Queue the jokes about the Seattle Mariners....

This tidbit comes to us courtesy of the Boston Globe:

Seattle Sounders FC received permission from Revolution director of soccer Mike Burns to talk to assistant coach Paul Mariner about its head coaching position, a league source confirmed last night.

Mariner told the Arizona Republic recently he is interested in the position.

Sounders FC is an MLS expansion team set to play next season. Mariner also told the Arizona Republic he interviewed for the head job with the Chicago Fire earlier this year.

"If [becoming an MLS head coach] doesn't happen, I'll probably stay with [Steve Nicol], and then move on and work in Asia in media and coach," Mariner told the newspaper.

On the Sounders FC website, general manager Adrian Hanauer said the team expects to make a hire between the middle of October and the MLS Cup Nov. 23.

The Sounders signed Sanna Nyassi to an MLS contract. Sanna is the twin brother of the Revolution's Sainey Nyassi.