Seattle Sounders Unable to Secure Win Against Real Salt Lake

The Seattle Sounders FC didn't particularly play well against Real Salt Lake on July 4, but they managed to escape with a 0-0 draw against their Western Conference rivals. With the results of the match, the Sounder's remain winless in their last nine MLS games.

"You guys [put] a lot of attention on it," Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid told reporters after the match. "I think maybe our winless streak is as long as the Galaxy's one was and I know Dallas' is longer than ours, and so forth. ... But it's a thing that happens and obviously we have to get out of this streak and we have to start winning games. It will help our confidence, as well. You know, we thought we had one last week and if we had gotten away with that one, which we thought we should have, then we'd be okay right now."

Fortunately for the Sounders, they're not the only team in the Western Conference struggling right now. And they remain at the third spot in the conference standings, trailing the first place San Jose Earthquakes - who they eliminated from the 2012 US Open cup on June 26 - by 10 points.

Salt Lake dominated the encounter between the two teams, controlling the ball for the majority of the match. Fortunately for the Sounders, their defense showed up to play on Wednesday, and goalkeeper Bryan Meredith wasn't too shabby either.

The Sounders almost stole three points in the final minutes of the match, but Cordell Cato wasn't able to capitalize on a well-played cross by Mauro Rosales.

"It's simple. We got a counterattack and Mauro was bursting down the left side, so I was trying my best coming from the center of midfield to get there," Cato said after the game. "That's what happens sometimes man. I just got there a little late."

The Sounders inability to win games is certainly a cause for concern at this point, and it's about time they made some adjustments on the offensive end. They'll now get two days off before hosting the Colorado Rapids on July 7.

David has been a fan of the Seattle Sounders for the past 3 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
Joshua Mayers, "Servando Carrasco: 'We told ourselves we were going to play to zero and we did.'"

Larry Bird Commends LeBron James’ Postseason Performance

Coming into the 2012 NBA season, LeBron James received a lot of criticism for his role in the Miami Heat's loss to the Dallas Mavericks during the 2011 Finals, but it only fired up the Ohio native.

Instead of folding under the pressure, LeBron put up impressive numbers throughout the 2011/12 regular season, leading the Heat to the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket. His performance was enough to earn him the regular season Most Valuable Player award, but "King James" was far from done.

Given the Heat's struggles against the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls during the regular season, many didn't think they'd be able to win the east. However, the Heat cruised past the New York Knicks in the first round, and they overcame adversity against the Indiana Pacers thanks to James' impressive play. Miami found themselves in some more trouble in their next series against the Celtics, trailing 2-3 after five games, and for a moment, it looked like their season was about to come to an end.

However, LeBron carried the Heat on his shoulders, putting up some historic numbers in the process. He kept up his impressive play during the finals, securing his first NBA title and the Finals MVP award.
Without a doubt, LeBron has earned his place as one of the true greats, and he's clearly the best player in the NBA right now. Even Hall of Famer, Larry Bird, was impressed with LeBron's performance during the postseason.

"He [LeBron] actually carried them all the way through the playoffs," Bird said during an interview with ESPN. "If you go back to the beginning of the playoffs, has anyone ever had a better run? It'd seem like you'd have a bad game once in awhile. He never did have a bad game. He was so focused. You just saw his confidence build and build and build. He should go down in history as one of the top players and maybe he can get close to Michael [Jordan]."

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
Brian Windhorst, "Bird weighs in on LeBron and the Heat"

Sounders Hope to Snap Winless Streak Against Rapids

The Seattle Sounders FC haven't been playing too well lately, failing to win a single game in their last nine MLS outings.

Fortunately for the Sounders, they always seem to snap out of their funk when it's time for US Open Cup play, but they'll want to have a little momentum going into their July 11 semi-final match against Chivas USA.
For now, the Sounders are focused on their next game against the Colorado Rapids on July 7. Colorado is right behind fourth place Seattle in the MLS Western Conference table, and it should be a very competitive match.

