SOUNDERS FC: Sounders vs Houston preview

SOUNDERS PRESS RELEASE:

The surge of the Seattle Sounders FC continues as the Rave Green returns from 3,000 miles away in San Salvador to the friendly confines of Qwest Field for a match against the Houston Dynamo. Seattle can further climb up the Western Conference of MLS when it hosts the Dynamo on Sunday night at 8 p.m. PT.

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Seattle advanced Tuesday night, by way of aggregate goals scored, to the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League with a 1-1 draw in San Salvador. Sounders FC had defeated Metapán, 1-0, in the first leg of the preliminary series, played on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field last week. The team then won at San Jose, 1-0, before continuing its journey to San Salvador.



Undefeated in its last four MLS matches and in seven games over all competitions, Sounders FC (7-8-4, 25 points) has vaulted from seventh to fourth in the West, two points behind FC Dallas. Seattle has won three straight and has not lost in its last four MLS starts dating back to July 11. The seven-game unbeaten run (5-0-2) in all competitions began with a 2-0 win over the L.A. Galaxy in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal on July 7.



Seattle and Houston (5-8-5, 20 points) are sowing the seeds of a true rivalry, having already met five times with some memorable outcomes. Houston is coming off its fourth draw in the last five, a 2-2 result at home against the New York Red Bulls. It is winless since May 22.



This will be the first meeting since the Dynamo eliminated Sounders FC from the MLS Cup Playoffs last November. The two-game postseason series was extended to extra time after the second leg at Robertson Stadium in Texas. Earlier in 2009, Seattle had beaten Houston, 2-1 after extra time, in the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Rave Green won at home and drew on the road in two regular season matches with the Dynamo.

Sounders FC vs. Houston Dynamo - August 8, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. PT on Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field; Seattle, Washington

Reach Jane Gershovich at janeg5@gmail.com Read more

SEAHAWKS: Leavy admits to @%$#ing up XL

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Infamous Super Bowl XL referee Bill Leavy visited Seattle's training camp practice today in order to brief the team and media personnel on rule changes. During an interview with the press, Leavy admitted to some of his blown calls against Seattle in their lone 2006 Super Bowl appearance while expressing remorse.

"I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game and as an official you never want to do that," Leavy said. "It left me with a lot of sleepless nights and I think about it constantly. I'll go to my grave wishing that I'd been better."

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Reach Aaron Weinberg at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
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SEAHAWKS: Four questions heading into the season

As we all know, football season is only weeks away and there are some serious questions facing the Seahawks. Here are my top four questions heading into the season (in no particular order), along with my predictions.

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1) Will the Justin Forsett/Leon Washington/Julius Jones rotation work?
All implications in training camp are that there will be somewhat of a 3-back rotation with these guys, with Forsett and Washington getting the majority of the carries and Jones getting some work near the goal line. Forsett and Washington are somewhat unproven guys, while Jones has had two dismal seasons in Seattle running into our O-line, falling down, and losing two yards. Usually in a rotation you have a speed back and a power back, but with Forsett and Washington being the speed and nobody really knowing what Jones is, we lack the prototype power back. With all this said, it will be interesting how this group works.(Prediction: Jones will get cut while Forsett and Washington run for a combined 1800 yards.)

2) Who will be our starting Defensive Ends? Lawrence Jackson, Chris Clemons, Nick Reed, Red Bryant, Ricky Foley. Do any of these names stand out to you as a sure fire, play making, monster defensive end? Nope. The Seahawks lost their two best pass rushers, Patrick Kerney and Daryl Tapp, during the offseason and never drafted one so they have to stick with this group they have now. But with no clear cut starter, this is going to be the most intense battle in camp. (Prediction: Red Bryant and Chris Clemons will win the jobs. But watch out for Nick Reed...)

3) Will Pete Carroll's enthusiasm carry late into the season? The vibe around Carroll is all about optimism and hope, but can he sustain it? If the Hawks start to crumble late in the season, we will find out Pete's true character... As we did with Jimmy Mora. Jim displayed greatness and enthusiasm during camp last year, but as the team started to fall and lose faith in him, he grew bitter towards the players and the media. (Greatest Mora quote ever, "I want linemen who eat nails!" That'll make your line believe Jim!) Hopefully Carroll's attitude now is not just a smokescreen... (Prediction: if the Hawks start failing, Carroll stays media and player friendly but with not as much peppiness.)

