Sounders fans could get a treat -- a short treat, but maybe a nice surprise -- Thursday, as coach Sigi Schmid implies that designated player Freddie Ljungberg could be available in a reserve role in the opener against New York.

“It’s something that we’re continuing to talk about and debate," Schmid said. "We’ll see. Freddie could be on the bench, coming off the bench. He won’t start. I’ll guarantee you that. He won’t start. But what his role is, is he off the bench? Are we not going to have him on the bench in game one? That’s something that we know. And that’s something you’ll find out on Thursday.”

He gave this update on other injuries heading into the opener against New York: “We wanted to see how they came through practice.(Steve) Zakuani, Freddie and Jarrod Smith all came through practice (Tuesday) OK. We’re trying to be careful with Nate (Sturgis) right now. We didn’t want to do anything this week in training that was going to aggravate it at all. He hasn’t missed hardly any training. So we felt okay that if he sat back these two, three days that wasn’t going to effect him that much for the game. Jarrod has to miss the first six games. He’s missed all of preseason, so with us, with him it’s a matter of continuing to regen and then trying to get him fit over the next three weeks as well.”

Yes, in one way, the Seattle P-I was a News Tribune competitor. But as newspapers and a journalists, we also felt like members of the same family.

So, yes, it's depressing to wake up today and realize there is no print version of the P-I hitting doorsteps all across the region. I believe the region is less well-served because of it.

On a personal level, I was just getting to know P-I Sounders reporter Gary Washburn, and I'm disappointed he won't be part of my workday anymore. To him -- all the former P-I employees -- all the best.