Sigi Schmid's Seattle Sounders FC took the pitch in anger for the first time. While it may only be preseason anger, the number of cards (10 yellow, 1 red) and the puncture wound on Mike Fucito indicate that emotions were high and form was off. While the game ended with both the Vancouver Whitecaps and Sounders netting just one goal apiece, the point of these matches is not to win, but to prepare to win meaningful games.

As the preseason gets into full swing and rosters begin to stabilize, it's time to take a look at the men who pull the strings and have the greatest impact on the team itself. The modern manager is part tactician, ...
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Photo: Nicolae Stoian from 2011

The offseason can be crazy in the business that is soccer and sometimes it can be all too easy to forget that in the end, it's really about the game. If you are looking for some inspiration to help you get your soccer head back on straight, go to the Ritz East tonight to see the Philadelphia premier of Laduma.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

U.S. Soccer released its ballot for the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Tuesday, with 31 former players -- and 12 first-time nominees -- making the final ballot for the Class of 2012.

Among the first-timers are former U.S. goalkeeper Tony Meola and captain Claudio Reyna.

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.

Outside of Fredy Montero getting another long run of 75% or more of available minutes the Seattle Sounders FC have no clear favorite as to which of their remaining three forwards will get the most playing time. The declined options of Nate Jaqua and Pat Noonan do open minutes for the remaining three most used forward.

With today's list of players available in the Re-Entry Draft it is important to note the differences between the two stages. In Stage One a player would be pickup up at their current option value, or a "Bona Fide Offer." Now, not all players on today's list will be available in Monday's draft (Seattle holds pick 14).

Some of this is recounting from Twitterisms some, you just couldn't make up:

Seattle Sounders: B+

Fucito, not cruising anywhere...

Good day to you Sounders fans. Two years ago Sebu Le Toux couldn't quite get on the field for Sigi Schmid's first team. Off he went to the Philly Union in their expansion draft and nearly captured an improbably MLS MVP award (of far from it, but you get the picture.

It isn't that Seattle Sounders FC's defense was poor, in fact is was quite good. The team gave up only 50 goals in all 48 competitive games for a 1.04 Goals Against Average. But there were two chronic issues - a weakness on the counter and probably merely average against set-pieces. Underlying the stopping of the opposition is a desire and recognition at the club to be better playing the ball out of the back.

Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena was named MLS Coach of the Year for the third time, winning the 2011 award after leading the Galaxy to the Supporters Shield as the team with the best record in the MLS regular season. The Galaxy's 19-5-10 record was also the second best record in league history.

Today, MLS announced the Coach of the Year. Unfortunately, Sporting KC coach, Peter Vermes did not win the coach of the year. The award this year went to the coach of the Supporters' Shield winning, LA Galaxy, Bruce Arena. Vermes finished 3rd in the voting behind Arena and Sigi Schmid. A strong season for Vermes taking KC from their 1-6-3 start to the Eastern Conference regular season championship and the conference finals, a job not many coaches in the league could have done.

When discussing the best coach in the history of Major League Soccer the conversation certainly includes Bruce Arena and Sigi Schmid. Today, Arena earned his 3rd Coach of Year award with Schmid being a solid second. All three voting categories had Arena as first, Schmid as second and Peter Vermes as third for the 2011 award.

Brek Shea won my MVP vote. (Getty Images)

I've been holding off on posting my year-end picks for all of the MLS awards until this week. The week of MLS Cup seemed to be as good of a week as any to post this material. With nothing else going on (aside from a US game tomorrow) it just seemed like the right time.

Ives Galarcep writes of why Peter Vermes stands out among an elite list of top coaches in Major League Soccer this season.
While it certainly can't be argued that standout coaches Bruce Arena, Sigi Schmid and Jason Kreis didn't once again show why they are some of the best coaches in MLS, and among the best in league history, but in terms of helping a team reach new heights and helping multiple players enjoy breakout seasons, it's tough to argue with Vermes as the MLS Coach of the Year.

Now that the finalist for the 2011 MLS Awards are out, it's time I share how I voted with everyone. I'm a firm believer in the need for transparency in award voting if for no other reason that if you submit a crazy ballot, you should be accountable for your choices.

We were allowed by MLS to select two choices for each category from a pre-selected list.

