Ship's Log, August 30: Born to be Kings (of Cascadia)

Dave Clark -
Here we are, born to be kings
We're the princes of the universe
Here we belong, fighting to survive
In a world with the darkest powers

And here we are, we're the princes of the universe
Here we belong, fighting for survival
We've come to be the rulers of you all
-- Princes of the Universe, Queen

Sadly, it looks like the kings of MLS in 2024 are going to be from an ever-shrinking group. Inter Miami, LAFC, LA Galaxy, Columbus Crew and Cincinnati are all ahead of the rest. By some measures the Crew aren't in that tier, but they're the anti-LAFC, in that when a title is on the line Nancy's crew win and LAFC fails.

Other teams may be better than Seattle, but not by enough to matter. Colorado and Real Salt Lake are completely reachable. So are New York Red Bulls. Being a tier two team raises the stakes for this weekend's match against the Portland Timbers, because if the Seattle Sounders can't be the best in MLS they damn well better be the best in Cascadia.

Winning this weekend puts them in control of their own destiny in the micro-contest to control the region that has defined U.S. and Canadian soccer for my lifetime. It helps that it would be a little injection of joy into a fan experience that's been defined too frequently by a failure to claim greatness.

The trivalry may not currently be as important as the rivalry with SoCal. Where in the late-20-teens champions came from Cascadia, those seem to be from elsewhere these days as the MLS center of power has drifted south and east.

The center of Cascadia has been Seattle as long as professional soccer existed in our region.

Brian Schmetzer is the king.

He has as many Cascadia Cup wins as Portland (two of their trophies came when Seattle wasn't competing). Since taking over the MLS version of the Sounders he has three Cascadia Cups, the other two teams have two each. Seattle has been the better team in the overall standings six of the eight seasons Brian's coached the MLS club.

Let's not pretend that this is a major trophy, even though it is an important one.

What the Cascadia Cup is this year is also a path to correct the failures of 2023 – the inability to capitalize on opportunity.

If Seattle Sounders are able to capture George they'll go quite a ways towards declaring themselves the best non-SoCal team in the West. If that's all we can be, we better be it.

That starts Saturday night. It ends on Decision Day. Sweeping the Cascadia Cup would mean nine more points, almost assuring the Sounders of multiple home playoff games.

The Shield is gone. The Open Cup is gone. The Leagues Cup is gone.

If we have to be spoilers, let's be spoilers and take a symbol of history with us as we celebrate 50 years.

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Catching up on Sounder at Heart

Here's what you missed on the site this week.

Sounders

Next match: Saturday night at 7:30 pm PDT at Providence Park against the Portland Timbers. The match is on MLS Season Pass.

Reign

Next match: Saturday afternoon at 4:30 pm PDT at Lynn Family Stadium against Racing Louisville. The match is on ION TV.

Defiance

Next match: Defiance play at LAFC2 tonight at 7:30 pm PDT. The match is on MLS Season Pass.

Spokane

Zephyr are off this weekend. They next play on Sunday the 8th.

Velocity lost to former Sounder Darren Sawatzky's Richmond Kickers 3-2 on Thursday. They next play on Wednesday.

Looking back at the news

Everything else you need to know

Before Racing needed to win, it needed a leader: Jaelin Howell (WDRB)

‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart’: Reign retire Megan Rapinoe’s No. 15 jersey (Seattle Times)

Professional skydiver hopes jump into Lumen Field inspires more women to join sport (KNKX)

Laura Harvey’s journey to 100 NWSL wins (Equalizer)

How the Women of the N.W.S.L. Got Freedom That Their Male Counterparts Don’t Have (The New Yorker)

Kansas City Current sign Alana Cook to long-term contract  (KC Current)

Is Transition-Attacking the NWSL’s New Meta? (Analytics FC)

1.1 million tune in for CBS's NWSL & Serie A soccer triple-header (World Soccer Talk)

‘Ted Lasso’ Heads Toward Season 4 Greenlight With Options Pickup For 3 Core Cast Members (Deadline)

U.S. Open Cup at a crossroads: What lies ahead for America's oldest tournament? (ESPN)

Why It's Time for MLS to Change Transfer Window Dates (Give Me Sport)

Nashville SC's Patrick Yazbek under MLS investigation over on-field "use of offensive language" (Broadway Sports Media)

Seattle Sounders star Pedro de la Vega emerges from "tough moments" (MLS Soccer)

There's a lot going on this weekend. I'll be at Marymoor for 311 on Saturday night, not at PAX and not watching the Sounders. Others will be at Bumbershoot, Renton's event, at Dave Matthews, at the Evergreen State Fair. Give yourself time.

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