It started at 4am Tuesday morning. "Mooooom, I don't WANT to go to school....." Ug, I dragged myself out of bed and barely conscious got dressed in the carefully laid out Sounders anniversary shirt and some comfy travel pants. Too early for breakfast, I just brushed my teeth and ran a comb through my hair. Fortunately, I'm married to a morning person so he did the driving to the airport. (We did the math, paying for short term parking was going to be cheaper than a cab and the Light Rail didn't run that early.) Once at the gate I started to gain some consciousness and spotted a couple Sounders jerseys around. No one was making eye contact yet, although I was sure we all sensed each other's presence and took comfort in it. We boarded, we took off, we hid away in our headphones and tablets for 5 plus hours. My husband and I were in the front row of First Class, not because we can afford it, but because we used miles to buy tickets and those were the only seats left. Burned a lot of miles, but it was worth it. There was one other supporter in our section but we never chatted. It was just too damn early.





Born in nineteen-seventy-four Sounders! Sounders! And now we win like none before Sounders! Sounders! We love our boys in famous green The greatest team you've ever seen Seattle Sounders Born in seventy-four!

We landed in Philadelphia several hours before the ECS tailgate party would start at the stadium. We didn't want to go to our hotel first because it was in the opposite direction and we didn't have a rental car. Instead, we found the sports bar in our terminal and sat down to acclimate. Getting there we passed a lot more Sounders Supporters and people started making eye contact, I got an occasional nod. At the bar I had a Yuengling, and I have to say..."meh." Sorry Philly. After the beer and some food we left the airport and called for an Uber car. The driver took us to the stadium, reminding us that this was NOT a good neighborhood. He drove us right past security and up to the docks. We were at PPL.





Whoa...Oh...Oh...Hey Hey Hey Whoa...Oh...Oh...Hey Hey Hey Whoa...Oh...Oh...Hey Hey Hey Whoa...Oh...Oh...Hey Hey Hey When it's us versus them, you can always count on me! When it's us versus them, it's a Sounders unity!

We were still a bit early for the tailgate so we walked to the end of the dock on the river. It was a very industrial area, with a factory off to the left and a steel bridge overhead. Not the prettiest place, and there was not even one yacht! But, the weather was nice. Other people were starting to make their way to the party so we also joined. This was our first away match with ECS, so we were pleased to find that we were welcomed with open arms, beers and hoagies. Over the next couple of hours the area filled up with green and blue and the air was filled with excitement, anticipation, comraderie. Someone handed me a baggie full of drunk gummy bears. They tasted like a margarita. Joe Roth came by for a hoagie to show us his appreciation. We were all there for a singular purpose and it was fun. The tifo was tied to poles, the beers were finished, the time had come.





Seattle Sounders Here we go Here we go Here we go Ole Ole! Ole Ole! Seattle Sounders Here we go! Sky of blue, Sea of green Seattle Sounders Here we go!

We marched, we sang, we made our way through the gates and to our assigned away section. We settled in and prepared ourselves for the match ahead, as did our boys who were warming up on the field. As the stadium filled with Union fans and supporters our flags began to wave, our two poles went up and our excitement grew. When our players were announced we shouted our support as we always do, buy screaming their names. They could hear us and it made them feel at home. The National Anthem was sung, our three part tifo was raised, our scarves went up. Our songs could be heard throughout the land.





We came to drink, we came to sing whoa whoa We came to drink, we came to sing whoa whoa We came to drink, we came to sing ECS from one thirteen! Whoa, ooohhh, oohh!

Burn, destroy, wreck, and kill whoa, whoa Burn, destroy, wreck and kill whoa, whoa Burn, destroy, wreck, and kill Seattle Sounders surely will! Whoa, ooohhh, oohh!

Emerald City we are here whoa, whoa Emerald City we are here whoa, whoa Emerald City we are here Supporting Sounders, drinking beer! Whoa, ooohhh, oohh!

Can you hear the Union sing? no oh, no oh Can you hear the Union sing? no oh, no oh Can you hear the Union sing? We don't hear a fu*#ing thing! No oh, ooohh, oohh!

It was at that point when the Union Academy players who were (for some poor planning unknown reason) sitting just to our right looked up at us in shock and started to get rowdy. It was all in good fun, but they took their shouts of "Seattle sucks!" very seriously with plenty of hand gestures and standing on their seats. The security in our aisle was there to protect us, and scold adolescent boys, and enjoy a night at work unlike they had seen before. After the Union goal those boys were beside themselves with happiness and pointing and laughing. I smiled. This was the #future sitting next to us. Not just for the Union, but for all of us. For MLS, for the USMNT, for soccer in America. These young boys were there supporting their club, jeering the opposition supporters, feeling in their hearts that they had the chance to win this cup and not just win it, but win it against THE Seattle Sounders. Good for them. I was happy they had that moment. I was even more happy when Chad Barrett scored the equalizer and those Academy boys got to witness what so many teams must endure. The Sounders never losing their cool when they are down a goal.





I'm a Sounder, I'm seldom sober I'm a Sounder, all blue and green! It's when I'm drinkin' I'm always drinking To a Sounders victory!

No one likes us, NO ONE LIKES US No one likes us, we don't care! We are Sounders, mighty Sounders, We are Sounders from Brougham End!

Overtime may not have been the way we wanted to end this, but we knew we were going to be the ones to end it. Our National team captain knew that too and gave us a goal to put us in the lead. At that point everyone's nerves were on edge. The clock could not have run slower. There was always a chance that the Union would secure a PK shoot out and no Sounder supporter wanted to test Stefan Frei, despite the fact that he was having the match of his life. We sang our hearts out, prayed, bit our nails. The two security guards standing closest to me remarked on the quality of our support and our singing. Their favorite came right at the end, after that last glorious goal.

