Seattle's unknown champions

 

November 14, 2019



Commentary by Rick Nelson

Lost somewhat in the frenzy about the Seattle Seahawks' overtime win Monday night over the previously undefeated San Francisco 49'ers was the Seattle Sounders claiming a national championship on Sunday.

A soccer team, the Sounders used a strategy of counterattacks to defeat Toronto FC 3-1 while setting a new attendance record of 69,274 in the Seahawks' very own stadium. It was the Sounders' second Major Soccer League championship in the past four years.

But that wasn't the first national title in Seattle professional sports this year. This past June, the Seattle Seawolves repeated as champion of Major League Rugby, the top-level rugby competition in the United States and Canada that played its first season in 2018.

According to Wikipedia, the Seawolves are a rugby union team founded in 2017 and based in Seattle. The Seawolves won the inaugural MLR Grand Final in 2018 and defeated San Diego Legion 26–23 at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego in June. One can find the matches on YouTube.

Rugby teams from around the world recently completed Rugby World Cup, with the Springboks of South Africa defeating England in the championship match. The US is mentioned as the probable host for the 2031 Rugby World Cup. I would be 80 in 2031, so I'm not sure I'll be around to see if that occurs.

So, who's next for a national championship by a regional team in some form of football? The Huskies? The Seahawks? Probably not, but you'll hear all about them in The Media. Soccer and rugby? Not so much, but they're still champs.

 

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