"Yeah, definitely. We'd like to win, for sure," Sounders coach Sigi Schmid told reporters when asked about snapping their current winless streak. "We want to be a tough team to beat and I think we've gotten back to that. I think we lost that for a couple of games and we've gotten back to that, which is very important. Now it's a matter of the soccer catching up and us playing better and walking away with a win."

Even though Seattle's defense has had its share of problems during their winless streak, they've turned things around in their recent outings, holding their last three opponents to only two goals. Unfortunately for the Sounders, they continue to struggle on the offensive end, blowing multiple goal scoring opportunities in their last few games.

"We know we have very good players who can turn this around," Sounders forward Fredy Montero told reporters about their upcoming contest against the Rapids. "We know what we need to do for the next game at home. We need to get three points; doesn't matter how we play. If we play good or bad, the most important thing is the three points."

Given how well the Sounders started off the 2012 MLS season, it's a little disheartening to see them struggle. However, it's not too late for them to salvage their season, but their forwards will have to step it up a notch.

David has been a fan of the Seattle Sounders for the past 3 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
Joshua Mayers, "Servando Carrasco: 'We told ourselves we were going to play to zero and we did.'"

Seattle Sounders Snap Nine-game Winless Streak Against Rapids

The Seattle Sounders FC snapped their nine-game winless streak on July 7, defeating the Colorado Rapids 2-1 at CenturyLink Field. With the victory, the Sounders hold on to the third spot in the MLS Western Conference table, trailing the first place San Jose Earthquakes by only seven points.

"It's nice to get three points," Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid told reporters after the match. "I guess the rumors of our demise were maybe a little bit premature, but I thought for at times today we played some good soccer. The soccer caught up a little bit, which is what I had been saying. As long as we keep fighting and battling and become a tough team to beat our soccer will get back to where it was and tonight for good stretches of time I thought our soccer was good."

Both teams started off slow on Saturday, with neither team scoring any goals in the first half. The Sounders finally opened up the scoreboard in the second half, thanks to Alvaro Fernandez, who nodded in a Mauro Rosales corner-kick in the 52^nd minute. The Sounders doubled their advantage eight minutes later when Eddie Johnson headed in a cross from Rosales.

The Rapids didn't go down without a fight, and they cut the Sounders' lead down to a goal in the 79^th minute. Omar Cummings capitalized on a nice cross by Luis Zapata, tapping the ball past Seattle goalkeeper Bryan Meredith. The Rapids gave the Sounders a serious scare in the 85^th minute when Jeff Larentowicz fired a shot past Meredith, but he ended up being ruled offside.

After being sidelined for over a year, Seattle midfielder Steve Zakuani made his long awaited return in the 86^th minute. The 24 year-old received a standing ovation from the Seattle faithful, and he even shared an embrace with Colorado midfielder Brian Mullan - who broke Zakuani's leg with an unnecessary rough tackle during the 2011 MLS season - after the match.

"I tried to kind of take it in and just compose myself, thinking, 'Just enjoy the moment,'" Zakuani said. "There honestly was a time when I thought I would never play football again. Honestly. ... To be back there was, for me, the biggest achievement. I just took it in. I just said, 'No matter how it goes ... just enjoy yourself.' Tonight was just about crossing that white line and being happy that you did it, and taking it in."

The Sounders will now return to US Open Cup play, where they'll face Chivas USA in the semifinals of the tournament on July 11.

David has been a fan of the Seattle Sounders for the past 3 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
Joshua Mayers, "Sigi Schmid: 'I guess the rumors of our demise were maybe a little bit premature.'"
SeatteTimes.com, "Sounders' Steve Zakuani thankful to be back in game action"

LeBron James Glad to Have Ray Allen on Board

The Miami Heat's front office continues to do everything possible to improve the team's roster, and the recent addition of former Boston Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen is a perfect example of that. They'll have to wait until July 11 before Allen officially signs with them, but it's pretty much a done deal at this point.

