FanHouse Seattle Sounders

The team with 'Tradition' printed on the backs of their jerseys, the one whose marketing campaign for Wednesday night's U.S. Open Cup final centered on a collection of trophies unsurpassed in this country, wound up being the side that appeared nervous and out of its depth. The visiting Seattle Sounders attacked D.C. United from the start with confidence and speed and were unlucky not to be ahead by two goals at the half. They sealed their first trophy when Fredy Montero scored in the 67th minute and D.C. goalie Josh Wicks lost his mind, jumped on the Colombian and was ejected.

Seattle's players, staff and ownership celebrated heartily afterward in RFK Stadium's visitors' locker room, spraying champagne and singing their traditional rendition of "Jingle Bells." FanHouse was there and spoke with former U.S. national team goalkeeper and Sounders captain Kasey Keller and minority owner and comedian Drew Carey about winning the Cup and what makes their club different from its competitors in Major League Soccer.

The Avellaneda billboard war began in the spring of 2005. Racing Club, for reasons unknown, paid for a sign toward the end of the bridge that connects central Buenos Aires with the southern "suburb" celebrating its status as "the only team to fill two stadiums on the same day." It was referencing the Thursday four years before when it clinched the Apertura championship at Velez Sarsfield before thousands of its own fans, then returned to celebrate at a packed El Cilindro.

Archrival Independiente quickly responded, proclaiming on its own sign nearby that, "We may fill only one stadium, but we win more than one title every 35 years." Racing soon returned fire, and it was on. I was lucky enough to be in Argentina at the time and was both fascinated and envious, hoping that someday our clubs would be as passionate and hilariously petty as theirs.

That day may be Wednesday, as D.C. United hosts the Seattle Sounders in a U.S. Open Cup final that may be a turning point for both the oft-ignored competition and the way American soccer clubs market themselves.

Thanks to the hard work of a few enterprising, internet-savvy fans -- or perhaps owing to a well-timed leak from the front office -- we can now relax and enjoy Monday's unveiling of the name and logo of Philadelphia's MLS expansion team rather than go into it with a sense of dread.

According to captured (or leaked) shots of logos and merchandise (see right), the club entering the league next season will be nicknamed the Union and will wear a circular, blue-and-gold badge featuring a coiled snake and 13 stars. The symbols are rich in Philly tradition and strike a perfect balance between the outdated, cartoonish logos introduced at MLS' foundation and embarrassing, Euro-poseur names like Real Salt Lake.

Assuming this logo is authentic, it represents a positive step in MLS's effort to define its image.

Freddie Ljungberg, who made his MLS debut this past weekend, was interviewed by Dave Hollander recently.

Now that Beckham won't be playing in the MLS anytime soon, who will replace the sex symbol as the Google object of female soccer fans? Can you say "Freddie Ljungberg?" Well, maybe you can't, but the former captain of the Swedish national team signed a multimillion dollar deal with the Seattle Sounders FC of the MLS. Voted Swedish player of the year (2002, 2006) and Swedish midfielder of the year (2004), he has also graced the covers of numerous magazines and is an underwear model for Calvin Klein. So who needs Beckham, right?

The full interview is after the jump.