MLS Insider Blog

BY GREG LALAS

Okay, I’ll be the first to admit I wasn’t sure Philadelphia had the makings of another Seattle or Toronto. Those two seemed like flashes of lightning in a bottle, serendipitous moments when a good plan met with a hungry market. Philly always had the first one covered, from the signing of Peter Nowak to the very cool riverside stadium project, but I wasn’t sure about the market. Not that I’m a Philly guy, mind you. It was more based on my experience with the Philadelphian fanaticism for their other sports, particularly, the Eagles. Sure, the Sons of Ben made for a good story, but was there really room for a soccer team?

Evidently, there is more than enough room. In fact, the Union fans are already legion, having sold out the 12,000 season tickets the club offered–and capped–this season. That says more than anything about how Philadelphia has embraced their newest club–they’ve put their money where their heart is. That is, in Chester, PA.

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

It’s been a little over a week since RSL’s surprise victory over LA and already it seems like the off-season doldrums have created a Zach Thornton-sized hole in our once soccer-filled lives. So even though with MLS Cup just barely in our rear view mirror there is no time like the present to start reminiscing. But this is reminiscence with a twist because unless you have an email address that ends in @MLSnet.com you haven’t seen most of what’s in this video.

Shot over 5 days with 9 cameras in countless locations in & around Seattle, Behind the Scenes at MLS Cup 2009 is a 10 minute+ look –which might qualify it as officially being “epic”– at some of the intimate and unseen moments surrounding the dramatic finale of season 14. From the team practices to the private parties it’s all here and it’s all yours. So sit back, dim the lights and have a look at what was. And when you’re done tell a friend because sharing is caring (and by that I mean “I’m invested in this video, help me spread the word”).

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

Outside of Qwest Field the Soccer Celebration is in full effect. There are DJ’s, face painting, autograph sessions, drum circles…basically it’s Glastonbury for futbol fans (but, shockingly, with no rain in sight). With a little under 2 hours to go until kickoff the fans are filling into the grounds and the atmosphere is festive…especially now that the clouds are breaking. Here’s a taste of what’s going on outside the gates.

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

The “Drew & Don Show” just wrapped up here at the 2009 Supporters Summit. Having been to a few of the past iterations of this event as a supporter I have to say that so far this have been the best one so far. And that’s not just because the catering is on fire. The Q&A was not only informative but highly entertaining; even if you aren’t the hardcore fan that spends their Saturdays behind the net you still would have gotten a laugh out of Carey’s quick wit and the commissioner’s charm. If you missed out check MLSnet for archived viewing of one of the most unique events of MLS Cup 2009.

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

A view of Don Garber’s introduction and ovation at the 2009 MLS Cup Supporters Summit. The room was packed & passionate; definitely a “home game” for the Commish.

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

You’ve probably seen photos over the last week or so of the MLS Cup makeover that the Space Needle has received. And even though a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth…at least 2:05 minutes of your time. Here’s a bit of great fly-by footage of the iconic structure adorned with MLS Cup, LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake logos. Seattle is officially “high” on soccer. Get it? “High” on soccer. Funny right? No? Aw what do you guys know.

The Philip F. Anschutz trophy arrived in Seattle via ferry this morning escorted by the familiar hand of Seattle Sounders coach Sigi Schmid. Head over to the Sounders FC blog at The Seattle Times for a few more shots of Sigi’s reunion with the prize he won yast year with Columbus. And while you’re at it take a look at The Times special section on MLS Cup…once again Seattle raises the bar off the field!

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

For the MLS Cup-bound fan, coming up with a social plan of attack is just as important as booking a hotel and a flight. And it’s definitely more important than deciding on whether or not to pay a visit to Steve’s Weird House. (Ed. Note: Don’t do it, it will only give you nightmares. Trust us.) It’s somewhat hard to imagine but there may actually come a point during the weekend that you (deep breath) may not want to do anything at all that has to do with soccer. So what are your best local bets for some non-sporting nightlife? Maybe something with a good beat that you can move to? Don’t sweat it, we’ve got you.

If you’re looking to dive head-first into some live music I’m sure we don’t need to remind you that this is Seattle; not only do they make great bands here, but they also let all the other bands from the rest of the world  come over and play on the regular. Thursday the 19th sees venerable indie institution Built to Spill headlining at venerable live music institution The Showbox (tradition: it’s not just for sports teams). Also that night is Chali 2na of Jurassic 5-fame & Blackalicious’ Gift of Gab; look out for them to drop science for the heads at Neumos. And if you fancy a bit of late night danciness, London’s Plump DJs –no fat jokes, please– will be spinning their signature brand of nu skool breaks at Trinity Lounge (and there’s no cover so there’s no excuse).

