The year was 1996. Designated as the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty, it was also the Chinese Year of the Rat. The Spice Girls (the first version) were huge, Independence Day ruled the box office, and United supporter Jim Sonefeld earned a Grammy for his work with Hootie and the Blowfish. Big doings were happening in American soccer, too. None were bigger than the first Major League Soccer season and when it was over, one team stood above the others: D.C. United. The title was a first for the organization which has won more major domestic and international championships than any other club in American professional soccer history.
United and our friends at Comcast SportsNet will celebrate this great history throughout this week. D.C. United Championship Week will feature each of the four MLS Cup title-winning games for the Black-and-Red, as well as a live game Wednesday night against the Houston Dynamo. In addition to the games, interviews and other promotional segments throughout the week will prove to be a great trip down memory lane for die-hard fans and new supporters alike.
The fun starts tonight at 5:00 p.m. United Assistant Coach and former goalkeeping great Mark Simpson will join Russ Thaler on Washington Post Live, for a preview look at the 1996 MLS Cup title. At 7:00 p.m., Comcast SportsNet will re-air United's first championship match. The OT thriller over the LA Galaxy will be hosted by long-time television play-by-play announcer Dave Johnson.
Enjoy!
