BY DYLAN BUTLER
Drew Carey has his own idea about what makes up an expansion team. And the comedian and co-owner of the Seattle Sounders said his team doesn't fit that description.
"I think the expansion team this year actually is the Galaxy and not us," Carey told reporters at MLS headquarters in Manhattan Monday morning. "I said that to all my Riot Squad friends. You're the ones scrambling to put a team together, didn't know who was playing for you day-to-day…They're coming from a big mess, they're the expansion team."
The host of "The Price is Right" and former star of "The Drew Carey Show" and the U.S. version of "Who's line is it anyway?" also wasn't shy about giving his prediction for the Sounders first-ever MLS game Thursday against the New York Red Bulls: a 2-1 victory for the Sounders, who Carey said was listed as a slight favorite by online gambling establishments.
"We are not the expansion team this year and I think we're going to do real well," Carey said. "On Thursday I think we're going to win. I agree with the bookies."
Carey said he's been amazed by the buzz in Seattle about the Sounders FC. Season ticket sales are already over 20,000 and the seating at Qwest Field has been expanded from 24,500 to about 26,000.
"I'm shocked," he said. "It's like being at a hot dice table or something and I'm so happy to keep rolling numbers."
Carey said he's waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"Come June, if our stadium is burned down and half our team has been ridden out of town and quit in disgust, then you'll know, 'Oh, there's the other shoe.'"
While he is convinced expansion in his native Cleveland isn't feasible ("The Browns, Indians and Cavaliers are so entrenched in that town, that's all you ever read about. Soccer would be a really tough sell there."), Carey is hoping both Portland and Vancouver are granted expansion franchises.
"That would be fantastic," he said. "We could have our own little triangle of death up there. I know somebody would come up with some three-team mini tournament and call it the something up and I would be against that. There's enough of those dopey (things)."
First off, Seattle people, get off your high horses…
When the novelty of the new team wears off, how will you enjoy watching games with 2500 of your closest friends at Qwest Field? You’ll be able to yell across the field to your buddy sitting on the other sideline, and he’ll hear you just fine.
Secondly, Qwest Field is NOT the first stadium built with soccer in mind. In fact, the first true stadium built for soccer was the farthest point of the continental US from you, down in Miami – Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Dolphins Stadium was the first.
If you want to play soccer on fake grass, move indoors and put a damn wall around the field. Play on grass or get the hell out of the league.