Taylor Graham

Last updated
Taylor Graham
Taylor Graham 2.jpg
Graham playing for Seattle Sounders FC plays against Boca Juniors on May 28, 2010
Personal information
Date of birth (1980-06-03) June 3, 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth Fair Oaks, California, United States
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Position(s) Defender
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1999–2002 Stanford Cardinal 66 (3)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2003–2004 Kansas City Wizards 19 (1)
2005 Seattle Sounders 28 (2)
2006–2007 New York Red Bulls 15 (0)
2007–2008 Seattle Sounders 38 (3)
2009–2011 Seattle Sounders FC 1 (0)
Total101(6)
International career
2008 Puerto Rico 3 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Taylor Graham (born June 3, 1980) is a former American soccer player.

Contents

Career

Youth and college

Graham attended Rio Americano High School and played five years of college soccer at Stanford University, registering as a walk-on his freshman year of 1998, and only appearing in two games in 1999. After appearing in 18 games his sophomore season, Graham started every possible game his final two, winning first team All-Pac-10 his senior year, as he led the Cardinal to an appearance in the NCAA College Cup.

Professional

After graduating from Stanford, Graham was drafted 33rd overall in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft by the Kansas City Wizards. Graham was signed to a developmental contract, making two appearances and playing a total of ten minutes. In his second season Graham was given significantly more playing time, playing as both a right back and central defender. After a season in the USL First Division when he played every minute for the Seattle Sounders, led his team to the title, and was named USL Defender of the Year, Graham was acquired by the MetroStars, now New York Red Bulls. He was released midway through the 2007 season and signed with his former club Seattle Sounders. He then signed with Seattle Sounders FC, a continuation of the Sounders in Major League Soccer. On May 26, 2010, he had his first appearance of the 2010 season in a friendly against Boca Juniors of Argentina, playing the full 90 minutes and putting up a solid performance.

Graham announced his retirement on December 2, 2011, after he was dropped from the roster by the Seattle Sounders. [1]

International

Graham represented Puerto Rico in three international friendlies (including the team's first win in 14 years) during early 2008. The national team coach Colin Clarke had misunderstood the requirements to play for Puerto Rican national side following a change to the eligibility criteria. [2]

Previously, all U.S. citizens were eligible for Puerto Rico national teams, but now the player pool is restricted to players who have lived on the island for at least five years, meaning that Graham is no longer eligible for the Puerto Rico national team per federation rules. [3]

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1January 16, 2008 Thomas Robinson Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas 0 - 10 - 2Friendly

Honors

Kansas City Wizards

Seattle Sounders

Seattle Sounders FC

Television

Graham appeared on The Price Is Right on June 24, 2009. In the showcase he spoke on one of the prizes which was a vacation to Seattle, to go to any 2 home games of Seattle Sounders and watch them play. [4]

Personal life

After retiring as a player, Taylor Graham became Director of Business Operations for his former club, Seattle Sounders FC. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Rico Islanders</span> Association football club

The Puerto Rico Islanders were a professional association football team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. They played in several different leagues from 2004 to 2012, when they suspended operations. In their last two seasons they played in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. They played their home games at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium. The team's colors were orange and white. They were succeeded by Puerto Rico FC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Levesque</span> American soccer player

Roger Levesque is an American former soccer player.

Petter Villegas is an Ecuadorian-born Puerto Rican footballer who played for Puerto Rico Islanders in the North American Soccer League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Riley (soccer)</span> American soccer player

James Riley is an American former soccer player who played as a defender and is currently the head coach for USL League Two club Ballard FC. Riley previously spent eleven seasons in Major League Soccer (MLS) with the New England Revolution (2005–2007), San Jose Earthquakes (2008), Seattle Sounders FC (2009–2011), Chivas USA (2012), D.C. United (2013), LA Galaxy (2014), and the Colorado Rapids (2015). Riley served as the captain of the Cascadia soccer team in the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup.

Michael Steven Rodríguez Gutiérrez is a Costa Rican former footballer who most recently played for the National Premier Soccer League club Puerto Rico Bayamón.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Gargan</span> American soccer player (born 1982)

Dan Gargan is an American former professional soccer player who last played for LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer. He is the former color commentator for Atlanta United FC on Fox Sports South and Fox Sports Southeast. Currently, Gargan is the managing director of one of the best youth sports clubs in the midwest, Lou Fusz Athletic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kupono Low</span> American soccer player

Kupono Low is an American former soccer player.

The 2007 Season is the 21st edition of the United Soccer Leagues season.

The 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 94th edition of the USSF's annual national soccer championship, running from June through early October.

Marco Vélez is a Puerto Rican former footballer who played as a defender and currently works as coach for Puerto Rico Surf SC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Needham</span> American soccer player (born 1984)

Jay Charles Needham is an American former professional soccer player who played as a central defender or defensive midfielder for teams in Norway, Puerto Rico and the United States.

The 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 95th edition of the USSF's annual national soccer championship, running from June through early September.

Noah Delgado is a former professional soccer player and coach. He has been a member of the El Salvador National Team Gold Cup staff and 2020 World Cup Qualifying.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Gregor</span> American soccer player

Andrew Gregor is a retired American soccer midfielder who played professionally in Major League Soccer, the USL First Division, the USL Premier Development League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He is now the director of scouring for Major League Soccer club Minnesota United.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cristian Arrieta</span> American soccer player and coach (born 1979)

Cristian Arrieta is a retired footballer and active coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Boss</span> American soccer player (born 1981)

Terrence Boss is an American soccer coach and former professional goalkeeper, who is currently an assistant with Major League Soccer side Austin FC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kitsap Pumas</span> Soccer club

Kitsap SC Pumas was an American soccer team based in Bremerton, Washington, United States. The team played in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. From its foundation in 2009 to 2016, the club played in the Premier Development League (PDL), as a professional club. As part of the agreement upon leaving PDL after the 2016 season, the club was unable to use the "Kitsap Pumas" name during the 2017 season while playing in NPSL. The club was officially renamed Kitsap SC until September 1, 2017 when the Pumas name was restored. The club announced on July 20, 2018 that it would cease operations due to declining attendance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamar Neagle</span> American professional soccer player

Lamar Neagle is an American professional soccer player who plays for the Tacoma Stars in the Major Arena Soccer League. He has spent most of his career with the Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer over the course of several stints; Neagle has also played for Montreal Impact and D.C. United in Major League Soccer, as well as Mariehamn in Finland.

The 2011 Orlando City SC season, marked the club's first season in existence, and their first year in the third-tier USL Pro League. Previously, the club was known as the Austin Aztex FC before they were relocated to Orlando, Florida. They won a double, winning the Commissioner's Cup as the top team in the league's regular season, and winning the USL Pro Championship.

The 2005 Portland Timbers season was the 5th season for the Portland Timbers—the 3rd incarnation of a club to bear the Timbers name—of the now-defunct USL First Division, the second-tier league of the United States and Canada at the time.

References

  1. "Defender Taylor Graham Retires - Seattle Sounders Football Club". Archived from the original on 2011-12-05.
  2. "Taylor Graham Interview". prostamerika.com. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  3. "Carolina RailHawks profile". Carolinarailhawks.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
  4. "The Price Is Right Video". CBS.com. Retrieved 2010-06-30.[ dead link ]
  5. Mayers, Joshua (27 Mar 2012). "Furlough day (Tuesday links)". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 17 Sep 2013.