Non-soccer interlude

We just signed up for Google Analytics, and it's pretty interesting. Apparently there's people from all over interested in MLS Seattle. So we'd like to give a special shoutout to all our international readers in Canada, Mexico, Ireland, the UK, Portugal, France, Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Russia, Greece, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Uganda (???), India, Japan, South Korea, Philippines and Australia. You stay classy... Planet Earth.

We'll be back with a real post sometime this afternoon.

And the nominees are...

Seattle's future MLS team will be named either Seattle Alliance, Seattle Republic, Seattle FC, or... something else. Yes, fans will be able to write in a different name if they feel passionate about it. And it doesn't take a genius to figure out why.

It has become apparent that the guys running Seattle MLS would rather go in a new direction as far as the team name. Fair enough, they surely have their reasons. But at least they respect their fans enough to allow the possibility of the Seattle Sounders name to carry over into MLS.

We'd been operating under the assumption that the name would be changed in some way, shape, or form. But now there is potential to keep the Sounders alive, the team that went toe to toe with Pele's New York Cosmos in the 70's - and that was/is a 4-time title winning powerhouse in the USL. And that's changed our minds. So write in your vote for Seattle Sounders. Tell all your friends, family, teammates, even the guitar-playing hobo on the sidewalk that you pass on your way to work. Like reggae legend Jimmy Cliff sang, You can get it if you really want.

Vote Sounders!

First player signed?

According to GoalSeattle.com, Sebastien Le Toux has been signed by Seattle MLS. The Sounder striker and 2007 MVP was basically considered a lock to make the MLS team, and now has - unofficially - been signed thru 2012. This may be officially announced, along with the team name, in early April. Congrats, Sebastien!

It's up to you!

From March 27 to March 31, the future fans of Seattle MLS will be able to pick from one of three name choices, and cast their vote on what our future soccer team should be called.

Of course, the three choices will have been carefully selected by the ownership, and none of them may appeal to some fans (especially if, as rumored, the traditional 'Seattle Sounders' name is not among the options.) MLS commissioner Don Garber's comments indicate this as well: “While we should celebrate the past, we believe the MLS Seattle team should be about where we are headed tomorrow and help position the club globally.”

Still, at worst, this is a nice little gesture from the people upstairs, and at best it's a sign of how much this organization will care about and listen to the fans. So CAST YOUR VOTE! Unless you're voting for a crappy name. Oh, and as for the choices? Those won't be officially revealed until Tuesday, March 25 - which will allow the buzz to grow around the city. Savvy decision.

However. Here are the three likely choices, all of which have domain names parked. Seattle FC. Seattle Republic. Seattle Alliance. One wonders whether we're building a soccer club or an army... but we'll reserve judgment until Tuesday, when the names are actually announced.

Voting will be on www.MLSinSeattle.com

Our words are delicious...

And we will happily eat them.

Mexico will play China in a friendly match on April 16, barely over a month away, in the friendly confines of Qwest Field. Both teams will be tuning up for World Cup Qualifiers, so expect to see close to their best lineups in action. The cool part is that the match is sponsored by the MLS Seattle group... it's very nice to see them working for the fans, after 3 to 4 months of nothing but rumors.

If you choose to go (and you should!), tickets will be on sale starting Sat., March 15 at the Qwest Field box office. You can buy them online from Ticketmaster, as well, if you enjoy paying 3 to five dollars for silly 'convenience' charges. But go anyways.

Breaking News: There Isn't Any!

A name announcement is almost certainly 1 to 2 months away, but that doesn't mean we have to stop talking about it. Especially since there's been a dearth of actual, honest news about Seattle MLS in the last, oh, since the team's been announced. So here's sort of a summary of the names that might be on the table. Oh, and don't be scared that we're going to end up as the Seattle Sockeyes with a grey-and-pink kit... if one of these names below isn't picked, we'd be shocked.

Seattle Sounders - The seemingly obvious one. At least for the fans - the ownership group is probably leaning towards something new. Doubt this happens.

Seattle Sounders FC (or SC) - Sort of a compromise... the traditional FC notation in addition to keeping the Sounders name. If we had to place a bet, it'd be on this. 

Seattle FC - A nice, harmless international-sounding name... but with FC Dallas and Toronto FC already in the league, would this really be a serious choice? ...yeah, it might be. It rolls off the tongue nicely, for whatever it's worth.

Seattle United - See above, thanks to DC United. The key with these names-without-nicknames is that USL supporters could continue using 'Sounders' as an unofficial nickname.

Inter Seattle (Seattle International FC) - We're unconvinced that this is really an option, but it does fall in line with the worldly theme Hanauer and co. seem keen on.