Editor's note: MLS Talk writer Josh Pedley recently sat down with Sigi Schmid to reflect on the 2009 season, to take stock of Seattle's successful season and to look ahead to 2010.

Here is the transcript of that interview:

Before the season, you stated that making the play-offs would be a minimum requirement. Having achieved that, are you disappointed to go out at the first stage?

Yeah it was disappointing but at the same time we were the first expansion team to make the play-offs in their first year since Chicago in 1998. But we had high expectations because of the squad we had and having experienced players like Freddie Ljungberg and Kasey Keller.

Houston Dynamos have been one of the strongest teams over the past couple of seasons but it was a close game. What did you think was the difference between the two sides? How key was their experience of previous playoff campaigns?

Best way to describe it is that Houston’s 4 starting midfielders have been playing together since 2006 and for us, as a group, we are in our first season. They had a little bit more belief, were harder, a bit more physical and their experience definitely helped.

It was a big decision to leave Columbus Crew for a new franchise. What was it that attracted you in the first place?

Well, the contract negotiations were going bad with Columbus and dragging on. I heard what was happening in Seattle and spoke to the club and liked what heard. And speaking to Joe Roth (Sounders FC majority owner), Adrian Hanauer, Paul Allen and Drew Carey (minority owners), I knew something special was happening here.

Seattle has a soccer history and a huge amateur scene. But still have you been surprised by the soccer fever that has gripped the city?

The atmosphere has been unbelievable from the start. The owners did a good job in keeping guys from the previous Sounders around, to provide that link with the past, and the support has been fantastic. I think our attendance puts us up in the top 50 clubs in the world and you just have to go around the city and you will see lots of people with Sounders jersey’s on and people honking their horns and wishing you well.

How do you plan to take the team forward? Will there be big squad changes or do you plan to keep the nucleus together?

The planning starts now, we are already having meetings about next season and providing the players with their off-season plans so there ready to comeback fit. We are also looking around at players and I’m going out to a few college games as well. I think its easier in year two. Last season we didn’t know what we had. Now we do, so we know that we need a couple of wide guys and we need to add a little bit of guts to the team.

How do you feel Freddie Ljungberg has performed this season? It’s the first time in a while that he has been injury free?

We signed him on the basis that he would have surgery on his hip to correct that. And he came into the side after our second game and apart from missing one or two games with a migraine he has played.

We had games against Everton and Chelsea this summer and they noted that it’s the freshest they had seen him in a long time.

How important have the experienced players been in helping this season?

Having Freddie and Kasey has definitely helped. We have a lot of young guys and they would help them out and talk to them about things on the field, which has been great especially for a wide guy like Steve Zakuani.

The players got to know him and like him but the best example he set was by training hard. That has more effect than any words.

And what chances are there of him following Beckham and moving to Europe for the off-season?

It’s a possibility but Beckham needs to play because he has the World Cup on his mind. Freddie doesn’t have that as Sweden didn’t qualify, so he’s not been motivated towards that goal. I think he wants to take a little time off and relax and then comeback ready for next season.

Freddy Montero has been a great signing for the club. There were rumours about a move to Europe with Fulham. How far do you think he can go in the game?

He’s still young, just 21, and he can still get better. The biggest difference to a player like Montero is the adjustment to training. Getting used to the rhythm and the hard work of a European or North American training schedule is a lot different to that of South America and he will get better and better the more he gets used to it.

Highlights of the season?

Obviously winning the US Open Cup was definitely a highlight and no one will ever forget the opening game. It was a great day for the city and a great atmosphere.

And if the league were a single table (instead of two conferences) we would have finished just two points off first place. Just one win away from winning the regular season championship and that would have been an amazing achievement in our first season.

What are your experiences of the 1994 World Cup? And what would getting the world cup for 2018 mean?

It was a pretty unique time, as we had no professional league, so except for the guys playing in Europe, we were training like a club and trying to get games against teams to be ready. We played against countries I had never even heard of, like Moldova and Armenia, just to play.

Bora [Milutinovi?, USA Head Coach] really set a rhythm and a way of playing. We weren’t the most entertaining side but he set a structure that gave us the best chance.

If we get the World Cup in 2018 the US team will be a lot better. There will be more depth in the squad and I believe we will have the quality to beat any team on our day.