Call: Oba! Repeat: Oba! Call: Oba! Repeat: Oba! All: Obafemi Martins! Seattle Sounders number nine Obafemi Martins!

I can't remember the last time I was so excited about a win. I'm typically excited, but this one felt So. Damn. Good. Maybe it was travelling all the way across the country. Maybe it was being the minority group in the stadium. Maybe it was because the US Open Cup means something. We made it back into the Champions League where we belong. This is OUR cup. It belongs to us.

The bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle And the hills the greenest green in Seattle Like a beautiful child, growing up, free and wild Full of hopes and full of fears, Full of laughter, full of tears Full of dreams to last the years In Seattle.....in Seattle!





After the stadium was nearly cleared out our supporters were ushered to the front of the section so that it would look good on camera we could get a closer look at the players, coaches, staff, and that giant piece of silverware. They hoisted the trophy, we shouted. They hoisted the trophy again, we sang individual player songs to them. They are our team, we are their supporters. The relationship is symbiotic. We did it. Together.

Go Sounders go Fight Sounders fight And the entire world will tremble at your might! We sing for you, we love you so And we will follow you wherever you may go! Call: We are the blue! Repeat: We are the blue! Call: We are the green! Repeat: We are the green! Call: We are the ECS and you can hear us scream! Repeat: Hear us scream! Call: For our boys! Repeat: For our boys! Call: Until the end! Repeat: Until the end! All: Our love for you only the Gods can understand!

So that was it. We won, we celebrated, we were hyped up on adrenaline. This called for a bar. A bar with everyone. Unfortunately, I didn't know where that was going to be. As our Uber driver pointed out, we didn't want to go wandering far from the stadium. We asked around as we were walking out and no one we talked to seem to know where to go. We gave up and decided to head back to our hotel and find a place near there. We were staying downtown, there had to be something open. We called for another Uber. It took a really really long time for a car to come. Apparently, they don't like picking up fares in this neighborhood. A fellow S@H reader and his son waited so long that a Union family came by and offered to drive them back to their hotel. (That Brotherly Love is a real thing!) Our car finally arrived and we got inside. As my husband was explaining to the driver where we were staying something shiny caught my eye outside. I started slapping my husband on the leg. It took me a few seconds to get the words out as my brain made the recognition. "Cup! Cup! It's the Cup!" I finally shouted. Sure enough some dude in jeans and a t-shirt was hauling the toddler sized silver trophy up to a Honda Civic in the parking lot. My husband struggled to get the window down while we were both shouting "Wait! Wait! Can we touch it??" Reluctantly, and with some prodding from a woman with him, the dude brought it over to the window and we both put one hand gently on the cold metal. Sigh. THAT was a moment I will never forget. "Thank you!" we offered and the car pulled away.

Roll on Columbia, roll on Roll on Columbia, roll on Your power is turning the darkness to dawn So roll on Columbia, roll on

After checking into our hotel we asked if there were any bars around that would be open. The hotel clerk had two suggestions. He encouraged us to go to the place right next door, BUT, he said, there is a sports bar around the corner. We looked into the place next door. It was small and brightly lit and looked like a place where we might fall asleep from boredom. Sports bar it is! When we walked into the Field House it was fairly empty. There were a few people at the bar, and a few Sounders shirts could be spied in the back. Oh good, some of our people, this is the place. We ordered drinks and sat down. Within the next 15 minutes the place started to fill up. With Sounders fans. By the time we were ready for drink number two the place was packed with Sounders shirts and I could have sworn I saw Matt Gaschk. I guess we found the right place! There was a buzz in the air all of the sudden and I turned in my seat to see Sigi walking in, holding the Cup. He made a lovely speech about how this Cup belonged to all of us and that he brought it there tonight so that we could all enjoy it. He set it down and we all took our turn with it. Adrian graciously walked around shaking hands, Chris Henderson engaged my husband in some debate, Stefan and Kenny gave us some of their time. Lots of hand-shaking, lots of "thank you's."

The bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle And the hills the greenest green in Seattle Like a beautiful child, growing up, free and wild Full of hopes and full of fears, Full of laughter, full of tears Full of dreams to last the years In Seattle.....in Seattle!

We made it back to our hotel around 3am and passed out content and a little in awe of everything we had been through that day. The next morning we awoke at 9 and bleary-eyed and wandered around Philly. The market downtown is very nice, even rivals Pike's Place for variety of shops. The Old Town neighborhood is interesting with it's old architecture and narrow cobblestone alleys. We wore Sounders clothes and did have several interactions with Union fans who were nothing but gracious and congratulatory. Eventually, it was time to make our way back to the airport. We took the train with a handful of other supporters also catching afternoon flights. A Union fan told us we were the best team in Cascadia (duh.) "What is up with that lumberjack chainsaw thing? I don't get it." We became friends for life. Our flight was delayed so we ended up at that same bar in the terminal. Full circle. This time I ordered a Blue Moon. After another 5 plus hours on a plane (a little less comfortable in coach) we finally landed at Sea-Tac around 10:30pm and made it home by 11. Exhausted, but exhilarated. I think we might be hooked, I am positive this will not be our last away match. We'll see you next time ECS Travel Monkeys. We'll see you next time.

Duwamish sown (clap x4) Seattle's own (clap x4) Sounders FC (clap x4) Cascades to sea (clap x4) La la la la (x4)