SEATTLE — Expansion life in Major League Soccer — in any sport, really — is typically a grind. While there are high draft picks or allocation money or expansion drafts, teams are still trying to put together a puzzle with only half the picture. And no matter how many experienced executives or high-priced veterans you bring in, it’s never as simple as just plugging and playing.
Of course, there is the occasional needle in the proverbial haystack, and every once in a while the lottery ticket hits. The Seattle Sounders cashed in their inaugural season, lifting a US Open Cup trophy and making the MLS Cup playoffs, a feat they have repeated every year since.