Seattle Sounders FC
re: Sébastien Le Toux
12 Seahawks Way
Renton, WA 98056

And David Falk has a nice Le Toux photo gallery up over on Seattle Soccer Examiner. Bittersweet for sure, but Le Toux fans will definitely want to take a look.

Come back tomorrow for another topic. This is not the post for you.

This is the post where we just get to feel sad, and to grieve over the fact that Le Toux’s days in Rave Green are over.

Because the thing about Séba? He was far more than just numbers. He was greater than a tally of his goals.

Séba was the heart of the Seattle Sounders. He was the first guy signed. The one who always had time for the fans. The player who was never too busy to sign autographs. The one who always gave 120%.

One of two players (the other being Roger Levesque) that I did NOT want Philly to take.

Take a look again at this photo, taken by Rod Mar.

This is what I originally said about it, back in March:

I spotted this picture over at Rod Mar’s photo site and just couldn’t look away. In case you can’t see the player buried in the hugs, that’s former USL guy Sébastien Le Toux.

It captures so much of our city’s transition, doesn’t it?

We’re a Major League city now. We have the bigtime professional athletes. But I’m thinking there’s a bit of regret at having to give up what Seattle had — the smallness and the intimacy of USL.

This photo, for me, perfectly captures soccer in transition in Seattle — the move from USL to MLS, the previous closeness of the fans to the athletes, the desire for that not to disappear.

Looking at the photos of the other athletes, post-game, made me think that yes, the other MLS athletes are admired by the fans. But Sébastien, our USL guy, belongs to the fans. Still.

Not sure what feels worse. That he no longer belongs to us, the fans, or that he now belongs to the fans of another team.

Adieu, Séba. Bonne chance et bon courage. N’oublies jamais que nous t’aimons et que tu nous manqueras.

Et toujours, Allez Le Toux!

We lose Sebastien Le Toux. I am crushed. I have nothing else to say.

(Photo: Rod Mar)

Stay tuned.

(Editorial comment: NOOOOO!!!!!)

GOALKEEPER
Kevin Hartman (Kansas City Wizards)

DEFENDERS
Devon McTavish (DC United)
James Riley (Seattle Sounders)
Mike Chabala (Houston Dynamo)
Mike Petke (New York Red Bulls)

MIDFIELDERS
Pat Phelan (New England Revolution)
Ned Grabavoy (Real Salt Lake)
Mehdi Ballouchy (Colorado Rapids)

FORWARDS
Jason Garey (Columbus Crew)
Alan Gordon (Los Angeles Galaxy)

That’s the sound of my maternal area imploding as I see some of my favorite players left off this list of players protected for the expansion draft.

Alonso, Osvaldo
Evans, Brad
Gonzalez, Leo
Hurtado, Jhon Kennedy
Ianni, Patrick
Jaqua, Nate
Keller, Kasey
Ljungberg, Freddie
Marshall, Tyrone
Montero, Fredy
Zakuani, Steve

That leaves the following players unprotected:

Terry Boss
Evan Brown
Chris Eylander
Michael Fucito
Taylor Graham
Stephen King
Sebastien Le Toux
Roger Levesque
Lamar Neagle
Sanna Nyassi
James Riley
Zach Scott
Nathan Sturgis
Peter Vagenas
Tyson Wahl

No Sebastien Le Toux, no James Riley, no Roger Levesque.

Le Toux and Levesque were not unexpected. Riley was, at least to me. It would SUCK to have him claimed in the expansion draft. Again. (This makes me wonder if Adrian and Sigi have their eye on a rightback in the off season.)

I’m a little surprised to see both Marshall and Jaqua on the list. Especially Marshall, given his age and salary. I thought Sigi might protect a younger, cheaper player (like Riley.)

Basically what we’re seeing here is our starting XI, minus Riley and plus Ianni, who WOULD (IMO) have been taken if left unprotected.

So what do you think? Is this your list? Will Philly take anybody? If so, who?

MLS Cup! Tomorrow! In our city! Are you excited?

I am, believe it or not. More than I expected to be. Because it’s not like the Sounders themselves can ever manage to get not one but two articles on the front page of the Seattle Times.

(Sounders are lucky to even make the front page of the Sports section.)

And on the “this is entertaining” front: The Times reported yesterday that The Powers have had a hard time finishing the MLS Cup painting on the Space Needle because of…wait for it…

Rain.

Yes. Rain. In November. Who could possibly have predicted that?

Also, my buddies over at GoSounders have a link up to buy MLS Cup gear. If you’re interested in buying, think about buying through them.

(Warning: It’s all gray. I guess they decided that color this time of year would be a shock to our systems that we might not be able to handle.)

And finally, LA and RSL are fighting for our love. LA did it through an ad. In the Times. Signed by David Beckham (oooh! squeal!) and Landon Donovan (oooh! squeal!) and coach Bruce Arena (wait. who?). RSL did it through seemingly-genuine-sounding quotes in a news article.

First the LA thing, as swiped from Seattle Soccer Examiner, which has a post up on the topic:

And second, the interviews with the RSL guys.

SEATTLE (Reuters) – David Beckham and the L.A Galaxy are hogging the attention for Sunday’s MLS Cup final but opponents Real Salt Lake expect to benefit from a backlash from supporters in Seattle.

The majority of the expected 40,000 fans at the neutral venue will be supporters of local team Seattle Sounders and are unlikely to support the Galaxy against underdogs Salt Lake.

“I don’t think the Sounders (fans) like them at all, I think they are going to be on our side,” Salt Lake midfielder Andy Williams said.

Captain Kyle Beckerman shared that hope and expected a passionate atmosphere in a stadium that has hosted the biggest crowds in the league this season.

“It was amazing the time we came and played the Sounders,” Beckerman said. “It has been great to watch any game they have had on television.

“The fans really support their team well here. It has a real European atmosphere (and) I’m hoping it will be something like that on Sunday. Hopefully all the Sounders fans will get on our side for the game.”

Are you swayed, Sounders fans? Who will you be rooting for?

Wednesday’s goal made me think of another “Hand of God” goal. Which eventually led me back to this video, which has long been one of my favorites. It’s Diego Maradona, a man completely ill-equipped to live a life that does not involved kicking a soccer ball. But when he’s kicking that ball…

Oh, the joy.

For him, and for us.

Oh, look. It’s the U District. And there’s Lake Union. And there’s the Space Neeeeeeee…..AARRGH!!

They have defiled our beloved landmark with the logos of rival teams!!!!!!

They coulda stopped with the MLS Cup Logo, which is cool. But nooooo. They had to take that extra step.

All I have to say about that is:

Pffbblltt!

Full gallery here.