It's déjà vu time for the Seattle Sounders. 

They hope to reconnect with the good times from their first meeting with the Philadelphia Union, who the Sounders visit Sunday afternoon.

It was a grand evening when Seattle opened the season against the Philadelphia visitors in the MLS opener, as 36,241 fans at the Xbox pitch of Qwest Field saw the home team prevail 2-0 over the Eastern visitors.

First half goals by strikers Fredy Montero and Brad Evans supplied all the necessary scoring, as the defense shut down Philadelphia and the Sounders began the season on a winning note.

The following week, Seattle looked for momentum in the form of a second win in a row when trouble ensued, revealing early the kind of topsy turvy activity that has defined their season to this point.

The Sounders hosted the New York Red Bulls and lost 1-0, despite tough defense coupled with successful ball possession offense. The locals set a team record for corner kicks, with 12, but ended up with an upset loss due to their inability to convert scoring opportunities.

The Sounders hope to prevent that pattern from this point forward. Just before the World Cup break, following a stirring 3-0 home win over the New England Revolution, Seattle hoped to carry a .500 record into the dead period with a win over D.C. United.

The visitors jumped to a 3-0 lead. Chris Pontius accomplished a hat tricky by scoring all three of their goals. The team rallied with two late scores, but ran out of time while searching for an equalizing goal.

The Sounders now stand at 4-6-3 with 15 points, residing in sixth place in the Western Conference. The early part of the season was comparable to the final two games, a promising win followed by a disappointing loss.

The team hopes to start a playoff run in recounting déjà vu memories of how the year began, with the hopes of launching a fresh beginning against the same Philadelphia team Seattle defeated in the season opener. 

Another good omen for the Sounders, hopefully, is that the Philadelphia Union is a member of the Eastern Conference. 

Every Seattle win thus far has come against eastern rivals.

The Sounders encounter a team that is in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 2-7-1 mark and 7 points. Philadelphia has played the fewest games in the MLS. The Union has carved out an unbeaten 1-0-1 record on its new home field.

Sunday’s game, slated to begin at 2 p.m. Pacific time, is sold out. It will be played in Philadelphia’s new soccer specific home at PPL Park in suburban Chester, which has a seating capacity of 18,500.

Weather forecasts call for sunny skies and a temperature in the high 80s.

The Sounders hope to turn their scoring duo of speedster strikers Fredy Montero and Steve Zakuani loose.

Good things happen when they score. 

When Montero scored in the 2009 season, Seattle was 7-1-3. When Zakuani scored, the team was a perfect 4-0-0.

Seattle is unbeaten since its inception when Zakuani has scored, with a 5-0-3 mark, and has lost just twice when goals are scored by either player, with a 12-2-6 record.

Seattle is 10-2-4 all-time when Montero has scored.

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England and the USA have progressed to the Last-16 of the 2010 World Cup after a Landon Donovan goal, in the 91st minute against Algeria, won the Group for the U.S.

Meanwhile Jermaine Defoe's early strike proved enough to gain second place for a nervous Three Lions as they edged past Slovenia 1-0.

The story of the night was Landon Donovan's heroic injury time winner, that put the U.S. through when all looked lost in the Loftus Versfield Stadium.

With England hanging on to a 1-0 lead, and both games moving into the phases, Team USA were in third position behind Fabio Capello's misfiring team, who were Group leaders for most of the afternoon, and Slovenia who were second on four points.

However, cometh the hour, cometh the man.

Jozy Altidore forced his way into a shooting position and fired home, but Mbouli proved equal to the effort, as he had been to all of Team USA's best chances.

The ball squirmed free to Donovan who made no mistake from just six yards to cue wild celebrations, as the entire of Team USA's squad made their way to the LA Galaxy man who had dived into the corner flag.

One of the World Cups greatest goal celebrations of all time.

The goal meant that the U.S. progressed to the Last-16 as deserved Group C winners, and if it were not for a virtuoso display from Mbouli, then the States would have run out much more comfortable winners.

Team USA's display was in direct contrast to England's laboured win over Slovenia in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Under increasing pressure from the watching public, media, and his team, Fabio Capello made a number of changes to his team in an effort at spicing things up a little.

Initially the changes worked as England forced the play, closing down Slovenia high up the pitch, and forcing plenty of mistakes.