1994 was massive in raising the awareness of the game but 2018 would be on another level. The atmosphere was great in 1994 but the landscape has changed and people are more aware know of soccer. For example, in 1994 Seattle wasn’t a host city.

We have fantastic stadiums and due to the sheer size of our population, the games will be played to full grounds of 60,000 – 80,000 people.

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On Thursday night in Philadelphia, MLS Commissioner Don Garber was interviewed on the Fox Football Fone-In show by Eric Wynalda and Nick Webster. There was one particular statement that Garber said that peaked my curiosity. It was in context of MLS and how the league has been in business for 15 years. "For 50 years, professional soccer has failed [in this country]." said Garber.

The issue I have with Garber's comment is that it belittles the incredible success that the NASL achieved in the United States and around the world during the 70s and early 80s. Yes the league eventually went belly up and ultimately failed, but the league achieved far greater success than Major League Soccer. Garber's comment is also insulting to other leagues in the States such as USL, WPS, NPSL and former leagues such as the USA (United Soccer Federation) - that was popular in the mid-to-late 60s - and indoor soccer leagues, which were popular in the 80s and 90s.

I honestly believe that if it wasn't for the rise and fall of the North American Soccer League in the United States in the 70s and 80s, we wouldn't be where we are today in the soccer landscape in this country. And Major League Soccer would not exist as we know it.

The popularity of the NASL introduced the sport to the mainstream and created a solid fanbase in this country. On top of that, the league became popular on a national and local scale due to the press and TV exposure, as well as incredibly successful worldwide as some of the best players in the world (in their prime, I might add) moved to the States to play in the NASL.

It was not only soccer fans that were born during the 70s and 80s thanks to the NASL. US soccer players were also born. Young kids grew up on NASL, many of them idolizing their heroes on the field and later became some of the greatest soccer players the US has ever produced.

Ever since the league formed, MLS has long tried to distance themselves from comparisons to the NASL. More recently, when the new team was being organized in Seattle, officials resisted putting the name Sounders among the team names to choose from. After Seattle fans protested vociferously, the Sounders name was reluctantly put into the hat. And the rest is history.

The decision of the Seattle fans to choose the Sounders name and the resulting success of the team in the northwest is partly due to the legacy that NASL left. Sounders was the name of the NASL team that played in Seattle from 1974 to 1983. By selecting the Sounders name, the MLS team was able to tap into the legacy of NASL and the foundation of soccer support in the Seattle area. And then to build upon that, which they more than certainly did making Seattle one of the best team launches in the history of not only soccer but any sports franchise, according to Garber.

So yes, Garber is correct when he says that professional soccer has failed for 50 years in the United States. But he needs to add a disclaimer when he says that and give professional soccer credit where credit is due, whether it be the NASL, USL, WPS or other professional organization.

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A team effort; Vancouver has built an organic club culture

In 2010 Major League Soccer will welcome the Philadelphia Union to its ranks as the fifteenth team to join the division, and thus far the club has been bolstered by strong ticket sales. The league office will hope Philadelphia's inclusion will create a strong east coast rivalry with New England, New York, and D.C. United. The new Red Bull Arena is set to become the crown jewel of MLS, while D.C.'s passionate fan base has been a staple of the league since its inception. Yet MLS has had difficulty nurturing the development of these seemingly natural derbies, and pundits remain skeptical whether Union's arrival will trigger a charged environment.

There is less concern over the potential of emerging rivalries in the Pacific Northwest. After all, there is distinct history between Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, with the latter clubs set to join MLS in 2011. These organizations had large followings in the North American Soccer League, and Seattle's success during their inaugural MLS campaign is well documented. As Major League Soccer Talk continues to explore the Pacific Northwest soccer scene our focus shifts north of the Canadian border, where this weekend the Vancouver Whitecaps fell to the Montreal Impact in the second leg of the United Soccer Leagues First Division Final. Despite this setback, fans of the Whitecaps understand the unlimited potential of this club, and soon you will too.

As I have mentioned in previous articles, Seattle Sounders FC is renowned for its mass-marketing appeal and professionalized club culture. Meanwhile Portland's attendance record in the United Soccer Leagues is overwhelming, as the Timbers Army has asserted its position as one of the top supporters groups in North America. This begs the question, what is unique about the Vancouver Whitecaps? What individual traits separate the Whitecaps from their Pacific Northwest brethren?

