Today's announcement that Defiance are in the US Open Cup is great for Defiance, and bad for American soccer. It's also been kind of expected. Not just because you read this site, where we told you that last week, but because the federated nature of US Soccer made it clear that poor compromises were the only way forward with the Open Cup.
The Open Cup is wonderful. In theory any level of adult men's soccer can win a national title. Also, there are problems. Like MLS doesn't know how to market itself within the Open Cup (outside of Seattle, KC, maybe Chicago). MLS and US Soccer have been drifting apart for a while now. It's messy enough that three teams aren't involved in the Open Cup at all – no MLS team, no deuces.
Our national tournament's mess doesn't start at the top of the pyramid. At the bottom teams pull out of the competition rather regularly. This year WAC qualified because a team on the path to qualification quit.
Weird things happen, likely because the tiers of play involve World Cup talents and that dude down the street who insists he would have been pro if not for that too-long trip to Vegas. It's a very American experience.
Unlike England, the hierarchy of teams and leagues is pretty arbitrary. Streaming and TV broadcasts are intermittent. Sometimes you're watching from your buddy's phone and sometimes there's a national 8-camera setup at a field that normally hosts youth soccer.
Mess. Wonderful glorious mess.
Compare the US approach to Canada. In Canada the CSA is in charge. Yes, they allow the MLS teams to play in MLS, but they also demand those teams play in the Canadian Championship.
Here, we're all over the place. Some teams are third tier qualifiers because they aren't any good. Other teams are third tier quality because their first teams are too good and some teams just aren't doing anything – hello Colorado, San Diego and Atlanta (remember when they won the Open Cup because it was cancelled?)
I love mess.
Because the Open Cup also gave us "We win trophies" by a team that's been very bad at winning trophies for two decades now.
I love mess.
Because the Open Cup gave us the Red Card Wedding, Victor Rodriguez missing a penalty at Cheney, Ozzie scoring a goal when he should have ran to the corner, a tongue-wagging taunting goalie allowed to leave his line early because he's in blue hell or something, the Union constantly failing to win a final, Cal FC!, Charleston and USL Sounders and Rochester and Orlando and Sacramento, Birmingham hosting Inter Messi.
Our Open Cup might be messy, but I love it. It's very much ours, flawed and wonderful with no one in charge or everyone in charge all at once.
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P.S. Sorry about the lack of Ship's Logs lately. The world got messy and that's what I stare at all day, every day.
Catching up on Sounder at Heart
Here's what you missed on the site lately.
Sounders
Next competitive match: At Antigua GFC in Concacaf Champions Cup on Feb 19 at 5 pm PT.
- MLS finalizes participation list for various cup competitions
- Realio’s Ratings: Seattle Sounders vs. 2024 recap
- Pedro de la Vega finally showed us something!
- We have McDonald’s at home
- Kim Kee-Hee officially rejoins Sounders
- Depth Chart for members
- Finally pain free, João Paulo ready to fight for his spot
- Strong start: Sounders win preseason opener
- Jésus Ferreira gives fitness update, shares first impressions
- Preseason Primer: What you need to know about Sounders
- Jackson Ragen still ‘a little raw’ about not going to USMNT camp
- Paul Arriola takes pride in being a bit of a ‘pest’
Reign
Next match: Hosting a flailing Gotham FC on March 15 at 7 pm PT.
- Reign announce 2025 regular season schedule
- Seattle Reign's first day of preseason had a much different vibe
- Five notes from Seattle Reign's preseason roster
- Lauren Barnes returns to Seattle Reign for the 2025 season
- Seattle Reign's new front office ready to put club back on path to trophies
Defiance
Next match: At Ventura County on March 7 at 7 pm PT.
- Tacoma Defiance release 2025 schedule
- Ballard FC, Tacoma Defiance to compete in 2025 U.S. Open Cup
- Tacoma Defiance officially sign Omar Hassan, Mo Shour
Spokane
Velocity host One Knoxville on March 16 at 4 pm PT.
Zephyr are at Dallas Trinity on February 22 at 2 pm PT.
Looking back at the news
Everything else you need to know
MLS news and notes
- 2025 US Open Cup format revealed: More MLS teams return to competition
- Transfer Needs For All 30 MLS Teams Before Opening Day
- Western Conference: Most intriguing offseason moves so far
- Minnesota United midfielder Hassani Dotson requests trade
- Carmelo Testimony Appears to Backfire in NASL-U.S. Soccer Trial
- Sounders, Vissel Kobe partnership paves way for future growth opportunities at both clubs
- The Final Episode of Extratime
- MLS Designated Players: Which Clubs Got the Most Out of Their Stars in 2024? (Seattle was in the top third)
- MLS 2025 roster rules: Every change & what they mean
NWSL news and notes
- Biyendolo says she and Gotham FC 'weren't a fit'
- Seattle Reign FC w/ Susie Rantz | Kerolin to City | Naomi Girma to Chelsea
- NWSL 'not done' growing as announcement looms
- Top 10 NCAA Players Entering the NWSL in 2025
World Cup news and notes
- Men In Blazers Raises $15M From Media Heavyweights as It Preps World Cup Push
- Fan zones in nine WA cities coming for 2026 FIFA World Cup
Other stuff you should read
- A lo Atlas: Gonzalo Pineda hopes to stay true to club, himself in new challenge
- How Chelsea broke the women's transfer record to sign USWNT star Girma
- 'It's inspiring': Sounders legend Osvaldo Alonso joins USL Spokane ownership group
- Lyon men lose penalty shootout to amateur team Bourgoin-Jallieu in French Cup
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