Times are not bright. It is cloudy, cold and rain is expected. The Seattle Sounders are down three goals and one of their MVP candidates is out for the game. Real Salt Lake doesn't get blown out with a healthy roster. It is a very Seattle day.

It isn't a very Sounders day though. Three straight US Open Cups, 63 regular season points, three straight MLS Cup Playoffs appearances, success in the CONCACAF Champions League.

• Rebuilt Dynamo bearing fruit for Kinnear [Houston Chronicle]
• SKC and Houston poised to advance [ESPN]
• Dynamo determined to keep all guns blazing [MLS Soccer]
• Dynamo know they must remain aggressive in home match against Union [Houston Chronicle]
• MLS Conference Semifinals: A Look Ahead [Soccer by Ives]
• 'D' capital for Dynamo during unbeaten streak [Houston Chronicle]
• Ching enjoys being part of deep forward corps [MLS Soccer]
• Dynamo assistant Ralston a candidate for Revolution job [Houston Chronicle]
• Academy Roundup - October 30 [Houston Dynamo]

In Other News:

• Sounders FC faces daunting task of winning by four goals [Seattle Times]
• Sigi Schmid Wants To Give Seattle An Epic Tale [Sounder at Heart]
• Donovan says Galaxy 'assuming' Beckham will stay [Sports Illustrated]
• MLS gauging interest in club playing in Baltimore [Washington Post]
• Tributes paid to Doncaster's Billy Sharp after baby tragedy [BBC]

Two leg aggregate series in the MLS Playoffs favor the team with fewer games played. This has become known around MLS media circles as the "Curse of the CCL." But Real Salt Lake shouldn't take any solace in the fact that they've played fewer games. Their First XI has played in 313 more minutes than the likely lineup put forward by the Seattle Sounders.

At some point today, SI.com editors will put the headlines, captions and final graphical flourishes on the lengthy MLS playoff preview I just put together. You may, at this very moment, find yourself trembling in anticipation. Not to worry – you are not alone.

Until that's posted, to keep you sated, here are 15 great things I learned (or knew and thoughtfully re-considered) while putting that bad boy together.

Boyens 53´Autogol (0-1), FERNÁNDEZ 68´(0-2), OCHOA 73´(0-3), Estupinán 83´(1-3). El entrenador del Seattle Sounders FC Sigi SCHMID no solo sorprendió con una fuerte alineación en la cancha del Home Depot Center para enfrentar al Chivas USA en el último partido de la temporada regular de la MLS.

Boyens 53´Autogol (0-1), FERNÁNDEZ 68´(0-2), OCHOA 73´(0-3), Estupinán 83´(1-3). El entrenador del Seattle Sounders FC Sigi SCHMID no solo sorprendió con una fuerte alineación en la cancha del Home Depot Center para enfrentar al Chivas USA en el último partido de la temporada regular de la MLS.

It's a very Pacific Northwest kind of day here in Carson with fog billowing therough the stadium and several hundred Sounders fans in the stands outcheering the home crowd.

Seattle has started pretty much a full strength lineup: Kasey Keller-James Riley, Jeff Parke (who has returned from concussion) Jhon kennedy Hurtado, Leo Gonzalez-Alvaro Fernandez, Brad Evans, Osvaldo Alonso, Mauro Rosales-Mike Fucito, Fredy Montero.

Forwards are meant to score. Sometimes it is that simple. Sure there's so much other stuff that they can do, but in the end they are the scorers. In order for top forwards to accomplish this goal they need space to receive the ball and then space enough to shoot it effectively. In these parts we've called that part of the game tactical awareness.

Here's a little non-Sounders content that piqued my curiosity. Thanks to two consecutive wins by the Vancouver Whitecaps, for the first time in a very long time they're no longer at the bottom of the MLS table. Instead they've leapfrogged the New England Revolution, who are suffering what is probably the worst season in their occasionally proud history.

The Seattle Sounders lost 2-0 this weekend to the Philadelphia Union while missing their three most creative offensive players. The Sounders played a game the average MLS team would be proud of. However, without Fredy Montero, Mauro Rosales and Alvaro Fernandez, the Sounders needed to out work the Union to secure the victory.