Slovenia seemed to have ridden that early storm, and just as they looked like they were coming into the game, Jermaine Defoe scored from James Milner's whipped cross from the right.

England then looked as if they were going to run riot, but somehow Slovenia held on until halftime at just 1-0 down.

However, the expected onslaught in the second half never came, as England looked increasingly nervous, and were it not for some heroic defending from John Terry, they may have found themselves level, and out of the competition.

As both games entered injury time, England were trying to hold the ball in the corner flag to waste time, while Team USA were still looking for that elusive goal.

In the end, both sides went through.

Slovenia, little more than a Championship level team, were held at arms length for much of the match against England, even though they did open their illustrious opponents up on more than one occasion.

Team USA deservedly beat Algeria, and on another night, the scoreline would have been far more flattering.

The results provided relief beyond belief for both sides, as Fabio Capello claimed that England played with a free mind, and Gabby Yorath stating that England played with the shackles off.

This couldn't be further from the truth, as a nervous looking England appeared as if the pressure was getting to them, with many players fading as the game wore on.

One thing is true though, the pressure of the group stages is gone now, and in a straight head to head, England can be a match for any team.

England and the U.S. will find out who they face in the Last-16 tonight, as any of the four teams from Group D can still advance. Germany (three points) remain favourites to win the group, but face a stiff task to beat Ghana, who currently lead Group D with four points.

They are closely followed by Serbia (three points), who take on Australia (one point), which means that given the correct set of results, any team from the group can advance.

Both England and Team USA will be delighted to have reached their first targets of advancing from the group, but if England's fans thought the group stages were tough on the nerves, wait until the knock out stages.

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Having submitted a few burning business/operations questions to Revolution COO Brian Bilello already, I figured I would continue to take up the Revolution’s generous offer and ask some of Mike Burns as well.  

(See the first discussion here .)

The good news is on the “soccer side” of things; I don’t know of anyone who can question the soccer specific focus or knowledge of the staff. Steve Nicol is nearly sainted in these parts, and Michael Burns (if not everyone’s idol) certainly seems worthy of respect.

I’ll caveat this blog with the understanding that I only have public information. Luckily, that includes a decent review of salary information from the MLS Player’s Union and statistics from websites near and far.

I do not, however, know all the intricacies of contracts and the detail of some MLS transfer and personnel rules. Some of this is easy to find, some not. If my assumptions are off base, I’d love to understand more by those who know it.

Question: I’m sure this is a question that will be posed time and time again, but can you describe the roles of both Steve Nicol and yourself when scouting, drafting and acquiring players?

Why I ask: To be fair, when player additions turn out well, fans praise Steve Nicol. When player suggestions go poorly, fans blame Mike Burns. Perhaps everyone has it all wrong?

Question: I would imagine that it helps to have a specific “style” of soccer in mind when scouting players.  I wondered, is there a “shared vision” of how the New England Revolution believe soccer should be played?  What is it?  Does it affect the choice of players we sign?  Does this vision extend to your burgeoning efforts in youth development?

Why I ask: If the Revolution has a chosen style of soccer, I want to be the first to hear it defined. I would humbly suggest—especially now that the team has been mandated into the youth development world—that such a vision should be created if it does not already exist.

If the team strives to be something special, why not start with a view how soccer should be played in a Revolution jersey?  This instills a sense of direction, player pride, fan appreciation and consistency of purpose that spans management personnel and the ups and downs of any particular season.

Question: Have any creative options been discussed internally or with the league about the ongoing uncertainty of Taylor Twellman’s recuperation and what it means to the Revolution roster?

Why I ask: Taylor Twellman is a great goal-scorer. If possible, Revolution fans would start him in the next game all foreseeable games after that. I also don’t know of any fans that have any doubt if Taylor could be playing, that he would be playing.

That said, Taylor is not playing. In fact, he played only twice last year and not at all this year.  Nobody has complained that he’s still with the team.  Nobody has mentioned the (contractually obligated?) raise of nearly $40,000 he got in 2010.

But there comes a point in a salary capped league, when a star player simply cannot play that a team must make some hard calls. And that is why I ask about creative options; I certainly hope my team has smart people thinking more shrewdly than their peers at other teams.

With that backdrop, help me see why this couldn’t have worked… I see the potential for Taylor to have “retired” from active playing and be “hired” as an Assistant Coach (“Striker’s Coach”).

