Attack The Playoffs: Sounders Seek Post-Season Glory

Let us take a moment to express gratitude for Seattle's alternative professional sports: If it weren't for the Seattle Storm and Sounders, local sports fans would have no reason to celebrate in a town where the majority of its traditional sports teams seem to be "in a re-building phase."

Let's just leave that thought there, and turn our attention to the Seattle Sounders, who have given us nothing but reasons to cheer for the majority of its existence in our sports-beleaguered town: Three consecutive US Open Cup championships, and repeated trips to the MLS Playoffs. The only thing missing in their relative infancy as a professional sports franchise is a trophy declaring them the top of our national soccer league.

Tonight, our boys in rave green begin this year's journey through the playoffs as a number-two seed by taking on number-three Real Salt Lake at their home field at 7:00p.m. Regardless of the outcome, the two teams will travel to Seattle on Wednesday for the second half of the two-game playoff series (the winner is established using the aggregate goal format -- whoever has scored the most goals at the end of two games wins the series).

Add to this the fact that it's Kasey Keller's (our celebrated man at the goalposts) final season as a pro, and you can expect our city to experience heavy bouts of Sounder mania during the next week alone.

Here's hoping it extends well beyond next Wednesday. GO SOUNDERS!