The Heat dominated the NBA in 2012, securing their first title in the LeBron James era. Allen's addition to the Heat's roster makes them a better team, as it allows them to spread out their offense even more.
LeBron seemed pleased with the Heat's move to sign Allen, and he shared his thoughts during a recent interview.

"I'm excited. I'm excited. It was someone that we really wanted," James said. "It was someone that we pursued and we have a lot of confidence in our front office and they went and did it, so we're excited to have Ray. Another guy that can stretch the floor for us, another guy that can make plays not only for himself, but for others, and [he's] a champion. So he's going to fit right into what we want to do as a team and it's exciting."

Allen should fit it nicely with the Heat, considering the fact LeBron and Dwyane Wade get double-teamed a lot. It resulted into many open looks from long range for players like Mike Miller, Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers - who helped Miami's "big three" with their solid three-point shooting during the 2012 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Allen is arguably a better three-point shooter than anyone currently on the Heat's roster, and he'll make teams think twice about double-teaming any of their superstars.

Miami fans couldn't be any happier with Allen's signing, and the team's future looks very bright right now. It's funny how the Heat were criticized for having one of the weakest benches in the NBA a year ago, yet they've turned themselves into the most complete team in the NBA.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
Nick Friedell, "LeBron 'excited' by Ray Allen addition"

Sounders Advance to 2012 US Open Cup Finals

The Seattle Sounders FC are now one win away from becoming the first team to win four consecutive US Open Cup titles, thanks to their 4-1 victory against Chivas USA on July 11. They'll face Sporting Kansas on Aug. 8, for the 2012 US Open Cup title.

"It's real now, so we can talk about trying to win four in a row," Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid told reporters after the match. "Obviously, it'll be difficult being away from home, playing at Kansas City. It would've been great to play at home, because I think we would've had more than we had last year. I think to set the record of four in a row, who knows, maybe we would've sold out the whole place at 60,000. But we're going to Kansas City. It means the first one we won on the road, and we're going to try and win the fourth one on the road."

After struggling in their last few outings, the Sounders' offense came to life against Chivas USA. They did start off a bit slow, but Eddie Johnson opened up the scoreboard in the 31^st minute, firing one past Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy.

Osvaldo Alonso doubled the Sounders' lead a few minutes into the second half, thanks to rough tackle by Chivas defender Rauwshan McKenzie on Fredy Montero inside the box. Alonso converted on the ensuing penalty kick, but the match was far from done.

Chivas scored their only goal of the game in the 74^th minute, but Brad Evans fired right back nine minutes later, capitalizing on a nice pass by Mauro Rosales. Sammy Ochoa gave Seattle some extra insurance in the 88^th minute, guaranteeing the Sounders' spot in the 2012 US Open Cup finals.

"It's a win. We win tonight and we advance to the finals," Alonso told reporters. "I'm very happy for myself and the team. We're looking forward to the finals."

Seattle's next game will be against the New York Red Bulls on July 15.

David has been a fan of the Seattle Sounders for the past 3 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
Joshua Mayers, "Brad Evans: 'Just the chance isn't good enough for us …'"

Ray Allen Looks Forward to Bright Future with Miami Heat

NBA veteran Ray Allen couldn't be any happier with his decision to sign with the Miami Heat, and he's looking forward to helping his new teammates win their second consecutive NBA title. He has no regrets about his decision to leave the Boston Celtics, and he feels at home with his new team.

Given Miami's star-studded lineup, Allen will no longer enjoy starting privileges, but that doesn't seem to be an issue with the three-point specialist.

"You mean I'm not starting? I wish they would have told me that last week," Allen joked when asked if he had any qualms about coming off the bench. "Going into this process, I never said whether I wanted to start or come off the bench. That was never really an issue. Whatever is going to be best for me in this situation is going to figure itself out. This team won a championship without me. I'm not going to come in and expect for Coach [Erik Spoelstra] to cater to who I am and what I do. I have to make it work on the floor with my teammates. I always said whether you start or come off the bench, the best compliment is who you finish the game up with."