He could still get a nice salary, not be counted against the salary cap and been able to train with the team every day, just like now. And when he’s healthy? Oh, I imagine there would be some players who could be moved. For instance, some other expensive ($240,000?) strikers that haven’t played the equivalence of two full MLS games this year.

What MLS rules would that have broken?

Question: Continuing on the theme of being creative… my understanding of the newly updated Designated Player rule is that each DP now costs less to a team in overall salary cap money. If there are no plans to add a Designated Player soon, wouldn’t you immediately take Taylor Twellman and Shalrie Joseph and make them DP’s? This would save us money under the cap, which could (of course) be reinvested in other roster slots as raises or—dare I say—upgrades.

Why I ask: Again, my understanding of MLS rules might be all wrong—there is not much specificity in the Regulations here . (Happy to learn more.)

Or the Revolution might be about to sign two big-name Designated Players. (Happy to hear it.)

However, I’d hate to think that nobody is thinking far enough outside the box to come up with this stuff if it does make sense.

Question: Do you think Designated Players, if/when brought in, should have both soccer and marketing value associated with them?

Why I ask: I suspect there could be some fan disagreement with this, but I certainly do.

Do you want Ronaldinho more than a younger, also-talented, non-Brazilian to fill the stadium? I say yes.

Do you consider Deco (who’s currently out of the picture at Chelsea) because he’s a creative player that might excel in front of Shalrie Joseph and is used to fast and physical play, or because he has generates interest to both the Brazilian and Portuguese fans in the area? I say both.

Question: It’s great to have Steve Ralston back. (Well, sort of back—enough already with the injuries.) Nobody discounts his desire to help his home town, but if there was a quick and easy contract discussion at the end of last season, would we really ever had to have said goodbye?

Why I ask: I have written about Steve Ralston’s return before (see blog here ). But I know of very few people who believe that Steve, without provocation, decided to leave to help start A.C. St. Louis simply because of a desire to get soccer moving in his old home town.

I think most fans understand the pressures under the salary cap, but even under a quick glimpse at Niouky and Khano Smith alone I see about $100,000 ready to cover a good chunk of Steve’s salary.  And yes, I think the fans would take a two-for-one deal on that one. (Note: yes, I realize that some other low-salary players would take up roster space in their place, I'm just making a point).

Question: Over the last few years, what would you say has been your biggest success area related to bringing new players on board, and what has been the area that has troubled the team the most?

Why I ask: Most fans see the Revolution as having had great success in the MLS draft, but mediocre value from its (often much more expensive) international signings. This could be based on a limited scouting network outside the US, considered a “fact of life” for bringing in international players, or something else. I’d be curious to learn how management sees it.

—–

Well, there are many more questions that could be asked, but Father’s Day has turned over into a work day, and I best get some sleep.

Thanks again, Revolution, for this offer of submitting questions. My edited list from above will be on your blog shortly.

Tag, you’re it.

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So there’s this little competition called the World Cup going on. And yet, I’m writing about the New England Revolution—a team that’s not actively playing right now.

How could this be?

Well, there are too many pundits talking about the World Cup already, some of which even make sense (some). And something came up about the Revolution that interested me.

The Revolution offered an online question/answer time with Revolution Chief Operating Officer Brian Bilello and VP of Player Personnel Michael Burns.

Being a cynic, I might call this damage control for an increasingly disinterested or frustrated fan base. But given the floodgates that will likely open on them, it is indeed a generous offer.

The offer is appreciated, and I know many fans hope the answers are more than a simple  “you don’t get it,” “we tried that before,” and the ones that nearly say, “hey, this is really hard, you know.”  

Yes, we know.

But first, here’s what I’d really like to know, and this round—at least—I humbly send to Mr. Bilello. I’ll skip the Soccer Specific Stadium questions, since that just hurts my head.

Question: Do the New England Revolution have a “mission statement” from an overall perspective (not specifically on the field)?

Why I ask: Sometimes, the fans could use a sense of what you are trying to accomplish. Here are few couple examples of what those mission statements might be.

- Create the USA’s most respected professional soccer club in terms of results, fan energy and involvement, youth development, and management operations.

- Create a respectable MLS club that allows us to maximize our assets, like Gillette Stadium and business-operations staff in the NFL offseason.