4) Who will be the No. 3 Wide Receiver? By the looks of it, it seems that T. J. Houshmenzadeh is the No.1 receiver, Golden Tate No. 2, while Deon Branch and Dion Butler battle for the No. 3 spot. As you might know, Butler was a third round pick last year while Branch is the overused joke among Seahawk fans, with the Seahawks trading a first round pick for him and getting injured all the time. Butler has more speed while Branch is a veteran and runs more precise routes. Butler is still on a meager rookie salary while Branch is far overpaid. It will all come down to who does better in camp. However, don't rule out Branch even taking the number 2 spot away from Tate. (Prediction: Branch beats our Butler for the spot.)

Reach Nathan Parsons at nextseasonsports@gmail.com Read more

SEAHAWKS: Top Draft Pick Okung Signs

ESPN.com’s Chris Motensen reports that Seahawks’ top draft pick Russell Okung has agreed to a 6-year deal with the team. Okung was the last first-round pick to sign for his respected team, and what appeared to be a hang-up on the length of the deal.

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Furthermore, the offensive lineman will receive more than $29 million guaranteed on a deal worth a maximum of $48.5 million, according to reports. The deals comes hours after RB C.J. Spiller agreed to terms with the Buffalo Bills to a contract worth $37.5 million ($20.8 mil guaranteed) over five years.

Okung was the sixth overall pick in the NFL draft from April, and hopes to make the practice field and join his new team by Saturday. Coming out of college, the Seahawks are hoping to insert Okung into a struggling offensive line that offered plenty of futility in 2009.

Reach Jacob Kehle at nextseasonsports@gmail.com Read more

MARINERS: Mariners Update, Sorry for the Hiatus

It has been a while since the Seattle Mariners were discussed here on Next Season Sports. Unfortunately for baseball fans of the Great Northwest, it has been a long season and I apologize for all the writers here at NSS for the hiatus.

For those of you who have followed this team the entire season, you deserve a hug and a gift basket, containing such consoling items as tissues and sleeping pills, in an attempt to provide happy dreams of what lies in the future of Seattle baseball (aka: the Tacoma Rainers).

If you have been like many other Seattle baseball fans, you might have given up on the Mariners the day they traded Cliff Lee. Plain and simple, you have not missed much.

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Since the All-Star break, the M’s offense has been as lethargic as ever before and the pitching has begun to show its youth. All in all, the Mariners are not going anywhere special this season, and management has aimed their focus toward the future of the club.

No major moves were made during the recent trade deadline period, except for the typical shuffling of roster spots, sending ineffective players (ie: Rob Johnson) down to AAA for those showing promise (ie: Adam Moore).

Other recent news includes the scrutiny and questioning of manager Don Wakamatsu after a dugout incident revolving around an unhappy Chone Figgins, Jose Lopez and Wak himself. This conflict eventually lead to a report of Jack Zduriencik inquiring with the Atlanta Braves regarding a Figgins trade, to no avail.

The one substantial move happening in the Mariner system lately was the Wednesday trade of DH Mike Sweeney to the Phillies, on a waiver claim, for a player to be named later. Sweeney was most recently playing in Tacoma after recovering from a prolonged stint on the DL.

The Mariners have not impressed anyone as of late, which is not news to any Seattle fan.

However, the future may bring promise for an organization that has shown it is tired of losing. The Tacoma Rainiers are currently in first place in the PCL of Triple-A and have shown signs of brilliance. The skills of young Dustin Ackley (our most recent first-round draft pick), Greg Halman, Justin Smoak, and Matt Mangini can spark hope in the eyes of many Seattle fans.

Many of the Mariner pitching prospects are also showing some signs of hope down in Tacoma. Numerous pitchers, such as Josh Lueke (who was part of the Cliff Lee trade), Anthony Varvaro, Edward Paredes, and Brian Moran all have more strikeouts than total innings pitched this season. And we cannot forget about the dominance showed by Michael Pineda, who draws comparison to Felix Hernandez down on the farm.

This season may be over as we speak, but the future is shining bright and not all hope is gone for the Mariners. The September roster expansion will provide us with a glimpse of the future. It may be a year or two until this team battles to be a playoff contender, but at least we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

NOTE: The Mariners are on pace to achieve one of their worst seasons in history. The team is well within reach of at least tying their worst season ever, that of 1978, when they finished the season with a record of 56-104. Lastly, if the team does go on to lose 100+ games this season, it will be the forth time losing over 100 games in their 34 year history.

Reach Kyle Fosnes at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
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SOUNDERS FC: Fredy Montero for Player of the Month

SOUNDERS PRESS RELEASE:

RENTON, Wash.- Major League Soccer and the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) today announced that Seattle Sounders FC Forward Fredy Montero was voted Major League Soccer's Player of the Month for July. Montero contributed two goals and three assists in five games played through July, helping Seattle to a 3-1-1 record in that span.

