Sounders Preview (Eat it Joe)

Despite pleas by Joseph Tone (a.k.a. The Shortest Man Who Buffalo Hates), I am here to give a preview of the match tonight between the Sounders FC and the Colorado Rapids. You see despite my shortcomings as a player, I grew an affinity toward soccer (or futbol) throughout the years. This fondness (I wouldn’t go as far as say love) of soccer grew even if my knowledge friend Luis did not. He stayed 5’7.

When Dana said she wanted to get season tickets to something, I didn’t hesitate. Thus I am a season ticket holder, next to Luis, behind the goal at Qwest Field. Amazingly so are 21,998 others. 22,000 season ticket holders and a sell out every game. Unprecedented in MLS history including Toronto who has about 16,000 season ticket holders. Then on our trip to London, Dana and I stayed at a flat only blocks away from Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal. Everyone loves soccer in England. It was infectious.

So the Sounders head into a match tonight in second place in the Western Conference behind the mighty Chivas. With a 4-2-3 record, the Sounders have 15 points while Colorado sits right behind with 12 points (3-2-3). Unfortunately for the Sounders they have a few things going against them tonight.

Freddie Ljundberg, international hottie (holler! Oh uh, nothing, ignore that), still has migraines (seriously? migranes?) thus he did not travel with the boys. National hottie Brad Evans (what? stop), recently featured as a hot player by Cosmo Girl (what an honor), also will not be traveling. Neither will Zach Scott but who cares? He isn’t even hot.

On to heterosexual commentary.

These losses will hurt the Sounders obviously. The return of John Legend (or James Riley as he is normally known) should help and without anyone getting a red card for this first time in weeks, the Sounders should have everyone else available.

Yet after starting the year 3-0-0, the Sounders lost two in a row before winning a match and then pulling out draws in the past three. Obviously any result on the road is a good thing, but those who saw the second half of the last game against FC Dallas spoke of the putrid nature in which Los Sounderos played. The Sounders need to step it up from the level of play they have shown the past few weeks. They need Fredy Montero to be a threat again. They need LeBron to play like 6th year LeBron. (For those wondering….LeBron is Steve Zakiuani, #1 overall pick from Akron….nuff said).

Maybe the Sounders will get some solid play from Peter Vagenas (I will resist the comments), who will be starting and appearing in his first game this year. A veteran of eight seasons with the LA Galaxy and brief appearances with the national team, Vagenas could provide a little of what Ljundberg does. Maybe not, but he along with Alonso could provide some good ball control in the midfield.

The X factor for the Sounders continues to be Kasey Keller. No matter how poorly they play, the Sounders will have a chance to earn points because of the dominance of the Lacey native. He will be up against some formidable foes tonight as the Rapids are led by ex-Portland Pilot Conor Casey (and former awful U.S. soccer mistake), who is 2nd in the MLS with five goals in just eight matches. Colorado also features Pablo Mastroeni and Cory Gibbs, who both earned time with the national team.

And guess what? Tonight is Asian-Pacific Heritage Night! The first 2,000 fans get a free poster of Kosuke Kimura! Holla! Kimura is the first Japanese player in the history of the MLS. And of course he attended Western Illinois University, home of the Leathernecks. And how do they honor Kosuke? By not starting him. Awesome.

Prediction? Since I hate Conor Casey…..2-1 Seattle.