Without stating that a driving mission like the first one exists, many fans will continue to believe it is the latter.

Question: Do you have more roles for the Kraft organization than C.O.O. of the Revolution? If so, could you say what they are?

Why I ask: There’s been much speculation, even within the comments section of this here blog, about how many jobs you currently hold for the Kraft organization. The presumption here, it goes without saying, is that perhaps the Revolution isn’t your main focus. This is quite possibly an unfair accusation, so please shoot it down if possible.

I tried to get the information from LinkedIn, but that had me confused, as it suggested you were: “COO New England Revolution, Director of Strategic Initatives [SIC], and Retail Operations New England Patriots” and also had “COO/Director of Strategic and Business Processes at NE Revolution/NE Patriots” as current.

Question: Relative to your role for the New England Revolution, what does your direct management measure to determine your success? Additionally (or alternatively), do most of the front office staff work for you and how are you judging their success?

Why I ask: Frankly, given the plummeting energy level of the fan-base and attendance, the poor on-field record, the scary health record of the team, and an inconsistent web/digital strategy, I would imagine some pretty tough staff meetings. Or let me rephrase, I would HOPE there are some pretty tough staff meetings.

Question: How many of the Revolution “business-side” employees are actually dedicated to the Revolution, and not shared with other parts of the Kraft business? I’d also be curious as to how many speak Spanish or Portuguese.

Why I ask: Frankly, it doesn’t seem like there are many soccer-loving, full-time, dedicated people driving this bus, all the way down to the interns working at events that claim they work for the Patriots. Half-hearted work brings results in line with the input.

Question: From a marketing perspective, what would you say has been your biggest success this year? What creative efforts have you attempted that maybe fans are not aware of? Anything at local colleges? Anything during the “special” matches?

Why I ask: I’ll offer that Jeff Lemieux ’s work and the Revolution Blog are probably the two items that most stand out as valued. Beyond that, local awareness seems to be at record low.

We are in the middle of a recession and I still don’t think a casual fan knows there’s free parking (“Best Value in New England Sports” might help). Family packs are a decent start, but here’s a crazy idea. Kids get in free. Maybe after the second kid, the rest in one family gets in free?  

Let’s face it, there are an atrocious amount of empty seats at the stadium, and you still can recoup money (or vendors can) via concessions. It would certainly help expose the game to new fans (“Sure little Tommy, you can bring a friend…”).

At the recent Benfica and Cruzeiro matches, there were (I believe) about 14,000 and 12,000 fans in attendance, respectively—most of whom did not appear to be Revolution regulars. 

Despite what should be seen as disappointing attendance to both games, the atmosphere in cavernous Gillette Stadium was much more electric than during a regular MLS match.  

Getting more of those fans back in the stadium—even at some sort of cut-rate price—would go a long way in solving the library like atmosphere of most matches. Maybe a Brazilian night?  Something.

—–

Well, on the note of dragging fans into Gillette by any means necessary, I’ll stop.

Sitting here on Father’s Day, I’d like to also address some thoughts to Mr. Burns, especially regarding what kind of soccer those fans will get to see and the personnel choices the team makes.

But much like watching the Revs this year, it’s a tough schedule. And success is certainly not guaranteed.

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(Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography, Copright 2010, All Rights Reserved)

Facing off in 90 degree temperature at 8:00 pm CDT, the Houston Dynamo took the field against CD Aguila in the Second Annual Dynamo Charities Cup.

The Dynamo did not waste time getting on the scoreboard as forward Joseph Ngwenya took a pass from midfielder Juan Manuel Quevedo in front of the net to make the score 1-0 at the eighth minute.

They came back in the 28th minute to make the score to 2-0 on a pass from Francisco Navas Cobo to fellow midfielder Corey Ashe.

At the end of the first half, the Dynamo held onto its 2-0 score as they headed to the locker room.

In the first half, Aguila were held to 5 shots on goal with goalkeeper Miguel Montes having 3 saves.

The Dynamo took 11 shots on goal with goalkeeper Tally Hall tallying 3 saves.

In the second half, the Dynamo came out just as they had in the first half, with midfielder Juan Manuel Quevedo drilling a shot from the top of the box in the 50th minute, which was brilliantly deflected by Apulia’s Montes.

