Hello from the bubble! Thanks for stopping by and checking out our daily journal from Orlando, which is presented by WaFd Bank—the Exclusive Bank of Sounders FC.
My name is Danny, and I am the Manager of Social Media for the Sounders. As the only staffer from our content team who will be in the bubble for the MLS is Back Tournament, I will do my best to update everyone on the behind-the-scenes action of what this journey has in store.
WEEK 1 BLOG HERE
WEEK 2 BLOG HERE
Stay Safe. Stay Healthy. Go Sounders!
July 26, 2020
11:43 p.m. ET - Another Sounders birthday! Today we celebrate Trey Muse, who turns 21. Coach Schmetzer joked that he needs to drink one of the Heineken Zero cans that are found throughout the resort campus. The non-alcoholic drink, along with bottled water, are found in each lounge and by the pool area, while baskets of Cheez-Its are located throughout both hotels and replenished daily. As for the team, it was another day of meals and testing prior to a very late training session. It is difficult to fathom that tomorrow's kickoff won't be until 11 p.m. local time, but the team has done all it can to prepare their bodies to that adjustment. Aside from our early kickoff a couple weeks ago, our schedule has accounted for late breakfasts and late dinners. Fine by me, I am a night owl!
July 25, 2020
10:01 p.m. ET - Happy Birthday, Raúl! Our star striker turns 30 today, and he is also the first Sounder to celebrate a birthday in the bubble. Our awesome hotel staff surprised him with a birthday cake and candles, while Miguel Ibarra and Yeimar Gòmez pranked him after training with an ice bucket. Probably pretty refreshing in Florida, though! Otherwise it was a standard day. The training session featured some 11-v-11 drills, with Jordan Morris providing a goal highlight and Stefan Cleveland stood tall on a close-range blast from Cristian Roldan.
Disappointing fact: Over three weeks and I still haven't seen a gator. Always keeping an eye out.
July 24, 2020
10:31 p.m. ET - After two tough days of training, the guys were given the day off for the most part. After testing and a gym session in the afternoon, the guys took to the “beach” at the hotel for an afternoon of volleyball, pool and yoga. One court featured a standard sand volleyball game, while the other was more footy-focused with no hands allowed.
For dinner, we went back to the sushi restaurant. All in all, it was a nice day to mark three weeks since we arrived in the bubble.
July 23, 2020
11:01 p.m. ET - Today is a day of clarity. In the morning we learned that we finished second in the group, putting our match at 11 p.m. ET on Monday night. By night’s end we will learn of our opponent (UPDATE: LAFC). Yesterday’s training was noticeably tough, and today’s wasn’t too far off. We were haunted by dark clouds for the duration of training, which featured pockets of heavy rain and lots of distant lightning, but we were able to complete the whole session.
Here’s an inside scoop: One of the teams that we see the most often around the hotel is LAFC. Their meal rooms is near ours and we use the same elevators (although we never share with other teams). Next few days should be interesting!
July 22, 2020
9:17 p.m. ET - We returned to the training pitch today with a tough session. The group stage is clearly behind us now and we're solely focused on the upcoming knockout round match. A two-v-two shooting drill provided some of the most intense battles since we arrived, with Cristian Roldan and Kelvin Leerdam both scoring super goals.
Just like after every other practice, the guys jumped in the pool. A few days ago, Stefan Cleveland brought out a small ball that skips on the water, and he's been joined by Stefan Frei, Will Bruin and Gustav Svensson for a two-on-two game where they try to sneak it past each other.
July 21, 2020
10:10 p.m. ET - Off day! At this point, this is the longest we'll go in the tournament between matches. Aside from a few team meals and a rehab session for some of the guys, the group had it completely off from all things soccer-related. A group of 30 players and staff went to the golf course, and everyone that I spoke to said it was super relaxing and cathartic to get off the hotel campus for a little bit. Rumor has it that Will Bruin, Justin Dhillon and Cristian Roldan were the top performing players, while Preki shined among the staff. The trio of Nouhou, Jordy Delem and Kelvin Leerdam surely provided entertainment, as it was one of their first-ever outings on the links. For dinner, we had a team reservation at the Italian restaurant located on-site. It was the first time I've had pizza in at least three weeks, that might be a personal record.
