To some, it may seem like the Seattle Sounders traded two youngish, somewhat promising players (Mike Fucito and Lamar Neagle) for one who's hoping to regain his old form (Eddie Johnson). For Sounders fans though, specifically those at Sounder at Heart, Fucito was much more and they are a bit upset:
Sports kind of suck sometimes. Not always because of the loss column, but of the losses of players to injury, retirement and, of course, trade. Today, the Church of Fucito is no longer a Sounder at Heart phenomenon. It personally will not close, but the attention devoted to it will shift. I will still find glory in Fucito's successes in MLS and I now look forward to him winning the Voyageurs Cup in 2012 by crushing Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
And it wasn't just Fucito who was a fan favorite, as Neagle was a local boy who was heavily involved with the Seattle community. Both had provided the team with memorable moments, including dramatic game-winners that had earned a special place in the hearts of many fans. All of this suggests Johnson will have some big shoes to fill, at least among the diehards.