Aguila came back on a left side approach on the Dynamo goal with forward Nelson Reyes shooting from about five meters out. Hall again found the ball to keep it out of the goal and Aguila off the scoreboard.

The Dynamo kept up the attack when forward Dominic Oduro headed for the goal, took a pass from midfielder Brad Davis, and drove the ball into the goal to make the score 3-0 at the 67th minute. He was also assisted by Ashe.

Aguila attempted to shut down the Dynamo offense, but looked sluggish and was unable to stop the Orangemen’s onslaught of the goal.

Houston came back in the 74th minute when forward Luis Angel Landin took a well-placed pass from midfielder Sammy Appiah to take the score to 4-0.

Agulia continued to attack on offense, but were unable to find the goal.

The Dynamo won their second annual Charities Cup, while earning needed fund for local charities and those who are affected by the Gulf Oil Spill.

The Dynamo will next take the field on June 26 for a home match against the Colorado Rapids.

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Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy head north to BMO Field in Toronto to take on Toronto FC in a bid to further extend their lead in Major League Soccer.

The Galaxy (10-1-2, 32 points) settled for a scoreless draw with Toronto (5-4-2, 17 points) on May 15 at the Home Depot Center.

The match potentially sees Dema Kovalenko's return to the line-up. "It's nice to be back with the team again," Kovalenko said during training. "Any way I can get back and play, I'm just happy to be back.

"Whenever I come back, wherever Bruce uses me, I'm going to fight and compete like I always do. I'm going to try and get my spot, but the guys are doing well and we're winning.

"I just have to wait for my chance and I understand that. If I have to come off the bench and help the guys, that's fine, too. I don't like it, and Bruce knows that. I've missed a long time, and however they use me, I'll accept it. It's not a problem."

It seems very likely that not a lot of changes will need to be made to a side that currently holds the best record in MLS.

Toronto FC's Dwayne De Rosario leads Toronto FC with eight goals and three assists in 10 appearances but was held scoreless in their May meeting with the Galaxy.

Defender Nana Attakora is an imposing presence on the back line and will be a key player to watch. On the attack, Chad Barrett is dangerous, with four goals to his credit so far this season.

Stefan Frei had made 45 saves so far for TFC and has a 1.27 goals against average. His counterpart, Donovan Ricketts, has made 33 saves with a 0.33 GAA.

The Galaxy scoring attack is a little bit more diversified. Jovan Kirovski has scored three this campaign and Tristan Bowen two. Eight other players have scored at least one goal this season for Los Angeles.

Omar Gonzalez will not be in the lineup this week due to a suspension, so expect Sean Franklin to play a more important role for the G's against the Reds at BMO Field.

This match will cap off a slate of 10-11 matches in 43 days. I see the Galaxy starting this match on the right track with a win. They need this, after suffering a hiccup against Real Salt Lake.

Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel.

The Summer Gauntlet Begineth

Three days after the Toronto FC match, the Galaxy face either AC St. Louis or the NSC Minnesota Stars of the USSF D2 Pro League in the U.S. Open Cup Third Round. On July 4, the Galaxy will face off against the Seattle Sounders, followed by an Open Cup quarterfinal on July 6 or 7 if they advance.

It's then back to league action on July 10 against New England, July 18 against DC United and July 22 against San Jose, followed by a July 27 home tie with the Puerto Rico Islanders at the Home Depot Center during the CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round.

For the month of August, there is a home contest with Chicago on Aug. 1, the away leg with the Islanders on Aug. 4, and the friendly with UEFA Champions League winners Inter Milan on Aug. 7.

Simply put...this is why you play the games.


A break for "Me Mum" and the Big Cat from Montego Bay

Midfielder Chris Birchall and goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts took advantage of the break to watch a little bit of the World Cup with friends and family back in Stafford, England and Montego Bay, Jamaica, respectively.

"I did a bit of work back home, so I didn't have the entire break off," Birchall clarified. "It was tough today, but it's always tough the first day back. You're trying to get your legs back from a long flight. I'm refreshed and thankful for the break.”

"For me, a break is always good," Ricketts said with a grin. "The middle, start, the end...I don't care. I'm always happy for a break."

And these two will need all the break time they can get. Once the summer gauntlet starts, rest will become a luxury, rather than a commodity.