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Montero's hot streak began with a 14th minute goal on July 11th that lifted the Sounders to a 1-1 draw against FC Dallas; the clubs first League result since June 5th.

On July 15th, Montero supplied the assist on teammate Roger Levesque's 89th minute game-winning goal against D.C. United. The win was the first of three consecutive Seattle victories to close out July.

Just a week later, Montero added two more assists, connecting with forward Steve Zakuani twice for the opening goal of the game, as well as the game-winning goal, in the 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids.

Montero continued his offensive tear when the team traveled to San Jose to face the Earthquakes on July 31st. The 23 year-old, who celebrated his birthday on July 27th, was responsible for the only goal of the game when he powered header past goalkeeper Jon Busch in the 26th minute, good for three points on the road.

This is Montero's second Player of the Month award. His first came in March of 2009, the month of his MLS debut. It is the third Player on the Month award for Sounders FC as Freddie Ljungberg won it in October 2009.

Montero, a native of Campo de la Cruz, Colombia, was acquired by Seattle Sounders FC in 2009 from Deportivo Cali, where in 2008 he led the Copa Mustang league in scoring with 16 goals. In 2007, he led the league with 13 goals for Atlético Huila. Montero has appeared three times for the Colombian national team.

The Major League Soccer Player of the Month is selected following the last regular season game of each month by a panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership guidelines can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.


Reach Jane Gershovich at janeg5@gmail.com Read more

SOUNDERS FC: “El Flaco” advances Seattle to CONCACAF group stage

It must have been the rain. Three hours before the Sounders were scheduled to face AD Isidro Metapán in El Salvador, the skies opened, soaking the national stadium in the capital San Salvador. In other words, ideal conditions for the Seattle-based team.

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After starting the Major League Soccer season trailing the conference-leading L.A. Galaxy by as many as 15 points, the Seattle Sounders came roaring back into relevance Tuesday night with a 2-1 aggregate defeat over Metapán, advancing the Rave Green to the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League tournament and extending their all-competition win streak to seven games, including four MLS matches.

After defeating Metapán 1-0 before 17,228 fans in Seattle 5 days ago during the first leg of the two-game set, the Sounders traveled 2,800 miles to face the Central American team on their home turf. Estadio Cuscatlán looked like a ghost town, with fewer than 3,500 fans predicted to attend the match.

Metapán dominated the first half and seemed much more comfortable in familiar territory compared to the first leg in Seattle. Metapán went up 1-0 in the 18th minute when Rodolfo Suarez chipped a cross from the far end-line. Metapán forward Anel Canales shook his defender and aimed his header toward the near post, past Sounders’ goalkeeper Kasey Keller.

The first half ended with a draw, but one goal by the Sounders would almost ensure the over-all win in the series. (In CONCACAF, away goals are a tie-breaker; if the Sounders scored just once in El Salvador, Metapán would need to score two goals just to tie the series.) Despite giving up the early goal, Seattle kept up the pressure, pushing a little harder in the second half, to the tune of two yellow cards (Roger Levesque: Reckless Foul, 75’ and James Riley: Unsporting Behavior, 81’)

Keller made three saves in the first half before Sounders’ Head Coach Sigi Schimd made the match more physical in the 64th minute. Out came Steve Zakuani and Sanna Nyassi in favor of the extra-tall duo of Nate Jaqua and Alvero “El Flaco” Fernandez, the newly-signed midfielder.

Fernandez, who made his MLS debut on Saturday against the San Jose Earthquakes, found the net in only his second match in a Sounders uniform. Osvaldo Alonso collected a loose ball in the center circle, fed to James Riley on the right wing who curled a cross into the box, finding “El Flaco” in the 74th minute.

The score could have been 2-1 at that point, but the goal earned by Roger Levesque in the 53rd minute was disallowed on a dubious offside call. Still, 2010 marks only the second time Sounders (both MLS and USL-1) have advanced to the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League tournament. In 1996 the USL-1 Sounders finished last in their group, losing to eventual champion Cruz Azul.

Seattle joins Monterrey (Mexico), Saprissa (Costa Rica) and the winner of the Tauro (Panama) and Marathon (Honduras) play-in series. Marathon defeated Tauro, 3-0, on the road in the first leg and the two teams finish the set on Wednesday. In the group stage, each team plays a two-game, home-away set against the other three teams.

