I win you, Please

Veteran's Day '08

James Riley - A fiery man
As we move into the Starting player recaps from the previous season, and their future in the league, we shall start with James Riley, Right Back.  He is a fiery man to quote Mitch Levy (of course he was not referring to Riley).  James' temper on the pitch is short, and he inspires passions amongst the fanbase.  He was the first player to earn an ECS song based on his life as an MLS Sounder, he earned it by protecting his mates and by watching a match with the ECS while the club was on a road trip and Riley was nur

Unloved Rotationals: Vagenas and Ianni
The first two rotationals were loved companions from an old club in a minor league. The French Connection was the Sounders connection between old and new. One has been taken from us. But these two a Peter and a Patrick. One constantly derided on forums, and the other seen as surprisingly protected over a loved MLS Sounder - James Riley. But Vagenas and Ianni are also the connection between the Sounders and the League in which they compete.  They are some of the s

Goodbye and Thank You, Seba
The Philadelphia Union released their expansion draft picks and many Sounders fans will be saddened to see the very first MLS Sounder on the list. While names such as James Riley and Stephen King were heard quite often in the speculation leading up to the announcement today, Le Toux didn't figure much in the discussion. I, for one, have to admit to being completely surprised. The press release from the Sounders is here. While Le Toux wasn't our biggest star, he was one of the players who made the most effort to connect with the fans, so he'll be missed more than just as a midfielder or fo

On Formations and Fullbacks
Or: Why James Riley Was Left Unprotected You'll probably need some understanding of the formation aspect of soccer strategy before reading. Wikipedia is a good resource, and if you've watched many Sounders games you'll have picked up quite a lot of information as well. Sorry in advance for the English spelling. Four at the back, one or two at the front. While there exist a huge variety of midfield combinations a Major League Soccer team can run with, the formations are typically bracketed by these five or six players. I imagine at this point several of you are already readying th

Sounders Release List of Players Protected in the Upcoming Expansion Draft
Jose Romero ReportsList of players: Alonso, Osvaldo Evans, Brad Gonzalez, Leo Hurtado, Jhon Kennedy Ianni, Patrick Jaqua, Nate Keller, Kasey Ljungberg, Freddie Marshall, Tyrone Montero, Fredy Zakuani, Steve   Interesting that Riley was left off the list.There seems to be some disagreement among Sounders fans on how effective Riley has been as a defender. Perhaps the team thought he indeed had significant weaknesses. If the Union selects him, who replaces him