Seattle Sounders (4-3-5) vs. San Jose Earthquakes (2-7-3). Last match-up 4/25/09, 2-0 victory for the Sounders.

I've been vacillating for weeks now between disappointment and hope. Hindsight is 20/20, so now that I've fully recovered from last Saturday's loss against Chivas, here—before I get to this Saturday's match up with San Jose—are some thoughts that got drowned out by frustration-fueled alcohol consumption:

First: judging from all the clamoring about our underwhelming performance and unwinning steak, it's evident (initial bravado officially discarded) that we're still all new to soccer. In a culture where the dominant sports refuse to tie and a 1-0 score is reserved for the dullest of baseball games, let's not forget that we're talking about a soccer team here. A new. Soccer team.

Last year's champions, Columbus, were 17-7-6; the runners-up, NY Red Bulls, who squeezed into the playoffs as the wild card, were 10-11-9. If you peruse the standings of other soccer leagues around the world, you'll find there are few teams with clean sheets. Furthermore, soccer is a finicky game with all sorts of quirks, like last week's 3-0 drubbing of Eastern champs Chicago by bottom-feeders Dallas. Anything can happen, and often it does. (The NBA is all "Where Amazing Happens." Okay, whatever Kobe/boring, soccer is "Where Anything Happens.")

Second: We weren't supposed to win. As stated in the pre-game analysis, we were going against the current league champs, on their home turf, missing two key players: Marshall and Alonso.  The situation wasn't good to begin with, which segues to my final point:

Third: We played pretty well. It was 1-0, and a close 1-0. We had more shots than them and bested them on possession. The only stat where they trumped us was fouls committed; 19-12. (How ironic we got the red card). We played an excellent game, much better than our first meeting. We'll see them again in September, this time at Qwest.

This Saturday will be different: We'll be back on our home turf, which will be packed with 30K+ wiggling green freaks. Although Jaqua (red card) and Hurtado (suspended for accumulating five yellows) will be missed, Marshall will be anchoring the defense. Another big factor will be Alonso—I don't know if he's healed, but we've missed him on the field and need him back.

Regardless, San Jose was at the bottom of the league when we first met and they haven't budged since. They're trying to shake things up—trading defender Nick Garcia to Toronto in exchange for a third-round pick in the upcoming SuperDraft. And they picked someone up from Houston, but I doubt it will have much impact on Saturday.  All in all, they're not so impressive: No big stars, exciting newcomers, or flamboyant internationals.  Their lone US National player, Bobby Convey, best known as part of the abysmal 2006 World Cup team, was dropped from the roster long ago. 

Even their sponsor—Amway—pisses me off: Infamous Republican corporation that has brainwashed most of my extended family with their blatant pyramid scheme.

If we ever had our deserts served to us on a platter, this is it.  We're furious for a victory and San Jose is like fresh meat bleeding in the water.