We can't imagine Fredy Montero will be left exposed, who will join him in the protected list? (Getty Images)

Only a couple more clubs left to preview here for the expansion draft. Now we turn our attention to a previous expansion club, one that has set the standard for all expansion clubs to come, the Seattle Sounders FC.

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This may seem like an odd departure during the Playoffs, but if the team does it why shouldn't we. Coach Schmid found a way to get his Reserves and Subs more playing time by getting together with the Seattle Wolves. He did this even while his senior side is smarting from the nil-nil [...] Click to continue reading...

This may seem like an odd departure during the Playoffs, but if the team does it why shouldn't we. Coach Schmid found a way to get his Reserves and Subs more playing time by getting together with the Seattle Wolves. He did this even while his senior side is smarting from the nil-nil draw.

Coach on why they played a Reserve match today

"It was important for the guys who haven't been playing as much to get a solid 60 [minutes] in.

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New England represents so many of the problems with MLS 1.0. They are treated like step-brother by their NFL partners, a minor tenant in a stadium that should be beautiful. This game though will feature a team that on the pitch has scraped together through adversity and managed to teeter on the edge [. Click to continue reading...

Sigi Schmid has created a tremendous culture within the Seattle Sounders FC, and his players buy into what he is preaching.
A great example of this is Brad Evans - after returning from a stint with the US National team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, he found himself out of the lineup after Peter Vagenas had stepped into his role. Click to continue reading...

Sacha Kljestan did the impossible over the weekend. He got me to cheer for Chivas USA making the playoffs. Hell, I hope they win MLS Cup now.
Wait! I can explain!
Sorry, another Rocky Horror reference. I should stop that.
In the rapid-fire interview FSC does, "Six Impossible Questions Before Halftime," Sacha Kljestan was asked, "What would you do if you were commissioner for a day? Click to continue reading...

Desde el XBOX Pitch at Qwest Field, Seattle, WA. -12:00: Estas son las alineaciones: Los Sounders FC: Kasey KELLER(c)-James RILEY, Jhon Kennedy HURTADO, Tyrone MARSHALL, Leo GONZÁLEZ, Sebastien LE TOUX, Osvaldo ALONSO, Peter VAGENAS, Steve ZAKUANI- Fredy MONTERO, LJUNGBERG.CD Chivas USA: Zach THORNTON-Marcelo SARAGOSA, Jonathan BORNSTEIN, Yamith CUESTA, Ante JAZIC- Jesús PADILLA, Michael LAHOUD, Paulo NAGAMURA(c), [. Click to continue reading...

Seattle Sounders burst in through the saloon doors in March, chewing lazily on tobacco as they stood proud in front of the regulars and declared their intention to take Major League Soccer by storm.

The old boys weren't pleased, but had to respect the Sounders' testicular fortitude. Columbus Crew scowled from a bar stool with MLS Cup perched on the counter.

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DC United proudly display the word "tradition" on their back collars. There isn't another MLS club that could do so. They have earned it. There was an idea that they carry 12 trophies means that they deserve the 13th and that expansion franchises will never deserve respect propagated on the net, somewhat [. Click to continue reading...

Seattle is teetering now on the brink. As of this writing both DC and Salt Lake are winning as away teams and earning points that will change the outlook of the playoffs. Sure, this technically wasn't a must win, but there are now only 6 points available at home. This was as important a [...] Click to continue reading...

David Beckham is back in MLS and in only a few weeks is fully engaged in every commotion related to soccer in the United States. Expansion team ownership, international competition, player contracts, ticket sales, refereeing, MLS Cup, and fan confrontations are now all Beckham-related and bear his mark.

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So FSC showed the Freedom-Sky Blue game after all, if a couple of days late. I'm just happy some of the other local sports Foxes, like Fox Sports Chocolate City* and Fox Sports Fuhgeddaboutit.
Very well-played game, which makes a grand total of one for the Skys all year. And right on schedule comes the phrase that makes me swear never to cheer for an underdog ever again. Click to continue reading...

Coconut goes over the top David Beckham was red-carded in LA Galaxy's defeat to Seattle Sounders on Saturday. The ex-England captain was sent-off in the 17th minute for a studs up challenge on Peter Vagenas. Becks overstretched after letting the ball out of his control. It was a bad tackle, just not as bad as the mute-me-now-please [. Click to continue reading...

David Beckham's studs up tackle on Peter Vagenas was not particularly intelligent but we have seen him having these behavioural paroxysms before. It was boneheaded knowing that the attack was strapped without Landon Donovan making him even more indispensable.

The incident took place in the 16th minute leaving the Galaxy without his services for the majority of the game.

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David Beckham was shown a straight red in the LA Galaxy's 2-0 loss to Seattle on Saturday for planting his studs in midfielder Peter Vagenas's ankle. Said Davey:

"Pete is one of my best friends," he told the club's official website. "I think it's a hard tackle but not with means for a red card.

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David Beckham's MLS career took another turn for the worse last Saturday when he was sent off against Seattle Sounders. The former England captain was shown a straight red for a tackle of Peter VAGENAS in the 17th minute of the match. Beckham left the pitch as fans booed, and to make matters worse, Galaxy [. Click to continue reading...

Surely, MLS is now entering a new era.
David Beckham was shown a straight red last night by Ricardo Salazar at the Home Depot Center as the Los Angeles Galaxy lost 2-0 to Seattle Sounders FC. Becks flew in studs up on former Galaxy teammate Peter Vagenas and Salazar very quickly pulled out his red card. Click to continue reading...