Sigi Schmid's side lacked its best three technical and creative force in the game Saturday night. Forced to use the natural central midfielders (Brad Evans and Erik Friberg) at the same time and deploying Pat Noonan as a withdrawn man the Seattle Sounders did not threaten the Philadelphia Union goal as they typically do.

The Seattle Sounders won a thrilling 2-0 victory in last night's U.S. Open Cup as the Sounders have now won three straight Open Cup trophies. Their opponents, the Chicago Fire, failed to become only the third team ever to win ...
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Their Words I find it difficult to work out how a head coach from another club can offer advice to a team that, quite frankly, is so different to theirs. Has he not got enough going on there? He's in four competitions, he has no idea of the circumstances at this club. Colorado coach Gary Smith responds to Seattle's Sigi Schmid.

Peter Nowak may be rooting for the Chicago Fire to get their fifth US Open Cup title (10pm, Fox Soccer), but the rest of the Union might want to pull for Seattle.

"I've been through the scenario where they tried to position it a week after MLS Cup and one year we lost in the final at Columbus, we played the MLS final on a Sunday in New England and we had to play the Open Cup final on a Thursday in Columbus.

Frank Klopas -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
Chicago Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas will be a part of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in a different light this Tuesday when his Fire take on two-time defending champion Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field.
Klopas capped off the Fire's inaugural 1998 MLS season with the game-winning goal during Chicago's Open Cup win over the Columbus Crew.

The two MLS sides with the strongest historical connections to the US Open Cup meet Tuesday night. Both Chicago and Seattle played non-ideal XIs in their weekend matches to prepare for their opportunity to lift the Cup. For the Chicago Fire this is their chance to reawaken the team, to renew their history and claw back into the discussion as a solid team with a bright future.

Simon Kuper, Sigi Schmid and Arlo White

Yeah, that's a kick ass night at Town Hall. Tickets are only 5$ for the 11 October evening event.

Saw this quote from Sigi Schmid in regards to Colorado Rapids manager Gary Smith staying at home this past week for the Rapids CCL trip to Honduras. Can't say I disagree with this either. Even though the Rapids won their game, the head coach should have made the trip. It will be interesting to see if any excuse from Smith finally comes out this weekend.

The Seattle Sounders secured their first hardware of the season this weekend with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps. The highlight of the match was a sublime left-footed strike by Fredy Montero (which is a goal-of-the-week nominee). Make sure to vote as the competition is fierce this week.

On a muggy, warm and cloudy day in Tukwila the main interest at practice was Mr Alan Hinton. With the game against the Vancouver Whitecaps he, Brian Schmetzer and Roger Levesque represent the history across generations and represent the history of this rivalry that is represented by the Cascadia Cup.

Day before game practices tend to have very limited access to players. The team also does not let the media watch but the last 15 minutes or so. Although if you are a legendary player or coach from the original NASL you get to watch. This all makes sense. The number one focus of any team should be winning games.

CS Herediano is one of those strong teams with a poor recent history. They have 21 titles down in Costa Rica, but their last was from the 1992/3 season. Entering this edition of the CONCACAF Champions League by finishing 2nd Leo Gonzalez former club has a case of dualistic forms. In CCL play they haven't won in three matches, with their only points coming from the Preliminary Round drubbing (10-2 aggregate) against Alpha United of Guyana.

Fortune favors the Seattle Sounders as they have the opportunity to put themselves ahead of Real Salt Lake on the first tie breaker with even just a tie. In the last meeting Seattle ended the Utah side's home unbeaten streak, which should be good news when facing a team that is poor on the road (12 points in 11 matches).

Editor's note: I added this to the FP because I thought there were enough big names that it could be pretty fun. - Jeremiah

Thought I would share this email I received from the Sounders about a fundraising event for America SCORES happening Thursday in Ballard. Prize drawings and appearances by Steve Zakuani, Brad Evans, Sigi Schmid, Adrian Hanauer and the USOC trophy.

FERNÁNDEZ 38´(0-1). Derrotar al campeón y con el segundo equipo. Eso fue lo que Los Seattle Sounders vivieron esta noche en el estadio Tecnólogico de la ciudad de Monterrey, México al ganarle a los Rayados 0 1 para adueñarse de la primera posición del grupo D de la Liga de Campeones Concacaf.