Galaxy Post-Game

"Disappointed in the Refereeing”

Said Sigi. Said many thousands of fans. But my throat is hoarse, and I can say it no more. (Sorry to the preteens sitting in the row in front of me). Besides this picture speaks louder than my words.

Beautiful Day, Beautiful Fans

Oh to not be layered! Noon felt a little early. But the afternoon sun was a treat, and the 28,000+ fans were amazing as usual.

About Passion and Control

The Sounders had passion. The referee had no control. One fed the other until the yellow shirt started flashing cards like my mother playing poker. I was proud to see the Sounders keeping each others backs like a team should. I was especially warm and fuzzy to see Freddie Ljungberg waving his finger in the face of the referees and getting right into the mix during the James Riley situation. Passion and physicality... I’ve said it before. It’s what I like to see out there.

Man of the Match?

The man of the match is the opposing goalkeeper?! The one who kicked the ball out of play in the 88th minute and flopped on to the ground the burn the clock? Weak. Totally weak.

The Shirts Come Off

Thank you! Are you guys reading this? Or are we just putting out the right vibe? Either way, keep those shirts coming off. As it should be!

Sebastian "The Hawk" Le Toux

His coaches and the familiar media like to refer to him as "Seba," but here at SoundersBoard we officially christen Sebestain Le Toux "The Hawk." And the hawk certainly swept down on his opponents last night in the US Open Cup play-in game at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila. (Yeah, so Starfire is not a bad name for a venue, but let's face it... Tukwila? Everything that the Seattle Sounders FC have going for them in terms of their cosmopolitan appeal, their international feel, and their world-class support... is lost at Starfire Sports Complex.)

Two goals, two assists, and an accent so thick he needs subtitles a la Brad Pitt in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Le Hawk was so money last night he ended up in the sports section of the USA Today, America's most famous LCD newspaper (unwelcomed on hotel-room stoops daily across the nation). There was nothing unwelcome about Le Hawk's showing last night however. A Sounder through and through and arguably the hardest working and most sacrificed man on the pitch.

So has Le Hawk made Sigi Schmid's decision of who will start on Saturday more difficult? Sigi says:

“Always, that’s the way it should be. That’s what he wants to do. You want to have a team that has 17, 18, 19 guys that can start for you, because it’s a long season. You never know who’s going to get hurt, and who’s going to miss, so this is a good game for people to build their confidence. Seb certainly presents us alternatives, and it was nice to be able to play him up front, where he’s obviously more comfortable than he is in a wide position.”

If only Sigi considered that hawks are widely reputed to have visual acuity several times that of a normal human being and attack by sudden dashes from a concealed perch, then the question would be a no-brainer.