Seattle Sounders FC were never meant to be an ignored club. From the very beginning it was clear, from the bright rave green jerseys to the player signings to the way the club handled its promotions, that feeling ambivalent about SSFC was going to be difficult.
HATE UPDATE: Anti-Seattle scarves enhance otherwise minor-league Portland match this weekend
This could go a bit of the way towards explaining how after only ten league matches played Sounders FC might well already be the most 'hated club' in Major League Soccer. The hate comes from many sources and many different kinds of followers of the sport, even world wide, but in the end serves to grow the club's 'legend' at a rate far faster than ten matches could provide.
You can't buy this kind of hate.
BigSoccer.com's forums are a popular place for Sounders fans and especially haters to meet up online and post their jabs, insults and animosity towards our rave green future. Even otherwise level-headed posters such as Kenn Tomasch of Kenn.com have taken the photoshop route to add a little satire to the Sounders-hate. His "The Last Sounders Supper" (see above) is meant to kick fun at Sounders fans who post that the club is leading the league in attendance, has superstar players, is rocking Qwest Field and winning matches in its first season. Oh, all of that is true, but some posters on "BS" don't like the way or how often Sounders fans bring these minor details up in conversation. ("The Last Sounders Supper" Insinuation: Sounders fans act as if their club is the second coming in pro soccer.)
While BigSoccer (known by many by the derisive nickname "BigTalker") is a good place to start for your "Sounders hatred" tour, you shouldn't miss out on two other internet visits, such as www.MLS-Rumors.net and www.aces09.com. 'Rumors' isn't anti-Sounders at all. In fact, it has been accused of hyping Seattle's early fervor too much. Where you'll get the most hate for your read is in the comments sections of Seattle posts.
What exactly are Seattle posters and fans expected to do? Sit quietly while the club jumps onto the US soccer scene with such fervor? Why shouldn't their posts be just like their voices and masses at home matches? This is a sport, not a nursery. Sport itself is the stuff of chest-puffery, pride and accomplishment. A few words: League. Breath. Fresh. Air.
My recent story on the Sounders getting coverage in the Middle East was featured on 'Rumors,' and as you can see the haters were ready to have their say. "Seattle Sounders + Al Jazeera = Anti - Dentites. If you support the Sounders, you support terrorism," wrote one commentor.
How do you build a 'legend' after only ten matches in MLS? With a little help from your enemies. See the uncensored version of the photo above here.
"ACES," or "Any Club Except Seattle," exist to counter-balance the favorable hype Sounders FC are getting worldwide. Of course, their efforts in the end are really just adding to the 'legend.' I truly think they believe in their cause and what they say about the Sounders. Sure it is pure propaganda, but really, isn't marketing all about that? Would Manchester United be as big as they are if only love flowed their way?
Sounders fans are very fortunate to have this hatred swirling around them, and around their club. Even though our mellow, peaceful first-response in these parts is to feel 'hurt' and ask what we might have done wrong to offend, this time around some of us are 'getting it.' Real hatred often is born out of doing a lot of things right. The newly reborn San Jose Earthquakes would kill for such hatred and exposure.
As for hatred aimed directly at Sounders supporters, of which there is also plenty, I'd say Seattle fans are safe for the time being getting lost in the din, the chants, the rave green mob and the throngs of 30,000.
All sides should carry on as-is.
After only ten matches as an MLS club the stature of the Sounders is growing at warp speed. The reboot of the Star Trek franchise has nothing on the reboot of the Sounders' legend, so far.
*
Just for giggles we shared this story with MLS-Rumors.net, too. Wonder how those comments will go?
Comments
The E stands for EXCEPT... not Accept.
Doh!
Wow. Couldn't the cost of that scarf have gone towards a quit-smoking program of some kind for that guy? LOL
Love the 30k a game, hate the think they invented soccer done right in the US. I relate the Sounders to what happened when the old Quebec Nordics first moved to Denver. They won a couple of Stanley Cups and had tremendous success from the start. To any other fan who had supported the Nordics in Quebec or any other team that had never won a Cup, the position of those fans came across as ingrateful. I think the same thing applies to Seattle here. You didn't invent soccer in the US or contribute to MLS for the first 10 years. You are doing a lot of stuff right and teh league should learn. But, things can turn quickly. If you stop winning - and almost all expansion teams do, the rest of the league won't let you forget. Let's wait and judge Seattle's success in 7 years, not 7 games.
OK, now that "Last Sounders Supper" photoshop is just too funny. I don't mind the satire but I really get kicks out of the hate.
It's a case of mass inference. NOT ONCE have I heard any Seattle fan say "we invented soccer!" NOT ONCE. However, when Seattle fans post and puff about the early successes of their club, as they have every right to do, it gets inferred as such. It's really just lame stupidity and a bit of jealousy on the part of the other fans. Telling it like it is, Suh!
good one, soundergirl. And after the smoking cessation program, maybe work on the paunch?
of course he's wearing a chelski jersey
kook!
I didn't want to post but I felt compelled to! Seattlle has a great team but definitely not the most Hated in MLS! Envied perhaps but hated! No! I could probabaly support an article stating " MLS's most envied team!"
Envy sometimes takes the form of hatred. If a Sounders fan said 'they are envious,' he or she would be burned at the stake. However, the truth is that many fans are envious of Seattle's front office's 'go get'em' approach.
Dear Portscum: You still have a team. Might want to spend some time on them, too. LOL.
Off-topic, but is Messi coming in August? The haters are really going to be up in arms when we hand it to Barca.
ACES? For real? Who spends their time making gear to wear against another club? That's time spent away from supporting your own.
realitycheck: Messi is expected to play in Seattle. Also, Chelsea are expecting most of their starters to play as well.
The question I have is...what would it take for 'them' to like us? A lousy club? Terrible attendance? Weak ownership? More tattoos and body piercings and a lousy outlook on life?
Don't wait up, ACES.
Don't know where you got that photo of the Chelsea guy with the scarf, but that thing is photoshopped beyond belief. I guess that's what goes for original content around here.
WRONGO, Scottie! The only part of it photoshopped is the "F---K." The rest of it is 100% pure ACES.
that is only one of many photos of the greek lettered F--- SEATTLE aces scarfs I have seen, the stupid ACES even sent me a Chelsea scarf with ACES 09 sharpied on it, the photo they sent along with that was not photo shopped.
p.s. thanks, the 12 pounds sterling they spent for the scarf and shipping internationally through Royal Mail, that is 12 pounds out of their pocket, of all teams, Chelski? pot calling the kettle black.
I had no idea hate and envy could taste so, so delicious(just hope they're not full of fat and calories). Three words for you David...Keep. It. Up.
Gotta say I enjoy it. If Seattle can show other FO's how to be successful, it's good for the league. If other teams see our attendance and get competitive, it's good for the league.
Now if you want to see a real rivalry, wait until Portland and Vancouver join us.
Portland USL is going to be at Bremerton Memorial Stadium on June 9th. vs. the Pumas. It's not too early to show them how it's done in the Puget Sound. We would appreciate the support of the Sounders players...you have to be a fan to be a playa...
SOUNDERS = THE GREATEST SOCCER DYNASTY OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!
ACES=ALL CLUBS ENVY SEATTLE!!!
GO SOUNDERS!!! WWOOOOOOO!!!
Ed Ho writes: "You didn't invent soccer in the US or contribute to MLS for the first 10 years"
Who ever said we invented soccer? As for the Sounders, we pre-dated MLS by more than 20 years and why they ignored Seattle when they formed the league was a mystery to me then as it is now. The original Sounders fans and those who've come along since the NASL have been hungry for a top-flight team, and now that we have it, we will support it, despite all the so-called "haters". And whether we win the championship or end in the cellar we'll still be here. SOUNDERS TIL WE DIE.
Kenn Tomasch "level-headed"??? The guy's in a permanent state of anger.
The real reason why so many people hate Sounder fans is because the vast majority of them are plastic!!! Where were you all last year or the year before last, when the Sounders were in the USL? You were nowhere to be seen. Now the vast majority of you call yourselves "true supporters forever more" Its total plastic fandom at its worst!!!
Please name the club in the world who doesn't gain fans when they 'move up.' I'm waiting...
How come you removed all of the anti-seattle comments and only left the ones that were anti-ACES. Censorship is typical Sounder.
Keep it PG y'all!
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!