OK. So obviously I can’t really provide you with any information about the history and traditions of the MLS team known as Seattle Sounders FC. After all, they haven’t even had their first game yet. Their squad right now is not even finalized and history tells us they will probably be bad. Real bad. But here’s what I can tell you about them.
Their majority owner is Hollywood producer Joe Roth, who has made some great films (Bachelor Party, Major League and Young Guns), but he has also subjected audiences to some terrible films (I would rather get a root canal than watch The Jerky Boys Movie again). Also, comedic actor Drew Carey of The Price is Right is a minority owner. This team is more Hollywood than the Galaxy.
They’ve got some good players who could make them more competitive right off the bat than San Jose was last year and Toronto was two years ago. First off, Kasey Keller is a damn fine goalkeeper. Sebastian Le Toux has a nose for the net and Sainey Nyassi is a fine young player. In defense, Jeff Parke, James Riley and Nathan Sturgis are all experienced.
Finally, they have perhaps the greatest coach in MLS history, Sigi Schmid. I think Sigi will do a good job. So do the people of Seattle obviously, as more than 18,000 of them have plopped down their hard earned cash for season tickets. Seattle could be the best supported team in the league when they kick the MLS season off this March. I’m rooting for them, but based on recent history, they probably shouldn’t expect great results.