The answer is straightforward and will undoubtedly provoke a strong response from fans of every club. The Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club has quietly become the most authentic football organization on the continent. While the Sounders have been pushing their brand and Portland has been expanding its fan base, Vancouver has methodically implemented a tiered development structure that is unrivaled in North America. The Whitecaps are unique in many regards, but no other club in this region has a streamlined youth development system that directly supports the first team. For fans of world football this is a familiar concept. Most of the big European or South American clubs have tiered systems that supply the senior side with talented youngsters. This is not commonplace in North America, and a particularly foreign notion in the United States where college soccer is the preferred means of player development.

Vancouver has not taken the route of the "traditional" North American soccer team. Rather this organization has adapted tried and true methods from the global game. To see the importance of Vancouver's developmental mindset look no further than the club's ownership contingent. Three years ago Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot placed significant financial support behind the academy system, and the results have been rewarding. Kerfoot will be joined by Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett, and NBA point guard Steve Nash as part owners in 2011. All four men are excited for top-flight football in Vancouver, but there is no question about the significance of the club's foundation. Nash, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, recently drew attention to this fact by training with the club's Residency side in mid-September. Nash is renowned for his passion towards player development, and using his celebrity the Phoenix Suns talisman was able to emphasize the value of cultivating premier footballing talent.

Marcus Haber was named 2009 USL 1 Rookie of the Year

For the Whitecaps, the benefit of this system is evident. After spells with Leeds United and Dutch side FC Groningen, Residency product Marcus Haber was promoted to the first team this season. The local product earned USL First Division Rookie of the Year honors through his outstanding play, and the forward is a player to watch in the coming years. Vancouver's academy houses and trains fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen year-old players from across the world. While most USL and MLS clubs are happy to take on journeyman players from abroad or substandard domestic talent, the Whitecaps have become self-sufficient. The club has already sold one Residency player to German side FC Energie Cottbus, a unique occurrence in our part of the world. After all, how many USL or MLS clubs sell their youth products to European clubs?

The Whitecaps are pioneers in this regard, and by looking at the organization's current roster Vancouver's global ambitions are apparent. There are players that hail from England, the Caribbean, and Nigeria. This is not your traditional USL first team, and Vancouver's reputation as an international city will only enhance the club's roster when the Whitecaps enter MLS in 2011. The Whitecaps' current youth prospects are indeed impressive, as I had a chance to watch them on two occasions in 2009. While working for the Seattle Wolves Football Club in the USL Premier Development League, many of our players commented on the quality of Vancouver's youngsters. Players like Gagandeep Dosanjh (18) and Russell Teibert (16) may find their way into Vancouver's MLS side in a few years, as these players are incredibly gifted with the ball.  But clearly that is the idea. Vancouver wants to utilize their extensive scouting network and promote from within their Residency program.

In a recent interview with USSoccerPlayers.com, Vancouver President Bob Lenarduzzi cemented this fact, stating, "The academy was a cornerstone objective when I got involved with the owner six years ago. One of the things I suggested to him [Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot] was if he wanted to be in it for the long haul, we really needed to have a hand in our own destiny, hence, the start-up of the significant investment of the Residency program.”

In Lenarduzzi, the Whitecaps have a football-savvy President leading the way. Pedigree doesn't begin to define the Vancouver native. Lenarduzzi has over thirty-five years of experience in the game as a player, manager, general manager, and president. He is famously remembered in Canada for nearly scoring against the USSR in the 1986 Wolrd Cup Finals (the country's only appearance), and he holds the record for most appearances in the North American Soccer League (312), where he was a stalwart for the Whitecaps. He has been a part of this football club every step of the way - from NASL glory, through the purgatorial A-League years, and onto a rebirth in Major League Soccer.

