Days after placing offensive tackle and to be Hall of Famer Walter Jones on injured reserve, the Seahawks announced Thursday that linebacker Lofa Tatupu is out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. There were hopes that he would be able to rehab the injury, however the decision has been made for Lofa to have surgery.

Second-year linebacker David Hawthorne will step up to fill the void this week versus the Cowboys. One thing we’ve learned this year is that replacements typically don’t do the job. Oh, wait. We ‘learned’ that last year as well.

Prediction:

The Cowboys are favored by 9.5 points, which at first seems a bit high. When you look at our recent performances, however, its hard to argue against it. Given our injury situation and the fact that Romo/Miles Austin has been on fire as of late, I’m predicting Cowboys 27, Seahawks 17.

Now, I’ll get back to a team that is actually fun to watch, the Sounders. More to come shortly.

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There’s been a lot of talk about Referee Ricardo Salazar’s performance from Sounders fans, particularly on Twitter. I thought he made some questionable calls, but the outcome lies more on the Sounders’ shoulders than anyone else. We had a lot poor passing and kicked too many long balls, which forced us to lose control of the midfield. Take a look for yourself.

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Sounders 0, Dynamo 0. The Sounders fought a difficult match against a well prepared Houston team. Both teams were very evenly matched statistically, in that each had 50% of possession and 10 total shots.

Ultimately, the Sounders are going to feel like they gave this one away. Their possession in midfield was characterized by sketchy passing and a lack of shape. We relied too heavily on through balls, which wound up easily at the feet of the Houston defense. Both teams had opportunities, but were unable to capitalize.

The 35,807 in attendance set an MLS attendance record for a post season playoff (Kudos). Many of them were not happy with the referee, though they rarely are. The outcome rests solely on the Sounders’ shoulders.

I managed to get a couple of things right with the predictions, however: The game was physical (note Jaqua’s bloody face, copious amounts of fouls) and there were six yellow cards (I predicted a minimum of five). Ultimately this means nothing, and I got most of them wrong (predicted 2-0 Sounders victory and blue and green doves to fly out of the ECS Section).

What’s next? The Sounders will travel to Houston to play the second leg of the match up, which will be played next Saturday, November 8th. The winner of the match will move on to the semi finals.

Note: I previously stated that ‘away goals’ played a deciding role in determining the outcome. This is not true. The highest aggregate goal total will win. If there is a tie, there will be a brief ovetime and then penalties, if necessary. Cheers to the reader who pointed this out to me.

The Sounders will have to improve in several areas to come away with the desired outcome:

1. Control the midfield. This includes dispensing with the hospital passes and cutting down on the low percentage long balls. In particular, Freddie Llungberg was the biggest culprit.
2. Eliminate mental lapses on defense. Houston should have gone up 1-0 in the first minute, as we allowed a Houston attacker a free header off a corner kick, that barely went wide.
3. CAPITALIZE on opportunities. Of the few real chances we had, none of them reached the back of the net. We’re headed into hostile territory and the chances will be even fewer.

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The first ever postseason Sounders post of the 360 Sports Blog! Cheers to all! Be sure to wear your Rave Green today!

The Sounders face off today at 7:00pm at Qwest versus the men in the hunter orange pajamas (worthy adversaries, dude), the Houston Dynamo. Weather forecast: 50 degrees and an 80% chance of rain, so bundle up. For those of you not attending, the match will be broadcast live on ESPN 2.

This is the Sounders’ fourth match up versus the Dynamo this season. The previous three meeting includes two wins and one tie, including one in the US Open Cup and another that featured the game winning bicycle kick by Patrick Ianni.

You want a win? There are ways, Dude. You may not want to know about them. Walter can get you a win by 9pm Thursday night, with a shut out.

The Dynamo have been our most worthy adversary this year in that every match has been a close, physical and bruising altercation; this one will be no exception. I mean, we’re not talking about a bunch of amateurs wearing towels on their heads, trying to get 10,000 fans to a match and eak their way into the playoffs (ahem, DC United).

Statistically, the hunter orange are quite even with the Rave Green. They’re very skilled defensively, tying with the Sounders for fewest conceded goals this season (29). Offensively, the Dynamo have 39 total goals this season, the Sounders have 38. They also have US National Team player Brian Ching, who is a hard worker and always a threat to score. We have Freddie Llungberg who is also an extremely hard worker, play maker and former Arsenal captain.

As this is a two leg playoff, it is imperative for the Sounders to get off to a good start. A shutout is ideal, as away goals hold more value than home goals (i.e. if tied on aggregate goals, the first decider is away goals. The next game will be in Houston on November 8.

Prediction:

In the first leg the Rave Green have a few advantages: 1) the weather and 2) the fans. Otherwise, I’d say we’re evenly matched in terms of skill. To win, the Sounders will need to fix the problems that plagued them throughout the middle of the season: CAPITALIZE on opportunities and avoid defensive lapses/mistakes.

