Mike Fucito: Seattle Sounders’ Embodiment of Desire and Spirit

Mike Fucito fell in love with soccer at first opportunity. His desire and spirit represent an embodiment of accomplishment through continued effort. Fucito hails from Westford, Massachusetts, located some 35 miles from Boston. While living most of his life in Westford, he left the public school system to attend the Brooks School in North Andover. Head Coach Dusty Richard and assistant John Packard had the tools to develop a championship club as Fucito formed a tandem with Charlie Davies, who would ultimately star in international professional ranks with French Ligue 1 team Sochaux and be capped 16 times for the U.S. National Team.As seniors the duo of Fucito and Davies, who also played together in club action, rewrote the record books. Fucito captained a squad that won the New England Championship and was the only undefeated and untied team in league history.In order to achieve one requires an opportunity, and Fucito was fortunate in attracting the interest of one of soccer’s top coaches in John Kerr. Former U.S. National Team member Kerr coached Fucito at FC Greater Boston Bolts. Fucito’s performance with Kerr’s club prompted a recommendation that dramatically enhanced the player’s visibility and opportunity in the soccer world.Kerr was then head ...

Galaxy-Sounders: Can Los Angeles Slam the Door Shut on Rave Green?

Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy are a win or a draw away from progressing to the Major League Soccer Western Conference Championship. Consolidation is a main focal point heading into the second leg against Sigi Schmid's Seattle Sounders on Sunday, Nov. 7 at the Home Depot Center.“We’re definitely not confident yet, or cocky at all,” Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez said. “We know that this is a two-game series and they’re going to come to our house and try and get a goal.""We’ve got to go into the game the same way we did [Sunday]—ready to play, ready to get into every tackle, ready to just fight to get that win again.”“It’s not just a 90 minute game,” right back Sean Franklin said. “It’s a 180 minute game. It’s two games. So we’re happy with the win, but our job’s not done. We’re going to go out next week and get the shutout and get the win.”Nothing different is expected from G's on the weekend's tilt, according to Franklin.“I don’t expect a big change,” he said. “They’re a good side. They’re not going to change too much. We’ve got to be aware of that. We’ve just got to play the same ...

Thierry Henry in Background as Red Bulls Charge Ahead

For a team that made a lot of noise this season, from opening a new stadium to winning the Eastern Conference title, it was probably the Red Bulls’ signing of Thierry Henry that garnered the most attention. Many thought it was bigger news than David Beckham’s move to Los Angeles, that it was the start of a new era not just for the Red Bulls, but for MLS as a whole. Henry, they said, was more than an aging ambassador of soccer. He seemed like the kind of star player who could take over the pitch and light up scoreboards across the country. So far, however, that star power has netted just two goals in 11 MLS games. And then there's the knee injury. After sitting out his third consecutive game as the Red Bulls began the playoffs in San Jose, Henry hopes to be available for the November 4th meeting with the Earthquakes at Red Bull Arena. It is unlikely, however, that he will start.  He has shown flashes of the Thierry Henry of old—he still has the delicate finishing touch that won him a pair of Golden Boots, a World ...

Edson Buddle Goal Difference Maker in 1-0 L.A. Galaxy Win Over Seattle Sounders

So often championship competition is resolved by strong defensive effort and one spectacular breakthrough. Such was the case Sunday night at the Xbox Pitch of Qwest Field in the 2010 MLS Playoffs.  Scoring ace Edson Buddle of the L.A. Galaxy took advantage of one long range opportunity, which proved to be the difference maker in a 1-0 triumph over the host Seattle Sounders before 35,521, marking the home team’s 32nd consecutive sellout and the second largest crowd ever for a conference semifinal. The premier team of MLS soccer during the season’s first half was a red hot L.A. Galaxy.  The club with second half momentum was the Seattle Sounders.  So in what could be termed the MLS third season, meaning the playoffs, who would get hot?The result on the Xbox Pitch Sunday night was scoring stalemate and this was anything but a surprise to anyone familiar with the nuances of professional sports.  Seattle’s Sigi Schmid and Los Angeles mentor Bruce Arena are two bona fide legends, so accomplished that each stands in the rarified orbit of having won more than one MLS Cup during long and productive careers.Couple the brilliance of two experienced coaches alongside the fact that they are both ...

Nightmare on Brougham Street: LA Galaxy’s Buddle Silences Seattle, 1-0

Halloween Night proved to be nothing but a haunted house of horrors for the Seattle Sounders Football Club. Victoria Street's Frankenstein, known only to mortals as Edson Buddle, helped Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy monster mash their way to a 1-0 victory over Sigi Schmid's side at Qwest Field in Seattle on Sunday before 35,521 brave souls.The genius that is the mad scientist Bruce Arena discovered a winning formula on the plastic pitch, subbing starter Eddie Lewis while placing Gregg Berhalter in the middle. With Blaise Nkufo and Nate Jaqua posing as a last-ditch threat in the second half, Berhalter's presence neutralized Seattle's attack and took slack off Omar Gonzalez's back.Landon Donovan—the Dracula of the bunch—sucked the blood out of the Seattle attackers, holding Sanna Nyassi and James Riley at bay with his speed. That is the type of form that could pay dividends next week at the Home Depot Center. And of course, the Wolfman known as David Beckham was showing that he could play some defense.I do believe that Mike Magee was playing like the mummy he was. He wasn't bringing the same intensity and finish in the front, wasn't fast enough to receive his passes...overall, he underachieved.Juninho should have buried ...