MLS Cup 2009 – Dear Seattle…

By: Rocky Cole | November 21st, 2009

kyle

Dear Seattle, it’s been quite a year for you all up there. After all, an expansion team is not supposed to do what you all did. I have to give you ‘props’ big-time! Seriously, the Seattle fans came out and supported a well-designed and well-staffed team, hammering all MLS attendance records. Then, the Sounders took the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a 2-1 win against DC United at RFK Stadium in one of the hardest fought and most entertaining games of the MLS season. Finally, the MLS playoffs and two great games against the storied Houston Dynamo. An a amazing opening season from anyone’s perspective. Now though, invaders are entering the Sounder’s Holy Cathedral of Soccer to play for the 2009 MLS Cup. While it would be best (from a Sounder fan’s perspective) if the 42,000 seats at Qwest Field were filed with enraptured Seattleites in full-voice cheering their Sounders on, well… there’s always next year. And with the team that Sigi has built, I am sure there will be a next year for the Sounders.

Okay, so that brings me to the reason for this open letter. I am not going to demean Seattle fans by beating around the bush. I will come directly to the point… All Seattle Sounder fans sitting in Qwest Field on Saturday night should support Real Salt Lake over the LA Galaxy and here are the reasons why:

1. The players from RSL and the players from Seattle are similar – down to earth and hard working.

2. No pundits in the soccer-world give a RSL a chance in hell (”heck” if you are from Utah) to win this thing… just like they’d be saying if the Sounders were in the final against LA. RSL and the Sounders were both underdogs that exceeded expectations.

3. Salt Lake is similar to Seattle – both cities are cold and wet in Winter and we can deal. In fact, it makes us tough. Sure, you get more rain and we get more snow, but it’s still H2O, right?

4. The Galaxy has enough money to put up all those billboards and ads around your town and try and “buy” Seattle’s love. Are you all that shallow? I don’t think so.

5. RSL’s keeper, Nick Rimando tossed fish at the Seattle market and actually enjoyed it. Sure, Galaxy’s Alan Gordon tossed fish too, but did he like it? I don’t think so.

6. By rooting for RSL, the Sounder’s fans are really going to piss off Los Angeles, and can do it on “National Television!” That has got to be worth something. Think about it, Monday morning you are sitting at the Starbucks, Cherry Street Coffee House, Muse Coffee Company, or the other ten-zillion coffee shops in Seattle, and you are laughing hysterically telling your friends, “Man, did we ever piss-off Los Angeles yesterday when we….”

7. I promised Laurie, the Seattle Sounder’s blogger for The-Offside, that I would shave anything she wants if you all will pull for RSL and they win. Now I know this is a risk, cause Laurie might pick something unusual for me to shave, but if it will get the fans up there behind RSL, my razor is ready.

And the main reason that Seattle Sounder fans should root for Real Salt Lake on Saturday night…

Becks-do1