Adrian Hanauer frequently talks about one of the key things the Seattle Sounders can do is give us memorable moments. In 2023 it wasn't the Sounders that gave Sounder at Heart readers their top two moments – it was two players who ended their playing time here.
Nico Lodiero saying goodbye won the preliminary round of our ‘Moment of the Year’ voting.
Megan Rapinoe ending her career with Reign in front of a record NWSL crowd won the final round.
For those who have followed the icon for some or all of her career seeing her waving goodbye in front of 34,130 felt like the type of moment the team and its most prominent face has deserved for some time.
In years to come I won't remember where I was when Jordan Morris scored four. Nor will I remember where I was when the Sounders lost to Al Ahly.
I was in Club 213 tearing up as a large crowd applauded the OGs when one of the final three stepped away. I was texting my coworkers from my year with the Reign. It’s an indelible time in my life.
It's up there with 2022, 2019, 2016, 2014 (twice – Pappa and Ozzie) and even 2007 when the Sounders USL side won the 'ship at Starfire.
I know the people I was with those days. The special visits pre- and post-game. As long as I live, those are the moments I will remember.
What is amazing is that sports keeps doing this to us.
2024 promises to have a few opportunities and one of the joys of the season is that we have no idea when those will be. Will there be an undefeated month with a player going off? A retirement game with a quad save?
Will we lift a trophy together again (I hope so I have another bottle of Westvleteren XII waiting for that)?
The public portion of camp opens today. ECS will welcome the team on Saturday. They'll be at Longacres with more public viewing soon.
Reign, with the queen ruling again, are also just a couple weeks from opening camp. They promise more memories, more crowds, more opportunity to etch time into our soul.
These etched moments and the people that we enjoy them with are what sports is all about – not hope springing eternal, but people and time!
– Dave
Catching up on Sounder at Heart
Did you step away from the computer for a bit? Here are our latest stories.
- Laura Harvey top contender for Chelsea job, reports say
- Seattle Reign select two midfielders and a defender in the 2024 NWSL Draft
- 2023 Sounder at Heart Awards
- Nos Audietis: Preseason Mailbag
- Jackson Ragen leaves USMNT camp with knee issue
- Sounders sign three new players to first-team contracts
- Defiance will hire Hervé Diese to be next head coach
Looking back at the week's news
Reign rebrand; MLS Season Pass makes Apple happy; PNW lower division news; MLS rumor round up
The Reign return-to-brand is so beloved it's making international press. Rachel Corsie talks about her time with Reign because of the queen's return. The NWSL is going to rebrand, too.
The only people who know how many people are watching MLS Season Pass say that the numbers are bigger than they expected. One primary difference between Nielsen ratings and the viewership numbers that Apple has is that Apple knows that the devices are on, showing what they claim it is.
Vote for the Washington Sports Stars and Stories of 2023 — Seattle Sports Commission. Lu Barnes and Stef Frei are the soccer players up for recognition.
Spokane Velocity are going to have a rotating front-of-shirt sponsor that will feature a different smaller business every month, and also give a portion of the revenue to community charity.
OlyTown's women's team hired former Reign Academy and University of Puget Sound keeper's coach Ben Willis to be their head coach.
Remember that guy who left MLS for Europe but you forgot how they were doing? They're probably playing for Colorado Rapids in 2024. Next up on the list? Sam Vines.
John Herdman told the Italians on his team that they have to be team players or else. The last coach to do this was fired by Toronto, despite being an MLS legend.
Portland is being offered out-of-work former not-quite-star Jesse Lingard for free. Lingard has been training in the US and Mideast while looking for work since June. He's 31.
Take some time to watch AFCON. It's a "tournament like no other." You can find matches on BeIN Sports, Fubo TV, Sling, Fanatiz and even Freevee. The Asian Cup is on Paramount+ with some matches for free on CBS Golazo.
This Summer's Olympic Games will be brought to you by Corona Cera, AB InBev's zero alcohol beer under the Mexican lager brand.
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