Seattle soccer: A city drinks in Drew Carey's love of the game

The match begins. Sometimes Carey is calm. Just as often he balls a fist, bites a nail, cusses like the Marine he once was. "I like the idea of this being a movement," he says. "There's no reason a team like the Clippers can't do this, or a team like the Detroit Lions. What do teams like that have to lose?"

Control, someone suggests.

"That was the argument against democracy in the United States," Carey replies, launching into a soliloquy in which he dismisses monarchies and applauds the masses.

"Let the fans vote for the GM? Don't you vote for judges you've never heard of? I believe fans know way more about sports teams than they know about judges, and judge is a pretty important job. Look, the only way fans can ever have a say in the way a team is run right now, with most teams, is to stop coming. And that's no way to run a business. We're going to have lean years. When that happens, I want them to keep coming, and we do that by having them really involved."

The soliloquy abruptly ends when he notices one of the Sounders streaking across the field, heading for the goal.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" he shouts, rising from his seat. "Oh . . . baby . . . yeah!"

Near the end of the first half, a Sounder plows in front of a high-kicked ball, sending it into the net for another goal.

"Chackalackalacka!" Carey shouts. "Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about! Take that back to San Jose, fool!"

The game will end that way -- a 2-0 victory for Seattle. But right now Carey is pumped. When he's not shouting, he's beaming at the band and the fans, amazed. He is like this to the end, as green and blue confetti paints the air and the fans stand en masse, singing, chanting, yelling, unfurling Sounders scarves. It could have been London or Madrid. Maybe, one day, it will be New York or L.A.

"Look at this," Carey says. "Look at what's happening here. This is what American soccer can be."

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kurt.streeter@latimes.com