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| Good at everything, etc., but mostly defense. |
The post ends with a scale I came up with to measure the long-term success of every team in Major League Soccer. It does some things well (e.g., count trophies/achievements), other things less well (capture recent trends). It's called the Joint Points Scale and you can find a link that explains what it does. I was really stoned when I came up with the scale and wrote the post. Caveat lector. With that...
Thumbnail History
The Seattle Sounders have missed the playoffs just three times since joining MLS in 2009 – and, here, “missing the playoffs” includes falling out at any point before the conference quarterfinals (though they did whiff entirely in 2022) – and their haul of trophies makes them the second-best team of the past decade on the Joy Points Scale*. Only Los Angeles FC tops them over that period (though not all time…wait for it…). That hits closer to home for Timbers fan, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Smart first-season signings laid the foundation for that success: think everything from Jhon Kennedy Hurtado from Colombia, Sebastian Le Toux from the USL, and most important for me (because I obsess over the No. 6/No. 8 area), midfield wrecker Osvaldo Alonso (from one of the many in-tournament defections from a visiting Cuban team). Throw in a smart reclamation or two from the Expansion Draft – all-time utility-player great Brad Evans stood out – add a good first DP (Colombian forward Fredy Montero), put it all under a road-tested, road-approved MLS head coach like Sigi Schmid, and the Sounders had themselves a team. They made the playoffs both from the jump, then season after season, including percolating into the semifinals by their third season (2012; not easy, even even in the multi-DP era) and returning again in 2014. Those “blurps” into the big time followed from more smart signings – e.g., DP winger/midfielder Mauro Rosales and then-USMNT-regular Eddie Johnson in 2012, then USMNT fixture Clint Dempsey and the bustling Nigerian, Obafemi Martins in 2014 – and letting them cook without a care in the world in front of one of the Sounders’ many (insanely) reliable defenses. It was raining trophies from there (hallelujah): the Supporters’ Shield in 2014 (amen), then an MLS Cup in 2016 (amen) and another, better one in 2019 (amen; also, MLS Cup 2016 almost put me off soccer). Whether one starts that run in 2014 or 2016, that makes Seattle MLS’s fourth Shadynasty, after late 1990s DC United, early-to-mid-2000s San Jose/Houston, and the LA Galaxy teams from the first half of 2010s. Beyond the names listed above, Seattle owes that success to having smart succession plans plan for game-winning talent – e.g., just one season separates Morales’ departure from the arrival Nicolas Lodeiro (a better DP, frankly); they only burned one season of riding Dempsey’s aging knees and a mish-mash of attacking half-solutions before calling in Raul Ruidiaz (2018) to boost the next generation of attacking players (e.g., Jordan Morris) and the next round of journeyman (e.g., Will Bruin); Kim Kee-Hee took over the defense after MLS legend/monster Chad Marshall retired (2018?) and Roman Torres couldn’t step onto the field often enough, and Yeimar cane in after him. It even applies at the coaching level - Brian Schmetzer replaced Schmid after 2016 and he’s been there ever since and with very little cause to leave. The Sounders have never really fallen behind, on or off the field. After eight trophies over 16 seasons, one more thing sets them apart: they won MLS’s first, and only, “real” CONCACAF Champions’ title in 2022. (With all the respect in the world to the 1998 DC team and the 2000 LA Galaxy team, I think it took those teams winning for Liga MX to take that tourney seriously again). And, finally, maybe even fittingly, Seattle is just one of three teams to win three straight U.S. Open Cups (the other three: Fall River F.C. 1929-1931; Stix, Baer and Fuller 1933-1934 (does it even count if it’s over two legs? New Bedford Whalers second the "yes" motion); Greek American AA (1967-69). That’s one hell of a tradition to hold up and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I’d like to see them drop it for five, six seasons. Time in the wilderness builds character for both a team and a fanbase.
2025, Briefly
This season counted among the rare post-season “misses” for the Sounders: Minnesota knocked them out of the three-leg first round series (took some doing, but…), which means they didn’t make the quarterfinals, which, in these parts doesn’t count. They still did fine overall – fifth in the West, their best year for scoring since the COVID season (and 2014 before that), and the home record was strong (10-1-6) – but I sensed more unrest, even frustration, than I typically see in stray notes I saw from their fans. Heavy is the head that wears a crown, etc. The road record might have hurt a bit (5-4-6) and, while this was by no means Seattle’s worst defense in recent seasons, it was their worst since their playoff-dodging 2022. People looking for positives can find them: the Sounders got sturdy production from unexpected/second-banana places, e.g., Paul Rothrock (four goals, seven assists, even more energy) and leading goal-scorer, Danny Musovski (14 goals, four assists); moreover, Albert Rusnak had a real one (eleven goals, ten assists) and I didn’t know Cristian Roldan had that many assists (9) in him in a single season. On the disappointment side of the ledger, I can’t imagine Seattle fans are near the moon, never mind over it, on rescuing Jesus Ferreira from Dallas and I'm guessing they're still waiting to see enough of Pedro de la Vega to feel anything about him (just 15 starts and 1,176 minutes total in 2025). Related, Sounders fans looking for a place to put their feelings after 2025 can lay them on the time missed for key players – see Exhibit A, Morris, Jordan (a mere 752 minutes). Oh. Oh, wow. Completely forgot they signed Paul Arriola…a mere 74 minutes….
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| I'd rather have trophies, I'll take this, etc. |
In a word, infuriating. Seattle has been on the wrong side of average for goals allowed just once during their time in MLS…and, even then, they only went a little over and won the (fucking) Shield anyway. Every other season has seen them either under or well under the average for goals allowed and, oh, the peace of mind that must give a fanbase. (And what horror they must feel knowing that the Portland Timbers are their kryptonite; so many lopsided losses.) For all the famous attackers they’ve fielded, nearly all of them listed above, the Sounders have historically slouched closer to average on the attacking side of the game. While they absolutely had their seasons (and, fwiw, the Dempsey/Martins years were better), Seattle’s attack has been average or worse in terms of goals scored since 2015. Defense, with that talented bastard Frei behind it, has been their calling card. As for 2025, call it…mildly atypical, with a stronger than usual attack carrying a softer than usual defense.
Players I Still Like/Additions So Far
Because they haven’t give up so many players (click here, scroll down) – e.g., replacing Jon Bell’s minutes/availability may take some doing (Ryan Sailor?), but they barely knew Danny Leyva (for whom I’m excited) and Joao Paulo missed…surely, not all of it? – and they added at least one player I like (Hassani Dotson; don’t know the rest, not even Petkovic), the Sounders have so far committed to riding the same team into 2026. That’s hardly a curse, especially with the core they have – my short list keepers includes Roldan, Rothrock, Nouhou, Rusnak, Jackson Ragen, Yeimar, and Musovski – so think how far they might go next season if they get a good/full season out of any two of Ferreira, de la Vega or Morris. I can’t emphasize this enough: this team has never really fallen behind.
Historical Success (/Hysterical Failure)
Total Joy Points: 57
How They Earned Them (& *How This Is Calculated, for Reference)
Supporters’ Shield: 2014
MLS Cup: 2016, 2019
MLS Cup Runner-Up: 2017, 2020
MLS Semifinals: 2012, 2014, 2024
MLS Playoffs: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2023
CCL Winner: 2022
CCL Semifinals/Runner-Up: 2013
CCL Quarterfinal: 2012, 2016, 2018
U.S. Open Cup Winner: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014
U.S. Open Cup Runner-Up: 2012
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