Youth Academy Update

After an unimpressive outing against Chivas USA to begin their Super-20 League Campaign, the LA Galaxy Youth Academy Under-20's rebounded for three straight victories.

On Friday, June 11, the Galaxy trounced SUSA-Everton 3-0 before annihilating the Lancaster Rattlers 6-0 on Saturday, June 12. The latter came a day before the Rattlers' humiliating 15-0 annihilation by Chivas USA.

On Saturday, June 19, the Galaxy continued their run with a match over the Southern California Seahorses. A result of that match will be posted in the next installation of INS AND OUTS.

The Galaxy U-20s will next face the Poway Vaqueros at the Home Depot Center on June 24. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. PT.

The Galaxy Under-18s get to play some more as well, with the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoffs at the Bryan Park Soccer Complex in Browns Summit, North Carolina.

On Saturday, June 26, they take on FC Greater Boston at 12 p.m. ET. On Sunday, June 27, they face the Clearwater Chargers at 5 p.m. ET. And on Tuesday, the Galaxy U-18s clash with FC Dallas's U-18s at 11 a.m. ET.


On Koman Coulibaly's Komeuppance from FIFA

Koman Coulibaly, without a question, took victory away from the USA in their 2-2 draw with Slovenia. If this proved to jeopardize their chances in making the field of 16, he will be their scapegoat.

"If he is found to have made a serious mistake, especially one that affected the outcome, then he would be highly unlikely to play any further part in the tournament," a source is said to have told Yahoo Sports. "FIFA is determined to keep refereeing standards high and does not want high-profile mistakes."

In this case, it backfired. Big time.

“We’re all accustomed to the fact that if it’s an NFL playoff game, and there’s a call in question, there will be a statement by the league from the referees,” US national team manager Bob Bradley said on Saturday regarding the match. “But FIFA operates differently. Soccer is a different game.

“I think there are some aspects of it that are not made 100 percent clear that seems to add to the discussion about the game.

"From our end, we get used to that.”

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This is Part 18 in a series of articles on the players that make up the 2010 Los Angeles Galaxy.


Alan "Flash" Gordon is a local product made for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

A native of nearby Long Beach, California (which, coincidentally, is where the author also calls home), Gordon has appeared 92 times for the G's (as of May 5, 2010) playing the forward position.

Standing at a tall 1.91 meters, Gordon's imposing presence up front has been crucial in the clutch many times for the blue and gold of LA, culminating in an MLS Cup in 2005. Gordon will now look to add a second championship to his winning resume.

Alan Gordon was born on born October 16, 1981 in Long Beach. The 36th-largest city in the USA and fifth-largest in California, Long Beach is home to the Port of Long Beach, one of the world's largest shipping ports. It is home to a burgeoning oil industry and corporations such as Epson America, Molina Healthcare, and SCAN Health Plan.

Attractions in the International City include the Queen Mary, Cal State Long Beach's iconic Walter Pyramid, the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Pike, Shoreline Village, Belmont Shore, and Bixby Knolls.

Long Beach also has a rich sporting tradition. The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is part of the Indy Racing League and is a significant revenue generator for the city. Belmont Shore Rugby Football Club are a dominating force in USA Rugby's Super League.

A high school sports powerhouse, Long Beach's major high school sports programs include Millikan, Wilson, and the most famous of all, Long Beach Polytechnic. And to top it all off, there is Long Beach State and its athletics programs, as well as the teams from Long Beach City College.

And speaking of community colleges...just like striking sensation and U.S. National Team member Edson Buddle, Gordon's career passed through the junior college ranks.

During and 2000 and 2001 seasons, Gordon scored 39 goals for the Roughriders of Yavapai College, a small community college of under 4,000 in Prescott, Arizona.

He would go on to transfer to Oregon State, where he scored 26 goals and seven assists in 40 games with the Beavers.

Gordon's 15 goals in 2002 were the second most in school history, while his 11 in 2003 stand as the fourth most in a single season. For his efforts, he went on to earn All-Pac-10 first team honors during his time at OSU.

After graduating, Gordon was drafted 53rd overall by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. However, he would not be an instant splash in LA just yet, as he was loaned off to the Portland Timbers that year.

During his time with the Timbers, Gordon scored 17 goals in 32 appearances. He was named Rookie of the Year in the USL A-League (now USL First Division), and was a finalist for league MVP.

