Ship’s Log, July 12: Tradition

Dave Clark -

I spent 10 days out in Chicagoland. During that vacation I finally got to Wrigley Field. For a very long time, baseball was my sports love. I saw Fenway back in 2000 and seeing Wrigleyville was always a dream. Once upon a time I was a infrequent baseball blogger, producer of Baseball’s Best Postgame Show and even took a course called Baseball and American History.

There, in the friendly confines, wrapped in ivy, I saw something that runs quite counter to the conflict between traditional American sports and soccer – after the win, 30,000 people sang in full voice.

It’s not that different from the traditions that even the eldest of America’s professional soccer teams continues to try and establish. The primary difference being that everyone did it.

I’m certain there was a time when not everyone sang. But traditions don’t start big.

They start in a small section, let’s call it 113. A couple dozen people started a march, they started some songs. Now it’s thousands and could be tens of thousands.

Or the traditions start with a carnation here and there. Then it becomes a routine and the carnation is on the jersey, but not enough people realize the meaning until that reminder.

Maybe the traditions began as a lap around the stadium, but now it is a line of players raising their hands in unison honoring those that sing.

We have a lot of attempts at tradition in our old soccer team.

  • Boom boom clap
  • Scarves up
  • Seattle (at kick)
  • Roll on Columbia (12')
  • Born in 74 (74')
  • The call and repeat

Here's the ECS songlist if you want to join in on those three timed songs.

These traditions only last if we keep doing them. They only get cemented as an element of history because we maintain them.

They only bring tears to the eyes of a visiting fan who doesn’t even know your team’s players when they persist.

Brian Schmetzer regularly says that the club is the relationship between the team and the fans. The club is also the relationship between those two groups and history.

We all — fans, players, coaches, staff — have to recognize that each moment we participate in this greatest club you’ve ever seen is a connection to 1974, 1994, 2009, 2022.

Each moment is our opportunity to plant a seed for the future. Each little thing we do can become a legend, wrapped in myth and ivy.

Go Sounders Go.

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Catching up on Sounder at Heart

What you need to get ready for the weekend's action.

Sounders

Next match: Saturday night at Austin FC at 5:30 pm PDT on Apple TV for free.

Reign

Next match: July 19 hosting Utah Royals in the Summer Cup.

Jacob is stepping away from the pressbox for a while.

The coach thanked him.

Defiance

Next match: Sunday at Whitecaps2 at Swangard Stadium on MLSNextPro.com at 4 pm PDT.

Velocity

Next match: July 19 at Central Valley Fuego in the USL Jägermeister Cup.

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Sunday: West Seattle Junction hosts Ballard; Midlakes United hosts Capital FC Atletico; Olympia hosts Tacoma Stars

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