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TUKWILA, Wash. -- When Brian Schmetzer says he was there for the start of Zach Scotts professional career, its no exaggeration.It was an open tryout for anyone interested in joining the USL version of the Seattle Sounders back in 2002. These werent invited players taking part, just any guy off the street who wanted to catch the eye of Schmetzer, the coach of the club, and possibly have a part-time career as a professional soccer player.The game was terrible because it was a bunch of (tryouts), it was on Memorial Stadium on the old turf, narrow, the balls are being lumped (in) and Zach is crushing every single header, recalled Schmetzer, the current interim coach of the MLS version of the Sounders. ... Zach was truly an open tryout. He was a name on the paper.That was the first memory Schmetzer had of his center defender. Fifteen years later, and after 349 career appearances through different incarnations of the Sounders, Scott is on the verge of retirement at age 36.Scott will put on his Sounders uniform for potentially the final time Sunday when Seattle closes out the regular season against Real Salt Lake. Thanks to a late-season surge, the Sounders are likely to be playing beyond Sunday in the MLS Cup playoffs. A win will put Seattle into the postseason, and the Sounders can still get there with a loss or draw depending on what happens with Portland and Sporting Kansas City.So the priority for Seattle is getting a result, as Scott would prefer. But there will also be recognition of Scotts career, even if he would prefer no fanfare at all.Mentally Ive been preparing myself for this basically since last November when I didnt know if I was going to be back, Scott said. Every extra day, or every extra game day to put on the jersey has been a good one. Ive got no regrets or no real expectations of what is going to happen this Sunday. If there is another opportunity to do it, great. Obviously you want to go out winning a championship but thats beyond my control at this point.Through a combination of longevity, loyalty and a style of play based more on effort than skill, Scott has etched a spot in Seattle soccer history dating to the original Sounders of the 1970s. Flash and flair were never parts of Scotts game. Instead, hes been a humble role player who has earned a place in Sounders fans hearts that even the most decorated stars of the club may never have.Its why there will be a bobblehead of Scott handed out before Sundays game. Its why hes featured on the specialized poster being sold for the final regular-season match. Its why the Emerald City Supporters are likely to feature Scott on their pregame tifo.Its exactly the kind of attention Scott doesnt want.I was asked to do a job when I was signed to the Sounders and Ive made sure that every day Ive come out here and done that job, Scott said. So the fact that its being celebrated, me just doing my job, is a bit ridiculous but in the same sense, its also gives my family a chance to come together maybe one last time around soccer.Scott has just two career goals in MLS competition, but it was in other competitions -- CONCACAF Champions League and the U.S. Open Cup -- where Scott had special moments. Perhaps no moment will top scoring the deciding penalty in a shootout win over rival Portland in the 2010 Open Cup. It was the 2014 Open Cup final at Philadelphia that stood out for Schmetzer.Zach was a warrior that day. He was on a half a leg for three quarters of that game. I remember him coming off in between overtime periods, the guy couldnt walk. But we hold the lead at 2-1 and we end up winning that trophy, Schmetzer said. ... Zach would tell you the important moments are the soccer moments. The things he did on the field, I know hes fiercely proud of that. Wholesale Custom Jerseys .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Fake Custom Jerseys . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. https://www.cheapcustomjerseysonline.com/ . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. Authentic Custom Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla. Custom Jerseys Adidas . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days. In two games under new head coach Tom Thibodeau, the Minnesota Timberwolves held early double-digit leads only to watch those leads turn into losses.The first such instance came against the Memphis Grizzlies, who come to Target Center on Tuesday for Minnesotas home opener. The Timberwolves held an early 17-point lead in the first game of the season at Memphis. The Grizzlies, however, fought back to give David Fizdale his first NBA head coaching win.Minnesota also squandered a big lead Saturday in Sacramento, falling to the Kings after being up by 18 in the first half. Its been a bumpy start to the Thibodeau era as his young team figures out how to close out games.The third quarter was a problem, a big problem, Thibodeau told the Minneapolis Star Tribune after the loss to Sacramento. We have to get a lot tougher. Thats what I see.Memphis is 2-1 entering Tuesdays game, and its season-opening win over Minnesota was sparked by a 24-point effort from guard Mike Conley.After falling behind big early, Memphis outscored the young Wolves 52-39 in the second half to help Fizdale earn his first win.I was squirming on the inside, Fizdale told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. But I knew our team had big-time jitters. Our energy was really good.Now those same two teams face off for the second time in less than one week after also meeting in the preseason -- a matchup Minnesota won.Last weeeks season opener came down to the final minute, with the Grizzlies making their free throws down the stretch to fend off the Timberwolves.ddddddddddddMaking shots from the free throw line is an issue for Minnesota in its first two games; the Wolves shot 69 percent at the line against Memphis and 71 percent in a three-point loss to Sacramento.Since that win over the Wolves, the Grizzlies lost to the Knicks on the road, 111-104, before beating the Wizards by nine at home. Conley was the steady hand in Memphis two wins. He scored a team-high 24 against Washington in the overtime win.That win came after Fizdale tweaked his starting lineup, giving James Ennis and Jarell Martin the start. That new look helped the Grizzlies get out to a fast start, something they didnt do in their previous two games.It remains to be seen which lineup Fizdale will go with against Minnesota on Tuesday.The Timberwolves, meanwhile, hope to have a large lead once again -- as long as theyre able to hold onto it for Thibodeaus first win in Minnesota.We lost two games already. We just try to win, Timberwolves fourth-year guard Zach LaVine told the Star Tribune. Thats all that matters to me right now. We invest a lot of stuff this summer to try and get better. The time is now. ' ' '