David Beckham's time at the Los Angeles Galaxy continues to grow sour as he was sent off for the first time in MLS in Saturday night's 2-0 defeat to Seattle Sounders FC.

Beckham was given a direct red card by referee Ricardo Salazar following his challenge on a 50-50 ball by Seattle and former Galaxy midfielder Peter Vagenas.

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Everyone seemed shocked to see the invincible David Beckham thrown off of the team during a match against the Seattle Sounders last night. Beckham slid into Sounders midfielder Peter Vagenas while trying to reach the ball. He apparently hooked his right ankle onto Vagenas who inadvertently bringing him down to the ground.

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A month ago, the marketing folks at Crown Books sent me a preview copy of The Beckham Experiment, Grant Wahl's inside look at David Beckham's Big US Adventure. I'd like to think this is because Grant has me on speed dial and we spend a lot of time dishing about sport celebs, but Grant's so busy never returns my calls.

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Everyone in American soccer has been talking about Grant Wahl's book, "The Beckham Experiment" and everything involved with it. I was given the chance a few weeks ago to get a copy of the book and review it. With the game against David Beckham and the Galaxy coming up I figured it was the perfect time to get my review of the book out. Click to continue reading...

I enjoyed it, and I suspect any hardcore MLS fan would as well. All the biggest revelations have already been publicized, but there's plenty of interesting anecdotes and many details about the LA Galaxy power players. Those details are the reason to read this book (such as how Alexi Lalas vetoed a proposed Peter Vagenas for Kyle Beckerman trade), as everyone who follows American soccer already knows how the story goes. Click to continue reading...

This will be a game where both teams strive for a full three points for the first time in weeks. Chivas hasn't won since May 9th (only three matches for two points) and Seattle doesn't have a win in league play since April 25th (five matches for five points). Both teams will be down a [...] Click to continue reading...

This preview and statistical guide comes courtesy of MLSR partner Seattle's Prost Amerka Soccer.�
The preview is an excerpt � -� � Read the full preview at Prost Amerika Soccer.

Sounders return to the site of their worst result of the season. Their sole two goal defeat came at the Home Depot Centre on April 18th where an own goal contributed to a lacklustre Seattle defeat.

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Though there's one motor gone We can still carry on Comin' in on a wing and a prayer That's not a Bon Jovi reference, but a WW II song. Ok, really its a mixed metaphor for both. In this case Sounders FC is doing some things very well, but in other areas they struggle. That's where [...] Click to continue reading...

It looks like Seattle's USL keeper may start against CD Chivas USA tomorrow in the wake of the sending off of Kasey Keller.
Courtesy of excellent Seattle soccer blog, Prost Amerika Soccer:

In a statement made to the press at training, Sigi Schmid indicated that Chris Eylander has emerged as clear favourite to deputise for Kasey Keller tomorrow.

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Chivas USA will host Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday for the first time, which means the club will go against some former Galaxy figures, including one player who harbors no positive feelings about Chivas USA.
Actually, against their fans.
Here's what Peter Vagenas told MLSnet.com about the possibility of playing in Saturday's game against Chivas USA. Click to continue reading...

Admit it. You wrote off the Los Angeles Galaxy, didn't you?

Bruce Arena took over too late to fix the problems this season, you figured. David Beckham is worn down from too much travel, and Landon Donovan can't do it alone. You're not even sure who's playing in goal for the Galaxy now -- the young prospect is hurt, the guy with the big hair didn't look so hot, and they just called up this guy from the USL.

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Landon Donovan had a hat trick and an assist to lead the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 5-2 victory over D.C. United on Saturday night. Donovan, who`s the Major League Soccer top scorer with 19 goals, recorded the second three-goal game of the season and his career.
Alan Gordon and Peter Vagenas each added a goal. Click to continue reading...

Winless for more than three months and in dire need of maximum points to avoid falling out of the playoff race altogether, the Los Angeles Galaxy cruised to a 5-2 victory over D.C. United on Saturday night - capped by a Landon Donovan hattrick - and instantly vaulted themselves back into postseason contention. Click to continue reading...

The Galaxy looked sharper than they had in weeks last Saturday against the Revolution, which bodes well for the run they will have to make in order to get into the playoffs. However, this Saturday MLS has, in its infinite wisdom, decided to schedule league matches concurrently with a FIFA World Cup qualifier date.

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I just watched the game via the archived stream on MLSNet. This team looks completely different from the team that lost to Chicago just a week earlier. At home.

Probably because it basically is a completely different team when you put in Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Eddie Lewis all at the same time.

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Or at least they are tied with the 2006 team as the worst ever.

By running their winless streak to 10 games with a 2-2 tie Saturday against the New England Revolution, the Galaxy tied the mark for the longest winless stretch in club history, first set in 2006 when the Galaxy went 0-8-2 from May 6 until June 24.

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Galaxy midfielder Peter Vagenas pulled quite a stunt after last night's game, when he took the SuperClasico Trophy and walked directly to the Chivas fans and held the trophy aloft.

Vagenas was asked if he meant to ``stick it'' to the fans?

``Yeah, I did,'' he said. ``The bravado needs to get back on this team.

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A quick scan of the stories in local papers regarding the Clasico reveals that not a lot of local papers have their own stories on the game.
There are some good stories out there, though. Here's a short, short list of them.
Grahame Jones of the LA Times talks about the team's identity shift and talks to Peter Vagenas about identity issues and such. Click to continue reading...