Friday night offers an eclectic selection of options: Built to Spill at The Showbox once again, Led Zeppelin-aping Australian rockers Wolfmother at The Paramount Theatre (with Heartless Bastards on the under card) and the roots reggae vibes of Eek-A-Mouse at Neumo’s. The go-ahead goal comes courtesy of German nu-jazz/house heroes Jazzanova who’ll hit the decks for a bit of late night future-disco at Chop Suey.

Saturday night also brings a wealth of ridiculous options. If you can still somehow remember the early 90’s you can join in the chant with Nitzer Ebb at El Corazon, but if that’s too old-school for you Them Crooked Vultures –the new project (read: super-group) featuring Dave Grohl, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and Led Zep’s John Paul Jones– are at The Paramount Theatre. Or you could just forget all that and just go and get really, really, spectacularly weird with King Khan & BBQ Show at Chop Suey.

As for Sunday night…well, if you need to go out after the game the only thing I’ll suggest is Warren G –yes, that Warren G– at Neumo’s. If your team wins “Regulate” is the perfect song to get your swag n’ brag on to. And if your club loses you can at least have the satisfaction of all full-throat singalong to Nate Dogg’s hooks.

Regulators, mount up!

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

All season long it’s been said by both the fans and the pundits that Seattle has taken MLS to new, unseen heights. This isn’t what they had in mind but it’s still pretty damn cool. Check in with the Insider later in the week to see the finished product but if you are in Jet City it’ll be so big that you can’t miss it!

BY SHAWN FRANCIS

Whether MLS Cup 2009 is your first trip to the Emerald City or your fourteenth, you can always expect to do something new, cool and different when in Seattle. From the restaurants to the museums, to the wharf to the whales it’s a city like no other and the Insider has cherry-picked a few of our favorite restaurants, watering holes and activities to help you make the most of your time in Jet City.

Get Fed

The first thing you’ll need is a dive bar and Shorty’s, with it’s excellent/evil mix of clowns & hot dogs should do the trick. It’s not a total dive but when compared to some of the other places mentioned in this post it’s a cesspool. The reason we list this first is that you are on vacation and you are most-likely going to blow through 2007-levels of cash; best to know upfront where to go when the money runs low.

Now then, if you’ve come to Seattle with someone special who appreciates soccer and brilliantly named eateries as much as you do, Frank’s Oyster House & Champagne Parlor is a must. Dripping with sophisticated cool and boasting an ocean-sized selection of seafood, Frank’s is on it’s way to becoming a local legend. If sampling the local seafood isn’t on your list of “musts”, check out Ipanema Grill for an endless stream of Brazilian rodizio-style BBQ; they prepare up to 16 different meats a day so come hungry.

Get Busy

If you are the type of traveler who avoids cliche as if it were contagious, you are still not excused from making a trip to Pike Place Market. We’re sorry but you just have to respect the classics (and you’ll be glad you did). We’d also recomend you check out the local wildlife: Puget Sound is home to one of the best known (not to mention easily accessible) whale populations on the planet. Clipper Vacations can help you get in touch with your inner Cousteau and see these magnificent Orcas up close. Should you want to do something that is a little more “underground” (literally), you might try taking Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour; it’s got nothing to do with hipsters and everything to do with building a new city on top of the old city.

Get Cultured

Did you know that museums are open to people who aren’t on a school trip? It’s surprising, yet true. And in Seattle there is something for everyone no matter what your taste. For a well-rounded experience without drilling too deep into one specific area your best bets are SAM, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture, located on the campus of University of Washington. If you want to go with something a little more niche there’s always the Wing Luke Asian Museum, the Museum of Flight and the treasure that is the Klondike Gold Rush Museum.

The must-see though is the EMP|SFM or Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. With it’s iconic Frank O’Ghery architecture (see the photo above) and 140,000 square feet of exhibits, films and interactive musical  playgrounds, this is simultaneously the coolest/geekiest museum in existence. Be sure to check out their current Jimi Hendrix exhibit and On Stage, an interactive installation where you can rock a virtual audience of thousands on guitars that never go out of tune).

Go Broke

At some point during your trip you may say to yourself “Self, I need a new pair of kicks.” If such a scenario should unfold, whether it involves shoes, clothing or a new iPhone to replace the one you’ll lose on the pub crawl –someone always loses their phone– there are as many shopping districts as there are raindrops in Seattle, all of which will be more than happy to help you part with your hard earned cash/overextended credit.

Downtown (epicenter: Seneca and 4th Ave.) and Pioneer Square are the most centrally located but if you are willing to branch out, a little adventure can get you a long way. Try the laid back “U (University) District” (epicenter: University Way NE & NE 45th St.) for a youthful, collegiate crowd and loads of inexpensive eats and shops. The specialist pick is the “ID” or International District (Epicenter: Maynard Ave. & Weller St.), a vibrant collection of restaurants, shops and cafes representing dozens of ethnic groups; Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Thai and Pacific Islander are only a handful of the variety nationalities who have planted a flag in this 8-block area south of Pioneer Square.