Gordon proved to be a player with potential, and after the 2004 league season, he was loaned back to the Galaxy.

The 2005 campaign saw Gordon hampered by a groin injury early on, but he did earn time playing with the reserve side. He would eventually start the last two games that season for then-manager Steve Sampson en route to Los Angeles's second MLS Cup.

During the 2006 season, Gordon helped contribute to the Galaxy's late season run. At the 2006 U.S. Open Cup, he tallied three goals in four appearances, including one in their Final defeat to the Chicago Fire, and added another four during the MLS regular season.

Like the 2005 season, the 2007 campaign was hindered early by injuries. This time it was preseason foot surgery that kept Gordon out until July. Nonetheless, he started 11 of his 14 appearances, scoring three goals.

Gordon's scoring touch proved to be crucial to the Galaxy's success in the 2007 SuperLiga, scoring three goals during that tournament to finish in a tie for second place.

The 2008 campaign was a landmark year for Alan Gordon. In 26 appearances, Gordon scored five goals and added seven assists to go with induction to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Soccer Hall of Fame.

During the 2009 season, Gordon achieved another personal milestone: scoring a goal against 2009-10 UEFA Champions League winners Inter Milan on July 19. "This is something I can take to my grave," Gordon said after the match.

What Gordon can also take to the grave is the fact that he became the 14th player in Galaxy history to score 15 goals for Los Angeles. He did so on June 6, in the fifth minute against Toronto FC, which also was the first-ever victory for the G's at BMO Field.

So far in his 92 appearances, Flash Gordon has struck like lightning with 16 goals. And the No. 21 will look to add more scoring electricity and power to the Los Angeles Galaxy's cup runs in 2010.

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The Seattle Sounders entered Major League Soccer as an expansion team in 2009. Since then, they have arguably become the most successful expansion franchise in the history of pro-sport.

The reason for the Sounders success is simple.

Their die-hard fans.

"It is a fan driven sport," said Gary Wright, Sounders senior vice president of business operations.

"The crowd is absolutely electric and people walk away and say, ‘wow that was a great time,' no matter what the score is."

The Sounders draw in more than 30,000 fans to Qwest Field every game. The team even has its own marching band, The Sound Wave.

Before every home game, fans excitedly gather for "The March to the Match." Fans follow The Sound Wave to Qwest from Occidental Park, while cheering for their team.

"I really believe the Pacific Northwest has a tremendous soccer heritage, and soccer fans, and it's not just in Seattle. It's Vancouver. It's Portland," said Wright.

Wright believes Vancouver can learn from Seattle, and use its fan base to catapult the Whitecaps into MLS stardom.

And Sounders players agree.

"The Pacific Northwest is the ideal place for soccer and I think that the success that they've had in Seattle is going to be emulated in these other organizations," said Sounders defender Taylor Graham.

"They've done everything first class from the very first day to today and that's shown in the loyalty of the fans and shown in the organization's loyalty back to them."

The Whitecaps, no doubt, have an enormous opportunity to make Vancouver a soccer city and create the fan environment that other MLS organizations have enjoyed.

Vancouver soccer fans, hopefully, won't need to travel to Seattle to experience an overwhelming fan vibe.

The Whitecaps will join MLS next spring, and the organization has already seen tremendous support with season ticket deposits.

Only time will tell if Vancouver can give Seattle a run for its money by putting fans in the stands.

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We were fortunate to talk with David Vaudreuil, a two-time MLS champ with DC United, former executive board member for the MLS Players Association, and former coach.

We discussed recent events in the World Cup, including his opinion of which teams have the best chance to win, vuvuzelas, and the impact of the new ball.

We also talked about Mexico's team and the US Team. We discussed the future of soccer in the U.S.A, and whether our premier athletes like Lebron James or Adrian Peterson would have been good soccer players. We also talked about the growth of the MLS and how increases in salaries will lead to more athletes playing soccer.

Thanks to Dave for joining us and providing his valuable insight.

You can download the podcast by right-clicking and selecting "Save As..."

or Click HERE to Listen

Used with permission from "The Sports Piece " presented by Global Data Finder.

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This is Part 17 in a series of players that make up the 2010 Los Angeles Galaxy.

When it comes to finding a role model for America's young soccer talent to follow, you have to consider Chris Klein as a shining example.