Whitecaps President Bob Lenarduzzi

Lenarduzzi is a revelation in North American football management, as a number of MLS clubs are run by executives that lack football-specific experience. Lenarduzzi has managed the Canadian national team, and he served as Vancouver's general manager from 1988-1993 and 2000-2001 (then the Vancouver 86ers). He is also not the only one who understands the potential of this sport, as the club has a skilled front office in place that has effectively marketed the USL Whitecaps. The club currently plays at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, British Columbia, and the ground is routinely stuffed to its 5,300 spectator capacity. This figure will increase when the club moves to a renovated BC Place Stadium for MLS, but in the USL the club has done a remarkable job of keeping demand for tickets high. The Whitecaps front office has accomplished this by appealing to both hardcore football supporters and the family-oriented element, a remarkable accomplishment when contrasted with the mom and pops approach of other second division clubs.

Like the Sounders, Vancouver has etched a clear direction for itself. This club has a proud identity that has been built upon the foundations of a unique development system and a knowledgeable club culture. In the USSoccerPlayers.com interview, Lenarduzzi expressed his desire to emulate Seattle's success at the next level, “If you look at the success of Seattle, a lot of theirs’ has been a result of the imports they’ve brought in, they’ve all done well for them - Montero, Hurtado, Osvaldo Alonso was a USL 1 player last year, he came from Cuba. They won the Open Cup, which was great to do in their first year and that brings with it qualification for Champions League next year, which is great from a playing perspective and they’re getting crowds in excess of 30,000.”

The Sounders may be a tough act to follow, but if any club can walk stride for stride with Seattle it is Vancouver. Many of the club's current players will be able to contribute in MLS. Youngsters like Haber and Ethan Gage, who spent time with Germany's Eintracht Frankfurt this summer, will continue to hone their skills and could be every bit as valuable to Vancouver as Osvaldo Alonso has been to the Sounders. If nothing else, we know that the Whitecaps' propensity to develop young players is not to be underestimated and the club will undoubtedly produce a portion of its own talent.

Vancouver supporters generate an intimate atmosphere inside Swangard

Moreover, Vancouver's fan base gets it - they understand football culture. Seattle and Portland both have excellent fan bases, but even these cities have to combat the ignorance of the traditional American sports hierarchy. Vancouver worships the National Hockey League's Canucks, but there is more than enough room in British Columbia for top-flight football. Vancouver's multi-ethnic and cosmopolitan population is soccer mad, and when I went to Swangard Stadium for the regular season finale against Cleveland City I was impressed with the football IQ of these supporters. Even in Seattle it is not common place to hear conversation about the intricacies of zonal marking and why the offside trap isn't working. At Qwest Field you get the impression that some fans are there to ride the Sounder wave and experience their first football rush. This is not the case in Vancouver. Whitecaps supporters have a keen eye and are quick analyze the ebb and flow of a match.

When plans for MLS expansion were announced earlier this year, Vancouver sold 5,000 season ticket deposits in forty-eight hours. The appetite for the beautiful game in this Pacific Northwest metropolis is apparent, and the club's next step will be to convert USL season ticket packages and the Swangard waiting list into MLS deposits. Once this is accomplished Vancouver will have a supporters base of around 10,000, half the capacity of the soon to be renovated BC Place. Vancouver's USL success is encouraging both on and off the pitch, as the Whitecaps claimed the 2008 First Division title and finished as runners up this term. Interest in the club is high because of these achievments, and the advent of MLS has people talking. Vancouver's USL foundations are stronger than Seattle's were in 2008, and with an organized ownership contingent and a streamlined football philosophy all the pieces seem to be in place for the Whitecaps' emergence.

I have been jokingly accused by my media colleagues in Seattle of being pro-Portland or pro-Vancouver. The truth is I am pro-football. If the beautiful game is to truly thrive in our part of the world well-run and strongly supported clubs are needed to elevate the sport's status. Football's stock in North America has never been higher than it is right now, and this notion is sure to increase in 2011. Vancouver will clearly be a large part of this movement, and for that reason I am grateful. Philadelphia will add something to the mix in six months time, but for those of us on the left coast the Portland-Seattle-Vancouver triumvirate is simply too enticing to ignore.

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Now that the United States national team has assured itself a place in the 2010 World Cup, the American soccer community can turn its attention back to the domestic game. This season has been unlike any other in recent memory, as both Major League Soccer and the United Soccer Leagues have produced compelling story lines throughout 2009. Many will argue that some of those stories have negatively impacted the development of top-flight football in this country, as the recent sale of the USL has caused dissension among the league's clubs.