The Sounders (7-8-4, 25 points) are back at Qwest field this Sunday at 8 p.m. for a MLS match against the Houston Dynamo (5-8-5, 20 points). Should their luck fail and Colorado and San Jose triumph, Seattle risks dropping back to seventh place in the Western Conference and out of the eighth and final playoff spot. But, just two points ahead in third place sits FC Dallas (6-2-9, 27 points).


Unofficial Box Score:

Scoring Summary:

MET - Anel Canales (Rodolfo Suarez) 17
SEA - Alvaro Fernandez (James Riley) 73

AD Isidro Metapán -- Jose Gonzalez, Jose Alvarado, Erick Prado, Ernesto Aquino, Oscar Jimenez (Andres Flores 87), Hector Mejia, Emerson Umana (Mark Lester Blanco 72), Rodolfo Suarez, Anel Canales, Josue Flores, Milton Molina

Substitutes Not Used: Misael Alfaro, Moises Menendez, Jorge Luis Moran, Carlos Carrillo

TOTAL SHOTS: 7; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 2; OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 6

Seattle Sounders FC -- Kasey Keller, James Riley, Tyrone Marshall, Patrick Ianni, Leo Gonzalez, Sanna Nyassi (Alvaro Fernandez 64), Osvaldo Alonso, Nathan Sturgis, Steve Zakuani (Nate Jaqua 64), Roger Levesque (Michael Seamon 84), Fredy Montero

Substitutes Not Used: Taylor Graham, Zach Scott, Terry Boss, Tyson Wahl

TOTAL SHOTS: 9; SHOTS ON GOAL: 7; FOULS: 6; OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 4

Misconduct Summary:
SEA - Sanna Nyassi (caution; Reckless Tackle) 22
MET - Ernesto Aquino (caution; Reckless Foul) 26
SEA - Roger Levesque (caution; Reckless Foul) 75
SEA - James Riley (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 81

Referee: Jose Pineda
Referee's Assistants: Rafael Beltran; Oscar Velasquez
4th Official: Marlon Mejia

Time of Game: 1:50
Weather: Heavy Rain


Reach Galen Helmgren at nextseasonsports@gmail.com Read more

SOUNDERS FC: Injury update

The Seattle Sounders FC announced today midfielder Peter Vagenas has been placed on disabled list due to a right quadriceps strain.

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As a result, Vagenas, 32, is required to miss six games. Included in those six games was the San Jose Earthquakes match on July 31, and he is eligible to return to league play for the September 9 game in Seattle against the Real Salt Lake.

Reach Jane Gershovich at nextseasonsports@gmail.com Read more

SOUNDERS FC: Montero leads Seattle to 1-0 win

Team release:

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Fredy Montero's header in the first half helped the Seattle Sounders FC grab three points on the road as it beat the San Jose Earthquakes, 1-0, at Buck Shaw Stadium on Saturday night.

Montero has scored (4) or assisted (5) in eight consecutive MLS games.

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Sounders FC (7-8-4, 25 points) has won its last three league matches and is unbeaten in six matches in all competitions. With the win, Seattle jumps from sixth in the West to fourth.

San Jose (6-5-5, 23 points) lost for the first time since the World Cup break and falls to sixth in the Western Conference.

Montero struck in the 26th minute. Sanna Nyassi took a ball from Montero and served it back to him in front of the goal where he headed it past San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch.

Montero has seven goals and eight assists this season.

Nyassi has recorded an assist in three consecutive matches, dating back to his first career assist on July 10. All three have been game-winning assists.

Blaise Nkufo had two dangerous shots, including a header in the 2nd minute and a low, left-footed drive in the 63rd minute. Both were stopped by Busch.

Seattle held a 9-8 advantage in shots (7-2 on goal) and corners, 6-5.

Kasey Keller earned his sixth clean sheet of the season, making two saves.

Jeff Parke left the game at halftime with a head injury and was replaced by Tyrone Marshall.

Alvaro Fernandez made his Sounders FC debut, entering the match in the 69th minute for Steve Zakuani. Fernandez, who played for Uruguay in the recent 2010 FIFA World Cup, was signed by the club on July 29.

San Jose beat Seattle, 1-0, in the previous meeting on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field on May 22.

Sounders FC travels to El Salvador on Tuesday as Metapán and Seattle are vying for a spot in the Champions League group stage. The match will be broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel and can be heard on KIRO 97.3 FM with Arlo White on the call.

Seattle returns to MLS play at home against the Houston Dynamo on August 8 at 8 p.m. PT.

Reach Aaron Weinberg at nextseasonsports@gmail.com Read more