With the addition of Allen to the Heat's roster, competing with Miami during the 2012/13 NBA season won't be an easy task. The Heat already have four serious super stars in LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Mario Chalmers, who'll be a lot more difficult to contain with Allen roaming around the perimeter. Opposing teams will now have to think a lot harder before committing to double teaming any of the Heat's superstars.

To make things better, the Heat have also secured the services of Rashard Lewis. Lewis fits into the Heat's style of play, and I personally can't wait to see the improved Miami team in action.

A year ago, the Miami Heat had one of the weakest benches in the NBA, yet they now have a future hall-of-famer coming off their bench. Mickey Arison and Pat Riley definitely deserve a lot of credit for aggressively doing everything in their power to improve the team, and I expect the Heat to dominate the NBA for years to come.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
Michael Wallace, "Ray Allen's words ... and what they mean"

Can Today’s NBA Players Compete with the Legends of the Past?

LeBron James carried the Miami Heat to their second NBA title in franchise history during the 2012 NBA Finals, and he currently has his sights set on some more hardware. He'll represent team USA with fellow NBA superstars like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paul, in his quest to secure his second Olympic gold medal.

The current USA team will be without the services of some of the biggest superstars in the NBA right now like Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard due to various injuries, but they're certain they'll be fine with their current squad.

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have even stated that they think the current USA men's basketball team can compete with the legendary 1992 Dream Team.

"As a competitor you never want to say that you will lose, no matter who you are going against," LeBron said when asked about a potential matchup between the two squads. "The '92 Dream Team paved the way for all of us ... We understand what they did for our game, but we also are big-time competitors as well, so if we got the opportunity to play them in a game we feel like we would win, too."

The original Dream Team put up some historic numbers, defeating their opponents by an average of over 43 points on their way to the gold medal. We'll soon find out how good the current men's basketball team is, but they probably won't put up Dream Team type numbers. Not because they aren't as good as the original Dream Team, but because the sport of basketball has grown tremendously around the world since then.
NBA great Michael Jordan didn't agree with Kobe's and LeBron's assessment that they would have been able to compete with the original Dream Team, but I actually agree with "King James."

While I hold the original Dream Team in the highest regard, it's rather silly to think that a team made up of the best NBA players right now couldn't compete with their counterparts 20 years ago. Without a doubt, the level of play in the NBA has increased over the years, and today's basketball players are capable of competing with any of the past generations.

Team USA will suit up for the first time at the 2012 Olympics against France on July 29.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
ESPN.com, "LeBron: We would beat Dream Team"

Seattle Sounders FC Defeat Colorado Rapids 2-1

The Seattle Sounders FC defeated the Colorado Rapids on July 28, walking away with the 2-1 victory. With the win, the Sounders stay put at the third spot in the MLS Western Conference table, trailing the first place San Jose Earthquakes by 10 points.

The Sounders struck first two minutes into the match, thanks to Eddie Johnson, who nodded in a well-played corner kick by Mauro Rosales.

"It was a superb header," Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid told reporters about Johnson's goal. "Obviously he got a good assist as well. Himself [Johnson] and Fredy [Montero] has found some goals in a couple of other games, and he'll find goals again. I was pleased with that."

The Rapids fired back a minute later, when Drew Moor finished off a corner kick with a nice touch.

Both teams stayed aggressive on the offensive end, but the scoreboard stayed still until the 65^th minute, when Osvaldo Alonso volleyed a Johnson cross past Colorado goalkeeper Matt Pickens. The Rapids had a few more chances to equalize the game, but Seattle's defense wasn't having any of it.

