Repeating a well-worn mantra about the unlikelihood of winning consecutive championships in professional sport is far easier than a team like the Sounders actually turning that theory on its head.
Simply put, their odds of repeating as MLS Cup champions this season depreciated like a Corvette driven out of the showroom the moment they hoisted the Anschutz Trophy last November. It’s not about the flurry of winter moves by general manager Garth Lagerwey – they’ve improved the team’s chances, if nothing else – but moreover the parity in modern pro sports, a sudden death playoff formula requiring some luck and the inevitable “hangover” effect most title winners go through.