Nevertheless, football's collective stock has never been higher in the United States, as Major League Soccer has consolidated its brand and the league's future appears extremely bright. Readers should bear in mind that MLS is only fourteen years old, and while the early years were marred by attempts to "Americanize" the world's game (see club names like Tampa Bay Mutiny et al.), the league office has now created a single party line intent on establishing a viable form of professional football. The knock-on effect from the David Beckham experiment has exposed MLS to new audiences, and the league is now mentioned alongside AC Milan on Sky Sports News and in La Gazzettta dello Sport. Yet the recent success of MLS lies in the league's ability to select markets capable of supporting true football culture.

There are many great sporting cities across the United States, but few are truly able to sustain the organic supporters subculture associated with the beautiful game. Lets face it, soccer supporters are a unique breed. While the gridiron faithful may claim that consuming copious amounts of red meat quantifies fandom, proper football fans know better. After all, the relationship between soccer supporters and their clubs is not forged by gross mass-marketing. Rather, football culture is a tribal experience that binds supporters to their individual sides through triumph and adversity. To see contemporary examples of this observe a football match in Barcelona, where a football club literally carried the language and traditions of the Catalan people under Fascist oppression. On Merseyside football is a distinct way of life, as lifestyles are determined by declaring allegiance to Everton or Liverpool Football Club. London, Rome, Buenos Aires - football culture is the beating heart of these various urban centers.

Major League Soccer took massive strides in cementing this type of fervent football passion in North America by bringing league play to the Pacific Northwest. That is not to say that fan culture in cities like Toronto and Washington D.C. is not stellar, but the obvious success of Seattle Sounders FC has raised the bar. Each weekend 35,000 supporters pack Qwest Field in an unprecedented display of support. There is no question that the chanting rave green masses have elevated the standard for supporters culture across MLS. If you don't believe me simply scroll down this website to Major League Soccer's glaring attendance figures.

Soccer City indeed: The Timbers Army

Yet despite the attention surrounding the Sounders, Portland's 2011 entrance into the American top-flight will raise the bar once more. Simply stated, Portland has the best set of supporters in American soccer. Before the backlash begins, allow me to explain. Working in the Pacific Northwest soccer scene has given me a unique insight into the Interstate 5 corridor. From Portland to Vancouver, this part of North America is rife with football support that stems from large expatriate communities and local ties to the defunct North American Soccer League. Carrying the self-proclaimed title of "Soccer City USA", Portland can bear this label because no other city rallies behind a second tier club in the same manner as Timbers fans.

The Rose City has not seen top-flight football since the NASL folded in 1984, yet PGE Park's attendances swell over 10,000 routinely in the second division. In fact the Timbers averaged 9,734 fans per match in 2009 while playing in the United Soccer Leagues. This figure becomes more significant when weighed against Seattle's 2008 USL average attendance. While the current Sounders are renowned for their overwhelming fan support, in the USL the club could not muster more than 2,500 fans on a regular basis. Meanwhile, Vancouver sold out Swangard Stadium regularly in 2009, but the current ground seats just over 5,000 spectators for USL play.

When compared with their rivals Portland's home support is staggering, and the fan base is hardly composed of fickle members. The main supporters group is known as the Timbers Army, and this ravenous hoard devotes itself to vocally imposing itself on Timbers matches for 90 minutes. The TA is invariably contrasted with Seattle's Emerald City Supporters, and while the Sounders faithful have backed their team admirably this season, this same fervor was lacking in the USL. Portland's fan base is primed for Major League Soccer, and the fantastic support that is on display each week in the USL will thrive once the Timbers make the jump to the top-flight.

Part of what makes football such a visceral experience is the rivalry that surrounds the sport. The size of the United States and Canada makes traditional derby matches difficult to come by, but this is not the case in the Pacific Northwest. Once Portland and Vancouver join Seattle in MLS the North American soccer public will see mass away support for the first time in the continent's history. Yes, a fair number of fans make the trek from Toronto to Columbus each year, but those numbers will pale in comparison to the away support in 2011.

The Portland-Seattle derby is of particular interest. With the two cities only two and a half hours from each other fans will be eager to renew this great rivalry. In the summer of 2009 the two sides squared off in the U.S. Open Cup and the atmosphere at PGE Park was simply the best I have encountered in North America. It was reminiscent of an English F.A. Cup match-up between a Premier League side and a relegated second division rival. Over 16,000 supporters packed the ground, and Seattle's 1,000 away fans were a sign of things to come. The Timbers Army was incredibly vocal, orchestrating brilliant displays and waving numerous green and white checkered flags. Derby matches are crucial in developing the intensity of the American game, and Portland's arrival will signal a new era in this regard.

Keita celebrates against Seattle in the U.S. Open Cup third round.

Lastly, the current Timbers side isn't half bad either. In 2009 the club claimed the Commissioner's Cup as regular season champions, as Portland went on a 24-match unbeaten run and led the USL First Division in scoring. Manager Gavin Wilkinson was named Coach of the Year, and club President Merritt Paulson announced this week that Wilkinson will remain on board for the 2010 season. While it remains to be seen if Wilkinson will be at the helm in 2011, one thing is clear: this is a football club that can make an immediate impact at the next level. PGE Park is an intimate football venue, and with renovations on the way this atmosphere will only improve. Wilkinson is a top manager, and there are a number of players on the current roster that could continue playing at the next level. Goalkeeper Steve Cronin was recently loaned to D.C. United for the remainder of their season, while Mandjou Keita set the USL alight this season by scoring 11 goals.

If Major League Soccer is truly going to become a top domestic league passionate fan bases are needed to support well organized clubs. While this concept appears relatively obvious, it is a much more difficult notion to master. Clubs like Toronto and Seattle have certainly done their part, and Portland will add another level of authenticity in 2011. After all authenticity is the key. Portland's fan base is already incredibly loyal in the second division, and this zeal will continue to grow once the club is playing in MLS. Derby matches are essential in fostering passion for this sport, and once Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver begin playing each other in MLS a new era will be underway. For anyone interested in seeing the beautiful game thrive in our corner of the world this will be a decisive moment, and personally I can't wait.

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Finally, something to push David Beckham out of MLS-related headlines.

Columbian international Fredy Montero is taking the league by storm as he and his expansion Seattle Sounders are tied with Chivas USA atop the Western Conference standings with their two wins to start the season.

Montero has three goals on the year, none more impressive than the long-range strike Saturday night in a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake.

RSL paid plenty of attention to Montero in the match, marking him closely and fouling him often, but he still broke free for the goal to put the match out of reach in the second half.

"From the first kick they showed they were going to be stronger and more physical," Montero said in Spanish to Seattle Times reporter Jose Miguel Romero, "but obviously this is a matter of playing with an attitude and skill and continuing to ask for the ball, continue to try and make the plays."

And according to Sounders' coach Sigi Schmid in the same report, he's already getting a bit of protection from officials.

"Obviously [Montero got] the league's attention, and also, the guy, Olave, knows him from Colombia. I'm sure he passed on that information to his teammates," he said.

"The referee was pretty good about pulling yellow cards quickly and trying his best to protect Fredy. That's part of the game. It's part of what Fredy's going to learn as a player as he matures, because no matter where you play, that's going to be a part of it."

Montero, on loan from Deportivo Cali, has quickly drawn the attention and praise of his teammates as well

Freddie Ljungberg - the former Swedish international who made his MLS debut Saturday night - raved about the strike to MLSnet.com:

"I think the goalie is maybe a bit far out, but we won't complain at all," he said. "It was a great shot and it killed the game. Happy days!"

Happy days are indeed here again in Seattle, a city that's seen its Seahawks and Mariners flounder and its Sonics up and boom out of town in the last 12 months.

Scarf-wearing, vocal partisans have packed Qwest Field for the first two home matches, producing a Toronto FC-like atmosphere for a team that's looked anything but like the expansion team its supposed to be.

It remains to be seen if the Sounders can continue to ride the wave when they leave the Pacific Northwest and one has to wonder how the slightly built Montero will hold up to the steady flow of physical challenges he's certain to be receiving.

But after two games, Montero and the Sounders are raising eyebrows here and abroad.

Seattle are suddenly looking like a playoff side and somewhere in Columbia, accountants at Deportivo Cali are smiling at the prospect of a big-money deal for their 21-year-old goal scoring phenom.

At this rate, Montero's first season in MLS may be his last.

But the ride from here to the end of the current loan deal should be one for the ages.

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