Those that have been reading this space for a while now will realize that i'm not big on Seattle's chances in 2009. Pre-season spankings of our Canadian cousins notwithstanding, I feel that the Sounders will lack the depth and overall talent to compete this year (which stands to reason since they are an expansion team).
Dave Clark of Sounder at Heart thinks I might be on the crack (and that's bad for you kids). He's challenged me to a little friendly wager. Mr. Clark says Seattle will finish in the top half of the west's standings. I say they will be battling it out at the bottom. We have $50 big ones on it (I suppose we best make it clear what currency we are talking about...whatever is trading higher at the end of the regular season).
But being the outstanding men that we are (someone please tell my wife, OK?) we've agreed that the money won't go to each other. Rather, we will make a donation to Right to Play.
Thanks Dave. The kids will appreciate it!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
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9 comments:
Best part is you have a label on this so we can find it easily.
For Seattle to finish in the top half of the standings they'd have to do just about everything right... and have a lot of luck. But they'll realize pretty quickly what every other expansion team ('cept Chicago in the old days) has realized:
1) expansion teams have no depth... they are made up of the castoffs of the league, and if teams were willin to give up those guys in the expansion draft, they can't be great.
2) it'll take at least half a season to develop any chemistry.. you can't just bring 20 guys together who've never played together before and expect it to just happen, particularly against teams who have played together for years.
3) some players will get injured, particularly on field turf, and that depth will be tested
4) Sigi Schmidt may have won a couple MLS Cups, but he also failed to make the playoffs the first year he had Schelotto... he's not a magician.
Sorry Duane, but it looks like you're gonna be out $50 in my opinion.
Seattle has put together an astonishingly solid team as far as expansion franchises go, and I wouldn't bet against them finishing in the top four in the West, especially as mediocre as the West has been the last couple of years.
I see the tandem of Montero/Jaqua being as potent as Buddle/Donovan were last season.
I feel so good about what Seattle is putting together that I believe they will finish in the top four of the league OVERALL, not just in the West, and I'd be willing to kick in $50 as well, putting my money where my mouth is.
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Anon, taking it point by point
1- Seattle will only be starting 3 or 4 of the expansion draftees.
2- Somewhere between 4-6 players will have spent at least a year together and the rest started camp earlier than any other team.
3- If you can find evidence that injury rate and Field Turf are related you would be the first.
4- Seattle likely already has a much deeper offense, and better keeper than the Crew had last year.
TJ - If you would like to support Right to Play who am I to stop you? ;-)
Dave - There are studies that show FieldTurf is significantly more likely to yield strain and stress injuries (but less likely to yield impact injuries).
check out his sounder at heart website under the griffey post - comments section. DICHIOOOOOOOOO!
what's that sound?
why its seattle's resounding wails and furious screams as they pummel down the standings towards the endless abyss of the 'bottom feeders'
ohm nom nom nom
at least they got heart
Ha ha.
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