Ship's Log, March 1: Every few years American soccer rejects its history

Celebrating Ozzie Alonso during the Seattle Sounders 50th anniversary is perfect. MLS rejecting history by not-quite pulling out of the US Open Cup is not.

It's like a pattern. Things start going really well and then MLS lurches to a new angle, forgetting the way things were.

Think back to when MLS tried to force the Sounders to be the not-Sounders. When that went well the league followed with a couple other teams that didn't reject their origins and histories.

A few years later, that embrace of history is gone. City FC as far as we can see.

St. Louis' launch leaned heavily into the region's soccer past, even if they did convince a team to fold. Then MLS will lurch back into rejection when San Diego abandons what made the city support lower-division soccer.

History. Modernity. History. Modernity.

It's a silly cycle and it is made more painful when fans of two-thirds of the teams in the league don't get to see their teams try to do what the Houston Dynamo did – beat the much-favored giants at Inter Messi to win a trophy.

T2 and Crown Legacy being in the Open Cup is a rejection of what made the Open Cup special. MLS deciding (and yes, the commissioner works for the owners) that Portland and Charlotte don't deserve to pursue a title is absurd.

It's even worse that D.C. United isn't involved on any level. They don't have a Next Pro team to put forward as a weak proclamation that they want to be the giants they once were. They're just quitting. A majority of the league is.

There's a veil of legitimacy that entrants in the Concacaf Champions Cup need fewer matches. They could call up their youngsters for the Open Cup match, playing, in effect, their Next Pro teams.

Instead, American soccer history loses. The Open Cup has a history of Sigi Schmid, Archie Stark, Seb Le Toux, Bob Bradley, Garth Lagerwey (as a player), Messi.

MLS is rejecting that. The diminished opportunity for players and communities to have what Kitsap had, what Kezar saw – it's sad.

At least the people of Washington will have multiple teams that do want to make history. As usual, the Sounders and soccer fans through the state have it better than most fans of the men's domestic game.

– Dave

If you're a business interested in supporting Sounder at Heart and independent journalism, reach out.


Catching up on Sounder at Heart

Did you step away from the computer during the week? Here are our latest stories, sorted by subject

US Open Cup

Ozzie Alonso celebration

Reign FC

Next up (preseason): UW Huskies v. Reign FC at Husky Soccer Stadium on Wednesday, March 6.

Defiance

Sounders

Next up: Sounders v. Austin FC at Lumen Field on Saturday, March 2. The 7:30 pm match is on MLS Season Pass.

Purchasing the new jersey or planning to get MLS Season Pass? Use our affiliate links to toss some coin to your bloggers.

Looking back at the week's news

Everything else you need to know.
The revamped-but-temporary format will keep the Open Cup alive, for now. But to sustain it, U.S. Soccer officials bent their Pro League Standards to accommodate one member’s dollar-driven desires. - Henry Bushnell in Yahoo.

The NWSL has private equity rules now.

Reign FC win this kit ranking contest.

Amanda Vandervort has ambitious plans for the USL Super League.

Niamh Charles, Chelsea left back, talks about her experiences with soon-to-be USWNT coach Emma Hayes.

Losing to Mexico is a sign of the growth of the women's game. The USWNT has more challenging opponents than any time since they started playing professionally.

Young Matildas player Grace Wilson becomes first professional Australian footballer to come out as non-binary

John Textor, who still kind of owns Reign FC but is selling the club because he can't afford to keep it in OL Group, says that teams shouldn't have financial restrictions and there needs to be a Super Duper League.

Atlanta's turf is getting replaced for the Men's World Cup in 2026. Then it's getting replaced by turf, a familiar tale.

Portland Timbers won't have a kit sponsor this weekend. They canned the sponsor that they had for a single match.

Some people like the new Concacaf Champions Cup format where the opening round is spread out over a full month.

The PSRA is still locked out by MLS and PRO.


This newsletter was made possible through the support of Full Pull Wines, a boutique wines reseller that has been sponsoring us since 2011. You can join their mailing list here.