Here's a Blast From the Past!

[Z.I.P.]

It felt strange reading this story. I remember watching Benny Dargle -- now coaching with Cleveland Soccer Club -- play for Akron in the 70s, but somehow I had the idea he was older than that (sorry if you're reading this big guy!). Benny was one of the best American fullbacks in the North American Soccer League and also played for Cleveland's last professional soccer team, the Cobras. My best memory of the NASL was the final Soccer Bowl championship. Not sure what year that was (maybe 1982 or 83?), but the Sounders played the New York Cosmos, and Akron's Benny Dargle was assigned to mark whoever was the star of the Cosmos and the NASL at the time. I also can't remember who that forward was -- I think either Giorgio Chinaglia or Franz Beckenbauer -- huge stars of international football before finishing their careers with the Cosmos. It will be fun to watch whether Stevie Zakuani becomes the second Zip to star in the Pacific Northwest.http://soundercentral.com/museum/1982%20up...enny_dargle.htm