"I thought we worked hard, we had to block some shots, and we had to throw our bodies in front of things," Schmid told reporters after the match. "I thought the guys did that. I didn't think we did as good a job cutting out some crosses. Obviously that's something that we probably need to work on a little bit better. Hats off to Colorado though, they're a team that's obviously trying to get wins and they were desperate. They were throwing people forward, they played with a lot of energy and they made it difficult for us at the end."

With the win, the Sounders improve their unbeaten streak (MLS) to five games, and they'll need all that momentum going into their next match against Caledonia AIA on Aug. 2. It'll be their first match in the 2012/13 CONCACAF Champions League, and they'd like to get off to a good start.

David has been a fan of the Seattle Sounders for the past 3 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
Sounderatheart.com, "Sounders vs Rapids Highlights, Stats, Quotes"

Erik Spoelstra Offers Miami Heat Players Some Advice

Even though the Miami Heat secured their second NBA title in franchise history a few months ago; coach Erik Spoelstra doesn't want his players to get complacent.

Having been a part of the 2006/07 Heat team that struggled after winning an NBA title the previous year, Spoelstra understands that things will be a lot more difficult for his players during the 2012/13 season, and they'll need to play a lot harder if they want to achieve the same results.

"If we learned one thing from the 2006 title, it was that you need to continue to reinvent yourself and improve as a basketball team," Spoelstra told reporters during a recent media session. "That year we brought the exact the same team back, we thought it would be the same path and same journey. It never is. … It's always going to be different. And we ended up losing the first round and we were swept in four games. Another year later, we only won 15 games and we were the worst team in basketball. That's how fragile this game can be."

Spoelstra definitely makes some valid points, considering the fact most championship teams in the NBA don't repeat the following year.

The Heat's players have had targets on their backs ever since LeBron James took his services to South Beach, and things won't get any easier now that they've added a championship banner.

Fortunately for them, Pat Riley and Mickey Arison have been very active during the offseason, bolstering their lineup by adding Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis. With their improved firepower, the Heat have a good shot at securing back-to-back NBA titles for the first time in franchise history, as long as they stay focused throughout the season.

They'll get some stiff opposition from other powerhouses like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, but I expect the Heat to dominate the NBA for years to come.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
Ira Winderman, "Spoelstra: Key to defending title is to 'reinvent yourself'"

Seattle Sounders FC Brace for Caledonia AIA

The Seattle Sounders FC will play their first match in the 2012/13 CONCACAF Champions League when they face Trinidad's Caledonia AIA on Aug. 2.

"They're probably the team right now going into the Champions League that we're going into the most blind," Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said about their upcoming contest. "They are not in their season yet. They've changed their roster, so they have different personnel than they had. We've seen clips of past games that they've had, but a lot of those are with players that aren't on the team right now."

The Sounders were a little inconsistent during their previous stint in the tournament, but they did make it all the way to the quarterfinals. Unfortunately for them, they didn't have any answers for Santos Laguna during the second leg of their quarterfinals matchup, and they ended up losing to the Mexican side via aggregate.

The format of the 2012/13 CONCACAF Champions League will be slightly different this time around, with only four games for each team in the Group Stage of the tournament. Instead of four teams per group, it'll be three teams this time around, with only the winner advancing to the championship stage.

The Sounders and Caledonia will be in Group 4 with Honduras' CD Marathon.

Given the compacted format of the 2012/13 CONCACAF Champions League, the Group Stage matches will be a lot more significant. Fortunately, the Sounders seem to be the best team in Group 4 on paper, and I expect them to make it to the championship rounds.

"Obviously, they're an athletic team," Schmid added. "They got a couple of big center-backs, so they're very dangerous on set pieces. Because when those guys get forward, they can cause some problems. They got a center-forward who's decent at holding up the ball; he's got some good size that we have to be aware of.

We have to make sure we don't get caught with the counter, that we don't get over exuberant. … The main important thing for us tomorrow night is to get the three points at home."

