I gave you my 90 minutes!!!

Last week I went to the inaugural game of the Seattle Sounders F.C.. They played the New York Red Bulls (yeah, I know, damn Americans and their advertising!) and three goals later the Sounders had won their first official MLS match!

Now if you want a recap of the game, there are many other places that will provide more detail for you than I can.

What I want to address is the 32,523 people that came out to see the new MLS team play.

When the MLS initially decided to add a team in Seattle, many debated on the future of the MLS. Would the US ever embrace the sport they way the Europeans did? Could Seattle be the American capital for soccer? How could they create a team and an atmosphere around the Sounders that resembled the European leagues but still be genuine to Seattle with its own American flare?

Tough questions. But the Sounder management moved forward, holding a statewide vote on the team name, creating a Members Association called the Alliance (where the members can vote to fire the general manager), advertising in a typically American fashion (I have never seen commercials or billboards for European teams abroad), creating the Sound Wave (the team's marching band) and placing free scarves all over the city to get people excited about the first game.

Well, the effort worked and the entire lower bowl of Qwest field was packed. Here is a video of what it was like being down at the stadium. Check it out and I will be adding a few of my own pics and videos later on: