When the Alliance Council asked for a larger role in the planning and execution of the End of Year Business Meeting the goal was for a more streamlined event, less repetitive Q&A and an increase in participation overall. On those three goals we probably got 2.5 right. This recap is built from the team's official live blog, my tweets from backstage and my memory of the event.

So if there is one thing I learned last night at the end-of-year Alliance "Business" meeting it is that it apparently takes two years for adidas to scour the globe to look for the most hideous color combinations of highlighter shades to use in our 3rd kits... well, that and the fact that the Sounder training staff doesn't give "happy endings" and Drew Carey likes pain killers (but who doesn't?

Time To Vote For Constitution/Charter Running Out

Click on the title/link above to vote. I've made the case for yes, but I beg you vote.

If you are an Alliance member you may also be interested in the Alliance End of Year Meeting. Speakers include Drew Carey, Joe Roth, Gary Wright and Adrian Hanauer.

Legal documents aren't really a fun look. There's something dry about them that takes away from what they can mean. Words like "whereas" or parentheticals for future reference immediately cause a glassification of eyeballs and headaches in many.

In the case of the vote for ratification of the Alliance Constitution and Sounders FC Alliance Charter maybe some perspective of what the Alliance Council was asking for in the Charter and how I view what it can mean for you as a fan of the team may give you a reason to vote yes to ratify the full documents.

From the earliest moments of the young MLS Seattle Sounders FC franchise the team has spoken of "democracy in sports." The word DEMOCRACY has a power to it. It mobilizes men and women to do things that are previously unheard of. In politics it rears its head often, sometimes to surprising results.

The Sounders had a pretty amazing come from behind victory this weekend against the lowly San Jose Earthquakes. More important than the 2-1 scoreline was the the righteousness of the send-off of team captain and USMNT legend Kasey Keller. The C-link was rocking with over 64,000 fans and you could hear them every time Keller made a save.

By JOSE M. ROMERO

Kasey Keller won't turn 42 years old until next month, but what a gift he was given by his Seatlle Sounders Saturday night.

Make that a few gifts.

On what Washington state government officials proclaimed "Kasey Keller Day" around the state in recognition of the veteran goalkeeper's final regular-season home match as a Sounder, Keller made seven saves and watched from between the pipes as his teammates rallied from a one-goal deficit through 81 minutes for a wild 2-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes at CenturyLink Field.

Tonight at 6pm PT the Seattle Sounders will play DC United, a team which, with a win, would jump back ahead of the Portland Timbers in the wild card standings, knocking our boys back below the playoff cut. This situation puts Timbers fans in an uncomfortable position, one that many of us saw coming but few of us would admit to being prepared for.

Players from Carolina Railhawks and Montreal ImpactThe Price Is Right Host Drew Carey must have felt the pricetag for the Seattle Sounders was close enough without going over, as he partnered up and ponied up to lead that franchise to MLS and beyond. But, would he do the same for an NASL franchise, in other words, are there more big pocket spenders out there ready to take a chance on the NASL?

Forgive me for the interminable stoppage in writing over the last five weeks or so. I've been doing a little thing called climbing to second place in the Western Conference standings. I know, we've played a thousand more games than everyone else - ok, two - but second place, right? Right?

Right.

Something that the Seattle Sounders do has been percolating in the background. It is a thing for which I have been quite involved. Democracy in Sports is part of the core of this organization, but has been a very nebulous term. The Alliance Council is looking to change that. Last Saturday we met with many representatives from ownership, briefly discussed the proposed Constitution, ratified both unanimously and now await the club to vet it legally as well as provide some clear direction as to what exactly we can do.

Immobile and lacking flexibilty. Like TFC's defence.
It's late (eff you Pacific Time Zone... you too Sir Sanford Fleming). We thus forgo the usual pre-amble to instead offer this tome in the style of Seattle poem "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by one K. Cobain.　
Tune into Gol, it's time for Reds
We need a win, let's not pretend
Seattle's hard and self-assured
Let's break a leg, oops - dirty word
　
Total, Total, Total, Total Football
Total, Total, Total
　
Without Zakuani, they're less dangerous
Aron Winter, entertain us
Time for kick-off, Qwest's raucous
Aron Winter, entertain us!

The Seattle Sounders will hand out No. 11 placards prior to Saturday's game against Toronto FC and are asking fans to hold them up at the 11:00 mark as a tribute to Steve Zakuani, who had his leg broken by a Brian Mullan tackle during Friday's game. The idea for the tribute seems to have risen organically as Sounders fans started pushing the plan on Twitter, which eventually got the ear of part owner Drew Carey.

What started as a grassroots idea for a Steve Zakuani tribute has apparently reached the ears of ownership. Drew Carey, one of the team's minority owners, recently made this comment on twitter:

#11 cards for next #Sounders game in honor of Zakuani and his broken leg have been requested.

I'm in Seattle, Washington, for MLS First Kick. I haven't been here since I was 19 to be fair, and wow! The weather is just like I remember ;-) Anyhow, this is just a quickie blog post about my two days so far.

Yesterday I went to the Sounders front office and got the gran tourismo from their Digital Manager, Kenton Olson.