and no team has matched it.

Getting From Niche to National

How to take the U.S. Open Cup to the next level, not just in Seattle.

A Closer Look at All-time Seattle Selections (Three-part series) 

All-Time NASL Sounders Selection

All-Time FC Seattle Selection

All-Time A-League/USL Sounders Selection

Drilling deeper on the coaches’ choices for Seattle’s best over past 40 years.

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

Sounders at 40: A Fairytale of Sorts

Note: This feature was first published in the Sounders match program and media guide in March.

To some, it’s ancient history. To others, the memories are so vivid it seems as if yesterday.

In truth, it’s been 40 years since they first trotted out the Memorial Stadium tunnel with Henry Mancini’s Salute to the Olympians, now known as their musical theme, blaring over the loudspeakers.

Forty years of Seattle Sounders fútbol.

'75 Pele
Fans have flocked to Sounders games since the beginning (Frank MacDonald Collection)

Much has changed since 1974 yet many traditions have more than endured, growing stronger with the years. Sounders FC may be in its infancy with regard to MLS, but the Sounders’ history is as rich as any club in America, with a penchant for pulling passionate crowds, producing quality players and lifting trophies for four decades.

Continue reading Sounders at 40: A Fairytale of Sorts →

MLS Sounders, Reading FC, USL Sounders

A Stand-Up Character

Looking back, those first impressions of Marcus Hahnemann were the most telling. That last 24 years have only served up reinforcements.

He arrived at Whidbey Island’s Camp Casey as the third- or fourth-choice goalkeeper. A week later Hahnemann was Number 2 and by late September the starter for Seattle Pacific. It was not only his ability, but his drive that made the difference.

That winter, prior to an intramural basketball game featuring a team of SPU soccer players, Hahnemann capped the pregame huddle by barking, “Kyle on three. One-two-three: Kyle!” Our first child had been born the previous morning. His name: Kyle. More than just a colorful character, this young man was not only very much aware but thoughtful of others.

HahnemannshieldSSFC
Wherever he played over 20-plus years, Hahnemann was a crowd pleaser (Courtesy Sounders FC)

That’s what made it so easy to root for him all these years, knowing that he was earnest and talented and caring and so full of life. The fact that he started and finished his body of work in his hometown merely made it better. Best of all, however, is knowing he traveled the world and represented himself and Seattle with an honesty and transparency that is refreshing and also emblematic of what we desire of our ambassadors.

Continue reading A Stand-Up Character →

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 →

MLS Sounders, NASL Sounders, USL Sounders

Sounders Coaches: They Did It Their Way

While some 450 professional players have proudly worn a Seattle crest during these past 40 years, head coaches comprise an exclusive club of 11 who have trained, molded and inspired them.

That only scratches the surface of a coach’s duties. They are the club’s face. It can be a lonely job and exhilarating, all at once. And whatever the case, they relish that responsibility. Ultimately, although each goes about their business with their own unique style, their mission is success.

JBest75
John Best was a perfect first coach, not only building a team but a faithful following (Frank MacDonald Collection)

From John Best in ’74 to Sigi Schmid today, much has changed in the managing profession, and yet with all the science, knowledge and money now influencing world football, most of the same standards still apply: observation, imagination, communication and perseverance.

Continue reading Sounders Coaches: They Did It Their Way →

USL Sounders

All-Time A-League/USL Sounders Selection: A Closer Look

If only a suitable Seattle venue had existed in 1996. That void proved the major obstacle preventing the Sounders from becoming a charter member of Major League Soccer.

Hahnemannax
Unanimous selection Marcus Hahnemann backstopped the Sounders’ two A-League championships before moving on to MLS and England (Frank MacDonald Collection)

Before MLS opened its doors, Seattle reigned as America’s best by virtue of winning the 1995 A-League title (and repeating the following year), and did so with virtually a homegrown side. Imagine if Hinton had taken them en masse to the next level.

Eight players from the ’95 squad are listed on either the first of second XI below, and were MLS caliber. In fact, of the first team, eight went on to play MLS while two others had already made the NASL grade. Of course, Hahnemann–the only unanimous choice–went on to play the majority of his career in England.

OBrienax
Leighton O’Brien, league MVP in 2002, accumulated 36 goals and 28 assists.

The A-League in 1994 and ’95 was the U.S. de facto Division I, with a high concentration of domestic talent. The voting reflects that; six players from ’94-95 made the first team, effectively bumping latter day MVPs Baena and Le Toux to the second XI. Le Toux is one of nine on the first and second teams to have played on either the ’05 or ’07 USL-1 champions.

Continue reading All-Time A-League/USL Sounders Selection: A Closer Look →

FC Seattle, NASL Sounders, USL Sounders

Best of All: No Need to Wait ‘Til 2074

The giants of Europe and South America have been around seemingly forever. Man United turned 136 years old this year, Real Madrid is 106 and Argentina’s River Plate is 113.

The tendency of these ancient institutions is to celebrate their centennials and major anniversaries with some all-time selections. Take England’s Derby County, for instance. A few years back the Rams marked 125 years by honoring Alan Hinton and 10 other greats.

That’s great for our AlaOrigSoundersNASLlogon, of course. He got a trip home to hear the applause. One of the other chaps, however, couldn’t make it; he’d passed on four years before Alan was born.

It seems a shame to wait and extol the virtues of people. Instead, how about paying tribute sooner rather than later?

Continue reading Best of All: No Need to Wait ‘Til 2074 →