TUKWILA, Wash.—As he walked off the practice field recently, Brian Schmetzer was greeted in a manner usually reserved for players.
The Seattle Sounders coach was pulled aside to sign a poster board, asked to pose for a picture with a fan and finally chased down to autograph — of all things — a shoe.
“I’ve still got another four hours of work,” Schmetzer said with a grin as he walked away.
Schmetzer is a popular guy these days after leading a remarkable turnaround that has landed Seattle in Saturday’s MLS title game at Toronto with a chance to add a major piece of hardware missing from the club’s trophy case.