Sounders Mollify Crew with Money and Cash

Last week, we told you about the Seattle Sounders FC coaching search, which had prompted the Columbus Crew to file tampering charges with the MLS. (Apparently, the Sounders began pursuit of Crew coach Sigi Schmid while he was still under contract.) We also joked that the whole mess could be solved with a shoebox full of cash. Little did we know that would be exactly what would happen.

Over the weekend, the Sounders sent the Crew "money and cash" (both kinds?) to make the trouble disappear. What's the difference? The "money" part would be allocation money used by teams to work around the league salary cap. The "cash" component is the aforementioned Swoosh-bearing cardboard container full of C-notes.

The league immediately found "no evidence" of tampering, and of course the Crew dropped their charges against the Sounders. Now that all this nastiness is behind us, the Sounders will announce Sigi Schmid as head coach today.

Here's Schmid being interviewed after he won Coach of the Year honors this year: