An American, an Argentinean, an Australian, an Austrian, a Brit, a Canadian, a Columbian, a Costa Rican, a Cuban, a Congolese, a Dane, a Gambian, a German, a Ghanaian, a Honduran, a Jamaican, a Mexican, a Swede, a Vincentian, a Trinidadian, and an Uruguayan (shown above with fancy tea) walk into a bar.

Bartender says, “What’ll it be?” They reply, “Shots all around!”  I present to you your 2012 Seattle Sounders.

 “Our mentality right now is to try to win everything we are playing.  We don’t want to lose anything.  We want to be sure that everyone wants the same thing.  You have to have that thought if you want to represent the Seattle Sounders.”

Courtesy Seattle FC Sounders

When asked what his personal goals were for this season, that’s how Mauro Rosales responded.

Our 100% better midfielder won the MLS Newcomer of the Year award in 2011, and received serious MVP consideration before his MCL tear last September (before the injury he had tallied 4 goals and 8 assists in 9 games…so he was clearly pretty sick before the injury). He also helped the Sounders lead the league in scoring with 13 assists and 5 goals.

Head Coach Sigi Schmid talked about Rosales’ communication skills that went beyond the pitch. “He’s a very good guy in the locker room.  He’s also very good in terms of his communication with the players and helping them understand what he’s looking for in the game and he doesn’t come across as a know-it-all.  It’s more an old pro helping younger players.  His personality and his ability to lead and help in that manner is very good.”

And then there’s there the back-to-back team MVP, Osvaldo Alonso. In 2012 he garnered league MVP consideration when he led the league by winning possession with 133 tackles, 38 more than the next highest in the league.  “What distinguishes him in this league is his ability to recover the ball,” said Sigi. “A lot of guys can pick up mistakes that the opponent makes.  He forces errors out of the opponents and he’s almost cagey about it.  You think he’s not marking, then the ball gets played and he’s right there.”

So, okay, it’s pretty clear now that if the Sounders were Star Wars characters Rosales would be Obi Wan, Montero would be Luke Skywalker, Alonso would be Han Solo, Alvaro Fernandez would be C-3PO, and Sigi Schmid would be George Lucas. And every storm trooper would be David Beckham. (Jesus. The thought.)

But I digress.  We should really turn our attention to some of the new members of our Galactic Ball Kicking Squad.  Let’s start with the quick and shifty: Cordell Cato is a 17-year-old midfielder from Trinidad who came in 2^nd on the team in speed trials (Mike Fucito came in 4^th).

Side note: I came in 9^th, as it happen, but they only placed up to 8 and I was holding a cheeseburger and they said I wasn’t on the team and barely a reporter. I didn’t wanna finish the cheeseburger after that ‘cause it was wet with my tears… (GO SOUNDERS!)

“We kept our eye on him in the off-season and he was definitely someone we wanted to bring in and join us through preseason,” Sigi said about Cato. “We felt he had a good shot at playing.”  Better shot than I did I guess.

Sigi is also excited about Danish midfielder Christian Sivebæk (5^th in the speed trials), who plays an unapologetically attacking style. Christian’s father John Sivebæk famously scored the first goal in Alex Ferguson’s tenure as manager at Manchester United.  And as a child Christian would often dance around his father chanting “Manchester United” in a mocking tone. And then he’d be grounded for 180 days. Just kidding. They loved each other.

Sigi on Christian: “He’s a big boy, huh?  He’s a big boy and he’s fast, so he presents a few different options for us. He hits the ball very well, he’s pretty aggressive going after people…I think he’s got great potential.”

Y’know who else was a big boy in 2011? Sammy Ochoa. Sammy provided a nice spark for the team late in the season last year, and for 2 months right after the season ended he worked like a dog on a weekly basis at the Starfire training center.

“Sammy is fitter than he was last year when he came to us,” said Sigi, “he’s dropped some weight, which was important for him.  I still think he’s a good player that can hold the ball up.  He’s a good target that way, he’s mobile, he’s pretty good in front of the goal.  I’m pleased he’s with us.  He’s done ok, but he’s still going to get better.”

Jason Banton will also get better.  He was picked up as a 19-year-old Supplemental Draft pick. Banton, an Arsenal youth prospect from North London, has a similar style of play and background to Steve Zakuani.  “I’ve seen a few videos of Steve and I play quite similar,” Banton said after his first training session with the Sounders FC. It won’t be easy for Banton to find playing time as a winger with Zakuani, the nearly-lionized Morales, Alvaro Fernandez, Lamar Neagle, and Siveæk in front of him on the depth chart (not to mention veterans Roger Levesque and David Estrada. Even though I just did).

One man who won’t have trouble finding playing time is Michael Gspurning. He’s been playing gspectacularly in training camp (sorry I had to get one out).  As the first to hop into the wake of a Seattle sports legend, the 6’5 Gspurning splashes into the Seattle limelight as a 30-year-old Austrian who’s been playing in Greece since ’07.  In Greece he earned records such as 8 straight road game shutouts in their Super League (apparently Greece has a “super league.” I guess they also refer to their gyros as “super gyros.” I’m kidding, I love Greece. It’s super.) In 2004 Gspurning was named Best Goalkeeper in Austria’s 2^nd highest division. And when Michael was 8 he kicked a ball right at the television which was broadcasting a 20-year-old Kasey Keller playing in the German league. He kicked the ball right at Kasey Keller’s face on the screen. His parents were shocked. They told him, “Gstop that right now!” (I’m sorry. None of that happened about the TV. I have no idea where Kasey Keller was when he was 20.)

The bottom line is that Sigi likes this guy. “First off, you don’t replace Kasey Keller. What you’re looking for is a new goalkeeper,” said Sigi. “We like Michael’s background and pedigree. We like his size. He’s got good feet so we can play through him and he’s very good on crosses, takes good angles and has good hands.” Good hands? His hands are gorgeous.

Coach Schmid is not the only person excited about the assemblage of chess pieces before him.  Majority owner Joe Roth believes we have the best midfield in the league. “We have the best midfield in the league,” he said, “and there will be some real competition for those spots. I think we’ve been more aggressive this year than the last three years. I was really happy with the moves we made.”  Roth went on hinting towards building a legacy, where exceptional players become rooted here and stay in Seattle throughout their careers:

“I’d like to be able to keep a core group of players. Growing up in New York, players played an entire generation for the Yankees or Dodgers or the football Giants. I think that’s a missing component in today’s sports.”

On that note you’re gonna need a lot more hollow calabash gourds filled with tea and armed with filtering straws for our Uruguayan Sensation Alvaro Fernandez (seen above with tea that was not originally in the photo…but he would have it in his hand if he had the chance).  Alvaro, who had 11 goals and 5 assists last season, is now vying to get on the Uruguayan National Team by improving his play in 2012. But back to that gourd: “A lot of people give me looks and others stop me and ask me what it does,” Fernandez laughed.  “It’s just tea.”

Yeah, right. It’s what all the soccer Jedis are drinking right now, I’m sure. With the Sounders shattering MLS attendance records year-by-year, and Professional Franchise of the Year and MLS Executive of the Year (Gary Wright) awards showering upon this young sports franchise, there is no better place to consider the headquarters of the Rebel Alliance of MLS than the home of the Seattle Sounders. And I promise you under the very stars that shine over me tonight, that I will not make one reference to Star Wars in my next article. It is out of my system. It is now somewhere in the Dagoba system. Go Sounders!

By:  Matt Caliri

Hotel Address: 9030 East Westview Road, Lone Tree, CO 80124
Phone: (303) 662-8500

Positives:
* The room is very large, with a flat screen 42 inch TV and pull-out couch.
* High end bath with granite sink and high quality shampoo / conditioner, plus bonus toothpaste.
* Mini-refrigerator and bar sink with automatic coffee maker.
* Free internet (slow, see negatives); free parking
* Super convenient to I-25 highway, and huge shopping malls with great restaurants. Excellent location.
* Clean and well managed.
* Very comfy high quality Hyatt bed.
* Indoor (small) pool
* Walking distance to Chick-Fil-A fast food and Red Lobster restaurant. Walking distance to huge mall.
* Very safe area.
* Generally reasonable prices – seems to do a lot of Priceline and Hotwire opaque offers at a discount.
* Very convenient location to Denver Tech Center and light rail station to downtown Denver.

Negatives:
* The breakfast is very basic. They upsell cooked breakfast items, but none are free.
* Breakfast includes: fruit; yogurt; bread to toast; coffee; juice; cereal + milk. Again, it’s very basic.
* The internet is painfully slow. For email, it’s tolerable. For anything else – it’s just plain bad.
* The internet worsens as the hotel fills up at night. You can forget about streaming anything at all.
* No microwave in rooms – they’ll set one out in the downstairs breakfast area only if you ask.
* No laundry machines: no washers, no dryers.

We liked this hotel a lot – it offered a lot for our money in a great location.