David has been a fan of the Seattle Sounders for the past 3 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
Matt Gaschk, "Who is Caledonia AIA?"
SoundersFC.com, "Interview: Sigi Schmid 8/1"

Seattle Sounders FC Cruise Past Caledonia AIA

The Seattle Sounders FC couldn't have asked for a better start in the 2012/13 CONCACAF Champions League, defeating Trinidad's Caledonia AIA 3-1 at CenturyLink Field on Aug. 2.

Sammy Ochoa opened up the scoreboard in the 19^th minute, capitalizing on a nice pass by Andy Rose. Fredy Montero doubled the Sounders lead 11 minutes later, thanks to another well-played ball by Rose. The Sounders increased their lead at the end of the first half, with Rose sending a rebound into the back of the post.

"You need that first goal to really settle down and once we got that it felt like we started to dominate possession," Rose said after the match. "Overall, I thought it was a pretty impressive first half."

Early on in the second half, Caledonia was awarded a penalty kick due to a shove by Jhon Kennedy Hurtado on Jamal Gay inside the box. Kareem Joseph made the ensuing penalty kick, scoring Caledonia's only goal of the match.

With their lead reduced, the Sounders' focus shifted towards the defensive end. They kept Caledonia's strikers away from goalkeeper Andrew Weber, preserving their two-goal lead.

"The accomplishment we wanted to achieve was to win the game," Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said after the game. "We didn't get any injuries, so it was good. … It was great that we got the early goals and we had a three-nothing halftime lead, so as a result the work we put in the second half was not as great as the work we would have had to put in if we were tied or if we were trying to make up the deficit. So from that standpoint it was good."

With the win, the Sounders take the top spot in Group 4. Their next game in the tournament will be against Caledonia on Aug. 30, in Trinidad. They'll now get two days off, before returning to MLS play to face the Los Angeles Galaxy on Aug. 5.

David has been a fan of the Seattle Sounders for the past 3 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
SoundersFC.com, "Rose shines in 3-1 victory over Caledonia AIA"

Seattle Sounders Manhandle Los Angeles Galaxy

The Seattle Sounders FC increased their MLS unbeaten streak to six games on Aug. 4, handing the Los Angeles Galaxy a 4-0 thrashing at a packed CenturyLink Field. With the win, the Sounders move closer to the first place San Jose Earthquakes on the MLS Western Conference table, currently trailing by only seven points.

"Obviously, the scoreline was great," Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid told reporters after the match. "We're happy about that. Today, being able to build a one goal lead and score three in the second half was good. We felt in the first half we were getting inches away from getting some combinations and connections together behind them. … I'm very happy with our character and what we displayed in the second half. Overall I'm just pleased with the performance."

Eddie Johnson opened up the scoreboard in the sixth minute of the contest, nodding a Mauro Rosales cross past Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders for his tenth goal of the season.

Seattle's offense slowed down a bit for the remainder of the first half, but they came back to life early in the second half, thanks to Fredy Montero, who sent a blocked Alex Caskey shot into the back of the post in the 52^nd minute. Caskey scored the Sounders third goal nine minutes later, and Andy Rose gave the Sounders some extra insurance in the 88^th minute, capitalizing on a nice pass from Marc Burch.

Given how much the Sounders have struggled during the 2012 MLS season, it's nice to see them playing like the best team in the league once again. They'll need all the momentum they can get from their impressive victory against the Galaxy, as they'll try to make history when they suit up against Sporting Kansas City on Aug. 8, for the chance to become the first team to win four consecutive US Open Cup titles.

"It's just basically for ourselves - a statement for ourselves," Schmid added. "It's us knowing, 'Hey, here's what we can do, here's the commitment that we have, this is the potential that we can achieve, and this is what we do as we continue to move forward.' It's about ourselves. It's about ourselves getting confidence in our ability to be able to take on big challenges, big games - we have another one on Wednesday - and respond well to those challenges."

David has been a fan of the Seattle Sounders for the past 3 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter.
 
Sources:
LaGalaxy.com, "Postgame Notes & Quotes: Seattle Sounders vs LA Galaxy"