Given the two advantages above and the fact that this is our first ever post season game, I’ll say that the Sounders come away with a 2-0 win, with goals coming from Jaqua and Llungberg. It’s going to be a very tough game, however. I wouldn’t be surprised to see five yellow cards and at least one red.

Mark it a W, Smokey.

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This past week’s rivalry match versus the University of *regon was essentially amateur hour, with the D*cks doing everything but bend us over and paddle our behinds. This has gained me nothing but grief from my D*ck friends in Oregon. Quite frankly, it was embarassing and the epitome of the Husky Football program over the past six years.

Luckily there were a couple individuals tailgating who were there to keep things real. I’m talking about Derek Belt and Ben Brackett, Husky Tailgaters of the Week.

It’s another tale of culinary brilliance: Belt & Brackett deep fried a duck in peanut oil and served it for fellow tailgaters prior to the game. I was fortunate enough to be there and procure some of the tasty sustenance. It is unconfirmed whether any D*ck fans were lured in.

Dear University of *regon: thank you for selecting a mascot that is so delicious. When deep fried, the dark meat compliments the acidity of my Manny’s Pale Ale.

The recipe: take one cleaned, defeathered duck and place into a propane heated pot of peanut oil; 5 minutes per pound. Note: preheat the oil first and you need a rod to hold the duck in place.

Other notables: Some anaonymous tailgaters roasted a duck, but it was more just to watch it burn. It was not actually eaten. Other Husky fans threw pieces of bread at Oregon fans as they passed by. Good times.

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Tired of going to Sounders games and not knowing what the hell everyone is yelling/chanting during the match? Feel left out no more! I’ve done some research and come up with the most complete list of Sounders chants in existence. Special thanks goes out to Emerald City Supporters and Sounders Council for their help.

These are listed in order best to worst, according to my acute taste in drunken chanting. My rating is based on the following factors:

1. Badassness: A general rating of how awesome the song sounds.
2. Singability: How well can I sing it after 2 pitchers of Pyramid Amber Ale?
3. Relevance – Is this strictly a Sounders song?

The Blue and the Green

We are the blue! We are the blue!
We are the green! We are the green!
We are the ECS and you can hear us scream! Hear us scream!
For our boys! For our boys!
Until the end! Until the end!
Our love for you only the Gods can understand! Can understand!

–

We Came to Drink

We came to drink, we came to sing whoa whoa
We came to drink, we came to sing whoa whoa
We came to drink, we came to sing ECS from one thirteen!
Whoa, ooohhh, oohh

Burn destroy wreck and kill whoa, whoa
Burn destroy wreck and kill whoa, whoa
Burn destroy wreck and kill, Seattle Sounders surely will!
Whoa, ooohhh, oohh

Emerald City we are here, whoa whoa
Emerald City we are here, whoa whoa
Emerald City we are here, supporting Sounders drinking beer!
Whoa, ooohhh, oohh

Can you hear the [Opposing Supporters] sing, Noooo, Noooo
Can you hear the [Opposing Supporters] sing, Noooo, Noooo
Can you hear the [Opposing Supporters] sing, we can’t hear a bloody thing!
Whoa, ooohhh, oohh

Roll on Columbia

Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Your power is turning our darkness to dawn
So roll on, Columbia, roll on

Note: This song is essentially the chorus to the old Woody Guthrie song “Roll on Columbia.” The song is about the hydroelectric power supplied by the Columbia River to Washington State, but also meant by Sounders fans as a tribute to Fredy Montero, the Colombian international who scored the first goal in Sounders history.

–

Take ‘em all

Take ‘em all,
Take ‘em all,
Put ‘em up against a wall and shoot ‘em,
Short n tall, watch ‘em fall,
Come on boys, take ‘em all

–

Us vs. Them
(drum into accompanied by…)
Whoa…Oh…Oh…Hey…Hey…Hey… x4

When it’s us versus them, you can always count on me
When it’s us versus them, it’s a Sounders unity
(repeat)

–

In Seattle
The bluest skies you’ve ever seen are in Seattle
And the hills the greenest green, in Seattle
Like a beautiful child, growing up, free an’ wild
Full of hopes an’ full of fears, full of laughter, full of tears
Full of dreams to last the years, in Seattle
. . . in Seattle!

To Be a Sounder (NO VIDEO)

OOOOHHH TO!
OOOOHHH TO BE!
OOOOOOHHH TO BE A SOUNDER!!

(NO VIDEO)

I’m Sounders ‘til I die
I’m Sounders ‘til I die
I know I am, I’m sure I am
I’m Sounders ‘til I die

Us vs. Them (NO VIDEO)

When it’s us versus them, you can always count on me
When it’s us versus them, it’s a Sounders unity
(repeat)

Go Sounders Go!
Whooa ohhhhhh ohhhhhh
whooooooaaaa ooooohhh
whooooaaaa oohhhh!
Go Sounders Go!

Go Sounders Go
Fight Sounders Fight
And the entire world will tremble at your might
We sing for you
We love you so
And we will follow you wherever you may go
Where you may go

(NO VIDEO)

I’m a Sounder, I’m seldom sober
I’m a Sounder, all blue and green
Its when I’m drinkin’, I’m always drinking,
To a Sounders victory!

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If I had to choose to only renew one of my Seattle sports season tickets this year, I would choose the Sounders hands down. Of the four major sports, they’ve got the best atmosphere and their games are the funnest to watch. They also have the best ownership and the best chance to win a championship out of any of the Seattle teams.

I mean, do you see Paul Allen buying drinks for fans at the Pyramid Brewery before Seahawks games? Do you see Hiroshi Yamauchi taking Sake bombs at Sluggers prior to a Mariners home game? Absolutely not. I’ve never even seen a picture of Yamauchi-San nor seen him interact with the Mariners fans in any way.

You can, however, mingle with Drew Carey at Fuel in Pioneer Square prior to Sounders games. Hell, he even bought the entire bar a round of drinks on several occasions this season and had the entire bar drink free prior to the last home game versus FC Dallas. Now that’s a great way to motivate your fans. Kudos to my SK buddy Derek Dunlap, who convinced me to go to Pyramid instead of Fuel.

When you combine great ownership, skilled players, and a motivated fan base, you get a crowd that shows up rain or shine and players that want to play. This of course translates directly to results, which the Sounders have produced.

Additionally, we don’t have to worry about this being a “rebuilding year” or having the management trade away our best players for “prospects.”

The Sounders take on the Dynamo this Thursday at Qwest Field at 6:30pm in their first ever playoff appearance. Each playoff round will be played in two legs, one home and away. We’ve owned Houston this year, kicking them out of the US Open Cup and taking points from both regular season matches. All the games have been close and hotly contested. This will be no exception.

Stay tuned for more later this week.

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I could hardly believe it either. However, the Willamette Light Brigade is lighting up all of the birdges in Portland in observance of Husky Heritage Week. That’s right, all of the bridges down south will be lit up Purple and Gold this week to celebrate the University of Washington and support the Huskies!

Curious timing, as the Dawgs take on *regon this Saturday at Montlake. Some have hypothesized that Portland Commissioner Randy Leonard (Portland State graduate) is behind it. Supposedly he’s had a bad history with the UO when it comes to lighting up bridges.

There’s been a lot of coverage on this including these reports:

• KATU News
• Duck Sports News

Reaction: Priceless – WHAT?! IN THE CITY OF PORTLAND? IN OREGON? AND WHY CAN’T YOU DO THIS IN VANCOUVER…WASHINGTON! OR BRITISH COLUMBIA! WHO IN THE WIDE, WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS APPROVED THIS? WHAT BUREAUCRATIC MONKEY WITH THE CITY OF PORTLAND, MULTNOMAH COUNTY, THE STATE OF OREGON OK’D THIS? I WANT A HEAD ON A PLATTER NOW! I DEMAND SATISFACTION! I DEMAND JUSTICE!

All I can do is laugh. GO DAWGS!!! Pictures to come.

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We’re 7 weeks into the NFL season and the bye week couldn’t come soon enough for the Seahawks. I maintained my optimism for us this year, despite an abysmal performance in 2008. After all, there were a lot of reasons for it: injuries decimated nearly every position, Holmgren was on his way out, we didn’t eat our Wheaties, etcetera.

Right now, I’m starting to think that we’re just not a good football team. Our running backs Julius Jones and Edge James are average at best, running behind an equally unimpressive offensive line (There have been injuries here as well). Our secondary continues to be dominated by opposing offenses.  All of this adds up to games that are just painful to watch.

There are several issues here: age, injuries and lack of personnel. First: age. It’s self explanatory, but players like Hasselbeck, Walter Jones, and Edge James are past their prime and can’t perform like they once did.

Injuries go hand in hand with age, but they have also hurt several of our younger players such as Tatupu, Hill, Trufant, Locklear and more of our offensive line. The question is why do our star players continue to pick up injuries? Is it overwork in practice? poor trainers? just bad luck? I really don’t know, but as this happened last year as well, it may have something to do with overwork or training.

Last is personnel. Even when healthy our offensive line, which sets up the running game and provides protection for the QB, is questionable at best. The Hawks really need a Hutchinsonesque guard, which they haven’t had since his departure. Additionally, the secondary needs better cornerbacks (someone like Denver’s Champ Bailey, Trufant is good but not that good) and play with ferocity.

Key points to take away here: The Hawks playoff chances are nearly done and they need to focus on key acquisitions next year to compete in the NFC West. Either way, I’ll be there to support ‘em.

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