These photos will help you to know exactly what your room in the hotel will be like, before your reserve or make a choice. Click any thumbnail to see the full detailed photo for that portion of the room.
Hyatt Place Image Gallery Part 1 of 3
Hyatt Place Image Gallery Part 2 of 3
Hyatt Place Image Gallery Part 3 of 3

In the last week, a story appearing in the local media was based on untrue assertions about STITA Taxi’s current status. I am writing to assure you that STITA is very much in business, is committed to honor our account agreements, and continues to serve our loyal customers and passengers throughout the region.

Unfortunately, a November 12 article by the Seattle Times that was widely disseminated gave readers the very wrong impression that after operating successfully for 21 years, STITA is going out of business. The reporter–an intern–attempted to describe STITA’s current status without actually talking to a single STITA representative. Instead, he quoted the personal opinions of two people who are not part of STITA and know little about STITA’s current business or operations.

For the record, STITA is open for business. In fact, we are actively working to expand our services and accounts, not to shut down or cut back.

We value your business and your confidence in STITA as your transportation service provider.
And, we look forward to continuing to meet and exceed your transportation needs. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at 206-246-9999 if we can provide additional information or assistance.

Sincerely,

Harpreet S. Bassi
President, Board of Directors
STITA Taxi

Twilight of Washington's New Moon Coast

Forks, Washington
Forks, Washington was a place that barely made the map until it became the setting for Stephanie Meyers’ Twilight book series. It is the perfect setting for the movie, too, isn’t it? It’s a small town located on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, which makes it perfect for showing off daily life as well as dramatic views. It also happens to be one of the rainiest places in the nation. A majority of the filming for Twilight took place here and there are lots of little landmarks that a true fan can check out on a trip to Forks.

You won’t have to look far to find the sights that you want to see once you get to Forks. In fact, all that you need to do is head to the Forks, Washington Chamber of Commerce that was turned into a Twilight Visitors Center last year. They even have a Twilight tour that will show you where all of the hot spots from the movie are located in the town. This small town is populated with friendly people who are all too happy to tell you about the things that you want to know.

Some of the places that you will want to check out while you’re in Forks include The Lodge (the restaurant where Charlie Swan likes to eat), the hospital (where Carlise Cullen works) and the Forks High School. Another popular attraction is, of course, the Vampire Playing Field located near the Quillayute Prairie Cemetery (where the Cullens often spent time). Be sure to book your stay at the Cullen House Bed and Breakfast, which is a charming set of accommodations owned by people who can tell you all that you might want to know about Twilight. Make sure to snap a photo of the famous Welcome To Forks sign located at 550 N. Forks Ave. on your way in or out of town.

Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
Not all of the filming of the first Twilight movie took place in Forks, Washington. A lot of the movie was also filmed in various parts of Oregon. One of the most beautiful places to visit, which is also shown in the movie, is the Columbia River Gorge area. Locations to see in this area include Multnomah Falls (and the Lodge located here), The Shire and The View Point Inn. Other natural areas in Oregon that you’ll want to check out to see if you recognize them from the film are Indian Beach at Ecola State Park, Oxbow Regional Park’s Sandy River Gorge, and Silver Falls State Park in Sublimity.
Vancouver, Canada
The New Moon movie wasn’t able to be filmed in Forks, Washington for a variety of reasons including funding competition in the state. That didn’t stop the movie from being a hit, though. The filming for this part of the story was done primarily in Vancouver. It’s not nearly as easy to find the Twilight hot spots in the big city of Vancouver as it is in the small town of Forks, Washington but it’s definitely possible to find them if you’re a true fan who knows where to look.

The majority of the filming that was done in Vancouver was done at David Thompson Secondary School. Filming for Eclipse (which comes out next year) will also take place here. A more interesting part of Vancouver that was featured in the movie is the Kitsilano neighborhood which is a combination residential / commercial neighborhood that is bordered by two beaches. Any New Moon traveler interested in seeing Vancouver while enjoying Twilight highlights will want to wander around here. You’ll also want to spend some time in the terrific New Westminster neighborhood, especially at the Paramount Theatre where much of the filming took place. Other spots in the area that are featured in the movie include West Vancouver (where the Cullen residence is located), Surrey (where Bella’s house is located and Whytefield Park (which you’ll recognize from the film).
Italy

True Twilight fans will take advantage of the fact that some of the filming for New Moon took place in Italy and will use this as an excuse to travel to this amazing country. If you thought it was pretty in the movie then you’ll be awed by the beauty of the real thing. The place to go to is Montepulciano, which is a charming medieval town in Southern Tuscany. You might also want to enjoy the opportunity to visit Volterra. The movie wasn’t filmed there but it was originally chosen as a spot where filming might take place so you can look around and see what might have been.
Enjoy your Twilight travels!