An accomplished veteran of Major League Soccer for more than a decade, a man of deep faith and an avid coach of the game, Klein overcame injury—not once, but twice—to cement his place as one of MLS's resilient midfielders.

Standing at a tall 1.85 meters, the No. 7's presence and ability will prove vital to the Los Angeles Galaxy's chances of lifting their third MLS Cup.

Chris Klein was born on January 4, 1976 in St. Louis, Missouri. Known for its Gateway Arch, the 1904 World's Fair and Olympic Games as well as culinary institutions like Provel cheese, St. Louis has a rich soccer tradition.

The Saint Louis University Billikens men's soccer program earned national championships in 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1972 and 1973.

St. Louis Athletica spent more than a season in Women's Professional Soccer, and featured stars such as Eniola Aluko and Hope Solo.

A.C. St. Louis, a new team making their mark in the Gateway City, currently compete in the USSF D2 Pro League and will compete in the revived North American Soccer League next season.

Klein began his career with the Spartans of DeSmet Jesuit High School in nearby Creve Coeur. After he graduated, he played for the Indiana University Hoosiers, scoring 11 goals and 11 assists in 88 appearances for Jerry Yeagley's club.

Klein also led the Hoosiers to a College Cup Finals apperance in 1994 where they lost to the University of Virginia Cavaliers, coached by rising managerial star named Bruce Arena, who would go on to coach DC United, the USA National Team, and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

In 1998, Klein was selected as the fourth-overall pick by the Kansas City Wizards in the 1998 MLS College Draft. It was a difficult rookie year for Klein, as he only managed eight starts.

Slowly but surely, the minutes began to come. In 1999, Chris Klein became a fixture in the midfield with his superior ballhandling ability and dispossessing prowess. Klein scored his first goal on May 8, 1999 in a 2-1 victory over the Galaxy and would record six goals and five assists in 24 games for KC.

But the success really began to bear fruit for Klein in the 2000 season.

With DC United going through a transitional year, Kansas City seized the opportunity and earned their first-ever MLS Cup. Klein played a huge role in the Wizards' successful campaign, notching six goals and eight assists in 26 appearances.

Klein continued his consistent form in 2001 but had to recover from knee surgery. He would go on to earn his first Comeback Player of the Year Award, chalking up seven goals and five assists in 25 appearances in the 2002 MLS season.

Once again, Klein's consistent form was rewarded with six goals and four assists to finish third on the Wizards in scoring during the 2003 campaign. However, in 2004, Klein suffered a torn ACL was ruled out for the remainder of the season.

For many athletes, a torn ACL have cut their careers short. Not Chris Klein.

Drawing inspiration and perseverance from his religious upbringing (he is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes), Klein stormed back to be named a MLS All-Star for the fourth straight year in 2005. He went on to win his second Comeback Player of the Year award, finishing with nine assists, a career high.

Klein's 200th match donning the Wizards strip during a October 15th contest against FC Dallas was also his last match for Kansas City, as he was acquired by Real Salt Lake.

During the 2006 season, Klein tied his career high of seven goals, adding eight assists in 32 starts for RSL. But his time in Utah would be fleeting, since the 2007 season would see him traded to the blue and gold of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Klein started all five SuperLiga contests for the G's and scored a noteworthy overhead kick against CF Pachuca in the final. It was a sign of things to come.

In the 2008 season, Klein set a new MLS record with his 94th consecutive game started, a May 24th match with his old club, the Kansas City Wizards. An ironman of resilient form, Klein started all 30 matches for LA, with the streak of consecutive starts increased to 115 games.

That streak would be halted at 118, but Klein would move into third place in most career games played in MLS with 322 while playing in 141 consecutive league matches. During the 2009 MLS Cup, he converted his attempt in the penalty shootout against Real Salt Lake.

As a member of the US Men's National Team, Klein has scored five goals in 25 appearances. Aside from playing the game, Chris Klein coaches the game. He is an assistant coach of Tamiko Davila's Newport Mesa Soccer Club, a park of the West Ham United International Academy.

A remarkable footballer with exceptional perseverance. The Captain Comeback of the Los Angeles Galaxy... that is none other than No. 7, Chris Klein.

And in 2010, the comeback kid will look to launch the Galaxy's return to the MLS Cup with the same intangibles that got him to where he is today.

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